knitting Archives - Page 25 of 27

tutorial: binding off when yarn has run out

Of course, you always make sure that you have enough yarn left to bind off your project. I myself like to weigh the amount of yarn each row or round uses when I’m nearing the end of the project (or yarn!). This way I can make sure I have enough left to bind off. Depending on the type of bind off I plan on using, I know I have to reserve about twice or three times the amount of the last row.

However, it won’t hurt to know more about binding off when yarn has run out, in case of emergency. You know, in that very rare situation that you have lost that game of yarn chicken… Mind you, this is really only an option in special cases, because this bind off tends to be quite tight. This lack of elasticity makes it not really suitable for things like neck openings of sweaters. I wouldn’t use it for projects to be blocked out significantly for best results, like lace, either.

Binding off when yarn has run out – step by step

1. In the picture below you can see that there is very little yarn left: Too little to bind off the normal way.

2. Slip the first stitch knit-wise from the left to the right needle.

3. Slip the next stitch from your left needle knit-wise to the right needle.

4. Pass the first slipped stitch on the right needle over the second stitch.

5. Repeat steps 2 to 4 until all stitches have been bound off.

6. As you can see in the picture above, there will be leftover yarn on the right while you have one last loop remaining on the left side. If the work must be joined in the round, you can connect it by pulling the remaining yarn through the last live stitch, securing the end by weaving it in. If the work will remain flat, you need about 10 cm of yarn from the yarn end to secure this last live stitch. Cut this length, pull it through the stitch and weave all the loose ends in.

Not ideal, but a good technique to know in case it is ever needed!

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old school gaming hat

Old School Gaming Hat is a simple hat with a folded brim and fun stranded color work depicting old school gaming characters. With only two colors for the color work, this hat knits up super quick and is a great first stranded project for anyone who has never attempted this technique before.

This pattern contains instructions for three adult sizes when worked in an aran weight yarn. Use a DK or light worsted weight yarn instead for sizes suitable for children from 3 months old and upwards.

The Old School Gaming Hat is completely seamless and knitted from the bottom up. The color work pattern for the body of the hat is provided charted only. All other instructions are in written form

Pay what you want: (minimum €4.90)

€

Difficulty level

The Old School Gaming Hat is seamless and knit in the round from the bottom up. This pattern involves following a color chart and working in stranded knitting. An alternative technique for creating the design is to duplicate stitch this design onto the hat after knitting.

Stitches used include knit, purl, k2tog and the M1 increase. This pattern is suitable for the intermediate to advanced knitter.

Sizes and finished measurements

Adult sizes S (M, L) to fit size: 46-53 (53-60, 60-67) cm, 18-21 (21-24, 24-27) inches.
Children’s sizes 3M (6-12M, child-teen) to fit size: 33-38 (38-43, 43-48) cm, 13-15 (15-17, 17-19) inches.

Pattern details

Worked in the round
Gauge for adult sizes in aran weight yarn: 17 sts / 24 rows = 10 cm (4 inches) over stockinette, knit with larger needles and measured after blocking.
Gauge for children’s sizes in DK or light worsted weight yarn: 19 sts / 26 rows = 10 cm (4 inches) over stockinette, knit with larger needles and measured after blocking.
Pattern languages included: English and Dutch (Dit patroon omvat zowel een Nederlandse als een Engelse versie)
Digital PDF has 3 pages (A4 size)

Materials

Yarn: In the adult sized aran weight sample Peruvian Highland Wool by Filcolana [100% wool; 100 m (109 yds) per 50 g skein] was used. Substitute any wool aran weight yarn for a similar teen/adult sized result. For a child sized hat, choose a DK or light worsted weight yarn instead.
- Main color: 100 (125, 150) m (110 (135, 165) yds) / 50 (62, 75) g in gray.
- Contrast color 1: 21 (26, 32) m (22 (28, 33) yds) / 27 (30, 32) g in pink.
- Contrast color 2: 21 (26, 32) m (22 (28, 33) yds) / 27 (30, 32) g in yellow.
Needles in your preferred style for small circumference knitting in the round in the following sizes (or to match gauge):
- Adult sizes knit in aran weight yarn: Size 4 mm (US 6) and size 4.5 mm (US 7).
- Children’s sizes knit in DK or light worsted weight yarn: Size 3.5 mm (US 4) and size 4 mm (US 6).
Yarn needle
1 end-of-round stitch marker
3 (4, 5) differently colored stitch markers (optional)

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tutorial: horizontal 1-row buttonhole

Many projects are not really finished until buttons and buttonholes are added. A simple buttonhole for small buttons is made by making a yarnover, followed by knitting 2 stitches together. This decrease is needed to keep the total number of stitches the same. For larger buttons and a firmer and neater buttonhole I very much like a horizontal 1-row buttonhole, which basically is a buttonhole knitted over 1 row.

In this post, I’ll show you how to make such a buttonhole. If you want to try it yourself, be sure to practice first on a swatch. It may take a few times to make nice consistent buttonholes!

The horizontal 1-row buttonhole step by step

1. First, you must decide where you want to place the buttonhole and how big it should be. Make the buttonhole just big enough to be able to just pass your button through. Much bigger and it will loosen too easily, smaller and buttons are difficult to open and close. This is also a matter of trying out. In this example, I will be placing the buttonhole somewhere in the middle of the sample piece.

2. Once you get to the point where you want to begin the buttonhole, bring your yarn between the needles to the front. Then slip 1 stitch purlwise from the left needle to the right needle. Next, bring the yarn to the back of the work again.

3. Slip 1 stitch purlwise from the left needle to the right needle.

4. Pass the second stitch on your right needle over the first stitch.

5. Repeat steps 3 and 4 as often as necessary to get the correct number of cast-off stitches for the size button chosen. In this example I repeated steps 3 and 4 twice.

6. Now slip the first stitch from the right needle back to the left needle.

7. Turn your work and pull the yarn tight to prevent holes and loose stitches next to the buttonhole.

8. Now cast-on stitches, for example by knitting them on, or by using the backward-loop method. Cast-on the number of stitches you have cast-off earlier, plus 1 extra. In the example I cast-on a total of 4 stitches.

9. Turn piece again and slip the first stitch purl-wise from your left to your right needle.

10. Pass the second stitch on your right needle (the last cast-on extra stitch) over the first stitch.

11. Now slip the first stitch from your right needle back to the left needle and continue knitting according to your pattern.

And this is how your horizontal 1-row buttonholehole will look:

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enigma

Enigma is a cozy layering piece, perfect for those times that you just want to wrap up in warm woolens. With its easy construction and textured stitch patterns, Enigma is an interesting but relaxing knit.

Pay what you want: (minimum €7.10)

€