From casting on and gauge to knit and purl stitches, and classic patterns like brioche, cable, or seed stitch: We'll show you the most important basics and explain step-by-step how the various techniques work.
What you need to get started
If you're just starting out with knitting, the wide selection of needles, yarns, and accessories can seem a bit confusing at first. Don't let that deter you! For your first knitting attempts, you essentially only need knitting needles and yarn.
And if it doesn't work out perfectly right away: that's part of the process. With each row, you'll gain more practice and a better feel for the needles and thread.
You can find even more basics and helpful tips for getting started in our comprehensive beginner's guide to knitting.
These knitting stitches and techniques are particularly important
Before you embark on your first larger knitting project, it's worth learning the most important basic techniques. In addition to the correct hand position, these primarily include casting on and knitting and purling stitches.
At the beginning, your stitches might not look perfectly even. That's completely normal. The more often you knit, the more confident your movements will become – and eventually many of them will happen automatically.
How to begin: casting on
Whether it's a winter sweater, a beanie, or a doll's dress: Every knitting project begins with the cast-on. This is where the necessary stitches are placed onto the knitting needles.
For a good start, it's important to hold the yarn correctly and cast on the individual stitches neatly.
The Gauge Swatch
Even if you're eager to start your new project right away, you should make a gauge swatch for every knitting project.
It indicates how many stitches or rows are needed for 10 cm. This way, you can check whether your finished garment will be the correct size later on and whether you are working with the appropriate needle size.
To do this, measure 10 cm in both height and width on your swatch.
Knit and purl stitches
Knit and purl stitches are among the absolute basics of knitting. Many classic knitting patterns are created simply by combining these two types of stitches in different ways.
When knitting, you generally proceed as follows:
- Pull one of the needles out backward.
- Take the empty needle in your right or left hand.
- Place the yarn leading to the ball over the index finger of your left or right hand and continue knitting.
The selvedge stitch
In your knitting project, the selvage stitches are always the first and last stitch of a row. They form the outer edge of your knitted work.
There are different ways to work selvage stitches. If you don't have much knitting experience yet, you can keep it simple at first and knit the selvage stitch as a knit or purl stitch.
The Rib Stitch – classic, beautiful, and versatile
The brioche stitch is a true classic and suitable for a wide variety of knitting projects. Warm scarves, cozy sweaters, or beanies gain a particularly beautiful structure through this stitch.
Characteristic of the brioche stitch is its textured and voluminous surface. Not only is stitch by stitch knitted, but also worked in depth simultaneously. This creates a particularly warm, stable, and elastic knit.
Even if you haven't been knitting for long, you can try your hand at the brioche stitch. It's particularly well-suited for first projects like a scarf.
However, the additional volume also increases yarn consumption. There are three variations of the brioche stitch:
- Full Brioche
- Half Brioche
- Mock Brioche
When the brioche stitch is mentioned generally, it usually refers to the Full Brioche.
How to knit the brioche stitch
Begin by casting on stitches. The number of stitches must be divisible by two. Remember that two of the stitches will later form the selvage stitches. At the end of each row, turn your work.
Tip: With the brioche stitch, knitted projects will be smaller than stockinette projects with the same number of rows and stitches. A gauge swatch is therefore particularly important.
In the first row, alternate knitting one knit stitch and one purl stitch. The selvage stitches are always knit. At the end of the row, turn your work and knit back.
The actual brioche stitch begins in the return row. The first stitch is knitted again.
After that, alternate between a knitted stitch through the stitch below and a purl stitch.
For the knitted stitch through the stitch below, you do not insert the needle into the stitch on your needle as usual, but into the stitch one row below.
Following this principle, continue knitting both the front and back rows: alternately one purl stitch and one knitted stitch through the stitch below – always purl over purl and knit over knit.
This creates the typical depth of the brioche stitch.
Cable knit – timeless, Scandinavian, chic
Few patterns are as synonymous with cozy knitwear as the cable pattern. It evokes cold winter days and is often associated with the far north and classic knitwear.
At first glance, a cable pattern looks quite complicated. However, smaller variations are also suitable for beginners.
If you can already knit knit and purl stitches confidently, you can try your first cable. In addition to your regular knitting needles, you will need an auxiliary needle with a bend.
How to knit a cable pattern
The pattern is worked by alternating purl and knit stitches.
- Start with two purl stitches.
- Then slip three stitches onto an auxiliary needle.
- These three stitches remain on the auxiliary needle for now and are placed in front of your work.
- Now knit three knit stitches.
- Then pick up the auxiliary needle again and knit the three stitches on it as ordinary knit stitches.
- After that, your auxiliary needle should be empty again.
- Now follow with two purl stitches again. Then slip three knit stitches onto the auxiliary needle again and repeat the pattern.
- Once a row is complete, the following rows are knitted according to the same pattern.
This gradually creates the typical look of the cable pattern.
Pearl Stitch – classy and simple
Once you've mastered knit and purl stitches, you can also try your hand at moss stitch.
The characteristic small "pearls" are created by knitting knit and purl stitches alternately. The pattern looks lively yet remains beautifully even.
Another advantage: The edges of seed stitch do not curl. That's why it is particularly popular for scarves or sweaters. Of course, you can also use the stitch for many other knitting ideas.
There are two variations of seed stitch:
- single seed stitch
- double seed stitch
If only seed stitch is mentioned, it usually refers to single seed stitch.
How to knit seed stitch
First, cast on your stitches. The number of stitches for seed stitch should always be an odd number.
Then proceed as follows:
- First, knit one stitch, then purl one stitch.
- Repeat knit and purl stitches until the end of the row.
- The last stitch must also be a knit stitch.
- Turn your work.
- In the next row, continue knitting and purling stitches, but now offset.
- A purl stitch is worked over the knit stitch of the previous row.
- A knit stitch is worked over the purl stitch of the previous row, accordingly.
This offsetting creates the typical texture of seed stitch.
The perfect knitting patterns for classic knit stitches
You've mastered casting on, knit, and purl stitches, and you're eager to try out your new skills? Then it's time for a proper knitting project.
In our shop, you'll find numerous models with knitting instructions where you can practice various basic techniques and classic knitting patterns.
Especially if you don't have much experience yet, it's worth starting with a model of low difficulty. This way, you can fully concentrate on the new techniques and gain more confidence with every knitted row.
And then all that's left is: choose your yarn and needles and start knitting!
