Hot Knitting & Crochet Posts
How To: Join crocheted granny squares using the flat braid joining method
The flat braid join is a method of stitching granny squares together using chain-3 loops. This tutorial demonstrates how you can use the flat braid technique to easily and quickly join your own granny squares together for your next crochet project.
How To: Cast On at the End of a Row in Knitting
Sometimes your pattern will instruct you to CAST ON AT THE END OF A ROW. CASTING ON AT THE END OF A ROW is quite easy. Here's how to do it:
How To: Crochet a crescent moon
Watch this instructional video to crochet a crescent moon. These visual guidelines will walk you through each step in creating this crochet ornament. This is a small crochet project, but the crescent moon may take a few tries to master.
How To: Make a fleece blanket with crocheted edges
If you would like to crotchet around the edges of a fleece blanket you will need a fleece blanket, yarn and a hook. You will first need to clip holes in the blanket with a slip stitch blade. These wholes will distinguish where the crotchet chains will go around the fleece blanket. The slip stitch will leave you with holes so you can crochet around the blanket. You should do a foundation slip. Start by doing a slip stitch and pull your needle through the back and from the front complete the st...
How To: Knit the triangle edge stitch
See how to knit the triangle edge stitch when stitching, with this easy, up close demonstration by Judy Graham, Knitter to the Stars. Judy's knits have appeared in movies, television, and concerts for over thirty years. She herself has been hand-knitting for over fifty. Watch as she teaches you how to knit a triangle edge stitch when knitting in this three-part video tutorial.
How To: Crochet a basket weave stitch for left handers
The name of this crochet stitch says it all. Called the basket weave stitch, it consists of cubes of intersection vertical and horizontal yarns to create a unique pattern reminiscent of basket weaving.
How To: Crochet a super fast 3 color granny square
In this tutorial, we learn how to crochet a super fast 3 color granny square. Start out with your first color on the crochet needle. Then, chain four and put the needle back into the first chain. Before you pull everything tight together, you will move your middle finger into the stitch with your thumb so when you pull it will wrap around your fingers. Then, chain three and do this over twice more to create the outlining area around the hole. From here, you will use two other colors using the...
How To: Take out purl stitches in your knitting
KnitWitch.com will show you how to take out purl stitches in your knitting on this easy to follow video. Tinking, tink, which is knit spelled backwards, is the actual knitting term for removing stitches. This shows how to tink purl stitches and gives great advice on how to hold the yarn to make it easier to see and remove the stitches. As you can be sure that at some point you will have to take out stitches when you knit by following these steps and tips it will be a much easier process.
How To: Knit a Picot Hem
Knowing how to knit a picot hem is a good technique to learn. Usually, at the bottom of a garment you will have a ribbed edge. A picot hem, as pictured below, is a nice alternative. It's quite easy and here's how to do it.
How To: Use a Needle Mounted Row Counter When Crocheting or Knitting on Circular or Double Pointed Needles
I like to use a row counter as it saves me the trouble of counting rows when increasing, decreasing, or working a cable pattern. All I have is a small needle mounted counter that is hard to keep track of when it is not mounted on a knitting needle. When knitting on circular or double pointed needles, or crocheting, I have to count rows ever so often. This is time consuming, and I have to admit to sometimes being inaccurate. To solve this problem I threaded a piece of fishing line through the ...
How To: Join a crochet round together seamlessly
So you've been working on a crochet project for a round piece, and now you are at the end. How to join the two edges together seamlessly? This tutorial shows you an easy and simple way to join your rounds together.
How To: Knit a picot cast off or a picot bind off
In this video, you'll learn how to knit a picot cast off, or a picot bind off from expert knitter Judy. This sort of casting off is great for things like baby blankets, and you can expand your repertoire with the picot cast off to other projects.
How To: Join knitted squares for sweaters or a hat
If you're an avid knitter, then you're probably making dozens of different pojects at the same time: scarves, Afghan quilts, hats, and wee slippers for your dog. So you need a video that doesn't waste your time (so you can finish that last row on your striped rugby scarf) by giving you an all-in-one tutorial.
