Learn to Knit

Learn to Knit

To begin your knitting lesson you first need to learn casting on. After mastering this try the knit a stitch & purl a stitch instructions.

If you get stuck with knitting acronyms take a look at the jargon buster.

So lets get started... The two most commonly used methods for casting on are:

The Thumb Method
This uses one needle and tends to create a less noticeable edge to your knitting. click here for instructions.

The Two Needle Method
This cast-on creates a firmer, less elastic, but stronger edge and is suitable for delicate yarns or garments which will be subjected to very hard wear. click here for instructions.

The Thumb Method

Preparation
Before you start casting on you should make a loop. Take the yarn from the centre of the ball, this stops the yarn rolling about when you are knitting. (For the thumb method you will need to leave a length of yarn roughly 6 times as long as the width of your intended piece of knitting)

Hold the loose end of the yarn in your left hand and the needle in your right hand. Form a loop with the left thumb by placing the thumb under the yarn from behind and then move the thumb upwards to form a loop.

Place the loop on the needle and keeping the left thumb in place.

Use the yarn from the ball in your right hand, to wind yarn round needle clockwise.

Lift loop over needle and remove thumb.

Pull left-hand yarn tight.

Start over again at figure 1 for next stitch
Continue until you have sufficient stitches.

Two Needle Method

Preparation
Before you start casting on you should make a loop. Take the yarn from the centre of the ball, this stops the yarn rolling about when you are knitting.

Make a loop as before and place on left-hand needle

Pull the right-hand needle through the loop from the front.
Wind the yarn round needle clockwise.

Pull loop through stitch, and place loop on needle.
Now you have stitches.

To create a neat edge the remaining stitches are cast on slightly differently
Put the right-hand needle through between the 1st and 2nd stitch, then pull loop through and place on left-hand needle as before
Continue until you have sufficient stitches

Now that you have cast on your stitches, you need to learn how to knit a stitch! - see below

Knit a Stitch Instructions

With the yarn at the back of the work insert the right hand needle from left to right through the front of the first stitch on the left hand needle

Wind the yarn over the right needle

Pull through a loop

Slip the original stitch off the left hand needle. Repeat this until all stitches have been transferred from left needle to right needle

Now you have mastered the basics try the purl a stitch instructions.

Purl a Stitch Instructions

With the yarn at the front of the work insert the right hand needle from right to left through the front of the first stitch on the left hand needle

Wind the yarn round the right hand needle

Draw a loop through to the back

Slip the original stitch off the left hand needle. Repeat this until all stitches are transferred to the right hand needle

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Knitting Abbreviations
K	:	knitting
P	:	purl
ST(S)	:	stitch(es)
GARTER ST	:	every row knit
STOCKING ST	:	1 row knit, 1 row purl
TOG	:	together
TBL	:	through back of loops
INC	:	increase by working into front and back of stitch
DEC	:	decrease by working 2 stitches together
BEG	:	beginning
ALT	:	alternate
REP	:	repeat
CONT	:	continue
MEAS	:	measures
FOLL	:	following
REM	:	remain(ing)
RS	:	right side
WS	:	wrong side
CM	:	centimetres
IN	:	inches
MM	:	millimetres
SL1K	:	slip 1 knitways
YFWD	:	yarn forward
YRN	:	yarn round needle
PSSO	:	pass slipped stitch over
PATT	:	pattern
0	:	no stitch, row or time to be worked in this size
MS	:	main shade
C	:	contrast
M1	:	make a stitch by picking up horizontal loop lying before next stitch and working into back of it.

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