As the air turns crisp and the days grow darker, it is a good moment to take up a hobby that will keep you warm and occupied through winter.
Yarn crafting has grown considerably in popularity, and autumn is when most people start.
Why autumn
Practical reasons rather than sentimental ones.
You want the finished object, which makes the project feel worth doing rather than abstract. You are indoors more. And there is a natural deadline in the form of Christmas, which is unusually motivating for a first project.
Starting in July with a wool scarf is a harder sell.
Why the crafts have grown
The internet did most of it. Patterns became instantly available, video removed the need for someone to teach you in person, and crafters found each other worldwide rather than only locally.
Independent designers replaced the narrow output of yarn companies and magazines, and the range of what gets made expanded enormously.
Social knitting moved it out of the house. Groups in cafés, pubs and libraries made it public and sociable.
Making things acquired value again as mass-produced clothing became cheap and disposable.
Which to start with
Crochet is generally easier to begin. Only one stitch is ever live, so a dropped stitch does not run, and you can put the work down mid-row.
Knitting produces better fabric for garments – thinner, more elastic, better drape.
Start with whichever makes the thing you want to make. Plenty of people end up doing both.
What to buy
Smooth, light-coloured yarn in a medium weight. Bamboo needles around 5mm, or a 5.00mm hook.
Light and smooth so you can see your stitches. This matters more than any other decision – being unable to see your own work is why most beginners give up.
What to make first
Something flat where the fit does not matter. A dishcloth or a simple scarf.
Avoid a hat as a first project, however tempting. Hats need correct gauge and one that fits nobody is discouraging.
A realistic Christmas plan
If you are starting now with gifts in mind, be modest. Scarves, cowls, fingerless mitts and dishcloths are all achievable for a beginner and genuinely welcome.
A sweater is not a first-autumn project, and attempting one is how people conclude the craft is not for them.