YouTube has thousands of knitting tutorials, but the best ones depend on whether you are a complete beginner or already know the basics
YouTube is free and you can rewind, pause, and watch at your own speed — advantages that make it a natural place to learn knitting. The challenge is that quality varies widely. Some channels teach one stitch clearly in five minutes. Others ramble for twenty. The videos that work best are those that show your hands and the needles close enough to see exactly where the yarn goes, use yarn thick enough to see clearly, and explain what you are doing step by step rather than assuming you already know the vocabulary.
The most useful channels for beginners teach the absolute fundamentals first: casting on, the knit stitch, the purl stitch, and binding off. Once you can do those four things, you can make a scarf or a dishcloth. After that, YouTube videos on specific stitches, patterns, and techniques become much easier to follow because you already have the foundation.
Key Takeaways
- Start with channels that teach casting on and the knit stitch in close-up detail, because these two skills are the foundation for everything else.
- Channels with thick yarn and large needles are easier to follow than those using thin yarn, even though thin yarn is what you will eventually use.
- Pause and rewind constantly — YouTube videos are designed to be watched this way, and you should never feel rushed to keep up.
- Once you can cast on, knit, purl, and bind off, you can make a complete project, and pattern-specific videos become much clearer.
- Search for videos by the specific stitch or technique you need rather than browsing channel homepages, because a single channel may have videos of very different quality.
Channels that teach the four foundational skills
VeryPink Knits is one of the most recommended channels for beginners. The creator uses thick yarn, large needles, and films close enough that you see exactly where the yarn goes. Her casting-on video is particularly clear — she shows the motion slowly and explains why each step matters. Her knit and purl stitch videos are equally detailed.
Sheep & Stitch also specializes in beginner content. The videos are shorter than VeryPink Knits (usually under ten minutes) and move quickly, but the camera work is excellent and the yarn is always thick enough to follow. This channel is good if you prefer faster pacing.
Nimble Needles teaches in a conversational style and uses a split-screen view so you see both the creator's hands and a close-up of the needles at the same time. This is helpful because you can watch the overall motion and the detail simultaneously. The channel covers casting on, basic stitches, and common beginner mistakes.
All three of these channels have videos on binding off, which is the step that closes your stitches at the end of a project. Binding off looks complicated but is actually straightforward once you see it done slowly.
How to search YouTube for the specific technique you need
Once you have learned the basics, you will want to find videos on particular stitches or techniques. Searching "how to knit a garter stitch" or "how to increase stitches" is more useful than browsing a channel's full library, because a single creator may have videos of wildly different quality.
When you search, look at the video length first. A five-minute video on a single stitch is usually better than a twenty-minute video that includes the creator's life story. Read the comments before clicking — if the top comments say "finally a clear explanation" or "I understood this when ready," the video is probably good. If comments ask questions that the video should have answered, skip it.
Watch the first thirty seconds. If the camera is too far away to see the needles clearly, or if the yarn is thin and dark, close it and try the next result. You will find a clear version. Do not waste time on videos that are hard to see.
What to do when you get stuck on a stitch
If you watch a video and still do not understand, try a different creator's version of the same stitch. The way one person explains a knit stitch might click for you while another person's explanation does not. YouTube has enough videos that you can always find a second or third explanation.
If you are stuck on a stitch and cannot find a video that makes sense, post a photo or short video of what you are doing in a knitting community like r/knitting on Reddit. Experienced knitters can often spot the problem in a photo and explain the fix in a way that makes sense to you. This is faster than watching ten more videos.
Some creators also take questions in the comments and reply with information. If you see a creator who does this, their channel is worth following because you have a direct line to someone who can help.
Channels for specific projects and patterns
Nimble Needles and VeryPink Knits both have videos on straightforward projects like scarves, dishcloths, and baby blankets. These are good second projects because they use only the basic stitches but show you how to follow a pattern and manage a larger piece of work.
Wool and the Gang posts videos for their own patterns, which are designed to be beginner-friendly. The videos walk you through each step of a specific project. This is helpful because you see not just the stitch, but how it fits into a real thing you are making.
Once you have finished one project, you will have a much better sense of what kind of knitting you want to do next — whether that is colorwork, lace, shaping, or something else. At that point, search YouTube for videos on that specific technique rather than trying to follow a channel from the beginning.
Setting up your space to learn from YouTube
Position your phone or tablet so you can see the video and your own needles at the same time. If you are using a computer, put it to one side of your workspace. You will pause constantly, and you need to see both the video and what your hands are doing.
Use needles and yarn similar to what the video creator is using, at least for your first project. If the video uses size 10 needles and worsted-weight yarn, buy the same thing. Once you understand how knitting works, you can experiment with different sizes and weights. Starting with a match makes it much easier to follow along.
Keep your first project straightforward. A garter stitch scarf (knit stitch only, no purling) is a better first project than a sweater with shaping and colorwork. You want to practice the basic motions until they become automatic, and a straightforward project lets you do that without getting frustrated.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need to buy anything before I start watching YouTube knitting videos?
Yes. You need needles and yarn. Start with size 10 or 11 needles (bamboo or wood, not metal — they grip better) and worsted-weight yarn in a light color so you can see the stitches. A beginner set costs about ten to fifteen dollars. You do not need anything else to learn the basics.
How long does it take to learn to knit from YouTube?
You can learn to cast on and do a knit stitch in one or two sessions of thirty minutes each. Purl stitch takes another session. Binding off takes fifteen minutes. After that, you can make a straightforward project. Learning to read patterns and do more complex stitches takes longer, but you build those skills gradually as you make projects.
What if I cannot understand a video even after rewatching it?
Try a different creator's version of the same stitch. If three different videos do not help, post a photo or short video of what you are doing in a knitting community online. Someone will be able to see what is going wrong and explain it in a way that makes sense to you.
Can I learn to knit from YouTube without any prior experience?
Yes. YouTube has enough beginner-focused content that you can learn entirely from videos. The key is starting with channels that teach the absolute basics in close-up detail, and not moving on to complex projects until you are comfortable with casting on, knitting, purling, and binding off.
Should I watch entire channels or just search for specific videos?
Search for specific videos. A single creator may have some excellent tutorials and some poor ones. When you need to learn a particular stitch or technique, search for it by name and watch whichever video has the clearest camera work and the best comments. This saves time and gets you better results than watching a channel from start to finish.