The Knit Stitch

The KNIT STITCH  is one of the two major stitches in knitting Knit and Purl Stitches. If you are new to knitting, this is the stitch you will learn first. 

There are only two stitches you will need to learn to begin knitting (the knit and the purl stitches), and the knit stitch is probably the easier of the two stitches. Once you master these two stitches, there are endless patterns you can tackle, and you will become a confident knitter in no time.

By the end of this tutorial, you will understand how to make the knit stitch and be ready to begin practicing with confidence.

Before I teach you how to make this stitch, please know that knitting is not hard, but it does require a certain amount of manual dexterity, so just assume you may experience some awkwardness at first. 

We probably don’t remember what it was like to hold a pencil or crayon for the first time, but this is a similar process.  The difference is that, as adults, we tend to judge ourselves.  Your own 2-year-old self was so excited to experience something new that the thought of judging was well beyond their comprehension. Think of your two-year-old self as you learn to knit. It's exciting, awkward at times, and even exhilarating when things start to click. 

What Is the Knit Stitch?

The knit stitch is one of the two basic ways we manipulate yarn to create fabric. We create it by wrapping yarn around the right needle, pulling a new loop through the old stitch, and sliding the old stitch off the left needle.  It may sound complicated, but as you do it, you will see how the magic unfolds. 

In knitting, we depend on abbreviations and symbols so we don’t have to read or write long sentences.  The knit stitch is abbreviated as K or k, depending on whether it is used at the beginning of a sentence or somewhere in the middle.  A capital K is used at the beginning, while lowercase k is used in the middle.  

A knit stitch is called a knit or single stitch.  When many knit stitches are worked across a row, it is called a garter pattern.

Knit stitch: one stitch

Garter stitch pattern: many knit stitches. 

What Can You Make With Only Knit Stitches?

You can create almost anything with only knit stitches. If all you ever learn is how to make the knit stitch, you can make dishcloths, scarves, cowls, baby blankets, and even simple shawls. If you learn a couple of additional skills, you can even make a sweater or vest.

Before You Begin

Since this is likely the first stitch you learn, you will need to purchase (or borrow) some supplies.  You will need yarn, some knitting needles, and some scissors. You should be able to get these supplies at a local craft store or order online.

May I suggest:

• One skein of number 4 worsted-weight yarn.  You will know that it is Number 4 by this symbol printed on the yarn label. Acrylic, acrylic blend, wool, or wool blend are fine, but pick a light color.  Black or dark navy will be difficult to see.

• One pair of straight US 7 (4.5 mm) or US 8 (5.0 mm) needles. (I would recommend a pair of bamboo or wood needles initially.)
• Scissors: Any sharp scissors will do (I personally like embroidery scissors.)

Skill Level: Complete Beginner

Skills You'll Learn:

✓ Holding knitting needles

✓ Identifying the front leg of a stitch

✓ Making a knit stitch

✓ Turning your work

Cast On First

Cast on is the term we use for putting stitches onto a needle.

Before you can make your first knit stitch, you will need to get some stitches onto your needles. We generally refer to the needles as the left and right needles. You hold one needle in your left hand (the left needle) and the other in your right hand (the right needle)
There are many ways to get some stitches onto your needle. I recommend trying one of two ways: the long-tail cast-on or the knitted cast-on. Either way is fine, your choice, or try both and see which one is easiest for you. Once you have a few stitches on your needle (say 10 to 20), it’s time to figure out how to hold the yarn.

English vs Continental Knitting

Worldwide, there are many different knitting traditions, but in the West, we usually choose one of two:  the English or Continental methods.  Neither is better than the other; it is a personal choice for the knitter. 

If you use the English method, you will hold the yarn in your right hand, but if you choose the Continental method, you will place the yarn in your left hand.  Many beginners will try both and then decide which one feels better.  Many master knitters can use both, but that is not a story for today. 

Going back to the analogy of learning to hold a pencil or crayon, our two-year-old self probably tried both hands and then decided which hand held the crayon more easily.  It’s slightly different from knitting, so don’t assume that if you are right-handed, you will hold the yarn in your right hand. 

If you are picking up knitting after learning to crochet, you may decide that the continental method works better.

Without getting too technical for this tutorial, I will just mention a couple of options for you to consider.  In the long run, your hands will decide which method feels more comfortable to you.

