How to Knit

If you’re here to learn the knit and purl stitch, welcome! You will see that there are two versions of each stitch shown here in Knitting 101. Try them all and choose those that are most comfortable for you. Knitting will feel awkward for a while when you are first learning, but practice makes perfect!

The knit stitch is the most fundamental stitch in the history of this craft (and its namesake). Anything you can knit is made of knit stitches and purl stitches so mastering the knit stitch means you are halfway there!

The American method simply indicates that you hold the working yarn in your right hand. Knitters who use this style are often referred to as “throwers”.

Insert right needle through first stitch from left to right.

Wrap the yarn around the right needle tip counter-clockwise.

Pull the wrap through the stitch you first entered.

To seal the deal, slide the worked stitch off of the left needle. Your first knitted stitch will now rest on your right needle.

The purl stitch joins forces with the knit stitch to enable a knitter to conquer the world (the knitting world, at least)! You will often see the word purl abbreviated as p or P in knitting pattern shorthand.

The American method simply indicates that you hold the working yarn in your right hand. Knitters who use this style are often referred to as “throwers”.

Insert right needle through the front of the first stitch from right to left.

Wrap the yarn around the right needle tip counter-clockwise. (If you were to look straight down at the tip of the needle, you would see that the yarn is wrapping counter-clockwise.)

Keeping the yarn wrapped around the right needle tip, draw a loop through the stitch you first entered.

To seal the deal, slide the worked stitch off of the left needle. Your first purled stitch will now rest on your right needle.

The Continental method of knitting requires that you hold the working yarn in your left hand. Those knitters who utilize this style are often referred to as “pickers”. In the Continental style, the working yarn remains fairly stationary while the right needle is wielded to do most of the work. For this reason, mastery of the Continental style can result in faster knitting.

Insert right needle through first stitch from left to right.

Wrap the yarn around the right needle tip counter-clockwise. (This is counter-clockwise if you were staring the needle tip down eye to eye.)

Use that right needle tip to pull the wrapped yarn through the stitch you first entered.

Finally, slide the worked stitch off of the left needle. Your first knitted stitch will now rest on your right needle.

The Continental method of knitting requires that you hold the working yarn in your left hand. Those knitters who utilize this style are often referred to as “pickers”. In the Continental style, the working yarn remains fairly stationary while the right needle is wielded to do most of the work. For this reason, mastery of the Continental style can result in faster knitting.

Insert your right needle in the first stitch from right to left. (This is done the same way in both American and Continental methods.)

With the yarn in your left hand, you will then wrap the working yarn around the right needle counter-clockwise (from right to left).

Use the right needle tip to draw the wrapped yarn back through the stitch you first entered.

Slide the stitch off of the left needle and you are left with your first completed purl stitch on your right needle.

This technique allows for you to work flat stockinette stitch without turning your work! No purling necessary!

Begin by working a knit row. When you come to the end, do not change the position of your hands or the working yarn. *Insert your left needle knitwise into the back of the first stitch on the right needle.

Wrap the yarn around the left needle tip counter clockwise.

Draw a loop through the first stitch with your left needle.

Slide the completed stitch off of the right needle.

Repeat from the * to the end of the row. You are now ready to work another regular knit row.