How to Do a Loose Stitch in Knitting
- 1). Read the band on the yarn you have selected for your project and use knitting needles three to five sizes larger than called for. A worsted weight yarn, for instance calls for a U.S. size 6 to 8, depending on the manufacturer. Choose a U.S. size 9 to 11, or even larger, to produce very loose stitches. If you only want slightly looser stitches, go up one or two needle sizes.
- 2). Make a gauge swatch in your chosen needle size to evaluate the appearance of your selections. Cast on several inches using a cable cast on. Make a slip knot and slide the loop on your left-hand needle. Knit into this loop, but do not drop it from your left-hand needle. Instead, slide the new stitch onto your left needle, giving you two stitches. Continue across for several inches — between 16 and 24 stitches in a worsted weight yarn.
- 3). Knit several rows, until you have a rectangle of knitting at least 4 inches long by 4 inches wide. Your swatch may be larger than this; that is fine. You just don't want it to be smaller.
- 4). Bind off your swatch and block it. Bind off your stitches by knitting the first two stitches off your left-hand needle and then passing the first stitch over the second and off the end of your right-hand needle. Knit another stitch from your left-hand needle and repeat, passing the first stitch off. Continue across the row until you have one stitch left. Cut the yarn, leaving a 4-inch tail and pass the tail through the stitch, pulling on it to secure your knitting. Wet the swatch down and lay it flat to dry; this is blocking.
- 5). Make several swatches using varying needle sizes and cast off and block each one. After all the swatches are dry, you can see how loose the stitches are and choose the needle size for your project based on the appearance of the swatch.
