Once you begin to graduate from merely knitting and purling stitches you are going to begin to learn a few other little tricks that can really make a difference in whether or not you can do some of the more complex knitting patterns. Increasing and decreasing rows is certainly one of those types of techniques. A yarn over stitch is one example of a way to increase stitching.
Yarn over also makes a small hole in the row and is often combined with a knit two together stitch to create a little arched gap in your knitting. You must always use an increase along with a decrease like this if you want to keep the same number of stitches in a row and not actually increase.
The do a yarn over all you need to do is loop the yarn around your right hand needle counterclockwise, or back to front. You will then just make the next stitch as you normally would. The extra loop will still be there in the next row, just treat it as if it were a regular stitch.
You can do a yarn over when purling as well. In a knit stitch the yarn comes around the needle and is left in the back, in a purl stitch the yarn comes all the way back around to the front so that you can catch it in the purl on the next row.
There are other terms by which the yarn over is known such as: YO (for Yarn Over) and yarn forward (as well as abbreviations of these words like yf, yfwd) and even yarn forward over needle (yfon). but regardless of the name, the technique above is the same every time.
Tuesday, September 7, 2010
Monday, September 6, 2010
Continental Knitting
Continental knitting is the process of knitting with the yarn in your left hand, as opposed to the right hand. Because continental knitting cuts down on the actual number of hand motions you have to do it is often preferred by people who knit a lot or do so professionally. It is certainly more efficient, but fell out of favor during WW1 and WW2 since it was also knows as German knitting - war extends even to yarn at times it seems.
Continental knitting is very easy to learn for those with some experience with crotchet methods since the motion is similar. In continental knitting the right wrist is employed to slip the right needle into the stitch and the scoop the yarn onto the right needle. The needle in the right hand can be held a little like a pencil grip, which can be a bit of a transition from both English knitting and crochet. These days most people will hold both needles under the palm instead.
Continental knitting will take a little getting used to, but it is much faster and more efficient than the right handed or english method once you get the hang of it. You will still do the same stitches, knits and purls, it's just that the location of the yarn and how you pick up the yarn on the right needle has changed. It actually requires less hand motion overall, making for faster knitting with less movement.
Continental knitting is very easy to learn for those with some experience with crotchet methods since the motion is similar. In continental knitting the right wrist is employed to slip the right needle into the stitch and the scoop the yarn onto the right needle. The needle in the right hand can be held a little like a pencil grip, which can be a bit of a transition from both English knitting and crochet. These days most people will hold both needles under the palm instead.
Continental knitting will take a little getting used to, but it is much faster and more efficient than the right handed or english method once you get the hang of it. You will still do the same stitches, knits and purls, it's just that the location of the yarn and how you pick up the yarn on the right needle has changed. It actually requires less hand motion overall, making for faster knitting with less movement.
Sunday, September 5, 2010
How to Knit
There are two way of going about nearly anything. There is a hard way, and an easy way. Keep in mind that I didn't say there was a hard way and a way that requires no work, everything requires some amount of effort, but what we are talking about is the amount of effort required to get something done. In the realm of learning how to knit there is a hard way and a much easier way. You'll still have to learn how to do certain things regardless of which you choose, but one way is far simpler.
One way of knitting is to use needles, this is the hard way. Now, that doesn't mean it's the wrong way, there are millions of people out there who love knitting with needles and will never do it any other way regardless of how many other ways there are to do it. Knitting with needles is an ancient and traditional method and allows for a great degree of potential craftsmanship and handmade quality. But I say potential because very few individuals ever reach the stage of true craftsmanship when it comes to needle knitting.
Certain things, such as round objects and large projects such as sweaters are not to be tackled by the beginner. Knitting in the round and making things out of panels is a lot more difficult than it looks. So it can take years of practice to get to the point where you are ready to even attempt certain types of patterns. But that doesn't have to be the case.
The other way to knit is on a loom. And we're not talking about some gigantic monster loom, just a small handheld loom. Looms aren't much more than a stick with a bunch of pegs in. You wrap your yarn around the pegs, pul it over and you're knitting rows and rows of stitches. Knitting on a loom is much faster and easier to learn than knitting with needles, and it also makes knitting round objects just as effortless as flat and square ones.
knitting loom is more efficient and you can use on e for longer periods of time than needles. There is very little finger fatigue and looms require a far lower threshold of dexterity than needle knitting, especially when it comes to knitting in the round. In other words, using a loom can turn you into a knitting machine. You'll learn to make more complex patterns and make them faster than you ever thought possible.
And even if you've been using needles for years and can knit like a tornado, you'll go faster and end up with a much better finished project on a knitting loom than you could ever achieve with needles. Learning how to knit on a loom is the easy way, needles are the hard way. And even if you've already learned to knit, you've only just scratched the surface of what you can really do when it comes to knitting. So put down those needles and grab yourself a loom - you'll be shocked just how much easier it really is.
One way of knitting is to use needles, this is the hard way. Now, that doesn't mean it's the wrong way, there are millions of people out there who love knitting with needles and will never do it any other way regardless of how many other ways there are to do it. Knitting with needles is an ancient and traditional method and allows for a great degree of potential craftsmanship and handmade quality. But I say potential because very few individuals ever reach the stage of true craftsmanship when it comes to needle knitting.
Certain things, such as round objects and large projects such as sweaters are not to be tackled by the beginner. Knitting in the round and making things out of panels is a lot more difficult than it looks. So it can take years of practice to get to the point where you are ready to even attempt certain types of patterns. But that doesn't have to be the case.
The other way to knit is on a loom. And we're not talking about some gigantic monster loom, just a small handheld loom. Looms aren't much more than a stick with a bunch of pegs in. You wrap your yarn around the pegs, pul it over and you're knitting rows and rows of stitches. Knitting on a loom is much faster and easier to learn than knitting with needles, and it also makes knitting round objects just as effortless as flat and square ones.
knitting loom is more efficient and you can use on e for longer periods of time than needles. There is very little finger fatigue and looms require a far lower threshold of dexterity than needle knitting, especially when it comes to knitting in the round. In other words, using a loom can turn you into a knitting machine. You'll learn to make more complex patterns and make them faster than you ever thought possible.
And even if you've been using needles for years and can knit like a tornado, you'll go faster and end up with a much better finished project on a knitting loom than you could ever achieve with needles. Learning how to knit on a loom is the easy way, needles are the hard way. And even if you've already learned to knit, you've only just scratched the surface of what you can really do when it comes to knitting. So put down those needles and grab yourself a loom - you'll be shocked just how much easier it really is.
Saturday, September 4, 2010
How to Knit a Hat
My husband is always talking about using the right tool for the job. Honestly, sometimes I have no idea what in the world he's talking about, but there are some things where I can certainly see the old saying coming in handy. You wouldn't use a sponge to clean a toilet if there was a toilet brush nearby, right? It turns out that there exists in the world of knitting a tool that I just didn't know existed, and now that I've used one to knit a hat, I'll probably never do it any other way. I had always wanted to know how to knit a hat (baby hats and such), but until I discovered the joy of using a knitting loom I had never even attempted it.
My fingers aren't what they once were, and I can't knit for long periods of time anymore. Besides that I was never quite what you would call a fantastic knitter. I mostly stuck with dishrags. I've made a lot of dishrags. But every now and again I would get the hare-brained idea to do something a bit more complicated, clearly forgetting that more complicated things are, well, more complicated. One of two things would end up happening. I would either find the instructions (for something like a hat) and very wisely decide to never start, or I would get halfway through, realize I was creating nothing but a disaster and just pull it out. generally the yarn ended up becoming - another dishrag.
So you might have figured out that knitting in the round was completely out of my league, and that would have been absolutely correct, until a few months ago when I discovered the knitting loom. Once I learned how to knit a hat on a knitting loom a whole new world of potential projects opened up that would have been impossible before the loom. Needless to say, the needles are in the bottom drawer these days, but I haven't given up knitting at all. I'm knitting more than ever, and doing things I wouldn't have even attempted before.
Knitting looms make creating round objects a snap. So easy, in fact, that your very first knitting project on a loom could very well be a pair of socks of a hat, even if you've never knitted a stitch in your life. It helps a little bit if you have knitted with needles, because you'll understand all of the names for the stitches, but even a five year old can knit a hat on a loom, I know, I taught my granddaughter to do it in just a few minutes.
So when it comes to how to knit a hat, the very best way to do it is on a knitting loom. You can take a small loom and any hat pattern in the world and be turning out hats in just a few minutes. It's so simple I really can't imagine doing it any other way now. So now you know what the right tool for the hat job is, but please don't tell my husband that I used his saying, he'll get a little puffed up about it.
My fingers aren't what they once were, and I can't knit for long periods of time anymore. Besides that I was never quite what you would call a fantastic knitter. I mostly stuck with dishrags. I've made a lot of dishrags. But every now and again I would get the hare-brained idea to do something a bit more complicated, clearly forgetting that more complicated things are, well, more complicated. One of two things would end up happening. I would either find the instructions (for something like a hat) and very wisely decide to never start, or I would get halfway through, realize I was creating nothing but a disaster and just pull it out. generally the yarn ended up becoming - another dishrag.
So you might have figured out that knitting in the round was completely out of my league, and that would have been absolutely correct, until a few months ago when I discovered the knitting loom. Once I learned how to knit a hat on a knitting loom a whole new world of potential projects opened up that would have been impossible before the loom. Needless to say, the needles are in the bottom drawer these days, but I haven't given up knitting at all. I'm knitting more than ever, and doing things I wouldn't have even attempted before.
Knitting looms make creating round objects a snap. So easy, in fact, that your very first knitting project on a loom could very well be a pair of socks of a hat, even if you've never knitted a stitch in your life. It helps a little bit if you have knitted with needles, because you'll understand all of the names for the stitches, but even a five year old can knit a hat on a loom, I know, I taught my granddaughter to do it in just a few minutes.
