☕️ 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/ 👕 My patterns: nimble-needles.com/free-knitting-patterns/ 📸 Instagram: instagram.com/nimbleneedlez/
I know that this video is two years old, but the wonderful thing about knitting, is this will always be current, valid information that can help knitters, like me, who learned how to knit, then took a very long, unplanned hiatus from knitting. This really helped me to refresh my memory, and is so much better than the videos that I learned from so many years ago. You would have saved me so much time, had your videos existed back then! Thank you, Norman, so very much, for having so much patience to clearly demonstrate everything with your own knitting, along with the clear verbal explanations that coordinate with the proper terminology, as it really helps to re-solidify them together in my mind! You are an excellent instructor, and I love your channels! You are a such a joy to watch and to hear!🥰💖
Oh my! I have been knitting for ages and this is the first time seeing someone actually show what I have had to imagine in my mind’s eye. Following instructions described on a piece of paper vs seeing the formation of loops is such a help for visual learners! Thank you for going this extra step!! Love ❤️ your teaching style!
I have knitted off and on for over 40 years but only in the last year have I learned rudimentary skills in reading my knitting due to TH-cam. But this video is on a whole different level. Especially appreciate the large scale formation of loops. Excellent visual technique. I know this video (like many others of yours) will be one of my saved constant reference technique videos. Much appreciated time and effort on your part, Norman.
Thank you so much for this video! I started watching your channel a few weeks ago and you took me out of the knitting hell I’ve been in the past 20 years! I was told how to knit by my Eastern European grandma and used to knit for fun and relaxation quite a bit. Than I moved to the US 25 years ago and every attempt to follow an American pattern resulted in a mess so I gave up on knitting for many years. I could not figure out why except thought there was something wrong with the way I knitted. Thanks to your videos I discovered that I knit the Russian Style, so I knit through the back loop and pearl backwards too. Finding this out was like getting a diagnosis for your medical symptoms - the relief of having a label! Now I know what I’ve been suffering from all these years: Russian speed knitting. :) From this video I so clearly see how I have to deconstruct a pattern so that the stitches are twisted or not twisted where they need to be and to change how I do decreases etc so that ”my backwards” knitting reflects the pattern. I so needed this understanding - I cannot begin to tell you how helpful your videos have been. I just made 5 different scarfs as Christmas gifts and have discovered the joy of knitting again. THANK YOU!
Best comment ever~!! I'm so happy for you,that you've escaped knitting hell,,and rediscovered the joy of knitting again. I only learned how 3 years ago,and now I knit for several hours every single day. I don't know how I lived for 53 years without knitting in my Life~!!
I also knitted Russian style and I'm left-handed, so I mirror knit. When I grew up, there was not TH-cam, but now I taught myself Continental style. For me, it was not a huge change. I still need to change patterns for the mirror knitting but, at least, I took care of one issue.
I have not been in knitting hell but with TH-cam I just realized that I don't knit like most people. When I pearl, the yarn is wrapped clockwise and I then knit through the back loop (to counteract twisting the knit stitch). After reading your comment and a quick search I now understand that my Swedish mother taught me the "Russian grandma" style of knitting. It is amazing to learn new things about the basics after 40 years of knitting!! 😃
1:00 I think this concept was the 1st thing I ever learned about knitting. I understood it to mean that if you wanted the classic "V" stitch, you would knit it from one side, or purl it from the other side. I was probably 6 or 7 years old watching my grandmother knitting. I was decades later before I ever tried knitting myself, and not until a week ago that I REALLY learned how to do it properly.
With actual videos, showing step by step is a God sent. I have a hard time comprehending the written word/drawing that are one dimensional. Thank you for such precise instructions.
It’s funny the first thing my mama made sure was that I knew the purl was a reversed knit . It really made a difference in learning to look at how pieces are constructed. I also my learning style is a little more observation based so I think she wanted to make sure I understood how stitches are built so I didn’t get as frustrated trying to learn… this is such a good video.
I do not knit. I crochet. Your voice and explanations are beautiful! Starting watching you for yarn information and notions but now just watching to listen to you. So calming and instructional and inspiring! Thank you!
Knit/purl: I realized two weeks into knitting, because I was trying a stitch sampler piece for my very first project. It involved seed stitch, 2x2 rib, and a few others. And when I flipped the work over, I realized the purl looked exactly like the knit on the wrong side. I was blown away!
This is one of the most helpful explanations EVER! thank you for going into detail and explaining how it all fits together. This will help my knitting immensely. Thank you!
Today I thought about how much I have learnt from watching Norman, and I’ve been knitting for over 40 years. I’ve watched this video a number of times because it’s so good. So I looked at the number of videos available for free on his channel and I was shocked by the sheer number. They all have thousands of views, so many of you must appreciate his work as I do. Knitters always appreciate another’s work, we are quick to identify the skill and artistry of another. Most of us learnt how to knit by sitting beside a mother , aunt or grandmother. It has always been an inherited skill we pass along. Watching Normans videos are just like that. The collection of his videos amounts to an excellent beginners course in its own right and still offers much to more experienced knitters too. So many artisans are forced to put down their craft and stuff it into a “hobby bag” simply because they can’t make enough money to earn a reasonable living from it , (often referred to as getting a “real job”). So today I joined Normans Patreon, I signed up for the Grandmaster level and paid up for twelve months immediately! It wasn’t an easy decision to make because like most I’m also feeling the pinch, but I did so not only for what I know I will gain, but for the young knitters who do turn to this platform to learn new skills. Learning how to knit is no longer limited to mums and aunts, and having an excellent mentor such as Norman will encourage more men and boys to take up the craft. I think that recently, (May 2023), Norman may have purchased a better camera, the clarity and stitch detail is fantastic. He’s invested so much in his projects. I believe that having so much information and video content available for free has in some ways caused me to forget to value the work of a contributor that I access on TH-cam at least every week. I don’t know why it has taken me so long to formalise that appreciation by paying for it. I suppose it cost me equal to the materials for two jumpers, maybe less, but the next two jumpers I do knit will be works of art I’m sure after accessing the content in my new account! 😂😂 I encourage all of you who can, to seriously consider joining his Patreon account. I am so glad that I did.
oh wow. Madelaine. what a wonderful feedback/comment to wake up to. Very glad to hear you appreciate all that I do and understand that without support I wouldn't be able to continue. Much love from Austria
OMG, Norman! This is the most lucid, wonderful, helpful how to read knitting tutorial I have ever seen - and believe me I have seen hundreds of them. Thank you so much. I feel like you have given me the best Christmas present. Wishing you the best Christmas and hoping 2021 prove to be a wonderful year for you. I look forward to your videos always and next year will be no different.
