☕️ Support my work and buy me a cup of coffee: www.buymeacoffee.com/nimbleneedlez 🧑🎓Free knitting school: nimble-needles.com/learn-to-knit-for-beginners/ 🧶 My knitting tools: nimble-needles.com/wool-and-tools/my-knitting-toolkit-essential-items-i-need-for-every-project/ 👕 More patterns: nimble-needles.com/free-knitting-patterns/ 📸 Instagram: instagram.com/nimbleneedlez/
Hey Norman... I am a knitter from India. I am not the kind of person who comments on RUclips videos. But today i am compelled to do that and Thank you for giving such beautiful and to the point explanations. You show the exact mechanism going on and everything related to it in so much depth. I am thankful i found your channel. I never knew knitting had so much in it. Although i don't knit very frequently thanks to my studies. But your videos are exactly what i needed to learn the tips and tricks all in one channel. Thank you. May your day be filled with happiness and joy. Love from India.
So glad I found you after knitting for over 50 years! Several years ago, I lost control of my hands so my favorite pastime (quilting and applique) was lost at a high level due to pinched nerves in my neck. After surgery, I needed therapy to regain some use. I came back to knitting as physical therapy. I had to relearn holding needles and found that throwing was the best for me. Now, knitting is bringing me great joy along with Tunisian crochet and regular crochet. Obviously, typing is difficult for me as well. I plan on being around for a long time knitting as many scarves, socks, and sweaters for all my children and grandchildren, friends, and other loved ones... I taught applique, quilting, and needlework for many years and recognize excellent teachers when I see them. You are a great teacher and we are lucky to have you sharing all that you do with us. At 83, I am tenacious and will never give up. Norman, thank you for your wonderful videos and encouragement. I share your joy in creating beautiful things again. Joy is not something we can create or control. It is a gift from God and usually comes when we least expect it. You are also a gift!!!!! God Bless you. Martha
Hello I am Danielle from Oklahoma, USA. I just want you to know that you are my go to for knitting instruction. I love your channel. You do such a good job.❤️❤️
Thanks for demonstrating so clearly WHY there’s extra yarn used in going from a knit stitch to a purl stitch. It all makes sense to me now! 🙏😁 (Norman, your English vocabulary and “nimbleness” of speaking is wonderful- not just for a non-native speaker, but for any English-speaker. I wish I could speak a foreign language so well!)
aww..thank you this means a lot. At first I was worried about it..but then I was like, if you don't try you'll never know. And I dare say it was a good decision to start this channel and my blog in English :)
seriously i think about 6 months ago i posted on your beginners guide video that i was get was getting my first pair of needles, now i'm learning cables and taking on my first giant afghan. Honestly one of the best knitting teachers on the platform, thank you so much.
I learned something today, after 60 years of knitting. Thank you for clearly demonstrating how yarn travels from stitch to stitch and how they all come together to form one's unique fabric. This is my go-to site!
I like the homemade imperfect look , that’s why I knit with hand-spun yarn too. In this world where everything is made perfect by machines , it’s actually beautiful to see imperfection. That said , I appreciate the skill of attempting to get it perfect. This skill for detail and precision was needed for thousands of years.
I'm so glad I stumbled upon your channel early in my knitting journey. I love when people explain why and how things work. How you explain things is wonderful.
Norman you are my shining star throwing light on all my knitting problems. The help for tidier rib is awesome. I am a bit of a perfectionist and have abandoned so many projects due to ‘ugly’ rib… I am happy this time to continue and will be back for loads more tips as I get stuck on my first pullover project 🙏❤
You are a genius - you understand and explain things so well - really, Norman, you have a gift of teaching. Once I understand the reasons why, then I don’t have to memorize a million “rules.” Knitting becomes such a joy when I am “one with the yarn.” The very first thing I knit was a sweater …completely in 2x2 ribbing! Oh, to have known then what you taught me today! Thank you for another great video
I know this video is 2 years old but... you are a FANTASTIC teacher! I LOVE that you show me what I'm doing that is likely incorrect and then how to fix it. Thank you so much!
You are amazing I will definitely check out the blog. I’m on the spectrum and I appreciate the way you explain things it’s very clear everything has patterns
I am very happy to hear this feedback & don't hestitate to comment if there's anything I could do to accomodate neurodivergent people in a better way. My blog and youtube channel earns money through ads...so that's one part that may be a bit more difficult to adjust.
Thank you! I've been knitting over 15 years and I feel vindicated to know that 2x2 rib actually isn't easy to make look good. I tend to stick to 1x1 rib because at least if the knit stitches are stretched open, at least its even. Thank you for clearing up where exactly the loose yarn is, as I've mostly tried just tightening my tension across the board to neaten it up, which actually doesn't solve the problem. Deffo got a few more tricks to try now. 3x1 rib here I come!
Omg! Stitch markers! I'm working on a pattern in the round that has two stockinette and two reverse stockinette panels and I was getting horribly loose stitches when I switched to purl... I tried tbl and it wasn't helping, pulling the string very hard to tighten up - nope, no good. But then I noticed that my thick pink plastic stitch marker was getting the yarn hooked on it and was creating an additional space between the stitches! When you explained the extra distance between a knit and a purl stitch it just clicked! Thanks for the lightbulb moment!
As always, Norman, your explanation is crystal clear and very nice demonstrated. Another thing I truly appreciate in your tutorials is that your work is fairly close up - in some tutorials, there is less of a zoom and as a result, I then sometimes struggle to understand what they are doing. Never a problem in your tutorials. A big thank you for such an excellent job.
I just wanted to say thank you for your entrelac video a while back. i can now entrealc with confidence and have one entrelac in progress and one in my head.
