Posts Tagged ‘Basics’
Posted on December 10, 2009 at 4:37 pm, by Amanda Rae
in Category Knitting | Tags: Basics,Casting-On,Learning to Knit
Casting-on is what you do before you start knitting. There are several ways to cast-on but I will only have videos of a few different ways that I find to be easiest or ones that will be used most often.
First you need to make a slip knot.
The three most common ways of casting-on are the single cast-on, the long-tail cast-on and the knitting cast-on.
The Single Cast-On (also called the backward-loop cast-on) is the easiest but it is hard to knit evenly on your first row. This is how I used to cast on before I learned the long-tail cast-on. My first row was a little difficult to do since there seemed to be excess yarn getting in the way. The edge can be a little lumpy. This is the easiest cast-on to do.
The Long-Tail Cast-On (also called the double cast-on or the continental cast-on) is fast to do and easy to knit. I would highly recommend doing this cast-on for your knitting. The edge of your knitting will look clean and neat. This is my favorite way to cast-on.
The Knitting Cast-On is pretty self-explanatory. You just knit! This cast-on is quite simple and makes for a nice edge.
Some other ways to cast-on are more on the tricky side. There is:
The Cable Cast-On – This one looks nice, but not very easy to do.
The Old Norwegian Cast-On – This one can be very tight which, depending on what you are making, won’t look very nice.
The Alternate Cable Cast-On. This one can also be tight.
A final cast-on I’m going to talk about is the Invisible (Provisional) Cast-On (also called the looped cast-on). This cast-on can be undone even after you have been knitting. It is good for certain projects that call for it. (If you would like a video for this cast-on or any other cast-on please let me know.)
Remember to practice! And if you have any questions don’t be afraid to ask!
Posted on October 29, 2009 at 12:42 pm, by Amanda Rae
in Category Knitting | Tags: Basics,How to Knit,Needles,Supplies
In order to knit you will need some knitting needles! But before you go out and get overwhelmed with all of the different needles that are out there, I will give you a lesson on knitting needles. Needles are made from different materials, they come in three different types and there are different sizes.
Materials:
The most popular materials that needles are made of are: wood, plastic or metal. Knitting needles are also made from: bamboo, aluminum, glass and steel. Back in the ‘olden days knitting needles were made from tortoise shell, ivory or walrus tusks. Of course needles are not made of these materials anymore; but if you are lucky enough, you may be able to find them in an antique store.
Depending on what the needles are made of will effect the grip that it has on the yarn because of the friction between the two. Metal, glass and plastic needles make for faster knitting, but the stitches are also able to slip off of the needles. With wood, the stitches will not slip like with the other materials, but because of the friction, your knitting will not be as fast.
Types:
There are three types of knitting needles. The first type is two straight sticks that are pointed at one end with a knob of some sort on the other. These needles normally come in 10 to 16 inches long. These needles are used for flat projects.
Boye #6 Needles
Another type of needles are double pointed knitting needles. These needles are pointed on both ends, come in 4 to 15 inches long and are normally sold in sets of four or five. These needles are used for making circular objects, especially smaller circular objects such as socks!
ChinaoGoo Premium Bamboo #3 Needles
The third kind of knitting needles are called circular needles. These have two short ends that are pointed with a flexible cord connecting them. These can be 12 to 60 inches long. These needles can be used by themselves or in pairs depending on what you are making. You can use them to make flat or circular knitting.
Skacel #8 Needles
You can find which needles work best for you by trying different ones out. I personally like working with circular needles since I have small hands and they are easier for me to hold and work with. With sock making I like to use wooden needles since both ends are pointed there is twice the chance that a stitch will slip. So try out different types of needles made from different materials to find out what works best for you!
Sizes:
Depending on what yarn you use, you will need a different size needle. Yarn labels will tell you what size needles are usually used for that yarn (I will go over how to read a label and yarn in a different post). Here is a chart for needle sizes:
Metric Size (mm) U.S. Size
2.0 0
2.1
2.25 1
2.7
2.75 2
3.0
3.25 3
3.3
3.5 4
3.6
3.75 5
3.9
4.0 6
4.2
4.5 7
4.8
5.0 8
5.1
5.4
5.5 9
5.7
6.0 10
6.3
6.5 10.5
6.6
7.0
7.5
8.0
9.0 11
10.0 15
12.0 17
16.0 19
19.0 35
25.0 50
Most needles are labeled with the U.S. size, but yarn and patterns can have one or both sizes labeled. If it does not have the U.S. size; or there the Japanese or UK/Canadian size is listed, you can use the metric size to figure out which needles to use based on this chart.
There are some really nice needle kits. I own a Boye needle kit! It is a little on the pricey side, but if you find a coupon to a store that carries it, use it! If you are seriously thinking about getting into knitting, I would purchase a needle kit. The Boye kit has needle sizes 2 through 15. You are able to use them as circular needles or straight needles. There are cords to make the needles longer or shorter depending on what your project calls for.
Boye KnitMates/NeedleMaster Set
I know this is a lot of information in one post, but because it is a post you are able to go back to it whenever you want to review or figure out an answer to a question. Remember, if you have any questions or want me to elaborate more on a subject or cover a subject please email me or post a comment! Yarn is up next!!
Posted on October 23, 2009 at 5:17 pm, by Amanda Rae
in Category Knitting | Tags: Basics,How to Knit,Supplies
Before you can knit you need to have the correct supplies. Besides yarn and needles (which will be a different post) there are some other supplies that are needed for knitting!
~First you need a tape measure in order to measure how long and/or wide your work is.
~ A scissors or some kind of cutting device.
~ Some type of container to store all of your supplies. At most yarn and craft stores there are several different types of storage containers and bags with compartments for knitters! Pick whichever one you like best. Also, if you feel a little creative, you can make your own or use something you already have at home.
~ Stitch markers. These are used to help you with your knitting. There are different kinds of stitch markers. There are plain ones or really fancy ones. There are ones (the ones on the right) that are used to keep track of increases and decreases in your work. They are able to stay in your knitting and slide off when needed. Then there are ones (on the left) that cannot slip off of your yarn, these are so you know where to start the pattern over again. This is especially useful for knitting in a round.
~ Large-eyed needles. These are for weaving in the ends of your work.
~ Needle gauge. Where the holes are, are for when you have needles and do not know what size they are. You stick them in the holes until you find the correct size. Also, the “L” shape is for checking your gauge with your knitting (We will go over this in a different post).
~ (You don’t necessarily need these) Cable/ holding needles. When cabling (will be discussed in a different post) you have a cable needle to actually cable the knitting. There are also patterns where stitches need to be held until a later time. These are what you would use for that.
These are basic supplies that are used in knitting! Next we will talk about needles!
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