There are so many things to learn when it comes to knitting. With hundreds of ways to cast on and bind off, thousands of stitch patterns to choose from, and hundreds of thousands of patterns available to knit, it can all seem a little overwhelming. There are a multitude of tips and tricks out there to learn too; here are a few of our favorites from the experts.
Don’t Start with a Scarf
If you are a brand-new knitter or teaching someone how to knit, I don’t recommend a scarf as a first project. Why? Scarves take a pretty long time to knit. Those basic stitches will likely be mastered after about 10–12 inches on the scarf, and then there’s still another four feet or more to go! For many people who are new to the craft, the scarf becomes boring after that initial one foot of knitting and it gets put to the side, never to be picked up again. I recommend starting with something small—like a dishcloth. Even a cowl or a hat project is great for beginners. If you aren’t ready to knit in the round, the project can be worked flat and then seamed.
Win at Yarn Chicken When Knitting a Top-Down Sweater
Yarn chicken occurs when you’re working on a project and you aren’t sure if you’ll have enough yarn to complete the project. Whether you skipped the gauge swatch or didn’t purchase the correct amount of yarn for the project, no worries. Knitting expert Rebecca McKenzie has some suggestions for you if you are worried about running out of yarn when knitting a top-down sweater:
“Knit the body and sleeves, stopping right before the ribbing, and then shorten the ribbing or do a different finishing on the ends. You could easily color block, add a few stripes with scraps, or do a fade.”
Everyday Items Can Be Useful Tools
Designer Corrina Ferguson has two great tips on how everyday items can help you with your knitting projects.
First, grab those nail clippers. She says, “I don’t always have scissors with me, but I always, always, always have nail clippers. I can’t stand a hangnail (it snags on my knitting, of course) and nail clippers are perfect for trimming ends also.”
Her other suggestion is that you can use a US dollar bill to measure your project!
“A dollar bill is just about 6” long. Need to measure your knitting on the run? Grab a dollar and use it to measure!”
Create a Clean Bind Off
With many bind-off techniques, you might find that the last stitch of the bind off is larger and more stretched out than the rest of the stitches. There are many ways you can avoid this problem, and knitting expert Jill Wright share a simple fix for this problem. Jill says:“To avoid the loopy last stitch at bind off, knit the last two bind off stitches together, then pull the yarn end through! Boom! Neat edge!”
Hopefully, you find some of these tricks useful in your knitting adventures. What are some of your favorite knitting tips or hacks?
Related Videos: The Basic Bind Off,
Carrying Yarns Along Side of Your Project
For beginners it is best to practise knitting with bamboo or wooden knitting needles. They slow down the movement of stitches on the needles. With Aluminium needles the stitches move very fast. When I used to use Aluminium needles I was always loosing stitches
I tried to join the Knitters Circle and gave all my info, but no response. Membership offered at $2.99.
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Things I never knew and have been a knitter firever
Avoir accès gratuitement à des patrons en FRAN,CAIS
Nous apprécions votre contact avec cette excellente question ! Je m’excuse car notre site n’est actuellement disponible qu’en anglais, nous nous efforçons d’avoir disponible dans plus de langues à l’avenir. Merci de nous avoir contactés.
Sincèrement,
Sara
OMG thanks for your email l love it 🧶💕
Excellent tip for avoiding running out of yarn when making a large project.
Lovely tips!
Love good knitting tips! Thanks
New knitter, I knit for charity. Beanies and scarves. Age 69.
If you go to a larger needle to loosen your stitches wouldn’t that affect the gauge required for correct size
Yes, changing the needle size does change the size of the stitches, and therefore, the gauge.
Interesting I love knitting have been knitting for about 50 years at least.
Five tips were offered but there were only four.
Hi Maureen. You’re right! We will get that changed on our website to reflect that. Good catch and happy knitting!
Jen
The Knitting Circle
Please send the pattern for the skinny scarf
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Sarah
The Knitting Circle Video Membership
Looking for newborn cap patterns that can be done on straight needles.
Hello Nancy,
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Thanks!
Great tips! I’ll definitely use them. Thanks.
I have NEVER knitted before – totally beginner – I need help with everything – is there a great book to use?
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We are an online streaming service that you can access at anytime. You are welcome to join our site at a deep discounted rate! Here is the link: https://go.knittingcircle.com/C30547 Enjoy!
