A much-loved traditional craft, knitting has been passed down from generation to generation, and has exploded in popularity since the advent of the internet. With a mountain of information at your fingertips, with guides and video tutorials galore, it can be hard to find a place to start. We’ve put together a handy guide to give you the very basics if you’re just starting out.

Navigate this guide online using the links below, or download a PDF version to your device for offline reading.

Knitting Abbreviations

K – Knit
P – Purl
CO – Cast On
BO – Bind Off
K2TOG – Knit Two Together
P2TOG – Purl Two Together
M1L – Make One Left
M1R – Make One Right
TBL – Through the Back Loop
PSSO – Pass Slipped Stitch Over
KFB – Knit Front and Back
YO – Yarn Over
SSK – Slip, Slip, Knit
SKPSSO – Slip, Knit, Pass Slipped Stitch Over

Contents

• A Slip Knot
• Casting On
  • The Knitted Cast On
  • The Thumb Method
  • The Long-Tail Cast On
• The Knit Stitch
• The Purl Stitch
• Common stitch patterns
• Casting Off
• Increases
  • Yarn Over
  • Make One Left (M1L)
  • Make One Right (M1R)
  • Knit Front and Back (KFB)
• Decreases
  • Knit Two Together (K2TOG)
  • Purl Two Together (P2TOG)
  • Slip, Slip, Knit (SSK)
  • Slip One, Knit One, Pass Slipped Stitch Over (SKPSSO)

A Slip Knot

A slip knot is the very first thing you will need at the beginning of each knitted piece. Essentially you are creating a knot in your length of yarn without pulling the end through, which gives you your starting loop –and so it begins!

1. Leaving several inches for a tail, hold the end of your yarn in your left palm and wrap the strand loosely around your index, middle, and ring fingers, moving over, under, and then over again to create a cross shape with the yarn on the inside of your fingers. You will have two parallel strands of yarn lying over your knuckles on the back of your hand.

2. Using the gap between your fingers to create space, tuck the second strand under the first strand (the one closer to your fingertips), from left to right, creating a loop.

3. Remove your fingers and pull the loop tight, being careful not to pull the shorter end through, and place your slip knot onto your needle.

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Casting On

There are a few different cast on techniques you can choose from and the more you knit, the more confident you’ll be of what suits you best. We’ve listed some of the more popular ones to get you started.

The Knitted Cast On

This is generally considered the best method for the beginner, as it uses the same technique needed for the knit stitch.

1. Create a slip knot to place on your left needle.

2. Insert the right needle into the slip knot on the left needle from left to right, moving the right needle under the left needle so it looks a little like a cross.

3. Wrap the tail of the yarn around the right needle end, bringing it underneath and then over the top.

4. Pull the right needle back through the stitch, pulling the wrapped strand through too.

5. Insert the left needle into your newly created loop from right to left and slip your new stitch from the right needle to the left needle.

6. Pull your yarn end gently to tighten your new stitch.

7. Repeat steps 2-6 until you have the required number of stitches on your left needle.

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The Thumb Method

A much quicker way to cast on stitches, this method might not have as neat an edge as other cast on methods, but is a good way to add in new stitches part way through your knitting.

1. Create a slip knot to place on your needle.

2. Holding the needle in your right hand, wrap the working yarn around the   back of your left thumb so that the end of the strand is closest to you and hold it in your palm.

3. Insert your right needle into the loop around your thumb, from left to right so the yarn is now twisted around your needle.

4. Gently remove your thumb and pull the yarn end to tighten your new stitch.

5. Repeat steps 2-4 until you have the required number of stitches on your needle.

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The Long-Tail Cast On

Neater and sturdier, the Long-Tail cast on is the preferred method for many long-time knitters.

1. Measure out the right length for your yarn tail, allowing about an inch for every stitch you want to create. Make a slip knot at the end of this length and put this on your needle – you will have a long tail and the working yarn hanging next to each other.

2. Holding the needle in your right hand, grasp both your tail and working   yarn in your left hand and insert your thumb and index finger between the two strands to separate them.

3. Turn your hand so your palm is facing you and ensure that the tail of the yarn is around your thumb and the working yarn is by your index finger.

4. Insert your right needle into the loop around your thumb from left to right so the yarn is now twisted around your needle – do not remove your thumb.

5. Insert your right needle into the loop around your index finger, from right to left, and pull this new stitch through the loop still wrapped around your thumb.

6. Remove your thumb from the loop and gently pull the strands to tighten your new stitch around the needle.

7. Repeat steps 2-6 until you have the required number of stitches on your needle.

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The Knit Stitch

The most basic of stitches and the one you will be using from now until you retire your needles! Master this and you are well on your way to knitting the stuff of your dreams. Keep the tail of your yarn at the back of the work at all times.

1. Insert the right needle into the first stitch on the left needle from left to right, moving the right needle under the left needle so it looks a little like a cross.

