Knitters Help
Tips and tricks, reminder, suggestions, alternatives and new ideas
Welcome to our Knitters Help page!
For techniques, tips and tricks, tricks, treats, suggestions, alternatives, and maybe new ideas!
If you are here, it means you are ready to #movetheneedles!
Whether you are a brand new knitter, a returning knitter after a break, or if you are already a stitch-enthusiast or a knixpert – yes, this last one is made-up – you can find here some quick help reminders for all levels, plus some quick tips (tricks & treats).
So, let’s dance and move the needles!
Level 0 - Never touched a needle! Easiest Cast-On Knit stitch Purl Stitch Easiest Bind-Off
Level 1 - Practise and play! Long-tail Cast-On Stockinette / Garter Seed stitch Ribbed stitch Elastic Bind-Off
Level 3 - Knixpert! .....WIP......
Tricks & Treats! Slip Knot Joining in the round Joining balls of yarn Weave the ends Seam Blocking
Level 2 - Challenge accepted! Chinese Waitress Cast-On Cables Decrease Increase Chinese Waitress Bind-Off
Level 0 - Never touched a needle!
Learning anything always starts with the basics. Very much like reading, music, or even playing with colors, you have basics, everything is about variations and combinations: mix and match, twist and turn, skip, slide, merge...
26 letters that will make all the poetry, literature, and even different languages…
7 music keys that create all the harmonies, symphonies, and serenades, played by different instruments…
3 primary colors only make all the paintings and sunsets...
4 knitting moves that open the door to infinite possibilities!
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Cast-on: The Row Zero ! The very first stitches of any piece! You’ve got to start somewhere.
Knit: the stitch that gave its name to the art; or got it from the art, who knows? A chicken & egg kind of question!
Purl: I refer to it as an inverted Knit.
Bind-Off (or cast-off): that's how you will close the work and take it off your needles.
The easiest Cast-On
The Row Zero!
The easiest way!
Hands, needle and yarn!
Knit stitch
The basic stitch #1 : Knit
Hands, yarn, needles!
Purl Stitch
The basic stitch #2: Purl
The inverted Knit
Hands, yarn, needles!
The easiest Bind-Off
Close your work and take it off the needles
The easiest way!
Conclusion
The results of the 4 moves in one knitted piece. What you did is what you get!
Now you've got the 4 moves!
Practice them so you'll build on muscle memory and everything becomes possible!
Level 1 - Practice and play!
You master the basics from Level 0, or you just knew them already.
Here, we are going to explore some combinations and variations. The moves are the same, we just assemble them to create textures, styles, gain some fluidity, and improve a little more our knitting skills:
Variations & combinations
What is happening, when you mix 2 colors? How do you read when those 2 letters are next to each other?
What do you hear when those two keys are played together?
How does it look when you combine or alternate the Knit and the Purl?
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Cast-on: The Row Zero ! This time, the Long-Tail version. Just a little progress, for a better-looking result.
Stockinette and Garter: Knit and Purl changes by row, and how does it looks!
Seed, Ribs... Moss... and more: A little introduction to the texture effect of the combinations of the K&P.
Bind-Off (or cast-off): We'll see a more elastic and stretchy method.
The Long-Tail Cast-On
The Row Zero!
Easy moves to practice for an even and stable edge.
Hands, needle and yarn!
Stockinette & Garter
The knitting textures you create by combining the K&P stitches on every row.
Hands, yarn, needles!
Ribbed stitch
Another texture: Ribbed!
A very stretchy and reversible style!
Hands, yarn, needles!
Seed stitch - Moss stitch
Two more textures: Seed! Moss!
Both stylish and reversible textures!
Seed stitch part 1 ; Moss stitch part 2 (5'04)
Elastic Bind-Off
How to easily make a quite stretchy bind-off?
Check it out!
Hands, yarn, needles!
Level 2 - Challenge accepted!
You are ready to learn new moves, testing designs, and creating textures and styles!
Here, we are going to explore some more advanced moves, with more variations, twist and combinations.
Those are moves, like new tools, that will make your piece stand out.
Those are moves with which you will gain more fluidity, and improve our knitting skills:
What is happening, when you twist your stitch? What if you knit one first and then go back? How do you add or remove stitches?
Are there different ways to cast-on and bind-off?
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Cast-on: The Row Zero ! The Chineses Waitress Cast-On: stylish and convenient, yet a little effort to master it!
Cables: Easier than they look, guaranteed effect!
Decrease / Increase: How can shape to manage the structure of a piece?
Bind-Off (or cast-off): The Chinese Waitress pairing version, and an elastic version!
The Chinese Waitress Cast-On
The Row Zero!
Stylish double chain, stretchy and reversible.
An all-time favorite!
Cables
Stylish and easier than they look!
Decrease
Reducing the number of stitches "on the go".
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Increase
Adding stitches "on the go"
Chinese Waitress Bind-Off
The pairing Bind-Off to the Chineses Waitress Cast-on
Level 3 - Knixpert!
Tricks & Treats
The slip-knot
An easy little knot to get started
Adjustable loop.
Usable beyond knitting!
Hands and yarn!
Joining in the round
Circular knitting
Knitting in the round
How to join the stitches?
Joining balls of yarn
How to simply join a new ball of yarn to continue your project when you reach the end of the ball.
Weaving the ends
Or simply put: How to hide the hanging strings of yarn to finish-off your piece?
Seam
How to join multiple pieces to finalize a garment? How to close a project
Blocking
Blocking is the final operation that will give your garment its shape, and even out the stitches.