Circular Knitting (newbie needs help!!)

[thefamemonster]

Hey everyone I am a newbie knitter...I just started a day ago! So I can do the knit and the purl stitch I just don't know where to go from there....I can do one row of knit as my cast on...then do the purl but where do I connect the next row of knit stitches? Everytime I try it just elongates the project and thats clearly incorrect. Help!!!!

Here is the blog for reference:
http://smallestfriend.blogspot.com/2...cle-scarf.html

I bought everything she suggested:
1 skein Lion Brand Wool-Ease Thick & Quick yarn
-Size 17 29-inch circular needles

[cacunn]

The major question is what are you trying to knit?

Are you knitting in the round (circular) or using circular needles to knit flat. Circular knitting does not have sides, only top and bottom. Flat knitting has all four sides.

If you are knitting flat, each row will build on top of previous one to make the piece longer.

Knitting Help has a great set of instructional videos (see the tabs at the top of the page) You might want to look at Learn-to-knit - toward the bottom of the page is a video for a small project.

Welcome to knitting and to Knittinghelp. Stop back and ask questions, we have all learned by making the same mistakes and having the same question.

[thefamemonster]

Its a circular scarf. Honestly I have no idea what I am doing. All I know is that I have the knit and purl stitch's down and all I have done so far is cast on with a knit stitch and do one row of the purl after that is where I get lost. It might be the directions on the blog? I don't know...

[hyperactive]

One thing I can explain:
you confuse stuff. And that is normal.

The "knit stitch" that you learned, is not a knit stitch but is the "knit on cast on". That is a perfectly fine method to use (by far not the only one and not always appropriate, but here: just fine).

But let's get the terms right:

to cast on: make loops over the needle that can be knit in a row. That is your set up. Some way or another you need to create stitches before you can work them, right?

Videos for the cast on.


Once you cast on, you can knit. There are different stitches to make, but basically you make knit stitches and purl stitches. (most of the rest is variations in knitting)

There a 2 major schools of knitting. The one in that blog you linked is called "English knitting". This site has viedos for Continental (the other method) and English. You want to click on the blue buttons for the videos (not the pink ones)

The knit stitch: one basic stitch in knitting.

Video for knit stitch


The purl stitch: the opposite stitch, pretty much.

video for the purl stitch

you will get to see that a knit stitch is like a purl stitch in reverse and vice versa, but for now, try not to understand that magic but to follow the instructions.

the last step of a project is the bind-off (you need to secure the stitches at the end, you can not just leave those loops in mid air).

videos for bind off

And with this you can make your project work. Have fun.

Very useful for beginners: Watch the first video in this section: Demo of a small project

That shows a mini-piece from A to Z.

I hope you will enjoy your new hobby.

I really recommend reading a lot in the forum, watching all those videos, bit by bit (check out the entire video tab) and looking around. Don't be afraid to ask, we all started one day.

[cacunn]

My bad I didn't see the reference to the pattern.

One thing that I don't think is clearly stated on the pattern is the joining of the round.

1) You have cast on the 70 stitches.
2) Turn the piece so the working yarn (yarn attached to the skein or ball of yarn) is in your right hand.
3) Place a marker on the right hand needle.

You now insert your right hand needle into the first stitch of your left hand needle. This will join the circle. (see the video Large Diameter Circular Knitting )

Purl until you reach the stitch marker.

Continuing in the same direction you will knit the next round. (round in circular knitting is similar to row in flat knitting.

Alternate rounds of knit and purl until you have reached 6.5 inches.

The bind off I like because it is relatively simple is found at Knitting Daily

[knitcindy]

OK, so what YOU are calling your first row of knitting is really a casting on method. You've done that. Then she tells you to switch the needles around so the "working yarn" is on the right needle.

Once you start purling the first stitch, that will connect the stitches into a circle. Make sure you watch the videos here to get the knit stitch and purl stitch right.

Happy knitting!!!!!!!!!!!!!
knitcindy

[hyperactive]

I guess the real problem with that tutorial is that she does go far in explaining the knitting cast on, but she tells you nothing about how to make a knit stitch and a purl stitch.
The tutorial is a great beginner's item, done easy, but not a full "school of knitting". So just refert to all the videos we linked here for you and you will be whipping out that project in NO TIME.

[thefamemonster]

thanks for all the help everyone!!!

[hyperactive]

did you make it happen now?

[thefamemonster]

Yes I made it happen!!! I officially finished my circle scarf tonight. Its a little skinny because I knit it tightly, but I like it. Oh I also ran out of yarn :( so I had to tuck some ends in but its cute for a first time project! Thank you all for your help...I also bought Stitch N' Bitch so hopefully I don't have to come on here and sound like a completely helpless person