Stitches

Beginner Knitter in need of help! My stitches seem to be getting tighter and harder to work with.?

I just started knitting, and I'm using size 3.75 double-pointed needles with thinnish yarn. I'm trying to knit my friend an i-pod carrying case before christmas, alternating between the knit stitch and the purl stitch (K2,P2.. i guess. xD) I /think/ I'm doing the knit stitch right, but I'm not entirely sure. Especially since my stitches keep getting tight and it's hard for me to do anything. Am I doing something wrong? Here's the tutorial I'm using.. http://www.wikihow.com/Knit-an-iPod-Case-with-a-Carry-Strap http://www.wikihow.com/Knit-the-Knit-Stitch http://www.wikihow.com/Knit-the-Purl-Stitch I just started knitting, and I'm using size 3.75 double-pointed needles with thinnish yarn. I'm trying to knit my friend an i-pod carrying case before christmas, alternating between the knit stitch and the purl stitch (K2,P2.. i guess. xD) I /think/ I'm doing the knit stitch right, but I'm not entirely sure. Especially since my stitches keep getting tight and it's hard for me to do anything. Am I doing something wrong? Here's the tutorial I'm using.. (ignore aditional detail above) http://www.freeimagehosting.net/uploads/84215a9ec3.png There's a picture. :]

Public Comments

1. Your pattern doesn't say to use dpn's. Straight needles are easier to work with. That's the first thing I'd change. If your stitches are too tight you can go to a larger needle. You may need to change how you're holding the yarn. It can be hard to keep the tension right when you're learning. I would also suggest checking how you're wrapping the yarn for the knit or purl stitches. Make sure you're wrapping around the back of the needle on a knit stitch and pulling the yarn to the front before making a purl stitch. If your stitches are twisted, they will be hard to knit.
2. The first answerer is right it requires the straight needles because you have to seam it at the end, and if you are using straight needles and mentioned double pointed by mistake: First I would recommend a cast-on that doesn't tighten up on its own. Try a knit-on, cable, or long-tail (my favorite general-use cast-on) done on larger needles than the rest of the fabric. Make sure that you form your stitch all the way up on the shafts of the needles and not down at the point. When I'm trying to tighten up the join between needles when working with dpns, I form the stitches at the points and pull them extra tight. The difference is considerable. Try using your index finger to guide the yarn rather than throwing it with your entire hand. And while doing this, don't wrap it around any other fingers. You'll probably have to fight to keep it even slightly snug at first. If you are knitting Continental style, try using the other method until you get used to the looser feel. Or, again, just let it drape over your left index finger and don't try to adjust the tension with the other fingers. These are exercises, not necessarily the way(s) you will always knit. Just give them a try to get used to a loose tension. And speaking of "tension", keep your hands absolutely relaxed. Try consciously to relax any muscle that isn't doing a particular job
3. You may be inadvertantly twisting your stitches by knitting into the wrong side of them. Always knit into the side of the stitch facing you, same with purling. If you knit into the back side each row you twist the stitches as you go, making them tighter. You may also be clamping down on your yarn too much. Yarn should slide easily through your fingers, and the stitches need to hug, not strangle the needles.
4. It would help if you could send a pic of what you have now. I can spot more problems when I see the work. The directions don't really tell us much. Double point are okay... as long as you don't lose the stitches off the ends. I've done that many times with a narrow piece. But it may be your tension.... you are pulling too tight on the yarn with every stitch. Loosen up!! try not to wind it around your fingers... that works for some, but not everyone. Sometimes I find NO tension on the yarn works for me on some kinds of yarn. Send us a pic, if you can. That will help to see what you are doing.