It’s true. I’m a tight knitter. Like ridiculously tight. I remember someone once telling me that, “you’re strangling that needle like it owes you money”. After that comment, I’d sit down to knit and think “Loosen up, Casey” trying to make it my new mantra. It only worked slightly with some of those first cowls standing up on their own. I have, however, learned some tips along the way to make things a bit easier in my realm of the Tight Knitter.

• First, make sure you are knitting all the way onto the shaft of your knitting needles. If you knit just at the tips, you’re stitches will automatically be too tight for your needles and more likely to be uneven.

  
  

• You can also try different cast ons and bind offs. When you knit the long-tail and standard bind off, you might notice that they are way tighter for you even if you go up a needle size. Choose cast ons and bind offs that put a little more yarn into them to help relax them. I love the German Twisted Cast On and the Simple Stretchy Bind Off. (Video Links to Tutorials I made for The Curious Crafter)

  
  

• Learn your standard “I go up this many needle sizes from the pattern” scale, but remember that swatching is your friend because gauge really is not standardized. You might typically need to go up one needle size, but sometimes you’ll find a pattern that you’ll need to go up more. I once knit a sweater where I needed to go up 5 needle sizes to get gauge! Not my standard scale! SO SWATCH if you aren’t willing to rip if things go wrong.

  
  

• Lastly, Interchangeable Needles are your friend for in the round knitting! I know that not everyone have these laying around; but, if you do, you are in luck for in the round knitting! On one end of your cable, put a size or two or three smaller than the needle size you need for your project. Make sure the needle you need for gauge is in your right hand while knitting, and watch your stitches slide up easily on the left to be ready to knit. No more pushing those tight stitches onto the needle in frustration! Don’t worry, this will not effect your gauge since you size your stitches on the right needle.

Remember that everyone knits differently. What might work for you - might not work for some. And as long as you like your knitting, you’re golden!

If these tips work for you, please let me know in comments.