@@NimbleNeedles Update! Half a row in using tip #1, 'pull after the 1st purl coming off the line of knits, and omg! the difference is astounding. No, i will not frog back a piece i have been working on for a year, but i will continue this practice as it not only gives great results it also feels good to my hands. Thank you so much!
Very thorough explanation of how the interchange between knit and purl stitches work both on and off the needles. The tips for ribbing are good, and the segment about twist is especially enlightening. 👌
As a spinner, once you know what you do ( add or lose twist while knitting) you could spin your yarn to take this into account! Thank you for making this clear to me. I am a spinner :)
Thanks for discussing twist in the yarn. As a hand spinner I’m learning that how I cast on either untwist my yarn or adds too much. Still working towards a balanced yarn. I’m going to try different techniques for knitting my ribbing. Great video.
here's a little tip for you. When I do the longtail cast on, I usually just do like 5-10 stitches, and then I release the tail yarn so it can balance itself out again. then I pick up again and cast on another 5-10 stitches. if you want it totally balanced, you would havve to do that after each pass.
I love your technical demonstration of the distance the yarn travels in a 2x2. I did not know this was the most difficult rib, though I'm not a beginner knitter. I notice that my 2x2 in my current Madelinetosh yarn project is looking less regular than it does in previous projects, and I can now see that the reason must be the twist/ply of Madelinetosh. I also understand now why the 'sticky' BT Loft yarn produced a very irregular 1x1 rib. I'll try to pay attention to all the variables I wasn't aware of in the future (how the yarn cake unwinds, my English knitting style etc), but my brain is still twisting and spinning from all that new information : ) BIG THANKS for that explanation. Best wishes for you and your channel from Ireland.
Thank you for this very clear explanation. I have avoided 2x2 ribbing but now I feel more confident about achieving a better result. After knitting for more than 60 years I am learning a lot from your videos. Now off to search for a video about an appropriate cast on for 2x2 rib. Thank you Norman, I hope you are having a good day.😊
OMG, love you! I've just made my very first project - sweater for my 8 months baby and I try one of the method you've showed on the second sleeve - k1 p1, but purl on back hole. What a difference! Thank you very much for your content ❤❤❤
This video gave me a pleasant surprise near the beginning. As I've said before, I use the Norwegian purl stitch exclusively these days, and I've noticed that, by default, I have to adjust my tension after every purl stitch, because more yarn is needed to produce the stitch, and it must be tightened before continuing. As it turns out, my ribbing has become much more consistent, and now I know why. Thank you so much for this video. Keep up the good work!
Norman, I just found your videos a few days ago. I’ve been knitting at least 25 years and have learned some things I never knew to improve my knitting. Thank you for these fine tutorials!
I’m a beginner. I have been knitting on and off over the years. This past year I have been more consistent and passionate about my new hobby. I get so much joy from learning and now I am gaining more confidence. I am so happy to have found your videos. Thank you for the clear and detailed instruction ! I love your explanations in this video. So many aha moments.
I am fairly new to knitting and I randomly came across your channel and OMG you've really helped bring to light so many of the things I've struggled with. Because of COVID, I can't just go to an in-person local knitting group where I can get hands on help from someone in person, and your tips and channel have really helped me get better and work through the frustrations!
I am amazed at the new stuff I have learnt from you. In over 60 years I have never thought of the mechanics of how the various stitches are formed. Thank you
The best knitting channel !!!! I switched from continental to Norwegian knitting - it took me one week to practice, but my stitches , usually purl ones, are beautifully uniform.
These demonstrations have been invaluable to me as I learn to knit. I feel like I can produce better work earlier in my learning than I otherwise would.
I’ve been knitting for about 40 years… way before resources like the internet were available for helpful hints. I just subscribed to this channel and really appreciate your clear instructions. Most of all, I love how you deconstruct the “anatomy” of a stitch in explaining why things work. Thanks so much!
I haven’t learned so much from one person in 27 minutes in years. Wow, thanks for thinking all this through and posting such an informative video. I’ve never been impressed with my ribbing and now I have ways to improve it. Thank you.
❤ Norman, you are an incredible teacher! It is obvious you really know your craft well, and you have such a wonderful way of explaining the mechanics such that a complete novice could understand. I've been a crocheter for over 25 years but just couldn't get knitting to work. Since learning from you about the anatomy of the stitches and your tips and tricks, it finally clicked! I've just begun my first project, a cabled beanie worked in the round, and it is turning out to be quite lovely (even if my tension could use some work) 😊 I'm so excited about all the possibilities for my new skill all thanks to you!
I love your explanations. At the moment I started a Knit,purl rib for a baby sweater. So glad I came upon this video. I was actually looking for something else about my TV.
This is brilliant!! I never really noticed the unevenness of my ribbing, but yours looks so much neater!! Your understanding of the mesh created with the yarn off the needle is amazing!
This is such a wonderfully clear explanation and demonstration that I don't just know how to make my knitting better, I know *why* it works. :) Thank you for posting this!
Thank you so muchhh❤❤❤. I've knitted 5 socks and always had the same problem with the cuff. This video helped me so much. I did second method where you purl through the back loop and my ribbing is so neat. Thank you❤❤❤.
So impressed with your knowledge and techniques. I've always had problems with my ribbing . It was so messy , just nasty. I tried your technique and l was so amazed how good it looks . So happy 😊. Thank you
Wow, this is super helpful, thank you!! Im a beginner knitter still and it's so wonderful to see how much knowledge is out there on every possible knitting problem. The way that you hold your yarn is really fascinating; it looks much more efficient than my current method!
Perfect timing for this video I actually had a blanket that was doing this exact problem started a couple days ago. I just kept ripping back stitches and doing it over but this video helped
Your really a godsend. I looked all over the thrift store for a stitch by stitch trouble shooting book, i knew it was there five days ago but some lucky person bought that beat up ol pamphlet spending a whole. .97cents+tax on a piece of gold.. so Thanks to you for sharing your Gold with us ❤️🙏😭
Thank you Norman for taking the time to address this so thoughtfully and comprehensively. Your various illustrations of the concepts are excellent. I heard several things from you here that I had not heard in all my prior searching on this subject.
