How To Knit: Knitting for Absolute Beginners with Sample Photos, Unique Patterns and Clear Instructions (How To Knit, how to knit free, how to knit socks)
Author: Wilson, Janet
Date: 2015-01-07T05:00:00+00:00

Table of Contents

Introduction

Chapter 1 – Chapter 1 – What is Knitting?

Chapter 2 – How to Choose your Yarns and Needles

Chapter 3 – Knitting Basics

Chapter 4 – Knitting with Double-Pointed Needles

Chapter 5 – Circular Knitting on a Circular needle

Chapter 6 – Cable Knitting

Chapter 7 – Finger Knitting

Chapter 8 – Arm Knitting

Conclusion

BONUS: Your FREE Gift

How To Knit: Knitting for Absolute Beginners with Sample Photos, Unique Patterns and Clear Instructions (How To Knit, how to knit free, how to knit socks)

Janet Wilson

(2015)

How To Knit

Knitting for Absolute Beginners with Sample Photos, Unique Patterns and Clear Instructions

Introduction

Knitting is a very unique form of craft that requires a wide range of creativity.  Many people have only been able to admire the intricate designs made by the knitting needles from a distance, some have really desired to be able to make such designs but others like you have been able to take the step to actually learn how to knit.

Over time, many people have been able to master this skill and have been able to come up with very beautiful and unique designs.  Knitting is a skill not limited to but mostly indulged in by the feminine folks.  I guess a reason for this is because females naturally like fanciful things.  If you have been trying to find something to keep you busy when you are bored or you would like to use an extra source of income. Knitting is a very lovely skill that you can, not only add to your list, but you can become an expert within a very short time.   This is one lovely fact about knitting.  You can start knitting in as little as a few minutes from when you put in the first few needle strokes and your completed masterpiece design is ready and done within an hour.

Table of Contents

Introduction

Chapter 1 – Chapter 1 – What is Knitting?

Chapter 2 – How to Choose your Yarns and Needles

Chapter 3 – Knitting Basics

Chapter 4 – Knitting with Double-Pointed Needles

Chapter 5 – Circular Knitting on a Circular needle

Chapter 6 – Cable Knitting

Chapter 7 – Finger  Knitting

Chapter 8 – Arm Knitting

Conclusion

BONUS: Your FREE Gift

Chapter 1 – Chapter 1 – What is Knitting?

A good place to start this book is by knowing what knitting is all about.  This will help us understanding how to approach the subject as we proceed. I particularly like this dictionary definition of the word ‘Knitting”.  ‘It is a form of needlework that we create by interlacing yarn in a series of connected loops also known as stitches, using straight eyeless needles or by machine. It is also a complex fabric forming method that can be done accurately with good skills.  A continuous yarn is expertly interloped to form a clothing design or pattern. As each row of loops progress, a fresh loop is pulled through an existing loop. Research has shown that this technique has been used to produce about 40% of all the fabrics in the USA. Needles and some special kind of wool also known as yarn are used in knitting.

Wales and courses

While knitting, the yarn is drawn through a previous loop of yarn and on it goes until a cloth is made from the several interlinking of chainlike stitches. This can be done in vertical columns called wales or horizontal rows called courses.

Just as in weaving, knitting is a method used in creating a two-dimensional material that is made from one dimension of yarn.  The running of the yarn in knitting is however different from that of weaving.  While threads are always straight in weaving and runs parallel lengths and crosswise, the yarn while knitting follows a winding path (course) which forms symmetric loops (bights). It runs symmetrically up and down on the mean section of the yarn.

Types of Knitting

There are two types of knitting from which other forms are derived.  They are the weft knitting and Warp knitting.

Weft Knitting

This is more common as it is done by hand. Here a person uses two long needles and a roll of yarn to weft knit.  It is done with crosswise stitches to produce a fabric or cloth that is loose and more elastic than the one obtained from warp knitting. While knitting, the wales and courses run in a roughly parallel format.  A material can be produced with a single yarn, just by adding stitches upon stitches and it can also be produced with a combination of several types of yarns to form interesting multi-colored or multi textured pattern. Machines also do the weft knitting. This is often done at a high speed.

