Become a better knitter with one simple step - Knitting Tutorial for beginners

[@nell6913]

I have been knitting for 70 years, and I hold the yarn exactly as you do. The tension is always consistent. The other trick that keeps the stockinette even is to always hold your needles at 90 degrees/perpendicular to each other as you knit. That keeps you from stretching a stitch out and making it larger than the others in the row.

[@jessmakesstuff]

Absolutely! Great tip!

[@paintnknitter]

That purl stitch saved my fingers. Glad to see your confirmation.

[@jessmakesstuff]

Absolutely - I can’t knit any other way these days!

[@dixiesebald5406]

No problem with the sound here. Grat tutorial. Thank you.

[@jessmakesstuff]

Awesome, thank you!

[@agarciaro1]

Thank you, I'm in the middle of a flat stockinette cotton linen tank top and have been having difficulty with evenness!

[@Meredith36]

Wow! This was really helpful. I didn't have a problem with the sound. Maybe people need to wear headphones; that's how I listened to it. I've liked and subscribed. Your first knitted piece is inspiring. Happy knitting

[@jessmakesstuff]

Thank you on all accounts 😅

[@krazedvintagemodel]

You have been immensely helpful to me understanding my tension Jess! I need to return to knitting this winter! Thank you!🧶

[@ConnieWilliger]

You are the first KZbinr I’ve seen who holds their yarn exactly like I do! Mum taught me to knit when I was 6 and I’m now 72 and I’ve never had a problem with my tension. You’ve made my day because I always thought I was not holding my yarn correctly when I watched other KZbinrs knitting or crocheting, so thanks for that 👍🥰

[@naomiledger1374]

I've just knitted up a piece of fabric for the sole purpose of trying to improve my tension bc I'm a tight knitter and getting gauge can be a pain, and it can be straining on my hands, never mind resulting in an uneven tension. So I was deliberately trying to knit a little more loosely to make things more even, which seemed to work ok. I learned the English (throw) method and I've tried to learn to knit continental style (pick) but so far no cigar. lol But you are right, that it is the way the yarn is held in my hand that is the major contributing factor to my tension issues and I'm still trying to master that. Btw, the chair you're sitting in looks lovely and very comfortable and supportive for sitting and knitting.

[@et1016]

No problem with sound here!! Loud and clear!!

[@jessmakesstuff]

Great, thanks!

[@Sue-t3h]

My Grandmother knitted in the English style and it looked perfect. My own view is that the more you knit the more even it gets

[@robertastewart2083]

The problem as I see it is that the Continental purl is difficult for lots of people whereas the English purl is as easy as the English knit stitch and so the finished work is very even.

[@anaidamordej7235]

I am a beginner knitter that decided to knit with cotton yarn 🙈. Thank you for the idea of how to hold yarn and focus. ❤

[@grannyt6819]

Yes, I taught you to tension your yarn that way. :) You have learned so much more and your skills are far above mine now. It's so exciting to see all of your work. I love that bird patterned knitting. So pretty. I knit in what I have learned is a combined method. My knit stitches are Continental style, my purls Russian. I taught myself from a book because I didn't have anyone I knew who knit and could show me. I improvised in the parts I didn't understand, as it was line drawings, so I reverse engineered it. Because of this, patterns took me awhile to figure out, but now I just do the same sort of reverse engineering to make mine look like the example piece, still doing my weird combined knitting. It does result in a twisted stockinette I think its called, but I like it. I love that you can do several different styles of knitting. I have tried that Norwegian style but need more practice if I'm going to use it. I find that my own style is very ingrained and my brain doesn't want to change it. For more slippery yarns I wind it twice around my pinky. Works great. If I find my yarn twisting too much between the skein and my hand, I reverse the way the yarn goes around my pinky, going under and around it rather than over and around it. Whichever one doesn't make the yarn twist to much. I think the twist direction depends on if Im working from the center of the skein or the outside of it. Your video sounded fine to me. There was just a tiny bit of distortion right in the first few seconds but it went away. Holding your needles at right angles to each other as you do also helps with tension and not getting hand and arm fatigue.