I sure hope it does!I personally am always puzzled how someone thinks it's a bother or hard to memorize. But then again, I can understand how it must feel if you just follow the written instructions.
Understanding the anatomy of knitting was the only way I learned how to knit. My aunt had tried to teach me in my teens many many many years ago, and I just couldn't grasp it. It didn't help that left to my own devices when my aunt wasn't around, I ended up trying to knit left-handed (and this was LONG before TH-cam or the internet existed to help). I gave up for years and it was only when I found videos by other very technical creators that I finally understood how knitting worked. So I understood that purls and knits were mirrors of each other right from the start once I began learning independently. Just doing what my aunt told me to do never worked so that understanding was crucial for me to learn.
Just what i was looking for! I have knitted since i was little but recently switched to crochet and realised i was able to read the stitches at a glance a lot easier. I realised it's what i needed to enjoy knitting again and this is just perfect!!!
A very clear, well explained, helpful and friendly professional teaching video.... thank you very much!! ! I found it very imformative and helpful and can only imagine the hours of prep, filming ,editting etc that went it to it! Much appreciated. xxx
This video is truly amazing. An entire knitting course in 30 minutes. I’ve watched it twice now and will probably watch it over and over again and return back to certain sections for my entire knitting life! Thank you Norman!
When I first taught myself to knit, (way before TH-cam!) I inadvertently knitted twisted stitches. Since I was purling back, the stitch was then untwisted. The first pair of socks I knitted in the round looked funny so I really examined how I was knitting and refined it so the stitches were untwisted. It took a few years before I learned that sometimes one does this on purpose!!!🤣😃
I didn't know knit and purl stitches were "mirrors" but I did learn about knitting in the round and how the opposite site of the knit stitch is a purl. I didn't learn it as a "mirror" but I guess that's what it is! I took a class at our local yarn store to learn how to knit. This is wonderful, thank you! 🧶
You might not know it, but your videos are the ones I consistently come back to again and again and again and again! Meanwhile other knitting videos I see once and that's all. Your channel and the information and effort you put in it (I especially appreciate you using vibrant, non fuzzy yarn for your demonstrations) is a testament to your diligence, and it is greatly rewarded by being endlessly watchable! I cant wait to be part of your patreon so that I can thank you for making my journey into learning how to knit so smooth and easy. I am really so thankful for you and your channel! I can hardly express my gratitude in words ❤
Well thanks to my mum-in-law I got this explanation almost immediately, served, so not my success that I would realized it on my own but it was kind of "WOW, sooo clever" moment :D
Norman you are so talented at cl early explaining techniques, I love it! I can finally actually see how the stitches are connected and the "front" leg of a knitted stitch! Thank you 😊 so much!
wow, that was all very understandable, very clear, but a LOT so I will likely be watching this one several times. Even so it will be a minute before I can remember all the things. And that stitch you did at the end was so cool.
ah well, I guess I did pour A LOT of fast paced information in one video *grin* And yeah...those fancy stitches can be so fun. To be honest, in knitting the magic happens when you just do anything crazy and do it regularily and see what happens.
Awesome video Norman, really appreciate your content! Even your shorter videos are always so helpful and packed with incredible information. I think your account is the most in-depth and helpful one I’ve come across so far. Keep up the great work 👏🏼
This is so very helpful, especially to a new knitter. I was knitting a hat in the round and then noticed I had gotten off the pattern. An experienced knitter friend of mine came over to fix my mistakes. Now I understand what she did. Thanks!
First thing, right away! I am a forever beginner knitter. When you said one could even make up their own stitches, I cracked up! Been there, done that too often while learning!!!😂
LOL old school here... I knew from the beginning of my knitting adventures (approx. starting at 6yrs old) that knit and purl stitches are the "two sides of the coin"... thanks to my mother who taught me knitting.
My mother taught me to knit as a child, but she could never describe purling so that I could understand. Stockinet stitch was all I could do. I was in my late 20's when the knitting circles were made popular, and knitting circles where I could actually ask questions of others, and presto I understood purls. Haven't looked back, and I knit some almost every day.
yeah i remember that conversation and it got my mind churning while I...excuse the imagery, lol....taking a bath and I was like: What if...and could that work. And then I realized it could be a very cool video. So thank you for serving as an inspiration, Lisa!
Well well well! I have not seen such a comprehensive breakdown of knit and purl stitches before this. I will save this for my future knitting projects. Thank you! ♥️👍
I have knitted for 40 + years and have a little knowledge of knit and purl. My Mom (deceased) always undid my mistakes, but, now I have started a baby blanket seven times and I think with your help I can finish my great-grand babies blankets. I have 4 going on 5. I really like your videos
Love this! It is actually how my brain works knitting, but I never saw someone approach it like this outside of my brain :-) The part about increases brought me some new ideas.
Wow! Thank you for this video. This has helped me understand why certain stitches are used in certain locations, as well as understand knitting patterns instead of just following along. Thank you!
I have been knitting since September 2021 (which is about 4 months) and the greatest discovery for me was learning how to distinguish stitches :) Thanks to such great videos as yours, acquiring this knowledge is pure pleasure!
thank you for the enlarged examples & regular sized examples, you really helped boost my confidence in understanding the anatomy of knitting even more.
I just started knitting with needles. I first learned knitting with round looms. So, I learned about the knit and purl stitches around 8 yrs ago. Your videos are a huge help in getting me on the needles! Thank you!!!
