1st time knitter

[fruity]

Hi, iv recently learnt how to knit (you're sites been really helpful thank you! esp the videos) and iv started knitting a scarf. I started with 28 stitches and its currently about 12 centimetres long now the scarf (im using a 7.5mm knitting rod). but the number of stitches has grown to about 50 ( i hope im using the right knitting jargon) but im not sure if this is supposed to happen as iv never knit anything before, so is the number of stitches supposed to increase..? i hope what iv said makes sense.

[Ingrid]

Unless you deliberately increase the number of stitches in a pattern, you should have the same number all the way up the scarf.

Beginners almost always have this problem. If you're doing a knit/purl pattern, then the culprit is usually not putting the yarn in the proper place for that particular stitch--front for purl, back for knit.

Sometimes a person will see that loose first stitch as two and knit into it incorrectly. Another thing that sometimes happens is that at the beginning of a row, the yarn gets wrapped around the right needle while doing the first stitch and that, too, will give you an extra one.

There's also the problem that a stitch from the previous row might not have been slid completely off the needle, and the extra loop gets knit into.

I know all these things because at one time in my life I've done them. As have most knitters.

As you get more experience and can recognize what it is you're actually doing with these sticks and string, you'll get better at it. You can use stitch markers every 10 stitches or so and count as you get to each to narrow down where a mistake may have occurred. You won't have to do this forever, though, trust me.

Good luck with it, and welcome to the Forum.

[fruity]

ohhh, well I think I've done bit of all of the above! im doing my scarf all using the knit stitch, its not really noticeable the increase (...yet..). im using a fuzzy/furry kind of yarn so you can't really see if I've made any mistakes! i just hope that it doesnt grow anymore and try and decrease it somehow thanks Ingrid!

[Ingrid]

Well I have to say you probably picked the most difficult yarn to keep track of stitches with--but then again, it is also the most forgiving!

[fruity]

i know... i did a a little project like the one in the video (for beginners project) with some normal yarn, and it went ok, so i thought id go for the fuzzy one for my scarf - it looked really nice and had to buy it! ah well il keep trying anyway