Knitting 101 by Rina

So, I did a bit of reading on knitting. And here's the basic steps:

1. Think about a what you want to make.

We can knit many things - scarf, tablecloth, sweaters, dresses, gloves. I've decided to make a scarf, because apparently, it's the easiest simplest thing to make - perfect for newbies. Apparently, my teammates seem to have adopted the same idea.

2. Look for the pattern in books.

Yes. Obviously, we can make patterns when we knit. I knew that. You could get the books from any knitting store or online. If you're in Sydney City, I highly recomment visiting Lincraft. They have a wide variety of choices of books, yarn, and knitting needles. Or you could visit their online store. Unfortunately, the books are pretty difficult to comprehend (so might need an experienced friend). They look something like this for a shirt:

3. Get materials - knitting needles and yarn.

Choose your colour of the yarn, and get the right sized knitting needle (the diameter is different). Prices for knitting needles range from about $3.00 to $9.00 depending on the size of the knitting needle. Prices of yarn also differs depending on the type and quality of the yarn. Usually, you'll need more than one ball of yarn, so they do sell it in a pack. Make sure to check that you've got the right colour (and try to get them from the same production batch), if you bought them separately.

4. And you're ready to start!

Yeah. I'm ready as well. You could even ask for help from more experienced people (like my mom), by joining clubs. If you go to those knitting shops, sometimes there'll be people sitting down there, knitting. You could talk to them and get them to teach you (and a great way to make new friends!). One place I recommend is Morris and Sons on York Street. Or, you could just post your questions on some knitting forum (Viva technology!!).

Right. Now you absolutely have no excuse to not start knitting. It's not a too expensive hobby - it only costs about $30 to start up. And the benefits are awesome - new friends, you get to use what you make, and a new hobby! So start now! You could pick up your supplies at the places I've mentioned, or just look around Sydney - you're bound to come across a couple of similar stores.