I'm so glad you mentioned spinning your own yarn ! I've wanted to learn how to spin for almost 30 years now,even tho I only learned how to knit 3 years ago😄(and I don't crochet,I just can't seem to use a crochet hook,even for picking up dropped knitted stitches lol🤦♀️). Spinning just hasn't been practical for me until now. My bf and I are looking at large acreage properties in the Appalachian Mountains or the Ozarks. With 200+ acres I'll be able to have alpacas and sheep,maybe even rabbits, to make my own yarn from start to finish~! I'm SO excited to finally be able to do something I've dreamed of for so many years. If you know of any good channels on spinning for beginners let me know,I'd really appreciate it. I'm a left handed person,self taught to knit right handed,,and I plan on being a self taught spinner too !! Thanks for this video,I learned a lot from it,rib stitches have always frustrated me and I think some of your tips will help me out~! I'm so glad I found your channel,you're such a good teacher and I've learned a lot from you🧶🥢💕
Norman, I am so glad I found your channel! I have been trying to teach myself to knit for several years, and it just hasn't clicked for me. Your explanations are so clear! I am sailing my way through your fingerless gloves right now, and I cannot believe that I am doing it! THANK YOU!
I love watching your videos and really enjoy all the tips to become an even better knitter. Right now I'm knitting a sweater top down and I'm more than pleased with my yarn combination. I'm so glad I saw this video today so I can knit beautiful ribs on it ❤ You're the best! 👌
So glad I found you! Pretty sure ny skills are improving now thanks to your Excellent teaching! Your kindness is bringing peace to this world. I learned the Norwegian knit stitch as a kid, have done some mitts and socks but never torally hapoy with the patterns. Really looking forward to exploring your blog & tutorials. Also: LOVE the organic, plant-dyed material! On the hunt for inexpensive natural fibres.... See you soon!!
same here. I have a post on the best indie yarn dyers and there'S a section on plant-dyed material. I am not going to link it here because I'd feel guilty hahaha
Thank you! I just knit the tidiest ribbing I've ever knit after watching this. I knew it had to do with the transition from knit to purl but I never could quite get it right.
Dear Norman, I would like to thank you so very much for a clear explanation of the anatomy of knit and purl stitches and why my ribbing often looks so wonky. I'm trying out some of your suggestions and whilst not perfect the improvement in my ribbing is noticeable. You are an inspiration. Thank you Andy from Down Under.
happy to hear that Andrea. As and I said in the video - at one point you will definitely reach the limits of what is possible with hand-knitting. And of course, it will take a bit of practise. Greetings from Germany.
Hi Norman, I am also a spinner 😊 so I knit or crochet with it, however I do also use commercial yarn if needed. My daughter in law just sends me a photo of a jumper she likes & I have to make the whole thing up! 😮 Hehehe
I'm the one who was waiting for this video! Thank you for your detailed explanation. This is very useful. I can now knit beautiful 2x2 ribbing with combination knitting and/or Purl from the back loop. You are the best Norman!
This video is so helpful and your explanations of why yarn behaves the way it does is so informative. I look forward to knitting the ribbings better. Thanks for your help.
I'll have to watch that part of your video which deals which twisted knitting yarn again. This has been a problem for me for years, and I'm never quite sure how I do it. I've recently changed to Norwegian knitting (Arne & Carlos style) and I still do the same thing. I'm not sure what I'm doing to it. Fantastic video, Norman - very clear and concise. Thanks. 💜🦘🦘🦘🦘🦘
i'm a beginner knitter so about half of those things still sound like a foreign language to me, but i still found this video very useful! thank you for breaking down the way fabric is created in a stitch, really helped me get my head around knitting and purling!
make sure to check out my glossary. Tons of helpful knitting lingo and abbreviations explained there: nimble-needles.com/tutorials/knitting-terms-and-techniques-glossary/
You would be so proud of me. I knitted, folded and joined the brim of a CC beanie today using 1x1 ribbing. It was a test swatch. I'm gonna tear it out and start over. I started on a 50" cable doing magic loop. Crocheted a provisional cast on. Joined w an extra st, slipped pulled over one. Knit one row then did 1x1 ribbing switching to 2 circulars halfway thru to try it out. Then took the cast on out, joined by picking up as I went. Took lifeline out and it didn't unravel. I did combination knitting BTW. I'm watching this video again. I'm learning stuff I didn't do on the swatch. I haven't taken it out yet. Prob keep practicing. So if I'm doing combination knitting already do I just keep doing that or is twisted mean you don't untwist it or go the the other leg?
I have only watched a couple of your videos so far, but you are definitely the perfect teacher for me! Thank you for always explaining so well, and really showing what you are doing. As a beginner, I have found your videos have improved my knitting so much already. Thank you!
Norman, I wish you lived next door! I was noticing this issue in my knitting and your explanation for the cause made understanding the cure very clear. I've just tried your first suggestion and it works beautifully! I've written the others down in my knitting journal to try on other projects. Thank you for helping me take my knitting to the next level!
This is one of the most helpful knitting videos ever!! Norman, this is fantastic. I especially like your consideration of different knitting styles and demonstrating with the ribbon. I am saving this and sharing it with all the knitters I can think of!
I found out that I need to tighten my first purl stich & that it's beneficial to work with the tip of the needle on my own :) although I found that out, the wrong side of my purl stiches still looks less nice than my knit stiches on the right side 😢 your other methods are very interesting too, but maybe a little bit unpractical. However, it shows how deeply you understand what happens with the yarn while knitting and so you are able to crate so many ways to fix mistakes! It's really nice to watch your video to unterstand WHY some things work the way they do.
