knitting Archives - Page 3 of 18

tutorial – carrying yarn up the side

When working with different colors of yarn, for example when knitting stripes, it can be useful to carry up the unused yarn at the side of the work. This, of course, assumes you’re working on a project knitted flat back and forth. Carrying the yarn between rows, can help avoid a lot of cutting and weaving in ends. I don’t know about you, but that is not a favorite step of mine when finishing projects, so I try to avoid that where I can.

There are various ways of carrying yarn along the side of the work. In this tutorial, I’m focussing on the double strand method. In the basis, this means nothing more than working the last stitch of the row with both strands of yarn. You can also work the first stitch of the row with both strands together, this is purely a matter of preference. I’m used to the last stitch of the row, so that’s what I’ll be showing.

The main upside of this technique, when compared to just holding the yarn along the side, is that the tension is the same as the rest of the project. This way, there is absolutely no risk of holding the unused yarn at a too tight or too loose tension. It’s also very easy and fast to do. There are of course also downsides. Because the yarn is held double at that one stitch, it will bulk up that stitch. When working with thinner yarns, as I usually do, that’s often really no issue. However, if you’re working with thicker yarns, or with multiple colors, this may not be the ideal method.

Materials used

Yarn: Rauma Finull a sport weight wool yarn from Norway. It has a crisp hand and works well for stranded color designs. The yarn also softens up with washing.

Knitting needles: A pair of Addi circular needles in size 4 mm (US6).

Carrying yarn up the side step by step

To start, work as instructed by your pattern until you only have 1 stitch remaining in the row.
In the picture, you can see the working yarn (light) as well as the yarn to carry up (dark).
Now insert the right-hand needle into the stitch (here it’s to be knit) and wrap both strands of yarn around the needle.
Pull both strands of yarn through, and slip the stitch of the needle.
This is the result when viewed on the wrong side of the work.
Do you see that the first stitch of the row is now double-stranded?
Next, turn the work and insert the right-hand needle into the stitch (here it’s to be knit), taking care to insert in both strands and wrap the working yarn around the needle.
Pull the yarn through…
… and finish the stitch.

The result

Below, you can see the result of carrying the yarn up the side, using the double strand technique. You can see that the stitches in the light yarn on the right are a tad bulkier than the other stitches. That said, the yarn is thin enough that after blocking this won’t be much of an issue. Also, in this particular case, I’ll be picking up stitches along the side of the project for a border, so the edge stitch is also a selvage stitch ad won’t be visible at all in the end result.

The end result of carrying yarn up the side

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tutorial – casting on at the underarm for garments

When knitting a top-down garment like a sweater or a tee, there inevitably comes a moment where the stitches in the yoke are divided in those for the armholes and those for the body. Usually, the armhole stitches are put on a stitch holder or waste yarn. Next, the stitches for the back and front(s) are to be connected. Of course, you could just knit straight from the one set of stitches to the other. However, for optimal fit patterns usually instruct some stitches to be cast on for the underarm, connecting the front and back stitches. But how to go about that, especially if the pattern does not mention a specific method to use?

In this tutorial, I’ll tell you all about both the backwards loop method and the knitted-on method. To show you how to go about it, I’m using my Cherry Puff sweater WIP as an example. It’s a design by Skeindeer Knits, you can find the pattern here (Ravelry link).

Materials used

Garment WIP: Cherry Puff work-in-progress, which I’m knitting in Lang Yarns Super Soxx 6 ply.

Other materials: I’m doing this project on a Zing circular knitting needle in size 3.5 mm (the green one pictured).

To start

Before we can start casting-on at the underarm, we first have to organize the stitches. I’ve knit to the shoulder stitches and have placed them on waste yarn. So, on the one needle we have the back stitches, and on the other the front stitches.

Using the backward loop cast-on

To work the backward cast-on, you just work the cast-on on the right-hand needle. A photo tutorial on that can be found here, the result can be seen below. On the following row, the newly cast-on stitches can be hard to knit into. Also, the loops of yarn may stretch out where they connect to the front or back stitches due to the loose character of this cast-on. A way to tighten this up, is to cast-on 2 extra stitches for each underarm section. On the following row or round, when you come to 1 stitch before the underarm stitches, work a decrease. Next, work to 1 stitch before the end of the underarm stitches and again work a decrease.

Result of casting on at the underarm, using the backward loop method

Using the knitted-on cast-on

The process to work the knitted-on cast-on is a bit more involved than the one for the backward loop cast-on. That said, the result is much neater, with still a bit of stretch in the resulting edge. A detailed photo tutorial on how to work this cast-on can be found here, below I’ll show you how to utilize it for casting on stitches mid-row.

