Yarnoholics Knitting Techniques


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ABBREVIATIONS • CROCHET CAST ON • GAUGE/SWATCH • KNITTED CAST ON & CABLE CAST ON •
PROVISIONAL CAST ON • SHORT ROW SHAPING

VIDEO:
PERFECTING THE STAR STITCH

CLICK FOR: CARRYING YARN IN RIGHT HAND
CLICK FOR: CARRYING YARN IN LEFT HAND

VIDEO: PURL IN THE BACK OF A STITCH

About needles
aluminum vs bamboo

As a teacher, I find many new knitters tend to knit very tightly. I usually recommend aluminum needles to new knitters because the stitches slide off the needles easier - helpful when you knit tightly. However, Bamboo needles have a little bit duller point which helps if you tend to "split" your yarn when knitting ... They are also preferred over knitters who knit a bit looser. All in all, whichever needles are the most comfortable for you are the right needles to use.

Gauge / Swatch

Many knitters probably don't swatch, and sometimes that is OK ... BUT - sometimes your gauge is critical to the finished garment. It is well worth the little extra time to make a swatch, and not have a disaster when you're finished knitting. Save up your swatches and sew them together for a unique afghan or wrap or use for pockets on a sweater. You can even frog for use with the sweater.

The Perfect Swatch ... All yarn labels come with recommended needle size and a stitch/row count for a 4" square. Most patterns also have a recommended gauge.
Cast on the number of sts for the 4" square plus 8 sts. Begin knitting the swatch, working 6 rows garter st. Keeping 4 sts beginning and ending with garter st to frame your swatch, change the center sts to stockinette, or pattern st used in your pattern. Place stitch markers to "remind" you to keep the 4 edge sts in garter. If you are working a complicated st pattern, keep track of your row count. Work until meas 4" from garter border, work 6 rows garter and bind off.
Block your piece before measuring.

Short Row Knitting:

Short Row Knitting is a method of shaping where you knit only a portion of a row, then turn and work back. Here is one technique ...
Work the required number of stitches called for in pattern.
Wrap & Turn:
If you are working in stockinette, when knit side is facing, bring yarn to front and slip the next st. Bring yarn to back and slip that st back to lh needle. Turn and purl back to beginning or required number of sts.
When purl side is facing OR when working garter st, bring yarn to back and slip the next st kwise. Bring yarn to front and slip that st back to lh needle. Turn and knit back to beginning or required no of sts.
When working past a wrapped stitch, you can pick up the wrap and knit it tog with the st for invisible wrap, although, this is not necessary when working garter st pattern - just knit past the wrap.

Provisional Cast On

Provisional Cast on is usually a temporary cast on, which will be removed later. Here is one method:

Crochet Cast On

This crochet cast on method is easy, once learned, and works well for most applications. Once mastered, you will probably find this one of the best ways to cast on. Your first row of knitting is not too tight, and it makes a nice finished look. The advantage to crochet cast on, there is no right or wrong side, unlike knitted, cable and long tail cast on methods.

Make a loop with yarn and put on left hand needle. With crochet hook, draw a loop through the first loop and hold under the needle. Draw yarn over needle and hook through the loop. (2 sts on needle) Repeat until 1 less number of required sts are on needle. Put remain loop on hook. Voilá! You’re done! Work your pattern as needed.

ABBREVIATIONS:
BO	Bind Off
CC	Contrasting Color
dbl dec	Double Decrease: sl 2 sts kwise tog onto rh needle, k next st, pass 2 sl sts tog over
k	knit
kwise	knit wise
kib	knit in back (SAME AS TBL)
lh	left hand
MC	Main Color
M1	Make one - to increase a sts
p	purl
pib	purl in back
rem	remaining
rh	right hand
rs	right side
st(s)	stitch(es)
s2kp	slip 2 st tog kwise, k next st, pass slipped st over knitted st (dec 2) (SAME AS DBL DEC)
skp	slip 1 st as if to knit, k next st, pass slipped st over
tbl	through back loop
tog	together
ws	wrong side
x	times
yo(s)	yarn over(s)