Warp knitting

This uses lengthwise stitches and is only done with machine.  When various stitches and techniques are used, a large variety of patterns can be produced. In machine knitting, each stitch is made by a separate needle so there has to be one needle in the machine for every wale or rib in the cloth.

The needles are held in position by a fitted piece of metal called a needle bed. The needles are raised and lowered in the bed while it performs the process of knitting. The needles of the latch or spring-beard are made in a way that it holds the yarn as the loop is formed, casts it off and repeats the order.

Factors responsible for the end product

- The combination and interloping of different types of yarns

- The types of needles
- The shape of needles
- The thickness of needle
- The yarn fibre and type
- The texture of the yarn and its twist

Structuring your Stitches

Although, the formats in which the knitting stitches are drawn do not change, the ways the loops are drawn through the previously drawn loops do vary to a large extent.  This is what allows only a part of the loops to be detectable on the fore. It produces an appearance and texture different from how it is seen from the back side.

Knit and purl stitches

Loops pulled through from the back to the front are called knit or plain stitches while the ones drawn in the opposite manner are called purl stitches.  In fastening a previous stitch into a wale, a subsequent stitch can be passed through a previously made loop either from beneath or above. If passed from beneath it is called a knit stitch and if passed from above it is called a purl stitch. However, the two stitches look very much the same because a knit stitch that is so observed from one side of the material looks like a purl stitch when you look at it from the other side. However, the two types of stitches have different views when you look closely.  Knit stitches have a vertical array of “V” patterns stacked close to one another. While the purl stitches looks like waves arranged horizontally across the material. You can create patterns and pictures on a knitted material by using both knit and purl stitches.

Garter stitches in a Stockinette design

A simple knitted fabric looks somewhat like this with knit and purl stitches all through. This combination of knit and purl stitches, when combined this way, are referred to as garter stitches. When the rows of knit and purl stitches are alternated, they produce what we call a stockinette design. Vertical layers (ribbing) can be made by alternating the wales in the knit and purl stitches.  Horizontal layers (welting) are produced by also alternating the rows of knit and purl stitches.  You can also produce the checkerboard otherwise known as basket-weave design.

Right and Left-Plaited Stitches

Both knit and purl types of stitches can be twisted.  Sometimes once and at other times you do not twist at all and getting as much as three twists are usually very uncommon. While looking from above the knitting, the twists could look clockwise i.e. right yarn over left yarn, or on the contrary, it can look counter clockwise, i.e.  Left yarn over right yarn.  These are called right and left plaited stitches.   In most cases, knitters who knit by hand usually produce the right-plated stitches.  They do this by having their knitting and/or purling done through the backside loop, which is done in a very unusual style, i.e., passing the needle on through the preliminary stitch, but the yarn is wrapped as usual.

On the other hand, the left plaited stitches are usually done by knitters as they wrap the yarn in an opposite method instead of having any needle change. Both the right and left plaited stitches have their way of adding some visual beauty and texture to the knitting.  It also ensures the material is drawn in inwards to make it stiff. Plaited stitches are usually common with jewelry knitting made from metal wire.

Missing or dropped stitch

Sometimes while knitting, some stitches could be left un-knitted. Sometimes this could also be an error of omission. When it is an error it affects the way the design is formed.  In some very obvious cases, the entire design becomes awkward and a solution would be to loosen the stitches until the error is corrected then you start all over again. In some cases though, the error can be corrected by expertly knitting some patterns on the spot. It is always advisable however, to be very careful so as not to create room for such lapses. Be quick to notice any loose stitch before you get too far. When the stitches are intentionally dropped, it is done to add some specific patterns later while knitting.

Chapter 2 – How to Choose your Yarns and Needles

Types of Yarns

There are various types of yarns. Choice of yarns used for knitting is dependent on choice of colour combination, texture and style.  It could be a very tedious task making choices as regards colour combinations but being able to make a good selection is a great starting point to having a wonderful final fabric.

Choosing your yarn

My advice for you as a beginner is to choose a single colour yarn that has a bright colour for your first attempts. The reason is that it will help you see the stitches you have made or are making clearly.  Choose a yarn that is smooth and soft. This will also encourage your first attempts. Get a yarn that has a stretchy feel in it. if it doesn’t, it will be quite difficult while using it to knit.

