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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: Winifred Kennedy Subject: knitting bag Comment: Never use a plastic carry bag to keep your knitting in. Get a fairly strong bag and keep your knitting in that and only your knitting. Its like a joiners tool box. I keep scissors, tape measure, sewing needles, safety pins, stitch holders everything you need at hand, and I keep them in pencil cases, so I know where to get anything I am looking for. So when I sit down to knit I don't have to go looking for anything. I never use my scissors for anything else. Also it helps to keep your knitting patterns in good condition as there is nothing worse than a crushed pattern. I hope I am helping you. Name: Winifred Kenned again Subject: buttons Comment: I knit a lot of baby and toddler jackets and jumpers. Most small matinee jackets take 4-6 buttons. I always buy more buttons than I need because when I go back to get more the design has sometimes changed slightly, but I can always use them up on jackets by putting a few coloured rows in - you can use up your odd buttons to match and they don't look out of place. Also I would invest in a wool winder as they make up nice balls of wool that can be worked from the middle and saves your wool from running all over the place. You won't get so fed up doing your knitting Name: Winifred Kennedy Subject: counting rows Comment: I never have a problem at all with remembering rows, I always write down the number of rows to say 10 or 12. As I knit these rows I just score it off. Also if I am doing a pattern I always write it down in my own language on a separate piece of paper making the rows 1, 3, 5, and so on and 2, 4, 6 an d so on are the purl rows. I have been knitting since I was about ten years old I am now in my sixties and I have never found a pattern hard by using this method. Good knitting Name: Jewel Subject: Kitten Comment: Fair enough Sandra, older experienced knitters will always "undo" when a mistake is found - than to continue... new knitters might at times have less patience to undo to where the mistake happened and thus never learn to fix errors - which is why new knitters should start with small easy projects and thread slowly until they have acquired the commitment and patience it takes to accomplish a mistake-free finished project one can be proud of. Stitch markers: I place color coded paper clips as stitch markers - cheap and easy. Box of 100 will last you forever. Name: jenny Subject: two item projects Comment: When I am finished one mitten, I slip it on one of the needles I am working on. I don't lose it and it is always handy. Name: shannon Subject: place markers Comment: I use mismatched hoop earrings for stitch markers, low cost and fun to look at Name: Sandra Subject: For Kitten Comment: "My best advice when knitting, especially if you are new to it or learning a new technique is to ignore old people. They have ideas such as the best way to knit faster and refuse to consider that if you wanted your knitting over and done with you wouldn't bother knitting, you'd just buy it for much less in store. ignore people who tell you it's done wrong, every truely great knitter knows every piece contains a carefully placed mistake as an admission that no ones perfect. Well the modest knitters do anyway, can't say much for the older ego's who think their ways the only way." Fair enough, I think this sounds like an unfortunately worded, angry outburst of someone who's just trying to learn and had something corrected too many times. Somewhere in there there's the valid point that when you're just beginning there's a line between helpful advice and being overbearing in your teaching. I think Kitten's comment was interpreted too harshly, she wasn't saying "old people are stupid". Rather, in her somewhat immature way, she was probably overwhelmed by all the tips, etc. Name: azknitter Subject: storage tip Comment: For storage of any yarns, put in space bags. No bugs, no smells, no problems!! Name: Alison - from Birmingham UK Subject: Knitting in the 20th Century Comment: Re Gracie's comments about knitting in the depression & war, my mother was telling me the other day how HER grandmother knitted all the socks for her grandchildren - my mother, her sister and brothers. Summer socks for the girls would be made from crochet cotton, while knee-length rugby socks for the 3 boys would be knitted in Patons wool, in team or school colours. In addition, underwear was knitted on incredibly small needles and all jumpers etc were hand knitted, in 4 ply wool as double knit was unknown. When I knit I always feel a link to the women of the past. I find it comforting to know that family values have not changed that much. Name: Gracie Subject: Kitten's "old people" comments Comment: I just started reading section and came upon Kitten's comments - I had to go back and read what was written. "Old people" would knit as a necessity in the "olden" days and not always as a hobby. Diapers and diaper soakers were hand knit, anything and everything under the sun was hand-knit for babies to seniors, just because they couldn't afford to "buy" what was needed. Wool was "pure" and patterns were 10 cents, they survived by knitting through the depression and war - a lot can be learned from "old people" not just knitting tricks/shortcuts. They don't know it all, but I cherish their wisdom and advice, they've been through more than Kitten will ever go through in her lifetime. I've learned everything about knitting from my granny 60 years ago and would give anything to be able to knit for her today, my love, my teacher. Name: aileen Subject: hats Comment: it is easier for me to knit a hat starting with circular needles in stead of switching to them in the second or third row Name: Sarah C 11 Subject: socks Comment: When you are knitting socks, its easier for me to use two circular needles instead of all those double pointed needles. it has worked for me, and it will work for you. Tip: my favorite pattern here is "back to basic socks". its found by the regular sock patterns. have fun :) Name: lobo Subject: tangled yarn Comment: to keep your yarn from tangling before you start knitting re-ball the yarn into a sphere Name: Juanita E. Kelly Subject: buttons on sweaters Comment: When sewing buttons on children's sweaters after knitting them I use a medium size button on top and a small button on the underside to secure it. I also sew the button over a toothpick and when finished sewing I remove the toothpick and wrap the thread around underneath the button about three times before fastening it off. I have never replaced a button on anything after doing this! I also make a "hang-up" loop just inside the back of the neck of the same yarn. Name: Phalicia, 19 Subject: Scarves.... Comment: I knit my fiance a scarf a couple years ago on size 8 needles using worsted weight yarn, and it took forever! I striped 2 colors, spaced evenly, but the scarf still stretched out, making the stripes uneven. Now I'm making a scarf for my sister and I found that knitting the same pattern on size 10.5 needles makes the scarf wider and the whole process go much faster! The finished scarf is just as stretchy and just as warm. 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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