 Knitting
Techniques
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| FAIR
ISLE |
| For
this technique the colours not in
use are carried loosely across the
wrong side of work so as not to distort
the shape of the stitches being knitted. |
| 1. On
a knit row, hold the first colour
in your right hand and the second
colour in your left hand. Work as
normal with the first colour, carrying
the second loosely across the wrong
side of work. |
| 2. When
the second colour is required, insert
the right hand needle into the next
stitch and draw a loop through from
the yarn held in the left hand, carrying
the yarn in the right hand loosely
across the wrong side until next
required. |
| 3. On
a purl row, work as usual with the
first colour held in the right hand,
holding the second colour in the
left hand. |
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| 4. To purl a stitch in the second colour
insert the right hand needle into
the next stitch purlways and draw
a loop through from the yarn held
in the left hand. |
If
there are more than 6 stitches
worked in one colour, cross the
yarns over each other on every
3rd or 4th stitch to avoid long,
loose strands.
If you find it awkward to hold the yarns in both
hands, simply work as usual, dropping the yarn
not in use and picking it up again when required,
making sure that it is not pulled across the
wrong side. Always carry the same colour across
the top throughout the row for a neat appearance
on the wrong side, and to avoid the yarns becoming
twisted. |
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| HOW
TO CAST ON FOR GUERNSEY EDGE (even number of
sts) |
| Using
3 balls of yarn, proceed as follows: |
| 1. Take
one ball of yarn and make a slip knot
on needle. Holding ends of 2 rem balls
in left hand (short ends upwards),
wind short ends twice anticlockwise
around thumb of left hand. Holding
needle with slip knot in right hand,
insert needle from bottom to top under
the 4 strands on thumb. |
| 2. Using
the yarn attached to the slip knot,
knit one st in usual manner and slip
the 4 strands from thumb. Pull the
double yarn firmly to the needle to
form a knot. |
| 3. Yarn
forward - bring yarn under needle,
then over into knitting position again,
thus making a st. |
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| 4. Wind
double yarn twice anticlockwise around
the left thumb. Knit one st through
double yarn and slip four strands off
as before, pulling yarn firmly to needle
to make a knot ... 4 sts. |
| Rep steps
3 and 4 until there are number of sts
required. |
Break
off double yarn, turn and proceed
as instructed in patt. |
| NOTE: The
wrong side will now be facing for
first row of work. |
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| HOW
TO CAST ON FOR GUERNSEY EDGE (odd number of sts) |
| Using
3 balls of yarn, proceed as follows: |
| 1. Take
one ball of yarn and make a slip
knot on needle. Holding ends of 2
rem balls in left hand (short ends
upwards), wind short ends twice anticlockwise
around thumb of left hand. Holding
needle with slip knot in right hand,
insert needle from bottom to top
under the 4 strands on thumb. |
| 2. Using
the yarn attached to the slip knot,
knit one st in usual manner and slip
the 4 strands from thumb. Pull the
double yarn firmly to the needle
to form a knot. |
| 3. Yarn
forward - bring yarn under needle,
then over into knitting position
again, thus making a st. |
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| 4. Wind
double yarn twice anticlockwise around
the left thumb. Knit one st through
double yarn and slip four strands
off as before, pulling yarn firmly
to needle to make a knot ... 4 sts. |
| Rep
steps 3 and 4 until there are number
of sts required, then rep step 4
again .. odd number of sts. Break
off double yarn, turn and proceed
as instructed in patt. |
| Break
off double yarn, turn and proceed
as instructed in patt. |
| NOTE: The
wrong side will now be facing for
first row of work. |
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| MATTRESS
STITCH |
| This
seam will give your handknit a professional
finish. Even if you have always used
backstitch or oversewn seams, try
this method and you will be surprised
how easy it is and how much better
the seams look and feel. |
| Mattress
stitch should be worked one whole
stitch in from the edge. It can even
be worked on shaped edges - as you
are working from the right side,
it is easy to see where you are and
to keep the seam neat and straight. |
| When
starting, leave a long end which
can be secured by running it back
along the edge when the seam is completed.
If the seam needs to be undone, simply
pull this end, drawing the yarn through
the stitches. |
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| 1. With
right side facing you, lay the two
pieces to be joined flat and edge
to edge. Thread a knitter’s
needle and insert the needle between
the edge stitch and the second stitch
on the first row. Pass the needle
under two rows, then bring it back
through to the front. |
| 2. Return
to the opposite side and, working
under two rows at the same time throughout,
repeat this zigzag action always
taking the needle under the strands
that correspond exactly to the other
side, and going into the hole that
the last stitch on that side came
out of, taking care not to miss any
rows. |
| The
mattress stitch stitching should
be elastic without being loose -
while working keep yarn held firm,
not pulling sts too tightly. |
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| WORKING
ON A SET OF NEEDLES |
A set
of needles consists of 4 (or more)
needles with points at each end,
used for seamless knitting.
When knitting on a set, divide the stitches roughly
equally between 3 of the needles, then use the
4th needle to begin the work. |
| When
the sts on the first needle have
been worked, use the now free needle
to work the sts on the next needle. |
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| Knitting
is done in rounds rather than rows.
Do not turn the work but knit around
in a circle. Every round is knitted
on the right side so ‘every
row knit’ forms stocking st. |
| A set
of needles can be replaced by a circular
needle of suitable length for working
on neckbands, however they are not
suitable for crowns of hats. |
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| TO
MAKE A TWISTED CORD |
| 1. Cut
the required number of strands of
yarn 2 - 3 times the length of the
finished cord. eg. 4 strands of yarn
100cm long will produce a cord 8
strands thick and approx 40cm long.