After you have mastered a few skills with knitting in terms of your needle and yarn holding skill, you can choose some very beautiful colors of yarns.  There are several to choose from.  It all depends on how wide you can explore your colour creativity

Types of needles

There are a wide variety of needles used for knitting. The choice of needle again, is dependent on what you want to achieve in the end product design. There are 4 basic types of needles used for knitting.  They come in various materials such as wood, bamboo, aluminum plastic and so on.  Since you are a beginner, you might want to have a general overview of the variety of needles that you can choose from. You can be able to choose your own favorite pair from the lots at your disposal.

Knitting needles

These are the most commonly used needles. They are slim and straight sticklike objects, usually 10 – 16 inch long and narrow up to a point at one end and a knob at the other end. This allows the stitches to stay intact without slipping away.

Double-pointed needles

Double-pointed needles just like with the previous needles mentioned, these set of needles are also straight.  They are on the other hand pointed at the two ends of the needle.  They are called DPNs as well and having points at both ends makes knitting possible from both ends and mostly used on circular knitting.

Cable needles

Cable needles are special types in the ranges of DPNs. Often times they are not straight but come dimpled in the centre. The best description is that they come in the shape of a hook and are usually very short. They are often used to hold stitches in place while knitting the others. Cable-like patterns are made by changing or re-arranging the order of the stitches.

Circular needles

These types of needles are quite long, usually 24 -60 inches. They are double-pointed and quite flexible when using them. The two pointed ends are usually 5 inches long, straight and allow knitting to be done with ease.  The two ends are however, linked by a flexible string, which allows the two ends of the needles to be brought closer together. The needles can be used singularly or in pairs

Choosing your needle

Your choice of needles, as a learner is important. For a start, you need to choose a set of needles that are quite comfortable on your hands and easy to use.  My advice is that you choose the simple ones.   You can use the medium sizes and lengths as well as your medium weight yarn. After having your grip on the process of forming patterns, you can try something a little bit more complex like the double pointed, circular or cable needles.  The sizes of the needles and yarn you choose should complement each other. Thin yarns work best with thin needles and thick yarns work best with thick needles. For a start, you might want to consider using a 10 inch needle so you don’t feel awkward holding them between your hands. When you do perfect your skills, you will need bigger and longer needles to help you with the process.

Chapter 3 – Knitting Basics

Here is the section where it begins to get interesting.  I have made this section as simple as possible.  We basically have two types of knitting styles. They are the English method and Continental or German method. There is no much difference in both except that the yarns are held in different ways in each method. In the English style, the working yarn is held with your right hand while the German or Continental method has the yarn held in the left.

Making a Slip Knot – steps

Making a Slip knot in knitting is done the same way it is done in crocheting.

1. Leave an approximate length of 4 inch tail, flick the tail over the yarn as it comes off from the yarn ball.

2. Flick the tail beneath the loop you had created so it comes in through the middle of the loop through from behind.

3. Pull up the tail a little through the loop you have made.

4. Put one of the needles in the new loop you made.

5. Pull loop firmly around the needle. You just made a slip knot.

Cast On - Steps:

1. With your left hand, put your left needle through your slip knot and push the needle on your right hand through the slip knot. Let it go behind the other one.

2. Wrap some of your yarn from the bulk round the needle on your right and also between the needles.

3. Press right needle against left needle as you pull the yarn that you had just wrapped around and through the looping of the slip knot.

4. With your slip knot loop still in your left hand, and the other around your right hand needle, there is one loop held on each needle.

5. Push the two loops up on the top of the needle.

6. Move the loop placed on your right hand needle unto your left needle.

7. This should make you have two loops on your left hand needle.

8. To make your next loop, you should wrap yarn round your right needle again.

9. Push your yarn in through the first loop you have on your left hand needle once again. You will now have one loop on your right needle.

10. Move the loop on your right hand to the needle on your left hand.  Now you have three loops on the needle on your left hand.

