10 Beginner Knitting Mistakes (And How To Fix Them)

Knit. Purl. Cry. Repeat. 10 Beginner Knitting Mistakes I Learned the Hard Way

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A few months ago, I decided to learn how to knit so I could make my own jumpers. I chose the Step by Step Sweater by Handmade by Florence as my first WIP.

I wanted to learn knitting because I already crocheted, but I’ve always loved the look of knitted garments and how they use less yarn. I also wanted to challenge myself with a new skill that would keep me off my phone and away from doomscrolling (which knitting has really helped with!).

One big motivation was escaping fast fashion. I wanted to understand the time and effort that goes into making clothes, and knitting my own jumper felt like the perfect way to appreciate the craft and the clothes I already owned.

My assumption was that this pattern would be an easy place to start because it comes with a detailed video tutorial, and to be fair, the video is brilliant.

However, to my dismay, I failed in ways I didn’t know were possible.

So here are 10 beginner knitting mistakes I made when making my first sweater, so you can avoid the struggles I faced.

Mistake 1: Choosing the wrong yarn

Let’s start with procuring your supplies before you even get to the actual knitting part. And yes, you can mess this bit up. I know because I’ve done it.

You need to make sure the yarn you have is the correct fibre type, size, and quantity for the pattern you’re knitting. You can absolutely substitute yarns if you understand fibre types, but for beginners, I’d recommend sticking to what the pattern suggests or asking someone knowledgeable for suitable alternatives.

You should also buy all the yarn you need in one go to make sure the dye lots match. If you purchase yarn on two separate occasions, there’s a chance the second batch could be a slightly different shade, even if it’s the same colourway.

For me, my yarn mistake came from assuming that the colours I saw online would match what arrived. The Step by Step Sweater called for Drops Nepal, a wool and alpaca blend. It’s lovely to work with and knits up quickly since it’s aran weight, so the yarn itself wasn’t the issue. The colour was.

I ordered the shade Blue Ice online, thinking it would be a soft pastel blue. In reality, it turned out to be a bold, dusty middle-blue that I would never have chosen for myself.

In the future, I’ll either look for yarns in person or order one skein before committing to a jumper’s worth. And don’t worry, I’ll be matching dye lots, as most online retailers let you choose them if they have multiple available.

Mistake 2: Using poor-quality needles

Continuing with the supplies issue, I thought I could get away with using cheap, interchangeable knitting needles from Shein, but I was very wrong. The coloured tips wore off quickly, and the cable came undone and bent easily. On multiple occasions, all my stitches dropped, and I spent what felt like an eternity picking them back up and checking they weren’t twisted. (They also made my hands ache compared to when I use more premium needles.)

I’m not saying you need super fancy tools, but I would recommend investing in a slightly higher-quality set, such as DROPS Pro Classic, or buying just the needle sizes you need to get started. KnitPro Basix Beech fixed circular needles are a more affordable option and a great starting point.

All of this is to say, don’t make the mistake of thinking you need a full interchangeable set straight away, like I did. Equally, don’t assume the cheapest options will serve you well in the long run. Knitting needles really are a case of getting what you pay for.

I also want to acknowledge that Shein isn’t a responsible place to shop. That said, many of the listings are identical to those on Amazon, just dropshipped at a higher price point. Do I recommend Shein? Absolutely not! But sometimes you have to work within your budget. Still, why are knitting needles so expensive?!

(I’ve made the switch to KnitPro circular interchangeable Gingers, if you were wondering — regal set and minis.)

Mistake 3: Not checking your gauge

Now for the actual knitting part. When making garments, you must gauge swatch. I know you want to get started on the project, but it’s far better to spend 25 minutes making a swatch than to spend 2.5 months on a work in progress, only to realise it doesn’t fit properly. (Oh, and measure your blocked swatch!!)

In my case, the pattern called for a 40cm cable, but when I cast on, the stitches didn’t stretch easily around the cable, because I naturally knit tightly.

I pushed on with the 40cm cable anyway, forcing the stitches along as I went, and the ribbing ended up uneven with the yarn pilling. I made it halfway through the yoke before realising the neckline was too small, so I frogged the whole thing and started again.

On my second attempt, I went up a needle size… I should’ve just swatched.

Mistake 4: Creating holes around your increases

Holes in raglan increases

When increasing, pay extra attention to where you insert your needle and how you wrap the yarn around it. I’d recommend watching a few video tutorials before working your increases so you fully understand the technique, otherwise you could end up with unintentional holes.

On my first attempt, I ended up with holes along my raglan increases. I think I was wrapping the yarn the wrong way around the needle, which created small gaps.

