How to Learn Knitting for Beginners?

Have you ever googled “How to learn knitting for beginners”? I sure have! And so it seems have many other would-be knitters! Knitting seems to be a club you can only enter if you have a grandma who taught you when you were 5, OR if you are able to learn how to knit intuitively.

For me, my grandma did not teach me to knit at 5, AND I was NOT an intuitive beginner knitter. 

I began my knitting journey late in life after my husband gave me a “learn to knit kit” when I turned 40. Consequently, the next month was spent agonizing over HOW TO knit?

Because the book was basically useless to me, I searched the plethora of online videos and picture tutorials – there are a million of them! Despite all these resources finding out exactly HOW TO knit evaded me at every turn! It all felt too overwhelming and difficult.

Focusing On the Wrong Things

One of the first things I was “taught” was to hold the yarn between my fingers for tension “on the left hand”, Wait no! “The right hand!” Oops! No! “The left hand is better!” Additionally, “Wrap the yarn around one finger!” – “Two fingers!” – “Two fingers and then one finger!” – “One finger and then two fingers!”

What?!?

Honestly people! Can’t someone just show us the knitting part?

After, I spent SO much time, wrapping yarn around various fingers in very specific ways, I realized I still was not any closer to knitting than I was before.  Learning the REAL basics of HOW TO put yarn around a knitting needle was completely missing!

Maybe I’m not very intuitive. I’ll own that. But once I had the yarn wrapped around my fingers in all these various ways, I still could NOT figure out how to get it on the needles without dramatic arm movements and a tangled mess.  

And guess what? I am here NOW to tell you that despite the many different ways you can choose to hold your knitting needles and yarn, and all the complicated wrapping around your fingers for tensioning techniques in the world, the how to learn knitting for beginners is not that complicated!

Focus on One Step at a Time!

Finally, I had reached the end of my rope (yarn?). In fact, I had stopped caring about left-hand/right-hand and started doing what seemed natural to me. To clarify, I did not wrap yarn around my fingers for complicated tensioning techniques. Indeed, I let the yarn hang limply while I focused all my energy on knitting. Next, I knit a stitch. Then another and another. And started over again and again, practicing.

This heightened focus on the “HOW TO” was a real game changer for my knitting experience.  I was able to let go of all the complicated advice and focus on HOW TO knit and as a result I was able TO KNIT! And YOU can too! Because, as far as I’m concerned, this is how to learn knitting for beginners. By just doing it as simply and easily as you can!

As far as tension goes, knitting this method is great for tension taming! When you can hyper focus on HOW TO knit, you can also manage your tension. Later on, when you have the mechanics down, if you want to learn how to knit continental or flicking style, tension taming will be a piece of cake! Why? Because you are now familiar with the tension needed in your knitting! 

Are You Sure Knitting Can Be That Simple?

If you want to know how simple knitting can be, just remember that a lot of folks learned it from their grandmothers when they were children. 

Look up how to teach a child to knit. I did that and you know what I found?  When teaching a child to knit, knitters don’t skip ANY steps. They do NOT waste time showing them complicated finger wrapping yarn techniques. Very simply, they just show them HOW TO do it!

They do not go on tangents about various knitting needle types and fiber content of yarns and “is it single ply or 8 ply? or maybe it’s spun.”

Nope! None of that matters when you are teaching children to knit.

And you know what? None of that matters when you are teaching adults HOW TO knit either!

Beginner Knitter Reassurance and A FREE Gift!

You will get there. Trust me! Once you learn HOW TO knit, and you enjoy the methodical creation of something beautiful from yarn and needles, you will be ready for more advanced learning! You may find yourself diving headfirst into the world of yarn and needles! It’s a beautiful world!

After you know HOW TO knit, you can spend hours perfecting the yarn wrap around your fingers tensioning techniques. And honestly, for me, depending on the yarn, I wrap it different ways. But I could NOT do that in the beginning.

So for now, you just need 2 needles, some yarn and some instructions that are plain and simple!

I’ve got some great tools coming out soon for beginner knitters. They are clear, specific and simple. My greatest desire is for you to learn “HOW” so that you can begin your knitting journey stress free!

Be sure to sign up for my email newsletter so you can be alerted FIRST when the Beginner Knitter Checklists: Everything you need to get and learn to begin knitting! is available!

And if you’re ready for the next step – check out my Learn to Knit Resource Kit!

Hugs & Happy Knitting!
Lois