Loom knitting is a simple and accessible way for beginners to create knitted items without traditional needles. To get started, you need a knitting loom (round or long), a loom hook, a yarn needle, and appropriate yarn for your loom size[2]. Beginners often start with projects like hats, scarves, bags, or slippers[1].
The first basic step is casting on your yarn across the pegs. The most common cast-on method for beginners is the e-wrap, where you wrap the yarn around each peg in a spiral motion[3]. After wrapping all the pegs, use the loom hook to pull the bottom loop over the top, creating your knitted stitches and rows[3]. This process is repeated to build up your fabric. When following along, make sure your wraps are not too tight or too loose for even stitches[3].
When finishing your project, you will need to bind off to secure your stitches. The bind-off involves moving loops from one peg to the next and knitting them off one by one, then finally pulling the yarn tail through the last stitch and weaving in the ends[1]. A yarn needle is helpful for weaving and finishing loose ends[2].
Looms and yarn come in various sizes. Generally, use bulky or super bulky yarns for large gauge looms and lighter yarns (like worsted or sport weight) for small or fine gauge looms[1]. Many loom knitting kits include all needed tools and reference guides for beginners[5].