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!

Saturday, September 18, 2010Name: Oldknitter

Subject: Still learning.

Comment: I intend to buy a stainless steel recipe book holder, to use as a knitting book holder! It will be excellent for holding a magnetic board and pattern pages from Knitting Pattern Central!

Sunday, September 12, 2010Name: Diane

Subject: Carrying Afghan

Comment: While I knit many afghans I found I didn't have a large enough bag in which to carry it as it grew in size. I realized that Zip Lock has wonderful extra large size bags for many uses. It is a wonderful size in which to keep the afghan and other things and certainly makes it easier for me to carry it around as I usually knit whereever I go. It is very sturdy and I don't have to worry about trying to purchase another bag for the growing afghan. I have used the same bag several times for different afghans. Very much worth it.

Sunday, September 12, 2010Name: Diane

Subject: Remaining Yarn

Comment: I have a full bag of remaining scraps of yarn. I make varied size scarves and it is absolutely wonderfully creative to choose not only the multicolors but the design and length. It is remarkable when you begin this project it urges you on to the next one to see where your creativity will lead you.

Friday, September 10, 2010Name: Diane

Subject: Storing Round Needles

Comment: Due to the fact that round needles do not have numbers on them I place each one in a small separate plastic bag. I then use a permanent marker to write on the bag the number of the needle. All the small bags are placed into a larger bag and kept with my knitting supplies. I can find the number size very quickly and it keeps my round needles very organized.

Wednesday, September 08, 2010Name: Sasha

Subject: Needle Cases

Comment: I wanted something to keep all my knitting needles, scissors, stitch markers, etc in. I ended up getting a cloth Paint Brush case that rolls up. Now I can carry all my knitting needles easily in the same tote with my yarn!

Saturday, September 04, 2010Name: Diane

Subject: Holding Knitting Yarn

Comment: When I begin knitting I place the skein into a plastic bag, pull the yarn through a handle and tie a knot in the bag. While I knit it can be on the floor and will never come out of the bag and won't get dirty.
Also if I need 2 skeins I have each skein come out of each side so they don't get tangled. I knot the bag and once again the yarn does get dirty nor does it get tangled.

Tuesday, August 31, 2010Name: knitter from scotland

Subject: sewing seams

Comment: I sew my seams together with laying the pieces flat on a table and right sides up - facing me. Looks like the project has been knit on a circular needle.

Sunday, August 29, 2010Name: Caryll's Yarn Sales

Subject: binding off

Comment: Always bind off your knitting with a needle one size larger than the one you are knitting with, this will keep your bind off from getting too tight.

Sunday, August 29, 2010Name: Avery

Subject: Patterns

Comment: I keep my patterns in a 3-ring binder in sheet protectors. Then all the patterns are together, and if need be, you can write on the sheet proctector to cross out rows of the pattern/charts, or make notes and be able to erase them without ruining your pattern...and you can use dividers to organise the patterns (hats, scarves, sweaters, bags, etc)

Sunday, August 29, 2010Name: Caryll's Yarn Sales

Subject: picking up stitches

Comment: When picking up stitches around a neckline and it looks like you are going to have a hole appear where you are picking up, then pick up your stitch from the back instead of the front and this will twist the stitch closing in the hole.

Sunday, August 29, 2010Name: Melanie

Subject: Storing DPNs

Comment: I keep my double points in travel toothbrush cases. I have different colors for each size and wrote the size (both US and metric) on the case with a permanent marker. With the smaller diameters, I placed a cotton ball in the ends of the case to keep the needles from slipping through the air holes at the end of the case.

Sunday, August 29, 2010Name: Melanie

Subject: Storing DPNs

Comment: I keep my double points in travel toothbrush cases. I have different colors for each size and wrote the size (both US and metric) on the case with a permanent marker. With the smaller diameters, I placed a cotton ball in the ends of the case to keep the needles from slipping through the air holes at the end of the case.

Monday, August 23, 2010Name: Nancy Baxter

Subject: Wool Care

Comment: When giving something you have knitted as a gift, always include a band off the wool, turned inside out to display the washing instructions.

Friday, August 20, 2010Name: peggy french

Subject: needle holders

Comment: When putting my knitting down I was always looking for my needle holders to keep my yarn from slipping off my needles. One day as I was looking around I saw some thick rubber bands. (Our mailman bundles our mail with these nice thick rubber bands.) I just put rubber bands on each knitting needle and that way my yarn project did not slip off. No more looking for those rubber tips to fit over my needles!

Monday, August 16, 2010Name: Claire

Subject: Keeping your place in a complicated pattern

Comment: I use large post it's and move them after each row so that the next row I need to do is displayed and the rest covered. it works well when you have a recurring lace pattern

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