#knitting tips

[tweedlestrove]

a link to a tutorial by Naomi Pankhurst on how to make a really nice hexagon mesh. This blog also has a lot of interesting tutorials, patterns, and other stuff in it that are worth checking out as well.

[melchinafan]

More adventures in knitting! I just figured out how to remember whether to knit/purl normally or through the back loop for each type of lifted increase.

You insert the needle from the side of the origin stitch.

So if you're lifting from a stitch on the right needle, you come in from the right (either ktbl, or purl). If you're lifting from a stitch on the left needle, you come in from the left (so knit, or ptbl).

The lean of them I find easier to remember. If you lift before knitting the origin stitch, you're adding it on the right of that stitch, so it will lean right. If you're lifting it after knitting the origin stitch, you're adding it on the left of that stitch, so it'll lean left.

For remembering M1R/L, I combined the tip I saw on nimble-needles (about halfway down the page there's a big "how to remember" titled section) that the front leg of the stitch should lean in the desired direction--plus my personal observation/interpretation of "knit (or purl) through whichever side is harder/more annoying to get the needle into because that part of the leg is shorter and has less room." (The site does include a way to remember the second half of the tip, but it's easier for me to internalize "more annoying" than "closer to the next stitch.")

This is gonna save me SO many reference tabs.

[lightlyknitted]

Vintage knitting 102: yarn boogaloo

A while ago, I wrote a post about finding vintage patterns online for free. I thought I would do a follow up to that post and explain how to find a substitution for a discontinued or unavailable yarn. It does take a bit of legwork and some math but it does get easier the more you do it.  

In order to make this less complicated to explain, I’m going to use an example pattern to walk you through my method. I am going to use the pattern “Round or Turtle Neck Pullover Pattern #s-108” originally published in Spool Cotton #198, Knit for Victory. You can see the pattern here (x) 

First, what information does the pattern tell you? Well quite a lot actually. For this pattern we’ll need a gauge of 5.5 sts per inch and 7 rows per inch, requiring 1 pair of No. 3 (about a 3.25mm, US 10) and No. 5 (about a 3.75mm, US 9) needles. It is graded for up to a 46 inch chest. It also suggested Chadwick’s Red Heart knitting worsted in 1 oz balls. 

Since this is a vintage pattern, we’ll need to get some basic information about Chadwick’s real quick. With a quick google we find a Ravelry listing for this yarn which tells us it is 100% wool, four ply and is discontinued. Ravelry lists the suggested needle size as US 8. 

According to the Ravelry wraps per inch (wpi) information, this yarn has about 9 which puts it squarely in a DK weight (8-11 wpi) yarn. I know, I know the label says it is worsted but is shaping up to be a DK, vintage wool is notorious for being smaller than modern yarns. So we know we could be working for a DK weight yarn to make this easy. 

So I personally like the Berroco vintage line and they have a DK weight yarn available. It is 100 g/290 yds/265 m and has 5.5 sts per inch. It is an acrylic, wool and nylon blend so if you don’t like that feel free to find another yarn, this will be the one I use for my example. 

As we gathered from the ravelry site the vintage yarn we are subbing comes in one ounce (roughly 29 grams).  So if we are making a size 46 which will cover a 46 inch bust for men. The pattern says we need 25 balls – 25 ounces. Since we’ve got to guess based on the ravelry page that would be about 725 grams (29 grams x 25 balls). 

So for the vintage we would need 8 hanks of the Berroco vintage DK (100 grams / 725 grams rounded up). If possible make a gauge swatch before buying all the yarn (the stores near me with this yarn retail it for 9.50 USD). If needed, size the needles up or down to reach it. 

Good luck and I hope this helps! Happy knitting!

[storybounding]

How To Unravel Thrifted Sweaters For Luxurious Yarn On A Budget!

[itspronouncedtessa]

💛Beaudille💛 Knit patch 92 with me.

I hate purling doubles or triples through the back loop, especially in cotton like this, where there is no give.

It's good to know your stitch geometry, to know what result you're trying to achieve, so you can find alternative ways to get there.

I did the p2tog-tbl for this video, but never again. I'm a ppnso girl all the way.

[knitproeu]

Mastering Dropped Stitches: Learn How to Fix Them and Harness Them as a Technique

Embark on a knitting adventure as we unravel the mystery of dropped stitches! From easy fixes with utility tools to exploring stunning design elements like "Feather and Fan" and brioche patterns, knit unique and textured fabrics. Turn dropped stitches into unique and professional creations as you dive into this fascinating craft-tastic knitting adventure.

