knitting101 penny dablin - the knitting sitetheknittingsite.com/docs/knitting101.pdfhand knitting is...

Knitting101 Penny Dablin Everything you need to know about knitting

_____________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________ © 2009 Penny Dablin www.theknittingsite.com

1. .

Copyright © 2009 by Penny Dablin All rights reserved. No portion of this book may be copied, reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted by any means without the prior written permission of the author. You may not re-sell this ebook and/or package it with other products for sale. Published 2009 Curlew Publishing


_____________________________________________________________________


2. .

Contents

PART 1 – OVERVIEW AND REFERENCE ................................................. 4

INTRODUCTION ......................................................................................... 4

THE HISTORY OF KNITTING..................................................................... 5

BEFORE YOU START ................................................................................ 6

YARNS ........................................................................................................ 7

TOOLS ........................................................................................................ 8

REFERENCE – KNITTING NEEDLE SIZES............................................... 10

REFERENCE – KNITTING YARN TYPES .................................................. 10

REFERENCE – UK/US TRANSLATIONS................................................... 10

WHAT DOES KNITTING LOOK LIKE? ...................................................... 11

CHECKING TENSION OR GAUGE ............................................................ 14

PART 2 – KNITTING TECHNIQUES........................................................... 16

LONG TAIL CAST ON................................................................................. 16

CASTING ON WITH TWO NEEDLES ......................................................... 18 1. Chain Cast On ................................................................................. 18 2. Cable Cast On.................................................................................. 18

MAKING THE KNIT STITCH....................................................................... 19 Continental knitting ............................................................................ 20

MAKING THE PURL STITCH...................................................................... 21 Continental knitting ............................................................................ 22

ENDING YOUR WORK – HOW TO CAST OFF (BIND OFF)...................... 23

HOW TO DECREASE STITCHES............................................................... 25 K2tog (knit two together).................................................................... 25 P2tog (purl two together) ................................................................... 26 Skpo (slip 1, knit 1, pass slipped stitch over)................................... 26 Ssk (slip next 2 stitches knitwise, then knit them together) ........... 27

INCREASING STITCHES............................................................................ 30 Kfb (Knit into front and back)............................................................. 30 M1 (make one) ..................................................................................... 30

HOW TO READ A KNITTING PATTERN.................................................... 32 Sizes..................................................................................................... 33 Reading a stitch chart......................................................................... 34

MAKING DECORATIVE HOLES (LACE KNITTING).................................. 35

STRANDED KNITTING (FAIR ISLE)........................................................... 36


_____________________________________________________________________


3. .

INTARSIA KNITTING .................................................................................. 38 Creating your own Intarsia designs .................................................. 40

FIXING MISTAKES ..................................................................................... 43

PART 3 – STITCH LIBRARY....................................................................... 45

RIBBING...................................................................................................... 45 K1, p1 rib.............................................................................................. 45 K2, p2 rib.............................................................................................. 46

TEXTURED KNITTING................................................................................ 47 Moss stitch .......................................................................................... 47 Double moss stitch ............................................................................. 48

CABLE KNITTING....................................................................................... 49 Four stitch cable – version 1 twisting to the right (C4B) ................. 50 Four stitch cable – version 2 twisting to the left (C4F).................... 50 Single chain diamond worked over 8 stitches ................................. 51

PART 4 – PATTERNS................................................................................. 52

TEXTURED COASTERS............................................................................. 52 Coaster 1 – Simple Chequerboard .................................................... 52 Coaster 2 – Zig-Zag............................................................................. 53 Coaster 3 – Mock Cable...................................................................... 54

PLACE MATS.............................................................................................. 55 Simple Chequerboard Place Mat ....................................................... 55 Zig-Zag Place Mat................................................................................ 55 Mock Cable Place Mat......................................................................... 56

RIBBED HAT PATTERN ............................................................................. 57

CABLE HAT PATTERN............................................................................... 59

BEAR PAW HAT PATTERN........................................................................ 61

KNITTING TIPS........................................................................................... 62


_____________________________________________________________________


4. .

Part 1 – Overview and Reference Introduction Hand knitting is a wonderfully relaxing and useful hobby. You can knit while watching television or chatting with family or friends. And it’s incredibly portable. Everything you need for a lengthy knitting session can easily fit into one small knitting bag so you can knit on the train or waiting for a medical appointment. Whatever has brought you to wanting to knit you have come to the right place. In this book you will learn everything you need to know to be able to excel at this simple hobby. Before you know it you will be knitting useful items from the patterns included, or searching the Internet for one of hundreds of free patterns available. In this book I will introduce all the basic knitting techniques to get you started. I introduce simple projects right from the start so that you can practice your new skills. Like any skill it will take practice and perseverance to master but, rest assured, knitting is very simple at its basic level. All you need to know is how to cast on, knit and then bind off. With just those three skills you will be able to make a simple garter stitch scarf. And you can learn all three basic skills in just a few minutes by following the instructions in this book. And if you have any trouble understanding the written instructions I also have useful videos to help you on my website at http://www.theknittingsite.com/videos.html. I have also created a DVD, Learn to Knit, which demonstrates very clearly each different skill to show you how to knit easily and quickly. If you are more of a visual learner you might want to check out the details of the DVD at http://www.theknittingsite.com/knitdvd.htm. Having mastered the basic skills you then just need to learn how to purl, increase and decrease and you will have all the skills you need to create a wide range of items from simple bookmarks to sweaters and baby bootees. Knitting is far easier to master than playing the piano or even touch typing and you have in your hands everything you need to get started. Happy Knitting!

Tip: Whatever you do, don’t give up! You’ll get it eventually. Nobody else became a master knitter overnight so don’t beat yourself up if you have a few problems to start with.

http://www.theknittingsite.com/videos.html

http://www.theknittingsite.com/knitdvd.htm


_____________________________________________________________________


5. .

The History of Knitting No one knows for sure when or where knitting started but it was many hundreds of years ago. Knitted artifacts have been discovered dating back to the 11th century and even some socks created in a nabeling (a forerunner to knitting) from the 3rd or 4th century. One theory is that knitting grew from fishermen making and mending fishing nets – and they were doing that in Israel at the time of Jesus! The early knitters were certainly men rather than women and it is thought likely that knitting was spread by Arabian sailors travelling throughout the Mediterranean area. The craft is now known all over the world with regional specific designs such as Aran, Guernsey or Gansey, and Fair Isle knitting representing Ireland, Guernsey in the Channel Islands and Scotland respectively. Hand knitting is regaining popularity in the 21st century after a fall from popular hobbies during the 1970s through 1990s when home knitting machines became very popular and imported knitwear so inexpensive. Today you can find many celebrity knitters, particularly actors who have to spend so much time hanging around on set. Names such as Sarah Jessica Parker, Madonna and Julia Roberts who stars in the film “The Friday Night Knitting Club”. And, of course, the wonderful canine star of Wallace and Gromit! So, you’re in good company when you learn to knit.

Tip: If you have to put your knitting down in the middle of a row the yarn should always be on the right hand side of the work when you pick it up again.


_____________________________________________________________________


6. .

Before You Start Before you start to knit you will need to purchase a few basic tools. Very few. You can get started knitting for less than $10! Get yourself some cheap acrylic yarn and a pair of knitting needles and you’re good to go! While you are learning the basics I recommend you use a ball of acrylic yarn in double knitting (worsted weight), and a pair of 4mm (US size 6) needles. If you choose a light color yarn it will be easier to see exactly what you are doing and much easier to correct any mistakes. I suggest 4mm needles because they are a comfortable size to work with, neither too thin nor too fat. Using very large needles and very thick yarn will make the knitting grow very quickly but they are more difficult to handle initially. Using thin yarn and thin needles makes the work grow very slowly because it is so much finer than the double knitting yarn. So learn and practice on the mid-range yarn and then graduate onto thinner or thicker yarn and needles as you grow in confidence. When you are ready to knit from a pattern, the pattern will tell you what yarn and needles you will need. While many patterns are designed with a specific brand of yarn in mind I have happily substituted yarns of the same thickness to get exactly the color I wanted, and the results have been fine.