11. Keep on doing this on. After a while, you would have casted on several stitches across the needle, as much as you would like, in the diagram above, there are 20 stitches that have been casted for the purpose of this instructional guide. This does not include the slip knot.  You can decide to cast most or less depending on how long or how short you would like the length to be.

Knit Stitch - Steps:

1. After casting on your initial row, put your right needle behind your left hand needle.

2. This time, you need to wrap the yarn counter clockwise round your right needle and also behind the needle on your left.

3. Pull your yarn in through the loop so it can be on the needle on your right.

4. If you have been wondering what is so special about all this procedures, now here is where it gets to be different. You now push the first stitch on your left hand needle away from the needle entirely.

5. You don’t have many stitches on your left side needle. You have only one on your right side needle.

6. Continue this same sequence that you just concluded, down the row again.

7. After you have all stitches off from the left hand needle and  on the right hand needle, you have completed the row.

8. For your next row, you need to move the needle that was previously on your right on your left and move your previously left needle on to your right. If you follow the process properly, the needle that has the stitches will constantly begin in your left hand.

9. Continue with stitching your next row the same way you did previously.

10. Keep on with the stitching on your next row the same way you had done previously.

11. After you finish working on this row, you start seeing that a beautiful pattern is forming.

Purl Stitch Steps:

1. In forming your next row, it’s time to add a little bit of different stitches. Its time to make some purl stitches. When you know how to knit the purl stitches, you can switch between purl and knit stitches. You can do the switching within the same row or you can do it in other rows.  This forms different shapes and patterns.

2. The major difference between knit stitches and purl stitches is that the needle on your right is placed in front of the needle on your left, rather than placing it behind it.  You begin by hooking the needle on your right into the first loop on the needle on your left.

3. Next, you wrap the yarn round the needle on your right in a counter clockwise way just as you did earlier, only this time, you wrap it through the front of the needle at the back and around the needle at the front.  Note: you will have to do this from time to time – wrap the yarn counter clockwise round the right hand needle.

4. Next you pull the yarn in, through first loop that’s on the needle on the left. this creates a new loop on the needle on the right.

5. Carry on with this same method through the line.

6. Like before, when you have all the stitches off from the needle on your left, you have completed the row.

7. Keep on with the stitching. Rotate in between the knit and purl stitching as you want.  You can change dimensions and styles of placing the stitches. Just to bring out the creativity in you.  You can make several new designs and patterns this way.

Casting Off – Steps :

1. To begin the casting off process, stitch two knit or purl stitches, which ever you think is better on your pattern.

2. You have two loops on right hand needle.

3. Push the needle on your left through the first loop you made. It’s the second loop on the needle on your right.

4. Pull up the loop over the first loop and off the needle on your right.

5. You now have one loop on the needle on your right that looks like this.

6. Knit another so that you have two stitches on the needle on your right.

7. Pull up the loop and pull it over the first loop then off the needle on your right again like you did previously.

8. Keep on with this down the row.

9. Again, you should be having all the stitches off from both needles except with the one you should be having left on the needle on your right.

10. Pull off the loop from the needle while you cut off the yarn and leave a lot of inches for you to still work with.

11. Now push the Push the surplus yarn through the last looping.

12. Pull firm to tighten it and tie off the end of the row.

13. Congratulations! You just knitted a small block pattern.

Flat Knitting pattern

The sample tutorial above is a basic procedure for what is known as flat knitting. This is the easiest form of knitting procedure. It is used in making flat pieces of fabrics. Examples are scarves, Afghans and blankets

Chapter 4 – Knitting with Double-Pointed Needles

I have found most times that many knitting beginners are usually intimidated with the way knitting with double pointed needles look because they look complex. Double pointed needles are very useful in making several designs. Some have been listed at the end of this chapter. This is because of the double sided needles used.  I assure you, it is not so difficult.  You will be needing 4 double-pointed needles, three of which will be active and the last one inactive.

Double pointed needle knitting - Steps

1. You need to first cast your stitches on one of the needles.

2. From the first needle, divide the stitches equally with the other two needles.

3. Ensure the 3 needles have equal amount of stitches.

4. Join all three needles to form a triangular shape.  This is how you do that. You first take the needle on your left hand side and  take the right needle with your right hand, bring the needles closer together forming a triangle with the middle needle at the base below.

