A list of cool knitting techniques I want to learn

2026-01-24

Knitting is very cool, and much more complex than crochet in my opinion. There are so many stitches, techniques, and all, that it looks like an endless supply of knowledge. I’m still quite the beginner knitter, I haven’t done much projects or complex stuff, but there is a lot I want to learn.

Here is a non-exhaustive list of cool stuff I wanna learn eventually. Maybe soon, maybe later, maybe never we’ll see! It’s not a goal list or anything, just a way to share stuff I find very cool so maybe you can find them cool too

Ganseys

Ganseys (or guernseys) are some of my latest big interests in knitting. The name comes from the island of Guernsey in Normandy, now French but previously Brittish. They were jumpers worn by fishermen to protect them from the water and the wind. They are usually knit in one color and feature various patterns with their own name and meaning. It can feature cables, but otherwise is fairly simple, consisting of knits and purls to create the motifs.

I am currently working on some gansey socks, which I wanted to try first. They turned out pretty good and now I’d like to eventually make a jumper. I’d like to get a book with traditional patterns and find one I like to make, but it’s no rush.

Shetland Lace Knitting

That has been something I have been fascinated with since I began knitting. Shetland lace knitting is gorgeous, very complex, and one of the reasons I want to visit the Shetland isles one day. They are also an endangered craft on the UK red list of endangered crafts(check that list out, it's fascinating), though it’s still practiced by many hobbyists. It creates beautiful lace garments that are simply incredible to look at.

I have a book on Shetland lace knitting, tried it once and quickly gave up because I didn’t have the skill. I still don’t have it I think, but having a shawl in that technique is probably one of my dreams.

Colorwork

It’s not a very niche technique or anything, but I’ve never done colorwork and want to try. I received some yarn at christmas to try my hands at small colorwork garments, hopefully a set of socks and mittens. Both fair isle and norwegian patterns done in this technique are very beautiful and I wanna try it eventually.

I also own a book of norwegian colorwork designs that I got when I didn't have the skill, but some of the patterns are on my list of things to attempt!

Fair isle knitting depicted on the Great Tapestry of Scotland	Selbu mittens example by Hilde Ropstad on Ravelry

Intarsia

Intarsia is another technique to add different colors to your work. While colorwork carries the yarn throughout the project, intarsia is not, making a thinner and more stretchy fabric, and easier to work with for large areas of color. I’ve used a bit of intarsia when I worked on my little dog Lisabelle, but didn’t really understand the process at the time and didn’t do a great job at it. So I’d like to try again when working on more stuffed animals eventually. It isn’t on my immediate list (except to use my yarn scraps), but I’d definitely like to get back to it and make more little animals from Little Cotton Rabbits.

Patience: making larger projects

Patience isn’t a specific knitting skill, but it sure is needed! For now, I’ve only worked on relatively small projects (stuffed animals, socks), but eventually I’d like to be able to knit a sweater or a shawl. I think that will come through getting more confident in knitting, and therefore knitting faster, prioritizing my projects, having less of them at the same time, and spending less time on my stupid phone.