newbie knitting question

Okay, I decided to learn to knit for the year 2004 and so far I have the
knit stitch down, but its really tight. Can someone share a trick or
something to loosen the stitch a little? I want to get this one down before
I try the purl and then try working the two together.

Thank you

Kristy

Hi Kristy,

Welcome to RCTY and the wonderful world of knitting. Your stitches will
loosen up as you become more comfortable with knitting. However, if you are
following a pattern and they call for a certain size needle, you have to
knit a swatch to check your gauge. If it ends up tight, as you say, you
need to use larger needles. In the meantime, just keep knitting. And if
you are comfortable with that stitch, go ahead and start the purl stitch.

HTH.

Janise


"Kristy Malarkey" wrote in message
...
Okay, I decided to learn to knit for the year 2004 and so far I have the
knit stitch down, but its really tight. Can someone share a trick or
something to loosen the stitch a little? I want to get this one down
before
I try the purl and then try working the two together.

Thank you

Kristy

Okay, I decided to learn to knit for the year 2004 and so
far I have the
knit stitch down, but its really tight. Can someone share
a trick or
something to loosen the stitch a little? I want to get
this one down before
I try the purl and then try working the two together.

Yup, just keep knitting. I would stick to non-fitted items
until you get quite good at knit and purl: scarves for
example.

Just keep doing it, the more you do the better you'll get.

MaryR

On Fri, 16 Jan 2004 15:57:47 +0100, Kristy Malarkey wrote:

Okay, I decided to learn to knit for the year 2004 and so far I have the
knit stitch down, but its really tight. Can someone share a trick or
something to loosen the stitch a little? I want to get this one down before
I try the purl and then try working the two together.


Hi Kristy. I naturally knitted very tight when I started, and purl
was worse! I had to make a deliberate policy to free up the tension
on the yarn and let the needles and yarn themselves control the
tightness of the stitches. After some practice, you will get used to
this, and it makes knitting much easier and faster, because it is
easier to get the needle into the stitches on the previous row. I
agree with some of the other advice, to work on projects which are not
fitted, to begin with.
--
Liz Hanson

Hi Kristy,

Practice is what will help you the most. As time goes on your stitches will get
better, then you'll find when you do the purl stitch it will be just like the
knit.

Welcome to this great group and come back and let us know how you are doing,
and if you have any questions, we are here to answer them for you.

Nora

On Fri, 16 Jan 2004 15:57:47 +0100, Kristy Malarkey wrote:

Okay, I decided to learn to knit for the year 2004 and so far I have the
knit stitch down, but its really tight. Can someone share a trick or
something to loosen the stitch a little? I want to get this one down before
I try the purl and then try working the two together.

Thank you

Kristy

I starting knitting for the new year also and found that i was also
knitting quite tightly and was causing me to double stitch alot. I found
that as i knit, if i pull the yarn further down on the needle i am
knitting onto it tends to stretch the yarn out a bit making it easier to
knit without making mistakes.

It does get easier though. I just knit a 7 foot scarf that kept getting
better and faster each foot i went. With this practice i was quickly able
to make 2 matching scarves for my little nephews in just a couple of days.

Next i work on a baby blanket since my wife is about to have a baby!

hope this helps.

------------------
Naveed Near-Ansari
I speak for myself
------------------

Naveed,

First, welcome to the group as I don't remember seeing you post before and keep
us posted on the birth of your baby. How exciting.

Nora

Kristy Malarkey wrote:
Okay, I decided to learn to knit for the year 2004 and so far I have
the knit stitch down, but its really tight. Can someone share a
trick or something to loosen the stitch a little? I want to get this
one down before I try the purl and then try working the two together.

Good for you, Kristy! All I can say about your tension is: Practice,
practice, practice.
Good luck.
Katherine

Naveed wrote:
On Fri, 16 Jan 2004 15:57:47 +0100, Kristy Malarkey wrote:

Okay, I decided to learn to knit for the year 2004 and so far I have
the knit stitch down, but its really tight. Can someone share a
trick or something to loosen the stitch a little? I want to get
this one down before I try the purl and then try working the two
together.

Thank you

Kristy

I starting knitting for the new year also and found that i was also
knitting quite tightly and was causing me to double stitch alot. I
found that as i knit, if i pull the yarn further down on the needle i
am knitting onto it tends to stretch the yarn out a bit making it
easier to knit without making mistakes.

It does get easier though. I just knit a 7 foot scarf that kept
getting better and faster each foot i went. With this practice i was
quickly able to make 2 matching scarves for my little nephews in just
a couple of days.

Next i work on a baby blanket since my wife is about to have a baby!


Excellent! Good for you, and congratulations on the upcoming baby.
Katherine

Well I must say I don't knit nearly as much as most of the others on here,
but... I was taught to knit when I was young,. Mom taught me to hold the
needles the same way she does. Her right needle she holds as if it was a
pen. with it resting on the part between her thumb and forefinger. When ever
I try to knit holding it that way, after a couple of rows it's so tight I
can't get the needle through the stitch. But if I hold it like a pointer, I
knit almost exactly to gauge. HTH

--
Star love,
Norma
"MaryR" wrote in message
link.net...
Okay, I decided to learn to knit for the year 2004 and so
far I have the
knit stitch down, but its really tight. Can someone share
a trick or
something to loosen the stitch a little? I want to get
this one down before
I try the purl and then try working the two together.

Yup, just keep knitting. I would stick to non-fitted items
until you get quite good at knit and purl: scarves for
example.

Just keep doing it, the more you do the better you'll get.

MaryR