Skills & Time Needed Levels Explained

Skills Needed Explained

Each knitting pattern has a difficulty level set by the designers. The pattern you’re interested in matches at least one item in the categories below. You may not need every skill listed. If you’re unsure, just ask.

Beginner

  • Sutiable for first time knitters
  • Knit and purl stitches, cast on and cast off
  • A limited amount of shaping
  • Basic pattern reading – Following simple written instructions

Easy

  • Familiarity with knit and purl stitches on the same row such as rib pattern
  • Shaping – increases (inc) and decreases (k2tog), limited use of stitch holders.
  • Basic colourwork – Working with one colour at a time. Breaking and reconnecting yarn so there may be 2 colours per piece.
  • Pattern reading – Able to follow written instructions and abbreviations

Intermediate

  • Familiarity with knit and purl stitches to make detailed patterns
  • Some splitting and re-joining work, short rows and use of stitch holders e.g. to make arm holes in a jacket
  • Colourwork – Working with stripes one colour at a time
  • Able to confidently follow patterns

Advanced

  • Familiarity with more complex stitches such as loop stitch
  • Advanced shaping in the work
  • Colourwork – Multiple colours on the same row
  • Pattern reading – Confident with reading and understanding a knitting pattern before and during knitting

Knitting Time Explained

Each knitting pattern has an estimated time needed set by the designers. The pattern you’re interested in matches the time guide as below. All time guides are an estimate as your knitting speed and learning level may be higher or lower than we suggest. Please take as a guide only.

A Couple of Hours

If you are a regular knitter and know how to use the basic stitches, knit, purl, cast on etc. You should be able to complete the pattern in a few hours. This may be an evening project for example.

A Weekend Project

If you are a regular knitter and know how to use the basic stitches, knit, purl, cast on etc. You should be able to complete the pattern in a weekend. This means knitting for a few hours at a time at a reasonable speed.

About a Week

If you are a regular knitter and know how to use the basic stitches, knit, purl, cast on etc. You should be able to complete the pattern in a week. This is generally for larger patterns such as booklets or dollies with clothes for example where extra pieces are needed.

More than a Week

If you are a regular knitter and know how to use the basic stitches, knit, purl, cast on etc. You should be able to complete the pattern in a few weeks. This is for knitting patterns that have more than one toy or are as part as a set. This is for knitting patterns that have many pieces and lots of sewing too.