How to Start Knitting (with Advice from the Experts)

• Use chunky yarn and large needles to develop your grip and learn the basic stitches.
• Cast on by making a slipknot on a needle, then adding knots until you have the desired number of stitches.
• Knit stitches by slipping the right-hand needle up and through the cast-on stitches, then wrapping the yarn around the tip. Then, pull the yarn through the stitch.
• Cast off by knitting 2 stitches, then slipping the first stitch over the second, repeating until the end of the row.

Casting On

Choose a ball of chunky yarn and a large pair of knitting needles. Yarn comes in a wide range of textures, weights, and colors, but we recommend that beginners start with a medium to heavy weight yarn (often called “worsted”) and wooden or bamboo needles that are 7–10 mm (0.28–0.39 in) in diameter. Larger yarn and needles makes things easier to handle and see. You can knit with straight needles or circular needles. Circular needles are helpful for holding a large number of stitches, such as for a blanket, and you can also knit in the round with circular needles.Tip: You may want to follow a beginner’s pattern when you are ready to knit your first project. Try making a dishcloth or a beanie for a quick and easy knitting project.

Make a slipknot to begin casting on. To make your first stitch, loop the yarn around your index and middle finger 2 times. Then, pull the first loop over the second loop. Tug on the tail (or end) of the yarn to tighten the knot around the base of the loop. Then, slip the loop onto a knitting needle and tug the tail more to secure the knot. The slipknot counts as your first cast on stitch, so make sure to include it if you are counting stitches.

Loop the long end of the yarn around your left hand. Holding the needle in your right hand, position the slipknot about 0.5 in (1.3 cm) from the tip. Take the long end (or “working end”) of the yarn, and wrap it clockwise around your left hand so that the working end hangs off your palm, below where the yarn meets the needle. Grip the needle securely (but not too tightly) near the first stitch with your right index finger and thumb. Wrap your other 3 fingers loosely around the body of the needle to make it easier to control.

Thread the needle through the bottom of the loop and pull. Bring the yarn over the needle so that it loops above your first stitch. Then use your left hand to tug on the working end to tighten the loop and create your second stitch. Don’t pull it too tight—just enough to wrap snugly around the needle.

Repeat the sequence to cast on 10 more stitches. Continue to repeat the same process to cast on additional stitches, looping the yarn around your hand, threading the needle up through it, and pulling it taught. For this beginner tutorial, we’ll just cast-on a total of 12 switches to make a small swatch. Remember to include the slipknot in your total cast on stitch count.

Basic Knit Stitch

Transfer the needle with the cast-on stitches to your left hand by turning your work around clockwise. Always start a new row by transferring your knitting needles to the opposite hands. The needle in your left hand will have all of the stitches on it ( the “loaded” needle) and the needle in your right hand will be empty. Hold the working end of the yarn in your right hand, threaded over the top of your right index finger. Left-handed knitters tend to learn to knit with the loaded needle in their left hand, as well, though if you prefer you can hold the loaded needle in your left hand, mirroring these steps as you go. Use the same grip as you used to cast on your stitches. Holding the yarn in your right hand is known as English knitting or English throwing. There is also continental knitting or combination/combined knitting where you hold the yarn in the left hand. Both styles are said to be easier for people with previous crochet experience.

Thread the right needle through the bottom of the top stitch going in from left to right. Push the tip of the needle through by about 0.5 in (1.3 cm), approaching from the underside of the stitch. If you have difficulty pushing it through, your cast-on stitches may be too tight—in this case, re-cast your stitches, making the new stitches a bit looser. Make sure that the working yarn is hanging behind your work when you do this.

Loop the working yarn counter-clockwise around the right-hand needle. Use your right index finger to wrap the yarn around the back of your right-hand needle. Then bring it back toward you so that it rests between the crux of both needles.

Pull the yarn down through the stitch. With the tip of the right-hand needle, pull the working yarn through the topmost stitch. Let the old, cast-on stitch that was on the left-hand needle slip off so that the new stitch settles onto the right-hand needle. Be careful not to let the new stitch slip off the right-hand needle.

