Need tips for looser stitch

[pixiewytch]

I've been knitting for about six months now but my stitches always seem so tight. I feel like I could knit a lot faster if it didn't take me so long to work a stitch because I can't get in there. This seems to be the worst after a purl row so I guess those are even tighter. I've tried to hold the yarn looser in my fingers and when I wrap it around the needle but it doesn't seem to help much.

Any suggestions or maybe working these hard stitches is supposed to be normal? I'm just not sure if I'm doing it right.

[stacey2061]

maybe you're working too bulky a yarn on too small a needle? try going up a size or two and see if that helps.
if not, my only advice is to just stick with it. as you get more comfortable knitting, you'll get it right

[alaska]

Pay close attention while you're knitting - do you give an extra tug on the yarn after each stitch? Here's a good article on the subject.

[alaska]

Pay close attention while you're knitting - do you give an extra tug on the yarn after each stitch? I've watched lots of new knitters do that while teaching Knitting 101 at my LYS

Here's a good article on the loosening up.

[pixiewytch]

Wow, that article is so helpful. Thanks. I'm not tightening the yarn after I knit a stitch but I may be holding the yarn too taut while I'm knitting. Now I'm off to watch myself and go find out.

[prana]

Breathe in, Breathe out.


Do some yoga???

[Skiesmama]

I was having the same problem and found out that I'd been purling wrong. I was wrapping the yarn the wrong direction. What about knitting on circular needles just knitting - do you have the same problem? I had absolutely no idea until I showed my first sweater to someone and they thought it was an unusual stitch - it was just stocking stitch. It still looked like stocking stitch, but in a slightly different twisted kind of way - how's that for a great description hey?

Anyway, just thought i'd mention it. I used to get soooooo frustrated as here I was knitting what felt like really loosely and yet my knit rows were always so tight that it was really hard to get the needle in. It's so much nicer now, but I had a heck of a time for a while relearning as I had gotten used to knitting soooo loosely that I had to actually tighten up a fair bit.

Heather