Stretchy Cast On Edge

For most knitters, it’s easier to make a stretchy bind off than cast on edge so if a tight cast on is a problem for you, try this. Use a provisional cast-on, then come back later, pick up those stitches and bind off.

Gauge Problems

Usually, if you can get the right number of stitches per inch but have too many rows per inch, your yarn is too thin. If you can get the right number of stitches per inch but have too few rows per inch, your yarn is too thick.

Bind Off In Ribbing

To make a smoother bind-off in ribbing, always have your yarn in the back of the stitches whenever you pull the finished stitch over to bind off. So after a purl stitch, move the yarn to the back before slipping the stitch off the right-hand needle

Creating Scarves

An easy way to create a scarf is to look at all of the free dishcloth patterns available online. Most are about 8” wide which is a good size for a scarf. Just add a 3 stitch garter border and knit to length.

Decreasing Slants - k2tog or ssk

If you have a hard time remembering when to use a k2tog and when to use a ssk while decreasing when using a chart, here’s a tip for you. The symbols on the chart follow the shape of how you work the stitch so use this guide:
/ follows the curve of the number 2 so you k2tog (knit two stitches together)
\ follows the curve of the letter S so you ssk
(slip 1 stitch knitwise, slip 1 stitch knitwise (or purlwise), then knit both of those stitches together through the back loop)

Blocking Acrylic Fibers

Blocking really finishes your knitting projects. Even if you are not using natural fibers, blocking is possible. Check out this link (http://beadknitterpatterns.blogspot.com/2009/11/how-to-block-acrylic.html) to block acrylics which will show you a before and after blocking photo along with detailed blocking instructions. Or click the title of this post to see the article.

Ribbing Transition

For a good looking transition from ribbing to stockinette or a pattern in the main portion of your garment, on the last ribbing row, SLIP every knit stitch purlwise and purl every purl ribbing stitch. On the next row, change to a larger size needle and begin the body of the garment.

Circular Needle Bind-Off

When binding off using circular needles, most times there will be a noticeable edge where the first and last stitch meet. To take care of that, using the tail of your yarn threaded on a tapestry needle, insert needle into the first bound-off chain to the left of the first stitch. Go under both loops of that chain, then insert the tapestry needle back down into the last chain (which is where your yarn tail came from). Pull slightly to even out and then weave the end into the back of your work.

Connecting Circular Knitting

To connect circular knitting, use “bulldog” type clips or snap type clothespins. After casting on, clip the stitches every few inches so the stitches will all hang downward and you can connect your circle being confident it will not become a mobius piece unintentionally.

Knitting With Circulars

If you are a tight knitter and sometimes have trouble on circulars getting your stitches to move up to the left needle tip, interchangeable needles are made for you. The needle on the right determines the gauge of your project so you can use a smaller needle on the left and have those stitches slide easily. You’ll knit faster and your hands will appreciate the break.

Felting Mittens

An easy way to felt mittens for yourself is to use a double sink. Fill one side with cold water and one side with hot water. Add a little soap or shampoo to the hot water. Put the mittens on your hands and wash your hands with the mittens on, alternating between the hot and cold water until they fit. Rinse in warm water, take the mittems off, shape with plastic bags inside of them and let them dry.

Sewing Seams

If you need to sew seams together, use a sewing pressing ham. The knitting pieces will stay in place and the ham is curved just enough to let you easily pick up the seam edges for a mattress stitch seam. You can also sew while it is in your lap or on the tabletop.

Variegated Yarn

When knitting a project using variegated yarn, make sure you pull from the skein the same way (i.e., from the outside or from the center) for the entire project. There's a distinct diffeence in how the color patterning appears with most variegated yarns.

Beginner Knitters

If you are new to knitting, make your first project using variegated yarn. The changing colors will make it much easier to see your stitches.

Smooth Transition to Ribbing

If you want to create a smooth line for ribbing when knitting a top down sweater, on the last round before the ribbing, change to a smaller sized needle which is usually 2 sizes smaller than the body of the sweater. Work one round of the body stitches (stockinette or pattern). On the first round of ribbing, SLIP every knit stitch and purl the purl stitches. On the next round, knit the normal ribbing stitches to the desired length.

Bind Off Using A Crochet Hook

You can save quite a bit of time by using a crochet hook instead of the right hand knitting needle when binding off. Here's how:

Using a crochet hook about the same size as your knitting needles, hook the first loop on the left-hand needle and knit the stitch onto the hook. Knit the next stitch onto the hook and pull the new stitch through the stitch already on the hook. Continue across the row pulling your new stitch through the one already on the crochet hook. At the end of the row, pull yarn through the last loop on the hook. It makes a nice even edge and is a major time saver.

Long Tail Cast-On - Which Strand?

If you use a long tail cast-on, do you ever accidentally pick up the tail end to knit only to find out half a row later that you are using the wrong strand? When you finish your cast-on, tie a slip knot in the tail or else wrap it into a butterfly knot so you can tell immediately which is the strand for knitting.

