Learning How to Knit

Learning how to knit can be a bit confusing unless you have good clear instruction. Don’t feel overwhelmed though, because it’s really not that difficult and our goal is to provide you with a good understanding so that you’ll feel confident enough to try and make something on your own. There are only a few basic stitches to know when you’re learning how to knit and there are several excellent books and videos, created with the beginner in mind.

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When you're learning how to knit, the very first thing you need to know about is "Casting On". This is how you’ll get the required number of stitches onto your needle and is the foundation on which your project will be built. There are a few different ways to cast on and you don’t need to know them all, just learn one way and get comfortable with it. When people are learning how to knit, they have a tendency to pull the yarn too tight. The stitches should be snug around the needle but relaxed enough so that they will have a bit of stretch and allow the second needle to be inserted easily into the stitch. This is particularly important for the casting on row, because you’ll want the lower edge of your sweater to be relaxed enough to sit comfortably on your hips, for example, or the cuff of your mittens to be able to stretch over your hand. Watch this video to learn a simple cast on method.

The next thing you’ll want to know when learning how to knit is the basic "Knit Stitch" (pattern abbreviation "k"). If you look carefully at knitted items you’ll noticed there is a "right" side and a "wrong" side. With this stitch, the loops of the stitches on the row below end up at the side of your work that is facing away from you. Its difficult to visualize a written explanation so please watch this video to get a clear understanding of how this stitch is done, then practice, practice, practice, until you feel  more comfortable.

The second stitch you'll need to know when you're learning how to knit is the "Purl Stitch" (p) which results in the loop of the stitch below ending up on the side facing toward you. This is the main difference between the Knit Stitch and the Purl Stitch, and the video will teach you the technique that gives you this result.

F.Y.I. "Garter Stitch" is when you make continuous Knit Stitches, row after row. "Stocking" or "Stockinette Stitch" is made up of alternating rows of Knit and Purl Stitches, resulting in the right side being smooth and the wrong side looking bumpy (resulting from all the loops of the stitches ending up on that side).

And finally, learning how to knit is nearly complete with "Binding Off" or "Casting Off". As with casting on, don’t be too tight with the yarn, as it gives you a puckered look along the finished edge and let's face it, the most beautiful sweater in the world isn't much good if it won't fit over your head. There are many more advanced techniques to challenge you later but these are the basic stitches and will be enough to get you started.

Make scarves or dishcloths for practice until you feel at ease and have developed some consistency with your tension. After that, you’ll be ready to take on more advanced techniques that involve shaping, changing colors, and different stitch combinations. All the different stitch patterns in knitting are really just variations of these two basic stitches, so pretty soon you’ll be doing a variety of projects and feeling glad that you spent the time for learning how to knit.

Make knitting fun! For everything you need, visit the Leisure Boutique and find a huge selection of supplies, kits, how-to books, and various brands/blends of yarn.

Knitting Cruises
Learn to knit while taking a cruise.