Advanced Beginner Lesson – Cabled Ear Warmers

In addition to cabling, this lesson includes the provisional cast on and three needle bind off, which create a beautiful finished seam when connecting the ends of an infinity scarf, cowl, or these ear warmers. You’ll need heavy worsted weight or light chunky weight yarn; I’ve used the both the Cascade Yarns Baby Llama ChunkyContinue reading “Advanced Beginner Lesson – Cabled Ear Warmers”

How to Knit Cables

In this video you’ll learn how to knit cables. You’ll either need a cable needle (two different shapes are shown in the picture above) or can simply use a double pointed needle. Your pattern will tell you the “recipe” for the cables you’re going to knit. As a general matter, you will slip some stitchesContinue reading “How to Knit Cables”

Lesson 5 – Woven Mug Cozy and Coaster

You’ll get to learn several new skills while knitting this cute Woven Mug Cozy and matching Coaster. You can either work through the following in order to learn each of the steps required to knit the mug cozy and coaster, or you can jump straight to the pattern and tutorial video, and come back toContinue reading “Lesson 5 – Woven Mug Cozy and Coaster”

How to Block Your Work

Blocking your work can help relax and smooth out your stitches so they look more beautiful, and is essential on larger projects with shaping such as sweaters. Here are the basic steps: Fill a small sink or bowl with cool water; mix with a small amount of Woolite or other soap made for wool, AddContinue reading “How to Block Your Work”

How to Add Fringe

Fringe is a fun addition to some projects, like a scarf, shawl, or this Woven Coaster. The great news is it’s also easy to do, especially with a crochet hook. Learn how in the video below. If your fridge isn’t laying flat, a pro tip is to run a hair straightener set to low heatContinue reading “How to Add Fringe”

How to do Jenny’s Stretchy Bind Off

Jenny’s stretchy bind off is a very versatile and, as the name suggests, stretchy bind off that’s great for at the top of socks, mittens, etc. The stretch comes from a yarn over that you do right before each stitch, which gives you three stitches on the right needle. You then pull the yarn overContinue reading “How to do Jenny’s Stretchy Bind Off”

How to K2tog and P2tog

K2tog (knit two together) and P2tog (purl two together) are common methods of decreasing the number of stitches in a row. You do exactly as the name implies, inserting the right needle into two stitches from the left needle at the same time, and either knitting or purling them, well, together. This video shows youContinue reading “How to K2tog and P2tog”

How to Yarn Over (YO)

A yarn over (abbreviated YO in patterns) is one way to increase the number of stitches in a row, or it can be used as a decorative stitch because it creates an eyelet hole in the knitting, as shown above. Essentially a yarn over is when you wrap the right needle with yarn but thenContinue reading “How to Yarn Over (YO)”

Using Stitch Markers and Row Counters

I find stitch markers and row counters to be really helpful with my knitting. I actually use a lot of stitch markers for two main reasons, both of which I illustrate in the video below: Stitch markers mean I don’t have to count during a row to keep track of pattern sections, which makes itContinue reading “Using Stitch Markers and Row Counters”