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!

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Name: Mary M Davis
Subject: mini tote bags
Comment: Buy mini tote bags (just right for one skein of cotton dishcloth yarn), cut one handle off and it's perfect for knitter's or crocheter's wrists. Keeps yarn clean.

Name: Male knitter 1
Subject: Knitting scarves
Comment: I found a new and easy way to make scarves that keep you warm! Here's the pattern:
21 stitches, size 11 needles, and soft yarn
row 1: Knit 3 *Purl 3 Knit 3 (Repeat from star)
Row 2: P1 *K1 P1 (repeat from star)

Name: Jamie Faux
Subject: Twisted stitches
Comment: For newer knitters, if you find yourself 'twisting' stitches, look at the way you wrap your yarn around the needle. The yarn should move counter-clockwise. For a knit-stitch that should be down-up, for a purl-stitch it should be front-back. I didn't realize for the longest time that this was the culprit behind my twisted stitches.

Name: zoeknitsinco
Subject: edges
Comment: While slipping the first and last stitches will give you a nice looking edge, if it is in a seam who cares? At some point you might like to try an invisible seam, known as a mattress stitch. It is much easier to do if you have NOT slipped the first and last stitch.

Name: nisha
Subject: seaming arm holes
Comment: What really helped me when I wanted to get the seaming straight for a armhole was pinning it closely, and taking the pin out right before I got to it. What also helps is to hold the edges of the knitting while doing it.

Name: Michele
Subject: Sewing Seams
Comment: When I join seams, I find it easier to use 2" wide tape (clear packing tape)on the underside so I can adjust the fit and alignment and it won't move while stitching.

Name: Sophie
Subject: Washing Natural Fibres
Comment: If your pure wool or natural fibre item is a little 'scratchy' especially if you or your kids have sensitive skin wash with baby shampoo as already suggested and rinse in your usual hair conditioner instead of fabric conditioner but do rinse thoroughly and it will be soft soft soft!

Name: Sharon
Subject: Yarn Tidy
Comment: To keep yarn from roaming, I ask fast food places for their old food containers which hold about 5 quarts, cut a hole either in the top center or along the side lip. insert yarn, feed through hole and replace yarn. If container is big enough, at end of knitting session, store scissors, needles, pattern etc inside as well. Both thrifty and eco-friendly.

Name: Kiran
Subject: Easy Scarfs
Comment: My daugthers have a hard time knitting 15-20 stitches scarfs. All I tell my kids to do is to make scarfs 5 stitches long and make them extra long so you would get the same warmth as you would with a 15-20 stitch scarf!

Name: Bryn
Subject: Washing wool
Comment: Rather than spending money on Woolite which actually attracts dirt after you use it, use dollar store baby shampoo. It leaves no residue and gets wool very clean.

Name: Lynn
Subject: counting rows
Comment: Take a piece of notebook or typing paper, number it for how many rows (or pattern repeats) you are going to do, lay it on the couch next to you. Each time you finish a row, use your (empty)needle point to poke a hole through that row number. Saves time and is accurate! I make a chart on the computer and print it out so I have lots of row-counts for pattern repetitions - saves time in the long run from having to hand-number repeated sheets :)

Name: Heather
Subject: Sleeve Adjustments
Comment: If you've knit the sleeves too long or short or the cuffs too tight or loose, unpick the sleeve seam, cut the the sleeve from where it needs adjustment, and knit down. If it's a plain knit, you won't notice. Depending on the pattern, you might be able to work it from the top down, but, more likely, you'll have to change to something else. Best way to look at it is as a design opportunity (grin.)
How do I know this: well, I'm an XL, and, designers have decided that XL people are all 6'2". When I'm autoknitting, I sometimes forget to measure the sleeves and just keep going.

Name: Betsy
Subject: Patterns
Comment: I slip my patterns into plastic page protector sleeves. You can also use sticky notes to mark your place. I have 3 ring binders with tabs marking different types of patterns, ie. baby blankets, kids clothing, afghans etc. You can just slip the pages back into the binder when done using them and they are always ready and in place when you want to reuse a pattern.

Name: D
Subject: scissor alternative
Comment: Instead of carrying scissors with me, I keep a pair of small pet nail clippers in my kit. Nice and sharp and no more holes pokes in baggies and airplane friendly =) Happy knitting

Name: Susan in Ireland
Subject: Protecting Patterns
Comment: I use a cheap laminator to protect my patterns as my two year old kept drawing on my patterns or ripping them. They are durable and if I need to make notes I just pop a post-it note on the laminated pattern. Once hole-punched they can also be neatly stored in a ring binder.

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