Beginner
Everything you need to start: needles, yarn, and the first techniques.
As a beginner, we recommend bamboo needles in US 6–8 (4–5 mm). In our experience bamboo has more grip than metal, so the stitches are less likely to slide off while you learn. Best knitting needles covers the choice in more detail.
Start with a worsted (16–20 stitches per 4 in10 cm) or DK (21–24 stitches) yarn in a light color. A light color makes your stitches easier to see, and a medium-thick yarn is easier to handle than a fine one.
We recommend a knitted dishcloth as your first project. You only need to know three things: casting on, knit stitches, and binding off. It's a small and manageable project that gives a quick sense of achievement!
Before you start, you should learn how a pattern is structured. Our guide to reading patterns walks through the parts of a pattern, size numbers, repeats and charts.
Yarn comes in different thicknesses, called "weights". The Craft Yarn Council's system has eight categories, 0 to 7. Each card shows the category, the gauge it is designed for, and CYC's needle range.
CYC 0 · Lace
33-40 sts per 4 in10 cm
US 000–1 (1.5–2.25 mm)
CYC 1 · Super Fine
27-32 sts per 4 in10 cm
US 1–3 (2.25–3.25 mm)
CYC 2 · Fine
23-26 sts per 4 in10 cm
US 3–5 (3.25–3.75 mm)
CYC 3 · Light
21-24 sts per 4 in10 cm
US 5–7 (3.75–4.5 mm)
CYC 4 · Medium
16-20 sts per 4 in10 cm
US 7–9 (4.5–5.5 mm)
CYC 5 · Bulky
12-15 sts per 4 in10 cm
US 9–11 (5.5–8 mm)
CYC 6 · Super Bulky
7-11 sts per 4 in10 cm
US 11–17 (8–12.75 mm)
CYC 7 · Jumbo
6 sts and fewer per 4 in10 cm
US 17 and larger (12.75 mm and larger)
Categories, gauge ranges and needle ranges follow the Craft Yarn Council's Standard Yarn Weight System; US needle numbers follow its knitting needle size chart.
Check the ball band around the skein – it usually lists a recommended gauge in stitches per 4 in10 cm and a suggested needle size. If you're unsure, knit a 4x4 in (10x10 cm) swatch and count the stitches yourself.
Yes, but you'll need to recalculate the gauge and often adjust the needle size and yardage needed. Our yarn substitution calculator works out how many skeins of the new yarn you need to match the yardage.
They are yarn-type names, and each sits in one of the Craft Yarn Council's categories: fingering in category 1 (Super Fine), DK ("double knitting") in category 3 (Light), and worsted in category 4 (Medium). Fingering is thin and often used for socks; worsted is the heaviest of the three. The cards above show the gauge and needle range for each.
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