Beginner needs help - simple garter stitch

[ash1988]

Hi All!

I am a complete beginner at knitting and just started two days ago. I really want to continue practicing and be able to make nice cardigans, scarves, etc. I know it will take me a long time to get there but I am excited! No one I know knits so I hope I can post questions and ask for help in this forum!

I am starting with a simple garter stitch scarf. However, I am already having problems I started with a 12 stitches on each row and I wanted to continue that way till I get to a comfortable size. UNFORTUNATELY, these are the problems I am having:

1) The first 14 or so rows are good and have 12 stitches. Somehow (without realizing) the next 10 or so rows have 18 stitches. I have no idea how I got there. How to avoid this problem and how do I prevent it for the next time?

2) Some of the row have like holes in some of the stitches...Maybe I missed a stitch? Not sure how I did that either? How do I prevent this?

3) Some of the row edges are not as intact as the other? How do I make sure they are all the same?

I apologize if my questions seems silly, but please bear with me! I want to knit my husband a scarf for Christmas and want to avoid these problems I am having now. Any help will be much appreciated! I am so happy I found this forum and look forward to your responses. Thank you once again!!

PS - some pictures are included of my current project. It looks pretty bad so I apologize for this. It's my first project and I can't wait to get better!

[suzeeq]

Where the holes are you must have wrapped the yarn around the needle in between sts; this is a YO/yarn over, and makes an extra stitch. It's done on purpose in lace knitting, but not wanted otherwise. You might also have done that at the beginning of some rows, that puts an extra one at the edge and makes it jagged looking. Or you could have put the yarn over the top of the L needle to the back at the start of a row and that pulls up the first st so each 'leg' of it looks like 2 sts instead of one. Hold the yarn out to the side a little bit when you begin a row and you'll be able to see that first stitch better.

You could take this out to the row where the first hole is or where you last had 12 sts and do the rest over, or just keep going since this a practice piece.

[salmonmac]

You are not alone.Here is some collected wisdom about those mysterious extra sts. It's a common problem and will undoubtedly go away if you pay enough attention to it.

[fatoldladyinpjs]

We've all had problems like that when we first started. Hang in there. You'll get better with practice.

[chixdilla]

You only started 2 days ago and you've already knitted that much!? Wow!

Don't worry, I made the same mistakes when I first started knitting just a couple of weeks ago so you are definitely not alone. The very first "thing" I knitted came out looking warped because I was accidentally adding extra stitches. I started out with 15 and ended up with 32! The videos here are extremely helpful. You should watch them all if you haven't already.

[cheley]

Hi All!

I am a complete beginner at knitting and just started two days ago. I really want to continue practicing and be able to make nice cardigans, scarves, etc. I know it will take me a long time to get there but I am excited! No one I know knits so I hope I can post questions and ask for help in this forum!

I am starting with a simple garter stitch scarf. However, I am already having problems I started with a 12 stitches on each row and I wanted to continue that way till I get to a comfortable size. UNFORTUNATELY, these are the problems I am having:

1) The first 14 or so rows are good and have 12 stitches. Somehow (without realizing) the next 10 or so rows have 18 stitches. I have no idea how I got there. How to avoid this problem and how do I prevent it for the next time?

2) Some of the row have like holes in some of the stitches...Maybe I missed a stitch? Not sure how I did that either? How do I prevent this?

3) Some of the row edges are not as intact as the other? How do I make sure they are all the same?

I apologize if my questions seems silly, but please bear with me! I want to knit my husband a scarf for Christmas and want to avoid these problems I am having now. Any help will be much appreciated! I am so happy I found this forum and look forward to your responses. Thank you once again!!

PS - some pictures are included of my current project. It looks pretty bad so I apologize for this. It's my first project and I can't wait to get better!

Hi...and hang in there. Practice (umm usually) makes perfect! I have been at it for about 6 years and still learn something new all the time...Suzee is right on...so just be careful,don't yarn over (unless on purpose) or you will get holes also from your pic, if you want to get a more even edge, just instead of knitting the first stitch, just slip it (as if to knit) to your needle.Insert your needle in the stitch, don't wrap your yarn (to knit) and pull off to your right needle..Make sense? if not, just post and I will check back...good job!!!

[Wanda Witch]

I'd say you have done pretty darned well for only knitting two days. Just keep practicing and take it slow and easy at first. I've knit for years and have become a 'master' at tinking. Keep up the good work, learn from the mistakes and from the very well-informed other knitters on this site. I have learned so much since being here and it has helped me - a lot.

[ash1988]

Thank you all for your response and your kind words of encouragement! I started over and it's looking better already! I will try to follow everyone's advice and post a picture when I'm done (or ask more questions hehe).

Thank you again!

[ash1988]

Hey All!

Just wanted to post a picture of my finished project! It's not that perfect, but I'm pretty happy with it! Thank you all for your help!

[ash1988]

@cheley - thanks for your feedback! Sorry, I don't think I fully understand the finer/straighter edge suggestions. Do you know of any videos that show this? That would be really helpful!