18 Knitting Mistakes Beginners Make: How to Fix Them

Knitting Mistakes for Beginners
By Janice Jones, Certified Knitting Instructor
Last updated: July 26, 2026

So you decided to take up knitting, perhaps because your friend offered to teach you, or you thought it might add a new craft to your repertoire, or maybe you heard it was a healthy, mindful, and productive way to fill your free time.

Knitting is an excellent craft that lets you create beautiful, functional items with just two needles and yarn.

What Kind of Issues are You Dealing With?

If you are a beginner or have some experience, knowing that you are not alone is essential. We all started just where you are now. As beginners, we all have one thing in common: we all make mistakes. I can personally attest that I have made my fair share of mistakes over the years.

Troubleshooting

My knitting has holes in it:  See Solutions 1, 6

My knitting keeps getting wider:  2

My knitting keeps getting narrower 2

My knitting just looks messy and uneven 4, 5, 7

My knitting looks nothing like the picture 12, 15

My knitting is curling 3

My knitting is too tight - I can't get the stitches off the needle 4

My knitting has big stitches at the beginning and end of the rows 4

My stitches keep falling off the needle 8

My project just raveled out:  9

Why doesn't this sweater fit:  13

What's the right side and what's the wrong side 15

I just don't understand these instructions 10

Should I just start over?

Common Mistakes to Avoid as a New Beginner Knitter

Luckily, all mistakes are fixable or avoidable, so check out these 16 mistakes.  (Remember, we all make mistakes.) 

1. Avoid Dropped Stitches

This is likely the most common knitting mistake that occurs when new knitters start making fabric. Dropped stitches are a common knitting mishap that can be easily avoided with a bit of attention to detail.

A dropped stitch occurs when a stitch slips off the needle and unravels down the work, often without being conscious of dropping the stitch.

To prevent this, periodically count the stitches on your needle. If you cast on 25 stitches and now only have 23 stitches, you most likely lost some stitches somewhere.

Examine the fabric you created to identify where you lost these two stitches. Look for loose stitches or holes. Look for places where a stitch may have been dropped.

They resemble little ladders that begin at the needle and extend down into the fabric. Learn how to pick up dropped stitches using a crochet hook when you notice them.

Learn how to fix dropped stitches.

2. Knitting in the Wrong Direction

This may seem silly, but it is far too common among new knitters just starting. This mistake is easier to avoid but not impossible to correct.

To avoid this mistake:
Always finish the row before you put your needles down. In other words, do not stop in the middle of the row.

If you must stop in the middle of the row, look at your needles when you begin again. The working yarn should be attached to the right-hand needle.

To correct this mistake:
You must rip out the rows that you knit in the wrong direction. Place the ripped stitches back on your needle and continue.

3. The Fabric just keeps Curling

It may not be you.  It is like due to the type of stitch you are trying to make.  One stitch pattern will curl no matter what you do:  The stockinette pattern (knit one row, purl the next row).  Some stitch patterns that have a substantial amount of stockinette in them will also curl.  There are a couple of things you can do if you want the fabric to lie flat.

1. Create a garter or seed stitch border around the stockinette pattern of 4 or so stitches.  This is important if you are making something that should lay flat like a scarf or a dishcloth.
2. Blocking the finished project helps a little (see blocking below).
3. Choose a different stitch pattern that doesn't have so much stockinette in it.

4. Uneven Stitches:  Tension Problems

This is one of those common beginning knitting errors that can only be fixed with practice.  The overall effect is not pleasing when some stitches are more prominent than others. This happens because we haven't mastered tension.

Some knitters will hide this problem by using variegated or specialty yarns that make it difficult to see individual stitches.  That doesn't solve the problem, though.

Uneven stitches can occur anywhere, but are most noticeable in several places.

• Edge (selvage) stitches are often uneven if the tension is not quite right. 
• You may also notice this problem between knit and purl stitches when knitting ribbing or cables.
• Another place where uneven stitches occur is between knit and purl rows. This is due to the tension difference between knitting purls and knits. For example, your knit stitches may be tighter than your purl stitches.
• Sometimes it just happens within a row as the photo above demonstrates.

This takes practice, but I recommend reading my article about tension and how to fix this mistake.

5. Twisted Stitches

If you cast on all your stitches using standard cast-on methods, your stitches will face the correct direction.

When viewing the stitches on the needles, there are two legs; one is on the far side of the needle, and the other is on the side closest to you.

If you look closely, you will see that one leg is closest to the needle point, and the other is not. If they are placed correctly, the leg closest to you should also be closest to the needle tips. This is how the stitches should rest on the needle if they are accidentally dropped.

Unless you deliberately try to create twisted stitches, you will want to avoid them so the fabric you create will be uniform and beautiful. Twisted stitches commonly occur because you are doing one of two things:

1. The stitches on your needles are not placed correctly. This often happens if you must ripe out some stitches and put the stitches back on the needle incorrectly.