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Sarah
The Knitting Circle Video Membership
Is there an easier way to knit with 4 pointed needles, ie: sleeves. I can’t seem to keep them in my hands, I am always loosing stitches and the needles always fall out from stitches? It must be the way I am holding them! and web site to check how wrong I am doing?
Hi Gail. We have a video on knitting socks with double-pointed needles. The concept is the same for anything knit in the round: https://www.theknittingcircle.com/video/using-double-pointed-needles-to-knit-socks-018482/
If you still find double-pointed needles too cumbersome, you might find this article helpful: https://www.theknittingcircle.com/post/4-methods-for-knitting-in-the-round/
Jen
The Knitting Circle
This is a wonderful website – just hope I can remember most of these tips.
Two tips:
Avoid ladders: move last two sts from right needle to left, thereby changing place where a ladder could begin. Do this severe four or five rows. Be careful to do this between every set of needles. Place a stitch marker at location of beginning of pattern.
Second tip: use your hand to approximate measurements. Tip of thumb to first joint is approximately one inch. Distance between tip of thumb and pointer when hand is spread is about 6 inches. These measurements are for MY ha d, figure them out for YOUR hand.
Purling the back stitch first then the front. Come from back underneath to start the process.
no idea what you mean but would like someone to decipher it.
Looking forward to getting your help.
I learned for measuring, my middle finger is 7″, my thumb is 2″, if I spread my hand from the tip of the thumb to the tip of my little finger is 7″
very helpful. A clean bind off. thanks
Love your info
Knitting for years and still learning tricks to improve my work! Love it!
I would love to Learn a different Way to cast on
I wish I had read this earlier today! I just finished a scarf for my husband, and the last bind off stitch was horrible. It looked better after I did some shaping, and it’s not blocked yet. This tip would have come in handy.
My pattern includes an instruction that says – purl through the back of the stitch. Is there a video that shows how to do this? Thanks
Hi Sue,
Here is what our expert had to say:
We have a free video here for purling through the back of the stitch. You can find that here: https://www.theknittingcircle.com/video/purl-trough-the-back-loop-019253/
Let us know if you have any other questions!
Sincerely,
Codi
The Knitting Circle Video Membership
Have never felt good about how I join pattern pieces together as in a sweater. Need help there???
Hello Millie. We have a number of videos on seaming and selvedge edges that you might find helpful: https://www.theknittingcircle.com/videos/finishing-touches/seams-and-edges/
Jen
The Knitting Circle
I am 90 yrs old and have been knitting a long time. I’m looking forward to learning new ideas and maybe new patterns,
I liked your hint about binding off the last two stitches together.
Rather than using dpns for socks, I use two cable needles; on the first I always carry the stitches that will become the heel flap, and on the other needle are the instep stitches. There’s a bit of figuring to do when I turn the heel and do the gusset, but otherwise it’s a comfortable knit. When I get to the toe shaping, those decreases occur at both sides of the fabric.
On the above input, I meant I use circular needles, not cable. My bad!
The tips are great. Thank you. That last loop to bind off has always been rebellious. So, just do it together with a sister stitch.
I hate binding off.Need instructions for simple one.Am using the knitted one
Hi Maggie!
Here’s what our expert had to say: There are so many ways to bind off! A good place to start might be this video, which discusses different bind offs: https://www.theknittingcircle.com/video/choose-the-right-bind-off-for-your-knitting-project-018636/
We also have a large selection of bind off videos here: https://www.theknittingcircle.com/videos/core-skills/bind-off/
Let us know if other questions come up by emailing at knittingcircle@program-director.net or calling us at 1-833-622-6523.
Sincerely,
Codi
The Knitting Circle Video Membership
LOVE this method for that last stitch!
What is the best way to add next skien of yarn ??
Hi Judith!
Here’s what our experts had to say: You can simply start knitting with the next skein at the beginning of the row. One way to easily do this is to knit that first stitch with the old skein and the new skein (with both yarns held together). Then drop the old skein and continue knitting with the new skein. You’ll just need to remember when you come back to that stitch on the next row that the two strands of yarn that are together in that stitch need to be worked as a single stitch (don’t accidentally separate them and knit them as two stitches because that will change your stitch count).
Let us know if other questions come up!
Sincerely,
Codi
The Knitting Circle Video Membership
Haven’t knitted in 45 years. At 72, decided to pick it back up. We’ll see how much I remember. Right now trying to find a one-skein hat pattern.
How far up the side of your work should you carry the the first ball of yarn?
