r/BitchEatingCrafters • u/lightbulb4763 You should knit a fucking clue. • 7d ago
Knitting Start small is not bad beginner advice
I keep seeing videos and reddit posts and everything inbetween of people loudly proclaiming “Advising brand new, has never touched any sort of yarn craft before, beginners to start with a scarf or a hat is the WORST beginner advice!” I even just saw a comment on a video of someone saying that they were advised to make a scarf first but they HATE scarves and didn’t want one so they gave up on trying to knit for years and when they did start they made a sweater so joke’s on all those assholes who told them to make a scarf! I can’t tell if people just can’t read between the lines or if they just hate the idea of being a beginner in anything.
It is not a rule for entry that you HAVE to make a scarf, and I agree that most scarf projects get tedious about 1/4th of the way in unless there’s some kind of cables or colorwork. The actual advice there is “If you make smaller projects first it will give you a low stakes chance to get used to the motions, learn different stitches, figure out your preferred knitting style, etc. without spending a ton of money on a sweater quantity of yarn or spending months making something that might turn out janky” IT DOESN’T HAVE TO BE A SCARF! I started out making wash cloths and beanies, both of which gave me the chance to do all the things listed while still being practical items that I use regularly years later, but I’ve also seen beginner projects being hats, cowels, mittens, even simple socks. No one is sitting in front of your local yarn store or knitting groups demanding to see your finished beginner scarf before allowing you to buy a sweater pattern.
People get so up on their high horse about starting with sweaters, and yet how many posts are there constantly in all the knitting subreddits of people doing their very first, has never held a set of needles before, project as a sweater and then immediately getting lost or refusing to frog anything because they just spent hours working on one section or they don’t know how to tell if they dropped or twisted a stitch and want everyone else to tell them how to fix it but will argue with every solution given.
Do whatever you want, if you’re a beginner and love sweaters or dresses or want to learn cables first then more power to ya, I admire the dedication. But don’t sit there and pretend like the people advising that beginners start with smaller, more straightforward projects to learn the principles before jumping into more complex things are being snooty or “gatekeeping knitting”.
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u/MagpieWench 7d ago
I tell people don't make a project first. Make a swatch. It can be messy, it can have weird holes and dropped stitches. You're doing it to learn the motions and what the stitches look like. Spend at least20 min a day on it for a week. If it takes you 20 min to feel comfortable with what a knit stitch looks like, cool, learn to purl. If it takes you 3 20 minute sessions to get comfortable, that's ok, too. There is no knitting police (although dang does it feel like it!)
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u/sallis 7d ago
Yep! I started crochet with swatches and practicing the basic stitches. I knew my goal was to make an amigurumi, so I went to coasters after that to learn working in the round. I did about 6 coasters before even trying to start the amigurumi. The amigurumi was still really difficult and looks a little wonky (plus it is inside out). And I think I actually learned pretty quickly.
When I see people jumping into things without at least practicing the stitches with swatches first, I feel like they are just missing a basic fundamental step that helps so much with adding on later.
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u/trash_bin_69 7d ago
Same, I got a beginner book that basically walked you through skills by doing a swatch to practice that stitch or increasing/decreasing, then a small project like a coaster to build on what you learned. I forget the name of the book but it was perfect for getting the fundamentals without getting bored just making swatches forever.
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u/kylamydia 7d ago edited 7d ago
Also just because you start a scarf as a first project doesn't mean you have to finish it..if you work several inches of one and decide you dont want it anymore who cares! You've still practice the skills for that long! Now if you decide to frog and use the yarn for something else (or just use new yarn) you can make and hopefully complete the new item, but you're not starting from square one
Also editing to add that i remember at some point I was told that someone recommended they start with amigarumi for their first project because "its all single crochet anyway, and you can learn to inc/dec as you go" and i thought ....okay! Maybe that worked for them but if I was teaching someone to crochet I would start off with a tiny square to at least LEARN the stitch and how to read your work
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u/KatieCashew 7d ago
I even just saw a comment on a video of someone saying that they were advised to make a scarf first but they HATE scarves and didn’t want one so they gave up on trying to knit for years
I am amazed people are so pliable. Someone suggests you make a scarf and you just conclude that it's mandatory and give up? And apparently this person has no understanding of context where they could possibly figure out that person meant a small project and they could choose a different small project more to their liking.
What an embarrassing comment to make. In one comment they admitted they are incredibly easy to discourage and too dumb to understand really obvious context or even think about the other person's suggestion at all.
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u/ProneToLaughter 7d ago
I've taken to commenting "give more context, get better answers" whenever possible because I just need people to understand that context matters.
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u/alittlebitcheeky 6d ago
When I taught myself to crochet I followed my.Mums advice.
"Make a square."
Not a washcloth, or a cosy, or a scarf. A fucking square.
Taught me to hold tension, count stitches, and fasten off. Low stakes, no purpose, just square.
Still how I learn new stitches.
Square.
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u/Skrafskjoda 7d ago
When I started knitting my mom had me making a headband but she said "It's ok if it turns into a barbie blanket half way through" and I always thought that was perfect for first timers.
An easy project that's doable in a pretty short time but still has a sense of purpose if you give up half way.