Tip: If your hands tend to get sweaty and damp when knitting, dust with baby powder now and again while working. It’ll make the knitting smell nice too!


_____________________________________________________________________


7. .

Yarns Yarns come in many different fibers – there’s wool or wool mix, acrylic, cotton and silk. There are also specialty yarns such as chenille, boucle, mohair and angora; and there are fun yarns such as eyelash yarn or fun fur. If you are allergic to wool then the acrylic yarns available today are a very good substitute. I would strongly recommend you do not try to knit with the fun yarns until you are much more confident with your knitting skills. I find it very difficult to see when I have made a mistake and it is virtually impossible to correct a mistake or undo a few stitches. Yarns also come in a variety of thicknesses. 2 ply or 3 ply (known as baby or fingering in the US) is probably the thinnest yarn you will find in your local yarn shop. It is often used for baby items or fine work such as shawls. 4 ply (sport) is a little thicker and often used for gloves, socks, sweaters and particularly children’s garments. Double knitting (worsted) yarn is used extensively for sweaters, scarves, hats etc. Then there are the thicker yarns: Aran (fisherman or medium weight), chunky (bulky) and super chunky (super bulky). These yarns are used to make thick Aran sweaters, ponchos and generally heavier, thicker garments. When you purchase the yarn for a particular project do make sure you buy enough to complete the project you have in mind. Dye lots can vary a little between batches and any variation will show up in the finished garment. When you buy the yarn check the dye batch on the ball wrapper and ensure all your balls are from the same dye batch. The pattern will tell you how much you need for the size you are going to knit up.

Tip: When knitting a long piece of work, mark every ten rows with a small safety pin or a small piece of contrast yarn then you can easily count up your rows later.

Tip: Don’t use the ‘fun’ yarns until you’re much more experienced. They are difficult to knit with and it’s virtually impossible to correct mistakes because you can’t see what you have done.


_____________________________________________________________________


8. .

Tools All you need to get started is one pair of knitting needles. However, you will soon find you want to add to your toolkit! A tape measure, sharp scissors and a tapestry needle for darning in your ends are the next important items to acquire if you don’t already have them. As you progress and start to knit garments you will probably want to get a cable needle and stitch holders. You may also want to buy some yarn bobbins if you are planning to knit intarsia designs. Your selection of knitting needles will also grow as you find you need different sizes for different projects. Knitting needles are made of plastic, metal or wood/bamboo. Metal needles tend to be cold and slippery – when you’ve gained experience this can help you knit more quickly but in the beginning they will be more diffficult to work with and more prone to falling out of the work giving you dropped stitches and lots of frustration!

Bamboo needles

If you have any sort of arthritis in your hands then bamboo needles seem to be much easier on the hands, they are comfortable and easy to work with. Plastic needles tend to be less expensive and do the job. The choice is yours. In due course you will want to try knitting in the round and at that point you will need double pointed needles or circular needles. Double pointed needles (dpns) are sold in


_____________________________________________________________________


9. .

sets of 4 or 5 and you knit onto one end and off the other end so they need double points. Circular needles have needle points at each end joined by a length of nylon wire. The pointed ends come in the standard knitting needle sizes. You may also want to get a knitting needle gauge to check the size of your dpns or circular needles as the size is not marked on them. Knitting graph paper will come in useful when you are creating your own charts or designing shaping. You can download special rectangular graph paper from my website at http://www.theknittingsite.com Please don’t use ordinary square graph paper to make charts as the proportion is wrong and what looks lovely on the paper will knit up squashed and our of shape and be a disappointment to you. You may also find a row counter useful to keep track of the number of rows you have knitted while following a pattern. These slip onto the knitting needle at the stop end out of the way of the knitting and need to be turned on after each row. Personally I’ve never been successful in using one because I get distracted and forget to turn them on at the end of the rows. Then I have to go back and count the rows by eye on the work itself!

Cable needle Circular needle Tip:

Stop knitting and stretch out your shoulders, neck and hands when you start to get stiff.

http://www.theknittingsite.com/


_____________________________________________________________________


10. .

Reference – Knitting Needle Sizes

US Metric Old UK 0 2mm 14 1 2.25mm 13 2 2.75mm 12 3mm 11 3 3.25mm 10 4 3.5mm 5 3.75mm 9 6 4mm 8 7 4.5mm 7 8 5mm 6 9 5.5mm 5 10 6mm 4 10½ 6.5mm 3 7mm 2 11 8mm 1 13 9mm 0 15 10mm

Reference – Knitting Yarn Types Australia/UK US 1 ply Lace weight 2 ply, 3 ply Baby, fingering 4 ply Sport weight 8 ply, double knit, DK Worsted weight 10 ply, Aran Fisherman, medium weight 12 ply, Chunky Bulky Super chunky Super bulky Reference – UK/US translations UK US Rip back Frogging Cast off Bind off Stocking stitch Stockinette Reverse stocking stitch Reverse stockinette Moss stitch Seed stitch Double moss stitch Double seed stitch


_____________________________________________________________________


11. .

What does knitting look like? I know you know what knitting looks like. You’ve seen knitted sweaters, hats and scarves throughout your life. However, it is important that you are able to recognize the types of stitches when you see them in your own knitting. Many times patterns will just say “knit the knits and purl the purls”, paricularly on back rows when you have a complex pattern. So you need to be able to recognize a knit or a purl when you come to them. Imagine a college scarf draped round a student’s neck. The back of the neck is how the purl stitch looks and the front with the scarf ends coming down is how a knit stitch looks. It’s also important to be able to recognize a twisted stitch so you can correct it as you knit so as not to get a twist in the finished garment.

This picture shows knit stitches on the needle, all the correct way round.


_____________________________________________________________________


12. .

This picture shows a twisted stitch as the next stitch to knit

In order to correct the twisted stitch you can knit into the back of that stitch. The alternative is to take the stitch off and turn it back round the right way before knitting normally.

This picture shows purl stitches on the needle, all the correct way round


_____________________________________________________________________


13. .

This picture shows a twisted purl stitch as the next stitch to be worked

Again, the way to correct the twisted stitch is to work into the back of it, or take it off the needle and correct the lie of the stitch before purling normally.


_____________________________________________________________________


14. .

Checking tension or gauge It’s vitally important to check your knitting tension or gauge before knitting up a project. Otherwise your finished garment could be either too small or too big. When I was a lot younger I spent hours and hours knitting myself a pullover only to find it was about 3 sizes too big when it was finished and had to be completely ripped back. That’s very disheartening and can be avoided by measuring your knitting tension before you start. The tension in patterns is normally given in terms of stitches and rows to four inches. Being lazy and not liking to do tension squares I tend to knit them small enough to just measure 2 inches in both directions. The tension square needs to be a few stitches and a few rows more than the area you are going to measure. So if the tension is quoted as 20 stitches and 26 rows to 4 inches you will need to work over at least 16 stitches to measure a 10 stitch, 2 inch section in the middle. In the same way you would need to work at least 20 rows to be able to measure accurately a 2 inch section in the middle. You can use any cast on method to start your tension square then knit in stockinette or stocking stitch for the required number of rows. Lay the tension square out on your ironing board and pin it flat without stretching it.

Tip: Always check your tension/gauge. It’s heartbreaking to have to rip back a whole garment because it’s the wrong size. Checking your tension will save you hours of time and all that heartache.


_____________________________________________________________________

___________________ © 2009 Penny Dablin

.

Mark the start and end of a 2 inch (or 4 inch if you’re doing a bigger square) distance across the middle and up and down the tension square so that you have marked the extremities of the area you need to count. Count the number of stitches across and the number of rows up between your marker pins and compare that number with the tension stated in the pattern. Remember, if you are measuring over 2 inches and the tension is quoted over 4 inches you will need to double the number you have counted. And you may count a half stitch, which doubles up to a whole stitch.

