Tips 'n Tricks

Do you have a helpful hint or handy trick that will make any aspect of knitting easier? Share it! Post ideas on scrap yarn usages, stitch markers, color changing, maintaining your sanity while following a difficult pattern, etc. There is most probably someone out there that will benefit from your help. Need ideas yourself? Read others' comments--we all live and learn!

Friday, November 04, 2011Name: carol lancashire

Subject: enough wool?

Comment: As I only join in yarn at the edge of a row,it's not easy to judge how much yarn is left to finish the row. Measure 5 lengths of yarn across the stitches on the needle if it works out you'll know you have enough yarn to complete a full row.

Wednesday, November 02, 2011Name: young seaside knitter

Subject: casting on

Comment: if you like me find it hard to cast on then instead make a slip knot, place your thumb on it, then wrap your working yarn around your thumb, then wrap around the needle, then take the yarn around your thumb over the needle it works great

Monday, October 31, 2011Name: "MOM" Mary

Subject: knitting since the 30's--from the age of about 10-12?

Comment: I have moved several times, so I just pack my knitting books, yarn and needles into a large suitcase or a large packing box, marked of course, as to what the suitcase or packing box holds with several strands of yarn. When I need the suitcase for traveling, I pop the yarn, etc. into a pillow case and leave it on my bed... Then I leave the strands of yarn attached to my bag for identification while traveling..

Sunday, October 30, 2011Name: elizabeth

Subject: sewing up

Comment: I join seams by using a crochet hook and that way if the tension is too tight it is easily undone and it makes a good firm seam

Saturday, October 29, 2011Name: Inez

Subject: Knitting on round needles

Comment: To know the start when knitting on round needles tie a small piece of different colour wool and slip it onto the end of the row as the next stitch is the beginning of whatever you're knitting. Come to the end again slip that small piece of wool and you'll know you are at the start again. I've done this for years.

Thursday, October 27, 2011Name: lyn

Subject: agree

Comment: i agree with maryknits, if you leave unfinished knitting for a while, always undo and re knit the last row, i too have learnt the hard way!!!

Wednesday, October 26, 2011Name: jimmy

Subject: casting on and increasing

Comment: i cast on using the cable method that way the long end from thumb cast on doesn't get in the way. also if your pattern says to increase in the first row, knit the first row then increase in the second row. it makes thing a lot easier and looser.

Monday, October 24, 2011Name: klasina

Subject: keeping count of inc and dec

Comment: I tend to lose track of my increases and decreases so I recently used a bunch of small safety pins. I put one in each increase. this way I could see that I increased on both sides of the work i.e. both sides of the sleeve, the spacing of the increases, and the number of increases I had done. I found it very useful. I hope you do too

Sunday, October 23, 2011Name: Celeste

Subject: Storing Needles

Comment: I have all of my needles in a vase. If you're like me, you have all sizes, long and short, plastic, wood, and colored metal ones. They look beautiful together, like a bouquet.
And they are readily available when changing needles. They look great on top of my bookcase that holds my knitting books.

Friday, October 21, 2011Name: Donna

Subject: Storing Straight Knitting Needles

Comment: I store all my straight knitting needles in a drum stick bag. You can get small ones for not too bad of a price and they can hold a ton of needles.

Thursday, October 20, 2011Name: Just Judith (in Richmond Hill, ON, Canada)

Subject: "Fancy Stitch Markers"

Comment: I have read all 58 pages and what a super group of people with wonderful ideas. After a 30-year hiatus, I started knitting again 1.5 years ago and have been bitten - in a serious way - by the knitting bug...I cannot believe my own passion (aka obsession) and commitment.

For 'fancy' stitch markers, (I saw this on one of the commentaries), you can use those great beverage glass markers, slip them off the big ring (the tiny hooks will catch in your fabric), place it on a small safety pin...and you will be the talk of the town...(and economical too!)! Trust this helps to glamorize your knitting and keep those wonderful ideas and comments coming...young and old!

Monday, October 17, 2011Name: Julie

Subject: Yarn Balls

Comment: When the yarn of a skein/ball won't come out of the middle, don't fret. Put the skein/ball into a clean small wastebasket and set the basket next to The yarn will come out easily as it unwinds and won't roll all over the floor. Pets can't play with it, and if you're interrupted, it's easy to find your needles again as they're in the wastebasket with the yarn!

Saturday, October 15, 2011Name: hanifa

Subject: joining yarn

Comment: When joining yarn while knitting, join at the beginning or end of rows.

Friday, October 14, 2011Name: Pat

Subject: Sewing up.

Comment: When knitting stocking st. On the purl row knit the first and last stitch. This will help when sewing up, because you can match up.

Wednesday, October 12, 2011Name: lyn

Subject: picture knitting from a chart (intarsia)

Comment: if you want to knit from a chart, get the original chart blown up to A3, much easier to see and you can mark off the rows without spoiling the original!

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