Have you ever seen the instruction ktbl or k2tog-tbl (knit through the back loop) and wonder what, exactly “tbl” means? Ktbl stands for “knit through back loop.” Just as “pick up” and “pick up and knit” are somewhat confusing terminology, “knit through the back loop” can also be confusing, because each knit stitch has only one loop on the needle.
Category Archives: Free Lesson
Cables are made when stitches in the knitted fabric cross over each other. You place a few stitches on hold by slipping them onto a cable needle, knit the next two or three stitches, then knit the stitches off of the cable needle. These traveling stitches may move to the right or to the left.
Working a single crochet edging along a piece of knitting is quite easy — if you already know how to crochet. If not, it could take some practice. Should you decide you don’t like to crochet, an easy knitted substitute is as follows: With RS facing, pick up sts along the entire edge of the […]
Have you ever seen the instruction ktbl or k2tog-tbl and wonder what, exactly “tbl” means? Ktbl stands for “knit through back loop.” Just as “pick up” and “pick up and knit” are somewhat confusing terminology, “knit through the back loop” can also be confusing, because each knit stitch has only one loop on the needle. So what […]
Everyone wants to know how to block lace, as if it’s some deep, dark secret or incredibly difficult like rocket science. Actually, it’s quite easy. If you’ve never blocked lace before, you can try this on a swatch if you’re a little nervous. Blocking Wool or Other Natural Fibers You need: Blocking wires and/or rust […]
This easy bind off is perfect for lace, sweater necks, and the cuffs of socks or mittens that have been knitted from the toe up or fingers down. I use it all the time because I tend to bind off tighly and using a larger needle doesn’t seem to help very much. To work the […]
This is the perfect scarf for peaceful knitting. The stitch pattern is so simple, you’ll likely memorize it even before you start knitting. Cast on an odd number of stitches in a yarn and needle size that you like together. The sample shown here and on my website, spindyeknit.com was made with Soft Baby from Rowan. I cast on […]
Although this month’s comfort shawl pattern is very easy to knit, working with mohair yarn can be a challenge. Because the yarn is so fuzzy and the fibers are clingy, the yarn will stick to itself as you knit, making it almost impossible to rip out. If you do have to rip, slowly unknit the […]
Knitting lace can be intimidating because lace projects are often made with fine yarns on tiny needles, using intricate charted patterns. But lace can be easy, too. It can be made out of heavy yarns, on large needles, with simple stitches that can be memorized after just a few rows. Lace uses the same basic […]
A lot of knitters are afraid of sewing seams, but it’s actually quite simple once you learn when to use each type of sewing technque. Here are the three that I use most frequently. Whip Stitch Seam Whip stitch is an easy seam that can be used anytime you have a furry yarn where the […]