So when it comes to how to knit a hat, the very best way to do it is on a knitting loom. You can take a small loom and any hat pattern in the world and be turning out hats in just a few minutes. It's so simple I really can't imagine doing it any other way now. So now you know what the right tool for the hat job is, but please don't tell my husband that I used his saying, he'll get a little puffed up about it.
Friday, September 3, 2010
Knitting Looms part 2
Perhaps the best thing about using knitting looms is that they are much easier than using needles. Even people who have knitted with needles for years will find that you just can't knit for hours on end. Your fingers get fatigued and stitches begin to slip. A loom is much easier to control and handle for longer periods of time. Besides that, a loom is also far easier to learn and can be used by both the very young, as well as the very old. Arthritis and lack of dexterity using needles is no problem with a knitting loom.
Knitting looms can be had for as little as twenty bucks all the way up to around one hundred dollars or more, although most of the very expensive ones will be specialty looms for very large projects. You should be able to find a really good loom for around fifty dollars, and a top of the line knitting loom for seventy five bucks. If you've never knitted on a loom, or are new to knitting in the first place, you might want to start with one of the cheap loom kits (such as nifty knitter for about $20) just to see if you like loom knitting at all. If you do find that you like it you'll want to upgrade to a wooden loom instead of one of the cheaper plastic varieties which have a tendency to lose pegs rather frequently.
Loom knitting is much faster than needle knitting and you can make almost anything on one. Flat or round, large or small, you can do it on a loom. And we're not talking about one of those big monsters people make rugs on, most looms are smaller than you might think, from just a few inches to about 18. You can get adjustable looms that will work for everything. The only thing you will need to figure out is how to use a loom.
And there are lots of good online resources out there for learning to knit on a loom. Everything from instructions to video tutorials can walk you through everything you need to know to begin and also to master knitting looms. You'll learn how to translate patterns written for needle knitting onto your loom, and from there the sky is the limit.
Knitting looms can be had for as little as twenty bucks all the way up to around one hundred dollars or more, although most of the very expensive ones will be specialty looms for very large projects. You should be able to find a really good loom for around fifty dollars, and a top of the line knitting loom for seventy five bucks. If you've never knitted on a loom, or are new to knitting in the first place, you might want to start with one of the cheap loom kits (such as nifty knitter for about $20) just to see if you like loom knitting at all. If you do find that you like it you'll want to upgrade to a wooden loom instead of one of the cheaper plastic varieties which have a tendency to lose pegs rather frequently.
Loom knitting is much faster than needle knitting and you can make almost anything on one. Flat or round, large or small, you can do it on a loom. And we're not talking about one of those big monsters people make rugs on, most looms are smaller than you might think, from just a few inches to about 18. You can get adjustable looms that will work for everything. The only thing you will need to figure out is how to use a loom.
And there are lots of good online resources out there for learning to knit on a loom. Everything from instructions to video tutorials can walk you through everything you need to know to begin and also to master knitting looms. You'll learn how to translate patterns written for needle knitting onto your loom, and from there the sky is the limit.
Thursday, September 2, 2010
Knitting Looms
It's actually pretty amazing to take a look at all of the different ways people put strings together to make cloth. There are such a wide variety of different types of looms and other techniques I can't even begin to understand. It is actually just a little mind-boggling to say the least. But even though there are million dollar machines that can make five bagillion socks an hour, and other machines that can produce oodles of cloth a minute, all of them are based on a few pretty simple principles and the old knitting loom is one of them.
Knitting and looms have been around since before there were Pharoes in Egypt, and that's like a really, really long time. There was even an egyptian goddess of knitting more than 5,000 years ago (she also showed up for wars, but it seems like all the demigods in Egypt had to moonlight from time to time). And if you can figure out how to knit when all you've got is a couple of sticks of wood and a bunch of smaller sticks that you can smooth a bit with your bronze knife, what you end up with is a small hand loom. Te great thing is that you can make almost anything on one.
If you've ever tried to make anything round with knitting needles, such as socks and hats, you will soon figure out just how complex it can be knitting in the round with multiple needles. To make it worse, the needles are pointed on both ends, which makes it even trickier to keep everything in place and flowing smoothly. Knitting with needles also leads to lopsided creations until you get a feel for keeping things straight and true, and even then you'll end up having to block most things to square them up and even them out. But since a knitting loom is, quite simply, a bunch of evenly spaced pegs, it tends to create much more symmetrical things quite naturally.
Knitting looms can also be used to make anything you can find a pattern for. It might take you a couple of sessions to figure out how to do certain stitches, like knit and purl, but once you figure that out you can make anything from any knitting pattern, even if the pattern was created for needle knitting. A loom is simply fantastic for larger projects such as blankets. You can even make really big blankets by knitting large blocks and then stitching them together.
In part 2 we'll discuss just how much easier knitting looms are than other methods of knitting.
Knitting and looms have been around since before there were Pharoes in Egypt, and that's like a really, really long time. There was even an egyptian goddess of knitting more than 5,000 years ago (she also showed up for wars, but it seems like all the demigods in Egypt had to moonlight from time to time). And if you can figure out how to knit when all you've got is a couple of sticks of wood and a bunch of smaller sticks that you can smooth a bit with your bronze knife, what you end up with is a small hand loom. Te great thing is that you can make almost anything on one.
If you've ever tried to make anything round with knitting needles, such as socks and hats, you will soon figure out just how complex it can be knitting in the round with multiple needles. To make it worse, the needles are pointed on both ends, which makes it even trickier to keep everything in place and flowing smoothly. Knitting with needles also leads to lopsided creations until you get a feel for keeping things straight and true, and even then you'll end up having to block most things to square them up and even them out. But since a knitting loom is, quite simply, a bunch of evenly spaced pegs, it tends to create much more symmetrical things quite naturally.
Knitting looms can also be used to make anything you can find a pattern for. It might take you a couple of sessions to figure out how to do certain stitches, like knit and purl, but once you figure that out you can make anything from any knitting pattern, even if the pattern was created for needle knitting. A loom is simply fantastic for larger projects such as blankets. You can even make really big blankets by knitting large blocks and then stitching them together.
In part 2 we'll discuss just how much easier knitting looms are than other methods of knitting.
Wednesday, September 1, 2010
Knifty Knitter part 2
Knifty Knitter - part 2 (469 words)
The Nifty Knitter system does have a couple of drawbacks, the most prominent of which is the lack of clear instructions. everywhere we look at customer reviews we see the same thing over and over again - the instructions were almost impossible to understand and follow, and the only instructions you get with the basic kit are for the scarf. That's fine if all you want to make is scarves, but if you want to make socks and hats you're going to have to do what everyone else does and find instructions for loom knitting a hat online. Which is actually not all that bad since there are some terrific loom knitting resources online.
The next point about the nifty knitter is that it's plastic. and we're not talking about the sort of plastics you might find in car parts, we're talking about the kind of plastic you might find in dollar store kids toys. It will work ok for a while, if you're not too rough with it, but overall you need to make sure that your expectation are in line with the amount of money you spend. It's that way with most things. A Lexus and a Yugo are both cars, but you get what you pay for.
In the end we can certainly recommend the Nifty Knitter, even if it sounds like we don't like it all that much. What it does, it does well enough to get the flavor of loom knitting. Make a couple of projects on the nifty knitter until it breaks on you and then go spend some real dough an a really excellent wooden loom with all the features. You'll spend less than $100 for a top quality adjustable loom made from the very best materials, but we don't really recommend you doing so until you know whether you even like loom knitting in the first place, and for about twenty bucks it's a great way to do that. As a matter of fact, the only way we know of to spend less money figuring out if you like a new hobby or not is needle knitting.
So if you think you want to begin learning how to knit, or needle knitting has become difficult (or never was very easy in the first place) you should certainly give loom knitting a try. The nifty knitter kit is a cheap way to learn a new skill that you might just enjoy for years to come. Just keep in mind that twenty bucks doesn't go very far and you shouldn't expect the nifty knitter to win any quality awards against a real wooden loom, but it might just keep you from blowing money on one of the more expensive looms while you decide if you even like loom knitting in the first place.
The Nifty Knitter system does have a couple of drawbacks, the most prominent of which is the lack of clear instructions. everywhere we look at customer reviews we see the same thing over and over again - the instructions were almost impossible to understand and follow, and the only instructions you get with the basic kit are for the scarf. That's fine if all you want to make is scarves, but if you want to make socks and hats you're going to have to do what everyone else does and find instructions for loom knitting a hat online. Which is actually not all that bad since there are some terrific loom knitting resources online.
The next point about the nifty knitter is that it's plastic. and we're not talking about the sort of plastics you might find in car parts, we're talking about the kind of plastic you might find in dollar store kids toys. It will work ok for a while, if you're not too rough with it, but overall you need to make sure that your expectation are in line with the amount of money you spend. It's that way with most things. A Lexus and a Yugo are both cars, but you get what you pay for.
In the end we can certainly recommend the Nifty Knitter, even if it sounds like we don't like it all that much. What it does, it does well enough to get the flavor of loom knitting. Make a couple of projects on the nifty knitter until it breaks on you and then go spend some real dough an a really excellent wooden loom with all the features. You'll spend less than $100 for a top quality adjustable loom made from the very best materials, but we don't really recommend you doing so until you know whether you even like loom knitting in the first place, and for about twenty bucks it's a great way to do that. As a matter of fact, the only way we know of to spend less money figuring out if you like a new hobby or not is needle knitting.
So if you think you want to begin learning how to knit, or needle knitting has become difficult (or never was very easy in the first place) you should certainly give loom knitting a try. The nifty knitter kit is a cheap way to learn a new skill that you might just enjoy for years to come. Just keep in mind that twenty bucks doesn't go very far and you shouldn't expect the nifty knitter to win any quality awards against a real wooden loom, but it might just keep you from blowing money on one of the more expensive looms while you decide if you even like loom knitting in the first place.
