How to Make a Slip Knot to Begin Hand Knitting
Hand Knitting Instructions by Sharon Nani / The Knit Tree
Photos by David Nani
© 2008
Hand Knitting begins by making a Slip Knot and Casting On the required number of stitches for your project. This is part One of the Basic Hand Knitting Techniques Series which takes you through Photo Steps Instructions of how to Make a Slip Knot, Slip Loop, to begin Hand Knitting.
>Our First Hand Knitting Project for our Little Knitters Program is the Fun and colorful Doctor Who Season 12 Striped Garter Stitch Scarf. We also offer Pure Wool Yarn Kits for this scarf which can be knit as the original Dr Who Scarf which is 15 feet long, or you can knit 2 scarves 7.5 feet long, or knit three great gifts of gentlemen scarves each 5 feet long, from this yarn kit.
>Read about the entire learning process of the Little Knitters, taking them through researching to find and buy the correct yarn and colors for this Fan Based Knitting Project, drafting the knit pattern, learning the knitting techniques, then knitting this scarf for their Knitting for Charity Challenge. Click here to read Doctor Who Season 12 Scarf Knit for Charity Challenge You may even find a finished Doctor Who Scarf available for purchase with proceeds donated to The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society and The Little Knitters Program.
>We share these knitting instructions with you so you can also learn to knit with a fun and colorful knit project. Enjoy knitting with your own yarns or you can purchase the pure wool yarn kit with Spreadsheet Knitting Chart from our online Catalog for the Season 12 Dr Who Scarf. Print out the series of instructional articles from our web site to aid in your learning to knit process
NOTE:Click on all images to see an enlargement of the photo!Instructions on How to Make a Slip Knot with Photos
The First Step of the Cast On is to make a Slip Knot or Slip Loop
1. Measure off a length of yarn from your ball of yarn that is approximately equal to three fourths of an inch (.75) for each stitch that you are going to need for the cast on. Our example, Dr Who Scarf, instructs us to cast on 60 stitches for a 10 inch wide scarf, assuming you got the same stitch gauge of 6 stitches per inch.
Example: 60 stitches times .75 is equal to 45 inches. 60 x .75 = 45
2. The Slip Knot (loop) will be made at the point on the yarn that you measured off: 45 inches from the yarn end. See Figures 1 thru 6.
Figure 1
Figure 2
Left: Figure 1: With the yarn end at bottom of left hand and the yarn laying over the front of your hand, pinch the yarn with your thumb at the 45 inch point that you measured off. With your right hand holding the yarn attached to the yarn ball end of the yarn, bring the yarn over the top of hand and back down behind the left hand.
Right: Figure 2: Continue wrapping the left hand with the ball end of yarn in a clockwise motion bringing the yarn back up to the thumb. You have now created a circle of yarn around your left hand in a clockwise motion.
Figure 3
Figure 4
Left: Figure 3
Pulling your left hand fingers out of the yarn circle, or pulling the yarn circle off the left hand with your right hand, and at the same time, continue to pinch the yarn with your thumb, the circle of yarn is now free from your fingers. With your right hand, place the ball end of the yarn behind the circle.
Right: Figure 4
With your right hand, place the pointed end of your knitting needle over the top of the right side of the circle, behind the strand of yarn attached to the yarn ball, then on top of the circle of yarn at the left of circle. ( knitting needle over yarn, knitting needle under yarn, knitting needle over yarn). See figure 4.
Figure 5
Figure 6.
Left: Figure 5
With your left hand, let loose of the circle of yarn, grab the two yarn ends and pull under the knitting needle. This will form the Slip Loop or Slip Knot
Right: Figure 6
Taking the free end of yarn with your left hand, and the ball end of the yarn with your right hand, Pull the yarn ends respectively in the opposite directions to the left and right to tighten the slip knot around the needle. This first Slip Knot becomes Stitch #1 of your Cast On.
GREAT JOB
YOU ARE NOW READY TO CAST ON THE REMAINDER OF YOUR STITCHES!
Knitting Lesson One ~ the Season 12 Doctor Who Garter Stitch Scarf Replica
Hand Knitting Techniques used in Knitting Lesson One: Doctor Who Season 12 Knit Garter Stitch Striped Scarf consists of Several Parts, all with Photo Instructions for each step: Continue on with Your Basic Hand Knitting Techniques for Lesson One
- Basic Hand Knitting Techniques Part 1: how to make a slip knot to begin,
- Basic Hand Knitting Techniques Part 2: then cast on the required number of stitches
- Basic Hand Knitting Techniques Part 3: how to knit the knit stitch; garter stitch just consists of two knit rows
- Basic Hand Knitting Techniques Part 3: how to change colors in knitting for different colors of stripes when knitting garter stitch
- Basic Hand Knitting Techniques Part 4: how to bind off.
- Basic Hand Knitting Techniques Part 5: Finish Knitting: how to weave in the ends of yarn colors at the changing points
- Basic Hand Knitting Techniques Part 5: Finish Knitting: how to attach tassels
- Basic Hand Knitting Techniques Part 5: Finish Knitting: how to steam lightly and hand press
This is just one way to Cast On in Hand Knitting. We use this knitting technique in our first Lesson for Beginning Hand Knitters. It is used in our knitting instructions for the Doctor Who Season 12 Knit Garter Stitch Striped Scarf. Find the Pure Wool yarn Kit for this scarf in our online knitting catalog.
Click Here to Return to the Main Article : Learn To Knit by Hand or Machine ~ Doctor Who Season 12 Scarf Knit for Charity Challenge to follow the entire Little Knitter Experience of Researching and Developing a Knit Project!
Look for our Knit for Charity Challenge Doctor Who Season 12 Scarves ~ hand knit or hand loomed in Garter Stitch with Nature Spun pure Wool in The Knit Tree’s One of a Kind Showroom
If you do not find any available, contact customerservice for information and to get on our waiting list.
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