Repeat the knit stitch until the end of the row. Follow the same sequence to knit more stitches. Keep knitting until you reach the end of the row and the left-hand needle is empty. Use a row counter or a row counting app to make it easier to keep track of how many rows you have knit.

Turn your work around and switch the needle with the stitches over to your left hand and knit the next row. Place the right-hand needle in your left hand, so that your left hand is now holding the needle with all the stitches. Hold the empty needle in your right hand. Then, continue knitting in the same way as you knit the last row. Do your best to keep the yarn at an even tension, to make all the stitches equal in size. It’ll take some practice, but that’s what this first knitting exercise is for! A knit stitch is denoted on patterns with a “K”, for example: K1, K2, K3, etc., which mean “knit 1 stitch, knit 2 stitches, knit 3 stitches,” and so on. A “garter stitch” is made by using this stitch to create every row.

Casting Off

Knit the first 2 stitches as you normally would. When you’ve completed your last row and are ready to cast off (or “bind off”) the last row of stitches, knit the first 2 stitches in the row as usual. Use the same grip you used to knit the previous rows.

Insert the left-hand needle into the bottom stitch on the right-hand needle. Insert the point of the needle downward through the first stitch (or, the second stitch from the tip of the needle). Next, push the left hand needle into the first stitch (second stitch from the tip) of the right-hand needle. Make sure the working yarn is behind your knitting.

Bring the bottom stitch up and over the top stitch. Use the left-hand needle to lift the stitch up and over the top stitch of the right-hand needle. This will leave you with 1 stitch on the right-hand needle.

Knit another stitch as usual. Knit another stitch in the same way that you knit the first 2 stitches. Insert the right-hand needle through the stitch on the left-hand needle, wrap the yarn under and over, and pull it through. Let the old stitch slip off as the new stitch replaces it. This will leave you with 2 stitches on the right-hand needle again.

Lift the new bottom stitch up and over the stitch you just knit. Use the left-hand needle to lift the bottom stitch on the right-hand needle up and over the top stitch just like you did the first time.

Repeat the sequence to the end of the row to finish casting off. Continue to knit 1 and lift 1 up and over that stitch until you have 1 stitch left on the right-hand needle. Pull this stitch to widen it and then cut the working yarn about 6 in (15 cm) from the base of the stitch. Thread the freshly cut yarn through the final stitch, and tug to tighten and complete the cast-off.Tip: If desired, you can also weave in the loose ends at the beginning and end of the project using a yarn needle. These are available in craft supply stores and you use them just like you would use a sewing needle. Thread the yarn through the eye of the needle and sew through the stitches on the edge of the project or through the backside to hide the loose ends.

Other Stitches

Purl stitch by performing the inverse of a knit stitch. The purl stitch is basically the opposite of the knit stitch. Thread the right-hand needle down through the top stitch on the left-hand needle, this time bringing the right-hand needle in front of the left. Then loop the working yarn over and behind the tip of the right-hand needle, and bring it through the stitch using a pushing motion. Purl is usually represented by a “P” in patterns followed by the number you need to purl, such as P1, P2, P3, etc., which mean “purl 1 stitch, purl 2 stitches, purl 3 stitches,” and so on. A “stockinette stitch” is made simply by knitting 1 row then purling 1 row, alternating as you work. A “seed stitch” is made by alternative knits and purls within the same row.

Work an increase or decrease to change the number of stitches. If you need to add or remove stitches from a row in your work, use increase or decrease stitches. To increase, knit through the same stitch 2 times (without slipping it off between knits) to add a stitch. To decrease, knit through 2 stitches at once to remove a stitch. If you are using a pattern, make sure to follow the instructions for increasing and decreasing carefully. These stitches are important for ensuring you get the desired results.

Try a decorative stitch for a more intricate look. There are many different types of knit stitches you can try. Find a stitch that interests you and try it out! Some stitches you might try include: Brioche Stitch Garter Stitch Moss Stitch