Learn How to Do a Knit Stitch English Style [FREE Knitting Tutorial]

The Knit Stitch is one of just two basic stitches used in knitting. The other stitch is the Purl Stitch. Using these stitches together, you can create thousands of different knitted stitch patterns.

Knitters in the USA and Europe mainly use one of two knitting styles: Continental Style and English Style. In the last few years, some people have started to refer to the English Style as the American Style.

Whereas there are differences between these two knitting styles, the main difference is which hand you hold your working yarn in.

If you are an English Style knitter, you hold the working yarn in your right hand. On the other hand, if you are a Continental Style knitter, you will hold the yarn in your left hand.

So, which knitting style should you go for? Try and experiment with both knitting styles and then you can decide on the style that feels most natural for you.

In knitting patterns, you will typically see the knit stitch abbreviated as a “k”.

Getting Started with the Knit Stitch English Style

As the knit stitch is typically the first stitch any knitter learns, that is what we will start within this tutorial.

There are many different variations of both the English Style of knitting as well as the Continental Style of knitting.

Unfortunately, we are not able to show all these variations here. Instead, we will teach you the most common one.

You will need to have some stitches on your main knitting needle before you can start knitting. Therefore, we recommend that you start by checking out these tutorials first:

• Making A Slip Knot
• Learn How To Do The Slingshot Position
• Learn How To Do A Long-Tail Cast On

Step-by-Step Knit Stitch English Style Tutorial

 

Begin by holding the needle with the cast-on stitches on your left hand. Grip the working yarn between your right index and middle fingers.

 

TIP: When knitting with more slippery yarns such as silk, cotton, linen etc., it can be difficult to keep the tension. Therefore, you may want to also place your working yarn between your ring and pinky fingers.

 

Keep the needle with the cast-on stitches in your left hand. The empty needle should be in your right hand. At the same time, maintain the grip on your working yarn.

 

 

 

Slip the right-hand needle between the first and second cast-on stitch on the left-hand needle. It should form an ‘X’ figure with the right-hand needle underneath the left-hand needle.

 

 

 

Secure the right-hand needle from slipping off the stitch by holding it using your left hand. Then throw the working yarn around it counterclockwise.

 

 

Use your right-hand needle as a “hook” and pull the working yarn through the stitch.

 

You can now slip the original stitch off the left-hand needle.

Continue like this until all of your stitches have been knitted and are on your right-hand needle.

Keep practicing the above steps and you will soon find that you are able to knit faster. In addition, you will also find that it will become a smooth in-around-and out motion.