Why can't I increase in knitting?

[MysteriousInspector]

I am trying to return to knitting after rather a long time. I'm trying to increase by knitting into the front and back of a stitch, which I can't remember being all that difficult. But I can't seem to pull through after wrapping the wool round the needle, trying to knit the back loop.

I hope that's clear enough... Any tips? I am using 2.75 needles with Rowan pure wool superwash worsted (pattern specifies 4ply, which I think is now called worsted (?)

All being well, I will produce a camel (or hopefully 3) to add to a knitted nativity scene I have.

I think your yarn/needle combo might be the problem.

Worsted is slightly heavier than DK. It's a heavy yarn. Much heavier than 4ply. And 2.75 needles are at the small end for 4ply anyway. I am surprised you can knit at all let alone increase using that method!

But if you want to carry on, try increasing by picking up the running thread between your two stitches blog.tincanknits.com/2013/10/03/m1/. That ought to be easier than trying to knit into the same stitch twice.

@PickleASturgeon thanks. I am using method 1. But having trouble. Does 2nd method work if inc is on 1st and last stitch of row?

@FreiasBathtub I wondered the same thing, already used DK on slightly wrong sized needles. So ordered what I thought was right needles and wool.
Camel is from Knit your own Zoo by Sally Muir and Joanna Osborne, and instructions say:
Pair of 2 and three quarter knitting needles
30 gm Rowan Pure Wool 4 ply (which of course I couldn't find). Then searched, and it seemed worsted was new name for this.
Needles are bamboo, wasn't intending them to be, and not sure I like them.

Also having difficulty knitting 2 tog, which also suggests yarn mismatch.

And yarn seems inclined to split, or it be my technique!
Thanks, both

and now of course, I've found lots of 4 ply yarns!

As previous posters have said, worsted is the same as Aran weight. I make a lot of toys and sometimes I use a 3.5 mm needle for worsted weight when usually with worsted you’d be using 5 mm needle if you were knitting a jumper for example. When you knit or crochet toys you’d usually use a needle size at least one size / one and a half sizes down from what it says on the ball band. You need to knit toys tighter so the stuffing doesn’t show through. So for Aran/ worsted I’d use 3.5 mm, for double knit I’d use 2.5 mm. 4 ply is finer than dk. If your using worsted instead of 4 ply your camel will end up much bigger than the one in the book.

@Asparename so what needles would you use for 4ply? Obvs camel will be stuffed.

I think you should follow the pattern or it will go wrong - 4ply yarn and 2.75 needles. So your needles are fine, your yarn was wrong.

Hello again folks. I now have the right wool
It came in a skein, which I assume I should wind into balls. But I can't figure out how - here's a photo. There are two separate "end" threads, which seem to originate dep in the skein. I expect, like last time, I'm being an idiot, please can you advise?

Pic attached.

Worked it out. Lost confidence, but it's coming back...

You need to untwist this skein one half is twisted around the other then an end tucked in. Then take the skein and loop it round a chair back or a pair of child's hands and wind into a ball.

Thanks, @Needanadultgapyear, although I managed.

I used to be the child holding the skein, longer ago than I care to admit...

Hi OP. Sounds like you're having fun getting to grips with knitting again!
I'm a bit of a beginner. I tried out knitting toys a few weeks ago. I found tiny needles a real faff. I've been knitting with 6s and above until now. Size 2.5 were a nightmare. (I have fat fingers)
Good luck with the new yarn, I'd love to see a picture of said camel when you're finished 🐪