knitting

tutorial – fixing a forgotten yo

Fixing a forgotten YO - a tutorial by La Visch Designs

If you’ve ever knit lace or eyelet-patterning you know it can happen easily: a short distraction. And when your attention is somewhere else a yarn over or yo is forgotten and all patterning and shaping is thrown off-course. It may even be that you won’t notice it until several more rows or rounds have been worked.

Personally, I have a very big aversion against ripping out my work, just because I forgot one teeny tiny stitch a couple of rows back. I mean, it certainly is an option, but I consider it to be more of a last resort type of option.

So, without further ado, here a way to fix that forgotten yo without issues and stress!

Materials used

Yarn: * Paintbox Yarns Simply DK, a good value, good quality 100% acrylic yarn, here in the color 142 Tea Rose.

A crochet hook in the same size or slightly smaller than your knitting needles. For example this * Pony Aluminum Crochet Hook in size 4 mm.

Fixing a forgotten yo step by step

1. First, go to the spot in your knitting where the yo should have been. If you look carefully, you can see horizontal threads between the 2 columns of stitches. Do you also see the left-leaning decrease, 4 stitches down on the left-hand needle?

Right next to it is where the forgotten yo should have been. This means we need to insert the crochet hook from bottom to top underneath threads 3 and 4, counting from the needle down.

Step 1 of fixing a forgotten yo.

2. Next, pull the top thread through the other one on the hook to create the yarn over or yo.

Step 2 of fixing a forgotten yo.

3. The next step is to insert the crochet hook underneath the horizontal thread directly above new yo and pull the thread through the loop already on the hook to make a new knit stitch. Repeat this (for stockinette) as often as needed until you’ve run out of threads to pull through and place the stitch on the left-hand needle.

Step 3 of fixing a forgotten yo.

Now you’re ready to continue your knitting!

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Thanks to my Patreon supporters for bringing you this freebie! Creating quality patterns and tutorials is a lot of work and resource-intensive. However, I find it important to give you free content like this tutorial. Thanks to the generous support of my Patreon supporters, I can make it happen. Thank you, patrons! Click here to join, or click here to read more about La Visch Designs on Patreon.

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indian summer rye

Indian Summer Rye cowl

Designed for the self-striping yarn pictured, this cowl is a wonderful knit for both Spring and Fall. The lacy chevron patterning creates lovely wavy edges. The cowl is knit from the top down in a gentle conical shape for superb draping around the shoulders that will keep them nice and warm.

The Indian Summer Rye cowl is knit seamless and in the round from the top down. The instructions are provided both charted and written out.


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Difficulty level

The Indian Summer Rye cowl is seamless and knit in the round from the top down. The patterning includes stitches worked through the back loop. Stitches used include knit, purl, kfb, yo, and a centered double decrease.

This pattern is suitable for the intermediate knitter.

Sizes and finished measurements

One size: 66 cm (26 inches) circumference at the top edge, 98 cm (38 ½ inches) at the bottom edge and 37 cm (14 ½ inches) high.

Pattern details

  • Gauge: 18.5 sts / 21 rounds = 10 cm (4 inches) over pattern after washing and gentle blocking. Please take the time to check your gauge, or the resulting cowl may have a different size than intended!
  • Pattern languages included: English and Dutch (Dit patroon omvat zowel een Nederlandse als een Engelse versie)
  • Digital PDF has 3 pages (letter size)

Materials

  • Yarn: 400 m (437 yds) / 100 g Mille Colori Socks & Lace by Lang Yarns [75% wool, 25% polyamide; 400 m (437 yds) / 100 g] in color 87.0090. Substitute any single-ply type fingering weight yarn with long color runs for a similar result.
  • Circular needles in the following sizes (or to match gauge):
    • Size 4 mm (US 6) / 40 cm (16 inches)
    • Size 4 mm (US 6) / 60 cm (24 inches)
    • Size 4.5 mm (US 7) / 60 cm (24 inches) (optional, used for bind-off only)
  • Yarn needle
  • 1 end-of-round stitch marker

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sunglow forest

Sunglow Forest shawl

Sunglow Forest is a crescent-shaped shawl worked from the top-down. The perfect shawl to throw on for a refreshing walk in the woods!

The body of the shawl contains special shaping, which helps to avoid the “bump” in the upper edge of the shawl, so often present in crescent shawl designs. The instructions for the border of the shawl are provided both fully charted and written out.


