When we are new to knitting, the thought of increasing or decreasing stitches can be a little intimidating but really they are not so difficult. 

Increasing Stitches

The simplest way to increase stitches while following a particular pattern (if the pattern does not give specific directions on how to increase) is to insert the left hand needle in the strand of yarn that lies between the stitch on the left hand needle and the stitch on the right hand needle.  Insert the needle under the strand while making sure that the strand lies on the needle in the same direction as the other stitches then either knit or purl the strand as if it were any other stitch.  A second easy method is to knit or purl a stitch normally then leaving the stitch on the right hand needle, knit or purl a second stitch through the back of the loop, you will now have 2 stitches on your needle, continue knitting the pattern.  The third method of increasing stitches is called yo or yarn over.  If you are knitting and need to increase, just loop the yarn over the needle.  Continue knitting your pattern, when you get back to the yarn over stitch, simply knit it as if it were a regular stitch.  If you have a couple of rows knit and realize that you are short one stitch, you can either unravel your work and start over or use the increase to obtain the proper amount of stithces.   If you use the first method of increasing, it is almost impossible to notice that the stitches have been increased to correct your pattern.

Decreasing Stitches

Decreasing stitches makes your work narrower.  You can either knit or purl two stitches together to decrease your work by one stitch.  When you knit or purl two stitches together, it will slant the stitches to the right.  Another way of decreasing stitches is to slip  two stitches from the right hand needle unto the left hand needle, insert your needle into the front stitch (first slipped stitch) and bring it back over the back (second slipped stitch), this will create one stitch that can now be knit in the normal way.  A third method of decreasing stitches is to slip a  stitch onto the left hand needle, knit the next stitch then insert the needle into the slipped stitch and bring it back over the knit stitch.

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Incomplete Stitches

To correct an incomplete or partial stitch is not really difficult.  If you notice the partial stitch (the needle is pushed through the strands and only one or more strand is knit) before you have completed the row, you can either unravel the portion that is done and move back to fix the stitch.  If you have knit a couple of rows, it is simple to move to that stitch and drop it until you reach the problem stitch.  Then, using that crochet hook, pick it up and work back up the rows until you reach the needle holding the rest of your work.  You can use this method to correct you knit stitch as well.  For instance, if you have knit a stitch that you should have purled or purled a stitch that you should have knit, you can correct them as well using the crochet hook instead of unraveling the work several rows.  Just drop the stitch, taking it down to the right row, fix it and knit it back up.

Garter Stitch

This is often referred to as plain knitting because every row is made by either a knit or a purl stitch.  This produces a reversible fabric with raised horizontal ridges on each side of the work.  It does not curl at the edges so it can either be used on its own or for bands or borders on stockings, sweaters or socks.  To achieve the garter stitch, either knit or purl every row.                                                                           

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There are many sizes and types of needles – single pointed, double pointed, circular, and cable needles.  Single pointed needles are usually sold in sets of two.  They are great for making smaller items such as scarves.  Double pointed needles are usually sold in sets of four.  They are used for knitting socks, hats, and sleeves.   Circular needles are great for knitting sweaters or afghans.  Crochet hooks, in addition to crocheting items can be used to pick up dropped stitches as well as tucking in the ends of the yarn when the work is finished, by threading the yarn ends through the knitted stitches.    Knitting needles are made of different materials such as steel, plastic or bamboo.  The darning needle is useful when tucking in those loose ends if you prefer instead of the crochet hook.   

When you are ready to get started, you will need a tape measure which will help you keep track of the length of a work.  You should always use the same tape measure when making a garment.  Scissors obviously are necessary for cutting the yarn, large darning needle or tapestry needle which can be used for sewing seams or for finishing off ends, knitting needles because how can you possibly knit without these.  A flat 6” ruler, clear plastic if possible, is easier than a soft tape measure when measuring short distances on the knitting. An aluminum counter is helpful in determining gauge, a crochet hook comes in handy for picking up dropped stitches as well as finishing off those loose ends, safety pins that can be useful to help mark rows as well as hold stitches, and of course, yarn and a pattern. 