Tuesday, August 31, 2010
Beginning Knitting
Beginning knitting isn't rocket science but it does require some persistence. I recommend starting out with smaller projects that require you to perfect your stitching technique. Beginning knitting on something simple like a scarf is advisable as opposed to a more advanced project such as a hat.
Although there are some complicated scarf patterns available, a scarf is a great project for beginning knitting because you get to focus on the tension and stitches and not worry about various patterns. Most importantly, when beginning knitting is that you learn to keep consistent and loose tension on the yarn.
Many beginners make the mistake of trying to knit too tightly to make the project look neat - but this is a bad habit. You want loose stitches with a consistent tension. After finding your consistency, try making a striped scarf so you can practice changing to different colors of yarn when you knit.
If you are really short on time and want to start on an even smaller project, you can find patterns for dishtowels and washcloths that are very quick and easy to make. Patterns that involve simple rectangles or squares are perfect for beginning knitting. If you really want to hone your skills there are plenty of simple and large projects you can learn with such as shawls, wraps, and Afghans.
One thing you can do to decrease the amount of time that goes into your first few projects is to use a thick yarn and bulky needles. Bulkier needles mean that fewer stitches are required, which allow you to get through your first project more quickly. The tradeoff is that since you are a beginner, practicing lots of stitches is a good thing for you so effectively, by using thicker yarn and bulkier needles, you are slowing down your development as a knitter.
You can more difficult projects that are still pretty easy if you feel comfortable using circular or double-pointed needles. Hats, mittens, and socks can all easily be made with these types of needles. While you'll need double-pointed needles for most patterns, there are some two-needle patterns available.
For your first projects, there is no reason to go spending a fortune on high quality yarns. Stick with something cheap and synthetic. Your first couple of pieces probably won't be perfect or something you want to give as a gift, so you can always unravel the yarn that you used and reuse it. However, after doing this a few times the yarn tends to get stretched and it may become unusable.
Practice changing colors when you are working on your first pieces as it is an important skill to learn. If you are not comfortable changing colors yet, you can try some different colored, variegated yarns for a neat effect. Now find yourself some simple patterns, and give it a try!
Although there are some complicated scarf patterns available, a scarf is a great project for beginning knitting because you get to focus on the tension and stitches and not worry about various patterns. Most importantly, when beginning knitting is that you learn to keep consistent and loose tension on the yarn.
Many beginners make the mistake of trying to knit too tightly to make the project look neat - but this is a bad habit. You want loose stitches with a consistent tension. After finding your consistency, try making a striped scarf so you can practice changing to different colors of yarn when you knit.
If you are really short on time and want to start on an even smaller project, you can find patterns for dishtowels and washcloths that are very quick and easy to make. Patterns that involve simple rectangles or squares are perfect for beginning knitting. If you really want to hone your skills there are plenty of simple and large projects you can learn with such as shawls, wraps, and Afghans.
One thing you can do to decrease the amount of time that goes into your first few projects is to use a thick yarn and bulky needles. Bulkier needles mean that fewer stitches are required, which allow you to get through your first project more quickly. The tradeoff is that since you are a beginner, practicing lots of stitches is a good thing for you so effectively, by using thicker yarn and bulkier needles, you are slowing down your development as a knitter.
You can more difficult projects that are still pretty easy if you feel comfortable using circular or double-pointed needles. Hats, mittens, and socks can all easily be made with these types of needles. While you'll need double-pointed needles for most patterns, there are some two-needle patterns available.
For your first projects, there is no reason to go spending a fortune on high quality yarns. Stick with something cheap and synthetic. Your first couple of pieces probably won't be perfect or something you want to give as a gift, so you can always unravel the yarn that you used and reuse it. However, after doing this a few times the yarn tends to get stretched and it may become unusable.
Practice changing colors when you are working on your first pieces as it is an important skill to learn. If you are not comfortable changing colors yet, you can try some different colored, variegated yarns for a neat effect. Now find yourself some simple patterns, and give it a try!
Monday, August 30, 2010
Knifty Knitter
There are some products that you hear about and think to yourself "who in the world would want that?" Others sell by the millions, only to end up in garage sales for years (the salad shooter comes to mind) because they had no real value and once the niftiness wears off it becomes just a paperweight. Then there are those things that really are pretty neat, and who cares if they just happen to be simple. The nifty knitter is certainly one of those types of things.
As you can tell, we're not typically in the rush to buy the latest and greatest thing. Tried and true tends to be better than slick and new. It turns out that the nifty knitter is exactly that. The nifty knitter is a loom knitting kit, and loom knitting is nothing new. As a matter of fact, although no one knows for sure which came first: the needle or the loom, there was a goddess of weaving in predynastic egypt more than 5,000 years ago. So making things on looms has been around since, like, the same time as the wheel or something.
The Nifty Knitter kit, then, is actually more like nifty packaging of a very old system of turning thread (in this case yarn) into stuff. In all reality loom knitting is far faster and easier than needle knitting and can be learned by children as young as four. Loom knitting is also perfect for people who have lost their dexterity (or didn't have any to begin with) or find needles difficult to hold and maneuver. The best way to put it is that loom knitting is a more efficient, quicker and simpler process than needle knitting. It is certainly the reason you don't see machines that mimic needle knitting in textile manufacturing, it's just not as good as loom knitting.
So you can turn yourself into a bit of a knitting machine if you decide to use a loom. Even stuff that takes years of practice, such as knitting in the round to make hats and socks and other tubular projects is a snap on a loom, or at least, far easier than trying to juggle all those double pointed needles. Loom knitting can even be used to make large projects that always have just the right balance and symmetry. No more lopsided scarves, blankets and doilies.
Now, even though the Nifty Knitter is just a twist on a very old technique, that certainly doesn't mean it's just a piece of junk. The nifty knitter kit really does have everything you need to make a simply huge variety of things from socks to hats, scarves, and yes, even doilies. As a matter of fact, it makes doing things like socks, which would generally require knitting in the round, far easier for beginners. Hardly anyone would think of trying to knit socks their first time out, but loom knitting on the nifty knitter makes starting with socks just as easy as starting with something simple like a dishcloth.
In part 2 we'll look at some of the pros and cons of the knifty knitter.
As you can tell, we're not typically in the rush to buy the latest and greatest thing. Tried and true tends to be better than slick and new. It turns out that the nifty knitter is exactly that. The nifty knitter is a loom knitting kit, and loom knitting is nothing new. As a matter of fact, although no one knows for sure which came first: the needle or the loom, there was a goddess of weaving in predynastic egypt more than 5,000 years ago. So making things on looms has been around since, like, the same time as the wheel or something.
The Nifty Knitter kit, then, is actually more like nifty packaging of a very old system of turning thread (in this case yarn) into stuff. In all reality loom knitting is far faster and easier than needle knitting and can be learned by children as young as four. Loom knitting is also perfect for people who have lost their dexterity (or didn't have any to begin with) or find needles difficult to hold and maneuver. The best way to put it is that loom knitting is a more efficient, quicker and simpler process than needle knitting. It is certainly the reason you don't see machines that mimic needle knitting in textile manufacturing, it's just not as good as loom knitting.
So you can turn yourself into a bit of a knitting machine if you decide to use a loom. Even stuff that takes years of practice, such as knitting in the round to make hats and socks and other tubular projects is a snap on a loom, or at least, far easier than trying to juggle all those double pointed needles. Loom knitting can even be used to make large projects that always have just the right balance and symmetry. No more lopsided scarves, blankets and doilies.
Now, even though the Nifty Knitter is just a twist on a very old technique, that certainly doesn't mean it's just a piece of junk. The nifty knitter kit really does have everything you need to make a simply huge variety of things from socks to hats, scarves, and yes, even doilies. As a matter of fact, it makes doing things like socks, which would generally require knitting in the round, far easier for beginners. Hardly anyone would think of trying to knit socks their first time out, but loom knitting on the nifty knitter makes starting with socks just as easy as starting with something simple like a dishcloth.
In part 2 we'll look at some of the pros and cons of the knifty knitter.
Sunday, August 29, 2010
How to Knit Mittens
Learning how to knit mittens is an excellent skill for anyone who has a family. They make great gifts and children, especially, love them! You can also knit them for charity since there's plenty of demand for them during the winter season. In this tutorial, I assume you know some basic techniques: three needle bind, knitting, bind off, and cast on. Before you start this how to knit mittens tutorial, I recommend brushing up on these basic techniques.
You'll need the following items: an accurately sized template of the hand for which you'll be making the mittens, extra needles, double stitch needles, yarn, and stitch markers/twist ties. Yes, stitch markers are more aesthetically pleasing, but if you are just a beginner, I recommend saving yourself unneeded expense until you are sure its a hobby that you really want to pursue.
First, we'll work on building the fingers pocket. Start by casting on your stitches on to two needles in a figure eight. How many stitches you cast on is dependent on how pointed you want the fingers pocket to be. Knit a row and place a stitch marker/twist tie at the end to mark it. Knit a 2nd row, only this time, add four stitches before adding another marker at the end. Add four stitches every other row. Now is a good time to compare the finger pocket with the hand template. Keep increasing stitches by four every other row until you get the desired width. Mark the final stitch increase with the stitch marker/twist tie when the pocket is at the correct width. Continue knitting straight, checking the template regularly, until you have the correct thumb webbing angle for the template.
Now we'll build the thumb. First, move the fingers pocket on to a spare needle. Now cast on two stitches each needle using the figure-eight cast-on technique. Keep increasing by two stitches every second row until the thumb is the width of the template. Put the fingers pocket back onto the needles and place the thumb part on a holder or spare needle. Next, depending on which hand the mitten you are designing the mitten for, join the thumb on one of the edges of the mitten. Use four stitches to join. Align the thumb and finger pockets and three-needle bind using a few stitches. After you finish your three-needle binds, mark the start of a row, and decrease a stitch after each row to form a gradual slope that forms a glove-like fit.