I taught myself to knit decades before the Internet, using a booklet, yarn, and needles bought at Kmart. I saw quickly that the purl stitch was just the back of the knit stitch. However, I didn’t realize until years later how useful this knowledge was.😆
It's hard for me to believe but just yesterday, I was knitting Point Edwards Mitts and thinking to myself, "I have to remember to search for ANATOMY of a KNIT STITCH" !! Thanks for eliminating the need for me to even search for it and stop reading my mind. LOL
it is absolutely frightening how much you know about the craft of knitting. here I am thinking I am a regular knitter, knitting, purling, k2tog, yo, blah blah blah. no. I am so ignorant! I am going to be referring to this many times in the future I am sure. thank you.
Actually I would hold that I don't know much. But I know how a knit and a purl stitch works and the rest is just simple combination & math. And it was my hope I could teach a little bit of it through this video. So, i'm ignorant of a lot of things in knitting as well. But when I want to solve somethng, i just sit down and knit swatches to figure it out :)
Wow you know your onions!! Wish I’d discovered this before!! Thanks for sharing your knowledge!! I’m looking forward to watching your other tutorials and take my work up a level!!
Thanks so much again, Norman! I found this especially helpful for grafting stitches, bc I always get confused or just get lazy. :') And now I finally understand the point of Knitting through the back loop! I learned pretty quickly that knits/purls are mirrors of eachother, but that's bc I'm someone who wants to read all the information before I start something new. It also just made sense bc of how you insert your needle and bc of how ribbing looks on the WS.
Glad it was helpful! and yeah grafting stitches can be very confusing if you just follow instructions. But once you realize what you are doing it's super apparent!
Ok, crazy, it took me about 50 years to realize the purl and knit stitches are mirror images. I asked my girlfriend why my stocking knit stitches were coming out slanted when flat knitting but perfectly straight while knitting in the round. She watched me knit and purl 2 stitches and then said stop! You are knitting from the back loop and pulling from the front loop. Now My stitches are straight as I knit and purl through the front loop and take the yarn counterclockwise around the needles. Thank you for your explanations and clear instructions. 😎I am a better knitter from watching you and following your tips.
My mother taught me how to knit when I was a teenager, and she made sure I knew that knit and purl stitches were mirror images of one another, so I have always known :)
So I just started this video. I learned to knit from my third grade teacher, a British woman that was Expert. She tried very hard to get me to understand how to pearl. And it wasn’t until I turned 60 that I realized I have been pearling a twisted stitch all these years, I saved the sweater I was making where I went from twisting this pearl to doing it correctly just to remember the story. I’m lookingforward to this video.
My mama knitted so I knew the difference before I started to knit. I am self taught, I knit continental, have a hard time seeing the stitches. So thank you.
Oh, my goodness, this was helpful! I've been knitting for over 60 years and didn't know this. Yes, I've been reading my knitting but not to this level.
me too!!! cannot believe at 79 I am still an eager learner ... so lucky to find this channel thank you Norman! This definitely needs to go in my reference file as my right brain which predominates is bewildered by all there is to observe. Usually I just fudge corrections with duplicate stitches of my own making. I would like to better learn how to weave in the back of st st I cannot figure out how to manage the thread through the upper and lower loops with anu fluidity.
I just started following your tutorials. You are well spoken and clearly explain the craft of knitting. I appreciate your teaching style and the patience you display is heartwarming. I really want learn about knitting and how to optimize the learning experience. By the way, thank you for the video about spending frivously...you stopped me in my tracks🙄
I've been knitting for four years and made progress reading my knitting this last year but OMGoodness this video is off the charts helpful. I bet it would have taken me years to figure this all out. Thank you.
@@yarnmotivated yes you are right! it's not me commenting but someone who stole my profile pic and wants you to do.whatever...dunno don't care but it'S a scam! :)
Watching again Norman. I didn't hear your first question somehow. It was pretty obvious that knits and purls were mirror images or opposite as soon as I turned the flat pice over to purl back. Fir me that was quite obvious. But I have criched since I was in middle school, and knitting I sort of learned by watching my friends mother when .I was in high school. I didn't start to knit myself other than trying a few times as a child to mimic a neighbor. Bu5 I actually started knitting in 2018 late in the year. By 2019. I had a subscription with knit crate and my journey vegan learning about various wool those what I liked and didn't. So for learning getting yarn every month from Knit crate was wonderful. I did eventually stop about a year before they closed because too much was the same. And you always seemed to need at least three skeins/ hanks to make a garment. Often the color was nit the same dye lit ir they were out before you could reorder which made it nit worth it. I do enjoy all that yarn now by buying yarn to go with the knit crate yarn. I am enjoying knitting very much. A good deal from your instructions. Thank you.
i have chronically cold hands and especially feet. After listening to you Dear Nimble Teacher I am Comfort. You take away anxiousness. You take away fear anxiety. Teacher. You Teach! i am super in love with this comfort/youtube channel. You might call this video How to Feel Comfortable.
I just learned that the knit & purl stitches are mirrored of each other. You taught me how to continental knit easier & a little faster. Now it's more enjoyable.
The best video I've ever watched in regards to how and why a stitch may be wonky and how to fix it, if possible, depending on other factors. I've watched many videos from certified master knitters but nothing as thorough as this one! WELL DONE!!
I found out after I’d been knitting for a couple of years that I was twisting my purl stitches. They were pretty, but way more difficult than it needed to be. 😊
What a great video. I think knitting is pretty much the most complex craft as the techniques to achieve the same result can be so varied, so this is definitely a useful explanation for anyone who finds knitting instructions daunting.
GruBGott Norman! Thank you sooo much for your wonderful helpful and informative tutorials. I am 70 yrs old, and my Austrian mother showed me how to knit plain and pearl the 'Austrian way' as she called it........ (continental 😊) ........and I tried, but being young, I gave up far too easily when I tried knitting a raglan jumper that took soooo so long to knit....... 😅.....but, now I am back with some online help, and having found you, I am so much more confident and hope to succeed and actually finish a cardigan. Thank you so much Norman. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Oh my word, you are brilliant! I’ve been knitting for 50 years and never knew that knit and purl stitches were inverted mirrors of each other!😮 I am so embarrassed! But also so thankful for you! The way you explain things is amazing. It should be a requirement that anyone who knits watches your video!
ive been knitting for almost 3 years and i realized that knits and purls were mirrors when i was learning how to purl lol also! great video! its very informative and well explained :)
I knew the difference/association between the knit and the purl, but that was probably because I started my knitting adventures with your instructional videos :'D It seems that it set me on the right path from the start. However, it was only now that I realised I'm using crossed knit. I will continue with it until the sweater is finished to maintain consistency, and then make a swatch to see the difference. Thank you for the great instructional videos and for making me a better knitter ❤
Another fantastic video as usual... You will have to show us you dropping a stich to know you are not the knitting god! I just wanted to thank you for all the fantastic videos and patterns. Sent a friend of mine a lovely pair of socks, hat and scarf. He loved it! Just couldn't wait until the big day to open it. Then his husband opened his not to be left out! 😂 They will be wearing them on the day no doubt! Thank you so much for the encouraging words when trying to knit socks (I'm addicted now!), all your tops, tricks.... You are a very special person, and we appreciate you taking the time to share your knowledge with others. Thank you Norman.