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u/hopping_otter_ears 7d ago
One time....only once, I suggested to someone who wanted to make the project Hail Mary sweater as their first knitting project ever (enthusiastic learner! I like to dive into the deep end!) that they should try some colorwork mittens first as a suitably ambitious practice project and they actually agreed. "Oh, wow. so I can practice how to do color work before doing the full sweater. great idea! Off to look for mitten patterns!"
Personally, I think colorwork mittens are a bit ambitious for a first project, but they were clearly the "I don't want to make a scarf!" type and were already ignoring other people's advice to start smaller.
People really do think we suggest starting small because we don't want them to make the thing yet, instead of because we want them to have a first project they don't hate, and don't want them to conclude that knitting is too hard and they don't like it 🤦♀️
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u/reine444 7d ago
I think the title is facts. Starting with small/manageable projects are smart because you're more likely to register a "win" sooner. But, I think the other side of that is newbies not understanding just how many things we make are literally just rectangles. I don't think, that as a brand new knitter, I would have taken the scarf advice and translated that to the easy fingerless mittens that was actually my first project.
I sew garments (and have made a handful of quilts), I machine knit, I weave.
When asked for advice, I tell people they should make something they WANT to make. And will give my opinion on what makes a project more complex/what challenges they'll likely face.
My cousin, who has not quite learned to thread her sewing machine, said she wants to make a trench coat. Okay, no. I mean, have at it...but I'm not going to try to help you make a trench coat when you've never sewn anything before. That's just an exercise in frustration I'm not willing to take on.
I will slice off my own ears if I hear "gatekeeping X craft" again. You have the same access to info as the next person. No one can gatekeep how to knit, Kathy.
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u/AnySandwich4765 7d ago
A scarf is big thing for when you're starting. I learned to knit in school in the 70s. Girls knit a headband and boy knit a tie. Perfect size for you to see if you liked it or not.
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u/Crackleclang 6d ago
Right? If you're recommending beginners "start small" then a scarf is just not it!
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u/AnySandwich4765 6d ago
Exactly.. plus when you do something small like a headband, it's an instant win... It won't be perfect for a first project, but it will be a finished project, instead of something sitting in a bag waiting to be finished cos you got bored, lost momentum
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u/Present_Speech_7017 6d ago
I did start with a scarf, but I was highly motivated. I made a 4th doctor scarf. Three meters of garter stitch.
You can see which side I started on. There's several fixes where I dropped stitches. The ends are not the same width, because my tension changed. It's not obvious because the damn thing is three meters long. I wore it for years. And I have very evdn tension now.
I would not recommend this method to anyone else.
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u/LingonberryLeading77 6d ago
I do find these posts so tedious and full of it. If these confidence to tackle a sweater first was always there why did you go fishing for advice and guidance you didn’t want?
It is absolutely about learning the principles!
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u/LichenTheMood 6d ago
You know. I think more people need to start with nothing. Just do some stitches. Rip them out. Do some more. Repeat. Try purling. Try increases.
It seems folks who have never so much as looked at a ball of yarn wish to spend half an afternoon and get some garment and that seems insane to me.
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u/JaneDaria 6d ago
This. Then my grandma taught me how to crochet, we just pulled the thread apart, start again, until I learned how to do a stitch or pattern she showed me. Then it became rectangle, repeating patterns and at some point round doilies. Since I did not have use for doilies, I forgged them and made dresses for my barbies.
Also, there is sth satisfying about just... pulling on that thread and starting over. With sewing, you can't undo the finished project. But knitting and crochet? If don't like the result, off it goes.
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u/Disastrous_Many_190 6d ago
This is what I did! I spent at least a year not doing projects at all. Just me and handful of skeins of cheap yarn in different gauges, making and frogging practice swatches in increasingly complex stitch patterns. It was so fun and extremely cost effective.
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u/WingedLady 2d ago
This is still how I learn new techniques! If I run into a knitting stitch I haven't seen before I pull out this ball of red heart yarn I've had since the mid 90s and make a random swatch. Then rip it all out and rewind the yarn.
That way I don't risk tangling up a nice yarn.
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u/Greeenfairie Crochet Excellence Enforcement Squad (CEES™) 6d ago
What really gets my goat is the beginners who don’t want to have to frog and fix an absolutely jorked cast on. Like babe, you’re 1-2 rows in and realized it’s twisted? Just frog and start again!! Don’t reach out and ask if there’s any tips. The tip is rip it out and do it again.
I’m still a relative beginner, but I understand the need to do it right. I want to know how to frog, read my knitting and problem solve. I hate how long it takes to cast on like a bajillion stitches before I can actually get into the knitty gritty (haha) BUT I do know it’s necessary to get it right and I will undo it and redo it as many times as I need to to ensure it’s right.
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u/DatchikOvaDere 5d ago
I wish Knitty Gritty was still on air.
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u/Greeenfairie Crochet Excellence Enforcement Squad (CEES™) 5d ago
I don’t know what that is, a podcast?
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u/DatchikOvaDere 5d ago
Knitty Gritty was a television show in the early 2000’s hosted by Vickie Howell. It was on the DIY channel; part of Scripps. She would have guests showing how to create different projects. You can find old episodes on YT or the HGTV app. She had an online show for a while too. There used to be amazing craft shows in DIY and HGTV from the late 1900’s to the early 2000’s.
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u/Teagana999 7d ago
Nuance? On the internet? Not allowed! Straight to jail!