Knot the strands together at each
end, making sure all lengths are
equal. |
| 2. Attach
one end to a pin, hook or handle,
insert a knitting needle through
the other end. Turn the knitting
needle clockwise until the strands
are well twisted. |
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| 3. Holding
the centre of the cord, place the
needle and the hook end together,
keeping the cord taut to avoid tangling. |
| 4. Release
the centre of the cord so that the
two halves twist together. Smooth
out any lumps. Knot and trim both
ends. |
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| KNITTING
STITCH EMBROIDERY |
| 1. When
working from right to left, bring
the needle out in the centre of the
stitch and take it up and around
the head of the stitch from right
to left (under the stitch above)
as shown. |
| 2. Take
the needle back through the centre
of the original stitch and out through
the centre of the stitch on the left. |
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| 3. When
working from left to right, bring
the needle out in the centre of the
stitch and take it up and around
the head of the stitch from left
to right (instead of from right to
left). |
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| CASTING
ON THUMB METHOD |
| Casting
on ‘Thumb Method’ requires
the use of your left thumb and 1
knitting needle. |
| 1. To
begin, make a slip knot, leaving
a length of yarn before the slip
knot approx 4 times the required
width for the sts cast on. Assessing
this measurement takes some practice,
but as a general rule allow approx
2.5 metres for an adult’s garment
for Back and Front and approx 1 metre
for sleeves. Place the slip knot
on needle in your right hand. * Wrap
yarn end around the left thumb from
front to back. |
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| 2. Insert
the needle upwards through the yarn
on the thumb and knit the st in the
usual manner. |
| 3. Remove
the yarn from thumb and pull yarn
slightly to tighten st. Repeat from
* until the required number of sts
have been cast on (counting the slip
knot as one st). |
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| MAKE
1 (abbreviated as 'M1') |
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Pick
up the yarn lying between the stitch just
worked and the next stitch and place it
on the left hand needle, then knit (or
purl) into the back of this loop. |
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| BLANKET
STITCH |
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This
stitch may used along edges where there
is no ribbing, it can also be used as a
decorative stitch around pockets, collars
etc. |
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| BULLION
STITCH |
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Make
a back stitch, the size of the Bullion
Stitch required, and bring the needle out
where it first emerged, without pulling
right through. Wind the yarn around the
point of needle as many times as required.
Holding the left thumb on the coiled thread,
pull the needle through. Still holding
the coiled thread, turn the needle back
to where it was inserted and insert in
the same place. Pull the needle through. |
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| CROSS
STITCH |
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Work
across one or two stitches and rows as
required, inserting the needle between
the stitches to avoid splitting the yarn. |
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| FRENCH
KNOTS |
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Bring
the needle from the back to the front of
the work and wind the yarn several times
around the needle according to the size
of the knot required. Take the needle back
through the same place and draw the yarn
through, thus forming a small knot on the
right side. If the knot tends to slip through
to the wrong side, insert the needle half
a stitch further on to avoid this. |
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| LAZY
DAISY STITCH |
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This
is a method of working individual chain
stitches to form ‘petals’ which
can be grouped together to make a ‘flower’ of
4, 5 or more petals. |
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| SATIN
STITCH |
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This
is used to completely cover an area of
knitting without duplicating stitches. |
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| STEM
STITCH |
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Stem
stitch is worked from left to right, taking
small sts across. Always keep the thread
below the needle (refer illustration). |
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Top
| COLOUR
TWIST KNITTING |
| This
technique is used to knit garments
with blocks of different colours,
avoiding the extra bulk of Fair Isle
knitting. Usually the pattern includes
a graph where the odd numbered rows
are knitted from right to left and
the wrong side rows are purled from
left to right. When using this method,
you will needa separate ball for
each section of colour. If you need
lots of separate balls, it willl
be easier to wind yarn onto bobbins.
Yarn bobbins can be purchased or
cut from cardboard. |
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| Only
unwind short lengths as required,
to prevent tangles. The bobbins hang
on the wrong side of your work when
not in use. The colour twist method
involves twisting the different coloured
yarns over each other to prevent
holes.Twist the colour to be used
underneath and to the right of the
colour just used. Always change colours
on the wrong side of work so colour
change does not show on right side. |
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| HOW
TO MAKE A TASSEL |
| 1. Cut
a rectangle of card as wide as the
required length of the finished tassel.
Wind the yarn around the card until
the required thickness is reached.
Break the yarn, thread through a
knitters needle and pass the needle
under all the loops. Do not remove
needle. |
| 2. Tie
the end of the yarn firmly around
the loops, remove the card and cut
through the loops at the opposite
end to the knot. |
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| 3. Wind
a length of yarn around all the loops
2cm below the fold and fasten securely.
Pass the needle through the top and
use the end to sew in place. Trim
the end neatly. |
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| MAKING
A POMPON |
| 1. Decide
the size of the Pompon, then cut
two circles of card, the diameter
of which will be slightly larger
than the size of the finished pompon.
Cut a smaller hole in the centre
of each circle, about half the size
of the original diameter. |
| 2. Holding
the two circles together, wind the
yarn around the ring (using several
strands at a time), until the ring
is completely covered. |
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| 3. Cut
all around the outside edge between
the two circles using a sharp pair
of scissors. Make sure all the yarn
has been cut. |
| 4. Separate
the two circles slightly, wind a
length of yarn between then tie firmly
into a knot, leaving sufficient yarn
for sewing the pompon in place. Pull
the two circles apart and fluff out
yarn to cover centre join. Trim as
desired. |
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| GRAFTING |
| Used
to join two pieces of knitting without
the bulk of a seam. Sts are not cast
off but are left on the needles.
Place evenly on 2 needles and join
following steps 1 to 4 at left. |
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