Placing Buttonholes Evenly

To evenly mark buttonholes, use about a 12-15” length of 1” wide elastic. Lay it out without stretching and using a permanent marker, mark a dot every inch leaving an inch selvedge on each end. To use it, use a binder clip to fasten one end of the elastic to a ruler or yardstick. Stretch it to the needed length and clip the other end. Now you have a movable ruler marked to your buttonhole specifications. I do recommend marking the sweater (clips or the like) right away to avoid errors in the event that the binder clips slip. When stretched, the dots will mark your buttonholes evenly down the length of front band so just use a clip stitch marker at the spots where the dots are.

By the way, to remember which side for buttonholes, use this saying:
Holy Moly! Girls are always right and boys are always out in left field. (The holes would be on the right for girls.)

Seaming Pieces Together

A good way hold the pieces together when sewing the finishing seams on a sweater (and to match up seam lengths) is to use the old fashioned wooden spring type clothes pins. You could also use the miniature ones that you can find in the dolls and toys departments of craft or toy stores.

Finishing Hat or Cap Tops

When your project ends with decreasing stitches fast like the top of a cap, the fingers of a glove or the top of an ornament, here’s how to make the finish look smoother. When the pattern says to thread yarn through remaining stitches and pull tight, run your yarn through those stitches a second time and then pull tight from the inside. The double yarn will help fill the loops of those stitches so they don’t gap, make the closing stronger and also help the closing circle lie flat. Another trick to use a smaller needle for the last few rounds of decrease.

Edge Stitches

To create a smooth edge on items like scarves and the front finished edge of a sweater, knit your rows this way. Knit the last stitch in the row through the back loop. Then slip the first stitch of the next as if to purl.
Another way to have a pretty edge is to add two stitches to the pattern and then slip the first stitch of every row knitwise and purl the last stitch on every row.

Natural Fibers

Here's a quick tutorial on natural fibers:
Wool comes from a domesticated sheep. Wool accepts dye well, is flame-retardant by nature, remains warm even when wet, sheds water better than other yarns. Natural wool should be hand-washed. 'Superwash' wool has been treated to allow machine washing. Wool will usually resume its proper shape when washed correctly; if it is mistreated and washed in too-hot water, it will shrink or felt.

Mohair comes from an Angora goat. Mohair is durable, sheds dirt, dyes well and does not felt easily. Despite its hardiness, it is usually spun into knitting yarn used for fluffy garments and scarves. This knitting yarn is abraded, roughing its fibers to create that 'fuzzy' look.

Angora comes from rabbits. Fabric made from this yarn is inelastic, very fluffy, soft and warm.

Silk is the yarn produced by silk moths. Silk knitting yarn is made from damaged silk cocoons and broken fibers. 'Raw' silk still has the original moth secretions in it. 'Tussah,' silk obtained from wild moths is brown. The food fed to domesticated moths determines their silk's natural color; this can white, green or yellow. Silk retains heat, absorbs moisture, pills less than wool, is very strong and very stable when knit, neither shrinking or stretching.

Cashmere comes from the undercoat of a Cashmere goat. It is so expensive because only a few ounces are obtained from each goat per year. It is such a delicate yarn, more fragile than wool and more susceptible to abrasion, that it is usually blended with wool to make it more durable.

Camel comes from the two-humped or Bactrian camel. Camel hair cannot be bleached, so it is either used undyed or dyed a darker color. It is lightweight and fragile.

Vicuna comes from the vicuna, a South American relative of the camel. They are rounded up once a year and shorn like llamas or sheep; their hair is finer than any other animal yarn.

Alpaca is a smaller relative of the llama but its hair is more commercially valuable. Knitting yarn does not felt or pill easily. It comes in fifteen natural colors (as do the alpacas) and is denser than wool . The undercoat of a llama is very similar to alpaca hair.

Qiviut (kiv-ee-uht) the yarn itself is very hard to find. It comes from a musk ox and resembles pale gray cashmere but does not shrink.

Underarm Stitches

To avoid holes at the underarm seam of a sweater, use a smaller needle to pick up stitches at the underarm. Pick up one stitch in each of the extra cast on stitches (if knitted in the round) or the bound off underarm stitches (if knitted flat). Then decrease in your first row of knitting if you have more stitches than needed for your pattern.

Fringe

If you are adding fringe to a poncho, afghan or a scarf or whatever your project is, here’s an easy way to cut even lengths of yarn. Cut an empty paper towel tube to the length of fringe that you need (mark the tube length the future use). Then cut a 1" length-wise wedge out of the tube. Wrap your yarn end-to-end around the tube. The curve will keep your yarn from sliding out or off the edges. Cut the ends of the wrapped strands and you’ll have the proper length of fringe. You can store several different lengths of tubes inside each other so you always have the right length to cut fringe.

Custom Gift Tags

To make a custom gift tag for a special item you've knit, cut a piece of white cardstock into the shape of the item (such as a sweater shape, mitten shape, sock shape, etc.). Then wrap extra yarn from the project around your gift tag so if it ever needs repairs, the recipient has matching yarn. Punch a hole in the top and attach to your gift.