If the number of stitches in your tension square is more than the number quoted in the pattern you could try using a size larger needles. Reknit the tension square with the larger needles and check again. If the number of stitches in your tension square is less that the number quoted in the pattern you should try using smaller needles. Again, you will need to reknit the tension swatch and recheck the numbers.

Tip: Never stretch your knitting when measuring.

Tip: When measuring the length of a piece of knitting while still knitting (e.g. to armhole shaping) measure from the cast on edge to the underside of the knitting needle holdingthe work.

__________________________________________________

www.theknittingsite.com 15.


_____________________________________________________________________


16. .

Part 2 – Knitting Techniques Long tail cast on With this method of casting on, the stitches are created from the tail of the yarn. Consequently you need to allow a long enough tail to make all the stitches you need before you start. To estimate the amount of yarn you need, allow for approximately ½ inch to 1 inch per stitch, plus 6 inches or so for sewing in. You will need a longer tail if you are knitting with thicker yarn such as some of the chunky yarns that are available. Start by making a slip-knot in the yarn so that pulling from the ball end tightens the loop. Place this slip-knot on the right hand needle and tighten the loop. Hold the stitch with the first finger of your right hand with the tail end to your left and the ball to your right. Touch the pads of your left thumb and first finger together and place between the two strands of yarn. Bring the other three fingers of your left hand to close on the two strands whilst moving your thumb and first finger apart. There should be a little tension in the whole set up.

Once you are holding the yarn correctly making the stitches is quick and easy.


_____________________________________________________________________


17. .

With the point of the knitting needle go up under the loop of yarn that is nearest your body. Carry that loop over the farther thumb loop and over the upper finger loop. Catch the upper finger loop and draw it back towards your body. Hook this loop of yarn through the gap by your thumb and allow the yarn on your thumb to drop off.

Pick the yarn back up with your thumb tightening the stitch that you just made and setting up for the next stitch. You have just cast on your second stitch (the first stitch was the slip knot). Repeat this step until you have cast on the desired number of stitches on the right hand needle.

Tip: The tail end of the yarn that is over your thumb will tend to untwist as you work. You will need to release this and allow it to retwist after every few stitches.


_____________________________________________________________________


18. .

Casting on with two needles

1. Chain Cast On Start with a slip knot on the left hand needle. Make the slip knot so that pulling on the ball end of the yarn tightens the loop against the needle while pulling on the tail end tightens the knot itself. Hold the needles as if they were a knife and fork so your hands are over the top of the needles. Place the ball end of the yarn over your left hand first finger and give the thread some tension by either wrapping it through

your other fingers or holding it against the body of the needle. Insert the point of the right hand needle into the slip knot stitch from the front towards the back passing under the left hand needle. Using the point of the needle catch the thread from over your finger by moving from right to left. Pull that loop through the first stitch and place it onto the left hand needle. Repeat the action by putting the point of the right hand needle through the stitch you have just made, catching the yarn again and pulling a new loop through that stitch to make a new stitch. Place that new stitch on the left hand needle. You should now have three stitches on the left hand needle. Continue in this way until you have cast on the number of stitches you require.

2. Cable Cast On The cable cast on is very similar to the chain cast on but instead of putting the point of the right hand needle into the stitch, you put it between the next two stitches on the left hand needle. Then you catch the yarn from your left hand first finger and pull it through and put it onto the left hand needle. Again, ensure the right hand needle is in place before tightening up any slack yarn from the previous stitch to ensure an even edge that is not too tight. This gives a firmer edge than the chain cast on method and is my preferred method of casting on.

Tip: Take care when you insert the point of the right hand needle, pull up the yarn to tighten the previous stitch while it is held open by the right hand needle. This way you will get an even tension and the cast on edge will not be too tight.

Tip: When casting on a lot of stitches for a large project, place a slip knot of contrast yarn every 20 stitches. This makes it much easier to count the stitches. If you then slip the markers across every row it will help you keep track of your place in the pattern.


_____________________________________________________________________


19. .

Making the knit stitch To make a knit stitch the working yarn must be at the back of the work. Place the point of the right hand needle into the first stitch on the left hand needle from left to right and from front to back. Push it through ½ inch or so.

Take the yarn and wrap it around the point of the right hand needle from behind and left towards the front and right resting between the points of the two needles.


_____________________________________________________________________


20. .

Using the point of the right hand needle draw the yarn through the stitch to form a loop on the right hand needle and allow the original stitch to drop off the left hand needle. In this way you will transfer the whole piece of knitting one stitch at a time onto the right hand needle making a new stitch for every stitch along the row. At the end of the row transfer the knitting into your other hand ready to start the next row.

Continental knitting With this style of knitting the working yarn is held in the left hand over the first finger with tension created by wrapping the yarn round the other fingers or holding it against the needle according to preference. When making a knit stitch you then only need to ‘catch’ hold of the yarn from the first finger with the point of the right hand needle through the stitch, and pull it through to make the stitch.

Garter stitch – knit every row

Tip: When knitting the first stitch of the row be sure to pull it very firmly tight to avoid loops at the edge of the work. If you still tend to get loops try slipping the first stitch of every row rather than knitting it.

Tip: To keep your edges neat always slip the first stitch of every row and knit the last stitch of every row. This gives you a very neat edge that is easy to sew up or to pick up stitches from.


_____________________________________________________________________


21. .

Making the purl stitch Before making a purl stitch you must ensure the working yarn is to the front of the fabric.

Then insert the right hand needle into the front of the stitch on the left hand needle from the back right toward the front left.

Take the yarn and wrap it around the point of the right hand needle over away from you between the needles and then under toward you. Using the point of the right hand needle draw this loop through the stitch to create a new stitch on the right hand needle. Allow the old stitch on the left hand needle to drop off.


_____________________________________________________________________


22. .

Continental knitting When holding the yarn in your left hand you will need to take the yarn to the front for every single purl stitch. Catch the yarn with the right hand needle so that it follows the same path as outlined above and draw the loop through.

Stocking stitch or stockinette – knit 1 row, purl the next row

Tip: Always pull a length of yarn off the ball before knitting so you are not tugging against the ball as you knit.


_____________________________________________________________________


23. .

Ending your work – how to cast off (bind off) When you have knitted to the end of your piece of work you will need to cast off or bind off. This is done in a similar way to the slip1 knit1 pass slipped stitch over decrease but you keep going. And if you have been knitted a pattern such as rib the instructions will usually call for you to cast off in pattern. Slip the first stitch onto the right hand needle with the yarn at the back if it’s a knit stitch and at the front if it’s a purl. Work the next stitch (knit if it’s a knit, purl if it’s a purl).

Taking the point of the left needle, insert it into the slipped stitch on the right needle, from the front and from left to right. Carry that stitch forward over the second stitch on the right hand needle and off.

You have just cast off the first stitch.


_____________________________________________________________________


24. .

Now you need to knit the next stitch so that there are two stitches back on the right needle. Again, using the left needle, pick up the first stitch and lift it over the second stitch and off the needle. You have just cast off your second stitch.

Work the next stitch and pass the first stitch over the second stitch to leave just one stitch on the right hand needle again. Work along the whole row until you are left with just one stitch on the right hand needle and no stitches on the left hand needle. Cut off the yarn leaving a length to sew in and pull the stitch open to pull the end thread through to fasten off.

What you may find is that there is a small loop left at the edge of the work. This can be avoided by casting off the last two stitches together. In this case work until you have 2 stitches left on the left hand needle and one on the right hand needle. Work both the last two stitches. You now have 3 stitches on the right hand needle. Take the middle stitch and pass it over to the left, then take the right hand stitch and pass it over to the left. Cut the yarn and pull it through as before.

Tip: Keep your ball of yarn in a pot or bag to keep it clean and stop it rolling all over the floor. Empty tissue boxes work well.

Tip: To avoid the loop at the end of the binding off, bind off the last two stitches together.


_____________________________________________________________________


25. .

