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Getting started · Stitches and basic technique · Sweaters · Socks · Yarn and needles · Washing, blocking and care · When something goes wrong
Getting started
Is it hard to learn to knit?
Hi! It takes a little patience, but most people learn knit and purl quite quickly. 🧶
Choosing needles
Choose:
Aluminium – for you who knit fast.
Wood – for small garments where the stitches need to stay put.
Circular needle – for larger garments like sweaters, dresses and scarves.
Beginner tips
🤸♀️ Mistakes = learning
🤸♂️ Most mistakes don't show
👵 Everything can be fixed – or lived with 👱♀️
Knitting ABC
In Knittipedia's Knitting ABC you find explanations of words and terms you are wondering about.
Which knitting project should I start with?
Start with a small project, like a scarf in stockinette. Then you get plenty of practice with the technique, and the feeling of mastery when you finish your first garment. 🧶
What do I need to start knitting?
You need:
– Knitting needles (approx. 4–6 mm for beginners)
– Medium-weight yarn, e.g. Tjukk Mohair from Rauma
– Scissors and a darning needle
– A simple pattern, like a scarf or a cloth 🧶
Tips for your first project
A scarf, a potholder and a headband can be good things to start with.
Is a sweater hard to knit?
No, look for “simple sweater” or “top-down”.
CosyMonday's patterns are made to be easy to follow and easy to understand.
Easiest type of sweater
– Raglan sweater
– Sweaters knitted top-down
– Stockinette with no pattern
Stitches and basic technique
Do I have to knit a gauge swatch?
Yes, if you want the garment to fit.
How to knit and measure your gauge swatch →
What does gauge mean, and why does it matter?
Gauge is how many stitches and rows you get per 10 cm. The right gauge gives the right size garment. 🧶
Why is my knitting too loose or too tight? 🧶
It often comes down to how you hold the yarn. Practice helps. You can also change needle size or needle type (aluminium or wood). 🧶
What does cast on mean?
To cast on means to make the first stitches on the needle – the start of your knitting. 🧶
What is the difference between crochet and knitting?
Knitting uses two needles, while crochet uses one crochet hook. The technique is different, and knitting is more stretchy. 🧶
What is a stitch?
One loop on the needle – and the building block of all knitting.
What are knit and purl?
Knit – the yarn is behind the needle and gives a smooth surface.
Purl – the yarn is in front of the needle and gives a more textured surface.
These two stitches are used in almost every pattern and make up ribbing and seed stitch, among others. 🧶
How do I read a knitting pattern? 🧶
CosyMonday's patterns are made step by step and are easy to follow.
Common abbreviations (Norwegian patterns):
– r = knit
– vr = purl
– m = stitch
– omg = round
– p = row 🧶
What does bind off mean?
To bind off means to finish the knitting so the stitches do not unravel. 🧶
How do I bind off?
Knit two stitches, lift the first over the second and off the needle.
Continue like this until all stitches are bound off. 🧶
What does “work the stitches as they appear” mean?
“Work the stitches as they appear” means:
Knit the knit stitches and purl the purl stitches. 🧶
What is a round?
One lap around when you knit in the round on a circular needle (e.g. a hat).
What does “knit in the round” mean? 🧶
It means you knit in a circle without turning the work.
You keep going the same way all the time, so there is no edge.
Inc 1 st 🧶
“Inc 1 st” means you make one new stitch – that is, increase the stitch count by one. 🧶
What does “k2tog” mean? 🧶
It means decreasing by knitting two stitches together into one.
Why are the edges uneven? 🧶
Very common! It gets better with practice, or by using edge stitches. 🧶
What does “turn the work” mean?
You change the direction you are knitting in.
I am left-handed – do I have to knit differently?
No. Knitting uses both hands just as much. Many left-handed knitters like to hold the yarn in the left hand. Knit in the same direction as the pattern, and the increases, decreases and charts will line up.