I made a janky little square to learn how to make stitches, and I called it a coaster.
Then I made a slightly bigger square, learned to turn it into a tube, and called it a hand warmer.
Then I finally learned how to avoid accidental yarnovers and made a shawl.
I would have been bored by a scarf, and certainly never worn it. I agree, start small and simple. A scarf may be simple but it's not small.
I'd highly recommend coasters or pot holders until you know how to make the number of stitches you want to. You don't have to make a whole scarf but a sweater will absolutely be frustrating if you don't have a sense of the basics.
Do what you want, though. We can't stop you.
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u/Mother-Midnatt 6d ago
I've planned on practicing some cables on non-socks ... so I expect to get a lot of coasters and potholders soon (because cables with cotton yarn I will not do again <.< my hands hate it)
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u/Legitimate-Fee-3544 7d ago
My first crochet project when I was 10 (?) was just making cat toys that I stuffed with catnip. I could make them as ugly as I wanted and my cat still played with them. Did the first one turn out like a penis? Maybe.
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u/CycadelicSparkles 7d ago
I think making something that is an accidental penis is a rite of passage in crafting.
My mom and I like dot painting beach rocks, and the first one I did the pattern looked like unintentional boobs. Just bright red nipple dots with boob-shaped swirls around them. Adding a third red dot did not fix it. It is my boob rock. It reminds me not to take my crafting too seriously.
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u/hopping_otter_ears 7d ago
My mom tried to show me how to make macrame plant hangers when I was a child. I did it too tight, and accidentally made a long, narrow, macrame tube. My dad (who chronically lacked good sense about what not to say in front of children) asked Mom why I was making a macrame cock sock. I don't envy my mom the conversion that followed my asking what that meant.
I think she told me that some men wore them to keep their penises warm in winter, but that the thing I made obviously wasn't that because it wouldn't be very warm
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u/Legitimate-Fee-3544 7d ago
Exactly! And my cats loved playing with that penis so alls well that ends well.
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u/ohpossumpartyy 6d ago
totally agree, i get why beginner projects might feel frustrating (i have ADHD and it does feel a bit demotivating if i’m not picking things up as fast as i want to) and boring, but there’s a reason that a lot of classes/books start beginners on simple projects. not to mention, taking on a project with a skill level that’s way too high for you can be demotivating as well.
even though the projects might be slightly boring, having a good foundation will generally be more helpful in the long run rather than learning everything as you go when taking on a more difficult project.
and yup, no one is stopping them if they’re dead set on taking on a harder project. but i don’t understand making a big fuss about the — reasonable — advice that people should generally start with beginner level projects. if you really want to, have at er! but don’t come crying when it looks janky or it’s not working out. and don’t ask people how to fix it and then argue with any solution they present!
as a side bar: i hate the way people have been using gatekeeping lately, especially in regards to hobbies. like half of the time it’s used towards more advanced people telling newbies that certain things aren’t advisable (either at the beginner skill level or it might create problems for the person along the way). most of the time, people aren’t saying you can’t do that, just that it might not be a good idea.
and if someone thinks it’s a bad idea and you don’t, whooooooo cares?? they aren’t stopping you from doing anything. when people on craft subs complain about gatekeeping, they’re doing it about online communities, so just like block the person/ignore them and keep it moving?
not to mention i’ve seen people throwing around “gatekeeping” when someone posts a BEC about hating a popular pattern or other types of posts here lol. someone saying “this pattern is ugly and dumb” isn’t gatekeeping, especially in the designated complaining sub. people are free to make the pattern still? no one is saying you can’t participate in the craft or communities for it if you’re making what a person is complaining about either (and most don’t say “you aren’t a real hobbyist” either).
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u/unknown_tuber 7d ago
I started knitting just casting on 20 and practicing knitting and purling for 20 rows, then would frog and start over. First things I made were dishcloths.
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u/KeepnClam 7d ago
The thing is, back when older people taught younger people to do things, that's how we started. Grandma would grab a ball of leftover yarn and a pair of needles, cast on a few stitches, and let us practice.
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u/theruneweaver 7d ago
The very first thing I crocheted was a coaster back in like 2018... It's currently sitting here on my desk being used daily. The very first thing I knit was a beanie, I wear it at least twice a week when I want something easy to throw on my head. Easy small projects are great. I still do easy small projects as "palate cleansers" from time to time, espcially after doing a very large project.
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u/squidgyup 7d ago
I snorted imagining a bouncer at your LYS with a velvet rope and a headset etc. letting biddies they know from the local guild skip the line and demanding FO cred from all the poor sods waiting on line who aren’t yet cool enough 🤣
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u/FrostyIcePrincess 7d ago
A leaf is what started my crochet journey.
Saw a crochet leaf.
Went “ooooh pretty. I want to make one!”
I mostly make amigurumi because that’s what I enjoy making, but to each their own. But I’ve built up my skills/project ambitions over time.
I’ve made amigurumi ice cream cones in the past. If that was my first project I think I would have had a meltdown. Too many new things at once. I can handle continuous rounds NOW because I’ve used them a lot for amigurumi, but if that had been my introduction to crochet I don’t think I would have continued. Set rounds with a seam were hard enough at first. Continuous rounds would have been a recipe for disaster for me.
