You’ll find that many sweater patterns are knit in pieces from the bottom up. Most of these patterns instruct you to start knitting the body first and then move onto the sleeves.

Recently when I cast on for the Playful Stripes Sweater, it wasn’t until I was nearly done with the body that I wished I had started knitting the sleeves first. I was straying from the pattern and trying a different cast on method. It would have been easier to test the cast on with only 38 sleeve stitches compared to the 144 body stitches.

There are a few reasons you might want to start with a smaller number of stitches on a sleeve before knitting the body.

• Trying out a new stitch pattern or technique
• Testing color combinations in your multi-color project
• Straying from the instructions in the pattern and not sure you’ll like the changes
• Hate swatching so a sleeve essentially becomes your swatch so you know if you’re using the right needle size.

If I was going to start my sweater over, I probably would have done something a little differently on the cuffs and hem. It wasn’t until I was too far into the body that I realized I wanted something different. But I felt I was too far along to make it worth ripping out and starting over. But if I had started with a sleeve first…I wouldn’t have hesitated to start over and get the cuff/hem I really wanted. Live and learn.

Are you a strict pattern follower? Or do like to use a pattern as your guide and change things up a bit?

It’s the last week of National Crochet Month, and we’ve celebrated by sharing crochet tips and projects all month. This week, we have a handy trick to start your crocheted border, or join in the round, without having to use a starting chain.

When the first stitch of a new round or a border is a taller stitch, like a double crochet, usually you need to chain two or more before you can begin. This allows the first stitch to reach the height of the other stitches.

The pattern would say something like, “Chain two (this will count as your first double crochet).” The chains look different from the other double crochets and can end up standing out on your project, especially if used on a delicate border.

You can eliminate the need to use the chains with this technique.

1. Tie a slip knot on your hook, then yarn over.

2. Insert the hook into your project, yarn over, and pull through.

3. Now you’ll create your double crochet normally. Yarn over and pull through two strands, then yarn over and pull through the last two strands.

It’s a simple little trick that ends up making your project look neater in the end.

 

Do you have any favorite crochet tips we didn’t touch on this month?

 

 

 

Not all knitters crochet, and not all crocheters knit, but both compliment each other beautifully in projects. Adding a crochet border to your knitting is a fantastic way to incorporate both mediums. I find crochet borders much easier to work than picking up and knitting around a project. Around the Corner Crochet Borders is filled with great ideas on embellishing your project with a beautiful border.

To pick up stitches to crochet on a garter stitch project:

1. Insert your hook in the space between the ridges.

2. Yarn over and pull your stitch through, making sure your hook is only going under two strands of yarn.

3. Your stitches will sit in between the garter ridges. On the next round, the gap will be hidden by the stitch above.

To pick up stitches to crochet around a stockinette stitch project:

1. Locate the edging stitches. They’re going to look like v’s going up along the side of your project.

2. Insert your hook into this edge stitch only. Make sure you are only going under two strands of yarn.

 

Do you like to mix things up by incorporating both knitting and crochet into your project?

 

We’re celebrating National Crochet Month with some handy crochet tips! This week’s tip shows us the proper way to weave in your ends.

Weaving in ends is one of the most tedious aspects of knitting and crocheting for me. I have heard of some people who enjoy it, but I’m definitely not one of them. It’s time consuming, especially if you have a beautiful colorwork project. Most advice says to weave in your ends as you go along. That plan always sounds so appealing in the beginning, but never seems to work out!

After all that work you put into your project, weaving in your ends properly is essential. You don’t want them to slip out and poke through. Everyone has their own opinion on the best way to weave in ends. This way seems to please almost everyone.

Step 1. Thread your tapestry hook and insert it vertically down into the stitch closest to the base of the yarn. I like to go down about 1/2″, but adjust this based on the project itself. If it’s very open work, I may only go down a couple stitches at a time.

Step 2. Insert your needle horizontally into the stitches next to it. Again, I like to do about 1/2″, but less if that helps keep the end hidden.

Step 3. Now insert your needle vertically again, this time going up. This weaving in and out will keep your thread secure. If you can only go a couple stitches vertically at a time, try repeating these steps another one or two times to make sure it’s really secure.

Now this is where opinions differ. Some of us like to leave a long tail when you’re done weaving in the ends, then block the project. Once it’s done blocking, then you can cut the tail. The logic is that the tail may wiggle out a bit when the project is blocking. Personally I just snip the tail when I’m done weaving, but the other way seems much more thorough!

 

Do you have a technique for weaving in your ends? Do you enjoy weaving in all those ends or find it a tedious chore?

It’s National Crochet Month! We’re celebrating by sharing some handy crochet tips to help refine your crochet skills or get you started. This week, we’re putting a new spin on your foundation chain.

Starting your crochet project is probably almost everyone’s least favorite part. Chaining all those stitches, then fiddling your hook into that starting chain can be tedious and time consuming. For me, it never ends up looking quite right either.

