Get Free Help with Knitting with YouTube Channels
Do you learn best by following an example? Check out these great YouTube channels for knitters
One of the biggest ways the Internet has revolutionized knitting has been through online videos. These days, it’s very common to hear a knitter say that s/he learned to knit through watching YouTube videos. And, indeed, YouTube is rife with incredibly helpful videos for knitters of all levels: those just starting out, those wanting to learn new skills, and those wanting a bit of hand-holding for more complex knitting tasks.
When I first began knitting, most of my learning was done through books. But as I progressed, I quickly saw the value of videos. While illustrated tutorials can be helpful, sometimes there is simply nothing like a video to really understand a new technique. As an example: I kept reading about Judy’s Magic Cast-on as a great way to start toe-up socks. I looked for tutorials online, thinking an illustrated tutorial would be enough. But they weren’t. Somehow, I just wasn’t getting the hang of it. Then I found a video tutorial, and voila! Finally, the cast-on made sense to me.
I recently received a request for good YouTube channels for knitters. I know of many and have found many more; today, I present them to you. If you’re just starting out or want to learn new techniques, you’re likely to find just what you need here!
The Best YouTube Channels for Knitters
KnittingHelp.com: This was the very first YouTube channel I found when I was starting to knit, and in my mind it continues to be the essential guide for the beginning knitter. One thing I enjoy about KnittingHelp is that it often has separate videos for English- and Continental-style knitting, so you can find the video that is best suited to your way of holding yarn.
(A quick refresher: English-style is when the yarn is held in your right hand; Continental-style, in your left hand.)
KnittingHelp now offers crochet videos as well. So if you’d like help with your crochet, that’s a great resource, too.
Knit Freedom: Liat Gat’s videos are another favorite. I was actually alerted to her website a few years ago by a reader, and I’ve been hooked ever since. I really appreciate how little she assumes the knitter knows; there’s little to no guesswork in following her videos.
Liat also offers videos for tips as well as tutorials, so you’ll find videos like “the fastest way to count stitches” and “hiding purl wraps in short row knitting.” Do note that while many of her videos are not free, many more of them are.
Knit Picks: Knit Picks’ video channel is as large and extensive as you might imagine from one of the world’s top online yarn companies. On their channel you’ll get full classes, tutorials, tips and tricks, and one of my favorite features, yarn reviews.
(They’re not unbiased reviews, of course, but it’s nice to learn what kinds of projects a particular yarn would be well suited for.)
Knit Purl Hunter: This is a fantastic channel for more advanced techniques. If you’re looking for help in specialized cast-ons and bind-offs, a complex stitch pattern, tips for complex techniques like stranded knitting or cables, sock heels, mitten thumbs, and so on… you definitely want to take a look at this channel.
She also offers videos knitting patterns, and these can be a lot of fun (and very inspiring!).
Very Pink Knits: This may be the most comprehensive YouTube knitting channel I’ve seen! She uploads videos several times a month, sometimes even weekly! If you’re a beginning knitter, you can start here. If you want to learn a new technique or get help with a particular part of a knitting pattern, you can go here. If you want to learn very advanced techniques, you’ll probably find a video here.
If you want free patterns, you’ll find many here. You’ll even find help with crochet!
10 Rows a Day: One of my subscribers recommended this channel (and website, and newsletter) to me, and I can’t say enough good about it! Not only does she offer assistance with a variety of knitting techniques, but she truly excels at offering solutions. Browse her channel, and you’ll see what I mean!
One tip for navigating a YouTube channel: it can be overwhelming to visit either the home page (which usually shows whatever the channel owner chooses to feature at the moment) or the videos (where all the videos are simply shown in chronological order).
The best way to navigate is to visit the “Playlists” tab. Most of the channels listed here offer playlists that help to organize their videos. You can then look at whichever playlist topic most interests you.
Do you have a favorite YouTube knitting channel? Please let me know!