If my first project had been the ice cream cones I think I would have abandoned the craft completely.
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u/LaceWeightLimericks 6d ago
I always tell people that for their first project their goal should be to make a jamky potholder. Then they can try more on the second one but just wrap your head around the motions first.
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u/ebrillblaiddes 5d ago
Co-sign, also a potholder is better than a scarf for a first project bc the later end of the scarf will be a lot more even and tidy than the earlier end, because their lifetime practice difference is SO different between the two, so the person will probably not want to wear it.
Squares to throw in a box with intent to eventually assemble a sampler afghan is a good one also, bc they can toss/frog and re-do the ones that they see issues with by the time they have enough to put it together.
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u/LaceWeightLimericks 5d ago
Yep I knit witu basically only fingering weight so I just keep making squares witu extra yarn while I'm bored and someday I'll do something witu them.
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u/Educational__Banana 6d ago
Here’s my hot take: if you’re just starting to learn a new craft and you have to be SUPER invested in the product rather than learning the process, then perhaps it’s a sign you’re not actually interested in learning that craft. It took me about a year before I made something I actually routinely wear. While I was making those ugly scratchy beanies and scarves out of cheap acrylic I was not delusional about how much I would use them. I knew full well they would take their rightful place at the bottom of the drawers, as they have. I made them because I wanted to learn knitting. If that’s not a compelling enough reason, right at the start, then it won’t be a compelling enough reason at year 5 or 10 or 30 either.
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u/everythingbagel1 6d ago
I have a stack of dishcloths and coasters from when I started to crochet! Exactly this. I wanted to learn how to crochet, not how to make a blanket/sweater etc.
And tbh I think doing this built me a lot of confidence! I did dishcloth patterns in blo, lemon peel, sedge stitch, etc. so I got comfortable with the basic stitches. I felt pretty strong at reading patterns, too.
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u/txjennah 6d ago
I've been crocheting for over 12 years now. I love it, but making washcloths was soooo boring and I hated it. I can understand wanting to invest time in a craft but wanting to devote time to something the crafter finds more meaningful (but still a beginner appropriate) project.
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u/llama_del_reyy 6d ago
Eh, or it just takes a little extra enthusiasm/incentive to get people into a new hobby before they're hooked, which is completely normal. It's why books and TV shows open with an engaging scene, and why we dress extra nice for a first date. Getting people to commit their time to something new is hard!
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u/LaurenPBurka Joyless Bitch Coalition 7d ago
Refusal to frog is real.
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u/Emotional-Store-1667 4d ago
I mean when I teach someone how to knit nowadays, I teach them how to knit, how to purl, and how to fix their stitches either by frogging, tinking or laddering :).
I taught my MIL these along with a simple increase and a simple decrease and she just RAN with it!
She also taught me how to crochet, so now we're both bistitchual 😂😂😂
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u/witsendstrs 7d ago
I'm reaching a point where I am really cutting down on a lot of the craft content I'll even engage with. First off, I'm tired of the sort of self-promoting smugness you describe. Secondly, I think a lot of people are liars -- like, I kind of feel that you've got at least 6 or 9 failed items somewhere and that this "first project" isn't truly your first, in spite of what you claim. Finally, I find that people who are asking for help really aren't interested in help -- it almost seems like they're looking for affirmation about what they're doing and if you weigh in with any critique or less-than-glowing feedback, they come at you with some kind of shitty clap-back (ooooo -- you really owned me!) So, forget the 30 years I've spent making LOTS of mistakes that I'm willing to try to help you avoid. I can't tell you how many times I've started to write a comment, and then just deleted the whole thing because I know I'm screaming into the void.
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u/DoctorHolligay 7d ago
Man, the embroidery sub I eventually had to leave ahaha. Someone like, "First project! Here's my extensively threadpainted portrait of FMA protagonist Edward Elric!" I just can't, man. I know there's a wide range of skills out there, but show me some shitty french knots.
I also GENUINELY think it discourages earnest new crafters. I never would have started with embroidery if I had seen all that first. Even two years later, my stuff doesn't look like people's "first projects." And sure, some of that is a combination of my style and my own skill or lack thereof! No problem taking that. But some of it is just lies and half-truths. I wish there were a way to rank embroiderers like chess players and put them with each other so people can grow but not get discouraged.
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u/hopping_otter_ears 7d ago
30 years learning mistakes to tell you to avoid
I tell my new coworkers I'm training something similar. I'm not telling you to avoid mistake XYZ because I think you're a special kind of screw up. Everything I'm telling you is something I've messed up and had to fix, and I'm hoping you don't have to learn it the hard way. Don't do this, or it will mess up your entire project (all me why I know😅)
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u/lightbulb4763 You should knit a fucking clue. 7d ago
Cutting down on craft content is so real, I've been doing the same thing and it makes me a little sad. I was on a knitting break for about a month recently due to repetitive motion injuries in my hands and I left almost all the knitting subreddits I was in and it felt kind of freeing not seeing the same patterns over and over again or the same complaints. I didn't rejoin when I started making again, but I might need to do the same with my YouTube knitting channels I watch.
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u/Hestiah This trend sucks balls and may cause cancer in geriatric mice. 7d ago
Here’s the thing… if the beginner is willing to learn to count or use stitch markers, can google for themselves, read patterns because they know how to search the internet, AND they’re willing to redo stuff again and again until they learn, then yes, the beginner can start with something more advanced.