5. Make sure all the stitches face the same direction as you join the yarn.

6. Pick up your fourth needle and start knitting or purling to connect all the stitches together.  Start knitting across the stitches on the first needle.  Feel as though you are knitting with two needles and not four.  Note that when you finish using a needle, it becomes empty and therefore becomes your working needle.  You move onto the next needle and on like that.  Ensure you knit the first two stitches firmly after you have switched needles. If you don’t do this, the patterns formed will be loose where you did the needle switching.

7. Keep knitting and purling round and round.

8. There you have it.  Good job..!

Chapter 5 – Circular Knitting on a Circular needle

Knitting with a Circular needle is about one of the easiest ways to knit.  If you didn’t join the ends of the yarn, you can use your Circular needles to knit flat fabrics. Like you did on the double-point needles, you can also knit on the round with Circular needles.

Circular knitting - Steps

1. Take your circular knitting needles and yarn. Make a slip knot and slide it on to our point of your needle.  Like you did with your straight needles, cast on your circular needles.  Continue with casting on of yarn until you have casted the number of stitches you require for your pattern.

2. At this point, your circular needle will be full then you can join your work.

3. When you join your work, it is very important that it is not twisted.  If it is, you must straighten out the rough edges and ensure they are straight before continuing.  To join your work, you hold the needle such that the yarn comes from your right hand side.  If you are knitting in the round, you could use a stitch marker to help you note where your stitch began. If you want to use a stitch marker, you can put one through your needle at this stage.

4. Lay your knitting on a flat surface like a table surface.  Turn all your cast-on stitches and make sure they all face the same direction. Insert your right needle into the first stitch that you casted on. Knit on this stitch. Be careful to pull on this stitch and ensure it is tight. Continue your knitting. As your work becomes bigger and bigger, you will notice that the right part is constantly on the outside and the patterns become more visible and easily observed.

Joining your stitches means you join the yarn to the work. It starts to flow in a continuous circle. You hold your needle at the point where your cast on started within your left hand. Hold your other need in your right. Knit on using your working yarn. Ensure you connect the yarn to the starting point and make a circle round and round.

Chapter 6 – Cable Knitting

Cable knitting - Steps

Step 1 – You need to make your cast-on into your needle. Here, make it 18 inches.

Step 2 – the following 4 rows change the way you create your pattern: Make 6 purl stitches and 6 knit stitches on the first row.  Make 6 purls the 2nd time. After this, on the following 3 rows, you need to now make knit stitches on the previous knits you made earlier and make purl stitches on the previous purls you made as well.

Step 3 - Start working on your fifth row by making 6 purl stitches, slip on the first three knits you make in a purl stitch format unto your cable needle.

Step 4 - now let the cable needle with the purls you just made rest on the front part of your work and then knit the stitches on the needle.  Make sure you pull your working yarn tight while knitting the following couple of stitches.

Step 5 - You now need to knit the initial stitch away from the cable needle. Next pull your working yarn tight and knit the last couple of stitches.

Step 6 - at this stage, you now need to put aside your cable needle. Now make purl stitches on the last 6 stitches you have.  Also, on the next 3 rows, you need to knit your simple knit stitches and make your purls the way I showed you earlier. Do this again in the 2nd, 3rd and 4th rows, the same process as I described in step 2.  On the following 3 rows, you need to just knit the knit stitches as earlier and do the same with the purl stitches.

Step 7 – On your 9th row, use the cable needle to repeat the cable twist once more.

Step 8 - You will notice the appearance of the cable design.    Note: cables can be structured to twist towards the opposite direction.  Ensure you follow the same process at every point you need to slip your stitches on the cable needle. Sway it to the back of your work and not to the front.

Here we are.  You have your finished work... Good job..!!

Chapter 7 – Finger  Knitting

Finger knitting is a very unique way of producing knitting designs.  It is done with the use of our finger.  This form of knitting is a great way to create unique designs of head bands and cord-like objects as well. The stitches are quite large.

