Garter Stitch Knitting Patterns for New Knitters

The first knitting stitch that most people learn is Garter Stitch because it’s the easiest. Just learn the knit stitch and repeat it. This sounds like it might be boring but there’s actually a lot you can make just with this one stitch pattern. Here are some fun and easy Garter Stitch knitting patterns for new knitters to try.

The Lily Sugar’n Cream knit dishcloth is a perfect beginner knitting project. It’s worked with their classic cotton yarn and big needles so it works up fast. The free pattern is available at Yarnspirations.

Nostalgic Fingerless Mitts (Ravelry link) by Stephanie Bonner are worsted weight mitts work flat and sideways, with a provisional cast on for the thumb. This isn’t a beginner technique but you could just knit a rectangle to your desired width and sew it together, leaving a hole for the thumb. This is a free pattern.

The Ellis Garter Sweater from Stitch & Story is a simple chunky sweater worked flat in pieces. It’s a great first sweater project and because of the bulky yarn it won’t take that long to knit, either.

Or if you’re in summer mode, try the Soho top Garter Stitch tank top pattern from Caidree on Etsy. The pattern is available in English and French and comes in 10 sizes up to a chest measurement of 53.5 inches.

Knit a Garter Stitch shawl for an 18-inch doll and you’ll have a cute little project where you can also learn your basic increases. This is a free pattern from ABC Knitting Patterns.

If you want a person-sized Garter Stitch shawl, check out the Simple Garter Stitch Shawl by Diane Stavola on Ravelry. This one uses worsted weight yarn, and you can use a multicolored yarn or make it a stash busting project if you have stash that needs using.

Gina Michele has cute Garter Stitch sweaters for babies. You can find her cardigan and pullover options as free patterns on her blog.

Give your Garter Stitch a little twist with this simple headband from Marianna’s Lazy Daisy Days. So cute and a great gift idea that doesn’t look like a beginner made it!Looking for more knitted socks designs and patterns to keep you warm this winter? Check out these knitted sock patterns Etsy. And these Knitting Pattern books on Annies.

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It’s well known (among knitters, anyway) that knitters seem to love chickens as a motif and a subject of our knitting projects. The Emotional Support Chicken and all the other chicken knitting patterns are just the beginning of our devotion to farmyard friends.

For example, there’s Farmer Dennis’ Chicken Hat. This free pattern from Stacy Black is a simple worsted weight beanie sized for adults and decorate with a couple of little rounds of colorwork fences and a flock of chickens strutting around the body of the hat.

You don’t need a lot of any of the colors for the chickens, their facial features or the fences, so this is a great project for using little leftover bits from other projects. The main color for the body of the hat is less than a skein using the yarn suggested, so you might just have everything you need in your house to start stitching up this hat right away.

The colorwork is presented as a chart, with a 16 stitch section that repeats around the body of the hat. All the color changes are shown on the chart but I think it would be easier to knit the whole chicken in the chicken color and add the eye, beak and other features using duplicate stitch when the knitting is done. That way you don’t have to carry those yarns around the whole hat for just a few stitches.

As the name suggests, the original hat was given to a farmer who shared their eggs, but anyone who raises chickens or just has a thing for the fowl is sure to love this cute hat. It wouldn’t be too difficult for someone new to stranded knitting or reading charts to make, either, so if that’s you, give it a try.

The pattern is available for free on Ravelry.

[Photo: Stacy Black]

Knitting Patterns for Little Chicks

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