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Knit one, purl two. Or was that knit two and purl one? What is a purl anyway?

If that sounds like you, you are hopefully an absolute beginner when it comes to knitting. Relax, everyone has to start somewhere. Before you know it you'll be making beautiful, useful things while enjoying a relaxing hobby.

When you decide to begin it can seem that something that looked so relaxing can be terribly complicated. There are thousands of yarns available in everything from polyester to Asiatic yak hair, as many different needles, and a plethora of books that promise to make it easy and simple to learn. If all of this didn't confuse you there would be something wrong.

There are as many ways to knit as there are knitters. When you begin you are going to need some guidance. The best way is to enlist a friend or relative that to teach you. Knitters are almost always glad to share their knowledge with a beginner. One of the greatest traditions of all crafts is passing on your own knowledge to others. Don't be afraid to ask a friend or relative to teach you, it offers them an opportunity to share something they enjoy and you'll both benefit from the strengthening of your friendship because you'll have an interest in common.

Don't have anyone close to you that knits? Don't despair. Just head out to your local knitting shop. There you will find knowledgeable people who can get you started right. They will know the yarns, the needles, the instructional books to recommend for you to get started. Most offer classes for absolute beginners where you can learn with others at very little or no cost.

Your local community college or Fiber Arts Guild most likely also offer beginning knitting classes. These classes offer a wonderful opportunity to learn from experts and make new friends. It can't be stressed enough how much more quickly you will learn with an actual person to guide you. Many questions and problems you might experience can be taken care of in an instant when you have someone to show you how to hold your yarn and needles. Your progress will be swift and your teacher can suggest future projects and help you through them.

If you decide to learn to your own look for a book that offers lots of illustrations. Also a book that stresses that it is for beginners, not just easy. Easy for an experienced knitter is something much different than easy for a beginner. A book that has been through many printings may be more valuable than something new on the market. The same would go for instructional videos.

The books and videos by Elizabeth Zimmerman are ones that I found most useful when I was beginning. Her plain, simple, straight forward style is very easy to follow. Her passion for the craft and useful projects inspired me to keep at it when I was learning, and helped to instill my love for the craft.

However you choose to learn, you'll be taking part in a long tradition and finding a relaxing useful hobby. Welcome to the knitter's circle.

Learn more about this author, Mel R.
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