[@Kat-Knows]

Very good information in ur comment. I get to add that i am a left handed knitter which makes for some of its own challenges. It becomes quite challenging if i can't turn my knitting when i am knitting flat, becuz of the texture pattern. I crochet also & so i want to always feed my yarn in from the right side.

[@bonnij]

Agreed Norwegian knit and purl is consistently lovely. I learned it years ago from Arne and Carlos.

[@louisakeys]

I have no audio pr😊oblem! Excellent tutorial.

[@liesesadler5295]

I switched to Portuguese style knitting this year and find that both knit and purl is quite even with this method. Also purling is much faster with less wrist action. Coming back to say I’m putting the yarn around the back of my neck, that friction really helps keeping the yarn tension consistent and at a rate I prefer.

[@jessmakesstuff]

I have seen that method used and it’s a great option. The friction is the key part!

[@mariajoaoc2703]

My mother and sister tought me to knit and, obviously, being portuguese, we use the portuguese method. Lately, i restarted knitting, and i came to youtube to learn more, and i find curious the continental style, because it looks so demanding to the hand. I realy cannot use it and i really dont relate to the diferences in the purl stitch and the knit stich, because in the portuguese knitting style we don't have that.

[@pattycookie2011]

You can clip a knitting pin to your blouse !

[@shirleybewley6646]

When I learned to knit, the gal who taught me asked if I crocheted. Yes. I hold my yarn as you do, just as when I crochet. Also, do my work at the point as you do. Great illustration! Thanks!

[@jessmakesstuff]

That is awesome! I wonder if that yarn holding method is more popular among crocheters?

[@norahbeauregard7729]

@@jessmakesstuff I’m a left handed crocheter, and I’ve noticed that I ended up mirror-image continental knitting (because I hold the yarn in my right hand in crochet)

[@bonniephelps9481]

I’m going to try this using the throwing method. I hope this will clear up the ridges I’m seeing in my work

[@stephenrobb8759]

I started circular sock machine knitting this year. I found out that using the yarn mast helps my hand knitting tension a great deal. F I experienced far less fatigue and frustration by allowing the mast to control the tension. A true game changer for my hand knitting. I also like to use cabled crochet hooks for the needles. The complicated stitches pull through so easy compared to the acrobatics of twisting straight smooth needle tips through multiple loops.

[@jessmakesstuff]

How interesting - I've never tried a circular sock machine before but that sounds great!

[@oreoanddaisy]

Thank you for this tutorial. I fixed my purl tension by knitting ‘backwards’ through the back loop on the purl row. That way I’m not turning the work. It always stay right side forward.

[@jessmakesstuff]

Ooh, that's interesting. I've tried that and found it a bit mind-bending to start with but I'm sure with practice it becomes very natural.

[@marymcnevin9652]

I would love to know what pattern you are using for the blanket. I need to make a baby blanket. Thank you for the tensioning tip. Most helpful.

[@lennymac5915]

This was a really interesting close up of your work. I've been knitting for decades and as I sit here now I can not remember how I tension or actually knit. It's a bit like making yourself an imaginary keyboard when someone asks you where a certain letter is. Touch typing and knitting are deep in the brain, with riding a bike. I would also add to the 'Getting good Tension'', would be don't be picking up your work and stopping and starting too often. Sometimes a child does need rescuing, but if you can manage a full round/row you are more consistent. This happened when I had finished a whole front of a sweater and was so unhappy with one area, that its in the too hard pile atm. I know I was very tired when I did that area, so no napping while knitting.

[@jessmakesstuff]

Haha, I understand what you mean completely. I definitely find tension issues when I have to put down my work in a hurry!

[@Needtoknit1]

This is wonderful information. Thank You so much for sharing this. It improved my knitting!

[@jessmakesstuff]

I’m glad it helped! Good luck with your projects 😊

[@svance1041]

thanks so much…very helpful for even a longtime knitter :)

[@australia1972]

Additional I believe the garment turns up neater with continental knitting which I never learned.

