All of a sudden, I cannot knit

[lcmart]

Hi All,

Although I am a brand new knitter, I thought I knew how to at least knit and the purl stitch would be the tough one. All of a sudden, no matter how hard I try, everything I do looks like a purl stitch. Every row has bumps. I watched the videos over and over and think I am duplicating it exactly, yet I cannot get the "V's" like you should for the knit stitch. What could I be doing? I am going crazy trying to figure this one out.

Thanks! :thinking:

[Ingrid]

What you're doing is garter stitch--it will have bumps on both sides when you knit every row, because the back of a knit is a purl and the back of a purl is a knit.

In order to have all the V's on one side and all the bumps on the other side, you need to knit one row and the purl one row.

[lcmart]

Hi Ingrid,

I will try it right now and hopefully see the results you spoke of. Yes, I was expecting to see the "v's" on one side and the bumps on the other, so I will knit one row and purl the next.

If I understand you correctly, no matter whether you are knitting or purling, there will only be bumps, no "v's" on either side?

Thank you so much for your prompt reply and as soon as I put my little ones to bed, I will get started.

Thanks a bunch

[Ingrid]

You have to think of knit stitches as having two sides. The one facing you is a V, what we think of as the knit side, and the one on the back of the piece is a bump--the purl.

When you knit every row, the end result is a knit row alternating with a purl row as it faces you. It just doesn't quite look that way unless you're used to seeing what a stockinette purl side looks like.

Garter is really this, whether you knit every row or purl every row:

VVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVV
@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@ (purl bumps)
VVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVV
@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@


Stockinette on the knit side is this:

VVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVV
VVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVV
VVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVV
VVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVVV

and on the purl side is this"

@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@
@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@
@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@2
@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@

Make a little square and play with it. Look on the back after you knit a row and you'll see what I mean.

[lcmart]

Hi Again Ingrid,

Oh my gosh- your explanation totally makes sense of it for me. I am so excited to get started again. I put my needles and yarn down in frustration earlier (it's tough being a beginner) but now I know I can get this. As soon as I know my little ones are asleep, I'm ready to get knitting. I can hardly wait.

Thank you so much, I really appreciate it!

[Ingrid]