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alt = alternate

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Linen – yarn that is made from the flax plant.  It is best used in blends with cotton and acrylic because it has a slightly harder finish that makes it less appealing for some finished garments. 

Mohair – yarn that is spun from the coats from angora goats.  This is a very popular yarn that is also quiet often spun with other types of yarns such as wools and synthetics or a combination of these.  Mohair is dyed quite easily and creates warm garments. 

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Choosing a yarn that is similar in fiber will give you a result that will closely match the pattern.  Yarns are different in weight and thickness.  There are two-ply, three-ply and four-ply yarns.  Ply is the number of strands that have been woven together to form the final thickness and weight of the finished yarn.  When you do purchase yarn for a particular project, you should purchase exactly the amount you will need at that time, paying careful attention to the dye lot number that is on the yarn label.  If you just purchase the yarn by looking at the color rather than by dye lots, you might not realize how yarns may look the same in the store but have a slightly different shade that becomes apparent when the yarns are later joined together while you are knitting your project.  These subtle differences will affect the outcome of your project, unless of course, you are deliberately choosing these shades.  If you don’t buy all of the yarn you might need at once, you may find that you are unable to find that dye lot number later when you need it.  It is a good idea to keep the label from each skein of yarn until your knitting project is finished because it contains not only information about dye lots and color number but also has washing instructions.  As well, there is often a pattern on the reverse side that you may wish to knit sometime in the future.  

Lightweight yarns are best when knitting lacy shawls, infant and baby wear and fine socks or gloves knit on fine needles.  It is best to choose smooth washable treated wool or yarn for these items. Medium weight yarns are better suited for adult sweaters, socks and scarves and for articles that will stand more rugged wear like mittens and gloves.  Heavy or bulky yarns are great for making outdoor jackets or ski sweaters where you need a warmer, heavier fabric. 

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To measure the gauge, place the sample on a padded surface, smooth it out and count the number of stitches in that are recommended in the gauge given in the instructions. Generally, you would count the number of stitches in two full inches of the swatch. Half of this number will make up your gauge for one inch. For beginning knitters, it is usually easier to measure gauge by using the stockinette stitch. By using this stitch, you will more easily be able to differentiate between the stitches and the rows. If you have more stitches per inch than the pattern recommends, you have knit the gauge more tightly than the “average” and should try knitting another swatch using slightly larger needles. If you have fewer than the recommended stitches, your stitches are more loose than the “average” and you should knit another swatch using slightly smaller needles. Keep changing your needles or tension until your gauge is exactly correct.

The Knit Stitch

This is the first stitch that people learn to make.  There are three steps to making this stitch.  Holding the needle with the cast on stitches in your left hand, insert the right hand needle into the front of the first stitch on the left hand needle.  (Your right hand needle should cross behind your left hand needle.) Take the yarn from the ball and put it around the point of the right hand needle.  (It is simpler if you use your index finger to guide the yarn over the needle.)  Next you use the tip of the right hand needle to draw a loop of yarn through the stitch, forming the new stitch on the right hand needle.  Now that the stitch is formed, slip the loop from the left hand needle onto the right hand needle.  Continue with these steps until all of the stitches have been worked off the left hand needle onto the right hand needle.  This is your first “row”.  To knit row 2, you can repeat the above steps. 

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This cast on method is very similar to the no name cast on that I have explained.  Form a slipknot and put it on the needle.  Holding the needle in your right hand, you form a loop using your thumb and first finger, slip the needle under the loop and draw it onto the needle; it will automatically form a knot as you pull the yarn tight to the needle.  Continue repeating these steps until you have the number of stitches you need.

Thumb Cast On (English) Method 

For this method, you need to leave a long length of yarn before starting your stitches, this length of yarn will form the “tail” when your stitches are finished.  My mother used this method and miraculously, she always had just the right length of yarn to form her stitches.  I, however, never quite got it right, hence my decision to learn another way.  Generally about 39 inches of yarn will give you 100 stitches, this will vary with the thickness of the yarn and how loosely or tightly you form your stitches.  Trial and error will help you figure out what works best for you. 

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