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

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

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

Name: sarah c. age 11
Subject: a "must-have" book
Comment: if you cant find a sock pattern to suit you, you can always pick up a copy of "Getting started, Knitting socks," by Ann Budd. There are sooo many patterns to choose from, and there simple to make. it has a picture glossary, and step by step instructions. the patterns are sooo pretty! it is available at Barns & Nobel. Go to http://www.barnesandnoble.com, type in knitting books and scroll the pages to find this book. I fell in love with it and you will too. Hope this helps!

Name: sarah c. age 11
Subject: Borders
Comment: if you want to buy books from borders, i strongly recommend "teach yourself visually knitting", by Sharon turner. go to http://www.Borders.com 4 more details.

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

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

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

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

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

Name: Ashley
Subject: on the Airplane
Comment: Just wanted to let everyone know that TSA does permit knitting needles to be carried on an airplane. I've done it several times sucessfully. You can check the TSA website and view their list of permitted items for more questions.

Name: Amy
Subject: Weaving in that first end....
Comment: Cast on, and instead of letting the tail just dangle, pick it up and knit it together with the ball yarn. This weaves it in automatically, and you can just trim it down. If you use long tail, just pick it up. If you use any other, knit on row and knit the second with the doubled yarn. I can barely tell a difference on many different sizes of yarn.

Name: Elenora
Subject: Melodie post - fabric softener sheets, freshen yarns- not
Comment: I've a modest yarn stash stored in labeled cotton pillowcases on shelf in small ventilated closet. Stored a quilt of cotton fabric with used fabric softener sheet, it left oily residue which won't come out. Don't recommend use to "freshen" yarns. Maybe a spin in a dryer on air/fluff cycle (without heat) would help, and avoid long storage w/o air circulation especially with natural fibers. Best way is to use up what is bought, sooner and faster, and go shopping for newer yarns - more fun.

Name: Janet
Subject: keeping my place in a printed pattern
Comment: I find that I often must sit down my knitting to go do other things. Then I risk forgetting exactly where I was in my pattern directions. I use a post-it note to mark the row I am on. I can also make notes to myself on the sticky note if needed. Just move the post-it to the next row in the pattern so that you'll know where to start when you pick up your project again.

Name: Kaitie
Subject: knitting in the round
Comment: After you have cast on all of your stitches on three or four circular needles, take the stitch on the end of one needle and then switch it with the one on the next needle. Now, it will be less likely to fall off and it will be easier to knit these.

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