I never thought about the stitches being mirrored! Really I have never thought so hard about all the mechanics until I started watching your videos! Your instruction has improved my knitting for which I am so thankful! Have a great springtime, (It’s almost spring here in MD, USA)
I do not know how I have forgotten this but my mom (Handarbeitslehrerin) used to have these giant needles and yarn (really rope) to demonstrate how stitches are formed in needlecraft classes at elementary school - there were also big charts with really clear graphics. It is one of my earliest memories, seeing her pratice demonstrating the stitches at home and it fascinated me how those magical loops made a pretty fabric. 🙂 Your video reminded me of this. This is a compliment, btw. My mom was a great teacher (she is retired now), and so are you. Thank you for this great demonstration!
Good Morning Norman, just been watching this video before I get ready to go to my dialysis treatment. Wanted to say thank you very, very much for this tutorial. Your explanation is so incredibly helpful and has helped me understand my knitting so much more. Thank you so much. Have a fabulous day xxx.
This video is inspiring. It's the most detailed video about the structure of a stitch I have ever watched on YT. It addressed to many issues I missed before. Great work.
I’m 55 and just started to knit 10/24. lol. It’s such a beautiful craft!! I am trying to learn as much as I possibly can. This video is amazing!!! Can I have you in my home for about a week?😂😂😂😂. I am in a small knitting class. I hope I learn something new from this to surprise my instructor. 😊. I’m going to try and make this t-shirt sweater. My instructor says I can do it. I love the yarn I picked. Everyone please say a prayer. 😂😂😂😂(Summerknaus pattern)
This is the clearest knitting anatomy video I've seen! I've been trying to graft 2x2 rib, but all the videos I've found only show stockinette or 1x1 rib. Now, with a good magnifying glass, and a little thought, I think I can graft just about any pattern!
Yes, totally doable. And if not, you can see my basic tutorial here: nimble-needles.com/tutorials/how-to-graft-2x2-ribbing/ Howeever, i need to add that 2x2 rib is a nasty thing to craft because if you fllow the standard grafting technique the ribs won't fully align. You can adjust for that and create a perfect graft but it's a bit of a mind-fuck on the needles >.
![The secrets to getting gauge and knitting perfect swatches [5 common mistakes]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/ntK-ICmol2E/mqdefault.jpg)
![The secrets to getting gauge and knitting perfect swatches [5 common mistakes]](/img/tr.png)
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I know that this video is two years old, but the wonderful thing about knitting, is this will always be current, valid information that can help knitters, like me, who learned how to knit, then took a very long, unplanned hiatus from knitting. This really helped me to refresh my memory, and is so much better than the videos that I learned from so many years ago. You would have saved me so much time, had your videos existed back then! Thank you, Norman, so very much, for having so much patience to clearly demonstrate everything with your own knitting, along with the clear verbal explanations that coordinate with the proper terminology, as it really helps to re-solidify them together in my mind! You are an excellent instructor, and I love your channels! You are a such a joy to watch and to hear!🥰💖
Oh my! I have been knitting for ages and this is the first time seeing someone actually show what I have had to imagine in my mind’s eye. Following instructions described on a piece of paper vs seeing the formation of loops is such a help for visual learners! Thank you for going this extra step!! Love ❤️ your teaching style!
thank you. took me like 5 attempts until I found a way to vizualize this..so, happy I suceeded in the end!
I have knitted off and on for over 40 years but only in the last year have I learned rudimentary skills in reading my knitting due to TH-cam. But this video is on a whole different level. Especially appreciate the large scale formation of loops. Excellent visual technique. I know this video (like many others of yours) will be one of my saved constant reference technique videos. Much appreciated time and effort on your part, Norman.
you are very welcome Dory!
Thank you so much for this video! I started watching your channel a few weeks ago and you took me out of the knitting hell I’ve been in the past 20 years! I was told how to knit by my Eastern European grandma and used to knit for fun and relaxation quite a bit. Than I moved to the US 25 years ago and every attempt to follow an American pattern resulted in a mess so I gave up on knitting for many years. I could not figure out why except thought there was something wrong with the way I knitted. Thanks to your videos I discovered that I knit the Russian Style, so I knit through the back loop and pearl backwards too. Finding this out was like getting a diagnosis for your medical symptoms - the relief of having a label! Now I know what I’ve been suffering from all these years: Russian speed knitting. :) From this video I so clearly see how I have to deconstruct a pattern so that the stitches are twisted or not twisted where they need to be and to change how I do decreases etc so that ”my backwards” knitting reflects the pattern. I so needed this understanding - I cannot begin to tell you how helpful your videos have been. I just made 5 different scarfs as Christmas gifts and have discovered the joy of knitting again. THANK YOU!
Oh Kasia, so happy to hear this. and 5 scarfs..that sounds like a lot of work. I bet they will be very well received!
Best comment ever~!! I'm so happy for you,that you've escaped knitting hell,,and rediscovered the joy of knitting again. I only learned how 3 years ago,and now I knit for several hours every single day. I don't know how I lived for 53 years without knitting in my Life~!!
Kasia Deemer, same here! Kiedyś tak uczono w szkole . I'm still struggling! But NimbleNeedles videos are the most helpful ever!
I also knitted Russian style and I'm left-handed, so I mirror knit. When I grew up, there was not TH-cam, but now I taught myself Continental style. For me, it was not a huge change. I still need to change patterns for the mirror knitting but, at least, I took care of one issue.