Thank you for addressing this. I have had some issues with some yarns and really didn’t understand why. I don’t get to watch as often as I would like, but I love your passion for knitting and your great tips and tutorials. Bless you big!
This is so helpful!! I consider myself a combination knitter, but when I work in the round, I knit the knit stitches continental. However, my purls are mounted the "wrong" way and I knit them in a Russian way - wrapping the yarn in opposite direction to western knitting. This combination creates WONDERFUL 1x1 rib in the round. However, recently I started making a piece with 3x3 rib and all of my rightmost knits were too wide!! I looked into it, and it seemes like the western knitters have the opposite problem - their leftmost knit is too wide. I solved the problem by wrapping the yarn in a western way for the last purl before the first knit!! Now my rib is wonderfull!!
oh thank you so much for sharing this! I also knit in a combination of styles and mostly continental and even with all these helpful videos explaning the yarn lenght differences could not figure out how to get rid of the slack in the stitch that comes after the purl in stead of in front of it. Now I just knit that stitch with wrapping the yarn "wrong" and it works! Im so happy that I finally have neat ribbing!!
Thank you for your ribbing tips - I especially appreciate and agree with yr final comments. Best advice! I started seriously knitting when I was 11 yrs old. At school hobby class. Finished an adult cardigan in double knitting! I left off knitting due to various demands of life but did knit on-off - Normal knitting, Arans, Lopi. At 70 now I find knitting very challenging yet relaxing! I have always strived for perfection and discovered You-Tube knitting tips (which we never had in the 60’s!). I am realizing not all my snags and holes can be corrected - CHILL! I am beginning to enjoy knitting more now and I consider my knitting imperfections my beautiful signature. I totally agree with you!
Awesome explanation Norman. I just sat down to knit my 30+ pair of 🧦 and your video came up when I looked for a podcast to watch. I will be swatching first to improve the ribbing I thought I was happy with. 👍😁
30 pairs...wow..you got your work cut out for you, eh? Definitely do watch and swatch..but if you are happy with it, then that's the most important thing!!
You are truely amazing in your analysis and teaching of an issue Norman 🎉🎉🎉 I have just restarted a jumper I am making and what a difference in the ribbing, thank you so much ✌️✌️
I love this channel so much. I initially tried crochet some months ago and couldn't get into it because I couldn't see or understand what I was doing mathematically. Then I discovered your channel and I can breathe lol. You explain everything in details, to its elementary level. And that's what I needed because I actually knit and can predict what I create and why I messed up. Excellent videos really. Thank you for your hard work!!!!
![How to really read knitting and the true anatomy of knitting stitches [10+ examples]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/ddbwjw9R6sU/mqdefault.jpg)
![How to really read knitting and the true anatomy of knitting stitches [10+ examples]](/img/tr.png)
![Noob To Max With DRAGON REWORK In Blox Fruits [FULL MOVIE]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/LnBMOinoOvA/mqdefault.jpg)
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🧑🎓Free knitting school: nimble-needles.com/learn-to-knit-for-beginners/
🧶 My knitting tools: nimble-needles.com/wool-and-tools/my-knitting-toolkit-essential-items-i-need-for-every-project/
👕 More patterns: nimble-needles.com/free-knitting-patterns/
📸 Instagram: instagram.com/nimbleneedlez/
Q
Hey Norman... I am a knitter from India. I am not the kind of person who comments on RUclips videos. But today i am compelled to do that and Thank you for giving such beautiful and to the point explanations. You show the exact mechanism going on and everything related to it in so much depth. I am thankful i found your channel. I never knew knitting had so much in it. Although i don't knit very frequently thanks to my studies. But your videos are exactly what i needed to learn the tips and tricks all in one channel. Thank you. May your day be filled with happiness and joy. Love from India.
thank you so much
So glad I found you after knitting for over 50 years! Several years ago, I lost control of my hands so my favorite pastime (quilting and applique) was lost at a high level due to pinched nerves in my neck. After surgery, I needed therapy to regain some use. I came back to knitting as physical therapy. I had to relearn holding needles and found that throwing was the best for me.
Now, knitting is bringing me great joy along with Tunisian crochet and regular crochet. Obviously, typing is difficult for me as well. I plan on being around for a long time knitting as many scarves, socks, and sweaters for all my children and grandchildren, friends, and other loved ones...
I taught applique, quilting, and needlework for many years and recognize excellent teachers when I see them. You are a great teacher and we are lucky to have you sharing all that you do with us.
At 83, I am tenacious and will never give up. Norman, thank you for your wonderful videos and encouragement. I share your joy in creating beautiful things again.
Joy is not something we can create or control. It is a gift from God and usually comes when we least expect it.
You are also a gift!!!!! God Bless you.
Martha
thank you martha for sharing your story and your elaborate feedback. It is much appreciated
Hello
I am Danielle from Oklahoma, USA.
I just want you to know that you are my go to for knitting instruction. I love your channel. You do such a good job.❤️❤️
aww...thank you Danielle. That makes me kinda proud to hear that.
Thanks for demonstrating so clearly WHY there’s extra yarn used in going from a knit stitch to a purl stitch. It all makes sense to me now! 🙏😁 (Norman, your English vocabulary and “nimbleness” of speaking is wonderful- not just for a non-native speaker, but for any English-speaker. I wish I could speak a foreign language so well!)
aww..thank you this means a lot. At first I was worried about it..but then I was like, if you don't try you'll never know. And I dare say it was a good decision to start this channel and my blog in English :)
seriously i think about 6 months ago i posted on your beginners guide video that i was get was getting my first pair of needles, now i'm learning cables and taking on my first giant afghan. Honestly one of the best knitting teachers on the platform, thank you so much.
aww...makes me so happy to hear that you progressed so quickly and I could be a little part of it!