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Difficulty level

This shawl is started with a modified garter stitch tab and contains cable knitting. The lace in the edging is worked on both RS and WS rows. Stitches used include knit, purl, k2tog, p2tog, skp, yo and m1L and m1R increases.

This pattern is suitable for the intermediate to advanced knitter.

Sizes and finished measurements

One size – finished dimensions of the sample Sunglow Forest shawl: 188 cm (74 inches) along the upper edge and a depth of 63 cm (24 ¾ inches), measured after blocking.

Pattern details

  • Gauge: 17 sts / 25 rows = 10 cm (4 inches) over stockinette, measured after blocking. Gauge is, however, not critical in this design.
  • Pattern languages included: English and Dutch (Dit patroon omvat zowel een Nederlandse als een Engelse versie)
  • Digital PDF has 4 pages (letter size)

Materials

  • Yarn: Fleece Artist Merino Slim (100% Merino wool; 400 m (437 yds) / 115 g) in the following amounts and colors: MC -400 m (437 yds) / 115 g in “Tourmaline” and CC – 400 m (437 yds) / 115 g in “Minegold”. This yarn and pattern are also available as a kit from Sweater Sisters! Substitute any wool single ply type fingering weight yarn for a similar result.
  • Size 4 mm (US Size 6) 80 cm (32 inches) or longer circular needle.
  • Yarn needle
  • 2 stitch markers to mark the center of the shawl
  • Cable needle in the same size or smaller than your main needles

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tutorial – fixing a dropped stitch

Tutorial - fixing a dropped stitch

It can happen just like that: a dropped stitch in the middle of your work! When using a somewhat “sticky” yarn, it is usually a matter of putting the stitch back on the needle and continuing to knit. With a smooth yarn, however, it may be that the stitch ladders down in your work….

Do not panic, though! A dropped stitch really isn’t that hard to fix. Especially when the project is still on the needles and you’re not dealing with patterning and shaping. So, in this tutorial, I’ll show you how to fix a dropped stitch in the middle of a piece of stockinette knitting.

Materials used

Yarn: * Paintbox Yarns Simply DK, a good value, good quality 100% acrylic yarn, here in the color 142 Tea Rose.

A crochet hook in the same size or slightly smaller than your knitting needles. For example this * Pony Aluminum Crochet Hook in size 4 mm.

Fixing a dropped stitch step by step

1. First, grab your crochet hook and catch the fallen stitch before it ladders even further down!

A fallen stitch!

2. Take a look at the last stitch that sits correctly in the fabric and the stitch directly below it: Here we have stockinette stitch. This means that we, therefore, insert the crochet hook through the stitch from the front to the back.

Catch the wayward stitch with your crochet hook.

3. Next, insert the crochet hook underneath the thread directly above the dropped stitch…

Catch the next thread.

4. … and pull the thread through the loop already on the hook to make a new knit stitch.

Pull the loop through.

5. Repeat steps 4 and 5 (for stockinette) until you have run out of threads to pull through.

All fixed!

6. Place the stitch back on the knitting needle and continue knitting as if nothing happened!

Tutorial - fixing a dropped stitch

An that’s all there is to it! Really not that hard, right?

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Thanks to my Patreon supporters for bringing you this freebie! Creating quality patterns and tutorials is a lot of work and resource-intensive. However, I find it important to give you free content like this tutorial. Thanks to the generous support of my Patreon supporters, I can make it happen. Thank you, patrons! Click here to join, or click here to read more about La Visch Designs on Patreon.

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think pink

Think Pink shawl - a design by La Visch Designs

Looking for an eye-catching layering piece for when the weather and seasons turn? A knit that combines both relaxing stockinette as well as challenging patterning? Look no further! The Think Pink shawl has you covered. And yes, pun intended! Or make the shawl in a different color.

Written and charted instructions for the patterned central section are included. Written directions for the central section and plain stockinette/increase section are written separately and must be read together to work each row.


Pay what you want: (minimum €6.50)

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Difficulty level

The Think Pink shawl starts with a garter stitch tab, and the patterning is worked on both RS and WS rows. Stitches used include knit, purl, yo, make 1 with a backward loop, right and left twist stitches, a knot stitch, a centered double decrease as well as knitting tbl.

This pattern is suitable for the intermediate to advanced knitter.

