Knitting Stitch

The knitting stitch is the basis of all knitting. If you don't know how to make a knit stitch, well, you don't know how to knit. Luckily, it is an easy stitch to learn. Once you do, you will be able to make many basic items from scarves to pot holders.

Get your needles and yarn, follow these instructions, and you will be creating in no time.

Forming the Knit Stitch

The great thing about knitting is that it's really easy. If you know how to cast on using two needles, you pretty much know how to knit. Knitting Instructions contain the basics; how to cast on, how to cast off, and so on.

Once you cast on the correct number of stitches, you are ready to begin.

Hold the needle with the stitches on it in your left hand.
Slide the right hand needle's point into the first stitch from front to back.
Loop the yarn around the right hand needle.
Slide the needle from the back to the front, going underneath the first stitch.
Slide the stitch off the left hand needle and onto the right.
Repeat until there are no more stitches on your left hand needle.
Swap needles, so the one with the stitches is back in your left hand.

How to Create the Knit Stitch Video

Sometimes it is easier to understand if you can watch someone do it. This video can help.

Continental vs. English Knitting

One thing you will notice if you look at the above listed site is that there are two different ways to knit, known as continental and English knitting. The procedure described above is known as English knitting. That's when you hold the yarn in your right hand and "throw" it across the needles. Continental knitting is what it's called when you hold the yarn in your left hand. The knit stitch is formed in the same way, but instead of throwing the yarn, you wrap the needle around the yarn.

Most people in America and England learn English style knitting. It's a great way to learn to knit and to teach children how to knit because it doesn't require as much fine motor skill as continental knitting does. But a lot of people who knit professionally knit continental style. Usually this is because they say that knitting continental style is faster and produces less wrist strain because you don't have to move your wrists as much as you do when you're throwing the yarn. It can be helpful to try both ways to find out which one you are more comfortable with. See which feels better and allows you to knit longer.

How to Create the Continental Stitch Video

Here is a video to help you see how Continental knitting is done.

Using the Knitting Stitch to Make a Scarf

Even if you only know the knit stitch, you can make some basic knitted items. A great way to use the knit stitch is in a simple scarf. You can use any kind of yarn you like, from novelty fun furs to suede, chenille and wool.

Look on the label to see what size needles are recommended for the kind of yarn you pick out. For big fluffy wooly yarns you'll probably only need one skein of yarn, but you might need more than one if the skeins are small. Allow 100 to 300 yards for a medium-sized scarf.

Cast on enough stitches to make a scarf about six inches wide (check the gauge chart on the yarn label to see how many stitches that might be).
Knit every row until you're almost out of yarn, or the scarf is as long as you want it to be.
Cast off.

Each type of yarn you use will make a very different looking scarf and allow you to increase your wardrobe easily, even if you never learn more than the knit stitch.

Knitting Is a Relaxing Hobby

The knit stitch is the basic foundational stitch for all knitting projects. Once you have mastered it, you will be ready to try other, more intricate stitches and further enjoy this relaxing hobby.