Continental Knitting: Beginner's Knit & Purl Stitch Washcloth

This tutorial uses continental knitting in a knit and purl stitch combination, and may help beginner’s come more familiar with alternating these two main stitches in knitting.

Supplies

• (1) Skein Worsted Weight Sugar n' Cream Yarn in Earth Ombre
• Size US 7 (4.5mm) Knitting Needles
• Scissors

Step 1: Step 1: Creating a Slipknot

• Take the yarn in left hand with the “tail” of the yarn placed in the right hand

• Make a loop by crossing the yarn tail over itself

• Grab the loop and place it over the tail, picking it up, and pulling it though the loop to create a knot

• Pull the knot tight, and place it on one needle

Step 2: Step 2: Casting on Stitches

• Wrap the yarn that is connected to the yarn ball around your pinkie finger in order to keep the yarn accessible for your index finger

• Insert your bare needle (working needle) through the stitch, behind the left-hand (LH) needle

• Using your left index finger, lead the yarn to the working needle to allow it to “scoop” the yarn

• Pull the yarn toward the LH needle with the working needle, drag it under and over, until your working needle is in front of the LH needle

• Slip the working needle stitch over the tip of the LH needle, casting on two stitches

• Cast on 36 stitches in total

Step 3: Step 3: Knit First Row

• Insert the working needle into the first stitch and behind LH needle, loop yarn around the tip, and pull through to the front of the LH needle

• Slip the first stitch off of the LH needle, leaving one new stitch on the working needle

• Continue across the remaining 35 stitches

• Once you’ve knitted across the 36 stiches, you will notice that you’ve transferred each stitch to your working needle, leaving your LH needle bare. Your LH needle now becomes your working needle which is considered “turning your work”

Step 4: Step 4: Beginning the Pattern

• Knit across 2 additional times to complete the boarder

• Begin the pattern by knitting across the stitches once more, turning your work back and forth

• Having knitted 4 rows of basic stitch knit, begin to purl stitch

• Knit the first (4) stitches and drag the yarn in between either needle, so it is in the front of your work.

• Insert your working needle through the 5th stitch in front of your LH needle

• Loop the yarn around the tip of your working needle

• Pull yarn through the stitch and underneath the LH needle

• Slip the purl stitch off the LH needle onto your working needle

• Purl all the way across, leaving 4 remaining stitches on your LH needle

• Place the yarn behind your work to knit, knitting across the remaining 4 stitches

• Knit and purl the next two rows segmented as follows: knit 4 stitches; alternate knit 1, purl 1 until 4 stitches remain; knit remaining 4 stitches

• Knit all the way across the LH needle for the 5th (and final) step of the pattern

• Continue the pattern until you’ve reached the desired length

Step 5: Step 5: Binding Off

• Knit across 3 additional rows to conclude your pattern, creating the bottom boarder

• Slip the first stitch onto your working needle

• Knit the second stitch, slipping it onto your needle

• Using your LH needle, pick up the first stitch on the working needle

• Pull the first stitch over the second stitch, and off of the working needle, leaving one stitch remaining on the working needle

• Continue this method, working with only two stitches at a time until one stitch remains

• Sever the yarn from the yarn ball

• Pull the yarn through the last stitch using the working needle

• Pull the yarn taut.