Your Cart is Empty
Knitting isn’t just about pulling yarn through loops. It’s rhythm, patience, and - if we’re honest - occasionally untangling a ball of wool that’s exploded in your bag like a fluffy grenade. Teaching someone how to knit? That’s a whole other skill.
Whether you’re guiding a curious child, a friend in need of a calming hobby, or someone who’s simply always wanted to give it a go, knowing how to teach knitting can make the difference between a lifelong passion and a pile of half-knitted scarves in a drawer.
So if you’re wondering where to start or how to keep things from getting frustrating (for either of you), we’ve rounded up nine genuinely useful tips that’ll help make learning to knit an experience that’s actually fun. Let’s unravel them - figuratively, not literally.
It sounds obvious, doesn’t it? But it’s amazing how tempting it is to rush ahead. Teaching knitting needs to begin with the absolute fundamentals: how to hold the needles, tensioning the yarn, and mastering the humble knit stitch.
We’ve seen people try to combine cast-on, knit, purl, and increases all in one go - and the results aren’t pretty. Break it down. Teach them what a stitch is. Show them how it builds. Let them understand what they’re doing before adding complexity. It’s like trying to bake a cake before knowing how to crack an egg - best avoided.
Please don’t start them on a jumper. Or socks. Or anything involving shaping, colour changes, or sleeves. We beg you.
The first project should be something straightforward and rewarding. A garter stitch scarf is classic for a reason. A dishcloth? Even better - it’s square, it’s useful, and no one minds if it’s wonky. Bonus points if you let them pick their yarn - it gives a sense of ownership.
If you’re looking for inspiration (or materials that make life easier), it’s worth checking out some starter kits for new knitters to get going without the faff of selecting everything individually.
Watching someone knit - slowly, deliberately, and clearly - is worth more than a thousand diagrams. Talk through each move as you do it. Pause. Do it again. Then let them try.
We find it helps to sit side by side, rather than face to face - it means your hand movements are mirrored, and they’re not trying to reverse what they see. It also gives a sense of camaraderie, not performance.
And yes, you might feel like you’re going at a snail’s pace. That’s exactly right. Learners need time to process each motion. Resist the urge to rush.
This is one of those tips that seems too simple to matter - until you forget it. A common mistake is layering on too many skills before the first one has sunk in.
Teach casting on. Pause. Let them do it over and over until it’s second nature. Then, move to the knit stitch. Pause again. Only once that feels steady should you even mention purling.
It's a slower process, but it builds real confidence. And once someone feels confident? The sky’s the limit (or at least, maybe a pair of mittens).
This might sound a bit soft, but it matters. A relaxed atmosphere can make all the difference in how someone learns. No pressure. No judgment. Tea helps. So does good lighting and comfy chairs.
You’re not trying to produce a master knitter by tomorrow. You’re creating space for curiosity, mistakes, laughter, and discovery. If they drop a stitch or tangle the yarn - well, who hasn’t?
Try not to hover. Let them fiddle. Let them sigh and untwist. And when they get it? Celebrate the heck out of that tiny little row.
Sometimes, it helps to actually guide their hands. Gently, of course. We’ve found this especially useful for learners who are really struggling to understand how the motion feels.
Be respectful - ask first. But placing your hands over theirs and moving together can unlock something tactile that words or videos just can’t. It creates muscle memory, which is more powerful than you’d think.
And once they feel it once, it becomes easier to do it again. Like training wheels on a bike.
People learn in all kinds of ways. Some need to watch first. Others prefer jumping in. Some ask a million questions (lovely!) and others go quiet and focused. All of it is fine.
Your job as the teacher is to adapt. Don’t get stuck in your way of doing things. Be flexible. If they keep losing count of stitches, maybe write it out or introduce stitch markers. If they’re left-handed, explore mirrored techniques or try continental knitting - it might just click.
There’s no single right way to knit. Or teach. (Though we’re pretty sure shouting isn’t one of them.)
Don’t just explain - repeat. Then repeat again. Learning to knit is about building muscle memory, and that only comes with doing. Over and over.
Encourage short, regular practice. Ten minutes a day can do more than a two-hour session once a month. Try small “challenges”: knit five rows without looking. Or count stitches without moving your lips. It becomes a kind of game.
And yes, they’ll make mistakes. That’s not a bug - it’s the feature. Fixing errors teaches just as much (if not more) than doing it perfectly.
This might be the most important tip of all. Learning something new can feel like being bad at something, day after day. It’s vulnerable. Encouragement helps keep that vulnerability from turning into defeat.
Praise honestly. Celebrate even the wonkiest of scarves. If they tried, if they learned something - that’s a win.
Don’t just focus on the end product. A slightly crooked square knit with pride is worth more than a flawless sweater someone was bullied into finishing.
We’re not training robots. We’re growing knitters.
Teaching someone how to knit isn’t just about passing on a skill - it’s about opening a door to creativity, calm, and maybe even community. With patience, humour, and a bit of wool-related chaos, you can turn nervous beginners into confident stitchers.
Remember, it’s not about perfect tension or lightning-fast progress. It’s about connection - between yarn and needle, teacher and student, moment and memory. And with these nine useful tips, you’re well on your way to making that happen.
Comments will be approved before showing up.