Continental Method

If you like to hold your yarn in your left hand, you are a continental knitter. You will also see this called the picking or the German method.  Many crocheters trying knitting for the first time will use this method because they hold the yarn in their left hand when crocheting. It just comes naturally to crocheters.

Many people believe that this method allows you to knit faster.  Judge for yourself.  

Pros

• Maybe faster
• Easier on the wrists
• Some knitters find this style more relaxing, and the same can be said for English Knitters.
• Maybe easier for Crocheters

Cons

• Making purl stitches may be more difficult for some
• Maybe a steeper learning curve for beginners

English Method

I have also heard this method referred to as the American method, but I believe the English method is more accurate.  Throwing is another name for this method.  Knitters hold each needle in a different hand, with the right hand also holding the yarn. Many beginners choose this method because that is the way they were taught, either in person by a friend or relative, or online, watching a YouTube channel

Pros

• May be more comfortable for beginners
• Some beginners use this method before learning to tension the yarn around their fingers.
• Some say that tension can be controlled better using this method
• Experienced English knitters may advance to a method called flicking, which can be very fast.

Cons

• May cause wrist pain for some
• It may be a slower method of knitting because it requires additional wrist motion to form a stitch.

Which Method Should Beginners Choose?

My answer:
The one that feels most comfortable. Try both and then decide. I will tell you that the English method is usually the one that is taught to children.

Anatomy of a Knit Stitch

It’s always a good idea to understand the anatomy of the knit stitch before trying to make one.

In the photo below, some stitches have been cast onto a needle. The stitch closest to the needle point is the first stitch. You are viewing the stitches from the side. If you were to view the stitches from above, you would see two legs (one on either side of the needle.  

Attached yarn
You can also see the attached yarn. There are two ends. The yarn attached to the skein or ball is called the working yarn. The shorter end is called the yarn tail.

Stitches on the needle
When looking at work in front of you (see photo), the front loop or leg is facing you or is the one closest to you. The back loop or leg is on the back of the needle, or the one that is farthest from you.

Left and right needles
The needle with the stitches is the left needle and is held in the left hand. The empty needle is called the right needle and held in the right hand.

How to Make the Knit Stitch Continental

1.  Insert the Right Needle

2. Wrap the Yarn

3. Pull Through

4.  Remove Old Stitch From Left Needle

Repeat these instructions across the row until you get to the end, then switch hands so that the stitches to be worked are in the left needle.  Continue in this manner.

Check Your Work

After completing a stitch:

✓ The new stitch should be on the right needle.

✓ The old stitch should be removed from the left needle.

✓ The stitch should not be twisted.

✓ The yarn should not split.

Make the Knit Stitch, English Style

1. Insert the Right Needle

2. Wrap the Yarn

3. Pull Through

4. Remove Old Stitch From Left Needle

Repeat these instructions across the row until you get to the end, then switch hands so that the stitches to be worked are in the left needle.  Continue in this manner. After working the knit stitch for a few rows, it will look like this.

After completing a stitch

 ✓ The new stitch should be on the right needle.

✓ The old stitch should be removed from the left needle.

✓ The stitch should not be twisted.

✓ The yarn should not split.

What Your Knitting Should Look Like After a Few Rows

Common Knit Stitch Mistakes

Don't worry too much at this point about mistakes; just know that all beginners make mistakes (well, all knitters, no matter how advanced they are, make mistakes).  I am just adding these common problems for your reference.  You may want to bookmark and refer back to them as needed.

My Stitches Are Too Tight

You may find it very difficult to get the right needle into the left needle to form a stitch.  If inserting your needle into the left needle is difficult, your stitches are too tight. If it is hard to slide the stitches on your needle closer to the tip, then your stitches are too tight.  Your tension is likely the problem.

What is tension?

In knitting, tension refers to how tight the knitted stitches are. It affects the size, thickness, and hang (drape) of your knitting.

Fixes: Relax: You are pulling on the stitches too tightly.  This is common with beginners who have not had enough experience tensioning their stitches.  You may be holding the yarn tightly, preventing it from flowing smoothly between stitches.  Relax your hands and see if the motion allows more yarn to move between your fingers

My Stitches Are Too Loose

Loose stitches are just the opposite of tight stitches addressed above.  You may not be tensioning your yarn adequately or not tensioning at all.  Try wrapping your yarn around your fingers one more time to increase the tension so less yarn flows between your fingers. 

