I love this modular technique of joining narrow strips of garter stitch together to create a larger piece. I first used it in the Jamie sweater and have returned to it time and again in some of my blanket designs (Evening Mesa Blanket, Flash Forward, Joinery).
Tutorials
Raised Increases Photo Tutorial
My favourite increase is the least visible and goes by many names.
- Raised Increase
- Lifted Increase
- Invisible Increase
More importantly, I like it best because it doesn’t disrupt the tension of the adjacent stitches like the make one increase does.
Mending By Needle Felting
My favourite cashmere wrap has had a hole in it for some time. When I wear it I try to arrange the folds so the hole doesn’t show, but it usually ends up front and centre.
Embellishing with a Crochet Hook
Sometimes it’s nice to outline an intarsia shape with some embroidery, like in the last post. And then sometimes it’s easier to do that embellished embroidery with a crochet hook instead.
The chain stitch is one of my favourite embroidery stitches and it’s really the same thing as a crocheted chain that goes through a supporting fabric.
Embroidery Embellishment
Sometimes a project needs just a little more than colourful areas of intarsia. Embroidery is an effective way to give your knits a polished look. You can revitalize old knits (even commercial knits) or plan to embellish your project from the get go.
Steam Blocking
I block most of my projects by pinning them out and then spraying them with water. Sometimes I wet block, but really just for lace which I don’t knit very often. Then I watched Annie Modesitt’s video on steam blocking.
Working Very Small Circumferences in the Round
Recently I treated myself to a set of Knitpicks 4″ double-pointed needles in 7 different sizes ranging from 2 mm to 3.5 mm. Short dpns are great to use when knitting tubes with a tiny circumference like fingers and thumbs.
Sewn Bind Off Tutorial with No Sewing
Hana loves yellow. She’s been asking me for handknit yellow socks. I was worried that by the time I had time to knit them she might have a new favourite colour—she does that sometimes.
Since I needed a new sample for my Tip-Toe-Up Socks class, the decision was easy—yellow socks!
Picot Bind Off
A Picot Bind Off is a sweet way to add a little design detail to a project. This bind off nicely mirrors the look of the Picot Cast On as featured in an earlier tutorial.
Picot Cast On
A picot cast on begins a project with a decorative flair that places little knitted nubs along the cast on edge. It’s a lovely addition to feminine projects.
The picot cast on is worked using the cable cast on.