I don’t know enything about knitting. Real beginner
First timer here !! Great idea for the bind off with knitting the two stitches together. I have always had a problem with the loarge loop at the end !!
I am making a hat and it says to do it on dpn do I have to do that or can I do it in the round with circular needles? Thank you
Hello Sue,
Thank you for contacting us.
You absolutely can use a circular needle instead. When you start decreasing for the crown at some point the stitches may become too tight on your needle and at that point, you’d want to switch to using DPNs, or using magic lo
If you have any additional questions, please email or contact Customer Service at 1-833-622-6523.
Sincerely,
Lindsay
The Knitting Circle Video Membership
Love the tip about knitting the last two bind off stitches together, that solves a problem that I often have
I need instructions for a simple bind off.Have trouble with. the standard one because of nerve damage to left hand
I dont know any that dont require 2 hands but i just wondered if you couldnt crochet along the row instead of knitting which you can do using just one needle ..not tried it myself yet as just read this so it may not be possible but worth a try on ascrap swatch.
Looking for information on knitting technique, magic loop please.
Hi Peggy. Here is a video. https://www.theknittingcircle.com/video/knitting-in-the-round-using-the-magic-loop-method-018470/
Let us know if you have any other questions.
Thanks
Jean
The Knitting Circle Video Membership
I’m a beginner and loved the 14 Day Learn to Knit with Jen Lucas. I would like to see a video on how to get dropped stitches back if you missed them and moved on. When I was making my cowl I made a mistake and had a hard time correcting it. Is there a video?
Hello Debra,
We have received the following response from our experts regarding your question:
We have two videos that will help you!
https://www.theknittingcircle.com/video/picking-up-a-dropped-stitch-in-stockinette-stitch-018381/
https://www.theknittingcircle.com/video/picking-up-dropped-stitch-garter-stitch-018359/
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Terri
The Knitting Circle Video Membership
Are there any classes on beginners knitting in the round with magic loop?
Hello Kathleen,
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In regards to your inquiry, using the search car icon with key word you can find key content. https://www.theknittingcircle.com/?s=round+with+magic+loopIf you have any additional questions, please email or contact Customer Service at 1-833-622-6523.
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Lindsay
The Knitting Circle Video Membership
I have not found a successful solution to laddering while knitting sleeves in the round. I have watched videos and read articles with no success. So, i either will avoid knitting a beautiful pattern or just convert to rows instead of rounds. Please help. Thank you.
Hi Paulette,
Here’s what our expert had to say:
I find the easiest way to avoid ladders is to try to tug slightly on the second stitch from the spot where you are getting the ladders. That seems to help. Also, if it’s a problem of having a ladder at the start of a round, it may help to rearrange the stitches a bit, so the start of the round isn’t in a spot where you are changing to the next double pointed needle (or the other half of the needle using magic loop or the other circular needle if using two circulars).
Let us know if any other questions come up!
Sincerely,
Codi
The Knitting Circle Video Membership
I have just started knitting at the ripe old age of 75 have mastered the basics of K and P – have found an old pattern which requires minimum thought -for a hat- need to increase the cast on stiches for my husband has a large head the orginal patern called for 60 is there a simple to figure out how much more I need to cast on. Thank you
That’s awesome that you’ve learned to knit! The number of stitches you’ll need will depend on the gauge (how many stitches per inch you’re getting). So, you could make a small swatch, figure out how many stitches per inch you are getting, and then figure out how many stitches you need. For example, if you are getting 5 stitches per inch on the gauge swatch, and you need the hat to fit a 22-inch head, you’ll need 110 stitches. Happy knitting!
Jen – Managing Editor, The Knitting Circle
IF you are knitting a ribbed hat, you can not use that measurement — ribbing stretches
Good for you Marie–learning to knit at 75. I am a little ahead of you. Started three years ago at 71. Knitting for me has been a wonderful experience. Hope it’s the same for you.
Take the number of stitches the pattern is per inch and multiply by the number of inches you need.
That’s awesome!! I’m 72 and mostly crochet. Want to do some knitting – have knitted a scarf and a blanket so far!
Hi Marie Hogan 🙂, well like yourself I too are just about to start learning to knit, and coincidentally I’m also 75 years of age ! So, who said that you can’t teach an old dog new tricks ? I wish you well in your new pastime, it will be interesting to see how we both go.
Take the number of stitches the pattern is per inch and multiply by the number of inches you need.