There has been an explosion in the number of people taking up knitting since the pandemic, thanks to celebrities including Ryan Gosling and Tom Daley sharing their creations online. For those who are new to the craft, it can be difficult to know where to start, but finding the right yarn is key to success.
Easy to work with
Some yarns are beginner-friendly in that they help you easily knit stitches and become confident. Most experts agree that worsted weight yarn is the best for newbies, but any yarns from a middle weight to slightly thicker are a good choice. Wool, cotton, acrylic, and other yarn that isn’t too slippery are easy to work with. The Standard recommends wool for beginners, as it is easy to manoeuvre and good for making chunky items such as hats, scarves, and bags.
Material
Yarn is made from natural and synthetic fibres, or a blend of both, with the most common being wool, cotton, silk, acrylic, and polyester. Many beginners choose to start with one of the many knitting kits available, which all have yarns suitable for those new to knitting. Knitting kits are available for companies such as https://www.stitchandstory.com.
As wool has some give in it and is good for holding stitches, it is the easiest for beginners to work with. When you begin knitting, it is likely that you will make mistakes and your loops may slide off the needles, so using wool will mean you can easily put them back on. The tension of your stitch is also likely to be inconsistent, and a stretchy fabric such as wool is quite forgiving.
If you are vegan or have a wool allergy, you can opt for acrylic, which is synthetic, or natural cotton. These are not as resilient as wool but are good for learning. Fibres such as silk are too slippery, and linen is very stiff.
In terms of weight, starting with a grade four is ideal, as these are thick enough to be manageable, but you could also try a three or a five.
