I have just started learning to knit this week after years of failed attempts I decided I was finally going to master it this time. I have however got further than previously and can cast on using long tailed cast on. My stitches move along the needle fine but as I start knitting my first row of knit stitches I begin to struggle with moving my stitches on the needle they are moving to. They get so stuck i can no longer get anymore stitches on the needle and can’t move then even by hand. What is going wrong?
Try loosening the tension when you do the CO. The first row is usually a little more stiff than the rest anyway. I usually bunch the stitches closer to the front of the needle so that it’s a bit easier to knit them off. But you do what your comfortable with. Good luck!
Welcome to knitting and to Knitting Help. Getting the long tail cast on is great. Congratulations!
Which needle, left or right, are the stitches not sliding easily on? Are the cast on stitches too tight or is it the stitches in the first row? Either way or maybe both, it sounds as though it could be a matter of your tension being too tight as TS said. You could be wrapping your stitches in the first row so that they’re twisted and that could make them tighter also.
I gave up on knitting many times before I found KH and stuck it out long enough to actually be able to knit. You can too.
It is the stitches as they go onto the right hand needle. I do about 4 or 5 and then they just stop sliding down the needle and there is no room left to carry on and i end up starting all over from scratch. I don’t think I am twisting them ut at the same time I don’t understand how they could be ending up so tight when my hold on the yarn is so loose to begin with.
Welcome to Knitting Help!
You may be knitting too tightly as mentioned above. You might also be knitting on the tips of the needles. Try forming the new stitch on the righthand needle and making sure that you slide it down to the wide part of the needle. That way the stitch has enough yarn in it to continue sliding easily along the rest of the needle.
Thank you salmonmac that very well could be what I am doing! I will try and pay attention to that and see how it goes then.
Welcome to knitting and to the forum!
Your problem is fairly common and others have given good advice, so I am delighted to see that you are not giving up on your determination to keep going on your knitting journey.
Happy knitting travels!
Gillian
The first row or two is always tight. Once you reach row 3, it will be a breeze.