Tips 'n Tricks

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

Sunday, September 18, 2011Name: Immy age 10

Subject: finishing toys

Comment: When i am making stuffed toys i like to leave a long tail when casting off and use that to sew the toy up.

Thursday, September 15, 2011Name: Nicky-Jack Marshall (Aged 96)

Subject: Knitting

Comment: Well firstly I like to add flour to my palms as this gives a great grip on the needles. Also it's best to keep your cat away from the wool!

Thursday, September 15, 2011Name: Carly

Subject: Someones "trash" is your treasure

Comment: So as this economy is getting worse all the time and the prices for yarn at craft stores is getting higher and higher i found an easier and cheaper way to get more yarn for a good low price. Som thrift stores will sell single balls of yarn for a lot lower then what craft stores will. Also some goodwill stores sell a big bag of different balls of yarn (like one bag clear bag full of different colors and brand of yarn). the bags have different amounts of yarn. like one bag might only have three balls of yarn and another might have like 6. and you can buy a bag of yarn for under $10. it saves a lot of money

Tuesday, September 13, 2011Name: margaret c

Subject: sleeves

Comment: on a baby garment i like to do both sleeves together, that way i don"t have to keep checking that they are the same size

Sunday, September 11, 2011Name: ldf

Subject: hints to self

Comment: When working a pattern I jot down notes that I might need in the future right on the pattern ( like how many rows needed to reach length desired or what kind of decrease works best) This way I'll feel more confident the next time I use that pattern..

Tuesday, September 06, 2011Name: LEE

Subject: scraps

Comment: i've knit myself a little pillow to keep by my knitting. when i weave in the ends i throw the scraps in the pillow as stuffing. Frugal knitting, nothing is wasted.

Monday, September 05, 2011Name: Allana

Subject: Carrying your latest piece on the go

Comment: Cut a square out of the side of a coke bottle and put your wool in it. Pull the end of the wool out of the top of the bottle, wrap it round and put the lid on top, for your needles just tuck them in with the wool. Really hope this helps, btw im 10 and love knitting x :)

Saturday, September 03, 2011Name: edvidge

Subject: stitch holder

Comment: i find rubber bands tied in knots work well to prevent stitches falling off the needle. the knots have to be small enough to prevent them from falling off.
this site has given me lots of helpful ideas. i still haven't read them all so perhps my rubberband idea has been submitted.

Wednesday, August 31, 2011Name: Marilyn

Subject: stitch markers

Comment: I found that the "silly bands" that the kids were collecting last year come in a smaller size to use as a ring. They make good stitch markers because they come in a variety of colors and shapes --and they are large enough for the larger needle sizes. Of course, the kids may want them for themselves!

Sunday, August 28, 2011Name: Carly

Subject: Cute Yarn and Needle Holder

Comment: My mom got me two cute clear yarn and needle holder. Its plastic and can hold your yarn while your knitting or crocheting and when your not knitting or crocheting you can put your hook or needles in the container next to your yarn and you can carry it anyway! I have one small one and a big one. They are nice to have and your yarn wont move around and get hairy and gross when your using it and you have a place to store your work and hook or needle when your not using them!

Sunday, August 28, 2011Name: Cara

Subject: yarn storage

Comment: I keep yarn in a hanging shoe organizer. Several skeins of yarn fit in one shoe cubby and it makes it very easy to see what I already have.

Sunday, August 28, 2011Name: Cara

Subject: counting stitches

Comment: When I count stitches I count in groups of 2 then groups of 3, for example 3, 5, 8, 10, 13, 15, 18, 20, etc. It takes awhile to get used to, but I've found I lose my place less often because I'm switching between 2 and 3 stitches. It's also nice that every other number is a multiple of 5.

Monday, August 22, 2011Name: Debbie

Subject: Rolled Balls of Yarn coming undone

Comment: This may be a duplicate, but I've just taken up knitting after many years of being idle. I wind my yarn into balls because its easier to work with that way, for me. I was finding the balls would come unwound, and get tangled. I purchased an inexpensive package of rubber bands, the thinner type. I use a rubber band, place it on the balls of yarn so the loose ends are secured, and no more balls of yarn coming undone.

Monday, August 22, 2011Name: Susan

Subject: Knitting in the round

Comment: When I cast on for knitting in the round, I add an extra stitch. When I join the ends I transfer the last stitch on the LH needle to the RH needle. When I get to the end of the first round, I work the last two stitches together.

Friday, August 19, 2011Name: sonia

Subject: chunky yarn

Comment: i always find chunky yarn is sometyms expensive so what i do is use to balls of double yarn and thats your chunky yarn. its easy as it works great for a scarf patten double the warmth

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