Top knitting Tips and Tricks
The best tips and tricks in knitting, explained step by step. Great advice for beginners and experts.
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Tips for knitters 2: How to know if you have enough yarn to finish that row?
In this tutorial, you’ll learn two ways of knowing if you have enough yarn to finish that row you’re working in, even if you’re binding off (or casting off). I’m sure you know the feeling of not having enough yarn to complete one row or one round… … Especially if you don’t want to join the new ball in the middle of the back of your sweater, for example… But it could be worse! How do you feel if you are unsure whether your project can be finished or not?!!! (Maybe you don’t know yet, but a while ago, I shared my step by step process to calculate in advance…
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Tips for knitters: How to use rubber bands in your knitting
Today’s post is all about a couple of ways to use rubber bands to help improve your knitting. Why? Well, I’m excited to say that over the next weeks, I intend to post a new series of tutorials in a special playlist on my YouTube channel “So Woolly” in order to help you, my little Woolly. I’ve called it: “Things I wish I knew when I started knitting”. Had I known everything that I am about to share with you, I would have avoided a lot of stress and more grey hairs than I care to mention. In fact, these tips and tricks were earned through blood sweat, and tears,…
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Symmetry in the Chevron stitch/3 needle bind off (no seaming)
Several months ago, we practiced the Reversible Chevron stitch, and in this tutorial, I’m sharing three new things: On one hand, you’ll learn how to knit the Ribbed Chevron stitch, ideal for scarves, blankets, and rectangular shawls or wraps (both sides look almost identical, and it stays flat! Yay!). On the other hand, you’ll see what to do to make both extremes of the garment look the same when knitting a stitch that creates picks (or a pointy edge). In other words, how to get symmetry in your Chevron stitches… yeap, it’s possible! Last, but not least, you’ll learn how to bind off and seam two knitted pieces at the…
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How to create Illusion or Shadow knitting, step by step
In this tutorial, I’m sharing a pretty special technique: How to knit a fabric that creates a shadow effect or an optical illusion, through texture and color. Even if at first it appears complicated, shadow knitting is actually really easy to do (the only stitches required are knits and purls). Its also endlessly adaptable, the strips can be made as wide as you like, and as many as you need. This is why this kind of fabric is a great option when knitting blankets, cushions, place mats, table runners, bags, or even a scarf for the smaller members of the family. Before anything else, I’d like to give you some…
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How to fix mistakes when knitting the Fisherman’s Rib stitch
Fixing a mistake when knitting the classic Fisherman’s Rib stitch, could be a major challenge for knitters. What makes it complicated is that we are working with stitches from the row below. Then, if we dropped stitches, or even worse, our needles went off, repairing that fabric takes a little more effort than when working basic knit-purl stitch patterns. So, as many of you have requested it, today, I’m sharing how to repair annoying errors and take things back to normal when knitting the Fisherman’s Rib stitch. Just click here to see the step-by-step process: How to fix mistakes when knitting the Fisherman’s Rib stitch I hope this helps. Thank…
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4 knitting techniques and tips to bind off different stitches: Fisherman’s Rib, No curl Stockinette, among others
In this tutorial, you’ll learn four techniques to bind off different kinds of knitting patterns, such as the classic Fisherman’s Rib, the Tweed stitch, and the “No curl Stockinette stitch”. You’ll also see how to bind off working each stitch as it presents, because some of you have told me that it’s still difficult to distinguish the knit stitch from the purl stitch. All the stitches that I’m using for this tutorial have been published here, on this web, and on my You Tube channel: SoWoolly Learning these techniques is important, because not every stitch pattern looks nice if we bind off the traditional way: whether binding off knitwise, or…
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Invisible increases when knitting Stockinette stitch
In today’s tutorial, I’m sharing an increase technique that I just discovered, easy to do and practically undetectable, ideal for knitted pieces made in Stockinette (Stocking) stitch (sometimes the increases can be decorative, but often we would prefer them to be invisible (like my boyfriend 😉 In a previous tutorial, we practiced my favorite increase when knitting Garter stitch, so this time, we’ll see how to do increases that are smooth, virtually unnoticeable, and can be used for any kind of stitch where you get the “v” (the little chain) typical of the Stockinette, because we need one of the sides of the stitch (I call them the “legs” of…
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How to knit the Estonian Braid: A one-row technique
In today’s tutorial, you’ll learn how to knit the Estonian Braid, step by step (just because sometimes we get bored of knitting the same 1 x 1 or 2 x 2 classic ribbing, don’t we?). This is an ancient technique used in Eastern Europe to embellish the ribbing of hats, sweaters, and gloves/mittens. It works as an eye-catching border between the rib and the rest of the garment. The Estonian Braid is easy to make, it’s a one row technique that involves knitting and slipping stitches, it gives a more stylish look to your knitting work. Wish to highlight it even more? Do it twice, or in a different color!…
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Fixing the last stitch in your knitting to avoid a loose loop at the edge
More often than not, after binding off the last stitch, a huge loop remains, spoiling the edge, and making it more difficult to finish the seam… In today’s tutorial, you’ll learn a devastatingly effective knitting tip to prevent it 😉 So, rather than finishing the work like this: The result looks more like this: The following steps fix the last stitch and avoid a loose loop on the edge: Step one: Before binding off the last stitch, slip it onto the right-hand needle (there are now two stitches on the right-hand needle). Step two: Insert the left-hand needle into the left “leg” of the “v” or edge stitch from the…
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How to knit the Stockinette stitch without purling
In today’s tutorial, you’ll learn how to knit the Stockinette stitch without purling: The trick is to knit every stitch on every row when knitting the Stocking stitch. This knitting trick will help you whether you need to knit faster or even if you aren’t a big fan of purling ;), and it will look the same, both, on the right and wrong side of the work. It’s really easy, but you’ll need to repeat the second row a few times (3-4 times), until you get used to it, because we’ll be knitting backwards. One more thing before we start: Please note that when knitting the Stockinette stitch without purling,…