Even your very first knitting project can be beautiful and usable. Below you can find some stylish knitting kits suitable for beginner-level knitters. They are divided into 4 different difficulty levels. The ones under the first heading are the easiest and the ones under the fourth heading hardest but still suitable for beginners!
1. Best Kits for First Timers
When selecting your very first knitting project I recommend you select something where it’s ok that the item ends up being a little wider or longer than the pattern states. That way you can still use the finished product even though you didn’t quite get the gauge. Great projects are for instance headbands, potholders, coasters, and scarves.
It’s also a great idea to select a project that requires you to learn as few techniques as possible. In practice, the minimum requirement to produce a knitted item is to learn how to cast on, bind off and make a knit stitch.
Below I have listed three knitting kits that meet all of the requirements above.
Chunky Knit Headband
This kit is perfect for a beginner because it uses chunky yarn so that it’s easier to read your knitting and it knits up super fast.
The kit includes everything you need: enough yarn to make 1 headband, suitable needles, a tapestry needle, a written pattern, a project bag and a link to video instructions.
Multi – Potholders
In this pattern, the self-striping yarn takes care of the design. You need to just cast-on, knit and bind-off.
The kit includes downloadable pdf-pattern, yarn and needles.
Green Goddess Infinity Scarf Knit Kit
This project requires you to learn the same techniques as the headband and potholder above but there are just more stitches to make with thinner yarn.
The hand-dyed super soft merino wool yarn makes this item something you really want to wear.
The kit includes the yarn required for one infinity scarf and the pattern. In addition, you need US 10 (6 mm) straight or circular knitting needles.
Garter Stitch Scarf Kit by KnitPicks
A garter stitch scarf is one of the easiest knitting projects to get started with but it requires a little bit more work than the two previously mentioned projects.
The yarn that comes in this knit is super soft merino wool. In addition, the kit includes suitable needles, a pattern booklet, and a yarn needle. That is everything you need to make this pretty scarf!
2. Learn the Purl Stitch
When you are ready to take a tiny step further you can select kits that include the purl stitch. The kits listed below require you to learn just one new technique compared to the previous ones and that’s the purl stitch.
At this stage, you don’t have to mind the gauge. Just focus on learning the other basic stitch in knitting.
Tempting Texture Dishcloths Kit
Compared to the previous kits you can knit these textures just by learning one new technique namely the purl stitch.
These are nice small projects you can make almost in no time.
The kit includes 3 printed patterns and 3 balls of cotton yarn. In addition, you need size 7 (4.5mm) straight or circular needles.
Inlet Towel and Dishcloth
This is a beginner-level knitting pattern. For this pattern, you will need to know how to knit, purl and slip stitches.
Slipping stitches simply means that you lift a stitch from the left needle to the right needle without knitting it.
The kit includes a downloadable pdf-pattern and 2 balls of cotton yarn. In addition, you need size 6 (4mm) straight or circular needles.
Snuggle Blanket Knitting Kit
This is a beginner-level knitting pattern that contains three different stitch patterns that only use knit and purl stitches. You can choose your favorite pattern and use it to make the blanket.
The yarn is quite thick so making the blanket really doesn’t take that much time.
The kit includes pattern, needles and yarn. In addition, you’ll get links to video tutorials.
3. Decreases and Increases
After you have mastered the purl stitch is time to learn how to increase and decrease. This way you can knit also items that are not only rectangular such as triangular shawls. This skill becomes handy later if you want to knit sweaters, socks, or hats for instance.
Triangular Shawl Knitting Kit
This beginner-friendly triangular shawl is knitted with chunky yarn and it’s all over garter stitch so you can entirely focus on learning to shape your knit!
The kit includes pattern, chunky yarn, stitch marker and optionally you can also buy the required needles.
Bluprint Eastival Shawl Knitting Kit
This is a beginner-friendly classic shawl!
The kit includes a printed pattern, 3 hanks of cotton yarn, circular needles, a tapestry needle set and stitch markers.
4. Knitting in the Round and Gauge
For items, you want to wear such as hats, socks and sweaters you need to be mindful about the gauge as well. That means you need to swatch and be prepared to change your needle size in order to match the gauge provided in the pattern. If your stitches are bigger than the pattern states you need to take smaller needles and vice versa. Because it’s usually too difficult to measure the width of one stitch accurate gauge is typically measured as stitches per 4 inches or 10 centimeters.
At this stage you can also learn to knit in the round instead of knitting just flat back and forth.
The kits listed below might be a bit difficult for first time knitters but if you already have done some knitting I think they are completely doable!
Mini Kitty Pouf Kit
A simple pattern worked in the round and contains only knit stitches. With this pattern you can focus on learning to knit in the round and the gauge is not that big factor.
This kitty is not so mini! Smaller than a floor pouf, it will add fun and whimsy to your sofa, chair, or bed.
The kit includes the pattern and enough yarn to make one kitty. In addition, you US 15 (10mm) 16″ circular needles or 32″ or longer circular needle for magic Loop technique.
Loopy Mango Hat Kit
The pattern is great for your first hat.
The kit includes everything you need to learn your very first hat: pattern, needles and 1 ball of soft and chunky merino wool yarn.
Easy Fingerless Mitts Kit
With just one skein of yarn, you can create a beautiful pair of fingerless mitts.
The kit includes the pattern and 1 skein of yarn made of recycled silk. In addition, you need size US3 (3.25mm) circular needles.