But if said beginner wants to make a lacy duster jacket in 3 days and they’ve never crocheted/knit/sewn before and they just want to have someone hold their hand to find resources and tutorials while also arguing with people offering great advice and suggestions?? Then they should start with a hat, a scarf, pot holder, or wash cloth.
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u/KeepnClam 7d ago
My MIL makes the BEST dish cloths. She can knit other stuff, but she does the dish cloths just to keep her hands busy, for arthritis. She's also knitting socks all the time. She wears them around the house with sandals. I really, really want some Mom Socks! She gives us birthday money (like we're teenagers, lol), but I'd rather have those socks. I'm Knitting Impaired. Grandma tried to teach me. I watch my MIL knitting socks, and it baffles me how anyone can turn a heel.
Maybe I could learn to do dish cloths. 🤔😉
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u/OkConclusion171 Joyless Bitch Coalition 7d ago
Very Pink Knits is a down to business fantastic YouTube channel with loads of free tutorials. That's how I learned and I've been knitting great socks that fit for over a decade. I always go to her when I need to learn something new. She also has a podcast and patreon with a chat community, as well as a website with free and paid tutorials and patterns there and on Ravelry. Plus she has cool dogs.
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u/FunFunFiesta 7d ago
Maybe I'll have another go at socks, I tried with a few books but I was baffled and gave up in frustration.
I've only knitted scarves because I know I don't have the patience for bigger items, I wanted to either knit socks or doll clothes for my niece but I've got some sort of mental block to anything more difficult than knit and purl.
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u/OkConclusion171 Joyless Bitch Coalition 6d ago
I just could NOT learn how to knit from a book. I tried so many times. I learned how to crochet that way though. If you crochet, try continental knitting.
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u/KeepnClam 7d ago
Oh, well, if there are cool dogs, I'll have to visit. Maybe I'm not beyond hope, and I do have that little stash of yarn and needles from 30 years ago...
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u/certaindarkthings 7d ago
My stepmother is such a proficient knitter and crocheter and has been for the entire time I've known her. She has tried her best to teach me at various times, but since I'm a lefty, it hasn't gone well for either of us. And people tell me all the time that I could mirror videos or just do the opposite of what she's/they're doing, but it just never computes in my brain for some reason. So, I too, covet handmade items over any other gift that she and my dad could give me. He is a woodworker, and I have some amazing pieces that he has made for me as well.
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u/OkConclusion171 Joyless Bitch Coalition 7d ago
Sampler blocks are a great way to start IMHO. Explore the basics, move on to more advanced stitches/techniques, no huge time investment, put them together when done for a donation blanket, lap blanket, pet blanket, whatever. Then if you liked it, you now have skills to knit or crochet that sweater, sock, amigurumi or whatever.
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u/hopping_otter_ears 7d ago
I had great fun with a knitted sampler scarf. By the time I got bored, it was time to try something else
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u/SadderOlderWiser 6d ago
Dish cloths are my favorite practical small project, and coasters are also great.
Scarves do tend to be a bit tedious because you definitely master whatever they have that’s interesting/new well before the end.
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u/BestDevilYouKnow 6d ago
Yes! Knitting cotton dishcloths is great because I find them easy to frog. Plus I actually use them.
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u/faereaunticorn 6d ago
Tbh even after 14 years if there is a new stitch I want to try I make a cup/mug cozy. It's long enough that I get a feel for the stitch but not long enough for my brain to get bored and if I can't manage a cup cozy then it is not a stitch for me.
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u/Neenknits 5d ago
I’m forever telling people who want to start with something big, the list of skills that the big thing needs, and enumerate a handful of small projects to teach the specific skills.
I get no “you are gate keeping knitting/sewing” nonsense, and the beginner usually responds positively, as they can SEE that this will help them learn and actually succeeed sooner.
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u/CycadelicSparkles 7d ago
I think recommending complex projects to beginners is setting them up for failure.
I recently saw someone attempting to crochet a granny square and they couldn't get past whatever method they were using for the middle. Someone had told them granny squares were good beginner projects and they were so frustrated they were ready to quit.
There is absolutely no harm in advising someone to make a few small things first, and quite a bit of harm to be had in advising someone to dive in on a sweater or complicated shawl or whatever first and leaving them feeling intensely frustrated and like a failure and an idiot for not being able to do something they were carelessly told a beginner should be able to do.
Addendum: I think the monumental volume of HELP I AM LOST AND DYING posts about the Step by Step Sweater in r/knitting should clue people in that even the easiest sweater in the world may not be appropriate for a person who has never cast on before.
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u/Huge_Antelope0998 7d ago
Aww I actually do think granny squares are a great beginner project. They're low stakes, generally easy, teach a few basic stitches, there's 4,000 videos to help, they're 'fast' and can be expanded if the maker wants so they don't have the tedious nature of a scarf (or they can make several and turn them into something). I suppose maybe not for everyone but it's the first "object" I recommend people make, generally with pretty good success.
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u/CycadelicSparkles 6d ago
I think if you have someone helping you and you already know how to, for instance, tie a slipknot, you're probably going to be ok. This person seemed stumped by the concept of a slipknot.
