Failure to Launch -- err Knit...

[Matdredalia]

Alright, so..I've been trying to knit on/off for about a year now. I always give up after about a week because no matter what I do, I always have the same problem:

I can not knit a knit stitch (or purl for that matter!).

I can cast on like a banshee out of, well, you know...but getting the first stitch knit is impossible.

I understand the process perfectly, but for some unknown reason, I can't do it.

The big thing I noticed between the video and my own project is that I have an extra tail at the end of my cast on yarn when I go to start the new row. I've tried cutting this to get it out of the way, but I still keep messing up.

Every time I try to put the stitch on the right-handed "barren" needle, my stitch comes unraveled. I go in through the front, slip my needle point under the yarn from the yarn ball, pull it through...and then strings go everywhere and it all comes undone when I try to make "Jack jump off" so to speak.

I'm desperate to learn how to knit. I'm absolutely obsessed with it, and it's making me nuts because I usually am really good at picking up new skills and I love creating things with my hands. Knitting creates such beautiful work and I really, really want to figure this out.

Thank you all in advance for any help you might be able to give me. Watch, chances are it's something really simple that I'm just overlooking, hehe.

Thanks!

[debinoz]

WHich cast on do you use? If using the longtail, there will be a cast on tail and your working yarn on the end. If you cut off the tail your cast on is just going to come unravelled. I don't know why everything would fly all apart otherwise.

[WildMountainHoney]

Try wrapping that first stitch.

The verse that helped me learn was something like this (and I"ve only been knitting less than 10 weeks !)

In through the front door, run 'round back
Grab your sack (wrap the working yarn counterclockwise around the needle)
out through window

That "extra" bit can be ignored, but if you cut it, things might start to unravel! You need to, at some point, weave in that extra "tail" (on the videos here, Amy holds the tail and the working yarn together for the first few stitches, then drops the tail and ignors it).

Good luck!

[Krystal]

It sounds like Debinoz figured out why you are unravelling. When you watch the video, Amy points out the extra tail, and that you can carry it with the working yarn, knitting 3 stitches with the tail and working yarn together, then dropping the tail and just using the working yarn.

You can also just leave the tail alone and just use the working yarn. GIve the extra tail a good tug after the first stitch to tighten it up, if you notice it is a bit loose.

Keep trying, you can do it.

[jess_hawk]

I might suggest trying another cast on method.
Some things to think about:
Are you casting on too tight? I do this, I've loosened up a lot in the past couple of years and its still hard to knit the first row.
Are you casting on too loose? I've watched people who knit extra loose and for the life of me I can't figure out how they keep their strings straight!
Also, if you drop your first stitch, don't pull the yarn!!!! look and see if you can find a loop and get it back on your needle. That way, you won't have to start all the way over.
I hope you figure it out! Maybe you could post pictures of what you're doing to help us see exactly what you are doing? Also, that way if one of us spots what is going on, we can draw on your picture point visually to how to fix the problem.

[Matdredalia]

Thanks for your replies so far, guys!

As for which cast-on method I've been using, I have indeed been using the long tail cast on method. I'm not quite sure how to work the tail into my stitches, but I'm going to attempt to work it in as if it were just a part of my working yarn.

I'm about to attempt my stitching again, and I'm going to take all of your advice and try things out. Thank you guys so much! (^-^)

[suzeeq]

You may be inserting the needle in between the stitches instead of into the first stitch, that can cause the CO to unravel.

[miss_molly]

I'd say it is the extra tail that's causing the problem, as others have also suggested.

I've known how to knit for years, have mainly used the cable cast-on, and only quite recently done the long tail cast on. Only occasionally... because I do much prefer the cable cast on, just find it simple to do, much less fiddly.

http://www.knittinghelp.com/videos/cast-on
Try the cable method and I'd bet your problem will be solved. Its simple to do and once you're at ease with that and have some experience knitting, you can then try the long tail method again if you want.

Good luck.

[Matdredalia]

Last night, after much stress and deliberation, I decided to go through some of the KH videos that I hadn't though of. Specifically the "mini" project one that shows everything all together. That's where the tail being worked in is mentioned, which was quite the bit of enlightenment!

And, I think I may have solved my problem. As was said earlier, I think I wasn't going into the first stitch. >.> Whoops.

So, once again, I'm going to make my nightly knitting attempt, hehe.

[brittyknits]

There was mention of possibly photographing what you're doing-- sounds like a great idea! If you can have someone with a digital camera snap you step by step, maybe we can figure it out. Also, not sure it this is going to be any help, but-- the first stitch of a new row is the most difficult when you're learning how (actually, it's always the most difficult, but when you get some experience behind you, you don't even notice ). What many people do-- and it's not because it's easier, it because it makes a smoother edge, actually-- it to just place the first stitch of the row on the "barren" needle, in other words, don't knit it at all, and then start knitting the row. It will also help you get a little bit of an anchor before actually knitting. Don't worry though, everyone has a rough time in the beginning and then once you've done it for a bit, you won't be able to figure out how you ever had a hard time! Is there anyone you know near by who knits? Or is there an LYS (local yarn shop) or Michael's or AC Moore or Joanns or Hobby Lobby? Someone there could show you how to get that first bit going. Hang in there, and good luck!!!