Sweaters
How do I know which size to knit?
Measure your bust and choose the size from the pattern – not your usual clothing size.
What does “chest circumference” mean? 🧶
The width of the garment around the chest, often a little larger than the body.
What does “raglan increase” mean?
It means you increase stitches along the raglan lines to shape the sleeves and body at the same time.
What does “divide the work” mean?
It means you put some stitches on hold (often for the sleeves) and knit the rest separately.
What is the body?
The body is the main part of the sweater – the torso without sleeves.
Magic loop
A technique for knitting small circumferences with one long circular needle.
Do I have to sew the sweater together?
Not if it is knitted top-down or in the round. Then it is almost seamless.
The sweater is too big / too small – why?
Often the wrong gauge or needle size.
The neck is too tight – what can I do?
Bind off more loosely, use a larger needle for the neckband, or cast on more stitches.
Pattern language
– m = stitch
– omg = round
– r/vr = knit/purl
– øk = increase stitches
– fell = decrease stitches
Socks
Are socks hard to knit?
No, they look hard, but once you have learned the heel and the decreases, it goes fine.
Which socks are easiest?
– Top-down socks
– Socks with a classic heel
– Solid-colour yarn (easier to see the stitches)
Which yarn is used for socks?
Sock yarn (often wool with a little nylon for durability).
Which needles do I need?
– Double-pointed needles (5 needles)
– Or a circular needle with magic loop
What is the leg?
The top part of the sock, above the ankle.
What is the heel?
The part that shapes the sock around the foot.
What is the heel flap?
The back of the heel, knitted back and forth.
What is the heel turn?
When you shape the heel itself by decreasing stitches.
What is a gusset?
Stitches picked up along the heel flap and decreased away again after the heel.
What is the foot?
The part between heel and toe.
What is a toe decrease?
When you decrease the stitches to shape the toe.
How long should the socks be?
The foot length should be approx. 2–3 cm shorter than your foot when measured.
Do I have to knit a gauge swatch for socks?
Recommended – especially if you want the socks to fit well.
Holes at the heel – why?
Common – solved by picking up extra stitches and tightening a little.
The sock is too big / too small – what do I do?
Change needle size or stitch count, or wash and felt the sock down in size.
Yarn and needles
Which yarn is best for beginners?
Thick wool or acrylic yarn in a light colour – then you see the stitches better. 🧶
Can I use a different yarn than the one in the pattern?
Yes, but check the yardage and the gauge.
What does yardage mean?
How many metres of yarn there are per 50 g / 100 g.
Why are there so many needle sizes?
Different needles give different gauge and look.
What are edge stitches?
Extra stitches at the side that give neater edges.
Does mohair itch?
Mohair feels different from skin to skin. Kid mohair is the finest fibre and feels the softest. Hold the yarn against your neck before you buy it. If your skin is sensitive, wear a thin sweater or blouse underneath.
Washing, blocking and care
How do I wash knitwear?
– Follow the care instructions on the yarn label.
– Wool and mohair rarely need washing. Air the garment instead.
What does blocking mean?
Washing and shaping the garment so it becomes even and neat.
Do I have to block?
Not always, but it gives a neater result.
Why does my knitting look different from the photo?
Different gauge, yarn or light.
The knitting goes crooked after washing
Solution: Shape the garment while it is wet. If it has gone crooked, dampen the garment lightly and gently again, e.g. with a spray bottle, and shape it back into the right shape. Dry flat.
Pilling on the garment
Solution: Use a fabric shaver or a soft brush, gently.
When something goes wrong
Have you dropped a stitch? 🧶
Pick it up again with the needle or a crochet hook where it dropped. 🧶
I have too many / too few stitches – what do I do?
Count your stitches often. Small mistakes can often be adjusted later by making new stitches, or by knitting stitches together.
How do I rip back several rows?
Pull out the needle, and pull gently on the yarn. Rip back until the stitches are even.
