Yarn comes in various thicknesses, and is spun from various fibers. My aim is to instruct you in the basics, not to overwhelm you with technical details. I am going to assume that you are going to go into a store where there is no clerk to advise you, and you are going to pick out yarn suitable for learning to knit.
Look for something labeled "worsted."
Look at the colors and choose one you like.
Touch the yarn and see if it feels good to you. If it doesn't feel good, move on to something different in the worsted section.
Begin reading labels now as you narrow your choices. Look for a yarn with at least some wool in it.
The yarn on the left above is worsted. Worsted refers to the thickness of the yarn, also called the weight. Compare the blue and the red yarn above. You can see that the blue yarn is thicker. Most persons find it easier to start with worsted rather than a thinner yarn and smaller needles. When you have chosen a worsted weight yarn that feels good and is a nice color, you can begin to study the label more. The label will tell you what size of needles is recommended for this yarn. Notice the labels above. Probably the label will suggest an American size 7 or size 8 .
If you are going to invest your energy in learning to knit, it is important that you start with a yarn that you like. So, be good to yourself when you choose your yarn. Perhaps you don't need to shop for yarn, perhaps you have been given some leftovers. This is probably good, just be sure you have a yarn that you like.
In the label below there are two squares. The square on the left shows the needle size for knitting, the square on the right shows the needle size for crocheting. American needle sizes are given in numbers, European needle sizes are given in millimeters. The number or the measure in millimeters refer to the diameter of the needles.
Needles are available in several styles:
Sets of two with a point at one end and a cap or stopper at the other end
sets of four or five with points on both ends
a single needle that bends into a circle and has points at both ends.
The needles vary in length but the length does not affect the gauge of your knitting. Choose the length that is handy for what you plan to knit. To start out, I recommend a circular needle, because I think it is easy to handle. But any needle of the right size will be ok.
The metal measuring device on the far right above is a gauge for measuring the size of knitting needles. If you own only one pair of knitting needles, you do not need this gauge, but if you acquire a collection of needles, it is handy to have a gauge so you can check the sizes of your needles.
Now that you are equipped with yarn and needles, it is time to learn how to cast on and begin knitting. Go to the next page of this website, Four Basic Steps 1. Once you master those steps, you can call yourself a knitter. You will have mastered the essential processes.