I am a new knitter also!!! Welcome to the wonderful world of knitting!!!
Welcome to the KnittingHelp forum! ...Introduce yourself!
Thanks, and welcome Elizabeth, Jeanne, Peg & Romania!
Jeanne, did you get your question answered? Check out the Moss Increase video, which shows knitting then purling into the same stitch. So, do that, but knit into it again before taking it off the left needle.
Romania, a few people have requested a video showing how to knit the first couple rows after the cast-on. I’ll be including that in the next batch of videos. I’m not sure when they’ll be up, but I’ll let folks know in the “Site Updates Log” thread on this forum.
Thanks for all the nice comments, everyone! Of course I love every word! 
Amy
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Amy, this is an incredible site: helpful, fun and already addictive (after my first 20 min.). I met you at the Fiber Arts Center group and will be referring all my students (I teach several groups) to your site. Found a couple of books I didn’t know about too. Congratulations on a great idea. Wendy
Thank you so much for this site. I typed knitting help in the search, but I didn’t really expect to find anything really helpful. I was taught to knit by a Swedish girl so I knit continental. My grandma just watches me and shakes her head. She won’t even try to answer my questions. I can’t watch your videos (I have dial up and can only get 1 word every 10 or 15 seconds), but as soon as I get the money I am definitely going to order the cd. This is a wonderfully helpful site. I don’t know anyone else who knits and I live out in the boonies so I will enjoy reading everyone’s posts.
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Oh Romona, I was going to tell you. After you knit the first row you can just turn the needles around and knit the next row too. Before you know it you’ll have a scarf or purse depending on how big you make it and how you sew it together.
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Welcome Wendy and Brightspot!
Wendy, you’ll have to help me remember who you are. Were you the crochetter at last month’s meeting? You’re the first of my local friends to say hi on the forum! I’m so happy!
Amy
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Amy, many thanks for this fantastic website! I have tried many times over the years to crochet and was so discouraged by books. Then I started watching Knitty Gritty on DIY and thought about giving it a try. I looked at some other websites and really had a hard time.
I found your website and was casting and doing the first continental stitch in 20 minutes!!! This is just fantastic.
Your videos are excellent. I love how you repeat the stitches many, many times so it’s easy to really get a grasp of what you’re doing.
Excellent work!!! Keep it up!
Denise
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[color=indigo][/color][b] Thanks so much for putting this web site together. I got the “Art of Knitting” dvd for Christmas and it’s not bad but how I wish it had the close-ups that your web site has. I do have some questions about some problems I’m having as a newbie but I wanted to let you know that your videos have been extremely helpful…
Random question about the videos though - what size needles and what kind of thread do you use in the vids that show knitting and purling (both English and Continental methods) ?
Thanks and happy Monday![/b]
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Hi …I am new to knitting and have made quite a few scarves, but that is as far as I can go. I want to learn purl, decrease and increase next and really would like to make a shawl for my 21 year old daughter. Is that expecting too much being this new, only knowing the knit stitch?? Any advice for where I go from here would be appreciated. What a great site this is. I just found it.
Cynthia
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Hi Cynthia~
Make swatches and practice the techniques that you want to learn. Then you won’t have any fear while working on a new project. I did that a couple nights in a row and so far so good. If I get stuck on something new, then out comes the spare yarn and needles and I make a swatch to get it right. I’d say go for the shawl if that’s what you want to make. Read the pattern, practice the unknown stitches, and start knitting it.
I’m somewhat of an impatient person, so I’m not really fond of knitting stuff just for practice if 1) I don’t want it for myself or family and 2) I want to make something else that’s really cool instead. Take the time and pleasure to knit the shawl and we’ll all be here if you get stuck.
Be sure to post pics when you’re finished too!!
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Thanks for the response and that is definitely good advice about practicing on swatches first. I am much like you; impatient and wanting to work on “cool stuff” rather than funny little swatches, but I see the necessity and wisdom in doing so. Now, here’s my next dilemma: I don’t know how to read a pattern. See…I really learn better “hands-on” and while the videos are helpful, I feel more comfortable having a real life person show me first, then let me watch the video. I know that sounds ridiculous, but just call me a slow learner. However, once I catch on, I usually have it and have a good memory of how to do it again and again.
I will pursue finding a local class.
Cynthia
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Thanks for the great idea on the swatches! Now a question from me. If you don’t have a specific project in mind, does it matter what kind of yarn and size needle you use?
And if there IS a specific project in mind, should you use the same size needle and same/similar yarn that the project calls for?