I learned something today, after 60 years of knitting. Thank you for clearly demonstrating how yarn travels from stitch to stitch and how they all come together to form one's unique fabric. This is my go-to site!
ha! feedback like this always brings a smile to my face. thank you
I like the homemade imperfect look , that’s why I knit with hand-spun yarn too. In this world where everything is made perfect by machines , it’s actually beautiful to see imperfection.
That said , I appreciate the skill of attempting to get it perfect. This skill for detail and precision was needed for thousands of years.
I'm so glad I stumbled upon your channel early in my knitting journey. I love when people explain why and how things work. How you explain things is wonderful.
You are so welcome! (and your utamaro bijin avatar is lovely! ;-)
Help please with my rib knitting@@NimbleNeedles
Norman you are my shining star throwing light on all my knitting problems. The help for tidier rib is awesome. I am a bit of a perfectionist and have abandoned so many projects due to ‘ugly’ rib… I am happy this time to continue and will be back for loads more tips as I get stuck on my first pullover project 🙏❤
You are a genius - you understand and explain things so well - really, Norman, you have a gift of teaching. Once I understand the reasons why, then I don’t have to memorize a million “rules.” Knitting becomes such a joy when I am “one with the yarn.” The very first thing I knit was a sweater …completely in 2x2 ribbing! Oh, to have known then what you taught me today! Thank you for another great video
sounds like a lovely project for winter!
Good morning, Norman. Just wanted to say Hi and thank you for helping us old guys knit better. 😁
Good evening (here in Germany) & you are very welcome. Always happy to hear when I can help other knitters along on their knitting journey!
I love Norman's encouragement for the beginners at the end, that gentle rebuke 😅😅😅.
I know this video is 2 years old but... you are a FANTASTIC teacher! I LOVE that you show me what I'm doing that is likely incorrect and then how to fix it. Thank you so much!
You are amazing I will definitely check out the blog. I’m on the spectrum and I appreciate the way you explain things it’s very clear everything has patterns
I am very happy to hear this feedback & don't hestitate to comment if there's anything I could do to accomodate neurodivergent people in a better way. My blog and youtube channel earns money through ads...so that's one part that may be a bit more difficult to adjust.
It’s OK your channels worth the ads
As a spinner, I really appreciate you taking the time to explain that the twist can make a difference in your finished work. ❤️
Thank you! I've been knitting over 15 years and I feel vindicated to know that 2x2 rib actually isn't easy to make look good. I tend to stick to 1x1 rib because at least if the knit stitches are stretched open, at least its even. Thank you for clearing up where exactly the loose yarn is, as I've mostly tried just tightening my tension across the board to neaten it up, which actually doesn't solve the problem. Deffo got a few more tricks to try now. 3x1 rib here I come!
Glad I could help! and yeah...tightening up everything is not a solution.
Omg! Stitch markers! I'm working on a pattern in the round that has two stockinette and two reverse stockinette panels and I was getting horribly loose stitches when I switched to purl... I tried tbl and it wasn't helping, pulling the string very hard to tighten up - nope, no good. But then I noticed that my thick pink plastic stitch marker was getting the yarn hooked on it and was creating an additional space between the stitches! When you explained the extra distance between a knit and a purl stitch it just clicked! Thanks for the lightbulb moment!
As always, Norman, your explanation is crystal clear and very nice demonstrated. Another thing I truly appreciate in your tutorials is that your work is fairly close up - in some tutorials, there is less of a zoom and as a result, I then sometimes struggle to understand what they are doing. Never a problem in your tutorials. A big thank you for such an excellent job.
I just wanted to say thank you for your entrelac video a while back. i can now entrealc with confidence and have one entrelac in progress and one in my head.
Claudia, that makes me very happy.
@@NimbleNeedles Update! Half a row in using tip #1, 'pull after the 1st purl coming off the line of knits, and omg! the difference is astounding.
No, i will not frog back a piece i have been working on for a year, but i will continue this practice as it not only gives great results it also feels good to my hands.
Thank you so much!
@@ClaudiaCarranza1 that's the spirit! embrace your mistakes & learn from them
Very thorough explanation of how the interchange between knit and purl stitches work both on and off the needles. The tips for ribbing are good, and the segment about twist is especially enlightening. 👌
Glad it was helpful! And yeah...twist/spin is a topic that deserves to be in the limelight a lot more often!
As a spinner, once you know what you do ( add or lose twist while knitting) you could spin your yarn to take this into account! Thank you for making this clear to me. I am a spinner :)
Genius ! Thank you. I appreciate the “why behind the what”.
Thanks for discussing twist in the yarn. As a hand spinner I’m learning that how I cast on either untwist my yarn or adds too much. Still working towards a balanced yarn. I’m going to try different techniques for knitting my ribbing. Great video.
here's a little tip for you. When I do the longtail cast on, I usually just do like 5-10 stitches, and then I release the tail yarn so it can balance itself out again. then I pick up again and cast on another 5-10 stitches. if you want it totally balanced, you would havve to do that after each pass.
I love your technical demonstration of the distance the yarn travels in a 2x2. I did not know this was the most difficult rib, though I'm not a beginner knitter. I notice that my 2x2 in my current Madelinetosh yarn project is looking less regular than it does in previous projects, and I can now see that the reason must be the twist/ply of Madelinetosh. I also understand now why the 'sticky' BT Loft yarn produced a very irregular 1x1 rib. I'll try to pay attention to all the variables I wasn't aware of in the future (how the yarn cake unwinds, my English knitting style etc), but my brain is still twisting and spinning from all that new information : ) BIG THANKS for that explanation. Best wishes for you and your channel from Ireland.