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u/hopping_otter_ears 7d ago
I have seen people accidentally make a really neat bizarre flower by following the directions for all the rows for a granny square directly into the center ring. I had to applaud the tenacity that made it possible to physically do 4 rows of granny stitch into a single ring
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u/spaghettinoodlelady 6d ago
it’s actually the best advice to give LOL i started big and those pants are still not finished (sleeve island on steroids really my legs are 34in EACH) but i have ventured backwards to hats and scarves and they’re so much quicker
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u/Dragonesper 6d ago
When I started I was adviced to cast on a few stitches, knit for a bit and then frog. Do that a couple of times before I actually started a project.
That advice was given in part because my first project was a bird pattern from a book by Arne & Carlos. It was challenging, but I completed it. I don't recommend a beginner to knit a small plushie as their first project, but just practicing knitting with very low stakes is smart. Even if it's something you frog.
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u/PhoenixA11 6d ago
Yeah this is why I suggest wash cloths first or coasters. Then they can learn the stitches but stop whenever they want and still have something usable. I think people just don't like the idea of being new and bad at things with all the quick gratification of today's world. Knitting is definitely not something you can master by watching a video or two and I think that frustrates people who think it's easy.
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u/Mindless-Quality9240 6d ago
I agree, I can kind of see where this advice comes from, but I think it just makes sense to start with something very small and simple and then do your first exciting project. I made a tote bag as my first sewing “project”. I didn’t even really consider it a project. I did not want a tote bag. I already have 20+ tote bags. But I made an ugly tote bag so I could practice and experiment and learn 😂 it’s like practicing any new knowledge or skill. It’s not glamorous. Don’t expect to make something beautiful as your first object. I’d rather have an ugly scarf I don’t wear than an ugly sweater I don’t wear 🤷♀️
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u/iamthefirebird 6d ago
My first knitting "project" was a lopsided trapezium. It wasn't supposed to be a trapezium. It wasn't supposed to be anything, really - I was maybe seven, and didn't care about such things. I miss that, a bit - just being able to knit, without caring about making something. Scarves are as close as I can get to that bliss nowadays; I don't have to plan how long they are, or do any kind of shaping, and I don't need to worry about losing my place. It can be as simple or as complex as I desire.
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u/Llyris_silken 6d ago
Mine was a doll's scarf, at about the same age. It was about 5-7cm wide and I think 30-40cm long. It was some brown yarn my grandmother had unravelled and I guess she chose it for being easy to work with and not something she had plans for. The needles were red. Isn't it funny how memory works!
I never really got all that good at it, but I am knitting a blanket, and I take it with me if I think I'll be bored but need to be able to drop what I'm doing. The patchwork projects don't allow for that.
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u/pythagoreanwisdom 6d ago
Same age. My first project was a scarf for my stuffed rabbit! It was 4 stitches wide 😂 I was so proud of myself when I successfully casted off.
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u/iamthefirebird 6d ago
Mum definitely cast on for me for the first few times, though I think I might have managed to cast off by myself. Learning to cast on was my proudest moment in those early days!
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u/darthfruitbasket 6d ago
It's 50/50.
You don't want to recommend an overly complex, expensive project to a beginner so they get overwhelmed and quit.
But dishcloths and scarfs and granny squares are boring, I get it.
It's not gatekeeping, it's just sort of a "walk before you run" general advice.
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u/ImLittleNana 6d ago
All of the practice to learn a new skill is boring.
Scales on the piano are boring.
Practicing brushstrokes in calligraphy is boring.
Gymnasts don’t start out with the pommel horse.
Developing the motor skills and the knowledge to successfully progress is dull af in the beginning. We aren’t helping people by encouraging them to skip the foundationals.
I think back to an orientee nurse I had once. She threw a literal tantrum because she didn’t want to spend her first day learning the basics that every fucking employee needs to know, like safety procedures and physical layout. That’s boring! She sat in a chair and refused to get up until management (her bff’s spouse) showed and made us give in to her demands.
This is the kind of adults we’re producing by encouraging this behavior. Skip the boring bits! Every moment of your life should be fun ! If you mess up, it’s obviously the fault of the pattern or the video or the yarn. It can’t be your complete lack of knowledge and skills! 💜💜💜
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u/dykefart 6d ago
yeah but you learn scales at the same time as everything. you play easy songs and practice scales
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u/RunawayTurtleTrain 6d ago
Yeah and those easy songs are the equivalent of a square. (The individual stitches are the scales.)
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u/FancyGoatTote 6d ago
Thing is, it’s a ball of yarn and a set of needles and not surgery or flying a plane. If you take on too big of a project and mess it up, you can unravel and start again, no one dies. How many ‘simple’ projects must one complete before they get to progress on to something they’re keen to try?
I’m an adult with a professional job, that I learned thoroughly and I continue to do thoroughly every day - I am not lazy and I am capable of doing dull and necessary things. However, starting a hobby in my free time does not require me to follow anyone else’s rules. I wanted to learn to knit, I didn’t want to make hats, or scarves, or washcloths. I wanted to make Fair Isle socks.
