Learn to Knit: Essential Skills for Beginning Knitters

Class Preview

Learn essential skills every new knitter should know! Open up your project possibilities with different cast-ons, basic stitch patterns and more.

Introduction

In this brief introduction, meet expert knitter and author Caddy Melville Ledbetter as she highlights the essential skills you’ll master in this class. Gain confidence casting on, reading charts, fixing mistakes — and tackling more advanced projects!

Before Starting a Project

Set yourself up to succeed by understanding your tools and materials. Learn about the different types of knitting needles and yarn weights. Overwhelmed by the amount of info in a knitting pattern? Caddy shows you how to make sense of it. Plus, learn how to make — and measure — a gauge swatch.

Five Most Common Cast-Ons

Practice the five most common cast-ons with Caddy’s guidance. Follow along as Caddy gives step-by-step instruction on the e-wrap, knitted, long-tail, cable and crochet cast-ons. In addition, you’ll discover a variety of tips and tricks for mastering these techniques.

Shaping

Want to add shaping to your designs? Caddy demystifies the process with her detailed and clear instruction. You’ll see multiple ways to decrease and increase your stitches. Plus, learn how to bind off in pattern — an essential technique used for knitting rounded necklines.

Basic Stitch Patterns & Charts

Boost your confidence reading charts and knitting complex stitch patterns. Caddy introduces the basic garter and stockinette stitches and shows you how to knit ribbing and a slip-stitch pattern. Then, knit along with Caddy as she demonstrates how to create lovely lace and cable designs using a chart.

Little Extras

Add more handy techniques to your arsenal! Discover several simple ways to add a new ball of yarn to your project and seamlessly weave in the tails. In addition, Caddy demonstrates easy ways to fix twisted and dropped stitches. Plus, deepen your understanding of selvage stitches.

Finishing Touches

Hone your finishing techniques with Caddy’s tips and tricks. Learn how to block your knitting, then practice Caddy’s effective method of seaming stitches to stitches, rows to rows, and stitches to rows. You’ll also get detailed instruction on picking up and knitting straight and curved edges.