Finally, we need to make the cuff. To do this we keep knitting around the hand part of the mitten until we reach the palm of the template. Knit an extra two rows when you get to the base of the palm on your template. Knit ribbing into a cuff until it is the desired size and bind off. Weave the ends in and being your 2nd mitten!
And you are done! You now know how to knit mittens for your friends and family!
You'll need the following items: an accurately sized template of the hand for which you'll be making the mittens, extra needles, double stitch needles, yarn, and stitch markers/twist ties. Yes, stitch markers are more aesthetically pleasing, but if you are just a beginner, I recommend saving yourself unneeded expense until you are sure its a hobby that you really want to pursue.
First, we'll work on building the fingers pocket. Start by casting on your stitches on to two needles in a figure eight. How many stitches you cast on is dependent on how pointed you want the fingers pocket to be. Knit a row and place a stitch marker/twist tie at the end to mark it. Knit a 2nd row, only this time, add four stitches before adding another marker at the end. Add four stitches every other row. Now is a good time to compare the finger pocket with the hand template. Keep increasing stitches by four every other row until you get the desired width. Mark the final stitch increase with the stitch marker/twist tie when the pocket is at the correct width. Continue knitting straight, checking the template regularly, until you have the correct thumb webbing angle for the template.
Now we'll build the thumb. First, move the fingers pocket on to a spare needle. Now cast on two stitches each needle using the figure-eight cast-on technique. Keep increasing by two stitches every second row until the thumb is the width of the template. Put the fingers pocket back onto the needles and place the thumb part on a holder or spare needle. Next, depending on which hand the mitten you are designing the mitten for, join the thumb on one of the edges of the mitten. Use four stitches to join. Align the thumb and finger pockets and three-needle bind using a few stitches. After you finish your three-needle binds, mark the start of a row, and decrease a stitch after each row to form a gradual slope that forms a glove-like fit.
Finally, we need to make the cuff. To do this we keep knitting around the hand part of the mitten until we reach the palm of the template. Knit an extra two rows when you get to the base of the palm on your template. Knit ribbing into a cuff until it is the desired size and bind off. Weave the ends in and being your 2nd mitten!
And you are done! You now know how to knit mittens for your friends and family!
Saturday, August 28, 2010
How to Knit a Beanie
A lot of people are like me: they have an understanding of basic knitting techniques but they're afraid of doing advanced projects. For people like us, knitting something like a hat seems like too scary of a project to attempt. It is true that some hats are extremely difficult, especially those that require knitting in the round. But if you have the skills to make a scarf, I've got good news for you: learning how to knit a beanie is easy!
First, you'll need to figure out the gauge. In other words, you must determine the number of stitches needed to cast on to encircle the circumference of the head. From there, take into account the size and type of yarn you'll use as well as the needles you have selected. When learning how to knit a beanie, I recommend using size 6-8 (smaller) needles so you have tight stitches so strands of hair don't stick through the cap when its finished.
Cast on using the number of stitches you figured out in the last step. Yes, knitting in the round is prettier, but its also very difficult so what a beginner like me does for a hat is do one piece and then sew a seam at the back to complete the circle.
From here you have several options. You can easily do a garter stitch where you knit all rows, a stockinette stitch where you alternate kitted and purled rows, or if you have some more experience and want to try something difficult, do a rib where you alternate knits and purls within the rows.
Basically, the makeup of the beanie is constant regardless of the design. Start by knitting (or purling) all of the stitches all the way until you get the hat to be about 2/3 of the final size you desire. Once you get to this point, slowly decrease the quantity of stitches in each row to form the crown of the beanie.
Be cognizant that you are decrease symmetrically! A strategy to ensure this is to follow a simple pattern: knit two rows together, two normally for 3-4 rows, and then knit the next 2-3 normally. Then repeat two rows together followed by two normally until you're at 3/4 the final size you desire. Then, you'll have to decrease at a greater rate. To do this, try knitting two together, and one normally, or just two together for the whole row. Continue this until there are only 4-6 stitches left on the needle. Finally, bind off, sew up that seam and you're finished.
You now have a trendy, unique hat for a loved one and you're a master of how to knit a beanie!
First, you'll need to figure out the gauge. In other words, you must determine the number of stitches needed to cast on to encircle the circumference of the head. From there, take into account the size and type of yarn you'll use as well as the needles you have selected. When learning how to knit a beanie, I recommend using size 6-8 (smaller) needles so you have tight stitches so strands of hair don't stick through the cap when its finished.
Cast on using the number of stitches you figured out in the last step. Yes, knitting in the round is prettier, but its also very difficult so what a beginner like me does for a hat is do one piece and then sew a seam at the back to complete the circle.
From here you have several options. You can easily do a garter stitch where you knit all rows, a stockinette stitch where you alternate kitted and purled rows, or if you have some more experience and want to try something difficult, do a rib where you alternate knits and purls within the rows.
Basically, the makeup of the beanie is constant regardless of the design. Start by knitting (or purling) all of the stitches all the way until you get the hat to be about 2/3 of the final size you desire. Once you get to this point, slowly decrease the quantity of stitches in each row to form the crown of the beanie.
Be cognizant that you are decrease symmetrically! A strategy to ensure this is to follow a simple pattern: knit two rows together, two normally for 3-4 rows, and then knit the next 2-3 normally. Then repeat two rows together followed by two normally until you're at 3/4 the final size you desire. Then, you'll have to decrease at a greater rate. To do this, try knitting two together, and one normally, or just two together for the whole row. Continue this until there are only 4-6 stitches left on the needle. Finally, bind off, sew up that seam and you're finished.
You now have a trendy, unique hat for a loved one and you're a master of how to knit a beanie!
Friday, August 27, 2010
How to Knit Socks
Do you have some knitting experience and some left over yarn from previous projects? How about making a pair of socks for you or someone close to you? A pair of knitted socks make a perfect unique gift and are wonderful to wear around the house during the colder months of the year. It's a good idea to have foot measurements if the sock is for someone else.
You'll need to know a few basic knitting techniques: knitting, purling, casting on, and casting off. Before you start this how to knit socks tutorial, I recommend brushing up on these basic techniques.
First, choose your yarn. Take the thickness into account. If you choose a thick yarn, you will end up with more than a slipper and it may be difficult to wear shoes with them. This is fine for wearing around the house. Just consider yarn thickness before you begin. You don't want to tell a loved one that you made them a pair of socks only to have them unable to wear them because their shoes won't fit while wearing them!
Second, choose your needles. This particular sock pattern requires you to work with double pointed needles. Five needles are needed for this pattern because of the symmetrical structure. It uses four needles to hold the work as you knit and one needle with which you'll actually put together the sock.
Third, cast on the toe of the sock so you don't have to sew the end of it. With two needles, wrap a figure eight shape around them. The loops you are creating will later turn into stitches for the sock. For small socks, use eight loops and for bigger socks, use ten.
Fourth, add a third needle. Use it to knit the loops onto the first one. After fastening all of the loops on to the first needle, knit the loops on to the second needle. At the end, all of your stitches should be on the first and third needles. Its ok if they are loose because we will tighten them later on.
Fifth, using the third needle, follow the knit needle and make a pattern all the way until you get to the halfway point over the needle. Place a marker here to indicate the center-back point of the sock.
Sixth, add the fourth needle by continuing the knit one. Make a knit pattern until there is only one left and knit the final stitch.
Seventh, repeat the past steps with a casting on needle. For large socks, you'll need six stitches for each one. Smaller socks should have five. Keep doing this until you have completed the desired length of the sock. Keep knitting until the sock is about two inches from the back of the heal.
Eighth, we'll make the heal of the sock. To do this, knit short rows with two needles. By using knit and purl techniques, you can avoid large holes in the sock. Simply knit back and forth.
Ninth, finish the sock by returning the needles back to normal. Finish building the remainder of the sock by going to your five-needle stance - the area the goes around the ankle.
Finally, cast off. You'll want to ensure that the sock is comfortable and not too tight or loose. To do this, cast off loosely.
Voila! You now have the perfect winter holiday gift for a loved one!
You'll need to know a few basic knitting techniques: knitting, purling, casting on, and casting off. Before you start this how to knit socks tutorial, I recommend brushing up on these basic techniques.
First, choose your yarn. Take the thickness into account. If you choose a thick yarn, you will end up with more than a slipper and it may be difficult to wear shoes with them. This is fine for wearing around the house. Just consider yarn thickness before you begin. You don't want to tell a loved one that you made them a pair of socks only to have them unable to wear them because their shoes won't fit while wearing them!
Second, choose your needles. This particular sock pattern requires you to work with double pointed needles. Five needles are needed for this pattern because of the symmetrical structure. It uses four needles to hold the work as you knit and one needle with which you'll actually put together the sock.
Third, cast on the toe of the sock so you don't have to sew the end of it. With two needles, wrap a figure eight shape around them. The loops you are creating will later turn into stitches for the sock. For small socks, use eight loops and for bigger socks, use ten.
Fourth, add a third needle. Use it to knit the loops onto the first one. After fastening all of the loops on to the first needle, knit the loops on to the second needle. At the end, all of your stitches should be on the first and third needles. Its ok if they are loose because we will tighten them later on.
Fifth, using the third needle, follow the knit needle and make a pattern all the way until you get to the halfway point over the needle. Place a marker here to indicate the center-back point of the sock.
Sixth, add the fourth needle by continuing the knit one. Make a knit pattern until there is only one left and knit the final stitch.
Seventh, repeat the past steps with a casting on needle. For large socks, you'll need six stitches for each one. Smaller socks should have five. Keep doing this until you have completed the desired length of the sock. Keep knitting until the sock is about two inches from the back of the heal.