I have not been in knitting hell but with TH-cam I just realized that I don't knit like most people. When I pearl, the yarn is wrapped clockwise and I then knit through the back loop (to counteract twisting the knit stitch). After reading your comment and a quick search I now understand that my Swedish mother taught me the "Russian grandma" style of knitting. It is amazing to learn new things about the basics after 40 years of knitting!! 😃
1:00 I think this concept was the 1st thing I ever learned about knitting. I understood it to mean that if you wanted the classic "V" stitch, you would knit it from one side, or purl it from the other side. I was probably 6 or 7 years old watching my grandmother knitting. I was decades later before I ever tried knitting myself, and not until a week ago that I REALLY learned how to do it properly.
This is a great video that really explains the “anatomy” of knitting. Thank you.
you are very welcome, Denise. Glad you found it helpful :)
With actual videos, showing step by step is a God sent. I have a hard time comprehending the written word/drawing that are one dimensional. Thank you for such precise instructions.
It’s funny the first thing my mama made sure was that I knew the purl was a reversed knit . It really made a difference in learning to look at how pieces are constructed. I also my learning style is a little more observation based so I think she wanted to make sure I understood how stitches are built so I didn’t get as frustrated trying to learn… this is such a good video.
I do not knit. I crochet. Your voice and explanations are beautiful! Starting watching you for yarn information and notions but now just watching to listen to you. So calming and instructional and inspiring! Thank you!
oh wow! well, maybe I can teach you some knitting, too! I believe these two crafts are meant to intermingle :)
Yes they are. And maybe some day I will learn it. 😊. In the meantime I will continue to enjoy it via your videos and others!
This video is literal gold!
Knit/purl: I realized two weeks into knitting, because I was trying a stitch sampler piece for my very first project. It involved seed stitch, 2x2 rib, and a few others. And when I flipped the work over, I realized the purl looked exactly like the knit on the wrong side. I was blown away!
I have knit for close to 70 yrs and learned more from this video than in all my yrs knitting. Thank you. Love hour videos.
Awesome! Very happy to hear this. Took quite a while to script this video!
You are an amazing knitter and an great teacher!! Thank you for being so thorough in your tutorials!!
Happy to help!
This is one of the most helpful explanations EVER! thank you for going into detail and explaining how it all fits together. This will help my knitting immensely. Thank you!
You're very welcome!
Today I thought about how much I have learnt from watching Norman, and I’ve been knitting for over 40 years.
I’ve watched this video a number of times because it’s so good. So I looked at the number of videos available for free on his channel and I was shocked by the sheer number. They all have thousands of views, so many of you must appreciate his work as I do.
Knitters always appreciate another’s work, we are quick to identify the skill and artistry of another.
Most of us learnt how to knit by sitting beside a mother , aunt or grandmother. It has always been an inherited skill we pass along. Watching Normans videos are just like that.
The collection of his videos amounts to an excellent beginners course in its own right and still offers much to more experienced knitters too.
So many artisans are forced to put down their craft and stuff it into a “hobby bag” simply because they can’t make enough money to earn a reasonable living from it , (often referred to as getting a “real job”).
So today I joined Normans Patreon, I signed up for the Grandmaster level and paid up for twelve months immediately!
It wasn’t an easy decision to make because like most I’m also feeling the pinch, but I did so not only for what I know I will gain, but for the young knitters who do turn to this platform to learn new skills. Learning how to knit is no longer limited to mums and aunts, and having an excellent mentor such as Norman will encourage more men and boys to take up the craft.
I think that recently, (May 2023), Norman may have purchased a better camera, the clarity and stitch detail is fantastic. He’s invested so much in his projects.
I believe that having so much information and video content available for free has in some ways caused me to forget to value the work of a contributor that I access on TH-cam at least every week. I don’t know why it has taken me so long to formalise that appreciation by paying for it.
I suppose it cost me equal to the materials for two jumpers, maybe less, but the next two jumpers I do knit will be works of art I’m sure after accessing the content in my new account! 😂😂
I encourage all of you who can, to seriously consider joining his Patreon account. I am so glad that I did.
oh wow. Madelaine. what a wonderful feedback/comment to wake up to. Very glad to hear you appreciate all that I do and understand that without support I wouldn't be able to continue.
Much love from Austria
Just now. I'm 70 years old and started knitting at age 10. So it took me 60 years.😢. Thanks for the video Norman. Now I know.😊
Wow Norman, you are gifted! Thank you for sharing it by teaching us so much. Appreciate you!
OMG, Norman! This is the most lucid, wonderful, helpful how to read knitting tutorial I have ever seen - and believe me I have seen hundreds of them. Thank you so much. I feel like you have given me the best Christmas present. Wishing you the best Christmas and hoping 2021 prove to be a wonderful year for you. I look forward to your videos always and next year will be no different.
oh wow..those are some big word Judy! I feel humbled. Happy holidays to you too!
Kitchener stitch makes more sense now… great video!
I sure hope it does!I personally am always puzzled how someone thinks it's a bother or hard to memorize. But then again, I can understand how it must feel if you just follow the written instructions.
Understanding the anatomy of knitting was the only way I learned how to knit. My aunt had tried to teach me in my teens many many many years ago, and I just couldn't grasp it. It didn't help that left to my own devices when my aunt wasn't around, I ended up trying to knit left-handed (and this was LONG before TH-cam or the internet existed to help). I gave up for years and it was only when I found videos by other very technical creators that I finally understood how knitting worked. So I understood that purls and knits were mirrors of each other right from the start once I began learning independently. Just doing what my aunt told me to do never worked so that understanding was crucial for me to learn.
Just what i was looking for! I have knitted since i was little but recently switched to crochet and realised i was able to read the stitches at a glance a lot easier. I realised it's what i needed to enjoy knitting again and this is just perfect!!!
A very clear, well explained, helpful and friendly professional teaching video.... thank you very much!! ! I found it very imformative and helpful and can only imagine the hours of prep, filming ,editting etc that went it to it! Much appreciated. xxx
Yah, sure takes some preparation and scripting. But it's always a pleasure to, quite apparently, help so many fellow knitters 😊
This video is truly amazing. An entire knitting course in 30 minutes. I’ve watched it twice now and will probably watch it over and over again and return back to certain sections for my entire knitting life! Thank you Norman!
