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--- When your yarn runs out and you need to attach a new strand, do this at the start
of a row. Tie the new yarn around to old one with a slip knot near the needle.
The tails may be inconspicuously hidden in the garment seam when assembling.
--- When working separate areas with separate balls of yarn (as in intarsia knitting),
twist yarns around each other to prevent holes in the work. On right side
rows, bring new color behind old color; on wrong-side rows, bring new
color in front of old color.
--- Knitting instructions are always given for the smallest size with larger
sizes in parentheses. If only one set of figures is given, it applies to all sizes.
Garment measurements are based upon body measurements plus ease
for comfort. In order to get the best fit, measure a garment that fits you
the way you will want your handknit to fit and use that measurement.
***** FELTED KNITTING REINFORCEMENT ****
Need to repair your felted slippers, tote bags, or other items? Tracey Earhart recommends needle felting, using special needles with barbed ends to poke into wool making it bond together. To reinforce something that is felted, you simply apply some roving or wool in a matching color to the area (inside and outside) and poke away both inside and outside. BROWN SHEEP Lamb's Pride worsted or bulky weight works well in Tracey's experience -- open the strand and give it a slight untwist before beginning. Needle felting may also be used to cover seams.
January 2004 Tips and Ideas
The new book "Celtics and Arans" has prompted many questions from our customers about cable techniques. We thought it would be timely to include some "how-to's" to answer some frequently-asked questions about cables, yarn, and other knitting stuff...
-- "I love the look of cables, but those charts are intimidating. How do I work a cable? How do I read the charts?"
Cables are mysterious, but if you break them down row by row, stitch by stitch, they are fun and challenging. Knitted cables are achieved by crossing a stitch or group of stitches over another stitch or group of stitches. Cables are most often worked on the right side of the knitted fabric. While there are numerous variations, the basic action remains the same.
The stitches can be crossed from left to right (right cross, abbreviated RC) or right to left (left cross, abbreviated LC). The desired number of stitches are slipped from the left hand knitting needle onto a cable needle. For a right cross, the stitches are slipped to the back of the work while the desired number of stitches are worked, then the stitches from the cable needle are worked. For example, if you are working a right cross over 6 stitches, slip 3 sts from the left hand needle (LHN)onto the cable needle (cn) and hold in back, knit 3 sts from the LHN, then knit 3 stsitches from the cn. The completed cable is a 3/3RC (3 knit stitches crossed over 3 knit stitches, crossing to the right). For a left cross, the stitches are slipped to the front of the work while the desired number of stitches are worked from the LHN, then the stitches from the cn are worked. If you are working a left cross over 6 stitches, slip 3 stitches from the LHN onto the cn and hold in front, knit 3 stitches from the LHN, then knit 3 stitches from the cn. The completed cable is a 3/3LC (3 knit stitches crossed over 3 knit stitches, crossing to the left).
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