Most of us were taught to start your first row by crocheting into the front of your starting chain. Instead, try inserting your hook into the bump on the back of your chain. Surprisingly, this actually creates a much neater and smoother edge.

This technique also creates a much more elastic edge and will even mirror your final row perfectly. Since crocheting into that back bump creates a mirror stitch to your last row, it makes seaming and adding a crocheting edging much easier!

Sometimes when you start using brand new circular needles, the cords can be a little unruly. They can get very curly and twisted from being in the packaging, which makes it hard to keep your project flat and can be frustrating to work with.

All you need to remedy this is some warm water. You want the water to be hot, but not boiling. I use my teakettle on the stove and wait until I see some steam, but warming up even just a mug of water in the microwave would work too. Dip the cords into the water for a few seconds, then stretch out the needles and give a gentle tug.  The warm water will relax the plastic enough to release the curl. Only do a few seconds at a time! You don’t want to accidentally melt your cords.

Today’s tip comes from Heidi, one of our creative and talented store staff. She tells us about the benefits of shank buttons, and how to sew them on the right way so they stay put.

If sewn on properly, shank buttons are great for babies and children, because they are more “wiggle proof.” Any button with holes can be used as a shank button.

Here’s how to make a button with holes into a shank button: 

• Start with a length of heavy duty thread about 24″ long.
• Thread through the needle and knot the free ends together.

• With the right side of garment facing you, pass the needle through to the wrong side. You want the knot on the right side next to where the button will go.
• Pass the needle through to the right side and then through the button holes.
• Pass the needle a few times through the holes and the knitted/crocheted fabric.You should leave a space between the button and the fabric so the button can still move and fit into the button hole.
• On the right side of the fabric, wrap the thread around the the space between fabric and button until the button doesn’t move easily.
• Pass through to the wrong side of the fabric, tie a knot then sew through some of the fabric, and then cut the thread.

Here’s how to sew on shank buttons: 

• Start with a length of heavy duty thread about 24″ long.
• Thread through the needle and knot the free ends together.
• With the wrong side of the garment towards you, pass the needle through to the right side.
• Thread the button onto the needle and pass the needle through to the wrong side.
• Then thread the needle between the 2 strands of the knot and tighten.
• Continue sewing button, passing through the shank of the button then pass through to the wrong side, pass through some of the fabric, and then cut and knot the thread.

 

This week, Sara Delaney shows us a clever and simple way to create beautiful plaid fabric with your knitting!

 

Knitting plaid fabrics can seem like a daunting task when you consider that they could involve not only two or more colors but intarsia work as well. And how do you keep the tension even in an intarsia section that is only one stitch wide?

Why not skip the intarsia all together with some cleverly placed purl ravines and the use of a crochet hook!

Work the horizontal stripes of your plaid normally and wherever you’d like to have the vertical stripes just work a purl stitch in that vertical column of stitches.

Once you’ve finished knitting the piece you can go back with your crochet hook, and slip stitch a line of stitches into the vertical purl ravine. The slip stitches will lie even with the surface of your knitting.

With this technique, it’s easy to create multi-colored plaid by changing the colors of your vertical stripes. You can stick to two colors, or get creative with as many as the color wheel can hold.

Easy to make plaid sweaters, cowls and hats…it’s addictive!

Amy shows us how to make the perfect pom pom in this week’s tip. You can use pom poms to top a hat, add some flair to your holiday packages, or to decorate almost anything!

Step 1: Place two pieces of the pom pom maker together with the tabs facing out.  Make sure you have one of each of the different pieces.  One has raised dots and one is flat.

Step 2. Begin wrapping the two pieces together with whatever yarn you are making the pom pom with.  You can change colors as much as you want or not at all.  Wrap the yarn until the semi-circle is full.  I always wrap it more than I think I should.  This gives you a nice full, dense pom pom at the end.

Step 3. Repeat with the other two pieces.

Step 4. Place the two wrapped semi circles together to create a circle, with scissors cut around the circle in the space between the two pieces.

Step 5. Now, take a length of yarn, place it in the space between the two pieces, tie a half knot and pull tightly.  You are securing all the little cut pieces together in the center of the pomp on.  Tie another half knot to finish securing the center.  You can trim these long pieces later, but I like to use them to secure the pom pom to whatever I am making or to hang it.

Step 6. Take the plastic pieces apart and off of the pom pom and trim the pom pom until it is round, it will initially look a little oblong.

Now you have a nice dense, round pom pom to put on the top of a hat or hang as a decoration!

Have you ever tried knitting entrelac? It’s an absolutely beautiful technique that can be a little cumbersome to work. It involves knitting a few stitches at a time, turning your work, and purling back these few stitches. When I was knitting the Autum Shawl, flipping my work constantly started to get really frustrating and even difficult as the shawl got larger.

Knitting backwards, or it’s also referred to as reverse knitting, eliminates the need to flip your work. Take your left needle and put it into the back of the stitch on your right needle. Yarn over, and pull the the stitch through. The stitch will end up on your left needle. You’ll see that you really are knitting backwards, creating knit stitches by working left to right.