On my second and third attempts, I paid much closer attention to my yarn wraps, and the holes thankfully disappeared.

Mistake 5: Not keeping track of your stitches

This one can cause the most chaos. Regularly check that you have the correct number of stitches, and either pick up any dropped stitches or frog back if you notice you have too many.

On my first sweater, I wasn’t concentrating enough during my increase rounds and forgot to count my stitches properly. I ended up with too many stitches and had to frog the yoke completely, as multiple rows were wrong.

To fix this, I made a list of how many stitches should be in each section of the jumper, between my stitch markers, for each row. As I knitted, I highlighted each section once I’d completed it correctly. This helped me stay on track so much more.

If I’d lost count one more time, I would have cried.

Mistake 6: Joining new yarn balls with knots

Do not knot in your new ball of yarn when you get to the end.

Every time I finished a ball of yarn, I tied in a new one and ended up with messy-looking joins. I then tried the Russian join method, which is secure, but it makes the yarn slightly thicker, so the stitches around it can look uneven.

Eventually, towards the bottom of the jumper, I realised you can simply knit in the new yarn and the join looks almost invisible. I genuinely don’t know why I didn’t think of that myself. You just weave in the ends afterwards to secure them, and trust me, it doesn’t come undone.

Mistake 7: Messing up the bind off

There are so many different ways to cast off your knitting, and some patterns will tell you exactly which one to use. If they don’t, it’s up to you to choose. That doesn’t mean you should automatically go with a regular bind off, though, as it can look messy, especially on ribbing.

For my first project, I chose a tubular bind off for the bottom ribbing. The first few stitches were a complete mess because I was incredibly confused. It was only after watching a couple of different YouTube videos that it finally clicked.

In other words, practise your bind off before doing it for real on your garment.

I’ve linked Knitgrammer’s blog post, “The Ultimate List of Bind-Off Methods”, as it’s a fantastic resource that explains different bind offs and includes clear tutorials.

A recap of what I’ve learnt so far

Even though I’ve had to frog my project multiple times, it’s really nice to see progress. Each time I start again, I make one less mistake. It’s frustrating, but it’s also strangely satisfying to see myself improve.

Knitting is definitely teaching me patience. I reckon this jumper will take me around 100 hours to complete, which sounds bonkers, but I’m ready for it. I’m honestly enjoying learning something new, even if it’s a cycle of knit, purl, cry, repeat.

Mistake 8: Not blocking & using the wrong blocking mats

Blocking is vital for improving drape and adding a little extra positive ease, especially for woollen garments. It also helps lace patterns look much neater.

The mistake I made was using cheap children’s play mats to block my first knit. The purple dye from the mat transferred onto my jumper. I’ve tried washing and shaving the knit, but the dye won’t go. 🥲

Oh, and if you think your mistakes will block out… they won’t!

Mistake 9: Not frogging

Frogging sucks, there’s no denying that, unless it’s an old knit you want to turn into something new. That said, it’s important to take the time to go back and fix your mistakes. Not only will this result in a better garment overall, but you’ll actually learn from the process.

I made the mistake of not frogging on my Claire Top, and now there’s a messy patch where I accidentally made an extra stitch, assumed I could just drop it, and then decided to sew over it instead. It’s a shamble.

Mistake 10: Expecting your first knit to be perfect

There’s a high chance your first knit won’t be very good if you’re self-taught, and you’ll need to get over your inner perfectionist. Everyone starts somewhere, and that somewhere usually isn’t an Instagram-worthy knit on the first try.

It’s OK to suck at the beginning. You’ll get better as time goes on. There’s no further advice here, other than don’t be afraid of failure.

Recap of my beginner knitting mistakes

• Chose the wrong yarn colour from online photos
• Used cheap, interchangeable knitting needles and didn’t tighten them properly, so my stitches dropped
• Didn’t gauge swatch, cast on too tightly and got uneven ribbing
• Made messy German short row turns
• Lost count of stitches (twice!) and had to frog the yoke of my sweater
• Created holes along my raglan by wrapping the yarn the wrong way
• Made messy joins when adding new balls of yarn
• Messed up the tubular bind off
• Blocked on the wrong mat type and got dye transfer on my knit
• Didn’t frog mistakes, creating less wearable knits

I hope this list helps you avoid knitting mistakes, or at least shows you that you are not alone in making them.

Thank you so much for reading, and if you’re a knitter, please share your beginner mistakes in the comments. I’d love to hear them and learn from you!

Love you! Happy knitting, Zyra xx