How To: Make a flat circle using single crochet
In this video, we learn how to make a flat circle using single crochet. Start out by crocheting six single crochets into a ring for round one. For round two, you will increase in every single crochets so you have twelve of them. For round three, you will increase with every other single crochet doing one single crochet in between the creases. do this for a total of eighteen. Then, make two single crochets between the increases and you will have twenty-four. On the last row, you will make thre...
How To: Cast on from the Clover Wonder Knitter (6-pegged head)
If you've already tried the 3-pegged head on the Clover Wonder Knitter, it's time to try out the 6-pegged one. The Crochet Crowd shows you how to cast on from the 6-knobbed head with ease. This tool is a great way to experiment with your knitting skills!
How To: Do a knitting bind off (cast off) on a circular needle
Bind offs, also known as cast offs, are useful tools in knitting because they help you keep one area of your project in place while you work on another section. Bind offs on a circular needle work basically in the same way that bind offs work with straight needles.
How To: Start a chainless half double crochet foundation
Ready to move to more advanced crochet projects? Then watch this how to video and learn how to start a foundation without a chain. Use only the half double stitches to start your yarn projects.
How To: Cast On Stitches at the Beginning of a Row in Knitting
Sometimes your instructions will include having to CAST ON AT THE BEGINNING OF A ROW. It's not difficult and here's how to do it.
How To: Bind Off on a Purl Stitch
You've come to the end of your work and are ready to BIND OFF, but you're on a PURL row. What to do? You've learned how to BIND OFF on a knit stitch, but this is something new. Usually you will do the BIND OFF stitch on a knit row, but now your pattern is telling you to BIND OFF on a Purl row. Sometimes, like in ribbing, you will need to do both. If you've never bound off purling here are the instructions to follow.
How To: Crochet a reggae rasta style slouchy hat
Reggae berets have been around and popular since the days of Bob Marley, but when chanteuse Gwen Stefani started sporting these for her solo tour and integrating rasta patterns into her clothing line, L.A.M.B, the rasta print become near uniform for admiring girls across the country.
How To: Crochet a Cord for a Drawstring
For the knitted purses pictured above, as well as other knitted items requiring a drawstring, like a cinch sack, you will need to know how to crochet the drawstring cord. Watch the video for instructions, and check out the brief steps below.
How To: Do the square or box and circle stitch for lanyards
This how-to video demonstrates everything you need to know for lanyard needs. Follow along and find out how to start and finish a lanyard using the square of box stitch (or the circle stitch) throughout. All you need is two lengths of plastic thread. Use your lanyard as a keychain, or to hang a whistle onto. Watch this video tutorial and learn how to make a lanyard using the square or box as well as the circle stitch.
How To: Attach granny squares together with a single crochet
Granny squares are lovely on their own and make funny indie chic coasters, but sometimes it's nice to attach a bunch together and create a quilt or afghan. So after you've crocheted your pretty granny squares, take a look at this tutorial to learn how to attach granny squares together using a single crochet.
How To: Change colors in a granny square for right handers
If you've proven yourself beautifully adept at making snug and cozy granny squares (usually used as coasters), then why not add some spice to your crafting by adding different colors to the mix?
How To: Knit alternating colors for a two-row stripe
Need some stripes in your knit-work? Judy's going to lend you her expertise and show you how to make stripes of two rows. She starts out adding a row of red yarn above previously knitted gray row, to make her stripes. Just follow her guidelines for stitching and you should have no problems knitting stripes in your future projects.
How To: Crochet your granny squares together using the flat single stitch
This short crochet tutorial shows you a variation on the simple single stitch. If you want your project to have a relatively even surface, you can use the flat single stitch as taught in this video to join your granny squares together.