How to Decrease Stitches As soon as you start to knit anything more complicated than a scarf you are likely to need to know how to increase and decrease the number of stitches you are working with.

K2tog (knit two together) The easiest way to decrease is to knit two stitches together or to purl two stitches together. Both of these create the effect on the knit side of a decrease sloping to the right such as you would use on the left hand side of your garment, for example on raglan shaping. To knit two stitches together you insert the right hand needle into the next two stitches together. Put the point of the needle into the 2nd stitch as if to knit and then follow through into the first stitch. Then pass the yarn around and pull through to leave just one stitch on the right hand needle allowing both the stitches to drop off the left hand needle.

Position of needles for k2tog

Tip:∫ Make your increases or decreases at least one stitch in from the edges of the work to keep the edges neat and even.


_____________________________________________________________________


26. .

P2tog (purl two together) Sometimes you will be required to decrease on a purl row using purl two together (p2tog). This is done by putting the right hand needle through the first stitch as normal when making a purl, then continuing on to put it through the next stitch as well. Then wrap the yarn around and pull the loop through as you would for a normal purl stitch letting both the stitches on the left hand needle drop off.

Position of needles and yarn for p2tog

Skpo (slip 1, knit 1, pass slipped stitch over) To make a decrease that slopes to the left uses the slip one, knit one, pass slipped stitch over method of decreasing. You would use this on the right hand side of a piece of work. Slip the first stitch over onto the right hand needle knitwise. That is put the point of the needle into the stitch as if to knit it and allow it to slip onto the right hand needle without putting the yarn round at all. Then knit the following stitch. Both stitches are now on the right hand needle. With the point of the left hand needle lift the slipped stitch over the top of the knitted stitch and off the right hand needle.


_____________________________________________________________________


27. .

Ssk (slip next 2 stitches knitwise, then knit them together) This decrease is used in lace knitting to form a travelling knit stitch up the side of a series of holes. It has the effect of travelling to the left as you face the work. Slip the first stitch onto the right hand needle knitwise. Then slip the next stitch onto the right hand needle knitwise. Take the point of the left hand needle through the front of both these stitches from left to right. At this point it will look as though you are knitting two stitches together through the back of the loops. Knit the two stitches together. The difference between ssk and k2tog tbl (knit 2 together through back of loops) is subtle but important. With ssk the resulting knit stitch is open whereas with k2tog tbl the knit stitch is twisted at the bottom. Going back to the analogy of a scarf around the neck it’s the difference between the scarf hanging loosely or being crossed across the chest.

Slip first stitch knitwise – notice the yarn over on the right hand needle.

Tip: Make sure the yarn over stays on the right hand needle and doesn’t slip off or you will have lost the hole.


_____________________________________________________________________


28. .

Slip second stitch knitwise.

Place left hand needle back through both those stitches and knit them together.


_____________________________________________________________________


29. .

End result – the yarn over makes a hole and ssk is the matching decrease.


_____________________________________________________________________


30. .

Increasing Stitches There are two different ways to make an extra stitch while you are knitting, one (kfb) leaves a little bar on the front of the work, the other (M1) is virtually invisible.

Kfb (Knit into front and back) Knit into the front of the stitch in the normal manner but don’t let the stitch slip off the left hand needle. Then knit that same stitch again through the back of the loop and then allow it to slip off. You will have two stitches on your right hand needle and have only used up one on the left hand needle. This will leave a small bar across the work where you worked into the back of the stitch. This makes it easy to count the increases up a piece of work.

M1 (make one) Patterns often call for you to make one when changing from a ribbed border to the main fabric of the garment. This increase is virtually invisible. To make one, pick up the loop between the stitch you have reached and the one you have just knitted by inserting the point of the left hand needle under the loop from front to back. Place the loop on the left hand needle and knit into the back of that loop to twist the stitch and fill the hole that has formed by picking up the loop.

Pick up loop from row below


_____________________________________________________________________


31. .

Place the loop on the left hand needle ready to knit.

Knit this loop into the back in order to twist it.

The twist will fill the hole that would otherwise form.


_____________________________________________________________________


32. .

How to read a knitting pattern Knitting patterns tell you how to knit the pattern and the shape for the garment you want. Many commercially available patterns are written out row by row using shorthand and abbreviations. You will soon get to know how to read these. The alternative, which is often used in knitting magazines to save space, is to use charts to pictorially represent the pattern stitches. In my opinion charts are more useful to the experienced knitter who is able to translate the images into actual knitting. Row by row patterns use abbreviations and the common ones you will come across are k – knit, p – purl, k2tog – knit 2 together. Where the pattern calls for special stitch patterns such as C6B these will be explained in the abbreviation section of the pattern. Be sure to read these carefully through as there is no single standard for abbreviations. Common shorthand phrases that you will come across: Cont as set Continue to work as previously stated. This would be used where you had knitted several rows of pattern and have reached the pattern repeat. Rather than rewrite the instructions over and over, the phrase cont as set tells you to continue in pattern as set. For example: Row1 k Row2 p.Cont in st. st. as set. This means knit the first row, purl the second row then continue knitting in stocking stitch (stockinette) as set. Keeping patt correct Continue working the stitch pattern correctly over the correct number of stitches while doing something else that may interfere with the pattern, usually shaping. For example, if you are knitting an Aran pattern with a moss stitch (seed stitch) at the edges, when you decrease for the armholes the moss stitch pattern section will be shortened but you must continue to keep the pattern correct as you move across and into the cable design section. At the same time This is where you will need to do two things at the same time so keep your wits about you. An example would be decreasing on a cardigan front at the neck edge and the armhole edge at the same time.

Tip: Look through the pattern before you begin and check you understand what you are going to be doing.


_____________________________________________________________________


33. .

Work straight until Continue to knit the work without any decreasing or increasing. Usually this is until a particular length is reached. Work as given for With garments the front and back are often very similar so to avoid rewriting all the instructions the pattern will state ‘work as given for back until’ and then there is usually a mark made of asterisks (***) or it may be ‘work as given for back until’ a particular length is reached. Reverse all shaping The left hand side and the right hand side of a garment are usually mirror images of each other. In the pattern the shaping for the first side will have been written out in full and the other side must be worked to be a mirror image of it. For example, the two fronts of a cardigan will be mirror images of each other. Repeat from * to * This is where a small number of stitches have been described setting a pattern. That set (between to *s) should be repeated right across the row. e.g. *k2,p5,k3,p2* repeat from * to *

Sizes Knitting patterns usually accommodate several different sizes. The instructions are presented in brackets with the smallest size outside of the brackets and the larger sizes inside. For example: 32[34:36:38]. Usually the brackets are square brackets and the numbers are separated by colons but I have seen patterns with round brackets and the numbers separated by commas: 32(34, 36, 38). Once you have decided which size you are knitting you will always find your instructions in the same position within the brackets. That is the smallest size will always be outside the brackets, the second size will always be the first inside the brackets and so on. Examples of instructions: Cast on 100[106:112:118] stitches Repeat pattern 2[2:3:3] times Dec 2[0:2:4] sts. If your size states 0 then do not work that instruction at all. Where only one figure appears then it refers to all sizes.


_____________________________________________________________________


34. .

Reading a stitch chart A stitch chart will tell you how to create a particular pattern. This is done through a series of symbols. Imagine you are looking at the front of the piece of work, each symbol on the chart represents the stitch as it appears on the knitting. Each square represents one stitch on your needles. The chart is then read from the bottom right hand corner. Right side rows are read from right to left and wrong side rows from left to right. And the symbols for knits and purls are reversed between right and wrong side rows. A dot or dash in a square indicates a purl on the right side and a knit on the wrong side. A blank square represents a knit on the right side and a purl on the wrong side. Once you are confident with your knitting you will find charts can be very helpful. For example, if you want to create your own design instead of the one detailed in the knitting pattern you could combine different charts for different stitch patterns from one of the excellent stitch collection books that are available.