2. Wrap the tail of the yarn around the right needle end, bringing it from underneath and over the top.

3. Pull the right needle back through the stitch, pulling the wrapped strand through too.

4. Keeping your new stitch on the right needle, pull the left stitch off the left needle.

5. Repeat these steps until all stitches have been slipped off the left needle.

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The Purl Stitch

The opposite of the knit stitch, some crafters find this a little more complicated at first, but if you’ve conquered the knit stitch, you’ll have this one mastered in no time. Keep the tail of your yarn at the front of the work at all times.

1. Insert the right needle into the first stitch on the left needle from right to left. Move the right needle over the left needle so it looks a little like a cross.

2. Wrap the tail of the yarn around the right needle end, bringing it over and then under the needle and back towards you.

3. Push the right needle back through the stitch, pulling the wrapped strand through too.

4. Keeping your new stitch on the right needle, pull the left-hand stitch off the left needle.

5. Repeat these steps until all stitches have been slipped off the left-hand needle.

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Common stitch patterns

Using just knit and purl stitches you can achieve these stitch patterns:

• Garter stitch: knit every row
• Stocking stitch: knit one row, purl one row
• Ribbing (1×1, 2×2, etc.): Knit one, purl one, repeat (knit two, purl two, repeat), etc.
• Moss stitch/Seed stitch: (using an odd number of stitches) Knit one, purl one on every row

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Casting Off

Casting off is a little easier than casting on, as you will usually use only one technique: the Standard Cast Off.

1. Work the first two stitches from the left needle (knit or purl).

2. Insert the left needle into the first stitch on the right needle and bring it up and over the second stitch, slipping it off the end of the right needle.

3. Work the next stitch on the left needle.
4. Again, insert the left needle into (what is now) the first stitch on the right needle and bring it up and over the second stitch, slipping it off the end of the right needle.
5. Repeat steps 3 and 4 until you have one stitch remaining on your right needle.

6. Cut your yarn, leaving an end of several inches, and insert this end into your remaining loop to create a knot.

7. Pull your needle out of the last stitch and tighten your finishing knot.

8. Try to ensure that you do not cast off too tightly or too loosely as this may affect the appearance of your finished item.

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Increases

Increases are most often used to shape knitted pieces and there are a few different methods that produce different looks. We’ve listed some of the ones you’ll see most often below.

Yarn Over (YO)

While this does give you an extra stitch, it also creates a small hole/gap underneath this new stitch – for this reason, a yarn over is quite often used to make buttonholes.

To YO on a knit row:

1. Before you work your next stitch, move the tail of the yarn between your needles from back to front.

2. Hold the tail here and work your next stitch as normal. There should be an extra loop of yarn wrapped over your needle just before the last stitch you worked.

To YO on a purl row:

1. Before you work your next stitch, move the tail of your yarn between your needles from front to back.

2. Hold the tail here and work your next stitch as normal. There should be an extra loop of yarn wrapped over your needle just before the last stitch you worked.

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Make One Left (M1L)

This is a left leaning increase.

1. Pick up the bar in between the stitches currently on your left and right needles, inserting the left needle from front to back.

2. Insert your right needle into the back of this new loop and knit as normal.

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Make One Right (M1R)

This is a right leaning increase.

1. Pick up the bar in between the stitches currently on your left and right needles, inserting the left needle from back to front.

2. Insert your right needle into the front of this new loop and knit as normal.

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Knit Front and Back (KFB)

This increase has you knit twice into one stitch.

1. Insert your right needle into your next stitch and knit as normal without removing the worked stitch from the left needle.

2. Move your right needle behind the left needle and knit into the back of the stitch.

3. Slip the worked stitch off the left needle.

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Decreases

Like increases, decreases are used to shape your knitting, and you’ll find a few variations here.

Knit Two Together (K2TOG)

This is a right leaning decrease (often paired with Sl1, K1, PSSO to achieve a symmetrical decrease)

1. Insert the right needle into the first and second stitch on your left needle from left to right. The right needle is now through both loops.

2. Complete your knit stitch as normal, slipping both loops off the left needle.

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Purl Two Together (P2TOG)

This is a right leaning decrease.

1. Insert the right needle into the first and second stitch on your left needle from right to left, as you would to purl. The right needle is now through both loops.

2. Complete your purl stitch as normal, slipping both loops off the left needle.

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Slip, Slip, Knit (SSK)

This is a left leaning decrease.

1. Insert the right needle into the first stitch on the left needle as if to knit it and slip the stitch off the left needle and onto the right needle.

2. Insert the right needle into the next stitch on the left needle as if to purl it and slip the stitch off the left needle and onto the right needle.

3. Insert the left needle into both slipped stitches on the right needle, ensuring that the left needle is in front.

4. Knit these two stitches together.

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Slip One, Knit One, Pass Slipped Stitch Over (Sl1, K1, PSSO or SKPSSO)

This is a left leaning decrease (often paired with K2TOG to achieve a symmetrical decrease).

1. Insert the needle into the first stitch on the left needle as if to knit it and slip the stitch off the left needle and onto the right needle.

2. Knit the next stitch on the left needle.

3. Using your left needle, pick the slipped stitch on the right needle up and over the stitch just knitted and drop it off the right needle.

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If you find any of these instructions unclear or just need a little extra help, don’t hesitate to email us at sales@woolwarehouse.co.uk or give us a call on 01926 88 28 18.