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!

Monday, June 01, 2009Name: Karen

Subject: socks 3

Comment: *Starting the second sock is the hardest part for me. The last few pairs I have set the first sock aside when I have the leg finished, then I work the second sock til the leg is finished. Then I knit one of them until the heel and gusset is finished, then pick up the second sock and work it. Almost seems like I don’t have to start another sock!
*If you insist on using double pointed needles for knitting socks, ignore “knit to Needle One then…”, “after Needle Two knit….” etc. Look at your sock! Half of the stitches are the instep, the other half of the stitches are the heel. The sides, between the instep and the heel is where all the shaping is done. One row around for the decrease/shaping, one row around knit plain-round and round.
I am knitting my 39th pair of socks! I rule!

Saturday, May 30, 2009Name: Maddy

Subject: Yarn Storing

Comment: To store all my yarn i get a few huge boot shoe boxes and store them according to category : (Fun yarns, normal yarns, scraps and luxurious)
Hope this helps, Maddy

Thursday, May 28, 2009Name: Karen

Subject: my tips

Comment: You can set your knitting down in the middle of a row and know where you left off: if you're right handed, the yarn is always on the right needle. Pick up your work, turn it so the yarn is on your right and knit away.
I use two circular needles to knit socks its so much easier and faster than dpns, and you can try the sock on any time without fear of losing stitches.

Sunday, May 24, 2009Name: 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.

Saturday, May 23, 2009Name: 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.

Friday, May 15, 2009Name: 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.

Monday, May 11, 2009Name: 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!

Monday, May 11, 2009Name: 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.

Sunday, May 10, 2009Name: 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.

Sunday, May 10, 2009Name: 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!

Friday, May 08, 2009Name: 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)

Friday, May 08, 2009Name: 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.

Wednesday, May 06, 2009Name: 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!

Friday, May 01, 2009Name: carol

Subject: bamboo needles

Comment: I find if you have difficult wool to knit bamboo needles are the answer

Thursday, April 30, 2009Name: 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

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