2. You knit the stitches incorrectly.

Learn more about Twisted Stitches

6. Finding Holes in Your Work

7. Casting on and Binding off Mistakes

Typically tension is often the problem when casting on or binding off. You can either cast on too tightly or loosely. 

Similarily, when binding off, we can either bind off too tightly or too loosely.

Casting On

If you cast it on too tightly, the edge will curl into a frown. If the cast on the edge is too loose, the stitches look sloppy. If this happens to you, the most straightforward remedy is to use a different-sized needle for casting on. Use one needle size larger if your cast-on is too tight and one smaller if your cast-on is too loose. There are also many ways to cast on, so a different cast on method, might correct the mistake.

Binding Off

The same holds for binding off. Adjust your needle size up or down so that your cast-on and bind-off edges are straight and parallel. Even blocking may not be able to correct these problems.

Learn how to cast on stitches.

Learn how to bind off stitches.

8. Wrong Choice of Yarn

Another common mistake is using the wrong needles and yarn for your project. The size of your needles and the weight of your yarn should match the requirements stated in your pattern.

Using the wrong size can impact your gauge, resulting in a finished piece that is too large or too small. It can also make knitting harder, and the fabric may look different from what you intended.  Always check the recommended needle size and yarn weight against both the pattern and the yarn label before starting a new project.

Learn more about knitting needles.

Learn more about Yarn.

9. Wrong Choice of Needles

Using the right type of needle can make you a much more confident knitter, but when you are just getting started, it is hard to know which needles to choose.  A knitter will often blame themselves if the stitches fall off the needle or the yarn splits, or even if the stitches hug the needle too tightlyly.  

You want to find a set of needles that let your stitches slide easily up and down the needle shaft but do not fall of the tips by themselves.  You want a pair of needles that have realitive sharp tips to get under the stitches, but not so sharp that the tip splits the yarn in half.  You want needles that feel comfortable in your hands -- not to hot and not too cool.  If the sound of clicking bothers you, you want needles that don't clink.  

In a nutshell if you are a beginner, look for needles made out of wood or bamboo.  But if you want to know more about how to choose needles, I recommend you read my article about knitting needles or supplies for knitters.

10. Not Understanding Charts or Patterns

If you don't understand knitted charts and what the symbols mean, it is easy to make one type of stitch when you should have made another stitch.  For example, in the chart above, look at the bottom row marked with a 1.  The little dots in some of the squares refer to purl stitches, and the ones that are empty are knit stitches.  The chart tells you to make 2 purl stitches, then 4 knit stitches, 4 purl stitches, 4 purl stitches, and finally 2 knits.  The second row, or the wrong side row, is the opposite.  This can be very confusing.

Learn to read knitting charts.

Learn to read knitting instructions.

11. Not Weaving in Ends Properly.

There are two basic problems when ends are not woven in properly or not at all.  Beginners often think that tying a knot is the solution, but then they end up with a knot that can unravel. If the ends are not woven in, then the entire fabric can unravel.  Finally, if the ends are not woven in properly, they can be seen on the right side of the fabric.  

Learn how to weave in those ends.

12. Forgetting to Block Your Work

Blocking is essential in finishing your knitting projects and giving them a polished look. Blocking involves wetting your finished piece and shaping it to the desired dimensions. This process evens out your stitches and helps your project retain its shape.

Some fabrics, such as those made with the stockinette stitch, will curl in all directions, so if you need them to lie flat, you will need to block your work.

Learn more about Blocking Your Work

13. Not Making a Gauge Swatch

Making a gauge swatch before beginning any project is a good habit for beginners.  It tells you a couple of things:

1. How the fabric will look, feel, and behave.
2. How big will the fabric be?

Some projects can be fine without a gauge swatch if size doesn't matter. But when you are making something to wear, you want to be sure that it will fit.  Your swatch should be the same size as the designer's, but if not, you will need to make some adjustments.

Learn more about knitting gauge.

14. Losing Track of Where You Are

This can happen to anyone, beginner, intermediate or advanced knitter. As we advance from super simple to more complete stitch patterns, we may lose track of our progress.

This happens when we graduate from a two- or four-row repeat pattern to an eight- or 12-row pattern. How do you keep track of your progress?

There are several ways to avoid getting into trouble and losing your place.

• Use stitch markers to keep track of the row you are knitting.
• Use a row counter to tell you what row you are knitting.
• Use paper and pencil methods like tally marks to follow your progress.
• Use an online pattern program.
• Consider a magnetic pattern holder.

If you lose your place, learn how to read your stitches, bringing us to number 15.

15. Not Understanding How to Read Your Stitches

New Knitters will likely master stitch patterns such as garter, stockinette, rib, or seed stitch. As we learn a new stitch pattern, we must also understand what the stitches look like.

It may also be challenging to determine whether we've made any mistakes if we fail to recognize a knit from a purl. Worse yet, we may acknowledge that something looks wrong, but we can't determine where or how to fix it.