Eighth, we'll make the heal of the sock. To do this, knit short rows with two needles. By using knit and purl techniques, you can avoid large holes in the sock. Simply knit back and forth.
Ninth, finish the sock by returning the needles back to normal. Finish building the remainder of the sock by going to your five-needle stance - the area the goes around the ankle.
Finally, cast off. You'll want to ensure that the sock is comfortable and not too tight or loose. To do this, cast off loosely.
Voila! You now have the perfect winter holiday gift for a loved one!
Thursday, August 26, 2010
Knitting Casting Off
You may feel comfortable knitting and purling rows quite happily for hours, but when it comes to casting or binding off you might be making it harder than it needs to be. Once you learn this simple method for casting off your knitting you will feel just as good about finishing a project as you are in the middle.
The first thing you need to do is make sure that you know just how many stitches you are going to need to cast off at the end of a pattern. Once you know how many stitches to leave, you will be able to know exactly when to begin casting off.
To begin casting off knit two stitches which will leave you with both of these stitches on your right needle. Next, insert the left needle through the first stitch on the right needle and then pull the left needle up to pull the first stitch over the second stitch and right off the tip of the right needle.
Now knit one more stitch leaving you with two stitches on the right needle once again. All that is left is to continue until all of the stitches in the piece are cast off according to the pattern. Weave the tail of yarn left over, which should be two or 3 inches, back into the edge of the knitting. And now all that's left to do is clip any little loose end that might be showing.
As you can see, casting off really isn't all that hard at all. Once you know exactly how many stitches to cast off its just a matter of repeating these simple steps above to the end of the row and then sewing the loose end back into the edge.
The first thing you need to do is make sure that you know just how many stitches you are going to need to cast off at the end of a pattern. Once you know how many stitches to leave, you will be able to know exactly when to begin casting off.
To begin casting off knit two stitches which will leave you with both of these stitches on your right needle. Next, insert the left needle through the first stitch on the right needle and then pull the left needle up to pull the first stitch over the second stitch and right off the tip of the right needle.
Now knit one more stitch leaving you with two stitches on the right needle once again. All that is left is to continue until all of the stitches in the piece are cast off according to the pattern. Weave the tail of yarn left over, which should be two or 3 inches, back into the edge of the knitting. And now all that's left to do is clip any little loose end that might be showing.
As you can see, casting off really isn't all that hard at all. Once you know exactly how many stitches to cast off its just a matter of repeating these simple steps above to the end of the row and then sewing the loose end back into the edge.
Tuesday, August 24, 2010
Blocking Knitting
If you've ever completed a knitting project and ended up with something just a little lumpier than you had imagined it might be good to consider blocking your knitting. Since you are using round thread and round needles it is virtually impossible to create something that is perfectly square and you typically end up with something that is more trapezoid instead. Blocking your knitting will help you to reshape your piece back into straight lines.
Blocking uses stretching and moisture to help shape a finish piece in order to match another one of the same size or just get a piece of knitting squared up to make the rows look even and straight. You will also generally block anything knitted from lace to showcase all of the holes and patterns you worked so hard to create.
All of the methods of blocking knitting have one thing in common and that is a little bit of water. How much water is entirely dependent on the type of yarn that you have used. If you are working with man made fibers or wool blends that include man-made fibers wet blocking can be used. Dampen (not soak) the piece of knitting and gently stretch until the desired shape is reached and then leave to dry.
For natural fibers, such as wool and cotton, steam blocking is a better option than wet blocking. You can steam first and pin afterwards, or you can pin the piece into the desired shape and then steam. The best method is to wet another piece of fabric or paper, and then run a hot iron over the fabric or paper without pressing until it is dry. This will steam the water gently into the knitting.
Spray blocking is by far the most gentle process and should be used for very delicate fibers like Kashmir or silk. It is also a good method to use for any type of yarn where you are not quite sure exactly what it's made of. Pin the piece in place and mist very lightly with a spray bottle and then allow to dry.
You can use blocking boards and T. pins to give you the right sort of surface and pins to use to help you align your knitting. But for most people, and projects, you might find that they are unnecessary and you will be able to block your fabrics with quite ordinary pins and some other flat surface to pin the knitting to. But regardless of which tools do you use you are sure to find that blocking is very easy to do and will give your knitting a much cleaner finished look.
Blocking uses stretching and moisture to help shape a finish piece in order to match another one of the same size or just get a piece of knitting squared up to make the rows look even and straight. You will also generally block anything knitted from lace to showcase all of the holes and patterns you worked so hard to create.
All of the methods of blocking knitting have one thing in common and that is a little bit of water. How much water is entirely dependent on the type of yarn that you have used. If you are working with man made fibers or wool blends that include man-made fibers wet blocking can be used. Dampen (not soak) the piece of knitting and gently stretch until the desired shape is reached and then leave to dry.
For natural fibers, such as wool and cotton, steam blocking is a better option than wet blocking. You can steam first and pin afterwards, or you can pin the piece into the desired shape and then steam. The best method is to wet another piece of fabric or paper, and then run a hot iron over the fabric or paper without pressing until it is dry. This will steam the water gently into the knitting.
Spray blocking is by far the most gentle process and should be used for very delicate fibers like Kashmir or silk. It is also a good method to use for any type of yarn where you are not quite sure exactly what it's made of. Pin the piece in place and mist very lightly with a spray bottle and then allow to dry.
You can use blocking boards and T. pins to give you the right sort of surface and pins to use to help you align your knitting. But for most people, and projects, you might find that they are unnecessary and you will be able to block your fabrics with quite ordinary pins and some other flat surface to pin the knitting to. But regardless of which tools do you use you are sure to find that blocking is very easy to do and will give your knitting a much cleaner finished look.
Monday, August 23, 2010
How to Knit for Beginners
When you're first beginning to learn how to knit, you may have started with something very simple. But then, with your newfound excitement and confidence, you may have plunged off into a project that turned out to be far more difficult and gotten bogged down. All you really need to be able to not only complete, but enjoy knitting almost anything is a little bit of good instruction, and some practice, of course. We have found the perfect instruction program that can train you up from beginner to the true knitting artistry faster and easier than you can imagine.
Easy knit is a program that can teach you how to knit anything and everything that was developed by Anna Stewart, who has been teaching other people how to knit for more than 40 years. Her easy knit program eliminates all of the confusion and difficulty, and replaces it with an in depth understanding that will make even the most complex projects as smooth as silk.
And you don't have to be a beginner to benefit from this instructional guide. Even if you been knitting for years, you will learn how to complete the most beautiful and difficult knitting projects and improve your techniques by leaps and bounds.
Anna begins with the basics and then moves on to advanced techniques such as intarsa, entrelac, cable knitting, moss stitches and much more. Not only will you learn how to knit from patterns, you'll also master knitting to the point where you will be able to design and create your own patterns as well.
Easy knit can teach you how to resize, modify and create some of the most complicated projects so that you can make absolutely perfect sweaters, scarves, hats and gifts for your entire family and friends. And that even goes into beautiful Celtic designs so that cable knitting is a breeze as well as how to work with multiple yarns and textures and even creating fabulous intarsia works using the best part lots of color.
Once you dig in to easy knit you'll find all of the practical and proven advice you need in an easy to follow step by step format, making learning everything you could ever want to know about knitting easy and fun. learning to knit has never been this easy or exciting. If you already enjoy knitting and want to knit like a pro, or if you are just starting out and want the very best knitting experience possible, you really need to go and check out the link below.
Easy Knit
Easy knit is a program that can teach you how to knit anything and everything that was developed by Anna Stewart, who has been teaching other people how to knit for more than 40 years. Her easy knit program eliminates all of the confusion and difficulty, and replaces it with an in depth understanding that will make even the most complex projects as smooth as silk.
And you don't have to be a beginner to benefit from this instructional guide. Even if you been knitting for years, you will learn how to complete the most beautiful and difficult knitting projects and improve your techniques by leaps and bounds.
Anna begins with the basics and then moves on to advanced techniques such as intarsa, entrelac, cable knitting, moss stitches and much more. Not only will you learn how to knit from patterns, you'll also master knitting to the point where you will be able to design and create your own patterns as well.
Easy knit can teach you how to resize, modify and create some of the most complicated projects so that you can make absolutely perfect sweaters, scarves, hats and gifts for your entire family and friends. And that even goes into beautiful Celtic designs so that cable knitting is a breeze as well as how to work with multiple yarns and textures and even creating fabulous intarsia works using the best part lots of color.
Once you dig in to easy knit you'll find all of the practical and proven advice you need in an easy to follow step by step format, making learning everything you could ever want to know about knitting easy and fun. learning to knit has never been this easy or exciting. If you already enjoy knitting and want to knit like a pro, or if you are just starting out and want the very best knitting experience possible, you really need to go and check out the link below.
Easy Knit
Sunday, August 22, 2010
How to Knit
There are lots of reasons that you might want to begin learning how to knit. Maybe it's for a bit of nostalgia, or you want to learn to do something that your grandmother once did. Perhaps now that the kids have left the house you find yourself with some free time or maybe you would just like a new hobby that gets you working more with your hands and watching less TV. But no matter what your motivation knitting is one of those things that can be both addicting and relaxing at the same time and it's really not hard at all to get started.
Knitting is basically built with three things. First is the cast on which begins to build the framework from which the rest of the article will be knitted. Once you have begun a project by casting on, a great number of knitting projects are completed with the knit and purl stitches. Finally, you will learn to cast off which is much like casting on except that it ends the project instead of beginning it. Once you learn the basics of these three steps you are ready to tackle some more advanced techniques.
When learning to cast on you might want to begin with the long tail cast on which has a nice clean edge but also as a little bit of stretch to it which makes it suitable for a broad range of knitting articles. Although it's not quite as simple as a backward loop cast it is much more versatile and very easy to do once you get the hang of it.
