25 Free and Easy Knitting Patterns for Beginners (2024)

A scarf is one of the best knitting projects to start with for beginners. This comprehensive guide will teach you how to make an entire scarf from start to finish, even if you’re brand new to knitting.

Yarn weight Bulky

Suggested Yarn: Lion Brand Hue + Me

Booties are the perfect gift to give to a new baby. Unfortunately, knitting baby boots can be complicated. On the bright side, this pattern makes knitting baby booties simple! Unlike most baby boot patterns, this one uses single-point needles and doesn’t require any tricky shaping.

Yarn weight: Worsted

Suggested yarn: Brava Worsted

This pattern only uses one simple stitch – the garter stitch. It also utilizes some simple shaping, done by increasing and decreasing. This is a great beginner sweater, but if you’re brand new to knitting, you may want to save this project until after you have a scarf or two under your belt.

Yarn weight: Aran

Suggested yarn: Rico Creative Cotton Aran

You’ll feel like you’re cuddled right up to the softest sheep in this chunky, wool scarf. You’ll need to know how to knit and purl in order to make the deep, squishy ribs in this scarf.

Yarn weight: Super bulky

Suggested yarn: Purl Soho Super Bulky Weight Yarns

The fun, confetti colors that fill this scarf are made by knitting the project with 7 different strands of yarn at once. Don’t worry, though! It’s not as hard as it might sound, since the yarns tend to curl around one another and stick to each other as you knit. The pattern even includes 8 different pictures of ideas for your colors choices.

Yarn weight: Fingering

Suggested yarn: Purl Soho’s Line Weight

This pattern offers five sizes of mittens, from toddler to adult large. You’ll work in a round, knitting from the cuff to the hand, and then finishing with the thumb. This is a fairly basic knitting pattern, but may not be suitable for those who are super new to knitting.

Yarn weight: DK, chunky, fingering, or worsted

Suggested yarn: Swish DK

This baby kimono sweater is just too sweet! For this pattern, you’ll need to do some shaping, knit buttonholes, and sew pieces together, as well as sew buttons on your sweater.

Yarn weight: Fingering

Suggested yarn: Stroll Tonal

Little ones will stay toasty warm in this sweet knitted sweater. You’ll use circular needles to knit this sweater from the top down.

Yarn weight: Sport

Suggested yarn: Knit Picks Andean Treasure

What better way to keep yourself warm than with your own, hand-knitted sweater? The only problem with this sweater is that all your friends will be asking you to knit them one, too! This pattern is best for the more experienced beginner, and it includes sizes from infant through adult.

Yarn weight: Worsted/Aran

Suggested yarn: Knit Picks Twill

If you’re looking for a simple, cozy blanket that knits up quickly, this is it. This snuggly baby blanket pattern is perfect for beginners.

Yarn weight: Worsted

Suggested yarn: Lion Brand Cotton-Ease (Discontinued) Substitute Comfy Worsted

Let your mind wander while you knit and purl away on this cozy infinity scarf. It’s perfect for wearing with your favorite winter outfit or for giving as a gift.

Yarn weight: Bulky

Suggested yarn: Lion Brand Hue + Me Yarn

This is the ideal ribbed-stitch scarf – you won’t want to take it off all winter long! Use 100% baby alpaca yarn to get the perfect drape.

Yarn weight: Bulky

Suggested yarn: Misti Alpaca Chunky

Making your own dishcloths is the perfect way to make your kitchen feel even more like home. You don’t even have to worry about gauge with this pattern, since the exact size isn’t important.

Yarn weight: Fingering - Worsted

Suggested yarn: Knit Picks Dishie

These little mittens are perfect for using up extra bits of yarn. For these simple, thumbless mittens, you’ll need to know how to work in the round and how to increase.

Yarn weight: Worsted

Suggested yarn: Blue Sky Fibers Sweater Worsted

Since this sweater is knit from the top down, you can check the fit as you go. This pattern is best suited to a more advanced beginner.

Yarn weight: Worsted

Suggested yarn: Brooklyn Tweed Shelter

If you know how to knit, purl, and work simple decreases, you can make this cozy, chunky cardigan. When you’re finished knitting the pieces, you’ll sew them together using a whip stitch.

Yarn weight: Chunky

Suggested yarn: Lion Brand Hue + Me

There’s plenty of texture in this squishy, ribbed baby blanket. This bordered blanket is perfect for keeping little ones warm and snug.

Yarn weight: DK

Suggested yarn: Orange Flower Yarn DK 250

This triangle-shaped shawl is made mostly with the stockinette stitch and accented with lovely garter knit eyelet sections. Best of all, you can easily make it as large or small as you like in order to create the perfect shawl drape for you.

Yarn weight: DK

Suggested yarn: Orange Flower Yarn SW Merino

This cozy, floppy hat has a ribbed brim to keep you warm while you sport your own, hand-knit project. To make this hat, all you need to know is how to knit, purl, and knit two together (K2tog).

Yarn weight: Fingering

Suggested yarn: Misti Alpaca Hand Paint Sock Yarn

Here’s another snug, comfortable hat for winter. Knit in the round until you finish your hat, then make your own pom pom to keep it fun! This pattern also includes video tutorials to walk you through the knitting process.

Yarn weight: Super Chunky

Suggested yarn: Cascade Magnum and Malabrigo Rasta

These fingerless mittens were created to keep farmers’ fingers warm as they catch newborn lambs at lambing time. But even if you don’t have sheep, everyone can find a time when fingerless gloves are just what they need. This pattern includes instructions for sizes small, medium, and large mittens.

Yarn weight: Worsted

Suggested yarn: Knit Picks City Tweed

Need to keep your ears warm but not a fan of hats? This fashionable headband is perfect. It’s easy to adjust the finished width or length of this headband so that it fits your head just right.

Yarn weight: DK/Light Worsted

Suggested yarn: Lima by Drops

Making socks can be intimidating, but this pattern was made with the beginner in mind. If you can work in the round, decrease, and pick up stitches, you can make these socks.

Yarn weight: Worsted

Suggested yarn: Claudia’s Handpainted Worsted

This pattern is excellent for learning (or improving your skills on) how to knit in the round using double-pointed needles. Alternatively, you can use the magic loop method. Your legs will stay toasty warm with this easy, handmade project.

Yarn weight: Worsted

Suggested yarn: Lion Brand Wool-Ease

Lastly, don’t miss out on this fashionable throw pillow project to spruce up your living room. It’s perfect for the beginner. Plus, it’s an easy way to add your favorite color choices to your home.

Yarn weight: Bulky

Suggested yarn: Lion Brand Hue + Me