Ebook: Knitting 101 (Bluprint, Craftsy)

Whether you have always wanted to knit but didn’t know where to start, or have tried to learn in the past but just can’t seem to get the hang of it, this compilation of the best knitting courses Bluprint has to offer will give you the techniques that you need to knit with confidence and ease.

In Knitting 101, three experienced instructors lead you through 36 hands-on lessons across four modules, each centered on different methods and levels of experience. You will cover the basics and beyond, from understanding your needles and yarns to mastering various stitches and shapes, so you can create amazing hats, gloves, scarves, and much more.

Module 1 (17 lessons): Start-Up Library: Knitting

Interested in knitting but don’t know where to start? Join Susan B. Anderson, your expert guide to knitting, as she teaches you how to make three cozy accessories—a pair of hand warmers, a bulky cowl, and a pom-pom hat—from getting your first stitches on the needles to finishing your projects, with troubleshooting tips, and much more. Explore two different knitting styles, Continental and English, and decide which one you prefer. And have fun with your knitting by playing with color. Susan shows you how to knit stripes, both flat and in the round, and shares tips and tricks for changing colors with different stitch patterns. Remember, no one knits perfectly the first time around. Susan closes her lessons by helping you fix some common beginner mistakes, and helps you identify what went wrong in the first place.

Module 2 (6 lessons): Start-Up Project: Cable-Knit Hat & Headband

Love the look of cables, but don’t know how to knit them? They’re easier than you might think! In this module, follow up what you have learned so far as designer Allyson Dykhuizen guides you step by step to knit a cabled headband and hat. Along the way, pick up tips and techniques for changing colors, chart reading, and more. Explore a variety of different cable stitches as you work the pattern repeat for your hat. Find out how to work from a chart and written instructions, and use stitch markers to keep track of your pattern. Allyson ends her lessons by troubleshooting common mistakes. Plus, see how to work a cable without a cable needle—a handy trick for those of us that always seem to lose it!

Module 3 (7 lessons): Knit Faster with Continental Knitting

Does your knitting sometimes get cut short by tired, achy hands? Do you want to knit faster and more efficiently? If you answered “yes” to one or both of these questions, join instructor and designer Lorilee Beltman and learn Continental knitting (also known as left-handed knitting)—a different style of knitting that ditches strain for speed! By making the most of your hand motions with smaller, quicker movements, and giving every finger a job to do, you'll rejuvenate your knitting and approach any project with a newfound zeal. Lorilee will show you how to keep even tension as you work increases, decreases, and more, and you'll learn how you might apply Continental knitting to a variety of techniques, from cables to colorwork. Whether you're new to knitting or a seasoned English-style veteran, you'll wonder where Continental knitting has been all your life. And, if you're left-handed, well, get ready to fall in love.

Module 4 (6 lessons): Knit Faster with Continental Knitting: Color & Texture

Work the patterns you love with more speed and less hand strain! Join popular instructor Lorilee Beltman and see how having a free hand to hold your yarn can make a huge difference when knitting texture and colorwork. You'll begin by learning the steps for the Tunisian knit stitch as well as the three-color linen stitch. Then, find out how much easier knitting Continental style makes mosaic colorwork and even cables. When you move on, Lorilee will share a variety of Gansey-style patterns that work up easily from alternating knits and purls. Want to add even more colorwork to your Continental toolkit? You'll discover how Continental techniques turn stranding into a speedy, strain-free process. Plus, you'll knit a gorgeous sampler cowl, along the way, to hone your new skills.

Whether you go through each module of Knitting 101 chronologically, or jump into the topics that interest you most, you will receive step-by-step instruction from an experienced instructor through every stitch, purl, and pattern. Furthermore, tips and methods you gain can be applied to any number of amazing projects as you grow your skills into more-advanced projects. Whether you want to create beautiful keepsakes or more practical pieces, Knitting 101 will help you master the techniques you need.