When I first taught myself to knit, (way before TH-cam!) I inadvertently knitted twisted stitches. Since I was purling back, the stitch was then untwisted. The first pair of socks I knitted in the round looked funny so I really examined how I was knitting and refined it so the stitches were untwisted. It took a few years before I learned that sometimes one does this on purpose!!!🤣😃
as long as you figured it out!
Besides, I personally actally believe some of these twisted patterns can look fabulous.
I didn't know knit and purl stitches were "mirrors" but I did learn about knitting in the round and how the opposite site of the knit stitch is a purl. I didn't learn it as a "mirror" but I guess that's what it is! I took a class at our local yarn store to learn how to knit. This is wonderful, thank you! 🧶
As a south paw I am absolutely in love with you. THANK YOU!!
You might not know it, but your videos are the ones I consistently come back to again and again and again and again! Meanwhile other knitting videos I see once and that's all.
Your channel and the information and effort you put in it (I especially appreciate you using vibrant, non fuzzy yarn for your demonstrations) is a testament to your diligence, and it is greatly rewarded by being endlessly watchable!
I cant wait to be part of your patreon so that I can thank you for making my journey into learning how to knit so smooth and easy. I am really so thankful for you and your channel! I can hardly express my gratitude in words ❤
thank you so much for your stellar feedback. Glad my videos work so well for you
Well thanks to my mum-in-law I got this explanation almost immediately, served, so not my success that I would realized it on my own but it was kind of "WOW, sooo clever" moment :D
Norman you are so talented at cl early explaining techniques,
I love it!
I can finally actually see how the stitches are connected and the "front" leg of a knitted stitch! Thank you 😊 so much!
wow, that was all very understandable, very clear, but a LOT so I will likely be watching this one several times. Even so it will be a minute before I can remember all the things. And that stitch you did at the end was so cool.
ah well, I guess I did pour A LOT of fast paced information in one video *grin* And yeah...those fancy stitches can be so fun. To be honest, in knitting the magic happens when you just do anything crazy and do it regularily and see what happens.
Awesome video Norman, really appreciate your content! Even your shorter videos are always so helpful and packed with incredible information. I think your account is the most in-depth and helpful one I’ve come across so far. Keep up the great work 👏🏼
This is so very helpful, especially to a new knitter. I was knitting a hat in the round and then noticed I had gotten off the pattern. An experienced knitter friend of mine came over to fix my mistakes. Now I understand what she did. Thanks!
First thing, right away! I am a forever beginner knitter. When you said one could even make up their own stitches, I cracked up! Been there, done that too often while learning!!!😂
LOL old school here... I knew from the beginning of my knitting adventures (approx. starting at 6yrs old) that knit and purl stitches are the "two sides of the coin"... thanks to my mother who taught me knitting.
My mother taught me to knit as a child, but she could never describe purling so that I could understand. Stockinet stitch was all I could do. I was in my late 20's when the knitting circles were made popular, and knitting circles where I could actually ask questions of others, and presto I understood purls. Haven't looked back, and I knit some almost every day.
Hoh--lee--COW!!! This video rocked my WORLD. Dude, this is a dream come true. If only I could have a teacher like this for every aspect of life😍🤩🫠
Norman!!! I'm only 1 minute in and I am sooo excited! This is exactly the kind of video I asked for a few weeks ago! Yay!
yeah i remember that conversation and it got my mind churning while I...excuse the imagery, lol....taking a bath and I was like: What if...and could that work. And then I realized it could be a very cool video. So thank you for serving as an inspiration, Lisa!
@@NimbleNeedles Ha! Thank YOU!
I never even thought about the stitches (purl and knit) but now that you said it, it was an o wow moment.
Knitting is essentially crochet chains tied together. Love your videos, Norman!
heh...happy to hear that, Patricia
Well well well! I have not seen such a comprehensive breakdown of knit and purl stitches before this. I will save this for my future knitting projects. Thank you! ♥️👍
I have knitted for 40 + years and have a little knowledge of knit and purl. My Mom (deceased) always undid my mistakes, but, now I have started a baby blanket seven times and I think with your help I can finish my great-grand babies blankets. I have 4 going on 5. I really like your videos
thank you Linda! :) and feel free to come back anytime and ask your questions if you are stuck.
Love this! It is actually how my brain works knitting, but I never saw someone approach it like this outside of my brain :-) The part about increases brought me some new ideas.
wonderful. love to hear my video got the creative process going!
Wow! Thank you for this video. This has helped me understand why certain stitches are used in certain locations, as well as understand knitting patterns instead of just following along. Thank you!
I am so glad I found you. I have been knitting about 6 months. I learned just now. I have only tried the knit stitch so far. I am on my 4th washcloth.
heh! well, glad to be here for you Sarah! And maybe use this as an opportunity to learn the purl stitch for even fancier washcloths! :)
I have been knitting since September 2021 (which is about 4 months) and the greatest discovery for me was learning how to distinguish stitches :) Thanks to such great videos as yours, acquiring this knowledge is pure pleasure!
Wonderful!
Wow, that is eye-opening! This is me now, not taking for granted all those 'random' loops and bumps.
heh. happy to provide your eureka moment! :)
thank you for the enlarged examples & regular sized examples, you really helped boost my confidence in understanding the anatomy of knitting even more.
I usually hate knitting with this big yarn (hurts my hands) but I felt it might work very well for this vidoe. so glad it worked out for you!
I don’t remember how long but I do remember thinking wow now I can tell what stitch would come next. It was a revelation.
I just started knitting with needles. I first learned knitting with round looms. So, I learned about the knit and purl stitches around 8 yrs ago. Your videos are a huge help in getting me on the needles! Thank you!!!
Fantastic video! Norman, you are a wonder! Such perfect demonstration, camera work, and explanations! Thank you!
My teacher at our local yarn shop, Hill Country Weavers, taught such a wonderful beginner class and I learned it there.
