Heeeeeeeelp!! Can't do knit one, purl one!!!!

[suwoo]

I am just a beginner and have been practising knitting a row and purling a row and have done beautifully. Now graduating to knit one purl one and it looks like a bag of shite! I know there is one little trick I am not doing, to do with reversing my fabric or wool or something, please can someone explain it to me in simple terms before my head falls off. Thanks.

When you are doing the knit stitch you have the yarn behind the needle don't you? So before doing the purl stitch you need to bring the yarn to the front. Does that make sense?

Also have a look at Knitting Help - lots of videos, I found it a really helpful site when I was learning.

It makes sense theoretically, but practically....nope! Still can't do it

Step away from the knitting and come back to it after you've had a good nights sleep, otherwise you'll put yourself off. Then pick it up again another day and remember what Tatties said, knit = yarn in back, purl = yarn forward.

Ranting, I've stepped away. I'm a whizz at casting on now with all the pulling off of stitches I've done. I can kind of see what you're both saying, but it just hasn't clicked yet. I am going back to my practice wool tomorrow until I have mastered it. Charcoal aran is not conducive to knit one, purl one I have decided .

Oh yes absolutely agree with ranting, leave it now and pick it up again in the morning, I bet it will seem magically clear then

Also, apart from bringing the thread to the front, you need to put your right hand needle into the next left hand stitch from the back to the front.
With a knit stitch you put your right hand needle into the front of the stitch.

Right, I've got it now. I spoke to my nan and she explained it to me. I have to bring the wool between the needles . Also, I am only doing 10 stitches to practice, but if I start the row with a knit, do I start the next row with a purl or a knit? Seem to have it in the depths of my brain that I need to alternate something??

Hooray for your lightbulb moment! Whether you start with a knit or purl on the next row depends on whether you want to create moss stitch or ribbing. If moss stitch you would start the next row with a purl (if that's what you ended on). If ribbing you would start the next row with a knit stitch. You will get to recognise the difference in the appearance of the stitches the more you practice. Again I would recommend looking at the KnittingHelp videos - sometimes it is much easier to be shown!

this is what I'm making or should I say attempting to make. It is ribbing, so I start every row with a knit stitch then. I am not an absolute novice as I used to knit about 20 years ago when I was 10 ish and it has all come back to me. The difference is, I want to do it this time.