[@jessmakesstuff]

There are definitely so many things that can affect the neatness of our knitting, I love trying to find the best option 😊

[@elizabethmerrick3469]

No problem with audio. your voice is calming. I knit english style and tried Portuguese knit, just cant get the hang of it byt wi persevere. ❤

[@kerryroberts2191]

Thank you for the very clear demonstration. Is it possible you could show us how to do the Norwegian purl? 😊🙏❤ P. S. Your method of tensioning the yarn is working out perfectly for me. I have always had problems with other methods (either too loose or too tight). This one is perfect, so a massive thank you for that 😁

[@fritzifrey2908]

I learnt to knit from my mother at the age of six. Unfortunately, I only learnt to knit knit stitches at first. I didn't learn how to cast on or cast off properly, so I didn't knit much for many years because I was unhappy with my results. The yarn tension in particular caused me problems. When I was sent into early retirement, I started to work intensively on my knitting problem with the help of KZbin videos. Now that I have been knitting intensively for about six years and have also been reading special things about the anatomy of knitting stitches, learning different variations of casting on, casting off, alternating knit and purl stitches within a pattern, etc., my stitch pattern has become excellent. All in all, I have found that you just have to try out what works best for you and that it is generally easier to produce a great knitted pattern if you knit rather tightly. In your video here, I have again seen a completely new way of knitting purl stitches for me, because you hold the yarn behind the needle. Thank you for this contribution 🤩🤩

[@helza]

Very interesting watching the efficiency and speed of your continental knitting versus the English style throwing. I'm the exact opposite and knit and purl a lot faster with my yarn in the right hand, work with the yarn very short and make only very small movements with the needle tips. Was taught to tension the yarn like you. I'm currently practising continental knitting because I have RSI in my right hand. I've been finding purling really awkward so I'm going to look up the Portuguese purl P.S the sound was fine!

[@Jacksprat265]

I love the feature stitch in the cotton/linen top… what is it called??

[@rebalspirit]

Thank you for showing a tension hold that replaced my tension hold successfully. I've tried quite a few different holds and they do not work in either staying put around my fingers and/or they are too tight and get even tighter when the weather is hot and my hands get moist. I exclusively knit in the round for the most part. Nevertheless, this is an exciting change that already feels firm, consistent and smooth in its function. ❤

[@FarzanaAinsworth]

I’m going to be 70 year young this June, but I’m learning and practicing to hold the yarn like you do! I’m not far from 70 years! Mark line!

[@jessmakesstuff]

Amazingly well done! I hope I'm knitting as long as you!

[@kerryroberts2191]

Thank you for this instruction. I have always had difficulty keeping my tension tight, no matter how I placed it around my fingers. For the first time ever, the yarn is tight. Yay! 🎉🎉🎉

[@cindymitchell6525]

So helpful. Thx.

[@lifelearner47]

I can't hold the yarn like you do because of painful fingers. However I found an excellent solution. The "Portuguese" method involves passing the yarn behind your head; the tension is therefore made by the weight of the work. Purling this way, with just a flick of the thumb to pass the yarn around the needle, is incredibly fast, and on the knit row I can use my right hand to guide the yarn, or continue to use the thumb flick. This way I resolved 2 problems, tension difference and painful fingers.My knitting took up a new lease of life again when I discovered this. ps for some reason the sound has improved slightly watching again 12 days later; so maybe not all the fault of your micro.

[@fritzifrey2908]

Great tip! I'm going to try that too, as I also have problems with my fingers. Thanks for the comment.

[@robinmarks5638]

I too knit Portuguese style and for the same reason as you painful hands! I would have to just stick with crochet if I couldn't do Portuguese style cauce knitting is harder on the hands!

[@christina9156]

the trick I use for even stockinette while knitting flat: on my interchangeable needles, I simply change the needle that always works the purl rows to one that's half a size smaller! e.g. when I technically need a 4mm needle to get gauge, the wrong side is always knit on 3.5mm because my purls are a little looser than my knits. So far this technique has always worked like a charm for me, but obviously if there are short rows involved you'd need to resort to another solution. Still, I find it easier this way instead of trying to adjust my tension.

