Before we get into how to begin knitting on circular needles, let’s talk about how to choose the circular needles for your project. Besides needing to know the size (in US sizes or mm) of the needles, like you would with any other type of needle, you also need to know the length. Circular needles […]
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How to Knit on Double-Pointed Needles (dpn)
Knitting in the round isn’t nearly as complicated as it seems. The beginning is the trickiest part; once you’ve started, you only need to work RS (right side) rows, never WS (wrong side – as in, if you’re using stockinette stitch, you only need to knit, never purl). If you’re doing a larger project, […]
Decreasing: Left-Slanting Decrease Stitches
For my final post on decrease stitches, I have a couple of left-slanting decreases as alternatives to ssk. The first one, which you may see in patterns instead of ssk, is sl1, k1, psso, or slip one, knit one, pass slipped stitch over. This stitch is exactly what it sounds like: Slip the first […]
Decreasing: How to Slip Slip Knit (ssk)
Following in my series of tutorials on decrease stitches, we have slip slip knit (ssk). Slip slip knit is another common decrease and is knit two together‘s opposite–where k2tog slants right, ssk slants left. This is important for certain clothing items that should look symmetrical, like sweaters, socks, and mittens, or even Christmas stockings. It […]
Decreasing: How to Purl Two Together (p2tog)
Because purl two together (p2tog) is less common in patterns than knit two together (k2tog), it can seem intimidating at first, but it’s another really easy decrease. It has the same effect as k2tog only it’s worked on the wrong side. (You k2tog when you’re knitting, and you p2tog when you’re purling, and they […]
How to Check Your Gauge (and Why You Should Bother)
It is a truth universally acknowledged that a knitter, given their preference, will never check their gauge. (Sorry–P&P nerd moment.) It’s true, though. Nothing makes a knitter roll his or her eyes faster than suggesting that they knit a gauge swatch. I have yet to meet someone who actually likes doing it. […]
Decreasing: How to Knit Two Together (k2tog)
So you’re ready to try something beyond a scarf or a blanket. Maybe something like a hat, that requires a little bit of shaping. There are a number of decrease stitches that allow you to shape the top of a hat, but the most common one you’ll see, and the simplest, is k2tog, or […]
How to Bind Off
Once you’ve finished knitting your project, you need to know how to get it off your needles. This is called binding off. There are a few more complicated ways to end a project, but this is the most basic and the most commonly used. To begin, knit 2 stitches. Slip stitch #1 (the […]
How to Make T-Shirt Yarn
I love t-shirts. In my opinion, the older and more worn in, the better. But even I will admit that there comes a day when a t-shirt must retire from service. (We don’t need dozens of I’m-not-going-to-be-around-other-humans-this-weekend shirts filling up our closets. At least, I don’t.) But when that time comes for a […]
The Purl Stitch
The purl stitch is essentially the opposite of the knit stitch. (As in, if you look at the back side of a knit stitch, it’s a purl stitch, and vice versa.) It is the second primary stitch in knitting. Once you know how to both knit and purl, you can knit anything. Begin with […]
