In this tutorial I’ll be showing you what you need to know to start knitting. Knitting is different from crocheting in that all stitches are comprised of either a “knit” or “purl”. Once you know these two stitches, you’ll be on your way to knitting like a pro!

Supplies Checklist:

• Knitting Needles
• Yarn

Part 1: Making a Slip Knot

• The slip knot for knitting is the same as the slip knot for crocheting, but I will show you here too in case you didn’t have a look at my crocheting for beginners tutorial.
• Leave about a 4″ tail and flip the tail over the yarn coming off of the yarn ball.
• Flip the tail under the loop that was created so that it is going down the center of the loop from behind.
• Pull the tail slightly through the loop.
• Place one if your needles into the new top loop created (the smaller of the two loops).
• Pull the loop tightly around the needle and this is your slip knot, ready to cast on the first row.

Casting On:

• Holding the needle with your slip knot on it in your left hand, push the needle in your right hand through the slip knot and behind the other needle.
• Wrap the yarn coming from the yarn ball around the right hand needle and between the needles.
• Push the right hand needle against the left hand needle and pull the yarn you just wraped around through the slip knot loop.
• Now you should have the slip knot loop still in the left hand, and another loop around the right hand needle (so one loop on each needle).
• Push both loops to the top of the needle.
• Transfer the loop that’s on the right hand needle to the left hand needle.
• Now you should have two loops on the left hand needle.
• For the next loop, wrap the yarn around the right hand needle again.
• Pull the yarn through the first loop on the left hand needle again so that you have one loop on the right hand needle.
• Transfer the right hand loop to the left needle so you now have three loops on the left hand needle.
• Continue doing this until you have casted on as many stitches across as you would like. For this tutorial I have casted on 20 stitches (not including the slip knot).

Knit Stitch:

• After you have casted on your first row, you pretty much have just been knitting already, but it is slightly different after you get the loop on the right needle so I’ll go through the first regular row anyways..
• Place your right needle behind the left needle.
• Wrap the yarn counter clockwise around the right needle, and behind the left needle.
• Pull the yarn through the loop so it is on the right needle (like above).
• Here’s where it get’s different. Push the first stitch on the left needle off of the needle completely.
• Now you’ll have less stitches on the left needle, and one on the right.
• Continue this same method down the row.
• Once all of the stitches are off of the left hook and on the right hook, that row is done.
• For the next row, move what was your right hook to your left hand now, and your left hook to your right hand (flip them). The hook with the stitches on it will always start off in your left hand.
• Continue stitching the next row as you did the first.
• When you have the next row done, you will begin to see the pattern forming.

Purl Stitch:

• For the next row I’ll be showing you how to do a purl stitch. You can alternate between knitting and purling in the same row as well as in different rows to form different patterns.
• The main difference between a purl stitch and a knit stitch is that the right needle is put in front of the left needle instead of behind. So to start, hook the right needle into the first loop on the left needle, but in front of the left needle this time.
• Wrap the yarn around the right needle counter clockwise (like above), but this time in front of the back needle and around the front one. Just remember that you will always be wrapping the yarn counter clockwise around the needle in your right hand.
• Pull the yarn through the first loop in the left needle, creating a new loop on the right needle.
• Continue this same technique down the row.
• When all of the stitches are off of the left needle, that row is done.
• Continue stitching, rotating between the knit and purl stitch as you’d like so you can see the patterns they will form.

Casting Off:

• To start casting off, stitch two knit stitches (or you can also stitch two purl stitches if that works better for your pattern – either one).
• Now you should have two loops on the right needle.
• Take your left needle and push it through the second loop on your right needle (the first loop you made).
• Pull the loop up and over the first loop and off of the right hook.
• Now you will have One loop on the right hook and it will look something like this.
• Knit another stitch so you have two on the right hook again.
• Pull the loop up and over the first loop and off of the right hook again (like above).
• Continue repeating this down the row.
• Now you should have all of the stitches off of both hooks, except for one left on the right hook.
• Pull the loop off the hook and cut the yarn, leaving several inches to work with.
• Push the excess yarn through the last loop.
• Pull it tight to tie off the end of the row.

That is a small knitted block! Now you should know how to do all the basics of knitting to get going on some fun projects! Leave a comment if you have any questions!