Key: Squares with a dot: purl on right side, knit on wrong side. Squares without a dot: knit on right side, purl on wrong side

This chart is for a four stitch check textured design.

Four stitch check


_____________________________________________________________________


35. .

Making decorative holes (Lace knitting) Lace knitting produces delicate fabrics with decorative holes. The all over patterns are always a combination of holes and decreases to create different effects. The holes are always created with a yarn over paired with a decrease. The yarn over gives an extra stitch so the decrease is necessary to keep the work straight. To create a yarn over, make as if to knit the next stitch but without putting the right hand needle through any stitch. Just pick up the yarn so it forms a loop over the right hand needle. Then work the following stitch as normal – if it’s a purl stitch you will need to bring the yarn to the front of the work before working the stitch. Make sure the yarn over doesn’t come off the needle as you bring the yarn to the front of the work. On the following row you will work the loop as if it is a stitch, either knitting or purling depending on the pattern.

Tip: When you are knitting lace patterns it is very important to keep checking you still have the right number of stitches on your needles as it is only too easy to miss a decrease and make more and more stitches with the yarn overs.


_____________________________________________________________________


36. .

Stranded Knitting (Fair Isle) Stranded knitting is knitting with two colors in the same row. The color that is not being worked is carried loosely along the back of the work creating ‘floats’. Traditional Fair Isle designs are very small and the colors change frequently so there are never very long floats. If you knit up a design where the unused color has to span more than 5 stitches you will need to catch the loop into a center stitch or two to keep the floats short. This is termed ‘weaving in’.

When stranding or weaving in there may be a tendency for the unworked color to pull the fabric in a little more tightly than the knitting should be. This will cause puckering and the piece of knitting will not lie flat. To avoid this happening keep spreading the stitches out along the needle to maintain the correct tension. To keep your floats neat and tidy and prevent lumps or colors getting twisted and tangled, it is important to always lie one color over the other on the reverse of the work. Because you are only using two colors in any single row you do not need to wind off short lengths of yarn, just work straight from the balls. As you work remember to turn the work in opposite directions to avoid tangling the yarns. For example, always turn the work in a clockwise direction at the end of a knit row and in an anticlockwise direction at the end of a purl row.

Stranded knitting example You will also need to always carry both colors to the ends of every row by catching the unused yarn into the last stitch. If you don’t do this, the fabric will be thinner at


_____________________________________________________________________


37. .

the edges and there will be a tendency to holes where the yarn pulls back in the other direction on the next row. As you knit, the main color should always be picked up over the second color while the second color is always picked up from below the main color. This will keep the floats lying correctly and avoid tangles. Stranded patterns are always charted and the charts are read from the bottom right hand corner with knit rows read from right to left and purl rows read from left to right. Tip:

Keep a pad of Post-It notes and a pencil in your knitting bag – always useful if you need to mark the pattern or make a note to yourself about the knitting.


_____________________________________________________________________


38. .

Intarsia knitting Intarsia knitting is picture knitting – these can be actual pictures or abstract designs. The key is that multiple colors are used in each row and the colors are never stranded across the back of the work. Each color change uses a separate length of yarn. Usually intarsia designs are knitted in stocking stitch (stockinette). The resulting fabric is single thickness with lots of loose ends to finish off from each different color change.

Intarsia design from Patons Intarsia designs are always drawn out on a chart. The chart is read starting with a knit row, from the bottom right hand corner. Knit rows are read from right to left and purl rows are read from left to right.


_____________________________________________________________________


39. .

If you were to knit the kingfisher design above then on row 1 of the design you would need to introduce a second skein of the background color to take over after the first stitch of the twig the kingfisher is standing on. On the second row that second skein of background would knit up to the kingfisher’s tail and another short length of background color would be needed to fill the gap between the tail and the twig. New colors are brought in from below the existing color and knitted as normal. On the next row make sure to twist the old and the new color around each other in order to ensure there are no holes. As you are knitting you may want to wind a few yards of each color onto a bobbin to hang at the back of the work. Or you can wind up small bobbins on your fingers to pull from the inside to keep the yarns tidy. It’s important to keep the different colors separate from each other or they will soon twist and tangle and be unworkable.

Tip: When you knit with several different colors of yarn keep them separate and untangled by using small amounts of color wound onto bobbins.


_____________________________________________________________________


40. .

To wind bobbins on your fingers: leaving an end about 6 inches long, wind the yarn into a figure of eight around your thumb and little finger (pinkie). Cut the yarn from the ball and use the end to tie round the figure of eight. You can then work the color using the long end and it will unravel from the middle. Always keep the tail ends of the yarn at the back of the work. When you have finished knitting the piece it will be necessary to darn in all the loose ends. These can be threaded up the join between two colors or woven in so as not to show on the front. Where you have started and finished a color there may be a small hole, use the ends to close up any of these holes as you darn them in.

Intarsia tiger design

Creating your own Intarsia designs You can create your own pictures to knit by drawing them out on special knitting graph paper. Please do not use ordinary graph paper or your design will knit up out of proportion. Knitting stitches are rectangular, not square, so it is important to create your design on rectangular graph paper.

Tip: Don’t attempt to knit intarsia in the round. By the second time round the ends of your colors will be on the wrong side of the work and will have to be cut and rejoined in.


_____________________________________________________________________


41. .

Once you have the rectangular graph paper you can either draw your design straight onto the paper or find an image you want to knit and trace round it onto the paper. I find it helps to hold the picture I want to copy up against a window in daylight to do the tracing. You then need to ‘square off’ the design. Where you have drawn diagonal lines or curves they will not sit exactly on the grid of the graph paper. You will need to work round each area of color making it fit to the rectangles that represent each stitch. In this way you will create a knitting chart you can follow to create your design. This was exactly the process I used to create the kingfisher design above and the bear paw below.

Bear paw hat

Tip: You can download rectangular graph paper free from my website at http://www.theknittingsite.com



_____________________________________________________________________


42. .

Chart for the bear paw design The pattern to knit up the bear paw hat can be found on page 61.

Tip: When following a chart pattern take a photocopy and mark off each row as you complete it. Or place the chart in a plastic wallet and mark off each row on the plastic wallet. This keeps the original pattern clean and helps you keep your place as you knit.


_____________________________________________________________________


43. .

Fixing Mistakes When you are knitting you may find that you drop a stitch off between the needles. Normally this will only just pop down one row and can be quite easily picked up in place and worked with the loop of yarn that has dropped. Make sure to pick the stitch up the right way round with the front edge leading and then work it either purl or knit depending on the stitch. Sometimes you will find that a stitch has laddered undone and dropped down several rows. In this case the easiest way to pick the stitches up is to use a crochet hook from the front of the work for knit stitches and the back of the work for purl stitches. Make sure you have caught the bottom stitch of the ladder safely onto your crochet hook and then work it up the ladder, one rung at a time, remaking the stitches. When you have picked up the final ladder place the stitch back onto the left hand needle ready to work. At other times you may realise you have made a mistake after you’ve knitted on half a row or maybe a couple of rows. In this case you might want to carefully unwork the piece back to the mistake so that you can correct it. Don’t just pull the knitting off the needles and unravel it. You will find it very difficult to pick the stitches up correctly. Instead unravel the work one stitch at a time by placing the point of the left hand needle into the loop below the stitch on the right hand needle from front to back. Allow the stitch to drop off the right hand needle and pull out the yarn. You should have undone the stitch and transferred it to the left hand needle. When you reach the end of the row and you need to undo a further row you can turn the work around and undo it in the same way. Or you can work from right to left undoing the stitches in the same way but transferring them back to the right hand needle as you undo them. To determine where you are in the middle of the row and which way you should be knitting remember that the working yarn always sits on the right hand side of the needles. You will find if you have unravelled so the stitches have been transferred from the left to the right then you have probably twisted every stitch. It’s very important to check each stitch as you knit it back up and correct the twisting where necessary. When you come across a stitch that is twisted you will notice that the leading edge of the stitch is to the back of the work rather than the front. To correct this, work into the back of that stitch rather than the front.

