Patterns often indicate the skill level needed to accomplish a project. Did you ever
wonder what these levels mean?
JUST STARTING OUT -- ability to cast on, bind off, and do the knit stitch.
BEGINNER -- ability to both knit and purl. Knowledge of casting on, binding off,
increasing and decreasing, picking up stitches.
INTERMEDIATE -- ability to do some texture stitches, simple Fair Isle, simple cables,
simple lace, and/or ability to understand directions for stitch patterns, and
use circular and double pointed needles.
EXPERIENCED -- ability to do cables, lace, some Aran patterns, and can follow complex
shaping directions. Can knit all over texture and/or color patterns.
ADVANCED -- ability to knit complex multi-stitch patterns including Aran, lace with cables,
multiple lace patterns, intricate Fair Isle and intarsia patterns, and can execute
complex shaping such as short rows, entrelac, domino knitting, and combined
texture and color patterns.
A final word: The more you knit, the more you try to accomplish new techniques with
each project, the quicker you will progress through these stages. If you are just starting
out, and have only made garter stitch scarves for example, try to pick a project next time
where you will learn a new skill. The importance of pushing to learn more applies to more
advanced knitters also. It really helps not to get stuck in a rut, but to try new things all
the time -- in life as well as in knitting!