Thanks in advance…
Denise
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LOL, before I lead anyone on, at this moment I am working on my third knitting project. I’m just a beginner myself. I have done a lot of reading and the most important part of knitting to get the right size (from a specific pattern) is all about GUAGE!!! So I would say “no” you do not specifically need the same weight of yarn and size of needles, but you do need the right guage. With the yarn fabric I would recommend a word of caution: Using cotton instead of a wool/nylon blend called for in the pattern, may not be a good substitution.
If you’re not working from a specific project then I’m assuming you’re working on your own design. That’s unknown territory to me. I would guess that it would be easier to make your own designs after you have acquired some experience and extensive research into knitting though.
Hope this helps.
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I just recently stumbled upon this site and am very thankful for it. I only started knitting last week. I made myself a hat, and am now making one for my mother, so…yeah…trying to read up as much as possible and the videos are, of course, a great help.
Anyhow, just thought I’d say hi and thanks; I’m sure I’ll put this place to good use
Thanks again.-dg
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Hey, you’re still ahead of me! LOL…by specific project I meant if you were either following a pattern or something like that.
On the side I’m attempting a shrug, but thought of also doing a few swatches to learn different stitches I don’t know and practice my tension…and even maybe figure out why I have these loops sticking out of my shrug and how come the bottom isn’t even…ah well. If nothing else, I guess I can turn it into a scarf!
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Welcome Glitzy, Cynthia, and DereckG!
Glitzy, I use a size 8 needle and “worsted weight” yarn. It’s not my favorite yarn, it’s rather cheap, a kind of scratchy acrylic. I chose it because it wasn’t too fuzzy, so you can see the stitches well, and what’s going on, and I happen to have a lot of it that I got for free! LOL.
Cynthia, you may want to do a small project using increases and deccreases and purling, before doing anything too lacey. I don’t know what kind of shawl pattern you’re looking at, but if it’s lacey (has a pattern of lots of holes in it, especially if they’re spaced irregularly), then I would definitely try at least one small project that uses these stitches against a more solid, stockinette stitch background. For instance, there’s a dish cloth that has a heart shape (pattern here), that would allow you to try out those stitches first, and practice them.
The reason I’m telling you to do something like this before lace-work, is because it’s hard to recognize the stitches you’ve just done in lace-work, because of all the holes in the fabric. So, it’s harder to learn with. Also, it’s very easy to get completely lost when doing lacework, and if you mess up, it’s really hard to unravel and find you’re place. There is the “trick” of using a life-line (see video in basic techniques section), but still, I’d just say that for your first purling and decreasing project, you’d be better off learning the stitches on a project where you can at least see if you’ve messed up, and you can recognize the stitches and what they’re supposed to look like. But after that…hey, knock yourself out! I never hold a beginner back from trying something they want to try; motivation goes a long way. Just know that if you do lacework on a large object, it may take a lot of patience, depending on how complex the pattern is, and how often you have to (heaven forbid) rip it out down to the life-line. And, definitely use a lifeline if it’s lacework! …Have fun!
Foldedbird, if you’re just playing around and making a swatch for fun, you can use any size needle and yarn you want, although it helps if they’re compatible (near the recommended needle size for the yarn). If you have a project in mind, it’s a great idea to use the same needle and yarn you want to use for the project, because this way you’ll know your gauge from doing the sample.
Amy
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Hello Amy and all,
I'm new to knitting as I see so many of us are! I like to crochet, but I always wanted to know how to knit. I live in a small town and don't know anyone who knits, and originally bought a "Learn to Knit in a Day" type book, and didn't get too far. But after looking for Knitting Help on the net, I found your site, and now I am practicing lots of knit/purl swatches to get the hang of it before trying any projects! (I have 5 kids, hence the name kidchaser, so I'm excited about making lots of fun projects)! Anyway, I'm sure I'll be attacking you with a barrage of questions, so be prepared :lol: . I too, don't have the luxury of DSL, so I can't view the videos, as they take forever to load and even then, I only get bits and pieces of it. But as soon as I get the $, I will definitely be buying your CD.
I have searched alot of knitting sites, and yours is definitely the most informative and easy to understand!!! Thank you
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Welcome KidChaser! Great name, LOL. We welcome the questions. Look forward to sharing your new adventure of knitting with you.
Amy
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Hello All!
Another green newbie here…
I simply want to thank Amy for her generosity in sharing her knowledge. The website is a fabulous and informative creation! I wanted to learn how to knit for years and had tried with books, but my attempts ended in utter frustration. Your website made the process of knitting finally make sense! I now am enjoying knitting a basic scarf…thanks to you.
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can someone please help me in telling me how to get the curling out of circular needles. am reall at a loss here. soaked them in warm water but it didn’t last long.any help would be appreciated :?:
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