Tip: Use a crochet hook to pick up dropped stitches and work back up into place.


_____________________________________________________________________


44. .

To knit into the back of a stitch place the point of the right hand needle into the stitch from the middle towards the back, put the yarn round and pull the stitch through as normal. This will correct the twist. To purl into the back of a stitch put the yarn to the front then place the point of the right hand needle into the purl stitch from the back towards the front and out of the middle of the stitch. Wrap the yarn as normal, pull through and off.

Tip: If the fabric you are knitting is wider than the length of your needles, knit half a row across before measuring the width of the work.


_____________________________________________________________________


45. .

Part 3 – Stitch Library Included below is a small sample of different stitch designs. I don’t have space here to detail the hundreds of different designs that are possible with simple knit and purl stitches. I suggest you practice the designs here and then experiment or check out one of the excellent books available with many, many more stitch designs. My personal favorite book is The Knitter’s Bible by Claire Crompton Ribbing Ribbing is created by alternating columns of knit and purl stitches, usually 1x1 or 2x2. It is springy and elastic and is used for the waist, cuffs and neckbands of jumpers and for hats.

K1, p1 rib This is also known as single rib and is normally worked over an odd number of stitches. Knit the first stich with yarn at the back Purl the second stitch (remember to bring the yarn to the front for the purl) Repeat along the row to the last stitch, which should be knitted That will set the pattern for the rib. On the next row just knit the knit stitches and purl the purl stitches. Repeat in this manner until you have ribbed as many rows as required.

k1, p1 rib

Tip: Knit thin elastic thread in with your yarn for ribbing cuffs.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0715317997?ie=UTF8&tag=theknittingsi-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=0715317997%2522er%25C2%2592s%20Bible%253C/a%253E%253Cimg%20src=%2522http://www.assoc-amazon.com/e/ir?t=theknittingsi-20&l=as2&o=1&a=0715317997%2522%20width=%25221%2522%20height=%25221%2522%20border=%25220%2522%20alt=%2522%2522%20style=%2522border:none%20!important;%20margin:0px%20!important;


_____________________________________________________________________


46. .

K2, p2 rib Cast on an even number of stitches, usually a multiple of 4 plus 2. A multiple of 4 stiuches will mean that the front of the work starts with 2 knits and ends with 2 purls. A multiple of 4 stitches + 2 extra stitches will ensure that both edges of the work are columns of 2 knits. Knit 2, purl 2 all the way along to the end. This sets the pattern for the rib. On the second and subsequent rows knit the knits and purl the purl stitches until you have completed as many rows as required.

k2, p2 rib

Tip: When knitting a new complicated pattern for the first time have another knitter read the instructions out loud to you as you work through the steps. This avoids you misreading and helps you understand because you hear the instructions, which often helps unblock a difficult passage.


_____________________________________________________________________


47. .

Textured Knitting With the knowledge of how to knit and purl there are now a huge variety of textures that you can knit. The stitches known as moss stitch and double moss stitch are often used as interesting background stitches on Aran type garments. They are very easy to knit and are based on k1, p1 rib.

Moss stitch Cast on an odd number of stitches or work over an odd number of stitches. Row 1: K1, *p1, k1 repeat from * to end of row Repeat this row as often as required. You will always be knitting the purls and purling the knits as you work. If you have an even number of stitches: Row 1: K1, *p1, k1 repeat from * to end of row Row 2: P1, *k1, p1 repeat from * to end of row Repeat these two rows. Again you will always be knitting the purls and purling the knits as you work.

Moss stitch (seed stitch)


_____________________________________________________________________


48. .

Double moss stitch When knitting double moss stitch you knit 2 rows of k1, p1 rib and then change over so that you are knitting p1, k1 rib. Every front row knit the purls and purl the knits; every back row you knit the knits and purl the purls. With an odd number of stitches: Row 1: k1, *p1, k1 repeat from * to end of row Row 2: p1, *k1, p1 repeat from * to end of row Row 3: as row 2 Row 4: as row 1 These 4 rows are then repeated as often as necessary. With an even number of stitches: Row 1: *k1, p1 repeat from * to end of row Row 2: as row 1 Row 3: *p1, k1 repeat from * to end of row Row 4: as row 3 These 4 rows are then repeated as often as necessary.

Double moss stitch (double seed stitch) There are hundreds of different textured patterns that can be created by a combination of knit and purl stitches.


_____________________________________________________________________


49. .

Cable Knitting Cables are a feature of Aran garments. They are formed by twisting knit stitches around each other as you knit them. They tend to be created from knit stitches on a background of reverse stocking stitch (stockinette) as that makes the cable stitches stand out from the background. Many different effects and patterns can be created using different numbers of stitches and different ways of twisting them. It’s fairly important to double check the abbreviations on the pattern you are using as some designers will use a term such as C4B while others will use the term C2B to mean exactly the same thing.

The teddy bear jumper above is worked with double moss stitch at the edges and two four stitch cable ‘ropes’ up each side of the central diamond pattern. The ribbing is 2x2 rib. As everyone’s teddy bear will be a different size it’s just not practicable to include the full pattern for the jumper. It’s included here to inspire you to create your own designs! The individual cable patterns are described below.


_____________________________________________________________________


50. .

Four stitch cable – version 1 twisting to the right (C4B) C4B – slip the next 2 stitches onto a cable needle together without twisting them. Put the cable needle to the back of the work. Knit the next 2 stitches. Knit 2 stitches from the cable needle. Worked over 4 knit stitches on background of reverse stocking stitch Row 1: (right side of work) K4 Row 2: P4 Row 3: C4B Row 4: P4 Repeat these 4 rows

C4F is on the left, C4B is on the right

Four stitch cable – version 2 twisting to the left (C4F) C4F – slip the next 2 stitches onto a cable needle without twisting them. Put the cable needle to the front of the work. Knit the next 2 stitches. Knit 2 stitches from the cable needle. Worked over 4 knit stitches on a background of reverse stocking stitch Row 1: (right side) K4 Row 2: P4 Row 3: C4F Row 4: P4 Repeat these 4 rows.


_____________________________________________________________________


51. .

Single chain diamond worked over 8 stitches Abbreviations: T2L – Twist 2 to the left. Slip the next stitch onto a cable needle and place to the front of the work. Purl the next stitch. Knit the stitch from the cable needle. T2R – Twist 2 to the right. Slip the next stitch onto a cable needle and place to the back of the work. Knit the next stitch. Purl the stitch from the cable needle. C2B – Cable 2 back. Slip the next stitch onto a cable needle and place to the back of the work. Knit the next stitch. Knit the stitch from the cable needle. To work the diamond: Row 1, p3, C2B, p3 Row 2 and every wrong side row following: Knit the knits and purl the purls Row 3: P2, T2R, T2L, p2 Row 5: p1, T2R, p2, T2L, p1 Row 7: T2R, p4, T2L Row 9: k1, p6, k1 Row 11: T2L, p4, T2R Row 13: p1, T2L, p2, T2R, p1 Row 15: p2, T2L, T2R, p2 Row 16: k3, p2, k3 These 16 rows create the pattern and can be repeated right up the garment.

The sample above shows the diamond pattern flanked by moss stitch borders


_____________________________________________________________________


52. .

Part 4 – Patterns Textured Coasters Materials: Any double knit yarn, pair size 6 (4mm) knitting needles. Abbreviations: K – knit the stitch P – purl the stitch () – repeat the instructions in brackets as many times as written You can use this pattern to experiement with different textures made with just knits and purls. The basic pattern is 24 stitches wide with a border of 4 rows garter stitch top and bottom and 2 stitches of garter stitch at both ends of every row. The center 20 stitches are for the textured design.

Coaster 1 – Simple Chequerboard

Cast on 24 stitches Knit 4 rows Row5: k2, (k4, p4) twice, k6 Row6: k2, (p4, k4) twice, p4, k2 Row7: as row5 Row8: as row6 Row9: as row6 Row10: as row5 Row11: as row6 Row12: as row5 Repeat row5 to row12 twice more


_____________________________________________________________________


53. .

