Tips and Projects for New Knitters

This is a perfect time of year to learn knitting if you haven’t already done so, to brush up on your skills or to teach someone else how to knit.

Over at About I have a great collection of links to tutorials, easy patterns and tips that should get you going when learning to knit.

Nicole from Darn Good Yarn also has some thoughts to help beginning knitters that you might want to check out. My favorite is her advice to check out online resources, because there’s really a ton of great information out there, from online tutorials to videos and tons of free patterns. But don’t be afraid to go to a class at a local yarn shop if you have access to one; there’s nothing better than learning from a real-life person.

If you’re learning to knit this year, I’d love to know what you need help with. And if you’re a more seasoned knitter I’d love to hear your advice for new knitters.

Mine is just to stick with it! I know everyone says knitting is great for stress relief and it doesn’t at all feel like that in the beginning, but in time it will get easier and more comfortable and it will really be the best thing you can do with your time.

Getting ready for back to school makes me think about pencil crafts, so let’s take a look at some pencil themed knitting patterns!

I recently made a pencil on a circular knitting machine, and it was a fun, quick, easy project that uses little bits of leftover yarn (and if you don’t have yellow you can make it a colored pencil using whatever color’s your favorite). And if you want to make a bigger version check out this pattern from Orange Olive Road on Etsy.

If you want to knit a pencil pillow by hand, check out Sketchy, available on Ravelry from Shana S. Cohen. This one uses worsted weight yarn and has two size options and the choice to make a pencil with an eraser or a colored pencil.

Pencil scarves seem to be the most popular kind of pencil knitting pattern, and there are lot of cute ones. This one from Cosy Craft UK mostly uses garter stitch, with some welts to add texture and what looks like an I-cord edging. It calls for DK weight yarn.

If you want to go all garter stitch try this version from Emsley Co Creations, which uses five colors of DK weight yarn and just a little shaping to make the point of the pencil.

There’s also this fun, mostly stockinette so it looks like it curls a bit, pencil pattern that looks like it’s worked in chunky yarn from Little Knits Studio. This one uses just a little garter stitch and easy shaping for the point.

If you don’t want a pencil scarf, how about some pencil socks? The No. 2 Pencil Socks from The Yarn Enabler are available from Ravelry and use five colors of sock yarn. They feature wide ribs to mimic the texture of a pencil and have options to be worked from the top down or the toe up.

Needs Sharpening by Alexander Walker is a free pattern on Ravelry that uses five colors of sock yarn to make a sort of shortie sock. The little bit of black at the tips of the toes inspired the name. These, too, can be worked in either direction and are available in three sizes.

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