3 Tips for Tight Knitters

I spend a fair amount of time at Grandma's Spinning Wheel, and a few weeks ago my friend Vicky, the shop's owner, told me about a question a lot of customers ask. She said tight knitters often don't understand why they always have to go up several needle sizes to obtain the recommended gauge for a yarn or pattern.

We chatted and came up with a couple ideas that might help tight knitters loosen up and have an easier time getting gauge.

3 Tips for Tight Knitters

Materials

Thanks to Skacel for providing the Rylie by HiKoo yarn and addi Click Bamboo Interchangeable Needles used in this tutorial. These products are available locally at many yarn shops and online at Makers' Mercantile.

Tip #1 - Knit happy!

When you're frustrated, or anxious, you tend to tighten your grip on your yarn and needles.

Tip #2 - Stitches should hug the needles not strangle them.

There's no need to intentionally pull the yarn and stretch your stitches out of shape.

Tip #3 - Knit on your needles, not on the needle tips.

Depending on the size of the needle you are using, the needle tips can be several millimeters smaller than the shaft of the needle. So if you form your stitches on the needle tips they can be significantly smaller than if you form your stitches around the shaft. (Make sure to watch the video for a demonstration of why this happens.)

See it in Action

Recommended Pattern

Ready to try this technique in a pattern? The Ohmö Shawl Pattern shown in this lesson has video tutorials to help you learn and practice these skills:

• Möbius Cast On
• Russian Join
• 3 Tips for Tight Knitters

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