Repeat row5 to row8 (32 rows in total) Knit 4 rows Bind (cast) off

Coaster 2 – Zig-Zag

Cast on 24 stitches Knit 4 rows Row5: k2 , p5,k5, p5, k7 Row6: k3, p5, k5, p5, k6 Row7: k2, p3, k5, p5, k5, p2, k2 Row8: (k5, p5) twice, k4 Row9: k2, p1, k5, p5, k5, p4, k2 Row10: k7, p5, k5, p5, k2 Row11: as row9 Row12: as row8 Row13: as row7 Row14: as row6 Repeat row5 to row14 once more Repeat row5 to row12 (32 rows in total) Knit 4 rows Bind (cast) off


_____________________________________________________________________


54. .

Coaster 3 – Mock Cable

Cast on 24 stitches Knit 4 rows Row5: k2, (p4, k1, p1, k4) twice, k2 Row6: k2, (p3, k2, p2, k3) twice, k2 Row7: k2, (p2, k2, p1, k1, p2, k2) twice, k2 Row8: k2, (p1, k2, p2, k2, p2, k1) twice, k2 Row9: k2, (k2, p3, k3, p2) twice, k2 Row10: k2, (k1, p4, k4, p1) twice, k2 Repeat row5 to row10 three times Repeat row5 to row8 (32 rows in total) Knit 4 rows Bind (cast) off


_____________________________________________________________________


55. .

Place Mats These place mat designs match the coaster designs above. Materials: Any double knit yarn, pair size 6 (4mm) knitting needles. Abbreviations: K – knit the stitch P – purl the stitch () – repeat the instructions in brackets as many times as written These place mats match the textured coaster patterns.

Simple Chequerboard Place Mat Cast on 68 stitches Knit 6 rows Row5: k8, (p4, k4) to last 4 stitches, k4 Row6: (k4, p4) to last 4 stitches, k4 Row7: as row5 Row8: as row6 Row9: as row6 Row10: as row5 Row11: as row6 Row12: as row5 Repeat row5 to row12 six times more (total 62 rows) Repeat row5 to row8 (66 rows) Knit 6 rows Bind (cast) off

Zig-Zag Place Mat Cast on 68 stitches Knit 6 rows Row5: k4, (p5, k5) to last 4 stitches, k4 Row6: k5, (p5, k5) to last 3 stitches, k3 Row7: k4, p3, (k5,p5) to last 11 stitches, k5, p2, k4 Row8: k7, (p5, k5) to last stitch, k1 Row9: k4, p1 (k5, p5) to last 13 stitches, k5, p4, k4 Row10: k9, (p5, k5) to last 9 stitches, p5, k4 Row11: as row9


_____________________________________________________________________


56. .

Row12: as row8 Row13: as row7 Row14: as row6 Repeat row5 to row14 5 times more (total 66 rows) Knit 6 rows Bind (cast) off

Mock Cable Place Mat Cast on 68 stitches Knit 6 rows Row5: k4, (p4, k1, p1, k4) to last 4 stitches, k4 Row6: k4, (p3, k2, p2, k3) to last 4 stitches, k4 Row7: k4, (p2, k2, p1, k1, p2, k2) to last 4 stitches, k4 Row8: k4, (p1, k2, p2, k2, p2, k1) to last 4 stitches, k4 Row9: k4, (k2, p3, k3, p2) to last 4 stitches, k4 Row10: k4, (k1, p4, k4, p1) to last 4 stitches, k4 Repeat row5 to row10 nine times more (total 66 rows) Knit 6 rows Bind (cast) off


_____________________________________________________________________


57. .

Ribbed Hat Pattern

Yarn I used some double knitting acrylic yarn out of my stash. Any double knit weight of yarn will be fine for this hat as long as your tension gauge is reasonably close. Tension / Gauge 24sts and 26 rows to 4" over K2, P2 rib slightly stretched. I used 5mm needles (US 8). Pattern: Cast on 96 stitches. Note: if you want to make a smaller hat reduce the number of stitches you cast on in multiples of 4 stitches. Row 1: *(K2, P2) Repeat from * to end of row. Row 2 following: Repeat row 1. Continue in pattern until piece measures 9½" ending with a Right Side row. Shaping for top: Next row: *(K2tog, P2)repeat from * to end of row. Next row: K2 *(K2tog, K1) repeat from * to last stitch, K1. Next row: *(P2, P2tog) repeat from * to last stitch, P1. Next row: *(K1, K2tog) repeat from * to last stitch, K1. Next row: *(P2tog, P1) repeat from * to last stitch, P1. Next row: *(K2tog) repeat from * to last stitch, K1. (9 stitches remain)


_____________________________________________________________________


58. .

Making up Cut yarn leaving about 20" for sewing up. Thread a tapestry needle with the tail end of the yarn and pass through all the remaining stitches. Draw up tight and sew in. Sew up the side seam of the hat. Darn in the tail from the cast on edge If you want you could work a bobble and sew it onto the top of the hat.


_____________________________________________________________________


59. .

Cable Hat Pattern

Yarn: Double knitting weight Needles: 5mm (US size 8) Tension: 24sts and 26 rows to 4 inches over pattern Fits adults Cast on 98 stitches. K2, p2 rib for 4 inches (10 cm) ending with a k2, p2 row Row1: p2, t2b, *(p2, C4F, k2, (p2, t2b) 3 times) repeat from * 4 times, p2, C4F, k2, p2, t2b, p2 Row2 and every back row: knit the knits and purl the purls Row3: p2, t2b, *(p2, k6, (p2, t2b) 3 times) repeat from * 4 times, p2, k6, p2, t2b, p2 Row5: p2, t2b, *(p2, k2, C4B, (p2, t2b) 3 times) repeat from * 4 times, p2, k2, C4B, p2, t2b, p2 Row7: as row3 Row8: knit the knits and purl the purls These 8 rows form the pattern Continue working keeping pattern correct until work measures 9½ inches ending with a Wrong Side row. Shaping for top: Row1: P2tog, k2, *(p2tog, k6, (p2tog,k2) 3 times) repeat from * 4 times, p2tog, k6, p2tog, k2, p2tog Row2: k1, p2tog, *(k1, p6, (k1, p2tog) 3 times) repeat from * 4 times, k1, p6, k1, p2tog, k1


_____________________________________________________________________


60. .

Row3: k1, k2tog, *(k2, k2tog) repeat from * to last stitch, k1 (48 stitches) Row4: Purl Row5: k1, *(k2tog) repeat from * to last stitch, k1 (25 stitches) Row6: Purl Row7: k1, (k2tog) repeat from * to end of row (13 stitches) Row8: Purl Row9: k1, *(k2tog) repeat from * to end of row (7 stitches) (7 stitches) Cut yarn leaving about 20" for sewing up. Thread a tapestry needle with the tail end of the yarn and pass through all the remaining stitches. Draw up tight and sew in. Sew up the side seam of the hat. Darn in the tail from the cast on edge


_____________________________________________________________________


61. .

Bear Paw Hat Pattern

This is by far the most difficult pattern in this book so I would advise you not to attempt it until you are very confident in your knitting skills. Yarn: Chunky weight (bulky) Needles: 4½ mm (US size 7) for rib, 5½ mm (US size 9) for main hat Tension: 9sts and 14 rows to 2 inches Abbreviations: K – knit P – purl K2tog – knit 2 stitches together Cast on 82 stitches using smaller needles K2, p2 rib for 4 inches (10cm) ending with a k2,p2 row Work 8 rows stocking stitch (knit 1 row, purl 1 row) Knit 31 stitches, knit 20 stitches from chart row1 (see page 42), knit 31 stitches Continue in stocking stitch working from the chart over the central 20 stitches. Work 8 rows stocking stitch Next row: [k2tog, k2] repeat to last 2 sts, k2tog Next row: purl Next row: k2, [k2tog, k1] repeat to last 2 sts, k2tog Next row: purl Next row: k1 [k2tog] repeat to end of row (11 sts remain) Cut yarn leaving 15 inches or so Thread yarn through all the stitches on the needle and pull up tight Sew in firmly and sew up seam. Remember the ribbing will be turned up so you might want to sew it up from the other side of the work. Finish off all the loose ends and close up any holes in the design as you do so.