After you learn the basic knit and purl stitches you will probably also want to figure out how to accomplish a couple of increases and decreases so that not everything you knit has to be perfectly symmetrical. Of course, there are far more advanced knitting stitches and techniques that you can learn by with the basic knit and purl stitches, along with being able to increase or decrease a row, you can practice on a great number of patterns.
Binding off is actually fairly simple because the stitch is almost the same as the knitting and purling stitches. With just a minor change, you can learn to use the same basic stitch and weave in the loose tail after you are done. One of the best knitting projects to begin learning with is a knitted dish rag. Starting with this small square will give you a chance to practice everything we've talked about when it comes to learning how to knit. You're sure to enjoy many hours of relaxing, therapeutic fun when you begin to knit.
Knitting is basically built with three things. First is the cast on which begins to build the framework from which the rest of the article will be knitted. Once you have begun a project by casting on, a great number of knitting projects are completed with the knit and purl stitches. Finally, you will learn to cast off which is much like casting on except that it ends the project instead of beginning it. Once you learn the basics of these three steps you are ready to tackle some more advanced techniques.
When learning to cast on you might want to begin with the long tail cast on which has a nice clean edge but also as a little bit of stretch to it which makes it suitable for a broad range of knitting articles. Although it's not quite as simple as a backward loop cast it is much more versatile and very easy to do once you get the hang of it.
After you learn the basic knit and purl stitches you will probably also want to figure out how to accomplish a couple of increases and decreases so that not everything you knit has to be perfectly symmetrical. Of course, there are far more advanced knitting stitches and techniques that you can learn by with the basic knit and purl stitches, along with being able to increase or decrease a row, you can practice on a great number of patterns.
Binding off is actually fairly simple because the stitch is almost the same as the knitting and purling stitches. With just a minor change, you can learn to use the same basic stitch and weave in the loose tail after you are done. One of the best knitting projects to begin learning with is a knitted dish rag. Starting with this small square will give you a chance to practice everything we've talked about when it comes to learning how to knit. You're sure to enjoy many hours of relaxing, therapeutic fun when you begin to knit.
Saturday, August 21, 2010
Garter Stitch Knitting
While knitting may look complicated, in actuality it only uses two basic stitches - the knit and the purl. Once you've mastered these two basic stitches you really can knit just about anything. But don't be fooled, it can be fairly complex with lots of little variations in how to perform these two types of stitching. The first stitch in each new row is the Garter stitch. Here is how it is done:
1. Hold the needle with your cast on in your left hand, and the other needle in your right hand.
2. Pass the tip of the right needle through the first loop on the left needle in such a way that the right goes behind the left. Be sure to keep the yarn behind both needles.
3. With your right hand, pass the yarn around the tip of the right needle counterclockwise, keeping it nice and tight.
4. Begin bringing the tip of the right needle slowly back through the first loop toward you, bringing the yarn along for the ride.
5. gently pull the new loop on your right needle to the tip of the left needle. Let the first loop slide off. It is important to keep the yarn just tight enough that your loops stay close to the needle, but not so tight that you can't slide the needle between them.
6. The first stitch is now on the right needle, and you can just repeat steps 2 through 5 until all of the cast on stitches are on the right hand needle - which completes the first row.
7. Switch the needle with all the stitches to your left hand.
Using this technique row after row is the garter stitch. Once you get into a groove with the garter stitch it is very easy to do row after row. As you become more advanced in your knitting you will also learn the reverse garter stitch in which each stitch is purled instead of knit. You will typically not use a garter stitch for an edge, as it has a tendency to curl, but it is a great general purpose stitch that is used in many patterns.
1. Hold the needle with your cast on in your left hand, and the other needle in your right hand.
2. Pass the tip of the right needle through the first loop on the left needle in such a way that the right goes behind the left. Be sure to keep the yarn behind both needles.
3. With your right hand, pass the yarn around the tip of the right needle counterclockwise, keeping it nice and tight.
4. Begin bringing the tip of the right needle slowly back through the first loop toward you, bringing the yarn along for the ride.
5. gently pull the new loop on your right needle to the tip of the left needle. Let the first loop slide off. It is important to keep the yarn just tight enough that your loops stay close to the needle, but not so tight that you can't slide the needle between them.
6. The first stitch is now on the right needle, and you can just repeat steps 2 through 5 until all of the cast on stitches are on the right hand needle - which completes the first row.
7. Switch the needle with all the stitches to your left hand.
Using this technique row after row is the garter stitch. Once you get into a groove with the garter stitch it is very easy to do row after row. As you become more advanced in your knitting you will also learn the reverse garter stitch in which each stitch is purled instead of knit. You will typically not use a garter stitch for an edge, as it has a tendency to curl, but it is a great general purpose stitch that is used in many patterns.
Friday, August 20, 2010
How to Knit a Baby Blanket
how to knit a baby blanket (302 words)
Knitting a blanket is one of those things that can provide you with hours and hours of peaceful and relaxing work to do that also ends up creating a fantastic end result. For a long winter days, there's nothing better than working on a blanket or two. As with most things, if you are starting your first blanket, it's probably better to start with something just a little smaller so that you can get your feet wet without getting in over your head.
So I set out to find a beautiful and easy baby blanket for you to cut your blanket knitting teeth on. You're absolutely going to love this one. It looks incredible in white and ends up with a very soft lacy feel that is perfect for the little darling in your life.
You're going to need some number 10 needles and 14 or 15 ounces of your. Remember, although you want your blanket to be soft, don't choose a yarn that will be too difficult for you to deal with. In other words, do the first blanket in something that you are familiar with before moving on to something super fuzzy and hard to handle. Here is your pattern.
Cast on 127 stitches
Knit 10 rows Garter Stitch
Row 1 - Knit 5, *, K 1, yo, k2 tog, repeat from * and across ending with Knit 5
Row 2 - Repeats Row 1
Row 3 - Knit
Row 4 - Knit 5, Purl Across, Knit 5
Continue these 4 rows until you reach the desired length
End with 10 rows garter stitch
This blanket probably will not be used during very cold weather, but it is perfect for showing off your baby when it's just a little cool outside or in the building. It's a pretty pattern that is sure to be a favorite.
Knitting a blanket is one of those things that can provide you with hours and hours of peaceful and relaxing work to do that also ends up creating a fantastic end result. For a long winter days, there's nothing better than working on a blanket or two. As with most things, if you are starting your first blanket, it's probably better to start with something just a little smaller so that you can get your feet wet without getting in over your head.
So I set out to find a beautiful and easy baby blanket for you to cut your blanket knitting teeth on. You're absolutely going to love this one. It looks incredible in white and ends up with a very soft lacy feel that is perfect for the little darling in your life.
You're going to need some number 10 needles and 14 or 15 ounces of your. Remember, although you want your blanket to be soft, don't choose a yarn that will be too difficult for you to deal with. In other words, do the first blanket in something that you are familiar with before moving on to something super fuzzy and hard to handle. Here is your pattern.
Cast on 127 stitches
Knit 10 rows Garter Stitch
Row 1 - Knit 5, *, K 1, yo, k2 tog, repeat from * and across ending with Knit 5
Row 2 - Repeats Row 1
Row 3 - Knit
Row 4 - Knit 5, Purl Across, Knit 5
Continue these 4 rows until you reach the desired length
End with 10 rows garter stitch
This blanket probably will not be used during very cold weather, but it is perfect for showing off your baby when it's just a little cool outside or in the building. It's a pretty pattern that is sure to be a favorite.
Thursday, August 19, 2010
How to Knit a Blanket
Knitting a blanket can be a great project for those long winter months. It is especially suitable if you are not in a hurry and just want to spend some relaxing time working with your favorite yarn. Of course, there are lots of different patterns you can use to make blankets. And while it is often recommended that you not use big and chunky yarns, those types of yarns also tend to make the softest and most cuddly blankets.
If you've been itching to try your hand at using something really fuzzy like a homespun yarn, here is a great pattern that will last almost forever and still be soft and cozy. You will need about six skeins of homespun yarn and size 13 needles. Here is the pattern:
Cast on 5 stitches
Row 1 - Knit
Row 2 - knit 1 yo, knit across row
Repeat Row 2 until blanket is half the size you want (or until you use up half your yarn)
Decrease Rows:
Knit 1, Knit two stitches together, knit across row
Repeat until there are 5 stitches left
Knit on row
Bind off and weave in ends
As you can see, this is a pretty simple pattern and you will be able to just sit down and knit to your hearts' content. It will make a nice, large blanket to curl up by the fire with. So go and grab you some good homespun yarn and get started on this blanket pattern right away.
If you've been itching to try your hand at using something really fuzzy like a homespun yarn, here is a great pattern that will last almost forever and still be soft and cozy. You will need about six skeins of homespun yarn and size 13 needles. Here is the pattern:
Cast on 5 stitches
Row 1 - Knit
Row 2 - knit 1 yo, knit across row
Repeat Row 2 until blanket is half the size you want (or until you use up half your yarn)
Decrease Rows:
Knit 1, Knit two stitches together, knit across row
Repeat until there are 5 stitches left
Knit on row
Bind off and weave in ends
As you can see, this is a pretty simple pattern and you will be able to just sit down and knit to your hearts' content. It will make a nice, large blanket to curl up by the fire with. So go and grab you some good homespun yarn and get started on this blanket pattern right away.
Wednesday, August 18, 2010
Knitting Casting On
When you're first beginning to learn how to knit you may find that learning to cast on seems more difficult than it should be. Part of the reason for this is that there are so many different terms for the various methods you can use to begin a knitting project that all describe the same things. In reality there are five basic methods of casting on even though they go by a number of different names.