I Keep Splitting the Yarn

The entire shaft of yarn should be used to create each stitch.  If the needle accidentally splits the yarn, your stitches will look odd.  If you notice that the needles pick up only one or two plies of yarn rather than the entire yarn, you are splitting the yarn.

The best way to fix this is to go back and reknit the stitch, picking up the entire shaft of the yarn.  Some yarns tend to split more easily than others.  If this is a common problem, consider trying a different yarn brand.

My Edges Look Messy

This is very common when beginning to knit, and tension is usually the problem.  In many cases, just the act of knitting practice over time will solve the problem.  Edge stitches can be loose because they are only connected to internal stitches on one side. 

There are actually two stitches on either side of a fabric that can be affected:  the selvage stitch (the outermost stitch) and the edge stitch (the stitch next to the selvage stitch). 

The selvage stitch is the one with the least amount of attachment to the rest of the row of stitches.  These stitches will be less secure than the others.  It is the edge stitch you can use to improve your tension. 

You can try tugging a little after making the selvage stitch to tighten it.  If that doesn’t work, tug a little after working the 3rd stitch before beginning to work the 4th stitch in the row.

I Accidentally Added Extra Stitches

This is another very common beginner problem.  This usually occurs when a stitch is not completed, and a piece of yarn is accidentally placed on the needle and knit as a stitch in the next row (an accidental yarn over).  If you notice an accidental yarn-over, just drop it from the needle rather than knit it. 

Practice Exercise for Beginners

Cast on 20 stitches.

Knit every row.

Continue until the piece measures 4 inches.

Focus on:

• tension
• consistency
• comfort

Not speed.

Beginner Tips I Wish Someone Had Told Me

• Slow is normal. (YouTubers demonstrating knitting techniques are often quite fast.)  Fast is not necessary or recommended for beginners.
• Constantly looking at your hands is normal. (Some YouTubers will continue to talk while knitting, suggesting this is the typical way people should knit.  Beginners should watch their hands carefully as they knit.
• Your first swatch won't be perfect. In the 21st century, there is this prevailing idea that anything you do should be perfect the first time you do it.  This is total nonsense.  Did your parents expect you to create a Picasso the first time you picked up a crayon? 
• Speed comes later. Don’t expect speed the first, second, or even the third time you try to create something.  Slow knitting is gaining traction and may become the new norm.

Most mistakes can be fixed. Don’t worry about mistakes.  Mistakes happen, and sometimes your biggest mistakes are your best learning opportunities.  Many of the people you meet in person or online may be masters, but no one starts their journey as one.

Stop and enjoy the trek—you will enjoy and appreciate your voyage much more if you take it one step at a time.  There’s no deadline, and there is no need to compete.  Knitting is for enjoyment and a special way to unplug and reimagine a world that is totally digitalized.

After The Knit Stitch:  What Comes Next?

Ready for the next step? There are several things you will want to learn after you try the knit stitch.  I would recommend trying these techniques in this order:

Step 1:  Bind off (also called cast off)

You have made a practice swatch, but the stitches are still on the needle.  You will want to learn how to remove them.

Learn how to bind off in knitting.

Step 2: Purl Stitch

There are really only two main stitches in knitting.  The knit and the purl stitch.  You have just learned how to knit the knit stitch, so the next logical step is to learn how to knit the purl stitch.

Learn how to make the purl stitch.

Step 3:  Weave in Ends

You may want to learn this technique before learning the purl stitch, especially if you made that little swatch and decide you want to keep your first creation (which I highly recommend).  Don't just cut those ends as they will unravel.  Learn how to secure them first, then you can trim the excess yarn.

How to weave in ends.

Step 4: Stockinette Stitch Pattern

After learning the knit and the purl stitches, you will likely encounter the Stockinette stitch pattern, which is really only knits and purls.  You knit the first row, purl the next, and end up with a knitted fabric that is very popular and used in many designs.

Learn how to knit the stockinette stitch pattern

Frequently Asked Questions about the Knit Stitch

Last Words

Congratulations! You have successfully made the knit stitch.  With a little practice, you'll be making project after project. Remember that learning to knit takes time and patience.  Building muscle memory is vital for success, and it can take time.  Be kind to yourself and don't expect perfection.  The more you knit, the better you'll get.

Happy Knitting,

Janice

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Janice Jones is a Certified Knitting and Crochet Instructor who creates beginner-friendly patterns and tutorials, backed by a 389-page library of practical knitting and crochet content.

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