The pad of my right hand index finger often gets sore, because I use it to help each knit stitch off the needle. When it gets to sore, I just use some gauze and tape (from the first aid kit) to make a little “pillow” of gauze held down with tape. It is enough of a buffer to keep the needle from hurting my fingertip.
FAQ...Mysterious extra stitches? Look Here!
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I’m a beginner too, well haven’t knitted in 20 years but it’s kinda like riding a bike, it was fairly easy to just pick up. Anyway I started a scarf with 4mm needles and feathers and I was picking up stitches left right and centre. Now my project is using 8mm needles and wool and I haven’t picked up a single extra stitch. Large needles are great for beginners as is staying well away from yarn that’s got too much fluff on it.
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Ingrid you are freaking brilliant :notworthy: :notworthy: i’ve been struggling with figuring out how i’m getting one extra stitch on my lace pattern all :!!!: night! now i know :cheering: 
thanks!
I’ve just started knitting and crocheting. I thought I was loosing my mind!!! I could not figure out how in the world I was getting extra stiches. Honesty, I still don’t know :shrug: , but at this point I’m just glad I’m not the only one. I’ll have to really pay attention to see what I’m doing.
What a wonderful website. I, too am very new to knitting ( less than 1 week). I took a lesson at my local crafts store, but learned more on this website by myself! I thought I was the only one in creation with extra stitches, and now can’t wait to try out all of your helpful hints. Thanks to everyone who answers question for all of us “novices”. I am sure I will be back many, many times looking up answers as the problems arise!
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I haven’t knitted for twenty years and wanted to start up again. It takes practise but its getting better. Trying a pattern for an afghan and have run into a stitch that I want to make sure I’m doing the right way. Its ( K,P,K ) all in next stitch. I’ve looked all over and can’t find an example of what it should look like and how to do the stitch. Any feedback would be welcomed
I just noticed this post. To kpk into one stitch, knit, but don’t slide it off. Bring the yarn forward between the needles and purl into the same stitch, again not sliding it off. Bring the yarn to the back and knit into the stitch again, then slide it off.
Hopefully you got it figured out by now, but in the future questions in the How-to sections get more immediate attention.
Welcome to the forum.
Thanks
You are probably picking up the wrong stich at the beginning of the row. When you finish one row and are ready to purl (or knit) back you have to check the stich and make sure you are only picking up the single strand of yarn on the needle. Very important… you have know what you are looking at when knitting.
I used this site to learn how to knit a few days ago. I’m so glad I read these forums! I had the added stitch problem too, but it was only on one end for some reason.
My biggest mistake to creating new stitches is accidentally splitting a thread while working it. I have caught myself splitting threads as I enter a stitch, and when I bring the yarn around to create the next stitch in the row.
Now I watch and if I notice I am splitting a thread I start the stitch over so I get the whole thread.
Sometimes when you turn your work, the first stitch is a bit twisted on the needle, looking like 2 instead of 1 and getting knit that way.
Please help me!!! I have read everyone’s replies several times, but I still don’t understand why I keep getting extra stitches. I can see the two threads at the end, but I don’t know which thread to go into to keep from getting the extra stitch. I tried going in the bottom of the two leg pieces, but it is very awkward and doesn’t seem right at all. My problem is that I have two small samples that are square, but now I can’t figure how to not get the extras.
Does this make any sense to anyone? I wish there was a way to see where you put your right needle after you put your completed work into your left hand.
Try holding on to the strand hanging from your needle. Pull on it a little bit and watch what loop tightens up on the needle. That’s what you should knit through. I hope this helps. If not, there are more ways.
Is it possible that I am wrapping my thread around my needle the wrong way? Because my two legs of the last stitch always end up on top of my needle if my work is turned to the right of the left needle.
When you finish a row and turn to begin the next one, pull your yarn off to the side. What happens sometimes is that it goes over the top of the needle which pulls up the loop of the last stitch and makes it look like 2 stitches. When you insert your right needle into the stitch, it should go into the front `leg’ of that stitch. Maybe the pictures on this page - http://learntoknit.lionbrand.com/cgi-bin/faq-search.cgi?store=/stores/eyarn&faqKey=84 - will help you
When I move the thread over the top of the needle, the last stitch I made is very loose. Why is this? I have to run an errand, but I’m going to figure this out if I have to work on it all night!!! 
That first stitch is always loose. That’s one of the most frequently asked question around here.
Hi, guys.
I had to go to the girl who taught me how to knit in order to finally “see” what you all were trying to say. Even the website you pointed me to wasn’t really what I needed to see or hear. I think if you will direct new knitters to the fact that your work will actually look like it is to the left of the left needle until you insert your right needle and wrap your thread. Then, your work will be on the right. It seemed like no matter how hard I tried to go in the single thread as opposed to the legs of the stitch, I always felt like my work was in the way if I tried to keep my work on the right of the needle. Not sure if ANY of this is making sense, but there it is. I’m almost done with my first dishtowel and very excited that I know what I’m doing. Thanks for all of your replies.
Hi, I think sometimes the reason for extra stitches is that you may be purling with your yarn in the back I know that has happend to me before. Don’t give up, you will get there. Libby