Thank you 😊🥰🧶
Gosh, thank you, your tutorial was very helpful, interesting, and educational.
I love to learn from you (from bottom of my heart ♥)! Wish you unlimited inspiration.
🙌
Thank you for this very clear explanation. I have avoided 2x2 ribbing but now I feel more confident about achieving a better result. After knitting for more than 60 years I am learning a lot from your videos. Now off to search for a video about an appropriate cast on for 2x2 rib. Thank you Norman, I hope you are having a good day.😊
I have a cast-on video as well. I prefer the alternating Longtail cast-on in most cases
@@NimbleNeedles Thank you!
OMG, love you! I've just made my very first project - sweater for my 8 months baby and I try one of the method you've showed on the second sleeve - k1 p1, but purl on back hole. What a difference! Thank you very much for your content ❤❤❤
This video gave me a pleasant surprise near the beginning. As I've said before, I use the Norwegian purl stitch exclusively these days, and I've noticed that, by default, I have to adjust my tension after every purl stitch, because more yarn is needed to produce the stitch, and it must be tightened before continuing. As it turns out, my ribbing has become much more consistent, and now I know why. Thank you so much for this video. Keep up the good work!
yes, that's something a lot of people have experienced! glad it worked out for you!
Norman, I just found your videos a few days ago. I’ve been knitting at least 25 years and have learned some things I never knew to improve my knitting. Thank you for these fine tutorials!
Fine Tutorials
Thank you for sharing your awesome skills with me.
so glad I remembered to come back to this video before starting on my first Gansey. Thank you, Norman! ❤
That was so interesting and I learned so much! Thank you, Norman!
My pleasure!
I’m a beginner. I have been knitting on and off over the years. This past year I have been more consistent and passionate about my new hobby. I get so much joy from learning and now I am gaining more confidence. I am so happy to have found your videos. Thank you for the clear and detailed instruction ! I love your explanations in this video. So many aha moments.
aww..thank you! happy to "enlighten" you Rita :)
I have been knitting for years but never understood why my stitches aren't so neat! So, thank you!
you can constantly learn new things in knitting, isn't that great?
I am fairly new to knitting and I randomly came across your channel and OMG you've really helped bring to light so many of the things I've struggled with. Because of COVID, I can't just go to an in-person local knitting group where I can get hands on help from someone in person, and your tips and channel have really helped me get better and work through the frustrations!
Very happy to hear this 😊😊🥰🧶
Also, near the end of a ribbed project and was noticing the wobbly. your video was a lightbulb moment. thank you!
you can still try to block things. that often helps quite a lot as well!
This is fascinating. The anatomy of a knitted fabric. And I happen to be knitting a sock cuff in 2x2 now.
heh then definitely give it a try and tell me how it went!
Guess who's gonna have a perfect ribbing on their cardigan. Thank you for making it possible, I've learnt so much!
Wonderful! make sure to share a picture once you are finished :)
I am amazed at the new stuff I have learnt from you.
In over 60 years I have never thought of the mechanics of how the various stitches are formed.
Thank you
The best knitting channel !!!! I switched from continental to Norwegian knitting - it took me one week to practice, but my stitches , usually purl ones, are beautifully uniform.
I have figured out that my ribbing looks better knit on smaller needles. This is fascinating!
You just changed my knitting life forever! Thank you Norman, I love your videos and this was a great way to learn how to tighten up my Purls!
You are so welcome, Susan! :)
These demonstrations have been invaluable to me as I learn to knit. I feel like I can produce better work earlier in my learning than I otherwise would.
I’ve been knitting for about 40 years… way before resources like the internet were available for helpful hints. I just subscribed to this channel and really appreciate your clear instructions. Most of all, I love how you deconstruct the “anatomy” of a stitch in explaining why things work. Thanks so much!
I haven’t learned so much from one person in 27 minutes in years. Wow, thanks for thinking all this through and posting such an informative video. I’ve never been impressed with my ribbing and now I have ways to improve it. Thank you.
First time I watch such a good explanation for why ribbign is not neat. Thanks, I will definitely refer back to it every time I make ribs 😊
Glad it was helpful!
❤ Norman, you are an incredible teacher! It is obvious you really know your craft well, and you have such a wonderful way of explaining the mechanics such that a complete novice could understand. I've been a crocheter for over 25 years but just couldn't get knitting to work. Since learning from you about the anatomy of the stitches and your tips and tricks, it finally clicked! I've just begun my first project, a cabled beanie worked in the round, and it is turning out to be quite lovely (even if my tension could use some work) 😊 I'm so excited about all the possibilities for my new skill all thanks to you!
aww..thank you so much for the nice feedback! glad I can be part of your knitting journey
I love your explanations. At the moment I started a Knit,purl rib for a baby sweater. So glad I came upon this video. I was actually looking for something else about my TV.
Hello from Denmark. Norman, you are a genius. Thank you so much 🧶😊
I find knitting stockinette flat challenging. Every tiny variation in tension shows!!
that is true. if you use a slightly fuzzy yarn (shetland wool or so) and block it, I found that be a great help to disguise a lot of tension issues
This is brilliant!! I never really noticed the unevenness of my ribbing, but yours looks so much neater!! Your understanding of the mesh created with the yarn off the needle is amazing!
do know that the yarn you pick makes a big difference, and if you are happy with your projects, then that'S already the most important step! :)
This is such a wonderfully clear explanation and demonstration that I don't just know how to make my knitting better, I know *why* it works. :) Thank you for posting this!
All I can say is you are a genius!!
Ha! Thank you!!
Thank you so muchhh❤❤❤. I've knitted 5 socks and always had the same problem with the cuff. This video helped me so much. I did second method where you purl through the back loop and my ribbing is so neat. Thank you❤❤❤.
