Knitting novice needs help please

Love knitting and it’s been my ‘prozac’ in these trying times. I’m knitting baby blankets. In dk and thus takes me a while to do but I don’t mind as it takes up my time. Use the normal steel needles and have a look on the websites for ideas and free patterns. I like to order my wool from love crafts they are really quite quickly.. If you don’t have a wool shop near Aldi sells wool. I knit a bit loose so I do the edging or rib on10s and blanket on 9.s old school numbers!

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Welcome to Gransnet TillyAnn52 and thank you for your recommendation. I have a couple of patterns from the site and here’s my little stash of hats so far , waiting to be sewn up .

LoveCrafts are another site worth a look. Downloadable free patterns plus printed or bought pdf versions.
Nice company & found them helpful if a phone conversation necessary.
Lots of craft supplies inc material, embroidery etc & a beginners page. 15% off first order atm. Hope this (my first GN post) helps. lovecrafts.com

I think my 'new' pack, still unopened, which arrived about a year ago could have two lengths of cord, Doodledog

The other circular needles were from Lidl and are fixed with long cords.

I am into crocheting now though

Duh - stupid me

*I did try once with a hat but couldn't work out how so few stitches could stretch round
It must be me.*

Ah. That's where the interchangeable ones come into their own . You need to select the right length of cord for your project. The sets have several cords and lots of different tip sizes, so there are numerous permutations. Usually, the cord is shorter than the circumference of the knitting, as you have to allow for the tips themselves, and the fact that stitches can 'bunch up', which is easier than stretching around the cord.

You are all right about YouTube. There is a lot on there, but feel free to shout on here, or look on Ravelry if you prefer written instructions.

I've been knitting for about 60 years, it's my main hobby. I still buy needles nearly everytime I order yarn. I love circular bamboo. They suit my hands. It's all just knit and purl. Use thicker yarn dk up and take it slow. U tube has so many tutorials and I love Ravelry. Socks are my go to . Small easy enough and portable.

I’ve found knitpurlhunter.com very useful, the Video Lessons section. She’s American so “cast off” becomes “bind off” but each step is so clearly shown that you’re not in any doubt what is meant.

I've been knitting for yonks, but now use YouTube quite often to check out new knitting techniques or anything I'm not sure about. I sometimes how I managed before it existed, but I think patterns used to be written much more clearly back then anyway.

Youtube?
There may be lessons on there which are very clear

Decision made and ordered. Super Chunky cushion cover in moss stitch as the first project and then premature baby hats in baby DK yarn, lemon and pink .

All needles and yarn is short supply on John Lewis but I managed to sort out enough.

On eBay I’ve just so bought a JL set of 7 pairs of bamboo needles in roll for £9 including delivery which I’m pleased with.

Thanks again for your help.

P.S I just need to learn how to do !

I have some thick redundant curtains and a sewing machine ? ??
Good idea, GrannyLaine and Witzend

Except that DH has puzzle bits spread all over the table

My MIL's knitting roll was made out of curtain material, I think, a thick brocade. I wish I'd kept it now.

Thank you, GrannyLaine - your post about knitting needles has given me a great idea for something to use up a remnant of curtain material.
Well before she died, my mother gave me her collection of knitting needles - loads of them! - but the felt roll she’d kept them in was ancient and falling to bits even then, so they’re now in a jumble in a bag.
I shall make a nice neat roll for them.?

I did try once with a hat but couldn't work out how so few stitches could stretch round
It must be me.

I will have a go Doodledog
They were quite expensive so I must try.

Doodledog I guess I'm using my own experience as a guide: the circular needles I have (Addi ) are long ones that I use for shawls with 300+ stitches. I wouldn't use them for a small piece of knitting with perhaps 30 stitches as it would be easier to use straight needles although circular would be technically possible.

I don't agree that circular needles would be hard for a beginner. They are just as easy whether you have a lot or a few stitches, as you can use them to knit rows as well as rounds. It's just a case of what you get used to.

Do try yours out, Callistemon. You'll never look back

Bamboo needles are good. Gloves, fingerless or with fingers are not for a complete novice. Try scarves, hats, or squares which you can sew together for a blanket. There are some excellent books which tell you every aspect of knitting. From needle sizes ,to yarn and different stitches. Have a look on Amazon. Good luck and most of all enjoy .

Thank you all again for the help and info . I’ve learned an awful lot today in a very short time.

I just need to decide what I want to knit , get an order in and start . ?

The circular needles are great where you have a lot of stitches but would be hard for a beginner on a small project. Many years ago, my mum bought me a cased set of Aero needles (the grey ones) containing every size of needle and cable needles and stitch holder. It is just the most useful thing. You can get them secondhand on eBay but they always fetch quite a lot

I bought a set of those *Doodledog but have yet to try them out

When you say that there is now more choice than long grey needles, I wonder if you are thinking of circular needles? I use these all the time nowadays, whether I am knitting back and forth or in the round.

It's a bit of an investment, but you can now get interchangeable needles, which are basically different sized tips which you attach to a cord. The knitting sits on the cord, and the stitches (loops) move along the tips as you knit them.

You can buy them individually or in sets, and the beauty is that you can use them to knit 'flat', eg making a separate back and front of a jumper, or 'in the round', ie a tube, where you knit the back and front together, and don't need to sew up the finished product.

The interchangeable ones mean that you have a set of different sized tips and different lengths of cord, and the small tips can easily be pushed through your knitting for storage, and so that your project will fit easily into your bag.

Yes, Ravelry has lots of free patterns, likewise Deramores (an online yarn shop), Sirdar, Patons all have some free patterns; there are loads if you Google free knitting patterns. Be careful with Ravelry as some patterns are American and they use different terms for yarn thickness. Australian terms for yarn thickness is different too, double knitting being 8ply.

3.25mm for ribbing and 4mm for the main parts.

I can't get on with long needles but I know some people like to tuck them under their arms. Medium length is most comfortable, I find.

Knitpro Symfonie wooden need,es are nice to use but expensive
I find that bamboo are better than metal ones.

However, it is personal choice.

Have a look online at The UK Hand Knitting Association it has video tutorials and Charity links which give small projects you might like to make.
Also try The Knitting Network which is run by Womens Weekly magazine as they regularly have cheap offers on knitting wool and patterns.
In respect of patterns these tell you what size knitting needles you need, what type of yarn and how much wool is required. You mention double knitting but I find chunky much quicker to knit with and there are some lovely chunky yarns around.
As others have mentioned you can find loads of free knitting patterns by googling online which are very good especially if you want to start off with something fairly simple such as hats, scarves or fingerless wrist warmers which are very easy.
Good luck with it and enjoy.