Sizes and finished measurements

One size: Wingspan of 180 cm (71 inches) along the upper edge and a depth of 67 cm (26 ½ inches), measured after blocking.

Adjust the sizing by using a different weight yarn and/or working a different number of repeats of the body pattern or the border. This will, of course, change the amount of yarn needed.

Pattern details

  • Gauge: 14.5 sts / 23 rows = 10 cm (4 inches) over stockinette, measured after blocking. Gauge is, however, not critical in this design.
  • Pattern languages included: English, the Dutch version will be available soon. (Dit patroon omvat zowel een Nederlandse als een Engelse versie)
  • Digital PDF has 6 pages (letter size)

Materials

  • Yarn: 800 m (875 yds) / 400 g Debbie Bliss Piper (50% Cotton, 50% Rayon; 200 m (219 yds) / 100 g) in 12016 Magenta. Substitute any cotton/rayon blend DK weight yarn for a similar result.
  • Size 4 mm (US 6) / 100 cm (40 inches) circular needles
  • Size 4.5 mm (US 7) knitting needle (for bind-off only)
  • Yarn needle
  • 2 stitch markers to indicate the center section
  • Stitch markers to indicate repeats of the central patterning (optional)

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tutorial – working the ptbl stitch

tutorial - working the ptbl stitch

The purl through the back loop stitch (or ptbl for short) is a variation of the purl stitch. It creates a twisted stitch by slightly turning the stitch while you work it. I’ve used the ptbl in some of my patterns, for example in the Art Deco shawl pattern.

And while it isn’t a hard stitch to work, it can be a tad tricky if you’re not familiar with how to work into that back loop of a stitch. So, for that reason, it’s a good idea to get that straight. If you look at the picture below, you can see that the first stitch on the needle consists of a loop of yarn, straddling the needle. The “leg” facing is what we call the “front loop”. Likewise, the “leg” at the back of the work is the “back loop” one.

The front and the back loop of a stitch

Materials used

Yarn: * Paintbox Yarns Simply DK, a good value, good quality 100% acrylic yarn, here in the color 125 Spearmint Green.

Needles: * KnitPro Zing Fixed Circular Needles. In this tutorial, I used the 4 mm (US 6) size with a cable length of 80 cm (32 inches).

Working a ptbl step by step

1. First, we have to make sure that the working yarn is at the front of the work since we’ll be working a purl stitch.

Working the ptbl stitch, step 1

2. Next, insert the right-hand needle purlwise into the back leg or loop of the stitch. To do this, it is important to know the difference between knitwise and purlwise when talking about that back loop. To insert the needle knitwise you’d insert the needle away from the tip of the left-hand needle. In the same vein, to insert the needle purlwise you’d insert the needle towards the tip of the left-hand needle!

In the picture below the needles have become a bit twisted due to me holding everything with my left hand and the camera in the other. But if you take another look at the picture with the blue yarn above you can see exactly what I mean!

Working the ptbl stitch, step 2

3. Now wrap the yarn around the needle…

Working the ptbl stitch, step 3

4. … pull it through and slip the resulting stitch from the left-hand needle to complete your ptbl stitch.

Working the ptbl stitch, step 4

And that’s all there is to it! Not that hard, right?

Patreon logo

Thanks to my Patreon supporters for bringing you this freebie! Creating quality patterns and tutorials is a lot of work and resource-intensive. However, I find it important to give you free content like this tutorial. Thanks to the generous support of my Patreon supporters, I can make it happen. Thank you, patrons! Click here to join, or click here to read more about La Visch Designs on Patreon.

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kitty cat shawl

Kitty Cat Shawl by La Visch Designs

The Kitty Cat Shawl is a shallow, triangle scarf, knit sideways. It has paw prints and hearts because my daughter loves cats and therefore wanted this in her new shawl. This design features a lace edging that is worked at the same time as the body of the shawlette. Worked at a loose gauge, the Kitty Cat Shawl is a lovely and airy layering piece.

The pattern contains both fully written out as well as charted instructions for the lace. The lace in the border of the shawl is true lace knitting, worked on both wrong and right side rows.


Pay what you want: (minimum €6.50)

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Difficulty level

Stitches used include knit, purl, yo, kfb, skp, k2tog, and nupps. This pattern is suitable for the intermediate to advanced knitter.