So impressed with your knowledge and techniques. I've always had problems with my ribbing . It was so messy , just nasty. I tried your technique and l was so amazed how good it looks . So happy 😊. Thank you
I learned so much watching this video. You will be my go-to RUclipsr for all things knitting now. Thank you!
welcome to my channel then :)
Wow, this is super helpful, thank you!! Im a beginner knitter still and it's so wonderful to see how much knowledge is out there on every possible knitting problem.
The way that you hold your yarn is really fascinating; it looks much more efficient than my current method!
it'S called continental style. If you want to, you will find a very nice introduction to this method I published only 3 weeks ago.
@@NimbleNeedles I'll check it out, thank you!! :)
Perfect timing for this video I actually had a blanket that was doing this exact problem started a couple days ago. I just kept ripping back stitches and doing it over but this video helped
Thanks Norman you give great information to support not only the beginner knitter but those who may have a little more experience.
glad you appreciate my efforts and balancing the two. thank you, Debra
You explain the technicality of knitting so nicely ( with the help of chunky yarn ) hats off to you
Your really a godsend. I looked all over the thrift store for a stitch by stitch trouble shooting book, i knew it was there five days ago but some lucky person bought that beat up ol pamphlet spending a whole. .97cents+tax on a piece of gold.. so Thanks to you for sharing your Gold with us ❤️🙏😭
Thank you Norman for taking the time to address this so thoughtfully and comprehensively. Your various illustrations of the concepts are excellent. I heard several things from you here that I had not heard in all my prior searching on this subject.
then my video served its purpose. happy to hear that
A great op-ed that should help so many of us improve the look of our ribbing. Thank you for taking the time to do this
I'm so glad you mentioned spinning your own yarn ! I've wanted to learn how to spin for almost 30 years now,even tho I only learned how to knit 3 years ago😄(and I don't crochet,I just can't seem to use a crochet hook,even for picking up dropped knitted stitches lol🤦♀️).
Spinning just hasn't been practical for me until now. My bf and I are looking at large acreage properties in the Appalachian Mountains or the Ozarks. With 200+ acres I'll be able to have alpacas and sheep,maybe even rabbits, to make my own yarn from start to finish~! I'm SO excited to finally be able to do something I've dreamed of for so many years. If you know of any good channels on spinning for beginners let me know,I'd really appreciate it.
I'm a left handed person,self taught to knit right handed,,and I plan on being a self taught spinner too !!
Thanks for this video,I learned a lot from it,rib stitches have always frustrated me and I think some of your tips will help me out~! I'm so glad I found your channel,you're such a good teacher and I've learned a lot from you🧶🥢💕
Norman, I am so glad I found your channel! I have been trying to teach myself to knit for several years, and it just hasn't clicked for me. Your explanations are so clear! I am sailing my way through your fingerless gloves right now, and I cannot believe that I am doing it! THANK YOU!
oh wow. wonderful to hear that!
I love watching your videos and really enjoy all the tips to become an even better knitter. Right now I'm knitting a sweater top down and I'm more than pleased with my yarn combination. I'm so glad I saw this video today so I can knit beautiful ribs on it ❤ You're the best! 👌
That video packs a lot of information and in a very clear manner. Thank you very much, I learned a lot !
Glad it was helpful!
So glad I found you! Pretty sure ny skills are improving now thanks to your Excellent teaching! Your kindness is bringing peace to this world. I learned the Norwegian knit stitch as a kid, have done some mitts and socks but never torally hapoy with the patterns. Really looking forward to exploring your blog & tutorials. Also: LOVE the organic, plant-dyed material! On the hunt for inexpensive natural fibres.... See you soon!!
same here. I have a post on the best indie yarn dyers and there'S a section on plant-dyed material. I am not going to link it here because I'd feel guilty hahaha
Great explanation to the complicated detail of "wonky" headscratcher ribbing! Danke!
Thank you! I just knit the tidiest ribbing I've ever knit after watching this. I knew it had to do with the transition from knit to purl but I never could quite get it right.
Dear Norman, I would like to thank you so very much for a clear explanation of the anatomy of knit and purl stitches and why my ribbing often looks so wonky. I'm trying out some of your suggestions and whilst not perfect the improvement in my ribbing is noticeable. You are an inspiration. Thank you Andy from Down Under.
happy to hear that Andrea. As and I said in the video - at one point you will definitely reach the limits of what is possible with hand-knitting. And of course, it will take a bit of practise. Greetings from Germany.
Oh my gosh! So simple,but so important!
Hi Norman, I am also a spinner 😊 so I knit or crochet with it, however I do also use commercial yarn if needed. My daughter in law just sends me a photo of a jumper she likes & I have to make the whole thing up! 😮 Hehehe
You are a knitting God!
I'm the one who was waiting for this video! Thank you for your detailed explanation. This is very useful. I can now knit beautiful 2x2 ribbing with combination knitting and/or Purl from the back loop. You are the best Norman!
Glad it was helpful and hope you didn't have to wait too long :)
This video is amazing. This was so helpful and informative and to the point!
Again very useful tips. Thank you so much for making these videos where you share your knowledge.
My pleasure!
This video is so helpful and your explanations of why yarn behaves the way it does is so informative. I look forward to knitting the ribbings better. Thanks for your help.
I'll have to watch that part of your video which deals which twisted knitting yarn again. This has been a problem for me for years, and I'm never quite sure how I do it. I've recently changed to Norwegian knitting (Arne & Carlos style) and I still do the same thing. I'm not sure what I'm doing to it. Fantastic video, Norman - very clear and concise. Thanks. 💜🦘🦘🦘🦘🦘
Excellent explanation. Thank you.
you are very welcome Suzanne. thank you for your continuing support btw. Seen your name here in the comments quite a lot!
i'm a beginner knitter so about half of those things still sound like a foreign language to me, but i still found this video very useful! thank you for breaking down the way fabric is created in a stitch, really helped me get my head around knitting and purling!
make sure to check out my glossary. Tons of helpful knitting lingo and abbreviations explained there: nimble-needles.com/tutorials/knitting-terms-and-techniques-glossary/
@@NimbleNeedles thank you so much!