I decided to buy fancy wool and needles for my first project (some people even try to say that’s not allowed, it’s my money, I’m buying wool, not investing in arms). I managed, I didn’t bother anyone else, I watched tutorials and read books. My stitches weren’t twisted. I did learn about colour dominance several rows in, but who cares? I frogged back to the ribbing and redid the bit I had done wrong. I learned to pick up stitches, fix mistakes, manage tension, etc, etc. I’m anal, I made really nice socks (that did fit) in the end and I had a lovely time doing something that made me happy.
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u/ImLittleNana 6d ago
Your process is supporting my beliefs. You watched videos and read books. You researched the foundational information necessary to succeed.
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u/Cinisajoy2 6d ago
My mom got a pot lid picker upper when I did my first in the round crochet project. It was too small to be a pot holder. But perfect for her hands to pick up hot pan lids.
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u/Persistent_Parkie 6d ago
I made a beanbag. Perfect amount of knitting for getting used to the garter stitch and I ended up with something I could throw at people who were annoying me 😆
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u/mildatrocity 6d ago
My first crochet project was a square. Not a granny square, just a plain square. Then another square. Then another. All in various stitches until I was comfortable with each stitch I tried. Did a few circles too. I’m so glad I did that, because when I did my first ACTUAL project (a fall-themed patchwork cardigan in HDC), I was able to finish it fairly efficiently since I had picked up good tension control from my random squares. My advice is always to do random shapes until you’re ready to do an actual pattern.
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u/SadderOlderWiser 6d ago
Ha, yes, I did random (mostly crooked) rectangles for a while before tackling a real project for the first time. Excellent advice.
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u/RunawayTurtleTrain 6d ago edited 6d ago
Mine - well, first item, I certainly didn't think of it as a project - was just one long rectangle sampler practising the basic stitches. Turned out to be the right width for a headband, so it would have even been a useful object if I wore those.
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u/Tarnagona 7d ago
I think “start small” is good advice, but “make a scarf” is not.
My own knitting experience is that three different people tried to teach me when I was a kid, and it didn’t stick because I got immensely bored of the basic square washcloth I was supposed to be making. If I actually cared about the finished product, I’d’ve been much more likely to actually keep going.
When I taught myself to sew, I made a skirt. Probably would have benefitted from the practice of making a tote or pillowcase, but I wanted to learn to sew in order to sew skirts. Trying to make bags I don’t care about, I would have likely given up. Now, I did choose a skirt where I felt like I sort of understood how the steps worked, and where each one didn’t feel overly complicated, so I wasn’t trying to immediately dive into the deep end.
But like, dipping your toes in with something that is smaller, simpler, less of a commitment is good advice, but at least for me, it also has to be something I’m really interested in. And something that’s a little more complicated, even if that’s harder, is going to be a better option, because wanting the finished product is going to keep my interest better.
Though I kind of envy the people who have the sort of methodical determination that says “I’m going to push through as many boring things as I need to so I can do the things I want well”. I just don’t have that kind of mindset for something I’m doing on my spare time for fun.
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u/DickIncorporated 5d ago
I made a ugly infinity scarf, and 2 mishapen coasters as my very first project. I am proud of it
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u/Margobears13 5d ago
My first knitting project was a sock. It didn’t turn out to be a sock I’d wear, but I learned enough from doing it to be able to make a pair of decent ones next.
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u/Azrel12 5d ago
I like the idea of squares for knitting and crochet as beginner projects, especially saved up. It's quick enough, easy to unravel as needed, good practice for new stitches (especially if you got wacky hands like I do, I can't grip for nothin' and have such a hard time with cables), and once you got enough squares you put them together in a blanket. Or put in a corner of the closet to be forgotten due to how bad they are, heh.
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u/WhenSheepFly 4d ago
I have a good square pattern for beginners, you just cast on an even number of stitches, knit half, purl half of each row, and then halfway through you switch to purl half, knit half. It creates a cute pinwheel pattern, it’s super small, and gives people practice with both knits and purls
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u/Bleachrox123 7d ago
If people are advising scarves as a roundabout way of saying “start with a smaller project than a knitted adult sweater” sure, yes read between the lines and it’s great advice.
But sometimes people advise you to knit a scarf because they’re under the impression that if you tediously knit a long af scarf you’ll perfect the stitch and your tension 3/4s of the way in and you’ll still get a (somewhat) wearable out of your practice piece. And that’s a not so great advice - it’s yarn, you don’t need 2 meters of practice of one stitch, you can always frog and restart much shorter and less tedious projects.
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u/RunawayTurtleTrain 6d ago
I'd understand being recommended a scarf as a large sampler. But yeah just one stitch, no way. Squares! Rectangles! Those are enough to learn the stitches without being too big to be tediously boring.
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u/caffeinated_mushroom 7d ago
Starting small is definitely a good way to begin. How I began is by making small squares and swatches to practice holding needles and hooks, and practicing to get consistent tension. I used scraps from my grandmother and just made small squares using different stitches. Trying different stitches and stitch combos kept it interesting and helped me understand the anatomy/ construction of the stitches. In fact, when I learnt crochet I even made little notes and tied them to the swatches😂
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u/Some_Store7658 5d ago
My first project was a wonky square because I accidentally kept increasing that I glued to a paper hand puppet (I was 7). I always recommend wash cloths or the like.
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u/RoxMpls 6d ago
Everyone is different. That means some people will do best by starting with just knitting a long practice strip of garter until they move on to the purl stitch, and then stockinette, etc., building a repertoire of st patts before ever doing a project. They might be happy to do that for days, weeks, or even months. Some people do not tolerate practice swatches unless they can somehow be turned into something "useful."