Sizes and finished measurements

Finished dimensions of the sample shawl: Span width of 155 cm (61 inches) along the upper edge and a depth of 45 cm (17 ¾ inches), measured after blocking.

Change the size of the shawl by using heavier or lighter weight yarn and/or working less (or more) repeats. This will, of course, change the amount of yarn needed.

Pattern details

  • Gauge: 14 sts / 25 rows = 10 cm (4 inches) over garter stitch, measured after blocking. Gauge is, however, not critical in this design.
  • Pattern languages included: English, the Dutch version will be available soon. (Dit patroon omvat zowel een Nederlandse als een Engelse versie)
  • Digital PDF has 4 pages (letter size)

Materials

  • Yarn: 400 m (437 yds) / 100 g The Dutch Yarn Barn Double Dutch (100% Texel wool; 400 m (437 yds) / 100 g) in Hot Raspberry. Substitute any heavy fingering or sport weight wool yarn for a similar result.
  • Size 4.5 mm (US 7) / 80 cm (32 inches) circular needles.
  • Yarn needle
  • 1 stitch marker to differentiate the body from the edging of the shawl
  • Crochet hook in a size equivalent to the size of your knitting needles (optional, for easy nupps)

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Time for a knit-a-long!

Cinematic knit-a-long image

It’s time for a knit-a-long! And I’ve got just the pattern for it: Cinematic! Join the KAL on Facebook in the La Visch World of Fiber Crafts group.

Cinematic is a simple but stylish triangular shawl knit sideways in garter stitch. With its generous size, it’s perfect to wear as an elegant scarf. Eyelet rows and stripes in a contrast color, combined with a gradient yarn, make for a highly customizable accessory. Wear it with a shirt and jeans for a casual look or with that little black dress for a more dramatic look.

The KAL will start this Friday, August the 30th and will run for a month until and including September the 30th 2019. The pattern can be found on Ravelry and, of course, on the La Visch Designs website. Every person posting a picture of the FO before or on September 30th will receive a 25% discount code for a La Visch Designs pattern of choice 😃

Want to share your progress social media? Go ahead, I love to see what folks do with my designs! Make sure to tag your posts with #cinematickal, #lavischdesigns and #cinematicshawl so I can find your post.

So, get your yarn and pattern today, I’m looking forward to seeing you over in the KAL group for the Cinematic knit-a-long!

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tutorial – working a Left Twist

Tutorial working a Left Twist

In one of the designs I’m working on, I’m using a lovely intricate stitch pattern from the Japanese Knitting Stitch Bible by Hitomi Shida. In this particular stitch pattern, a Left Twist stitch is used. So, in this post, I’ll go into the details on how to work this stitch.

The basic characteristic of a Left Twist is that it switches the order of 2 adjoining stitches, one “main stitch” and one “background stitch” to make it appear that the main stitch travels to the left. The background is usually reverse stockinette. The main stitch is usually worked twisted (working the stitch through the back loop) stockinette. This way it pops even more against the background.

The instruction from the Japanese Knitting Stitch Bible for this stitch consists of the following text:

With RN, go behind first st and p second st without removing it from LN; ktbl first st and slip both off LN.

Now, I don’t know if you’ve tried this, but following the above instruction didn’t give me anything resembling the picture of the worked left twist. It may be due to where I had my yarn or the fact that I knit weird, who knows? Anyway, I did some more research and found that this type of traveling stitch is also used quite a lot in Bavarian knitting. I also found that there are quite some ways it can be worked. Take for example this one from leethalknits.com, the one described in this Interweave article or the elaborate description of methods by Rox over on Ravelry.

Personally, I found just changing the order of the stitches before actually knitting them (as one would do for cabling without a cable needle) to be easiest. So that’s what I will show you in this tutorial.

Materials used

Yarn: Paintbox Yarns Simply DK, a good value, good quality 100% acrylic yarn, here in the color 125 Spearmint Green.

Needles: KnitPro Zing Fixed Circular Needles. In this tutorial, I used the 4 mm (US 6) size with a cable length of 80 cm (32 inches).

Some words about the swatch

In this swatch, I’ve taken part of the stitch pattern in which I encountered the Left Twist stitch. It consists of a k3, p4 rib in which the left-most knit stitch travels across the purl stitches until it joins the next column of knit stitches. As you can see, I’ve already worked one RS row with a Left twist, as well as it’s accompanying WS row.

