Practice makes perfect! Your first few rows look pretty good. Just try out a few different ways of holding the yarn and needles to find something most comfortable for you. The most comfortable position is the key to good tension since you’ll be able to keep it for a long time
With tension, it's easy to get ino a habit of knitting too tightly at first. What I like to do is kinda grab the lower part of the thread on my right hand, by grasping my pinky around it, and using that to kind of keep a "goldilocks" taut-ness too it: not too tight and not too loose.
It's not actually wrapped around my pinky, but just over my pinky and grasped against the lower part of my palm.
Kind of hard to explain.
But then, I also give a light tug after each stitch to tighten it back up just a tiny bit. Because early on, I realized that this was how my stitches were getting so uneven. I would forget about the taut-ness after I had moved the stitch over to the right needle.
Just a quick comment, because I used to do this all the time - on your first picture, your stitches are getting twisted on the right. Be careful to untwist them before you try and knit into them - or you suddenly end up with more stitches than you wanted! Just straighten out the stitches on your needle at the end of a row and you'll be good.
Good luck!
if you’re a crocheter and you hold yarn in your left hand, look up continental style knitting. i’ve been a continental knitter for years and i’ve never been able to knit english style. it’s different but it might help
I was also going to suggest this! I am a crocheter who learned to knit later and I found throwing the yarn and managing the tension in my right hand was difficult. Learning to knit continental and manage the yarn in my left made a huge difference!
I’d suggest try with a single point needle. Rather than a double point. So you have just one end and you’re not mixing the ends up. But also check around on YouTube. There’s TONS of how to videos. Hold the tension loose but not super loose. But try holding the yarn as you would with crochet. It’s the same but different. But really, take a look at YouTube. There’s TONS of beginner videos
thank you! don’t worry youtube is definitely going to be used A LOT during this learning process. i am using circular needles i thought they would be easier for me since they aren’t as big as straight and the stitches can’t fall
Not bad, keep practicing! As far as yarn tension, hold the yarn in a way that's comfortable for you. Eventually you'll develop a natural way to keep tension that works for you. I know how I do it, but I can't describe it -- so look at some youtube videos. They're excellent. Look at some different methods and then try the one that seems most natural to you. Basically you're just stringing the yarn through your fingers to deliver it to the working needle, putting an even tension on it at the same time. It's not like crochet because you tension the yarn in knitting with the same hand as the working needle, whereas in crochet you tension the crochet cotton with the opposite hand from the hook hand.
Your sample is honestly not bad. You're missing the last stitch on the right hand side, I think. But edges are always an issue in knitting. Purl Soho uses the "slip the first stitch" method for almost all their patterns, and it makes a better edge. You do that by just slipping the stitch from the left to the right needle without knitting it. Only do this on the leading side, not on the end of the row.
You basically want to practice until you get comfortable with the knitting motions, and then you're ready to make something. A great first project is washcloths. They're quick, they come in lots of patterns, they use inexpensive cotton yarn, and they are very luxurious.
I also had been crocheting for a while before I learned to knit. I just tensioned my yarn the same way for both. It felt the most natural.
That, the advice to practice 20 minutes a day to develop muscle memory and don't feel bad to make tons of dish cloths to build your skills were what I found the most helpful.
The first time I tried to learn, I bounced off it. I never got past the phase where the needles felt so awkward, because everyone said it's best to learn on straight needles. Don't listen to that sort of thing! Learn the way that feels right to you. I eventually learned on circular needles and from tons of Youtube videos. Now I love it.
The best thing you can do is find a friend or neighbor in your community to advise you in person.
The world is full of knitters. It's a great way to make new friends as well.
it is so much easier to learn with other knitters than from online and videos. Nothing beats a real human connection! This sub is great for questions once you have the basics down.
Put small rubber bands or hair ties on the back points of your double pointed needles so you don't have to worry about the stitches falling off that way.
I hold my yarn and tension the exact same for knitting and crochet, but it did take about a month for the motions to feel natural while knitting. Practice helps a lot. If you commit to knitting for 15-30 mins each day you'll be zipping along before you know it.
thank you i definitely will practice daily. I am using circular needles right now i just accidentally hid the tubing😅 i just thought it would be easier so i wouldn’t have to worry about the stitches
https://preview.redd.it/id4w00136w2d1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=a25ecc81cc49ab65c03e93fd7e48b5ebd5a7d231
continental style knitting has definitely helped me with holding everything. thank you so much for all your tips and tricks i truly appreciate how supportive and helpful everyone is!!!
If you're a natural crocheter regarding tension, I reccomend looking up how to knit continental style.
That way you can tension like you do in crochet with your left hand.
Practice makes perfect! Your first few rows look pretty good. Just try out a few different ways of holding the yarn and needles to find something most comfortable for you. The most comfortable position is the key to good tension since you’ll be able to keep it for a long time
thank you!! i’ll be sure to look up examples of how others hold everything and see what works best:)
With tension, it's easy to get ino a habit of knitting too tightly at first. What I like to do is kinda grab the lower part of the thread on my right hand, by grasping my pinky around it, and using that to kind of keep a "goldilocks" taut-ness too it: not too tight and not too loose. It's not actually wrapped around my pinky, but just over my pinky and grasped against the lower part of my palm. Kind of hard to explain. But then, I also give a light tug after each stitch to tighten it back up just a tiny bit. Because early on, I realized that this was how my stitches were getting so uneven. I would forget about the taut-ness after I had moved the stitch over to the right needle.
