Start here
Try a coaster or a cloth before a large garment. Choose smooth, light-colored yarn so you can see stitches. Very dark, fluffy or split-prone yarn can make learning harder.
A useful habit
Read the whole pattern and collect your materials. Practise casting on, the knit stitch and casting off. Count stitches at the end of each row until the count feels familiar.
Put it into practice
Keep the first project small. A scarf uses the same basic skills but takes longer. Save a project you like and return when you are ready.