Directions are right-handed. If you are left-handed, read "left" for "right" and "right" for "left." It may be helpful to hold illustrations up to a mirror.
Cast on. Measure a strand of yarn (about 1" per stitch) for number of stitches you will be casting on. For practice, measure a 20" length of yarn to cast on 20 stitches. Make a slip loop in yarn and place on needle; tighten gently. (see Figure 1)
With right hand, hold needle with slip loop. Insert left thumb and forefinger between yarn tails. (see Figure 2) Working from front to back, insert right needle under yarn on thumb. Bring needle over yarn on forefinger and through both strands of yarn on thumb. (see Figure 3) Drop yarn from thumb and pull strand gently to tighten stitch. (Don't tighten too much; stitch should move easily along needle.) You have just cast on one stitch. Repeat for 19 stitches to practice.
Knit (k). Hold needle in left hand with cast-on stitches between thumb and forefinger, thumbnail facing you. Let yarn from skein dangle in back of fingers. Holding empty needle with right hand, run point of this needle through loop of first stitch on left-hand needle. (see Figure 4) Enter loop by going in left edge of stitch and end with right-hand needle crossed behind left-hand needle. Hold both needles in crossed position with thumb and forefinger of left hand while you use right hand to pass strand of yarn from back to front and around right-hand needle. Grasp right-hand needle with right hand again, and use point of that needle to draw strand of yarn through loop on left-hand needle. (see Figure 5) There is now a loop on right-hand needle. Let stitch on left-hand needle drop off. You have just knit one stitch. Continue to end of row, then transfer filled needle to left hand, ready to begin next row.
Purl (p). Purl stitch is reverse side of knit stitch. To purl, hold left-hand needle as for knitting, but let yarn dangle in front of thumb. Enter first stitch on left-hand needle by going in right edge of stitch and end with right-hand needle crossed in front of left-hand needle. (see Figure 6)
While holding both needles in crossed position with thumb and forefinger of left hand, pass yarn from front to back and around right-hand needle. (see Figure 7) Tilt right-hand needle down slightly to pull new loop of yarn through old loop and onto right-hand needle. Let stitch on left-hand needle drop off. (see Figure 8) You have just purled one stitch. Continue to end of row.
Remember: For knit stitch, yarn is held in back and you enter from left side of stitch. For purl stitch, yarn is held in front and you enter from right side.
When changing between knit and purl within a row, bring yarn from back to front or vice versa between needles. Don't loop yarn over needle to bring it in proper position.
Bind off (bo). When you've finished knitting, you'll need to get stitches off needle. To bind off, follow pattern directions and knit or purl first two stitches. Put left-hand needle point into first stitch and pull it over second stitch and off both needles. Knit or purl third stitch. Pull second stitch over third and off needles. Work loosely. Continue to end of row. When one stitch remains, cut yarn and pull tail through stitch, fastening off. Weave in loose ends.
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