For beginners one of the easiest and fastest ways to cast on is the single cast on. It is good for a variety of different types of projects including socks and even sweaters. They can also be used on projects where you do not want the edge of the project to take away from the rest of your work, particularly when working with materials such as lace. It has good stretch to it but you have to be careful to keep even tension while you're working with it.
The cable cast method is very useful when you need a nice firm edge that doesn't stretch. The thing that makes this type of cast on a little tricky is that it is quite similar to the knitted cast on. The only difference between the two is needle placement. While the cable cast is firm, the knitted cast on is relatively stretchy.
Perhaps one of the most popular methods is the long tail cast on. Because it is so popular it also has a number of other names such as: the Y. cast on, slingshot, two strand, sling shot, continental and double cast on. It's easy to see why just one method can be confusing with all of those aliases. The long tail can take some practice to get exactly the right but when you know what you're doing it is also quite quick and easy. You it can serve as a fine edge for a number of different things since it is versatile because of not being too firm or stretchy. In other words it is a very good general purpose starter.
Similar to the long tail is the twisted cast on, also called the German and the old Norwegian. It works a lot like the long tail, but be extra twist gives it a lot more stretch making it an excellent choice for projects such as socks and hats that need a lot of elasticity in the edge stitch.
Now that you know a little bit about each of the most popular cast on methods, you should be able to choose which one you want to use for your next project more appropriately. That also means that finding a good tutorial for each stage will be far easier if you need a little guidance. You can find excellent instructional articles and videos all over the Internet for each of these kinds of cast on methods.
For beginners one of the easiest and fastest ways to cast on is the single cast on. It is good for a variety of different types of projects including socks and even sweaters. They can also be used on projects where you do not want the edge of the project to take away from the rest of your work, particularly when working with materials such as lace. It has good stretch to it but you have to be careful to keep even tension while you're working with it.
The cable cast method is very useful when you need a nice firm edge that doesn't stretch. The thing that makes this type of cast on a little tricky is that it is quite similar to the knitted cast on. The only difference between the two is needle placement. While the cable cast is firm, the knitted cast on is relatively stretchy.
Perhaps one of the most popular methods is the long tail cast on. Because it is so popular it also has a number of other names such as: the Y. cast on, slingshot, two strand, sling shot, continental and double cast on. It's easy to see why just one method can be confusing with all of those aliases. The long tail can take some practice to get exactly the right but when you know what you're doing it is also quite quick and easy. You it can serve as a fine edge for a number of different things since it is versatile because of not being too firm or stretchy. In other words it is a very good general purpose starter.
Similar to the long tail is the twisted cast on, also called the German and the old Norwegian. It works a lot like the long tail, but be extra twist gives it a lot more stretch making it an excellent choice for projects such as socks and hats that need a lot of elasticity in the edge stitch.
Now that you know a little bit about each of the most popular cast on methods, you should be able to choose which one you want to use for your next project more appropriately. That also means that finding a good tutorial for each stage will be far easier if you need a little guidance. You can find excellent instructional articles and videos all over the Internet for each of these kinds of cast on methods.
Tuesday, August 17, 2010
How to Start Knitting
One of the scarier moments that all beginning knitter's face is when they graduate from knitting with two needles that have one pointed and one slip proof and, to using more than two needles and needles that are pointed on both ends. You can be scared to death that your work is simply going to slip off of the bottom of other needles. But once you know how to do knitting in the round with double pointed needles, it's not all that difficult at all. Here's a few tips to get you well on your way to knitting in the round.
You'll want to cast on in the usual way by using a single needle. For large projects with a lot of stitches you might cast on using several needles, just make sure that the number of stitches on each needle is equal.
Next, make sure that your stitches are straight and not curling around the needle before you begin to knit. Your first stitch should join the first cast on stitch and your last cast on stitch so you'll need to add a couple of stitches before adding that fourth needle. Slide your fourth needle up through the waiting stitch just like you would at any other time. However, it might feel pretty awkward first time you're trying to handle three or four needles when before you've only been using two. As a matter of fact, it might be best to sit in a spot where the needles that are not currently in use can rest on something such as a table until you become more adept at handling all four needles.
You always want to go a couple of stitches extra when knitting in the round. When your left needle runs out of stitches put it somewhere easily accessible, this is the point you'll need to add a stitch or two before you add the fourth needle back in. If you don't make these extra stitches, you can end up with little gaps in your work until you get better at making compensation for the natural pull and slack that can occur at the end of each needle.
Yes, it can be a little scary, but also very exciting when you find out that you can knit in the round which is perfect for things like socks and bags. With just a little bit of practice, and rolling and those extra stitches, you'll soon feel comfortable and confident when knitting with double pointed needles in the round.
You'll want to cast on in the usual way by using a single needle. For large projects with a lot of stitches you might cast on using several needles, just make sure that the number of stitches on each needle is equal.
Next, make sure that your stitches are straight and not curling around the needle before you begin to knit. Your first stitch should join the first cast on stitch and your last cast on stitch so you'll need to add a couple of stitches before adding that fourth needle. Slide your fourth needle up through the waiting stitch just like you would at any other time. However, it might feel pretty awkward first time you're trying to handle three or four needles when before you've only been using two. As a matter of fact, it might be best to sit in a spot where the needles that are not currently in use can rest on something such as a table until you become more adept at handling all four needles.
You always want to go a couple of stitches extra when knitting in the round. When your left needle runs out of stitches put it somewhere easily accessible, this is the point you'll need to add a stitch or two before you add the fourth needle back in. If you don't make these extra stitches, you can end up with little gaps in your work until you get better at making compensation for the natural pull and slack that can occur at the end of each needle.
Yes, it can be a little scary, but also very exciting when you find out that you can knit in the round which is perfect for things like socks and bags. With just a little bit of practice, and rolling and those extra stitches, you'll soon feel comfortable and confident when knitting with double pointed needles in the round.
Monday, August 16, 2010
Knitted Dishcloths
My mom must be really hard on dishcloths. I can think of no other reason why she would make just hundreds of them. In reality, I am sure that she needs to do them to relax, and just doesn't have time in her busy schedule to tackle more complicated patterns. Needless to say, we will always have plenty of dishcloths lying around, and as a result I have ended up being fairly rough on my dishcloths as well seeing as how I have a virtually unlimited supply.
So I sat her down and had her talk me through her pattern for making dishcloths. It's really very simple, and even though I knit very little, I was able to make one myself in a little less than an hour. If you have been knitting for any length of time you could probably do it two or three times faster than I can, it turns out I'm all thumbs.
You'll need some size 6 or seven needles and one ball of cotton yarn. They actually make yarn specifically for dishcloths, believe it or not. But just about any sort of cotton yarn will do. It's best to use cotton and not wool, since cotton has better water absorbing capability, as well as drying faster than wool which prevents any potential smelliness.
Cast on 4
Row 1: Knit 4
Row 2: Knit 2, yarn over, knit across row
Repeat row 2 to 44 stitches
Row 3: Knit 1, Knit 2 together, Yarn over, Knit 2 together, knit to end of row.
Repeat Row 3 until you have 4 stitches left on your needle
Bind off and weave in the loose end.
That's all there is to it. Once you do a couple, you'll barely even have to count anymore. Before long, you can be churning out dishcloths like a factory - just like my mother.
So I sat her down and had her talk me through her pattern for making dishcloths. It's really very simple, and even though I knit very little, I was able to make one myself in a little less than an hour. If you have been knitting for any length of time you could probably do it two or three times faster than I can, it turns out I'm all thumbs.
You'll need some size 6 or seven needles and one ball of cotton yarn. They actually make yarn specifically for dishcloths, believe it or not. But just about any sort of cotton yarn will do. It's best to use cotton and not wool, since cotton has better water absorbing capability, as well as drying faster than wool which prevents any potential smelliness.
Cast on 4
Row 1: Knit 4
Row 2: Knit 2, yarn over, knit across row
Repeat row 2 to 44 stitches
Row 3: Knit 1, Knit 2 together, Yarn over, Knit 2 together, knit to end of row.
Repeat Row 3 until you have 4 stitches left on your needle
Bind off and weave in the loose end.
That's all there is to it. Once you do a couple, you'll barely even have to count anymore. Before long, you can be churning out dishcloths like a factory - just like my mother.
Sunday, August 15, 2010
Binding off Knitting
binding off knitting (322 words)
Once you've learned how to cast on knit and purl, you may have made your way through an entire skein and of yarn before you realized you had no idea how to stop. Okay, that may be a bit of an exaggeration, but you know exactly what I'm talking about. It's easy to get in a groove making rows, but eventually you're going to have to get just as good at binding off as you are knitting and purling. Binding off can be described in three simple steps.
Step One: once you've completed the last row, cast off as if you were going to continue the same pattern. Knit or Purl the first couple of stitches on this final row.
Step Two: You should now have two stitches on the right hand needle. Use the left needle to grab and pull the first stitch up and over the second sttitch and over at the tip of the right hand needle leaving you with one stitch, which is actually the second stitch on the right hand needle. Knit or purl the next sttitch and repeat until you are left with no stitches on the left-hand needle and one stitch on the right-hand.
Step Three: slip the last stitch off the right-hand needle and trim yarn leaving a couple of inches to weave back into the project. Slip this through the last loop and pull tight so the loop will not unravel. And finally, use a sewing needle or crochet hook to weave the loose end through several stitches in the project.
And that is actually all there is to binding off. In effect, you are using a stitch variation to lock the pattern into itself and then, as the saying goes, tying up your loose end. You can practice binding off and casting on by just knitting a few rows with some left over yarn that you have lying around.
Once you've learned how to cast on knit and purl, you may have made your way through an entire skein and of yarn before you realized you had no idea how to stop. Okay, that may be a bit of an exaggeration, but you know exactly what I'm talking about. It's easy to get in a groove making rows, but eventually you're going to have to get just as good at binding off as you are knitting and purling. Binding off can be described in three simple steps.
