Something I absolutely love is teaching new knitters. I think it's so much fun to see a person go from knitting their very first holey swatch to completing their first garment. So here are my tips for beginners:
🧶 Knit something you enjoy, even if it looks difficult! Nothing kills motivation more than knitting something as boring as a scarf or a washcloth (even though scarves are very cozy and washcloths are useful!). Knitting scarves is fine for learning knit and purl stitches, but once you've mastered those, you're ready for something more advanced. There are many different branches within knitting. I'll admit I'm a bit particular in this area. I've tried knitting solid-colored garments and textured knits, etc., but I don't find it very fun... Find your thing, whether it's socks, mittens, textured knitting, or colorwork 🥰
One thing that really scared me as a beginner was how many patterns look. You take a quick look, and there are many difficult terms and abbreviations that a new knitter doesn't understand. I must admit that if I want to knit a garment and the pattern makes no sense, I put it down immediately (even now, after many years of knitting).
🧶 Gauge: I cannot stress enough how important this is. The correct way to check your gauge is to knit a swatch, wash it, and measure how many stitches you get in 10 cm AFTER the swatch is dry. The reason for this is that many yarns change after washing. I know knitting a swatch is incredibly boring, and I must admit I rarely do it myself. So if you really don't want to: start by knitting the sleeves and measure there. If the gauge on the sleeves is wrong, it's a shame but not a disaster. Then you can correct the needle size you use for the body and yoke.
Gauge also changes as you become a better knitter. New knitters often sit a bit tense and pull the yarn for dear life. It's not just the brain that needs to learn all the movements and techniques; your muscles take some time to recognize the movements before you eventually do it automatically.
🧶 Mistakes in knitting: When you're a new knitter, you make many mistakes. Everything from dropping stitches to knitting patterns incorrectly. The first proper garment you knit will have many flaws, but you learn from your mistakes. Many mistakes can be fixed, and you don't necessarily have to unravel the entire sweater if you see that you've made one or five mistakes. Some mistakes you can live with, and others you can't. If I make a mistake and feel in my gut that I should unravel or start asking others "can you see this," then I know I have to unravel! ðŸ¤
It took me a long time to become a good knitter because I didn't have anyone to teach me. My mother and sister had been knitting a lot for years, but at the time I learned to knit, I moved around a lot and didn't have access to help. Therefore, I've become very good at correcting mistakes in knitting.
🧶 Sitting posture: Have support behind your elbows when you knit and relax your body. I myself have gone through periods where it felt like I was paralyzed in both arms, and I thought I could never knit again. I had such stiff muscles in my neck that my arms didn't get enough blood. I knit between 4 and 8 hours every day, and knitting posture is absolutely crucial to prevent inflammation. Now, I'm in a special situation because I make a living from knitting, but once you get inflammation, it's difficult to get rid of it.
Hope this was helpful! Good luck with your knitting – and remember that you can always ask us for tips, advice, and guidance regarding my patterns. Send us an email at post@linkaneumann.com – we will reply as quickly as possible.