_____________________________________________________________________


62. .

Knitting Tips My thanks go to the visitors to my website, www.theknittingsite.com who generously shared the following tips.

1. Store your patterns in plastic wallets in a ring binder. This keeps them clean and makes them easy to look through when you’re looking for a new project.

2. When you put your work down always push the stitches down the needles

away from the points so the stitches don’t drop off.

3. Carry an old wine bottle cork to poke the end of your needles into. This will stop the stitches falling off.

4. If you are unsure you have enough yarn to finish a row, lay the yarn across the

width of the knitting. If the yarn reaches across four times or more then you should have enough to get to the end of the row.

5. Join a new ball of the same color yarn at the end of a row.

6. Use the Continental method of knitting, it’s much faster and makes it easier to

watch TV or read while you are knitting.

7. Use bamboo or plastic needles when learning. Your stitches are much less likely to accidentally slip off than with metal needles.

8. If your cast off edges are too tight, use a size larger needle in the right hand to

cast off.

9. When you’re learning to knit, count the number of stitches you have after every row until you are confident you’re not making extra ones, or losing stitches as you knit.

10. Keep a small pencil pouch in your knitting bag to hold your crochet hook, tape

measure, scissors, darning needles, etc.

11. When winding yarn from a skein into a ball keep it loose. I wind the yarn with two or three fingers inside the wrapping, taking them out and resetting as necessary. If you wind the ball too tight you’ll lose some of the ‘give’ in the final garment.

12. If you are changing colors in any work make sure to cross the second color

over the first or you’ll end up with pieces not a whole product.

13. Always check for errata when you purchase knitting books.



_____________________________________________________________________


63. .

14. If your knitting isn’t going right don’t get frustrated with it. Walk away if you have to and come back to it another time.

15. Choose colors you like and yarn you like the feel of wherever you can. You’ll

be working with it until the project’s finished.

16. Run a contrast thread through a row with a darning needle at intervals as you knit. If you have to rip out then you will have the stitches saved ready to pick up from the contrast yarn. When you’ve finished the threads will pull straight out.

17. If you know how to crochet it can be a quick and easy way to join the seams

of a garment.

18. When casting on stitches, leave a length of yarn sufficient to sew the seam when finished.

19. Make a copy of the patterns so that you don't have to worry about destroying

or losing the originals by folding them up, marking them up, and carrying them around in your knitting bag.

20. When working in the round when you have used the long tail cast on so that

the tail and the working yarn are at the same end of the row, knit the first one or two stitches with both the working yarn and the tail held together and snug them up. When you reach the beginning of the second row, treat those doubled strands as a single stitch(es). This allows for really snugging up those first and last stitches of the first round without the gap that can result when only using the working yarn.

21. Use jump rings purchased in the craft store as stitch markers.

22. If you need to use stitch markers, attach a length of embroidery floss (about 12

inches) with a clove hitch knot so that there is a doubled length of about six inches of floss dangling from the stitch marker. The floss gets held in your stitches as you are knitting up so that if your marker should happen to fall off your needle, it cannot go flying across the room.

23. If you have to put your knitting down in the middle of a row the yarn should

always be on the right hand side of the work when you pick it up again.

24. If your hands tend to get sweaty and damp when knitting, dust with baby powder now and again while working. It’ll make the knitting smell nice too!

25. Don’t use the ‘fun’ yarns until you’re much more experienced. They are more

difficult to knit with and it’s virtually impossible to correct mistakes because you can’t see what you have done.


_____________________________________________________________________


64. .

26. When knitting a long piece of work, mark every ten rows with a small safety

pin or a small piece of contrast yarn then you can easily count up your rows later.

27. Stop knitting and stretch out your shoulders, neck and hands when you start to

get stiff.

28. Learn to knit on two straight needles. Leave the circular needles or the double pointed needles until you are a more experienced knitter.

29. Never knit in the same room as a kitten!

30. Always check your tension/gauge. It’s heartbreaking to have to rip back a

whole garment because it’s the wrong size. Checking your tension will save you hours of time and all that heartache.

31. Never stretch your knitting when measuring - the garment will end up too

small!

32. When measuring the length of a piece of knitting while still knitting (e.g. to armhole shaping) measure from the cast on edge to the underside of the knitting needle holding the work.

33. When casting on a lot of stitches for a large project, place a slip knot of

contrast yarn every 20 stitches. This makes it much easier to count the stitches. If you then slip the markers across every row it will help you keep track of your place in the pattern.

34. When casting on with two needles, take care when you insert the point of the

right hand needle, pull up the yarn to tighten the previous stitch while it is held open by the right hand needle. This way you will get an even tension and the cast on edge will not be too tight.

35. When knitting the first stitch of the row be sure to pull it very firmly tight to

avoid loops at the edge of the work. If you still tend to get loops try slipping the first stitch of every row rather than knitting it.

36. To keep your edges neat always slip the first stitch of every row and knit the

last stitch of every row. This gives you a very neat edge that is easy to sew up or to pick up stitches from.

37. Always pull a length of yarn off the ball before knitting so you are not tugging

against the ball as you knit.


_____________________________________________________________________


65. .

38. Keep your ball of yarn in a pot or bag to keep it clean and stop it rolling all over the floor. Empty tissue boxes work well.

39. To avoid the loop at the end of the binding off, bind off the last two stitches

together.

40. Make your increases or decreases at least one stitch in from the edges of the work to keep the edges neat and even.

41. Look through the pattern before you begin and check you understand what

you are going to be doing.

42. Many knitters will underline their size throughout a pattern before starting to knit. This helps keep you on track. If you don’t want to damage the pattern then take a photocopy and mark up the photocopy.

43. Keep a pad of Post-It notes and a pencil in your knitting bag – always useful if

you need to mark the pattern or make a note to yourself about the knitting.

44. Don’t attempt to knit intarsia in the round. By the second time round the ends of your colors will be on the wrong side of the work and will have to be cut and rejoined in.

45. When following a chart pattern take a photocopy and mark off each row as

you complete it. Or place the chart in a plastic wallet and mark off each row on the plastic wallet. This keeps the original pattern clean and helps you keep your place as you knit.

46. Use a crochet hook to pick up dropped stitches and work back up into place.

47. Knit thin elastic thread in with your yarn for ribbing cuffs.

48. When knitting a new complicated pattern for the first time have another knitter

read the instructions out loud to you as you work through the steps. This avoids you misreading and helps you understand because you hear the instructions, which often helps unblock a difficult passage.

49. To uncoil circular needles, soak in hot water for a few minutes. This will

straighten them out and make them much easier to use.

50. When casting on, leave a tail end long enough to sew up the whole seam. As you become more experienced with knitting you will find your own favorite ways to do things. As one of my correspondents wrote: “There is no wrong way, if it works for you, use it!”


_____________________________________________________________________


66. .

And whatever you do, don’t give up! You’ll get it eventually. Nobody else became a master knitter overnight so don’t beat yourself up if you have a few problems to start with! I hope you have found the information in this book useful and that you are now much more confident with your knitting skills. There are videos on my website at http://www.theknittingsite.com/videos.html which will help with most of the techniques explained in this book. Also available: Learn to Knit on DVD Soon to be released: Intarsia 101 – How to Design and Knit Intarsia Patterns (DVD)

http://www.theknittingsite.com/videos.html

http://www.theknittingsite.com/knitdvd.htm

knitting101 penny dablin - the knitting sitetheknittingsite.com/docs/knitting101.pdfhand knitting is...

Documents