Hey Knitters,
If you’ve ever cast on a new project and thought, “Why didn’t anyone warn me about *that?”, this is a must-read. Patterns are great, but they don’t always include the little real-life tips that make knitting easier, smoother, and that are usually learned after making a ton of mistakes.
So here are underrated habits that every knitter eventually learns… usually the hard way. Grab your yarn, settle into your favorite knitting space, and let’s dive in.
Wind Your Yarn Into a Ball Before You Use It
Starting from the skein is basically asking for yarn spaghetti. Save yourself the frustration and wind it into a neat ball or cake first. Future You will thank you when your yarn isn’t tying itself into a knot on row 12. It's also a good way to get more familiar with your yarn. Sometimes, while winding it you'll realize this is absolutely not the yarn you need for the project!
Bonus yarn-related tip: If doing colorwork, make sure to untangle your yarns every few rows.
Read Through the Pattern First
I know, I know: you want to cast on right now. But take a minute to read through the whole thing and make a list of anything that’s new to you. It’s way less stressful to look up a technique before you’re mid-row, holding your breath. We've all knit this pattern that clearly explains the row repeat and knit on our merry way, only to see this gut-wrenching note below after we finished:"...while increasing/decreasing at the same time..." UGH!
Don’t Knit When You’re Tired
This one is a universal truth. Knitting while sleepy leads to dropped stitches, wrong counts, and the dreaded question: “What on earth was I doing last night?” If your eyelids are winning the battle, it’s time to pause. When I'm tired, my hands will sometimes automatically switch to knitting 2x2 rib. Why? I've got no idea, but that's not a feature I want on my stockinette sweater.
I do have a hard rule that I won't cast on a new project, a new section, or make the executive decision to frog my project if it's past 10PM. No rash decisions at night. I have had so many regrets by doing so. It can wait until tomorrow!
Finish Your Row (or Section) Before You Walk Away
Stopping in the middle of a row is like leaving your car double-parked on a side street. Technically doable… but risky. Finish the row or the repeat, and you’ll know exactly where you left off. Nothing is worse than picking up your knitting only to not remember where you stand and having to waste the next fifteen minutes trying to figure it out.
Use Stitch Markers on the First Repeat of Every New Section
Markers are your friends. It's the equivalent of the Reminder or Calendar app on your phone, but for your knitting. They are there to remind you that something needs to happen. Pop them in for the first repeat of any new pattern or stitch section, and use a different marker for the beginning of the row so you never lose track of where you started. I always use my favorite marker for the beginning of a row so whenever I slip it, it makes me smile and tells me that I've made yet another row or round. It helps make progress visible in my mind!
Sticky Notes Are Your Best Friend
These little papers are lifesavers if you're working with printed patterns. Stick one under your current line, slide it down as you knit, and boom: no more accidental line-skipping. Perfect for charts, written instructions, or any pattern with lots of numbers.
Check Your Work Every Row (or Every Other Row)
Think of this as your knitting wellness check. A quick peek every row or so will catch mistakes while they’re still small and easy to fix. Waiting until the end? That’s a recipe for dramatic sighing. I sometimes am still learning this one... (see my article: I'm Not Perfect, So Let's Just Move On. We're all a WIP)
Use Lifelines on Complicated Projects
Or… honestly… on *any* project. Lifelines are the seatbelts of knitting. If something goes sideways, you can rip back safely without crying into your yarn. Instead of using waste yarn, use those stitch cords (shown below). They safely attach to your needles so you can just slip them in and frog back in less than a minute!
Want to learn more about how to use them? I have an article, AND a video! They are my FAVORITE knitting tool besides needles, yarn, and stitch markers!
Color-Code Your Stitch Markers
If your pattern involves multiple sections (sleeves, shaping, or anything modular), grab color-coordinated stitch markers and match them to your notes. This is why the markers I sell often come in doubles of the same design.
Blue for the left sleeve, red for the right, green for the body. You will always know where you're at.
Knit on, my friends!
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