Another common confusion with beginners is not understanding which side of the fabric is the right side and which is the wrong side.  There is an easy fix to this if you are working with knit and purl stitch patterns.  

Did you start your first row with knit stitches? Or with Purl Stitches?  It matters because the bottom edge of your fabric will tell you which side is right or wrong.  For example, if the pattern says:

Rows 1 and 3 (RS): Knit

Row 2: (WS) Purl

Row 4: P 1, *K 2, P 1, repeat from * to the end of the row.

Your bottom edge will look like little bumps and the wrong side will look smooth.  The opposite can be true if the designer asked you to start with a purl row.

16. Not Understanding Yarn Labels

There are lots of ways knitters go wrong when they don't understand what the yarn label is trying to say.  

• Ignoring the needle size recommended.
• Not understanding how much yarn to buy for a project.
• Ignoring the instructions for washing.
• Not buying enough yarn and then going back and buying the wrong yarn lot.
• Ignoring the fiber type and how it relates to what you want to make.  

Learn more about reading yarn labels

17.  Knitting Under the Wrong Lighting Conditions

Note: I earn a small commission for purchases made through links in this article.

This might not be a problem for anyone with perfect vision, but for us knitters who struggle with seeing clearly, the right lighting is critical.  I learned this the hard way, as my eyesight slowly deteriorated with age.  The best light for knitting is natural light, and sitting outdoors to knit is ideal.  However, that is not always possible.  There are some solutions:

1. Choose a lighter color yarn, as dark yarns are difficult to see.
2. Use a neck reading light.  This is an economical way to provide more light for any craft project or just reading a book. I like this option because it is portable and you can knit anywhere.
3. Desk Lamp: If you prefer to knit at a table or desk, a gooseneck lamp can provide all the light you need at a reasonable cost.
4. Head Lamp: If you need extra light, find a head lamp that is super bright and has a long battery life.  

18. Not Choosing The Right Stitch Pattern

This is one that I have covered extensively on this site.  If you like to knit but hate following a pattern, you are likely trying to find a stitch pattern you like, but not every beautiful stitch pattern is perfect for every pattern.  Some projects, such as scarves, where both sides show, a reversible knit stitch pattern is perfect.  If you are knitting a baby blanket, a stitch pattern that creates a solid fabric is important.  Still, there are many perfect stitch patterns for knitting blankets.  Finally, if you need the final project to lie flat, choose a stitch pattern that does not curl.  Any type of stockinette stitch pattern will curl, so if you like that one, it's important to add a border.  These dishcloth patterns all lie flat.

19. Fabric is Misshapened

When your square or rectangle washcloth looks more like a trapazoid, you are likely adding or loosing stitches along the rows.  This is a very common mistake that even experienced knitters make from time to time.

Assuming you don't want to make increases or decreases, there are a few things you can do.

1. Know how many stitches you cast on and count every row as you finish it.  If you have more stitches than you started with, you may have accidently added one by spitting the yarn and making two stitches into the same stitch.  You may also have accidently made a yarn over.
2. If you have fewer stitches than you started with, then you probably dropped a stitch, or accidently worked two stitches together rather than separately.

Should I Just Start Over?

Many beginners ask this question and do even now.  My answer probably won't help, but I would say, "it depends."  If you have only knit a couple of rows and are already completely off, then yes, I would likely start over.  If there are only a couple of mistakes in the work you have completed, then I'd say, first try to fix those mistakes before you end of ripping it out.  Here are a couple of things that work for me so that I don't have to ask this question.

1. Always start with a small gauge swatch even if you don't worry about the size of the finished project.  Working a practice swatch allows you to practice the stitch pattern before you start on a large project.  It will also tell you how the yarn will behave, how the color will look and whether you want to switch to a different type of needle.
2. I don't knit when I'm anxious or upset for any reason.  I also have a preferred place and time to do my knitting and I stick to that schedule.  I can't knit late at night when I'm tired, but maybe that is your favorite time to knit.  Find your happy place and time.
3. Use a ruler or magnet pattern holder to keep your place, or keep track of your progress using an online app.
4. Count your stitches after each row and look at your work regularly.  It's always easier to spot something wrong in the row your are currently working, then to fix a mistake 6 rows below.

Knitting Mistakes Beginners Make:  Conclusion

Knitting is a rewarding and versatile craft that offers endless possibilities for creativity. By avoiding common mistakes, choosing suitable materials, understanding patterns, and practicing proper tension, you'll be well on your way to becoming a confident and skilled knitter.

Remember, knitting is a journey of learning and exploration, and an inevitable part of knitting is making mistakes, so embrace the process.

Don't be afraid to make mistakes – they are part of learning. 

FAQ: Common Knitting Mistakes (and Quick Fixes)

12) What info on a yarn label actually matters?
Check fiber content (feel/care), weight category, recommended needle size, gauge, yardage, and care symbols. These determine fit, drape, and maintenance. Quick guide: /yarn-labels.html

Knitting Problems and Fixes:
Pin for Future Reference

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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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