[@kj3d812]

I do Portuguese style knitting, so my tension is pretty consistent since the yarn tension comes mostly from the knitting pin, not from how I hold the yarn. I do adjust how the yarn wraps around my fingers depending on whether it's bulky yarn or a very fine lighter weight yarn, which for me requires a bit more tension. Interestingly, another commenter here mentioned always holding the needles at 90 degrees/perpendicular to each other as you knit, which is exactly what you do anyway in Portuguese style knitting. 🙂

[@sbartdbarcelona44]

Thx Jess

[@debbylovesyarn5148]

Your tension is very even. I notice that you are getting one leg of the “V” that twists while the other is flat. I too used to have that in my knitting. I’ve eliminated that twist by pulling my yarn from the cake as it spins from the butler. Thanks for your video.😊

[@jessmakesstuff]

I think those differences in the twist of the stitches is due to how the yarn is plied and twisted together - I’ve certainly heard something about that but don’t know details, I just notice it comes up with certain yarn brands!

[@ripley2009]

I love the feature stitch just before the color change in the cotton/linen top… what is it called??

[@brendafalk5162]

Question off topic: Love your blanket and am wondering what size needles you are using and how many stitches you cast on. I have a variety of blues and have wondered how a feather and fan pattern would make up using stripes. thanks.

[@AlexandrashirleyH]

My mom always said that I could knit the peal row with a needle a size smaller. That's even the fabric

[@fritzifrey2908]

This is one of many possibilities. But it only works if you don't knit any patterns.

[@AnnemarieTome]

Good video! What are you making with those beautiful colours and pretty pattern stitch? Please share

[@jessmakesstuff]

Here's a link to a very similar pattern from another KZbin video: kzbin.info/www/bejne/mnLPpqiFls-plcU

[@silkspinner7010]

I knit English way,but keep the yarn much closer to the needle and knit off the needle tips. In fact I don’t take my right hand off of the needle, just flicking the yarn with my index finger. When I do Fairisle work, I knit one yarn in English style and the other in. Norwegian style, it means I knit relatively quickly with two colours. Thanks for the video.

[@4kassis]

this method of holding your thread also allows you to knit much faster - once you get the hang of it...

[@abk.92]

I've also heard you can change one needle size to help with the purls ...

[@EvieBear236]

I've heard that too. Use an interchangeable needle set so you can put a bigger size needle on one end and a smaller size on the other end. Size your knit stitches on the bigger needle, and size your purl stitches on the smaller needle. I'm going to try that the next time I work flat. It would be hard for me to change the way I do purls at this point in my knitting life, but it's a nice option if that's what you want to try.

[@jessmakesstuff]

I have heard of this as an option but I’m too forgetful to make it work - I’m sure I would confuse myself when I picked up the work on a different day 😅

[@Snaphappy26]

I recently had the flat to round difference in my work. Definitely need to work at it. Can I please ask if there is a reason you yarnnover the opposite way resulting in it leaning the wrong way..how do you deal with it in the next row? Also audio was fine for me.. 😊

[@jessmakesstuff]

Stitches can be mounted either way (left leg at the front or right leg at the front) as long as you account for it in the way that you knit/purl. There are some tutorials available about this that would be better to look at as it's hard to describe without visual aids (I'll link one). Mostly I mounted those the wrong way because I haven't done throwing style in a long time and my hands were not cooperating haha kzbin.info/www/bejne/aJComHRohbODrM0

[@kirstenschreiber4189]

Beautiful pattern for blanket. Can you explain what you are doing?

