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, August 25, 2008Name: Hunt

Subject: Time to knit

Comment: I've learned that if i watch movies and knit i end up watching the movie more than knitting so i switched over to audio books. You can listen and knit at the same time, and they make good gifts for other knitters.

Thursday, August 21, 2008Name: ginny, 12

Subject: try it!

Comment: if ur doing a pattern and there are some rows or stitches u dont understand, try it first. my bff and i were knitting a drawstring purse, and i made her do a square with purl, ss stitch, and yarnover. it was messy, but the finished piece wasn't

Thursday, August 21, 2008Name: Lonnie

Subject: Keeping your place in a pattern

Comment: I have a great board for single sheet patterns with a magnet. It works great. If I have a pattern in a book I have found that a magnet strip on both sides of the page keeps the place. I use the magnet strip that is used for frig magnets. It is easy to find in the hardware store.

Thursday, August 21, 2008Name: Patricia Schwarzin

Subject: Casting on for knitting

Comment: The way I used to cast on I either ran out of yarn or had lots left over. Just for the heck of it I tried making a chain of as many stitches as needed and then knitted back. It works great

Saturday, August 16, 2008Name: the knifty knitter

Subject: 2 many projects (at once)

Comment: i realy love starting scarves and i hate 2 finish them. i usually end up pulling the needles out of a half way done scarf and starting another project that will never be finished. i found out that only allowing yourself one or two things at a time leads to more finished projects being done.

Friday, August 15, 2008Name: Niyu

Subject: Points

Comment: Sometimes Knitting needles poke through bags, you can solve this by getting a little square of paper and wrapping it around both needles and finishing off with sticky tape. When you knit just take it off, then put it back on again!

Thursday, August 14, 2008Name: Jean in Birmingham UK

Subject: Tails

Comment: When casting on I always make sure that I leave enough tail to sew up the side seam when making up. It saves so much sewing them in.

Sunday, August 10, 2008Name: josie

Subject: kittens comment

Comment: im sorry that you feel that way kitten. im 14 years old, and i absoultly LOVE hearing other "old peoples" way of doing things. its fascinating. and if i dont agree with it, im still polite about it. its the way i was raised. i hope you eventually change your mind about "old people" cuz their awesome and intelligent people, who you could learn alot from. keep knitting!!! [:

Sunday, August 10, 2008Name: sarah c. age 11

Subject: a "must-have" book

Comment: if you cant find a sock pattern to suit you, you can always pick up a copy of "Getting started, Knitting socks," by Ann Budd. There are sooo many patterns to choose from, and there simple to make. it has a picture glossary, and step by step instructions. the patterns are sooo pretty! it is available at Barns & Nobel. Go to http://www.barnesandnoble.com, type in knitting books and scroll the pages to find this book. I fell in love with it and you will too. Hope this helps!

Sunday, August 10, 2008Name: sarah c. age 11

Subject: Borders

Comment: if you want to buy books from borders, i strongly recommend "teach yourself visually knitting", by Sharon turner. go to http://www.Borders.com 4 more details.

Saturday, August 02, 2008Name: Phyllis Crutchman

Subject: You Can Knit a Sweater

Comment: Pick out a pattern you wish could knit and do line by line what it tells you to do. Pretty soon that sweater will begin to take shape. They don't leave anything out. Even the size of needles, yarn, and suggestion of colors. I know this because a knitting friend told me this very thing years ago when I could only knit a square. So I picked a mock cable cardigan sweater, double strands of yarn, button holes, etc. Guess what? Somehow I knitted a sweater! And so can you!
If I had to do it over, I would have picked a simpler sweater pattern. (hint)

Saturday, August 02, 2008Name: Anonymous

Subject: Repeats

Comment: Following pattern repeats can be really hard to do, right? Well I always format my patterns in MSWord (any other word processor with tables will work - listen why) When it comes to a repeat, like say: Knit these 4 rows ten more times. Then I'll make a table of 4x10 so that it is easier to check off the rows as you complete them.
Also, for more complicated repeats, I just lower the text size of the repeat rows and put them in a 1x (number of repeats) table, and copy and paste it again and again for each table cell.

Monday, July 28, 2008Name: Maddy

Subject: don't give up!

Comment: For all you younger knitters out there, I know it can be frustrating when grown ups think you can't knit well. I've been knitting since 1st grade and I'm in 8th grade now, and I usually get "Wow, you're making a backpack? I hope you finish it!" And for other adults, yes, we can knit.

Monday, July 28, 2008Name: Maddy

Subject: stitch markers

Comment: Instead of buying a 3.00 package of plastic stitch markers, I just make my own with beading wire and beads. You can get a lot more out of a spool of wire and a package of beads than what they sell in yarn stores.

Monday, July 28, 2008Name: Tina

Subject: sweaty yarn??

Comment: My hands get sweaty very easily, and it is not fun having to keep wipe fluff of of them. Whenever my hands start to sweat, I turn on the water ice cold, and keep my hands under the water for 35 seconds, do not pull them out, NO MATTER WHAT! Then I am allowed to go back to my addiction for a while.

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