You would be so proud of me. I knitted, folded and joined the brim of a CC beanie today using 1x1 ribbing. It was a test swatch. I'm gonna tear it out and start over. I started on a 50" cable doing magic loop. Crocheted a provisional cast on. Joined w an extra st, slipped pulled over one. Knit one row then did 1x1 ribbing switching to 2 circulars halfway thru to try it out. Then took the cast on out, joined by picking up as I went. Took lifeline out and it didn't unravel. I did combination knitting BTW. I'm watching this video again. I'm learning stuff I didn't do on the swatch. I haven't taken it out yet. Prob keep practicing.
So if I'm doing combination knitting already do I just keep doing that or is twisted mean you don't untwist it or go the the other leg?
Yes, you wouldn't untwist it.
Hi Norman. Thank you very much for the comprehensive video. I'm sure it would have taken you a long time to prepare and make this.
Very well done.
it did indeed. Took quite a lot of takes to finally get the theory part right so it's easy to understand. glad to hear you appreciate my efforts!
I have only watched a couple of your videos so far, but you are definitely the perfect teacher for me!
Thank you for always explaining so well, and really showing what you are doing.
As a beginner, I have found your videos have improved my knitting so much already. Thank you!
Norman, I wish you lived next door! I was noticing this issue in my knitting and your explanation for the cause made understanding the cure very clear. I've just tried your first suggestion and it works beautifully! I've written the others down in my knitting journal to try on other projects. Thank you for helping me take my knitting to the next level!
thank you for watching. I feel honored to help you along on your knitting journey
Norman, thank you so much for this great tutorial. Makes so much sense when it's explained like this.
This is one of the most helpful knitting videos ever!! Norman, this is fantastic. I especially like your consideration of different knitting styles and demonstrating with the ribbon. I am saving this and sharing it with all the knitters I can think of!
Thank you! Your tips helped me knitting rib stitch so so much neater!
I found out that I need to tighten my first purl stich & that it's beneficial to work with the tip of the needle on my own :) although I found that out, the wrong side of my purl stiches still looks less nice than my knit stiches on the right side 😢
your other methods are very interesting too, but maybe a little bit unpractical. However, it shows how deeply you understand what happens with the yarn while knitting and so you are able to crate so many ways to fix mistakes! It's really nice to watch your video to unterstand WHY some things work the way they do.
Thank you for addressing this. I have had some issues with some yarns and really didn’t understand why. I don’t get to watch as often as I would like, but I love your passion for knitting and your great tips and tutorials. Bless you big!
well, hope I was able to solve your issues, Janet. Thank you for watching.
I find so many of your tips and explanations of the way yarns behave so helpful. Many thanks 😊
Glad it was helpful, Wendy!
This is so helpful!! I consider myself a combination knitter, but when I work in the round, I knit the knit stitches continental. However, my purls are mounted the "wrong" way and I knit them in a Russian way - wrapping the yarn in opposite direction to western knitting. This combination creates WONDERFUL 1x1 rib in the round. However, recently I started making a piece with 3x3 rib and all of my rightmost knits were too wide!! I looked into it, and it seemes like the western knitters have the opposite problem - their leftmost knit is too wide. I solved the problem by wrapping the yarn in a western way for the last purl before the first knit!! Now my rib is wonderfull!!
yeah...being able to switch styles can be a huge benefit when you knit ribs :)
oh thank you so much for sharing this! I also knit in a combination of styles and mostly continental and even with all these helpful videos explaning the yarn lenght differences could not figure out how to get rid of the slack in the stitch that comes after the purl in stead of in front of it. Now I just knit that stitch with wrapping the yarn "wrong" and it works! Im so happy that I finally have neat ribbing!!
Thank you for your ribbing tips - I especially appreciate and agree with yr final comments. Best advice!
I started seriously knitting when I was 11 yrs old. At school hobby class. Finished an adult cardigan in double knitting!
I left off knitting due to various demands of life but did knit on-off - Normal knitting, Arans, Lopi.
At 70 now I find knitting very challenging yet relaxing!
I have always strived for perfection and discovered You-Tube knitting tips (which we never had in the 60’s!). I am realizing not all my snags and holes can be corrected - CHILL!
I am beginning to enjoy knitting more now and I consider my knitting imperfections my beautiful signature. I totally agree with you!
Awesome explanation Norman. I just sat down to knit my 30+ pair of 🧦 and your video came up when I looked for a podcast to watch. I will be swatching first to improve the ribbing I thought I was happy with. 👍😁
30 pairs...wow..you got your work cut out for you, eh?
Definitely do watch and swatch..but if you are happy with it, then that's the most important thing!!
As someone who's just getting started knitting, I think this may help me avoid some beginner mistakes! Thank you!
definitely...and don't forget to browse through my channel. tons of videos geared towards beginners!
You are truely amazing in your analysis and teaching of an issue Norman 🎉🎉🎉 I have just restarted a jumper I am making and what a difference in the ribbing, thank you so much ✌️✌️
I am a loose knitter so I generally use one size smaller needles for the main knitting and two for the rib. This gives me a nice firm, even rib.
I love this channel so much. I initially tried crochet some months ago and couldn't get into it because I couldn't see or understand what I was doing mathematically. Then I discovered your channel and I can breathe lol. You explain everything in details, to its elementary level. And that's what I needed because I actually knit and can predict what I create and why I messed up. Excellent videos really. Thank you for your hard work!!!!
You are so welcome Miur!