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Yarns

• Discontinued Colors Debbie Bliss Baby Cashmerino
• Classic Elite Renaissance Closeout
• Classic Elite Desert Closeout
• Opal Kathe Kruse

Now in the Store – Blue Moon Fiber Arts. In the store ONLY.

FREE PATTERN
Valley Yarns #293 Herringbone Scarf in 2/10 Merino Tencel

WEBS Bamboo Interchangeable Needle Set parts have arrived!

• Tips
• Cables
• Knobs

Gifts for Kids

• Harrisville Designs Easy Weaver
• Harrisville Designs Potholder Loom
• Jil Eaton Learn to Knit Pom Pom Scarf

Cast Ons and Bind Offs

These cast ons can be found in a good finishing book, like Nancie Wiseman’s Knitter’s Book of Finishing Techniques. Many are also online with videos. Just do a search for them.

• Single/Backwards Loop Cast On – Easy to learn, but difficult to knit on.
• Long-Tail Cast On – Most versatile, and most common cast on. Maintaining tension on long-tail can take some practice. Can be used with any weight of yarn.
• Knitted Cast On – Can be used to start any project, or you can add stitches midway through a project- ex. adding earflaps to a hat. You start by knitting into your slip-knot. This is a looser cast on, so you’ll want to be careful on your first row, possibly even knitting through the back loop on the first row.
• Cable Cast On – Isn’t very elastic, but can be used to add stitches midway through the project too. Works well with all weights of yarn.
• Alternate Cast On – Great for ribbing.
• Picot Cast On – Elastic, decorative, works great with ribbing and garter stitch. Works best with light to medium weight yarns. Don’t put the picots too close together. Use a needle two sizes smaller to cast on.
• Chained Cast On – “Bind off cast on” Used to create a temporary cast on. This uses a crochet hook.
• Tubular Cast On – Great for ribbing at the hips because it’s so elastic. Can be used with many patterns. You’ll always have an odd number of stitches. Do not use with bulky yarns.

More to come next week….