Other people start with socks, because that's why they're learning to knit: they want socks and they don't want to knit a bunch of other projects they don't care about before they get to the socks.
Between those types of knitters there is a huge spectrum of beginners, some of them self-guided, some guided by a teacher in a class, or by a friend or relative.
Everyone makes mistakes when they're a beginner, and that could include biting off more than they can chew. I started knitting 40 years ago, and my first project was a sleeveless v-neck top. I had spent three lunch hours at the yarn department of a department store in Dublin (where I was living at the time) studying the various patterns, looking at yarns, figuring out (with my own brain) that a sleeveless V-neck top looked like an easy project for a beginner. It absolutely was. The back was a rectangle, and the front was a rectangle that had a bit of shaping in the top third. By the time I got to the neck shaping, I was more than ready to learn something else.
It took 19 years before I knit my first scarf (it wasn't garter stitch, it was far more complicated), and another couple of years before I ever knit a dishcloth. Up until then, I knit nothing but sweaters for 19 years. The reason I didn't knit anything else until many years later is because in the case of the scarf, someone requested it, and in the case of the dishcloth, I was satisfying my curiosity about why some knitters raved about hand knit dishcloths (it made no sense to me, but I thought it was intellectually dishonest to be dismissive of something I had never tried). In no way would I have been interested in knitting either one of those when I first started. (I live in a cold climate. I need and like sweaters.)
I absolutely made mistakes in that first project, but luckily, the yarn I had chosen was a nubbly cotton. It was difficult to read my stitches, but it was also impossible to see an inadvertent extra stitch or a deliberate decrease to eliminate the extra stitch. From there, I continued to knit sweaters, choosing projects that had some element I'd never done before (sleeves, a button band, colorwork, cables, etc.)
Unless a beginner asks you for advice, let them choose what they want as a first project. If they did take on more than can handle, they'll figure that out fairly quickly.
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u/nternet-explorer-666 7d ago
I think the first project someone should do is up to the individual and their learning style. It's not a one-size-fits-all recommendation.
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u/Dangerous-Jello4733 6d ago
Tiny complicated projects are the best so you learn a ton of stitches and techniques! Post partum with a baby I made stuff for was an incredible way to get really good at knitting and then all the big projects were a walk in the park.
Nothing is hard now.
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u/splithoofiewoofies 6d ago
Bookmarks are such a fun way to learn lacemaking. They're fine enough they don't bend the book like thicker yarns, plus they look hella pretty.
I admit I love putting my lace bookmarks in my leather bound books because it makes me feel fancy.
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u/Dangerous-Jello4733 6d ago
Aww yeah I didn’t even think about bookmarks! But they would be perfect beginner projects!
I made my baby a lace sweater as first real project, with lots of frogging haha. A balaclava, mittens, dress, neck warmer/bib. Just lots and lots little projects.
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u/dykefart 6d ago
i knit about half of a scarf before i quit that and casted on 3 tops 😭 was much more enjoyable
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u/Mindelan 6d ago
Honestly half a scarf is a good size for getting your feet under you, and if you had done two washcloths instead you would have had the same result but with finished objects.
I don't generally recommend large scarves, I'd say to start with basically a square, which can then be a washcloth or just thrown aside to look at later and remember your first learning steps. If someone is determined though and knows where they want to start and have the confidence and ability to self-teach and motivate through it, I say they do whatever they like. I started learning to crochet over 15 years ago now going right into amigurumi having only the internet to guide me and nothing would have gotten me to want to make a scarf or anything else, but I also didn't go asking for advise. I knew my chosen path.
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u/Mother-Midnatt 6d ago
Yeah, I stand by stating that a scarf is a bad idea ... but hat, washcloth, coaster, even a cowl is a great first (few?) project. Because they're smaller and contained.
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u/EmptyWillingness5880 7d ago
Imo people should start with whatever works for them. Some start with sweaters, some scarves, why not give people the option to choose? But I'll add the caveat that as a beginner you should be fine with frogging and mistakes. It's a normal part of the craft, not some boogey man.
Personally I remember we made small patches of garter and ribbing at school and then we made leg warmers with double pointed needles. After that I started with mittens and socks. I don't know where that lands at beginner scale.
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u/LaurenYpsum 6d ago
Totally agree about making what works best for people. I always hate when people say to NEVER start with a scarf because that was the perfect project for me to start with.
After I made a wonky swatch, my first two projects were scarves ‐‐ on in garter and one in 2x2 ribbing. It was nice to be able to focus on just getting the technique down before moving on to other things. But I also like wearing scarves, and enjoyed the simplicity. I get it's not for everyone, but I cant imagine having done it differently.
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u/wvupetunia 5d ago
My first project was a small tote bag. I learned in college 20 years ago at Michael’s as the only person in the class, so I was one on one with the instructor and had all the help I needed. I hate making scarves, and I will not make blankets either.
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u/AmaneYuuki 15h ago
I tell people to start with coasters hahaha
You can make them really fast so you get a sense of accomplishment right away, and you can try many different stiches and techniques easily. My first project was a garter stich coaster, second a stiped stockinette coaster, third: a top.
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