10 Must-Have Knitting Supplies for Beginners

Beginner Knitting Supplies to Get You Started

To get started, here’s the quick list of tools you’ll need to curate and build your own library of tools for beginner knitters. We explain more thoroughly why you need them below!

1. Scissors or Snips

There aren’t scissors specifically for knitting. Any good ol’ pair will do, as long as they’re sharp enough to cut yarn.

However, you might find that it’s easier to travel with a small pair of snips instead of full-sized scissors. Snips are just big enough to snip a yarn tail here or there, perfect for projects on-the-go!

2. Measuring Tape

So many knitting patterns tell you to “knit until your project measures X inches” so having a measuring tape nearby is a great idea! Measuring tapes are especially useful if you’re working on something large in scale, like a scarf.

Our favorite measuring tool for beginner knitters is a simple ribbon or fabric style. Retractable measuring tapes are neat and easy to store. They can also be more accurate over time since they’re stored in a protective case and won’t stretch out over time or get tangled.

4. Yarn Needle

Also called “tapestry needles” or “darning needles”, these are primarily used for weaving in ends and seaming a project together. Not to be confused with sewing needles, yarn needles for knitting feature a blunt tip and have eyes large enough for a range of yarn weights.

Yarn needles come with either straight or bent tips. We recommend buying a bent tip needle to make sewing through tricky textures easier. It’s also a great idea to have a range of darning needles in different sizes and styles, that way you’re ready for anything!

5. Project Bag

Of course, you’ll need a bag to store all your precious supplies! The most popular kind of knitting bag has room for a medium-sized project (sweaters, etc.), handles for easy carrying, and pockets with plenty of storage room for small tools.

A handy tip: pick a knitting project bag big enough to fit either a printed paper pattern or a book of patterns for knitting-on-the-go! There’s nothing more frustrating than losing your place in a pattern because you had to leave it behind or wrinkling a pattern in a bag that’s too small.

6. Knitting Needles for Beginners – Straight Needles

Straight needles are the best knitting needles for beginners! They come in a range of sizes, and they’re easy to use — less confusing than other needle types. However, you’ll only be able to knit back and forth flat, so keep that in mind as you start to tackle hats or round projects.

Choosing the right knitting needles for beginners also includes picking the right material too! Straight needles come in several materials, including wood, acrylic/plastic, and metal. We recommend starting with a set of wooden needles. Wood tends to be less slippery than metal, it’s warm to the touch and slightly flexible, making it a great beginner-friendly knitting needle material. Bamboo is a great and affordable material to start with before upgrading to a fancier wood!

7. Acrylic Yarn

Every knitter has their own favorite type of yarn. Our go-to yarn for beginners is acrylic because it’s inexpensive, accessible, and durable. The best part about acrylic yarn is that it’s easy to wash! Other yarns might need special care, like handwashing, but most projects made with acrylic yarns can be tossed into the washer and dryer. This makes it perfect for home decor projects like afghans or throws that are large and need to be cleaned often.

We recommend starting with a bulky, chunky, or jumbo yarn as you learn to knit! Chunkier yarns make it easy to see the stitches. You’ll also find that thick yarn gives stitch patterns a more pronounced texture. It’s easier to see progress as well.

8. Stitch Markers

Stitch markers may be tiny, but they’re incredibly useful. The name is pretty self-explanatory: you can use them as a placeholder when you pause a project, mark increases and decreases, and other areas in patterns.

We love stitch markers that can lock rather than a closed-ring style. Locking stitch markers, also called removable stitch markers, make it easy to either place a marker within a row on your needle or to thread it through and lock on an area of fabric in your knits. It’s always a great idea to snag a new tin of stitch markers any time you’re buying yarn for a new project, you can never have too many!

10. Inspiration!

The best tool in a knitter’s kit is plenty of inspiration! It can come in many forms: a book, a YouTube tutorial, a Pinterest board, Ravelry, or even a newsletter. To get you started, how about subscribing to ours? You’ll get updates on our latest content, from how-to videos to product launches. Sign up below!