Working a Left Twist, starting swatch

Working a Left Twist step by step

1. The first 2 stitches on the left-hand needle in the picture below, are the ones we’re going to work the Left Twist over. In other words: we’re going to switch the order of the knit and the purl stitch, to make it appear that the knit stitch travels to the left.

Working a Left Twist, step 1

2. First I make sure to move the working yarn to the front of the work since the first stitch to work will be a purl stitch. Next, I grab the yarn directly below the 2 stitches to be switched and pinch down as pictured.

Working a Left Twist, step 2

3. Next, I move these stitches off the left-hand needle. Keeping the fabric pinched, makes sure that the stitches won’t ladder down.

Working a Left Twist, step 3

4. Then insert the left-hand needle knit wise into the loose stitch on the right to put it back on the needle. Make sure to keep pinching the fabric underneath the other stitch! Especially now we’re placing some stress on the yarn.

Working a Left Twist, step 4

5. Now insert the left-hand needle knit wise into the remaining loose stitch and put it back on the needle. This can be somewhat fiddly.

Working a Left Twist, step 5

6. Now it’s time to insert your right-hand needle purl wise into the first stitch from the tip of the left-hand needle.

Working a Left Twist, step 6

7. Next, wrap your yarn around the needle, pull it through and let the stitch slide of the needle to complete the purl stitch.

Working a Left Twist, step 7

8. Next is to work the traveling stitch itself. To make it pop against the background and tighten it up a bit, this stitch is worked through the back loop. So, insert your right-hand needle knit wise into the first stitch from the tip of the left-hand needle.

Working a Left Twist, step 8

9. Next, wrap your yarn around the needle, pull it through and let the stitch slide of the needle to complete the twisted knit stitch.

Working a Left Twist, step 9

Then what?

On the following wrong side row, work the stitches as they present themselves. In other words: what looks like a knit stitch is knit, what looks like a purl stitch is purled, and the “traveling stitch” itself is purled through the back loop. Below is how it looks after a couple of more rows have been worked. Please note this piece has not been blocked!

Working a Left Twist

Of course, there is also a Right Twist tutorial, you can find that one here.

Patreon logo

Thanks to my Patreon supporters for bringing you this freebie! Creating quality patterns and tutorials is a lot of work and resource-intensive. However, I find it important to give you free content like this tutorial. Thanks to the generous support of my Patreon supporters, I can make it happen. Thank you, patrons! Click here to join, or click here to read more about La Visch Designs on Patreon.

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monegros

Monegros shawl by La Visch Designs

Monegros is a simple yet stylish triangular shawl knit sideways on the bias, named after the Monegros Desert in northeastern Spain. The combination of garter stitch in a variegated hand-dyed yarn and simple lace in a solid/tonal yarn makes it a perfect choice to get the best of both worlds. Due to its shape and generous size, it’s perfect to wear as an elegant scarf.

The pattern contains both fully written out as well as charted instructions for the lace section.


Pay what you want: (minimum €6.50)

Add to cart


Difficulty level

Stitches used include knit, yo, k2tog, skp, kfb and a centered double decrease. This pattern is suitable for the intermediate knitter.

Sizes and finished measurements

Finished dimensions of the sample shawl: 195 cm (76 ¾ inches) along the upper edge and a depth of 66 cm (26 inches), measured after blocking.

The shawl can be made larger by adding more repeats of the garter stitch and/or by working more repeats in the lace section. This will, of course, increase the amount of yarn needed.

Pattern details

  • Gauge: 14.6 sts / 26 rows = 10 cm (4 inches) over garter stitch, measured after blocking. Gauge is, however, not critical in this design.
  • Pattern languages included: English, the Dutch version will be available soon. (Dit patroon omvat zowel een Nederlandse als een Engelse versie)
  • Digital PDF has 4 pages (letter size)

Materials

  • Yarn: C1 – 1 skein Sticks & Cups Sockstravagance (80% Merino, 20% Nylon; 400 m (437 yds) / 100 g) in “Santorini”, C2 – 1 ball Rauma Baby Panda (100% Merino; 175 m (191 yds) / 50 g) in 54 “Orange”. Substitute any variegated fingering weight yarn for C1 and any solid or tonal colored fingering weight yarn for C2 for a similar result.
  • Size 4 mm (US 6) / 80 cm (32 inches) circular needles.
  • Removable stitch marker to denote the RS of the shawl (optional)
  • Yarn needle

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