How To: Slip a Stitch Knitwise
There are times when your pattern will direct you to slip a stitch. Usually, this is done on a knit row. I always slip the first stitch of every row because it makes a neater selvedge. It's a very simple technique. Here's what to do:
How To: Speed knit with the world's fastest knitter
Learn how to increase your knitting speed with Miriam Tegels, the World's Fastest Knitter. She can stitch 118 stitches in one minute; a record that appears in the Guinness Book of World Records. Miriam Tegel's knitting secret is keeping all movements to a minimum. Use size 8 knitting needles and DK weight yarn for optimal performance. After casting on sixty stitches, see how many stitches you can knit in three minutes. Good luck!
How To: Knit the Garter Rib Stitch
Step 1: Cast on an Even Number of Stitches. Step 2: K2*P2, K2, End K2
How To: Crochet Japanese amigurumi dolls
This crochet how to video is a demonstration of how to make a stuffed ball shape using single crochet in the style of amigurumi.
How To: Do a purl increase stitch in knitting
In this video, we learn how to do a purl increase stitch in knitting. First, make sure your yarn is in front, then do a normal purl stitch. Before you take your yarn off the left needle, go into the back of that stitch and pick it up from behind. Then, do a normal purl loop. After this, take the needle off. This is all you have to do to do a purl increase while you are stitching. If you don't understand it at first, then keep practicing and you will eventually learn how to do this. When you l...
How To: Crochet a galaxy or snowflake stitch
Watch this instructional crochet video to crochet a galaxy stitch. This crochet method creates an intricate snowflake pattern. Use any type of thread and crochet needle to complete this project. This galaxy or snowflake pattern creates a complex crochet weave for warm yet breathable blankets, sweaters and winter caps.
How To: Knit a Kitchener stitch for a seamless join
The kitchener stitch, also called grafting, is a knitting technique used to create woven seams. It's commonly used for the toe of knitted socks, but you'll find it used whenever you need an invisible seam.
How To: Crochet a mid-row color change with a Tunisian stitch
While crocheting an Afghan or Tunisian style crochet blanket, you can crochet different patterns and colors into a single row of stitches. Use a large crochet needle and several types of yarn to learn this crocheting trick. You can switch back and forth between colors in the same row of Tunisian stitches by keeping yarn on hanging bobbins. Don't forget to sew in the loose ends of colored yarn.
How To: Knit Straight on a Circular Needle
I love circular needles! I use a circular most of the time, even when I am knitting straight. One of the reasons I love knitting on a circular is because with a circular needle, you don't have to worry about dropping a needle. You just have one. It's particularly good to knit straight on a circular needle when you're making a large project such as an afghan or blanket, but I use one even if I'm knitting a small project such as a scarf or wash rag. The photo below is of a scarf I'm making with...
How To: Knit a triangle shawl using the yarn over increase
In this video, you'll learn how to knit a triangle shawl. This shawl is knitted using the yarn over increase, which is just one of many ways you can knit this shawl. This video takes you step by step through the stitches necessary to make a beautiful and gorgeous triangle shawl.
How To: Make a Fourth of July American Baby Hat
If your little youngster is celebrity his first Fourth of July and you want to get him decked out for the occasion without posing any potential choking hazard with beaded necklaces or bracelets, then this fuzzy hat is the perfect way to get him in the spirit.
How To: Hang a rag hem on knitting machine
Watch this instructional knitting video to hang a rag hem on your knitting machine. Add weights to the inside of the knitted hem to keep your knit work straight. You will need a single pronged tool or a three pronged tool. If you knit with a knitting machine, this is an essential trick for getting started with larger projects.
How To: Crochet shell decreases
Improve you crocheting skills by learning decorative stitches. This how to video is a crocheting tutorial that will show you how to do shell decreases. Crochet several rows of this stitch to create larger yarn projects.
How To: Knit a picot cast on for baby sweaters, blankets and other knitted projects
Master knitter Judy shows you how to knit a picot cast on in this knitting video. If you haven't figured out how to cast on yet, you should probably watch her video on that first. This is a sweet edging for the bottom of a baby sweater or blanket. There are many other instances where you would want to use a picot cast on, as well. Learn it with this up close demonstration by Judy Graham, Knitter to the Stars.