On a side note: The cable cast-on is pretty similar in how it’s worked, but results in a sturdier edge. For that reason, I usually don’t use when casting on stitches for the underarm.

Turn the work
Usually the piece of knitting to which the yarn is connected, is on the right-hand needle. However, to be able to cast-on the new stitches with the knitted-on method, you need to turn the work. Position it in such a way that you’re looking at the wrong side of the fabric, and the needle with the piece of knitting to which the yarn is connected, is ready to be used as the left-hand needle.
Work the cast-on
The short version is that you insert the right-hand needle into the stitch nearest to the point of the left-hand needle, pull up a loop through that stitch, and place it on the same needle. This is repeated until you have the number of desired stitches.
Turn the work again to continue knitting over the next set of stitches
The result of casting on at the underarm, after working a couple of more rounds

Picking up the stitches

Of course, at a certain point, stitches have to be picked up from the cast-on to work the sleeves. The below picture shows where I did that in this particular project. That said, there are more loops to choose from when picking up stitches. The important thing is not to pick up just a single strand, because that will be very visible and a weaker join than when picking up two strands. In another tutorial, I’ll go into detail about how to deal with the gaps in the corners!

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tutorial – working the backward loop cast-on

The backward loop method of casting on stitches is also known as the thumb method of casting on, and as the “single cast-on”, “e-wrap cast-on”. It’s a stretchy cast-on that is quite easy to do. However, it tends to leave loops along the bottom edge, which can look rather loose. To counter that, it can be helpful to drop down a needle size for the cast-on, then going up again when continuing with the rest of your project. While the backward loop cast-on is pretty easy to work, I really don’t prefer it for most projects, because I find the stitches very hard to work into on the first row of knitting.

There is one place where this cast-on really shines, though: when stitches needed to be cast on in the middle of a row, like for the underarm of a sweater. Yes, those are still hard to knit into on the next row and may seem rather loose. However, the number of stitches is usually very small, making that less of an issue.

Let’s get started!

Working the backward loop cast-on step by step

Take your working yarn and loop it as shown in the picture below, with the yarn going to the project in front.
Next, insert the tip of the right needle from back to front through the loop.
Pull the yarn snugly around the needle.
Repeat steps 1-3 for as many stitches as needed.

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fuyu persimmon

Like the Fuyu persimmon fruit this shawl is named after, it’s fruity and succulent and suitable for a wide range of occasions. In this shawl, a delightful garter stitch based lace body is paired with a striped garter stitch border. The design is very flexible, therefore I’ve included modification ideas in the pattern.

This shawl is knit from the top-down in one piece, starting at the neck edge with a garter tab. The instructions for the body patterning are both charted and written out.

Pay what you want: (minimum €6.95)

€

Difficulty level

This shawl is worked from the top-down, starting with a garter tab cast on. Stitches used include knit, k2tog, k3tog, yo, m1l, and m1r increases.

This pattern is therefor suitable for the intermediate knitter.

Sizes and finished measurements

Finished dimensions of the sample shawl: Span width of 186 cm (73 ¼ inches) measured along the upper edge, and a depth of 89 cm (35 inches), measured after blocking.

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

Pattern details

Gauge: Approx. 15.4 sts / 24.5 rows = 10 cm (4 inches) over body pattern, measured after blocking. Gauge is not critical in this design, but should give you a fabric that you like with the yarn used.
Pattern languages included: English.
Digital PDF has 5 pages (letter size)

Materials

Yarn: Cascade Yarns ® Cascade 220® Fingering (100% wool; 250 m (273 yds) / 50 g) in the following colors and quantities (substitute a 2-ply wool (light) fingering to sport weight yarn in solid or tonal colorways for a similar result):
- C1: 250 m (273 yds) / 50 g) in 2414 Ginger
- C2: 250 m (273 yds) / 50 g) in 8686 Brown
- C3: 250 m (273 yds) / 50 g) in 9566 Olive Oil
Size 4 mm (US 6) / 80 cm (32 inches) circular needles, choose needles appropriate for the yarn chosen.
4 stitch markers to indicate the center stitch and the edge stitches
Stitch markers to indicate the repeats of the patterning (optional)
Yarn needle

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stitch pattern – double moss stitch

Double moss stitch, like moss stitch and seed stitch, is a classic textured knitting stitch. It’s a very simple stitch pattern, using only knits and purls. This stitch pattern is worked on both right side and wrong side rows, and is a multiple of 4 stitches. Because the patterning alternates knits and purls, it creates a fabric that does not curl. This makes it a very lovely alternative for garter stitch or rib stitch to create non-rolling edges for your project. Also, because it’s virtually the same on both sides of the fabric, it’s a very good choice for those cases where both sides can be visible.

