Learn to Knit @ Cleo's in Bushwick

Buy a beginner 3 class pack here and get your third session free!

Looking to learn to knit? Whether you're a complete beginner or looking for a refresh on the knitting basics, these classes at our shop in Bushwick are for those looking to get started making their own clothes & accessories with little more than sticks and string.

Please arrive 15–20 minutes early to your first class to choose & purchase materials. Students may also bring their own materials from home, please read the "Required Yarn" and "Required Tools" sections below to make sure you're bringing the best stuff to learn with!

All of our beginner classes are group classes where each student could be on their first, second, or third session. During the first hour of class, we will be teaching the long-tail cast on and the knit stitch, the foundations to nearly every project! During the second hour of class, students can opt to learn any of the following: the purl stitch, how to join a new ball of yarn, simple decreasing, weaving in ends, binding off, or seaming techniques. Our instructors can help you choose which techniques to learn next if you're not sure! 

Students can retake this class as many times as they like! Everyone learns at a different pace. Most students may feel ready to move on after 2–3 beginner classes, others may want to come back a few more times before they jump into a next level class.

We can teach both right- and left-handed people how to knit! (Lucky for lefties: you need not have to mirror everything you do for it to be comfortable for you to knit).

PROJECT
Students can choose to make a scarf, hat, cowl, or bag.

SKILL LEVEL
Absolute Beginners and Advanced Beginners are all welcome.
You can read about how we determine skill levels here.

REQUIRED EXPERIENCE
None! You don't need any knitting experience to take this class. All students 9 years or older are welcome.

REQUIRED YARN

We can help you pick out the right yarn to purchase 15–20 minutes before class starts!

You can knit a scarf in any worsted, bulky, or super bulky weight yarn. The amount you will need will vary depending on the yarn weight you choose and the size you want your scarf to be (we can give you estimates in the shop).

If you want to make this hat you’ll need at least 200 yards of worsted weight yarn. 

To make this bag you'll need 320 yards of bulky weight yarn.

We highly recommend learning to knit with wool yarn! Yarns made from acrylic and most plant-based fibers don't provide the same elasticity that make wool yarns easy to learn with. However, if you prefer to use non-animal fiber yarn, we do have a 100% organic cotton available in the shop that we've had many beginners use with great success.

REQUIRED TOOLS

We can help you pick out the right needle size to purchase 15–20 minutes before class starts!

If you’re making a scarf, the needle size will vary based on the yarn you choose: anything between US 8 (5 mm) and US 19 (15 mm). If you’re making the hat pictured you’ll need US 8 (5 mm) needles. The bag pattern pictured uses US 10.5 (6.5 mm) needles.

We recommend using wooden needles when you’re learning, the metal ones can be heavy (if they’re vintage) and too slippery, and plastic ones can be too sticky!