Help for new knitter with Stockinette Stitch

[Carrie]

Hi there -
I've finally returned to knitting after many years. I learned continental and seemed to pick it up again fairly easily. But I'm having an awful time getting an even stockinette stitch. If I turn the piece over, there are lines every two rows. Someone told me I must not be working the purls as tightly as the knits. Is that true? How can I change this! Help!
Amy, I love your website - it is so helpful! And thanks for the videos in continental!
Carrie

[Peg]

Hi Carrie, I don't know that I can offer any good advice beyond practice, practice, practice. I'm a novice knitter and when I learned continental the purl stitch gave me fits. I just kept at it until I finally found a comfortable way to keep my tension as even as I could. Perhaps if you're not able to tighten your gauge up enough purling you could loosen the tension a touch with your knit stitches? I have read that many knitters purl a bit more loosely than they knit, regardless of their knitting method. Hopefully the experienced knitters here can offer you more sound advice.

[Carrie]

Thanks for your reply Peg. I kind of figured it had to do with practice practice practice!! I've been trying different ways to hold the yarn, too. But I think I'll just stick to one way and keep doing samples until I'm comfortable. It's difficult to maintain the gauge. Maybe I should just make something that doesn't include stockinette!?

[Hildegard_von_Knittin]

Don't give up! You can make yourself a lot of nice dishrags while you're practicing!

[amy]

Welcome Carrie! Welcome Peg!

Carrie, you've gotten good advice. Keep practicing!

Amy