I taught myself to knit decades before the Internet, using a booklet, yarn, and needles bought at Kmart. I saw quickly that the purl stitch was just the back of the knit stitch. However, I didn’t realize until years later how useful this knowledge was.😆
It's hard for me to believe but just yesterday, I was knitting Point Edwards Mitts and thinking to myself, "I have to remember to search for ANATOMY of a KNIT STITCH" !! Thanks for eliminating the need for me to even search for it and stop reading my mind. LOL
okay...if I say I'll switch of my mind-reading ability...will you believe me? just when they ask to turn off the cameras on reality TV, right? :P
it is absolutely frightening how much you know about the craft of knitting. here I am thinking I am a regular knitter, knitting, purling, k2tog, yo, blah blah blah. no. I am so ignorant! I am going to be referring to this many times in the future I am sure. thank you.
Actually I would hold that I don't know much. But I know how a knit and a purl stitch works and the rest is just simple combination & math. And it was my hope I could teach a little bit of it through this video.
So, i'm ignorant of a lot of things in knitting as well. But when I want to solve somethng, i just sit down and knit swatches to figure it out :)
Your videos are amazing! Learning to knit is a breeze watching your videos. Thank You! Xx
Wow you know your onions!! Wish I’d discovered this before!! Thanks for sharing your knowledge!! I’m looking forward to watching your other tutorials and take my work up a level!!
Thanks so much again, Norman! I found this especially helpful for grafting stitches, bc I always get confused or just get lazy. :') And now I finally understand the point of Knitting through the back loop!
I learned pretty quickly that knits/purls are mirrors of eachother, but that's bc I'm someone who wants to read all the information before I start something new. It also just made sense bc of how you insert your needle and bc of how ribbing looks on the WS.
Glad it was helpful! and yeah grafting stitches can be very confusing if you just follow instructions. But once you realize what you are doing it's super apparent!
Wow! I’ll be recommending this video to all my knitting friends! 🙏❤️
Thank you for making the difficult to understand so clear and well demonstrated
You are an awesome teacher , thank you so very much for sharing your secrets and knowledge.
Wow, this really helps one understand the science of knitting, how and why things work the way they do. Thanks Norman, and happy holidays!
Happy holidays to you too 🎄
Ok, crazy, it took me about 50 years to realize the purl and knit stitches are mirror images. I asked my girlfriend why my stocking knit stitches were coming out slanted when flat knitting but perfectly straight while knitting in the round. She watched me knit and purl 2 stitches and then said stop! You are knitting from the back loop and pulling from the front loop. Now My stitches are straight as I knit and purl through the front loop and take the yarn counterclockwise around the needles.
Thank you for your explanations and clear instructions. 😎I am a better knitter from watching you and following your tips.
So love this. I’m a life long knitter but I always learn so much from you
I'm totally new at knitting and you are my first teacher!!
Thank you Norman for another wonderful video. I wish you a very happy holiday. I’m so pleased that I started to follow your videos.
Happy holidays to you too😊🎄🧶
My mother taught me how to knit when I was a teenager, and she made sure I knew that knit and purl stitches were mirror images of one another, so I have always known :)
20 years and I'm point zero when I look to your video ! so many thanks
My pleasure 😊🧶
So I just started this video. I learned to knit from my third grade teacher, a British woman that was Expert. She tried very hard to get me to understand how to pearl. And it wasn’t until I turned 60 that I realized I have been pearling a twisted stitch all these years, I saved the sweater I was making where I went from twisting this pearl to doing it correctly just to remember the story. I’m lookingforward to this video.
My mama knitted so I knew the difference before I started to knit. I am self taught, I knit continental, have a hard time seeing the stitches. So thank you.
Oh, my goodness, this was helpful! I've been knitting for over 60 years and didn't know this. Yes, I've been reading my knitting but not to this level.
and isn't that wonderful. in knitting, you can keep on learning and learning!
me too!!! cannot believe at 79 I am still an eager learner ... so lucky to find this channel thank you Norman! This definitely needs to go in my reference file as my right brain which predominates is bewildered by all there is to observe. Usually I just fudge corrections with duplicate stitches of my own making. I would like to better learn how to weave in the back of st st I cannot figure out how to manage the thread through the upper and lower loops with anu fluidity.
I just started following your tutorials. You are well spoken and clearly explain the craft of knitting. I appreciate your teaching style and the patience you display is heartwarming. I really want learn about knitting and how to optimize the learning experience. By the way, thank you for the video about spending frivously...you stopped me in my tracks🙄
ha...well glad I was in time :P
Thank you for your useful video. 🥰🥰
you are very welcome Vicky!
I am so happy to have found this channel! Thank you!
and I'm very happy to have you here!
I've been knitting for four years and made progress reading my knitting this last year but OMGoodness this video is off the charts helpful. I bet it would have taken me years to figure this all out. Thank you.
Glad it was helpful! and hey that's what i am for...to help you find those little shortcut!:)
This looks like a hack/troll. Am I wrong?
@@yarnmotivated yes you are right! it's not me commenting but someone who stole my profile pic and wants you to do.whatever...dunno don't care but it'S a scam! :)
Watching again Norman. I didn't hear your first question somehow. It was pretty obvious that knits and purls were mirror images or opposite as soon as I turned the flat pice over to purl back. Fir me that was quite obvious. But I have criched since I was in middle school, and knitting I sort of learned by watching my friends mother when .I was in high school. I didn't start to knit myself other than trying a few times as a child to mimic a neighbor. Bu5 I actually started knitting in 2018 late in the year. By 2019. I had a subscription with knit crate and my journey vegan learning about various wool those what I liked and didn't. So for learning getting yarn every month from Knit crate was wonderful. I did eventually stop about a year before they closed because too much was the same. And you always seemed to need at least three skeins/ hanks to make a garment. Often the color was nit the same dye lit ir they were out before you could reorder which made it nit worth it. I do enjoy all that yarn now by buying yarn to go with the knit crate yarn. I am enjoying knitting very much. A good deal from your instructions. Thank you.
i have chronically cold hands and especially feet.
