Everything Else

How To: Decrease on a Circular Needle

Decreasing on a Circular Needle is as simple as decreasing on a straight needle. You can still do it both ways. Either K 2 tog or K, slip, psso. You will need to know how to decrease on a circular needle when you make hats or purses. If t don't know how, see the bottom of the page for instructions.

How To: Knit a Seed and Garter Stitch Potholder

Potholders are a good way to practice stitches and they make great gifts. Here's a nice seed and garter stitch potholder to make. You need to know only two stitches for this project - the GARTER STITCH and the SEED STITCH. Photo below is my potholder in progress. The white thread down the middle is my stitch marker.

How To: Unravel a Bound Off Row

There will be times when you've finished a project, such as a scarf, that you've already bound off, when you will realize it's not quite as long as you want it to be. You will have to unravel the bound off row, add more yarn, and then start knitting again.

How To: Knit a Little Purse

You'll be so glad to know how to KNIT THIS LITTLE PURSE. You'll want to make one for everyone you know. You can start and finish it in a little over an hour. You can knit it all one color and embellish it with buttons (see photo below) or you can make stripes (as on the video below) or use two colors (as on the photo above). You can make it in a flat stockinette stitch or something more interesting like the Raspberry Stitch. Do what you want and just have fun.

How To: Get perfect, jogless stripes in your knitting projects

Visible jogs become frequent when you don't know the secret to knitting the perfect stripe. But just because it's a secret, doesn't mean it isn't easy to do! In this video demonstration, Judy shows you the secret to knitting jogless stripes. Basically, you knit the first row of color the way you normally would, then slip the marker off when you get around to the end. Next, instead of knitting the next stitch how you normally would, you just slip it off and then start knitting all the way arou...

How To: Knit Fingerless Mitts

Fingerless mitts are all the rage. They can be fancy or simple, long or short. This article will show you how to make a simple pair of fingerless mitts—for men or women. By adding more colors in stripes or other patterns, you can make them more interesting. You can also add to the length to make them longer.

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: Knit the Twisted Stockinette Stitch

Here is a good stitch to know, especially if your knitting tends to come out looser than you would like it. It works well for a nice cozy sweater when used with a thick wool. The twisted stockinette is just like basic stockinette stitch, except you put the needle in the BACK of the stitch when you knit. This twists the stitches and makes them tighter.

How To: Knit the Bamboo Stitch

The bamboo stitch is a beautiful, versatile stitch that can be used for lots of different kinds of projects. I especially love using it for baby blankets and scarves. It is an easy, reversible stitch. Both sides aren't the same, but both are very nice looking.

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: Bind Off Ribbing

Now that you have learned how to knit ribbing, you will have to know how to bind off ribbing. If you have knitted something that needs to have a stretch to it, such as socks or a neck, this is a very important technique to know.

How To: Add Color to Your Knitting Projects

Once you have mastered the technique of knitting something in one color, you will want to go to the next step, which is learning how to add color to your knitting. You might want to knit stripes or knit something with two colors. It isn't as difficult as you might think, and once you've done it a few times you will wonder why you never attempted it before.

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: Sew knitted pieces together using a whip stitch and other stitches

Tie loose ends together - in the literal and original sense sense of the phrase - by sewing together the ends and/or hems of your knitting projects like a pro. Whether you're fusing together two pieces of wool-knitted cloth to form the back of a beautiful winter sweater or just want to join patchwork knits into a rasta-cool beanie, knowing how to stick pieces together is integral for a tidy project.

How To: Crochet a baby cocoon on a crochet loom

A baby cocoon is a snug swaddling blanket that can be used to easily keep a new baby warm. This tutorial shows you a few techniques that you can use to crochet a baby cocoon for yourself or as a gift. This technique uses a crochet loom, so you'll want access to one of those in order to complete this project. You will also need to use a few basic hand sewing techniques to join the different pieces together when you're done.

How To: Knit the Tunic Stitch

The tunic stitch is another one of those real easy patterns that looks more difficult than it is. It's a strikingly beautiful pattern. Although both sides are not the same, they are both attractive so you can use either side. The picture below is of the right side.

How To: Knit on Double Pointed Needles

Knitting on double pointed needles (abbr: DPN or DP) is scary to most knitters. That being said, there will be times that you will want to, or need to use them, so you might as well learn now. You'll need to use DP needles for small projects when there are too few stitches for a circular needle (as for socks or mittens). Once you cast on and get into a rhythm, it's easy. Don't be afraid to try it.

How To: Make the Afghan or Tunisian crochet stitch - entrelac

If you're someone who enjoys crochet, you may want to watch this video and check out this technique. It's called the Afghan or Tunisian crochet stitch, or 'entrelac'. This is not quick stitch to do, but the results can be truly wonderful. This video is very detailed, with excellent descriptions and will help you get on the path to a new and exciting crochet creation. You will want a larger and smaller crochet needle for this project, so be sure to have both on hand.

How To: Knit the Rice Stitch

The rice stitch is another easy and versatile stitch. Both sides are different, however they both look nice. This means the work can be used on either side. Pictured in the thumbnail image above is side one of the rice stitch. Pictured below is side two of the rice stitch.

How To: Do the Same Stitch on Different Sized Knitting Needles

A fun thing to do in knitting is to experiment by trying the same stitch on different sizes of needles. A thin yarn knitted on a small sized needle will look totally different than a thin yarn on a medium sized needle. On the small needle the stitches will be tight. On a medium sized needle they will be looser and more lacy. If you knit it on a large sized needle it will look even more different and, in fact, very holey.