Can You Successfully Learn to Knit Using YouTube?
Yes, you can successfully learn to knit using YouTube! Many individuals find it to be a valuable resource for picking up new skills, including knitting. Here are some reasons why it can be effective:
Variety of Tutorials
There are countless knitting tutorials available on YouTube that cover everything from the most basic stitches to advanced techniques. You can find videos for beginners that explain how to cast on, knitt, purl, and cast off. This vast selection ensures that you will find a channel and content that suits your learning style and skill level.
Visual Learning
Knitting is a hands-on craft, and visual demonstrations often provide a better understanding of techniques than written instructions alone. You can pause, rewind, and replay videos to better understand the steps and process. This flexibility can be incredibly helpful for mastering new stitches and patterns.
Community Support
Many knitting channels have active communities where you can ask questions, share your progress, and receive feedback. This sense of community can be incredibly encouraging and motivating, especially when you are just starting out. Communities can help you stay on track and improve over time.
Multiple Perspectives
Different instructors may have unique teaching styles, allowing you to find someone whose approach resonates with you. Whether you prefer a step-by-step demonstration, a thorough explanation with close-ups, or a more relaxed and conversational style, YouTube offers a wide range of options to cater to your preferences.
Free Resources
The best part about using YouTube to learn to knit is that most videos are free. This resource is accessible for anyone interested in learning to knit without requiring a financial commitment. You can explore various techniques and stitch patterns at your own pace and convenience.
Getting Started
To get started, search for beginner-friendly knitting channels or specific tutorials on the techniques you want to learn. Some excellent channels include:
RJ Knits – This channel offers clear and well-explained videos for beginners and advanced knitters. KnittingHelp – Known for providing comprehensive and detailed instructions. Rita Portnoy Knits – Offers both basic and more advanced knitting techniques.Once you find a channel or instructor whose teaching style you enjoy, you can follow along with the tutorials and practice your skills. Happy knitting!
Personal Experience
For most people, this would be a hard and fast “YES!!” – and in particular, for someone like me, a 46-year-old knitter with over 30 years of experience. YouTube has been my go-to resource for brushing up on stitches and techniques. Several excellent groups have spent quality time providing fabulous examples and tutorials with clear narrators and instructors who make the experience as accessible as possible within the medium of YouTube.
I began by surfing through a few channels until I found someone I could stand to listen to and who provided good videos for the basics. One of the recommended channels is RJ Knits. With this channel, I learned the basic stitches and how to knit in the round with 4 needles. Since then, I have been practicing a lot and looked up a couple more things on how to finish a hat. Currently, I am working on a long scarf by straight knitting, which is much easier than knitting in the round with 4 needles. With no pattern besides the one I gave it (20 rows seed stitch, 4 rows knit stitch, repeat), the project has been a delightful and challenging endeavor.
Despite a few holes from my errors, I managed to make a decent hat, though it was a tad smaller than I wanted. I'll likely start on that project again after I finish my scarf. If you're only using typed patterns, you can simply Google the abbreviations. If you want to read picture patterns, I recommend getting a knitting book for a better understanding.