Just like any craft, knitting requires some very specific tools and resource. Here are some of my favorites.
Knitting Patterns
Ravelry is by far the best knitting and crochet pattern resource I’ve found. In addition to self-published patterns, many patterns from books are listed here. You can view projects that people have created for any of the patterns, complete with pictures, materials, and notes. It is a fantastic source for free patterns as well as paid patterns, and a great way to network with fellow stitchers.
Knitting Books
I don’t use many knitting books. Generally when I want to learn a new technique, I’ll search the web for tutorials or videos. However, I purchased Cast On, Bind Off: 211 Ways to Begin and End Your Knitting when I was a fairly new knitter, and find myself still referencing it when I want to find the perfect cast on or bind off for a project. Another great resource is Teach Yourself VISUALLY Knitting. It it full of pictures, and has a lot of basics as well as some more advanced techniques.
Knitting Needles
Beginning knitters might prefer bamboo needles. They are fairly inexpensive and the stitches slide off less easily. However, I’m a tight knitter, so I prefer metal knitting needles that don’t grip like bamboo needles. I have two sets of Addi-click Lace Interchangeable needles. They are a set of circular metal needles from size 4 to 11 with slightly sharper tips than usual. The cord connectors are nice and flexible and come in different lengths. These sets are a little pricey, but long term they are completely worth it.
Stitch Markers
There are a lot of fancy stitch markers with cute items hanging off of them. However, I prefer small stitch markers that don’t get in the way of my needles. The cheapest I’ve found are light bulb shaped metal markers. They are very thin, so they don’t affect the size of your stitches. Sometimes you need more than one type of marker to mark your stitches differently. I like to use Clover Soft Stitch Ring Markers for marking the end of my rounds or for multiple color markers.
Point Protectors
Point protectors prevent your stitches from coming off of your needles when you’re not knitting. They come in various shapes and sizes. Clover Large Point Protectors are my favorite for most projects. They’re cheap, so you can stock up if you like to have a lot of projects going at once like I do. For smaller needles, the Clover Small Point Protectors work just as well.
Stitch Holders
Sometimes you’ll want to take your stitches off your needles, whether it’s to put aside the project for a while and use the needles for something else or to hold onto some stitches (like the armhole of a sleeve) while you work on another section. I prefer flexible stitch holders since they’re great for holding onto stitches in the round or any other set you might think of. The only flexible stitch holders I’ve found are the Clover Circular Stitch Holder (9-16 inch) and the Clover Circular Stitch Holder (24-36 inch). If you just want to hold a few stitches, although they are not flexible, the Clover Double Ended Stitch Holders work great. You can put on or take off your stitches from either end.