I feel really stupid for posting this, because I know that garter stitch is supposed to be the thing that everybody masters first but I find knitting every row really slow and awkward and wonder what I might be doing wrong.
I have no problem with stockinette or ribbing but for some reason when I’m doing garter stitch the stitches always feel slightly twisted and even though I knit really slowly I keep splitting the yarn with my needle! I don’t use garter stitch very often but I just wish it looked neater.
I struggled with garter stitch for a long time myself. The overall pattern never looked regular and even, always a slight catch here or split there. For me, it just seemed to get better with practice. No majic solution there. Keep on taking time with each stitch.
I think I’m a tight knitter. I’ve never made a tension square but I only knit toys so I didn’t think it mattered too much.
You’re right, the yarn splitting only happens with certain yarns, and only when I’m going garter stitch. Any stockinette/ribbing/moss stitch that I do looks fine and is easy to knit. I’ve looked at videos and I can’t understand why I find garter stitch so slow and awkward! When I knit a row after purling it is fine!
Try loosening up your knitting and see if that helps, too. And Salmonmac is right…practice helps a lot. Once you develop a rhythm it should look smoother.
I’m going to be a name dropper here. I avoid Lion brand yarn because I have trouble with it splitting. Knitpicks’ Wool of the Andes is another bear. Best ones I’ve found for not splitting: Caron One Pound, Red Heart Supersaver, and anything with the Bernat name. I also like Paton’s.
One thing beginning knitters may not know is that you can also get garter stitch by purling every row. I know one knitter who does her garter this way.
I don’t use garter stitch very often but I just wish it looked neater.