Step One: once you've completed the last row, cast off as if you were going to continue the same pattern. Knit or Purl the first couple of stitches on this final row.
Step Two: You should now have two stitches on the right hand needle. Use the left needle to grab and pull the first stitch up and over the second sttitch and over at the tip of the right hand needle leaving you with one stitch, which is actually the second stitch on the right hand needle. Knit or purl the next sttitch and repeat until you are left with no stitches on the left-hand needle and one stitch on the right-hand.
Step Three: slip the last stitch off the right-hand needle and trim yarn leaving a couple of inches to weave back into the project. Slip this through the last loop and pull tight so the loop will not unravel. And finally, use a sewing needle or crochet hook to weave the loose end through several stitches in the project.
And that is actually all there is to binding off. In effect, you are using a stitch variation to lock the pattern into itself and then, as the saying goes, tying up your loose end. You can practice binding off and casting on by just knitting a few rows with some left over yarn that you have lying around.
Saturday, August 14, 2010
Learning to Knit
If you are just beginning to learn how to knit there are a few rules that you should always keep in mind no matter how experienced you become. It's the same with most things you have to learn how to do. There is going to be some trial and error, so mistakes and some experience that go into mastering any new art or craft. So take it from someone who has been through all of the ups and downs that come with knitting and follow these rules to the letter and you will have a far better experience than I did along the way.
Rule number one is: always make sure that the yarn fits your project. If you are making something that has to stand up to lots of wear and tear, that soft cuddly yarn you're looking at probably won't last more than a couple of months. But for a scarf, it might be just the perfect thing. Always be sure that you are selecting your yarn based on use, as well as for each for the pattern and purpose you are beginning the project to do.
Rule number two: make sure that your yarns are the same type. You should never use one type of yarn that needs to be washed by hand and a yarn that can be machine washed. As you learn about different characteristics of yarn you will note which yarns will shed and which types will snatch on other fibers. Combining these two types is a bit like making Velcro, it will catch on itself and pill terribly as you wear, use and wash it.
Rule number three: use the proper gauge each of yarn for your pattern. A gauge too small and that sweater for your granddaughter will end up on your dog instead. Or, a large gauge yarn in a scarf pattern and it will end up long enough to rope cows.
Rule number four: always knit a rib or border. Unless you absolutely want your edges to curl, you will have to put an edge on everything you do, especially articles of clothing. It's no wonder that even commercial sweaters have a ribbed cuff. Always edge clothing articles with a different stitch.
Rule number five: plan ahead and tie in new skeins of yarn at the end of a row. This will keep your project from having odd little lumps and bumps in the pattern. We all want to be thrifty, but being pretty has something to be said for it as well.
There are other rules you probably should know, but we don't have time to go into all of them right here. These are the five rules that will help you the most when you are beginning to knit. Keep them in mind, and never violate them, and you will have far more fun, and end up with a much better finished product on everything you ever knit.
Rule number one is: always make sure that the yarn fits your project. If you are making something that has to stand up to lots of wear and tear, that soft cuddly yarn you're looking at probably won't last more than a couple of months. But for a scarf, it might be just the perfect thing. Always be sure that you are selecting your yarn based on use, as well as for each for the pattern and purpose you are beginning the project to do.
Rule number two: make sure that your yarns are the same type. You should never use one type of yarn that needs to be washed by hand and a yarn that can be machine washed. As you learn about different characteristics of yarn you will note which yarns will shed and which types will snatch on other fibers. Combining these two types is a bit like making Velcro, it will catch on itself and pill terribly as you wear, use and wash it.
Rule number three: use the proper gauge each of yarn for your pattern. A gauge too small and that sweater for your granddaughter will end up on your dog instead. Or, a large gauge yarn in a scarf pattern and it will end up long enough to rope cows.
Rule number four: always knit a rib or border. Unless you absolutely want your edges to curl, you will have to put an edge on everything you do, especially articles of clothing. It's no wonder that even commercial sweaters have a ribbed cuff. Always edge clothing articles with a different stitch.
Rule number five: plan ahead and tie in new skeins of yarn at the end of a row. This will keep your project from having odd little lumps and bumps in the pattern. We all want to be thrifty, but being pretty has something to be said for it as well.
There are other rules you probably should know, but we don't have time to go into all of them right here. These are the five rules that will help you the most when you are beginning to knit. Keep them in mind, and never violate them, and you will have far more fun, and end up with a much better finished product on everything you ever knit.
Friday, August 13, 2010
Knitted Patterns
You can find lots of free knitted patterns online as well as from books available at Amazon and other retailers. The first thing you need to do when looking for knitting patterns is decide exactly which kind of project you would like to make. Once you have chosen something, such as scarves, you will then need to find a pattern that works well with the type of yarn you plan to use. There are so many types of yarn available, that you might even want to start by looking at things the other way around, and find your pattern first while saving yarn selection for just that pattern.
The thing is, you can't just knit just any pattern with every type of yarn. Some patterns will require smaller yarn, while others will do just fine with the chunkier stuff. You'll have to take care if you already have a wad of yarn in your basket that you would like to use in selecting a pattern for that particular yarn that will end up bringing out the individual characteristics of both the yarn and the pattern.
You are usually better off knowing exactly what you are going to knit before you begin searching for the yarn you're going to need to knit it with. Each pattern will have certain stitches and subtle nuances that will either require, or will work better with different weights of yarn. If you have been knitting for a long time, you will probably be able to know what combinations of patterns and yarn work best together. But for the beginner it's something you really need to keep in mind ahead of time.
Here is a neat striped scarf pattern using an 85% wool 15% mohair blend of 190 yards per 4 ounce skein in three colors. You will need one skein of each color and works best with size 10 needles as well as a I/9 crochet hook and a tapestry needle to weave in the ends. This pattern is 28 stitches=4 inches for gauge.
Begin by casting on 32 stitches and repeats these two rows:
Row 1 - knit first stitch through the back loop, knit 2, purl 2 across row until 3 stitches remain. Then knit 2, bring yarn to the front and slip the last stitch purlwise.
Row 2 - knit first stitch through back loop, purl 2, knit 2 across the row until 3 stitches remain, purl 2, bring yarn to the front and slip the last stitch purlwise.
Then simply repeat these row steps as follows:
Rows 1 through 20 - color 1
Rows 21 and 22 - color 3
Rows 23 and 24 - color 1
rows 25 and 26 - color 3
Rows 27 and 28 - color 1
Rows 29 and 30 - color 3
Cut both colors and join color 2
Rows 31 through 50 Color 2 - leave color 2 attached and join color 3
Rows 51 and 52 - color 3
Rows 53 and 54 - color 2
Rows 55 and 56 - color 3
Rows 57 and 58 - color 2
Rows 59 and 60 - color 3
Cut colors 2 and 3 and repeat pattern from row 1 through 60 five more times plus rows 1 through 50 to end. Bind off in pattern and weave loose ends.
To make the seven fringe groups on both short ends you will need 84 strands containing 28 of each color, with each strand 12 inches long. Separate strands into 14 groups of 6, each group having two strands of each color. Push the crochet hook into the scarf edge from back to front and fold one group of strands, holding the cut ends to make a loop. Hook this loop and pull halfway through the scarf edge. Keep the hook in the loop and pull the cut ends through the loop to form a knot and pull the ends to tighten. You can then trim the fringe ends to 5 inches.
The thing is, you can't just knit just any pattern with every type of yarn. Some patterns will require smaller yarn, while others will do just fine with the chunkier stuff. You'll have to take care if you already have a wad of yarn in your basket that you would like to use in selecting a pattern for that particular yarn that will end up bringing out the individual characteristics of both the yarn and the pattern.
You are usually better off knowing exactly what you are going to knit before you begin searching for the yarn you're going to need to knit it with. Each pattern will have certain stitches and subtle nuances that will either require, or will work better with different weights of yarn. If you have been knitting for a long time, you will probably be able to know what combinations of patterns and yarn work best together. But for the beginner it's something you really need to keep in mind ahead of time.
Here is a neat striped scarf pattern using an 85% wool 15% mohair blend of 190 yards per 4 ounce skein in three colors. You will need one skein of each color and works best with size 10 needles as well as a I/9 crochet hook and a tapestry needle to weave in the ends. This pattern is 28 stitches=4 inches for gauge.
Begin by casting on 32 stitches and repeats these two rows:
Row 1 - knit first stitch through the back loop, knit 2, purl 2 across row until 3 stitches remain. Then knit 2, bring yarn to the front and slip the last stitch purlwise.
Row 2 - knit first stitch through back loop, purl 2, knit 2 across the row until 3 stitches remain, purl 2, bring yarn to the front and slip the last stitch purlwise.
Then simply repeat these row steps as follows:
Rows 1 through 20 - color 1
Rows 21 and 22 - color 3
Rows 23 and 24 - color 1
rows 25 and 26 - color 3
Rows 27 and 28 - color 1
Rows 29 and 30 - color 3
Cut both colors and join color 2
Rows 31 through 50 Color 2 - leave color 2 attached and join color 3
Rows 51 and 52 - color 3
Rows 53 and 54 - color 2
Rows 55 and 56 - color 3
Rows 57 and 58 - color 2
Rows 59 and 60 - color 3
Cut colors 2 and 3 and repeat pattern from row 1 through 60 five more times plus rows 1 through 50 to end. Bind off in pattern and weave loose ends.
To make the seven fringe groups on both short ends you will need 84 strands containing 28 of each color, with each strand 12 inches long. Separate strands into 14 groups of 6, each group having two strands of each color. Push the crochet hook into the scarf edge from back to front and fold one group of strands, holding the cut ends to make a loop. Hook this loop and pull halfway through the scarf edge. Keep the hook in the loop and pull the cut ends through the loop to form a knot and pull the ends to tighten. You can then trim the fringe ends to 5 inches.
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