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June 2006 Tips & Ideas
Lee Thompson recommends using a shoebox to avoid yarn tangles when doing intarsia colorwork. She learned this tip from Sally Melville's book, The Knitting Experience Book 3: Color -- The Power and The Glory. Divide a shoebox into compartments by punching holes in the side of the box, then cut slits to the holes. Slide colors into the holes in the order they will be used. At the end of a right-side row, the yarns will be crossed. Turn your needle to un-cross them at the end of the next row. Thanks, Lee, for sharing this tip!
From Sheila Ryle: When planning a colorwork project for Fair Isle technique, intarsia or stripes, wrap each color of yarn several times around an empty paper towel cardboard tube in the order in which you plan to use them. Unwind the yarn and change the order to determine which colors look best together, side by side. Experiment with different combinations before working your swatch. When you are satisfied with the color placement, then work your swatch. The wrap method is very useful to avoid knitting and re-knitting your swatch. This works very well when combining novelty or handpaint yarns, too. Thanks, Sheila!
Betty from Stahlstown asks, "How do I work a central double decrease?" This is a decrease which results in two stitches being decreased, with the center stitch of the three remaining in the center position. It is also referred to as "S2KP2" or "sl 2-K1-
p2sso". Here's how:
1. Slip 2 sts together to the right needle as if to knit (take them off the needle). Do not
confuse this with the manuever used for the slip, slip, knit single decrease which
slips the stitches one at a time.
Knit the next stitch.
Pass the 2 slipped stitches over the knit stitch and off the right needle; 3 sts become 1; the center stitch is on top.
July 2006 Tips & Ideas
***** NOVEL IDEAS: Knit & Weave with Novelty Yarns *****
The following information appeared in YARN MARKET NEWS e-Update June 2006, in the guest forum by Helene Rush of Knit One, Crochet Too. It is re-printed with the gracious permission of Helene Rush and Karin Strom, editor of YMN. Enjoy this easy and simple "girly-girl" project with KNIT ONE, CROCHET TOO's fine yarns...
"Stoles, handbags, pillow covers, coverlets, square-top hats -- all look great when made in a quick-to-knit or easy-to-crochet mesh fabric woven through with novelties.
Here's how:
Take a smooth base yarn and create a knitted or crocheted mesh.
1 a. For the knit version, work right-side rows as follows on a multiple of 4 sts plus 1:
K1, *yarn over (yo), slip 1, K2tog, psso, yo, K1; repeat from * across. Purl on all
wrong-side rows.
1 b. For the crocheted version, work in basic filet crochet.
Bind off once your piece is the desired size (length).
With one or two different novelty yarns, weave alternately cut lengths in and out of your
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