What is a lifeline?
A thread put through the stitches so you don't rip back too far.
What is a stitch holder cable?
A rubber-coated cord that can be threaded onto the needle tip, so the sleeve stitches (in top-down patterns) can be moved onto the cord while you knit the body, for example.
Can I change the length or width myself?
Yes, knitting is flexible – just note down your changes.
What do I do if I don't understand the pattern?
Read the whole pattern first, and take one part at a time. Send a chat message on the page to the left, and you will get an answer as soon as possible.
Holes in the work
Solution: Tighten the yarn a little extra between the stitches.
Twisted knitting
Solution: Make sure the stitches are not twisted when you knit in the round.
The sleeves come out different lengths
Solution: Count rounds, or measure as you go. If needed, rip back the sleeve that has the wrong length, and knit it correctly.
The toe of the sock turns out pointy or lumpy
Solution: Decrease evenly and finish with grafting.
Reading the pattern wrong
Solution: Mark the row you are on as you go, use a stitch marker, and read the whole pattern and make a plan before you start.
Skipping increases or decreases
Solution: Use stitch markers. If you don't have any, thread a short piece of yarn through e.g. a button, and use that as a marker.
Stop before you rip back 1 – checklist
1. Is the mistake visible? Many mistakes don't show once the garment is finished.
Stop before you rip back 2
2. Is the mistake far down in the work?
The further down, the less it is worth ripping back.
Stop before you rip back 3 – alternatives
Can it be fixed without ripping back?
– Pick up a stitch
– Tighten a loose stitch
– Sew over it with a darning needle later
Stop before you rip back 4 – alternatives
Does the mistake affect only one stitch?
Often one stitch can be adjusted without consequences.
Smart tricks 1
Put in a lifeline
Thread a strand through the stitches where everything is correct.
Smart tricks 2
Drop down just a few stitches.
You don't need to rip back everything – only down to the mistake.
Smart tricks 3
Use the darning needle to “cheat-fix”
Small mistakes can be hidden neatly.
Fit vs. perfection
Does the mistake affect the fit?
If yes – consider fixing it.
If no – leave it.
Will you notice the mistake in a week?
If the answer is no, keep knitting 🤎
Remember this
💥Finished garments beat perfect garments
💥Handmade = small variations
💥Most people only see the whole
When should you rip back?
– Wrong stitch count
– Wrong size
– Obvious pattern mistake
– Wrong yarn / needles
Before you rip back – tips 🤎
1. Take a breath – ripping back is part of knitting, not a defeat.
2. Work out how far you need to rip back. Count rounds / rows.
3. Put in a lifeline (optional, but smart) by threading a strand through the stitches on a correct round, i.e. the first correct round.
How to rip back
1. Take the needle out carefully. Hold the knitting steady.
2. Pull the yarn slowly. The stitches come loose one by one. Don't tear.
3. Stop often and check. Make sure you don't rip back too far.
Ripping back part 2 – when you are at the right place
1. Put the stitches back on the needle. All stitches should sit the right way and not be twisted (this can be adjusted as you knit).
2. Count the stitches, so they match the number in the pattern.
Small rescue tips – lost control of the stitches?
Use a thin needle or a crochet hook to gather them.
Small rescue tips – uneven yarn after ripping back
Tighten gently when you start knitting again after ripping back.
Small rescue tips – important reminders
🤎 All knitters rip back
🤎 Yarn can take more than you think
🤎 The result is better afterwards
Rescue tips – when should you stop?
If you get frustrated – put it away and take a break. The knitting will wait for you 💤🤎👱♀️
Didn't find the answer?
Send me a message in the chat, and I will answer — and add the question here afterwards. This page has grown out of the questions I have been asked.
If you would rather see the technique than read about it, the videos are in the Knitting School. The videos are narrated in Norwegian. And the word explanations are in the Knitting ABC.
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