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| Featured Pattern of the Week: Luscious Little Pumpkin |
        Interested in crochet? Visit our sister site: Crochet Pattern Central  | Tips 'n TricksDo 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! Name: Teresa Subject: Circular needles to knit straight Comment: I wish someone had told me when I first started knitting that you can use circular needles to knit straight rows! I would have saved so much money! I was buying a circular needle for this pattern and regular needles for that pattern. Plus it's easier to knit in chairs and lighter in your hands. I highly recommend the Denise interchangeable needle set. So many options for a much less expensive start-up cost! (And, no, I don't work for the company.) :] Name: Paula Jo Subject: Well duh! moments Comment: Most of what I make ends up being given as gifts. A few years ago I realized I couldn't remember what I had given to whom! Well duh! In my craft journal I now list the type of craft (knit, tatted, painted, etc.), the pattern, materials, etc. and the person I gave it too. I have a list of who got what! For a long time I would follow the pattern as written, no matter what but sometimes it didn't work right or I didn't like the end result so I wouldn't use that pattern anymore. Well duh! Sometimes a pattern has an error in it. Now I have a few basic patterns I love and just use a pattern stitch or charted design I like. Usually I can make it work by adjusting the stitch count by 1 or 2 stitches. This works especially well with socks. I like to have something to work on in the car but quite often I find I walked out the door without a project. Well duh! Now I keep a small project in the car all the time. It doesn't come in the house until I'm finished with it. These are usually small items like bookmarks so it doesn't take long to finish one even working a couple of minutes at a time. I'm sure we all have our Well duh! moments and I'd love to read some of yours! Name: Bernadine Subject: My Traveling Knitting Bag Comment: We spend a lot of time on the road and I always take a few projects with me, usually two totally different projects to fight the bore dum. My Traveling bag is always a Shopping bag that you can buy at any shopping centre, and has scissors, ruler, darning needle, needle holder (leather one that my sister made me) and projects and pattern and a good book to read when the road gets too bumpy to knit. Name: Winifred Subject: knitting two at the same time Comment: I tried is many years ago and found you had to be really careful in what direction you were going, because if you stopped at the end of one needle to answer the phone for any reason, when you picked it up again you can easily get mixed up in what direction you were going. I'm sorry but it didn't work for me, I found just writing all the rows down and marking them off as I knitted them kept everything the same length. Try it. Name: Pien Subject: two of the same items Comment: Knit the two sleeves, for any top you are knitting, at the same time. This way they will be exactly the same (in my case also the same length). make sure you do not tangle the two balls of yarn you use (one for each sleeve). It might go a bit slower, but at the end you have two sleeves ready at the same time. I do the same for a left and right front of a cardigan (one needs to be the mirror image of the other). And many other projects that need to have two of the same. Name: Lisa Subject: Stitch Markers Comment: I use a bright colored strand of yarn to mark my stitches. All you have to do is tie a small strand of yarn loosely around your needles, and away you go. (If you need the marker in the middle of a row, you just have to knit up to that stitch and then slip the yarn on your needle) Name: sandra Subject: storing Comment: I keep all my tape measures/stitch holders/row counters etc in one of those nice boxes the laundry tabs/laundry gel are packed in. Thank you Mr Persil! Name: Carol Subject: Neat Edgings Comment: To make a neat edge always slip the first stitch in every row, this gives neat and firm edge, makes sewing up much easier. Name: Freda K Scotland Subject: scrap wool Comment: I keep a plastic sandwich bag in my knitting bag to hold all the wee bits of wool I cut off after I have sewn up a garment. It soon mounts up and I can use it to stuff anything even cushions, as it is so easily washed. Name: Anna Subject: cold nights Comment: It is the best on cold nights to knit. It is not so pleasant knitting in summer when you are knitting because the yarn does not go through your fingers as nicely as it would in winter. If you have trouble with knitting and it is your first time it will get better. After about your first project you should have a hang of it. happy knitting! Name: Winifred Subject: pins Comment: I always use the pins you put through hair rollers to keep seams in place when sewing together. They are good for heavy wool as they don't get lost in the wool. Name: Alison - from Birmingham UK Subject: Sticky needles Comment: Another way of keeping the warn slipping smoothly over the needles is to rub them through your hair, against your scalp. The oil there will keep the needles slippery - it works for bamboo, plastic and aluminium. (I have seen this tip on this site before, but is is very useful and worth repeating.) Name: Dee Abbate Subject: Bamboo needles Comment: I love knitting with wooden needles but have found that the yarn doesn't always slide as smoothly as I would like...! I carry wax paper and rub them during my knitting. Have also used a 'very' small amount of hair conditioner it also works very well. Also before knitting with mohair put in the freezer for an hour or so, knits much easier. Name: Winifred again Subject: casting off Comment: I am just finishing a small jumper and thought you would like to know how to make a neat shoulder. Usually you cast off so many stitches and knit to the end, purl 1 row, then cast off another set of stitches and I find I am left with a small hole, I know how to sew it in with experience but a beginner might not know. Leave stitches on the needle don't cast off any and when you finish the front put the two needles together and cast off the set amount of stitches and you will have a lovely neat shoulder, Practice will make perfection. You will be fed up with me sending messages. Note from KPC Webmistress: Keep the tips coming! Name: Freda K Subject: Clammy palms Comment: I always keep a small box of talcum power in my knitting bag and when my hands get clammy which makes knitting difficult i rub them with some talcum and and away we go. Select a Page << Prev 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 Next >> Share your own hints by filling in the form below... |
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