|
Knit stitch and purl
stitch are the two basic knitting stitches.
Either one worked continuously in row
forms Garter stitch pattern and worked
alternately forms Stocking stitch pattern.
Knit stitch (K)
 |
|
|
1
With the yarn at the back, insert
your right-hand needle from front
to back into the first stitch
on your left hand needle. |
|
2
Bring your working yarn under
and over the point of your right
hand needle. |
| |
|
|
|
|
3
Draw a loop through and slide
the first stitch off your left
hand needle while the new stitch
is retained on your right hand
needle. Continue in this way to
the end of the row.
4 To knit the
next row, turn the work around
so that the back is facing you
and the worked stitches are held
on the needle in your left hand.
Proceed to make stitches as above,
with the initially empty needle
held in your right hand. |
Purl stitch (P)
 |
|
|
1
With the yarn at the front, insert
your right hand needle from back
to front into the first stitch
on your left hand needle. |
|
2
Bring your working yarn over and
around the point of your right
hand needle. |
|
|
|
|
 |
|
3
Draw a loop through and slide
the first stitch off your left
hand needle while the new stitch
is retained on your right hand
needle. Continue in this way to
the end of the row.
4 To purl the
next row, turn the work around
so that the back is facing you
and the worked stitches are held
on the needle in your left hand.
Proceed to make stitches as above,
with the initially empty needle
held in your right hand.
|
Dropped Stitches
Occasionally, a stitch
may fall off your needle, in which case
correct it by following one of the techniques
described below. Dropped stitches are
often the result of leaving work in
the middle of a row.
Picking up
a dropped knit stitch
 |
|
|
1
Pick up both the stitch and strand
on your right hand needle, inserting
the needle from front to back. |
|
2
Insert your left hand needle through
the stitch only, from back to
front. With your right hand needle
only, pull the strand through
the stitch to make the extra stitch.
(Drop the stitch from your left
hand needle). |
|
 |
|
3 Transfer the
re-formed stitch back to your
left hand needle, so that it untwists
and faces the correct way. It
is now ready for knitting again.
|
Picking up a dropped
purl stitch
 |
|
|
1
Pick up both the stitch and strand
on your right hand needle, inserting
the needle from back to front. |
|
2
Insert you left hand needle through
the stitch only, from front to
back. With your right hand needle
only, pull the strand through
the stitch to make the extra stitch.
(Drop the stitch from your left
hand needle). |
|
|
|
3 Transfer the
re-formed stitch back to your
left hand needle, so that it untwists
and faces the correct way. It
is now ready for purling again. |
 |
|
Unpicking
Mistakes
Holding the stitch
on your right hand needle insert
your left hand needle into the
row below and undo the stitch.
Transfer the stitch back to your
right hand needle and repeat undoing
until the error has been reached.
Correct stitch as if it had been
a ladder.
|
 |
|
Ladders
If a dropped
stitch is left, it can unravel
down the work and form a "ladder".
The easiest way to correct this
is to use a crochet hook to pick
up the stitches in pattern, although
you can try to correct it with
your needles.
If you make a
mistake in your knitting, you
may have to "unpick"
a stitch, which can result in
a ladder. Pick up one dropped
stitch at a time, securing any
others with a safety pin to prevent
further unravelling.
|
 |
|
|
Correcting a knit ladder
Insert a crochet hook through
the front of the dropped stitch.
Hook up one strand and pull
it through the stitch to form
a new stitch one row up. Continue
in this way to the top of the
ladder then continue in pattern.
|
|
Correcting a purl ladder
Insert a crochet hook through
the back of the dropped stitch.
Hook up one strand and pull
it through the stitch to form
a new stitch one row up. Continue
to re-insert hook to make stitches
until you reach the top of the
ladder, then continue in pattern
|
Stitch
Gauge |
Casting
On |
Casting
Off |
Holding
the needle & yarn |
Basic Stitches
|
Increasing
Stitches |
Decreasing
Stitches |
Cables
|
Knitting
in the Round |
Working
with More Than One Yarn Colour
|
Button
Holes |
Edges
|
Seams
|
Finishing
Techniques |
Abbreviations
|