[@jessmakesstuff]

The pattern I used came from a library book but this one is very similar: kzbin.info/www/bejne/mnLPpqiFls-plcUsi=VxdUooNNORvh3twj

[@tinmouse1083]

If i wrap the yarn completely around my pinky finger it doesnt slide at all.. lol.. seriously its pretty much locked in place. I think i have quite clamy hands or oily skin. My mother who had much drier skin than me held her yarn like you and was a beautiful knitter. Ive tried talcum powder to see if that helps bur it doesnt seem to. Does anyone else have this issue??

[@Calligirl123]

I have the same issue

[@jessmakesstuff]

It may be more of a problem if your hands are cold/clammy for sure. I find if my yarn sits at the base of my finger where my wedding ring has left a dent it does slide more easily - so perhaps it has something to do with hand and finger shape!

[@grannyt6819]

I have seen some people wrap tape around their pinky to help the yarn slide better, as well as having it protect their skin if they are working with a rough yarn. You might try just draping the yarn over your pinky and then under the 2 middle fingers and over the finger next to your knitting. That should give you the tension still if your yarn doesn't slide easily around your pinky.

[@Kat-Knows]

I just put some lotion on my hands & it makes the yarn slide simply.

[@maureengreen4008]

Blocking fixes nearly everything about the look of your stitches. I, myself never stop in the middle of a row if it’s a patterned knit. My dad and a friend from school taught me to knit around the ages of 9-10 years old.

[@Lseney]

I noticed your doing I blanket in the round I’m new to the whole knitting thing why would a blanket be done in the round ?

[@cathkat3993]

She isn't knitting in the round. She is working flat, but she is using circular needles.

[@Lseney]

Oh ok thanks I’m still learning

[@Snaphappy26]

You can use circulars for flat knitting. When knitting blankets some prefer this as the weight of the blanket is not on your needles but in the cord making it easier on your hands.

[@grannyt6819]

I just use the circulars for all my knitting now. The short needles are much more comfortable and as someone else said, it keeps the weight off of your fingers and hands. I can knit for a lot longer at a stretch this way.

[@Countrycabin]

Thank you

[@jessmakesstuff]

You're welcome!

[@stephanieunterharnscheidt]

N9 audio problem for me either. 😊

[@elenabeyers2088]

I’ve been trying to subscribe and I’m unable to do so. I get an “error subscribing “ message.

[@jessmakesstuff]

I’m sorry about that! I hope it’s resolved itself for you.

[@elenabeyers2088]

I was finally able to subscribe. Stubborness comes in handy sometimes...

[@tree1383]

The sound is distorted

[@jessmakesstuff]

Sorry about that! I'm going to try getting a decent microphone soon.

[@lifelearner47]

problem with sound here; pity.

[@jessmakesstuff]

Sorry about that! I'm going to try getting a proper microphone soon.

[@fredquinn3919]

Please check your volume...I couldn't hear you at all

[@jessmakesstuff]

I’m so sorry - I definitely need a microphone. It does improve in the second section of the video and there are subtitles available if that helps!

[@fredquinn3919]

@@jessmakesstuff Thanks Jess....I usually use the closed caption option but in an odd coincidence, I was listening to your vlog while knitting my latest project so watching wasn't an option...lolol

[@lindamb8962]

I can barely hear you even with my volume turned up to maximum. I have subtitles on but its difficult to watch your work and read at the same time.

[@peaches7551]

Why do we want our hand knits to look like a machine did it ? Might as well go buy it. We're too hard on ourselves !!!

[@BarbC-k4k]

can't hear you very well Please try again!

[@jessmakesstuff]

Will do! I’m planning on getting a mic soon, hopefully that will help x

[@ooohlaa13]

whatta shame can't make out what you are saying even with strong external speakers!

[@jessmakesstuff]

Sorry about that! It should improve in the second section of the video as I’m closer to the microphone, but there are working subtitles if that’s insufficient. A microphone is on my must-have list!

[@ooohlaa13]

@@jessmakesstuff thanx for your response some people have such clear mikes and its a pleasure I do feel viewership is impacted by this thank you

[@paintnknitter]

Can hear fine with only one quarter volume.

[@katywuste9054]

You can put on subtitles

[@debbieharrison567]

I can hear it very well