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!

Thursday, August 18, 2011Name: Mary T

Subject: Knitting

Comment: When I need a cable needle I liked to use a wooden DPN. It works good and the stitches don't slip off.

Also, I write my pattern out on rolodex cards. Each row gets one card and then I use a rolodex to knit from. It makes the pattern easy to see and I don't loose my place.

Also for knitting needle storage, I use a three ring binder and pockets that snap or close and put my needles in there according to size. One pocket for each size for circular and straight needles. It works great.

Wednesday, August 17, 2011Name: Dinah K

Subject: Steady yarn flow

Comment: I find the end of the yarn from the centre of the ball, pull it out and start knitting. The yarn comes out smoothly without the ball jumping around.

Tuesday, August 16, 2011Name: Dee

Subject: Double pointed Needles

Comment: When I knit in the round using double pointed needles, I Put a needle tip protector on the beginning end so I always know when I'm on a new row and when I reach the needle protector I know my row is complete.

Friday, August 12, 2011Name: Virginia Chase

Subject: EASY TO READ PATTERN INSTRUCTIONS

Comment: When I copy a pattern from the internet, I recopy the main body of instructions, then enlarge them and print them so that I can place them on an easel and just glance over at then as I am knitting.

I put a space between rows, and print the main points such as NUNBER OF STS or any thing else that needs special attention in BOLD PRINT.

This saves eye strain and make it easy to follow the pattern. I also use sticky notes I place as I go to mark my place.

Hope this helps!

Also if you like to mark as you go, you could place the page in a plastic sleeve and use a washable marker to keep your place.

Tuesday, August 09, 2011Name: Robby collensworth

Subject: Yarn size

Comment: You should only use small needles on small yarns and large needles on thicker yarns. Everything comes out nicer. This works for knitting and crocheting

Monday, August 08, 2011Name: Kathryn Smith

Subject: counting rows

Comment: you could use candies or nuts and put the amount of how many rows are needed and eat one as you finish the row, but that puts it on the waist line. So instead I took out a little time and typed out numbers. Like

1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1

2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2 2

3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3

And so on until I reached 20 to equal 20 rows. Save to copy and made several copies. Then I use a pen or pencil and cross out each number to corallate to the row I just finished. Also you can put one in a protective 3 ring binder cover and use a dry erasable marker and mark off each row and then wipe it off when finished. Great for doing any type of counting, whether it be for just simple patterns to lacy patterns and can be used for knitting or crocheting.

Friday, August 05, 2011Name: CheapKnits'nTricks

Subject: Cheap Knitting Needles

Comment: In today's economy, a lot of people are constantly watching their money expenditures, so here's a good way to make some knitting needles for lower costs.

1. Chopsticks are usually sealed, smooth, thicker, and some can be found in antique stores. A few of them have nicely tapered tips too!
2. Bamboo Barbecue Skewers usually come 50 to a pack. And they tend to be a little thinner than chopsticks. Wooden Dowels are also good! Keep in mind though, the bamboo wood has a tendency to split, so what I usually do is buy a jar of "Modge Podge" craft sealant and coat the needles 3 times. Clear nail-polish also works for sealing the wood to a smooth finish.

Thursday, August 04, 2011Name: catlo

Subject: Marking your place in a pattern.

Comment: I use to have trouble remembering where I stopped mid pattern. I started using the little Post It pointers (the kind that you see on legal papers,sign here, ect.). These are great, you can stop anywhere in your pattern and know to the very stitch where you need to start knitting again. Works great!!

Saturday, July 23, 2011Name: Hoppet

Subject: big needles

Comment: If you are using thick needles, roll out another ball of the same colour and make it a double thread. then you don't get such big holes!

Saturday, July 23, 2011Name: jo

Subject: casting off

Comment: I always cast off work using a larger size needle that the size which I used for the work. It makes sewing up much easier and a smoother seam.

Thursday, July 21, 2011Name: LuAnn

Subject: Yarn "Holders"

Comment: I put my yarn in clean 2-liter "soda" bottles with the end of the yarn coming out of the top (I cut a "door" in the side.) This way I can take my project with me anywhere I go and the yarn stays clean. I can also keep an index card or printed copy of the project that I am working on and any stitch markers, needles, etc. that I will need in the bottle. Also, I store my "bottles" in hanging shoe holders or stack them sideways on a shelf.

Wednesday, July 20, 2011Name: June

Subject: Casting On

Comment: I cast on by knitting into the back of the stitch. Then knit into the front of the stitch for the first row. This gives a nice even edge to your knitting.

Monday, July 18, 2011Name: Patty Price

Subject: Cheap markers and needle tip protectors

Comment: I was aghast when I priced the markers and point protectors at a yarn shop...tried several other ideas and then found a 99 cent package of pencil eraser tips....lots of them in different colors too. I took sharp little scissors and cut off rings at the part of the eraser that sits on the pencil - perfect and easy to see colors in my knitting.. A little harder for the tips but here again, with sharp scissor point, made an indentation and they stick on.

Thursday, July 14, 2011Name: Vikki

Subject: learning

Comment: If you want to learn how to knit and have nobody to teach you, take advantage of some of the wonderful videos on youtube, its almost like having your own personal knitting tutor and is much easier than trying to learn from a book!

Saturday, July 09, 2011Name: Diane

Subject: Slow practical gratifier

Comment: I don't like to create a beautiful hand-knitted piece and keep the "dirty work" of tying loose ends and making the reverse of my knitting clean for the end. So, I tuck my ends in as I go.

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