Materials used

Yarn: Paintbox Yarns Simply DK, a good value, good quality 100% acrylic yarn, here in the color 155 Vintage Pink.

Knitting needles: This is a pair of straights that I picked up at the second-hand store when I started knitting, brand unknown.

Stitches used

k – knit
p – purl
RS / WS – right side / wrong side

Double moss stitch instructions

Work the following 4 rows for the pattern:

Row 1 (RS): *K2, p2; rep from * to end.

Row 2 (WS): *K2, p2; rep from * to end.

Row 3: *P2, k2; rep from * to end.

Row 4: *P2, k2; rep from * to end.

As you can see, rows 1 and 2 and the same, as are rows 3 and 4. This is a very simple stitch pattern that can really help you learn how to read your knitting. Try it!

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stitch pattern – bamboo stitch

A swatch of bamboo stitch in lilac yarn on a knitting needle.

The bamboo stitch is a wonderfully textured stitch. It looks very similar to bamboo shoots, with the horizontal lines dividing the sections. Hence, the name of this stitch pattern. Also, it’s much easier to work than it looks like. It can be used as all-over patterning in for example dish cloths or blankets. But it would also work very well as a strategically placed accent in a bigger project. It is a simple 2-row repeat, worked over a multiple of 2 stitches.

Let’s get started!

Materials used

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

Knitting needles: This is a pair of straights that I picked up at the second-hand store when I started knitting, brand unknown.

Stitches used

k – knit
p – purl
RS / WS – right side / wrong side
yo – yarn over

Bamboo stitch instructions – worked flat

On an even number of stitches, work the following 2 rows for the pattern:

Row 1 (RS): *Yo, k2, pass the yo over both k sts; rep from * to end.

Row 2: (WS): Purl.

Bamboo stitch instructions – worked in the round

On an even number of stitches, work the following 2 rounds for the pattern:

Round 1: *Yo, k2, pass the yo over both k sts; rep from * to end of round.

Round 2: Knit.

The step of lifting the yo over the 2 knit stitches, and the result of that, can be seen in the 2 pictures below.

The result

Viewed from the right side of the fabric:

Viewed from the wrong side of the fabric:

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stitch pattern – moss stitch

Moss stitch, like seed stitch, is a classic textured knitting stitch. It’s a very simple stitch pattern, using only knits and purls. This stitch pattern is worked on both right side and wrong side rows, and is a multiple of 4 stitches. Because the patterning alternates knits and purls, it creates a fabric that does not curl. This makes it a very lovely alternative for garter stitch or rib stitch to create non-rolling edges for your project. Also, because it’s virtually the same on both sides of the fabric, it’s a very good choice for those cases where both sides can be visible.

A good thing to keep in mind when working moss stitch, is that this is a stitch pattern where you always purl the knits and knit the purls. No matter if you’re working the wrong side or the right side of the fabric, working flat back and forth or in the round. My post about “knit the knits and purl the purls” gives you some pointers on how to read your knitting to make this easier.

Ok, let’s get started!

Materials used

Yarn: Paintbox Yarns Simply DK, a good value, good quality 100% acrylic yarn, here in the color 155 Vintage Pink.

Knitting needles: This is a pair of straights that I picked up at the second-hand store when I started knitting, brand unknown.

Stitches used

k – knit
p – purl
RS / WS – right side / wrong side

Moss stitch instructions

Work the following 2 rows for the pattern:

Row 1 (RS): *K2, p2; rep from * to end.

Row 2: (WS): *P2, k2; rep from * to end.

stitch pattern – moss stitch Read More »

rose pink candy

Rose Pink Candy is a fun triangular shawl knit sideways. Knit in an aran/bulky weight yarn, it knits up pretty fast too. This design is however very easy to modify for other yarn weights: just cast on and repeat the body patterning until the shawl has the desired size!

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

Pay what you want: (minimum €6.95)

€

Difficulty level

Stitches used in this design include knit, purl, yo, kfb and k2tog. This pattern is therefor suitable for the intermediate knitter.

Sizes and finished measurements

Finished dimensions of the sample shawl:

Span width of 180 cm (70 ¾ inches) along the upper edge and a depth of 95 cm (37 ½ inches), measured after blocking.