After listening to you Dear Nimble Teacher I am Comfort. You take away anxiousness. You take away fear anxiety. Teacher. You Teach! i am super in love with this comfort/youtube channel. You might call this video How to Feel Comfortable.
aww...very happy to hear that, Teresa, that my little channel can be an oasis of comfort for you
I just learned that the knit & purl stitches are mirrored of each other. You taught me how to continental knit easier & a little faster. Now it's more enjoyable.
awesome. Very happy to hear that I can be part of your knitting journey, Patricia!
The best video I've ever watched in regards to how and why a stitch may be wonky and how to fix it, if possible, depending on other factors. I've watched many videos from certified master knitters but nothing as thorough as this one! WELL DONE!!
Wow, thank you!
Now. You just told me. I have subscribed immediately !
Welcome to my channel 😊🥰
I found out after I’d been knitting for a couple of years that I was twisting my purl stitches. They were pretty, but way more difficult than it needed to be. 😊
What a great video. I think knitting is pretty much the most complex craft as the techniques to achieve the same result can be so varied, so this is definitely a useful explanation for anyone who finds knitting instructions daunting.
Ohh Brilliant Norman !!! Thankyou
Your a Legend 👏👏👏👏
that goes down like butter. thank you!
GruBGott Norman!
Thank you sooo much for your wonderful helpful and informative tutorials.
I am 70 yrs old, and my Austrian mother showed me how to knit plain and pearl the 'Austrian way' as she called it........
(continental 😊)
........and I tried, but being young, I gave up far too easily when I tried knitting a raglan jumper that took soooo so long to knit....... 😅.....but, now I am back with some online help, and having found you, I am so much more confident and hope to succeed and actually finish a cardigan.
Thank you so much Norman.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Oh my word, you are brilliant! I’ve been knitting for 50 years and never knew that knit and purl stitches were inverted mirrors of each other!😮 I am so embarrassed! But also so thankful for you! The way you explain things is amazing. It should be a requirement that anyone who knits watches your video!
ive been knitting for almost 3 years and i realized that knits and purls were mirrors when i was learning how to purl lol
also! great video! its very informative and well explained :)
Been knitting since I was a child and just learned now about k and p....wow
I'm deeply grateful for such an in-depth description of our knitting.
it's my pleasure, Lia!
I knew the difference/association between the knit and the purl, but that was probably because I started my knitting adventures with your instructional videos :'D
It seems that it set me on the right path from the start. However, it was only now that I realised I'm using crossed knit. I will continue with it until the sweater is finished to maintain consistency, and then make a swatch to see the difference.
Thank you for the great instructional videos and for making me a better knitter ❤
Another fantastic video as usual... You will have to show us you dropping a stich to know you are not the knitting god! I just wanted to thank you for all the fantastic videos and patterns. Sent a friend of mine a lovely pair of socks, hat and scarf. He loved it! Just couldn't wait until the big day to open it. Then his husband opened his not to be left out! 😂 They will be wearing them on the day no doubt!
Thank you so much for the encouraging words when trying to knit socks (I'm addicted now!), all your tops, tricks.... You are a very special person, and we appreciate you taking the time to share your knowledge with others.
Thank you Norman.
I assure you, I drop plenty of stitches - especially when I am not looking 😅
I never thought about the stitches being mirrored! Really I have never thought so hard about all the mechanics until I started watching your videos! Your instruction has improved my knitting for which I am so thankful! Have a great springtime, (It’s almost spring here in MD, USA)
Happy to help!
(same here...the first spring flowers are already blooming!)
Thank you so much for this video! Your channel is my go-to for knitting tutorials. Keep up the good work!!
oh wow! I feel honored. thank you, Kathy!
I do not know how I have forgotten this but my mom (Handarbeitslehrerin) used to have these giant needles and yarn (really rope) to demonstrate how stitches are formed in needlecraft classes at elementary school - there were also big charts with really clear graphics. It is one of my earliest memories, seeing her pratice demonstrating the stitches at home and it fascinated me how those magical loops made a pretty fabric. 🙂 Your video reminded me of this. This is a compliment, btw. My mom was a great teacher (she is retired now), and so are you. Thank you for this great demonstration!
Your Brilliant Live your Knits and Purls I knew the difference when I was taught by my late Mother age 7 I'm 60 now ❤
Good Morning Norman, just been watching this video before I get ready to go to my dialysis treatment. Wanted to say thank you very, very much for this tutorial. Your explanation is so incredibly helpful and has helped me understand my knitting so much more. Thank you so much. Have a fabulous day xxx.
The detailed explanation of ssk blew my mind! I always wondered why the stitches had to be slipped first. Thank you!
Glad it was helpful!
It took me almost a year to learn the difference between knit/purl stitch. Fantastic lesson 👍
aww thank you. glad you find it helpful..I was a bit worried at first as the concept is both super easy and complex to show!
Wow!! I'm very new to knitting and this video has answered so many questions and helped me get a better understanding! Thank you Nimble Needles!
This video is inspiring. It's the most detailed video about the structure of a stitch I have ever watched on YT. It addressed to many issues I missed before. Great work.
yeah, I think this is an issue that rarely gets addressed in knitting..sadly! But hey..glad I can fill the void!
I’m 55 and just started to knit 10/24. lol. It’s such a beautiful craft!! I am trying to learn as much as I possibly can. This video is amazing!!! Can I have you in my home for about a week?😂😂😂😂. I am in a small knitting class. I hope I learn something new from this to surprise my instructor. 😊. I’m going to try and make this t-shirt sweater. My instructor says I can do it. I love the yarn I picked. Everyone please say a prayer. 😂😂😂😂(Summerknaus pattern)
you probably meant 10/23 :P
if not...teach me how to time travel please! :P
@@NimbleNeedles ugh. Yeah 10/23. I should never type before coffee. 😂😂😂
This is the clearest knitting anatomy video I've seen! I've been trying to graft 2x2 rib, but all the videos I've found only show stockinette or 1x1 rib. Now, with a good magnifying glass, and a little thought, I think I can graft just about any pattern!
Yes, totally doable. And if not, you can see my basic tutorial here: nimble-needles.com/tutorials/how-to-graft-2x2-ribbing/
Howeever, i need to add that 2x2 rib is a nasty thing to craft because if you fllow the standard grafting technique the ribs won't fully align. You can adjust for that and create a perfect graft but it's a bit of a mind-fuck on the needles >.