New to Knitting Series Part 2: How to Knit

You can begin your knitting project when you have learned to cast on.  There are two basic types of stitches: knit and purl.  It is best to learn knit stitch first.  The knit stitch is the V-shaped stitch you may visualize when you think of a knit garment.

Note: As I am right-handed, instructions will reflect how I knit. 

If you prefer a video to learn how to knit, click the button below.  For written directions, continue reading.

Learn To Knit Video

Step 1:

After casting on, look at the needle containing the cast-on stitches.  Two pieces of yarn are dangling from the needle near the pointed end.  With your left hand, grasp the yarn connected to the ball of yarn about two inches below the needle with your pinky, ring, and middle fingers.  This is called the working yarn.  Wrap the remaining two inches of working yarn around your forefinger twice in a clockwise fashion.  Then grasp the knitting needle about two inches below the pointed end between your forefinger and thumb, resting lightly on your middle finger.  

This is how you work the yarn around the right-hand needle and control tension.  The working yarn should be held gently but firmly and move smoothly between your fingers as you work. 

Step 2:

Pick up the empty needle with your right hand.  Your forefinger and thumb should grip the needle about two inches below the pointed end while the remainder gently rests in your curled fingers. 

Step 3:

Place the right needle behind the left by slipping through the first stitch on the left needle moving from left to right.

Step 4:  

Using your left forefinger, wrap the working yarn around the tip of the right needle moving it from left to right clockwise. 

Then slide the right needle and yarn back out from the stitch, pulling up a loop on the right needle. 

Step 5:

Drop the stitch from the left needle.  One knit stitch has been made on the right needle.

Continue working on steps 3-5 for all knit stitches in your pattern.  Once all the stitches on the left needle have been worked, it is time to switch needles.  Move the needle with the stitches to your left hand and set up as in steps 1-2 to knit another row.  The only exception is that the working yarn will now be the only yarn near the pointed end of the needle.

Once you feel comfortable working the knit stitch, learn the purl stitch. Knit and purl stitches are reverses of each other.  When knitting and purling every other row, the right side of the work will show all knit stitches, and the wrong side will show all purl stitches creating a smooth, flat fabric on the right side.  Different combinations of knit and purl stitches create patterns.  This is how a textured pattern is created when knitting. 

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