Everything Beginners Need to Start Knitting (and Stay Entertained) at Home

A homemade knitted scarf or hat makes a thoughtful gift perfect for birthdays and holidays, while being a fun, creative activity you can do in your free time. To get started on your knitting journey, you really only need three things: Knitting needles, yarn, and scissors — but there are many other handy tools that can make knitting even easier and produce expert level results.

The Good Housekeeping Institute Textiles Lab has evaluated sewing machines and other crafting supplies for your ultimate DIY home station. From our expertise, we found the best knitting supplies for beginner and advanced knitters alike, helping you master a new technique or perfect every type of knitting project. Shop the best knitting supplies of 2020:

Boye

amazon.com

$5.84

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To get started, you'll need knitting needles and this pair from Boye is a great beginner size to get started with. Size eight is a perfect width for beginners as they're easy to maneuver while being lightweight. Reviewers say the aluminum material makes for smooth knitting as you go without dropping stitches.

Loops & Threads

michaels.com

$1.47

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This affordable acrylic yarn comes in 60 colors and has over 600 rave reviews online. The brand recommends to use a size eight knitting needle such as the Boye aluminum knitting needles above with this yarn. It includes 260 meters of yarn that can also be used for crocheting projects too.

Gingher

amazon.com

$32.06

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While multipurpose scissors will likely work for just cutting yarn, it's a good idea to invest in a pair of shears. These dressmaker's shears can cut yarn, fabric, and trim with ease. With over 3,000 rave Amazon reviews, these scissors are popular for cutting fabric super smoothly "like butter" and also being helpful around the house.

LivingDreamsYarn

etsy.com

$84.21

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If you're worried about picking the right knitting needles and yarn, you should try a knitting kit, which includes everything you'll need to complete a certain project. This knitting kit from LivingDreamsYarn on Etsy has all the tools to make a beautiful chunky, knit scarf. It's available in 13 shades with instructions and patterns included, making it simple to get an expert level result.

Wool and the Gang

woolandthegang.com

$134.00

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For expert knitters looking for their next challenge, this knitting kit from Wool and the Gang comes with everything you'll need to make this checked sweater including straight and circular knitting needles, Alpaca and Merino wool yarn, and detailed instructions. Available in sizes 0-22 with 25 mix and match yarn shades, you can finally create your dream sweater.

Loopy Mango Knitting

amazon.com

$22.15

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GH's Design Director and expert crafter Mariana Tuma loves this book for having designs and knitting projects perfect for both beginners and experts. Reviewers especially love the loose, chunkier knit sweaters featured. If you want to learn how to make knitted clothes and accessories, this is the book for you.

Loops & Threads

michaels.com

$12.49

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For projects that require a wider gauge, use thicker needles such as these jumbo wood knitting needles. In general, the rule is that the thicker the needle, the bigger the stitches will be. Some knitters also prefer to use thicker needles with thicker yarn to produce a looser result. Reviewers also recommend these knitting needles as an alternative to arm knitting too.

cuteDIY

amazon.com

$9.99

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Circular knitting needles help you avoid having seams in your final project, perfect for making hats, socks, and sweaters too. This set from cuteDIY includes 11 knitting needles in a variety of widths, so you have everything you need for any type of circular knitting project. The needle itself is bamboo with hollow tubing connecting them. The tubing is only slightly thinner than the needle itself to maintain the stitches' gauge as you knit.

Outus

amazon.com

$8.99

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When knitting a complicated pattern, it's easy to forget where you are and make a mistake, which can be difficult to fix. These stitch markers help you mark where you are in the pattern to prevent missing stitches. Coming in eight colors, you can use a different color to mark the beginning and end of stitches.

Outus

amazon.com

$5.59

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To finish your projects professionally, these large eye blunt needles help you sew together edges and seams in your knitting projects. This pick includes nine needles in a variety of sizes, each with a large opening that's easy to thread. Reviewers love using these for crocheting and other sewing projects too!

Loops & Threads

michaels.com

$3.99

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When taking a break from a certain project, these stitch holders will keep everything in place while you use your knitting needles for something else. It comes in a set of three in different sizes to prevent losing stitches in smaller and bigger knitting projects alike.

GDMINLO

amazon.com

$3.99

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Many knitting projects require a tape measure to keep your stitches consistent as you go. Not just for knitting, a soft tape measure is perfect to use when sewing and to determine your body measurements as well. With over 1,000 rave Amazon reviews, reviewers love that this measuring tape has both inches and centimeters with large, easy to read numbers.

VintageBee

amazon.com

$7.99

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A yarn guide goes right on your finger and holds the yarn in place while maintaining a comfortable tension level. This pick from VintageBee comes with six yarn guides in two different sizes to fit a variety of finger sizes. Reviewers love that this takes the pressure off of your fingers, preventing "yarn burns."

BronaGrand

amazon.com

$5.49

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If you want to take a quick break from knitting, you should put these needle point protectors on to make sure you don't lose any stitches. This set comes with 20 pieces in two different sizes and are made from a flexible material, fitting perfectly on the tip of nearly any sized knitting needle. Note that the color assortment is random in each package, so you'll likely receive different colors than what's pictured.

Boye

michaels.com

$1.99

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This adjustable gauge finder makes it easier to measure your stitches to ensure you're following the pattern correctly. It can also help you determine what size your knitting needles are and which knitting needle is best for each project.

Cheers to Ewe

walmart.com

$16.75

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To make sure your knitting projects keep their proper shape, you may need to block them. This set of blocking boards includes nine EVA foam interlocking boards with a one inch grid across for easy measuring when dry or wet blocking.

LAYOER

amazon.com

$7.99

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If you want to avoid knitting needles entirely, a spool knitter lets you make corded belts and scarves without any needles. It's also a great way to quickly and easily make straps and ties to attach to larger knitting projects. There's also larger loom knitting sets available to make seamless sweaters and hats too.

Loops & Threads

michaels.com

$3.19

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Fitting right on your knitting needles, it's never been easier to count rows as you knit – just twist the counter for each row. It includes two sizes that should fit on most knitting needles. There are also great knit counter apps for your phone.

Susan Turner

amazon.com

$14.39

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When learning new patterns, it's helpful to have a reference guide. This book features over 350 knitting patterns with easy to follow instructions and tons of color images. Reviewers love that this book includes both beginner and expert stitch patterns. Plus, it's available via your Kindle or in paperback.