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| Featured Pattern of the Week: Strawberry Booties |
        Interested in crochet? Visit our sister site: Crochet Pattern Central  | Tips 'n TricksDo you have a helpful hint or handy trick that will make any aspect of knitting easier? Share it! Post ideas on scrap yarn usages, stitch markers, color changing, maintaining your sanity while following a difficult pattern, etc. There is most probably someone out there that will benefit from your help. Need ideas yourself? Read others' comments--we all live and learn! Name: Rachel Subject: scissors Comment: I keep my scissors tied with yarn and tie it to my chair or bag. When I need them they never get lost. Name: Heather Subject: Misc Tips Comment: 1. I use empty tissue boxes to hold yarn I am using in a project, then just pull from the box opening. Keeps yarn clean & tangle free. 2. Place a dryer sheet in your yarn storage bins, keeps it smelling nice. 3. Carry your cast-on tail at the back of your work for the first row ... this automatically weaves it in. 4. Want to save a pattern to your PC from one of the sites that offer free patterns? Once you find the pattern copy the URL link and then go to: http://www.pdfonfly.com/ and select convert URL to PDF. Now you can save a copy of the PDF to your PC rather than printing it out prematurely. 5. To keep bamboo needles in top shape rub them with wax paper from time to time. This keeps them smooth and subsequently keeps yarn moving more smoothly across needles. 6. For large projects place stitch markers in intervals to keep track of how many stitches you cast on. So if it is a project where you are casting on 100 stitches place a marker every 25 stiches....this way you can double check your number of stitches throughout your project without having to count each stitch one by one. Just makes it easier to count them. Of course use a different color marker to keep track of your pattern if so needed. So, use one color to mark your stitch intervals and one color to mark your stitch pattern. 7. Using circular needles? Is the cable curling on you? Soak just the cable portion of the circular needle (not the bamboo or metal) in hot water for a few minutes. Name: Betsy Subject: waste yarn, stitch markers, yarn cutter, stitch holders Comment: I save the containers from dental floss--sample and regular sizes. I fill the container with thin yarn or crochet cotton for holding stitches, markers, etc... The cutter can slice yarn instead of scissors. I recently popped the cutter off the case and took it on a plane. Name: dan r Subject: knitting needle storage Comment: i put my needles in a bath sponge to keep them from stabbing holes in my things. hope this was useful! Name: Lynn C Subject: needle storage Comment: I wanted an inexpensive way to store my needles. I bought mailing tubes from the post office and cut them to length. I have one for my 7" needles and one for my 14". They are made from sturdy cardboard and have nice plastic end caps that are easy to get off. Name: Bella Subject: Storage Comment: Storing needles: I find that useing starofoam balls to poke your needle though works. If you cut the bottem of the ball to be flat, then you can stand them up strait. PLUS you can use permanate marker to write the size of the needles in that ball on the starofoam. Name: Sue Subject: Keeping track of rows Comment: When I am knitting a project that has a specific number of rows to knit in either garter or stockinette, I break it down into a manageable number by loosely tieing on a piece of colored yarn in the middle of the row. That way I don't have to go back and constantly count rows. This works for me. I hope it helps you too. Happy knitting! Name: The Young Knitter Subject: Supplies storage Comment: I find that keeping all of my little items, stitch counter, yarn needle, etc., in a small bag or tote helps keep them together so I don't lose them when I need them for something important. (Sewing up a last-minute gift for example! =D) Name: katie Subject: storing Comment: I bought a medium sized tote bag that has a little zipper pouch in it. The project I'm working on goes in the big part of the bag, and all the little pieces, such as pens/pencil, stitch markers, scissors, even a folded up pattern, fit in the little zipper pouch. That way whenever I'm on the go all I have to do is grab the tote bag and I have everything I need. Name: Lynne Subject: counting rows Comment: I found my old magnet board that I used for counted cross stitch. Put the pattern on the board, use the magnetic strips and move down a row each time you finish one! Name: carol Subject: bamboo needles Comment: I find if you have difficult wool to knit bamboo needles are the answer Name: Lynn Subject: Keeping my place when knitting Comment: I use 2 methods of keeping place on my patterns. 1. Photo copy pattern and mark it as I go, this keeps the original pattern nice and clean. 2. When using a pattern printed on one sheet, I laminate it and mark with a dry marker, that way you can mark and wipe off Name: Mary Lee Subject: Yarn Holders Comment: To hold my ball of yarn neat and clean as I am knitting, I insert the ball into an old child's sock or cut a 6-8 inch length of old pantyhose and pull the string of yarn up through the opening. The knitted holder expands and contracts to keep the ball together and it's a great way to use those something you would normally discard. Name: Heather Subject: Even Stocking Stitch Comment: To make even stocking stitch when your purl rows are loose, use a needle one size smaller than the one with which you knit. If you are working ribbing, where that would interfere with your knit stitches, wrap your purl stitches in the opposite direction, to mount the stitch backwards. Be very sure to knit into the back of the stitch on the following row, lest you twist your stitches! Name: Knitting girl Subject: tip for bunny owners Comment: If I have some scrap yarn then I like to knit my bunny a scarf. You have to make a button hole in it to pull the scarf through (make it low so that theres plenty of space). Make sure you give your bunny a reward! And dont leave your bunny alone. P.S. This sight is AWSOME! Select a Page << Prev 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 Next >> Share your own hints by filling in the form below... |
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