Finger Knitting - Steps

Step 1 – Hold your yarn between your thumb and inner second finger. The yarn tail should lie on the back of your hand and press the side of your thumb against the side of your finger to ensure you are holding it tightly and turn your palm to face your body.

Step 2 - Weave your yarn over your fingers on one hand. Take up the working end part of your yarn; pull over the palm section of your inner finger (index). Keep the tail firmly held between your thumb and index fingers make it go below the back of your middle finger, then over your ring finger, and finally your little finger.

Step 3 – Loop round and continue weaving on it and move over your little finger, under your ring finger, over your middle finger and under your index finger.

Step 4 – repeat this sequence all over again. Loop round your index finger, move yarn under your middle finger, under your little finger and loop around the little finger. Move under your ring finger and over your middle finger, then under your index finger and then leave the working end of the yarn dropped over your thumb as you hold it loosely. When you do this correctly, each finger will have two completed loops on them.

Pull up the loops at the bottom by taking up the bottom yarn on your little finger and pull it over your finger. You do so by taking it over the first loop you had left in its place earlier. Now the bottom loop of yarn should be on the back of your little finger. Repeat this process with your next two fingers by moving from your little finger to the middle finger and stop.

Step 5 – To finish off your work, continue the same process all over and over until you have the desired volume. When you do, then stop with one loop each on a finger. Now take the loop on your little finger and put it on your ring finger. Pull the bottom loop upwards from your ring finger and up towards the back of your hand. Move loop from middle to index finger, pull up bottom loop once again. There should be only 1 loop remaining on your index finger at this stage.

Step 6 – slip out the loop from your index finger without letting it close together.

Step 7 – cut off your working yarn. Do so leaving a few inches away from the loop. Draw out the tail in through the loop. Tie a few times to tighten.

Step 8 - If you want to make your work to form a round for a bracelet or headband and so on, tie the ends together or leave it as a straight band.

Chapter 8 – Arm Knitting

Arm knitting

Usually, arm knitting is done by using the arms in the place of knitting needles. The stitches made with the arm are usually very large. This results in the fabrics having a lot of enormous hanging stitches.   Because of the size of the knits, a completed task can be up in as less as 30minutes.  You need about two to three balls of yarn for this.  You can decide to mix the colours or use only 1 colour. The choice is yours.

Arm knitting – steps

Step 1 Sequence – Casting on – take up your yarn and measure approximately four to five arm lengths folding it to a side as your work tail. Make a slip knot and slip your most dominant hand in through the slip knot just made and smug it on your wrist.  Don’t let it be too tight.

Step 2 Sequence - Take up your working yarn with your left hand or the other hand depending on the hand which you have as your working arm. Go over your working yarn with your thumb and upward as you are still holding it. Take the tail with your next two fingers to your thumb. Put your hand between your working yarns and make it tight around your wrist. Repeat this total of about 12 times on your wrist.

Step 3 Sequence – Here is where you begin your knitting. Take up your working yarn with your other hand. Slip the stitch that is closer to your arm off from your arm and pull your working yarn through to make a loop and slip your other hand through to make another loop. Slip your other wrist through the loop. Repeat this with all your stitches, including your slip knot. Continue this until all your stitches have been transferred unto your dominating arm. When you are done with one arm you repeat the same process for the other arm. Continue this way.

Step 4 Sequence - Binding off - for binding off, you start in the same way as knitting. Take up your working yarn and make a loop which you slip on to your other hand. Do so twice so that you have two stitches on your hand. Drop your working yarn. Pull draw stitch closer towards yourself and slip it off to remain only 1 stitch. Repeat this process again and again until the last stitch you have remaining on your hand is the slip knot. Now take the slip knot off too. Pull it and tie it off tightly.

Step 5 Sequence – Attaching the ends – in order to attach the ends of your work together, you first fold the work into half. Line up the ends and take the tail you just tied off and start sewing the ends together using your hands.

Your work is done, great job.

Conclusion

I hope you have enjoyed this book and it has been very useful to you?  The procedures might not be very easy to master at first but with continual practice, you are sure to become an expert within a very short time.  Good luck as you work your way towards becoming an expert with various knitting patterns and designs.

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