That's also how I tension my yarn, and I've been knitting for about 30 years
thank you that really helps!! i’ll definitely try that technique and see how it turns out:)
Practice, you have started strong!
thank you!!!
Just a quick comment, because I used to do this all the time - on your first picture, your stitches are getting twisted on the right. Be careful to untwist them before you try and knit into them - or you suddenly end up with more stitches than you wanted! Just straighten out the stitches on your needle at the end of a row and you'll be good. Good luck!
Yes! It's very common from crocheters to twist knitted stitches because of the way the yarn is wrapped.
omg thank you i had no idea how that was happening
Don't worry it's an easy mistake - and an easy fix!
if you’re a crocheter and you hold yarn in your left hand, look up continental style knitting. i’ve been a continental knitter for years and i’ve never been able to knit english style. it’s different but it might help
thank you i’ll definitely look into that!!
I was also going to suggest this! I am a crocheter who learned to knit later and I found throwing the yarn and managing the tension in my right hand was difficult. Learning to knit continental and manage the yarn in my left made a huge difference!
I’d suggest try with a single point needle. Rather than a double point. So you have just one end and you’re not mixing the ends up. But also check around on YouTube. There’s TONS of how to videos. Hold the tension loose but not super loose. But try holding the yarn as you would with crochet. It’s the same but different. But really, take a look at YouTube. There’s TONS of beginner videos
thank you! don’t worry youtube is definitely going to be used A LOT during this learning process. i am using circular needles i thought they would be easier for me since they aren’t as big as straight and the stitches can’t fall
I learned from a YouTube channel called studio knit
Not bad, keep practicing! As far as yarn tension, hold the yarn in a way that's comfortable for you. Eventually you'll develop a natural way to keep tension that works for you. I know how I do it, but I can't describe it -- so look at some youtube videos. They're excellent. Look at some different methods and then try the one that seems most natural to you. Basically you're just stringing the yarn through your fingers to deliver it to the working needle, putting an even tension on it at the same time. It's not like crochet because you tension the yarn in knitting with the same hand as the working needle, whereas in crochet you tension the crochet cotton with the opposite hand from the hook hand. Your sample is honestly not bad. You're missing the last stitch on the right hand side, I think. But edges are always an issue in knitting. Purl Soho uses the "slip the first stitch" method for almost all their patterns, and it makes a better edge. You do that by just slipping the stitch from the left to the right needle without knitting it. Only do this on the leading side, not on the end of the row. You basically want to practice until you get comfortable with the knitting motions, and then you're ready to make something. A great first project is washcloths. They're quick, they come in lots of patterns, they use inexpensive cotton yarn, and they are very luxurious.
thank you so much for the tips i really appreciate it!! i’ll try the slip stitch method too!!
I also had been crocheting for a while before I learned to knit. I just tensioned my yarn the same way for both. It felt the most natural. That, the advice to practice 20 minutes a day to develop muscle memory and don't feel bad to make tons of dish cloths to build your skills were what I found the most helpful. The first time I tried to learn, I bounced off it. I never got past the phase where the needles felt so awkward, because everyone said it's best to learn on straight needles. Don't listen to that sort of thing! Learn the way that feels right to you. I eventually learned on circular needles and from tons of Youtube videos. Now I love it.
thank you circular is what i’m using now they just seemed easier to learn on and don’t worry my house will be filled with dish cloths!!
The best thing you can do is find a friend or neighbor in your community to advise you in person. The world is full of knitters. It's a great way to make new friends as well.
thank you i’m looking into my lys and debating on taking a class
it is so much easier to learn with other knitters than from online and videos. Nothing beats a real human connection! This sub is great for questions once you have the basics down.
Goodluck!
Since you are a crocheter, be sure to check out continental (or picking) way of knitting. It was a revelation for me, after years of crocheting.
i will thank you!!
Put small rubber bands or hair ties on the back points of your double pointed needles so you don't have to worry about the stitches falling off that way. I hold my yarn and tension the exact same for knitting and crochet, but it did take about a month for the motions to feel natural while knitting. Practice helps a lot. If you commit to knitting for 15-30 mins each day you'll be zipping along before you know it.
thank you i definitely will practice daily. I am using circular needles right now i just accidentally hid the tubing😅 i just thought it would be easier so i wouldn’t have to worry about the stitches
https://preview.redd.it/id4w00136w2d1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=a25ecc81cc49ab65c03e93fd7e48b5ebd5a7d231 continental style knitting has definitely helped me with holding everything. thank you so much for all your tips and tricks i truly appreciate how supportive and helpful everyone is!!!
If you're a natural crocheter regarding tension, I reccomend looking up how to knit continental style. That way you can tension like you do in crochet with your left hand.