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

Pattern details

Gauge: Approx. 11.1 sts / 17.1 rows = 10 cm (4 inches) over body pattern, measured after blocking. Gauge is not critical in this design, but should give you a fabric that you like with the yarn used.
Pattern languages included: English.
Digital PDF has 4 pages (letter size)

Materials

Yarn: 570 m (624 yds) / 300 g Big Delight by Garnstudio Drops (100% wool; 190 m (208 yds) / 100 g) in color “01”. Substitute wool aran to bulky weight yarn of comparable thickness, in a gradient color, for a similar result.
Size 5 mm (US 8) / 80 cm (32 inches) circular needles, choose needles appropriate for the yarn chosen.
2 stitch markers to indicate the edge stitches (optional)
Stitch markers to indicate the repeats of the patterning (optional)
Yarn needle

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stitch pattern – herringbone stitch

Herringbone stitch is a stitch pattern that creates a woven looking fabric. It creates a very thick and dense fabric, for that reason it’s often used for home decor projects, or items like scarfs and cowls. Because it is so dense, it’s strongly advised to use a much larger size of needles than you may usually use for that particular yarn. In this tutorial, I will be using a fingering weight yarn with size 4 mm (US 6) needles. But I can already tell you that going up another size wouldn’t have been a mistake. Of course, it all depends on your preference.

There are various ways to work herringbone stitch. As far as I know, they all boil down to a left leaning decrease on the right side of the fabric, of which only 1 loop is slipped off. This is followed by a decrease worked on the wrong side, that shows as a right leaning decrease on the right side of the fabric. Of this, again, only 1 loop is slipped off every time the decrease is worked. There are many left leaning and right leaning decreases, so that absolutely explains a lot of the variations in working the herringbone stitch. In this example, I will be using k2tog tbl as my left-leaning decrease, and p2tog as my right-leaning decrease.

Materials used

Yarn: Leftovers from my Sunglow Forest shawl, it’s Fleece Artist Merino Slim (100% Merino wool; 400 m (437 yds) / 115 g) in “Minegold”

Knitting needles: This is a pair of straights that I picked up at the second-hand store when I started knitting, brand unknown.

Stitches used

k – knit
k2tog tbl – knit 2 stitches together through the back loop
p – purl
p2tog – purl 2 stitches together
RS / WS – right side / wrong side

Working herringbone stitch step by step

For this particular stitch pattern, there is no specific multiple needed for the patterning to work out. So, cast on any number of stitches.

To start, insert the needle through the back loop of the first 2 stitches on the left-handle needle.
Wrap the yarn around the needle…
… and pull it through both loops.
Don’t let the loops drop off the needle yet! See that I use my finger to hold the second loop from the tip fixed against the needle?
Drop the loop, and only the loop closest to the needle tip, off the needle.
Repeat steps 1 to 4 until there is 1 stitch left in the row.
Knit this last stitch.
Next, we can turn the work to start the WS instructions.
Now insert the needle purl wise through the first two stitches on the left-hand needle.
Wrap the working yarn around the right-hand needle….
… pull the yarn through the 2 stitches.
Again, I use my finger to hold the second loop from the tip fixed against the needle.
This is how it looks after I’ve dropped the loop closest to the needle tip, off the needle.
Repeat steps 6 to 9, until there is 1 stitch left in the row.
Purl this last stitch.
Repeat steps 1-10 for the stitch pattern.

The result

Viewed from the right side of the fabric:

Viewed from the wrong side of the fabric:

stitch pattern – herringbone stitch Read More »

stitch pattern – seed stitch

This post will give you the instructions for working seed stitch. It’s a very simple stitch pattern, using only knits and purls. This stitch pattern is worked on both right side and wrong side rows, and is a multiple of 2 stitches. Because the patterning alternates knits and purls, it creates a fabric that does not curl. This makes it a very lovely alternative for garter stitch or rib stitch to create non-rolling edges for your project.

A good thing to keep in mind when working seed stitch, is that this is a stitch pattern where you always purl the knits and knit the purls. No matter if you’re working the wrong side or the right side of the fabric, over an even or an odd number of stitches, work flat back and forth or in the round. My post about “knit the knits and purl the purls” gives you some pointers on how to read your knitting to make this easier.

Ok, let’s get started!

Materials used

Yarn: Paintbox Yarns Simply DK, a good value, good quality 100% acrylic yarn, here in the color 155 Vintage Pink.

Knitting needles: This is a pair of straights that I picked up at the second-hand store when I started knitting, brand unknown.

Stitches used

k – knit
p – purl

Seed stitch instructions – even number of stitches

On an even number of stitches, work the following 2 rows for the pattern:

Row 1 (right side): *K1, p1; rep from * to end.

Row 2: (wrong side): *P1, k1; rep from * to end.

Seed stitch instructions – odd number of stitches

In the case of an odd number of stitches, work the following instead:

Row 1: *K1, p1; rep from * to 1 st before end, k1.

Repeat row 1 for all following rows.

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