Hey I just got a [B]huge[/B] thing of yarn for Christmas so I wanted to start a throw or somthing. I was wondering what sort of simple stitch I should use, and how I should make it. This is my first blanket so I would like it to be a simplish pattern, since I do not really understand some of the more complex patterns. All help/ideas are appreciated!
~Thanks!
How about doing a St st blanket with a garter st border? Figure out which yarn you’d like to use. Make a swatch. Figure out how many stitches per 1 inch, then how wide and long you’d like your afghan (in inches) and you can figure out how many to cast on from there. Just knit the first 4 rows (garter st), then knit the first 4 stitches at the beginning and end of each row (place stitch markers to help you to remember). All you have to do is to knit in St st until your afghan is as long as you’d like it. Then, knit the last 4 rows in garter st.
…Ummmm that sounds nice but I have no clue what you just said… sorry!:???:
So you knit 4 stiches for the border, but what stitch do you do in the middle? Well more or less which stitch is St st
Sorry - the St st (stockinette stitch) is knitting all the way across and when you turn the work, you purl all the way across. So, yes - the St st is in the middle of the garter st border. Check out the videos on this site to help you.
You could also just knit an entire afghan in garter st (knitting every row).
This will seem like a stupid question, but do you just cram all of the sts on one needle? Because it doesnt seem like you could make a 4’ wide blanket with a 10" needle.
My veeeerrrrrrrryyyyyyyy last question (I promise) is, will the sides of the blanket curl in, because I remember a foolish attempt at a St st scarf, and the sides totally curled in and turned into a arm warmer.
You need to use circular needles so that you can hold all of the yarn on one set of needles. You would just knit back in forth just like single points (don’t join in the round). St st CAN curl. That’s why I like the garter st border. 
Don’t be sorry for asking questions - that’s why we are all here. I ask for help all of the time!
Lin, we love questions! It might be a good idea for you to go to this site:
and find something you like. They have instructions, plus there are instructions here at KH.
Please, feel free to ask all the questions you need to.
Darn! ok thanks though. The plan was to use a pair of size 17 needles to make a decent gauge, but ill go check out my circulars. Man this will take waaaaaayyyyy longer. Lol!
Another one to knit is all in garter stitch, knit on the bias. CO 4 sts, knit 2 rows then each row after you k2, YO (yarn over), k the rest of the stitches. Do this until it’s as wide as you want (yes you need a circular needle to hold all the sts), then you would k2, YO, k2tog knit the rest of the sts until you get to 4 sts, then knit a row and bind off. You can knit with larger size needles to make it go faster too.
Ya, thanks for the website but I have already looked there. I am not that good with patterns, so I felt I would be better off actually asking someone.
Ummmmm… I think I will just stick with a simple design.
Oh ya, I looked at that throw pattern, but I never really got what they mean by cast on 84 so I didn’t try it. Do you think there is any way I can do that on two straight needles?
You could do it in sections. 3 sections of 30 stitches each and then crochet the pieces together.
Yes but, I figured that the induvidual sections would curl, like ^^^ (obviously not so pointed but you get the idea)
Hmmmmm… I think I will just make a skinny afghan. Hopefully not to skinny though!
You could make 2 panels about 24" wide. They won’t curl after they’re seamed together. For the sides, you can knit in a border for the two that will be the edges, or do the border after you’re done.
You could knit panels and sew them together in the end.This is pretty much the only way you can knit an afghan without using circular needles. My sister just finished what she call her scarf afghan. She knit 5 “scarves” and seamed them together. She got the idea from this pattern.
You could use what ever stitch you are comfortable with.