Visit: https://www.knitpro.eu/blog/how-to-fix-a-dropped-stitch/en

[measuredandslow]

Removable pom! And handdyed hats ☺️ (which you can buy!)

[affreca]

Also, if you are using interchangeable needles, you can use the tightening keyhole for the lifeline. Then you can place the lifeline as you knit that row, which I find a time saver.

In intricate patterns, such as cables, brioche and lace, it’s a good idea to make ex ante lifelines every now and then, e.g. every pattern repeat, just in case you need to redo a section.

I like to use unwaxed dental floss, but you can use any thin and slippery yarn. As always, use a thinner needle to rescue the stitches.

Hopefully, you won’t need to use the lifelines, in which case, you merely need to pull them out when your work is done.

And remember: undoing, frustrating as it may be, is an essential part of the creative process

Happy knitting 🧶

[runixa]

Hey knitters.

When you do colorwork and thare are two rows in only a single color do you keep carrying the other thread through those rows? Or do you drop it and then pick it back up after them?

[aro-culture-is]

trans aro culture is telling your best friend without a hint of irony "when i change my name legally i'm taking your last name because my family sucks. you're stuck with me now" and them joking that since both of you were planning on platonically getting married to someone to adopt kids anyway you might as well just marry each other

.

[more-like-gayther]

i like to put a long piece of scrap yarn through the row i'm frogging to, and then when it's done you have scrap yarn holding your stitches in place + nothing dropped :))

frogging crochet is a pleasant experience and frogging knit work is the worst pain imaginable

[ladyzayinwonderland]

friends, romans, mutuals, what are some ways you find joy in this time of early nightfall?

[rslashknitting]

i think this could totally be resolved with kind of a wide ladder so you are not ripping the whole row back.

this article explains what I mean

it'll look a bit scary like this but it's much less work than a total frog especially if this is a long row.

they attach a video in the article. do not fret. it looks like an unintentional design element. if you had a few more rows looking similar I would totally think it's a cool on purpose design. If I didn't want to fix it or messed up the ladder down fix I would honestly like cover up the fix.

it looks a little thick so duplicate stitching to hide messy yarn wouldn't work too well. so this is what I would try:

finish the garment

get some extra identical yarn on a tapestry needle (diff color would work if you really want a contrasting fix!)

cover up the slightly bigger holes I see on this row.

either keep it messy-ish on purpose OR basically embroider some x's or slanted lines over the "bad" section

copy paste across the piece including front. aim for randomized placement of those horizontal lines OR some kind of pattern if that is doable. don't knot anything at first and keep the yarn a bit loose in case I hate it so I can take it out easily.

either finish up & weave ends or give up, take out my extra yarn, and wear the piece as it was.

you'll be alright. if anyone notices it you can tell them you handmade the piece and they should be suitably impressed with that. the rest of the work is soooo neat and gorgeous by the way. good luck!

Guess who just made a whole bunch of mistakes in a row :'). Tried to fix it best I could but, this will definitely stay visible. I'm glad it's on the back so I can just wear jackets over it always but also, I'm really upset and crying about this.

[melchinafan]

SKILL UNLOCKED, KNITTING ABILITY LEVELED UP

So I've been knitting a fair bit as of late, all sorts of shenanigans and funky little things and a thousand fancy plans. Only some stuff finished thus far, but a fair bit of learning new building blocks going on.

And in a fit of pique while trying to get some ridiculously tiny dense pointy picots out of a purlwise cable cast on base, being mad that my normal purling (wrapping the yarn counter-clockwise) made the yarn have to cross SO FAR to get back up to the needle, I just...crossed the yarn up clockwise instead, and it was so much better. Distracted from the picot situation by how well it worked, I wondered why it's not the norm, did a quick search, and...

Found I had accidentally stumbled upon combination knitting? Which (for flat stockinette and the like) involves purling clockwise, and then knitting through the back loop to untwist those stitches. And it has FIXED my purl tension! The left side of my flat stockinette no longer gains a giant, sad loop! (Hell, I think that selvedge might even be neater than the right side now.) And I still don't necessarily like knitting ribbing, or how it looks vs. other, funkier options. But a quick test of normal vs. combination ribs side-by-side? Hot damn, that combo rib looks GOOD.

...Now, to get back to seeing if I can wrangle those picots to do what I want, without resorting to smaller needles...