The Tortured Knitters Dept.

Beginning the knitting journey is akin to babies taking those first steps. At first you fall down A LOT! The knitting needles awkwardly slap together like tentative toddler feet on the linoleum as they take those first wobbly steps.

But this trek into learning to knit is so worth the effort because at some point those first tentative beginners stitches transform into a newfound freedom and confidence, and eventually wobbly stitches run together into an amazing, knitted creation.

Reading Stitches for Beginner Knitters

I think the biggest beginners leap in knitting is learning to recognize what the basic stitches look like. Once you know what each stitch looks like, it becomes much easier to ‘read’ your knitting, and reading your knitting is a skill you will want/need as you progress. Why? Because once you know how to read your knitting, then you can easily assess your knitting, recognizing what you just did or where you left off, and most importantly, fix your mistakes.

To help get your needles clacking confidently, here are what I consider the best basic knitting stitches that every beginner should know. Let me show you what each of them looks like so you can begin to learn to read your own stitches.

Knit Stitch

This is an image of some socks that I am currently working on (Yarn credit goes to the lovely Turtlepurl Yarns )

Depending on how you look at the knit stitch, it either looks like an upside down ‘V’ or a right-side-up ‘V’, either way, this lovely stitch is the first you will learn once you have accomplished how to cast on. (I do not cover how to cast on in this article, but there are many resources and methods out there that are easy to find.)

Now, before I go any further, there does seem to be some controversy in the knitting world regarding the right way for beginners to learn to knit. But here’s the thing…in my humble opinion and in sticking with my metaphor of a baby learning to walk, we all learn to walk in different ways. Some of us learn to walk holding onto the furniture for support, some of us just jump out there into a straight run for it, arms flailing. Either way, we all get to our destination one step at a time. That is also how I think of knitting. Just do what is most comfortable for YOU!

Here’s a quick video of how I do the basic knit stitch.

As you can see in the video, the needle on the right-hand inserts into the stitch on the left-handed needle from the front. The working yarn then wraps around the right needle (from back to front) and then the right needle comes through the hole in the middle of the stitch and then pulls it off the left needle. Watch this a few times to see if you get the hang of it. And whatever you do, don’t give up, remember, baby steps.

Purl Stitch

Now onto the purl stitch. Most definitely another basic knitting stitch that every beginner will need to know.

As you can see in this image, purl stitches resemble little horizontal bumps. Here is a quick video of me purling.

To purl, the right needle goes into the stitch on the left needle from behind. The working yarn then wraps around the right needle (from back to front) and then the right needle comes through the hole in the middle of the stitch and then pulls it off the left needle. Watch this a few times to see if you get the hang of it. And whatever you do, don’t give up, remember, baby steps.

Garter Stitch

Now for the fun stuff! Turning these basic beginner knitting stitches into fabric! Yes, I regard my knitted garments as being created from a knit fabric. Afterall, that is what we are essentially doing, right? Knitting up a fabric to be constructed into a garment.

Garter stitch, sweet garter stitch. It is so fun and addicting. Garter stitch is smushy, soft, thick, and stretchy. In many ways, knitting garter stitch induces the calming meditative effect of knitting, and it is the first fabric we often make as beginners practicing our stitches.

How do you create this lovely stitch, you ask? Simple: Knit! Yes, that’s all you have to do to create a garter fabric. Just keep knitting. Essentially every stitch is a knit stitch, even once you are finished knitting all the stitches off your left needle, you simply switch the right needle over to your left hand and continue knitting. Here’s a marled, multiple colored garter stitch blanket I am working on. I often turn to knitting this when I am stressed and need a calming, mindless project.

Stockinette Stitch

I consider stockinette stitch the classy, poised sister of garter stitch. Stockinette stitch is what got me into knitting sweaters that replicate store-bought.

To create stockinette stitch, you knit all the stitches on one side of your needle and then purl all the stitches on the other side. Continuing on, knitting all the knit stitches and purling all the purl stitches will create the lovely ‘V’ fabric that I showed above in the knit stitch section.

While there are many more stitches for beginner knitters to learn, these are the main ones you will want to accomplish first. With just these simple knitting stitches —the knit stitch, purl stitch, garter stitch, and stockinette stitch—you can begin to create many wonderful creations that are ideal for beginners!

Are you just learning to knit? Comment below for any advice or to offer advice to other new knitters. And tell us your favorite stitch!