There are usually two categories when it comes to knitters and seaming:
But this doesn't have to be the case! So let's introduce our step-by-step mattress stitch tutorial, with some tips on how to make your seams look beautiful and how to prepare your knitting so that when you seam it, it will go... seamlessly!
Mattress stitch is used to join vertical edges together, while a variation can be used to join a vertical edge to a horizontal one (like a bind off) or two horizontal edges. The mattress stitch seam creates a ridge on the inside of your work which can give your garment more structure.
This step-by-step mattress stitch tutorial will be shown on two straight vertical edges, but the exact same technique can be used on two edges that have shaping (i.e. increases or decreases).
Seaming your knitting can be intimidating, and can put you off taking on projects and patterns that require it - binding off and being done and able to wear your new garment is usually much more preferable, however some patterns are too good not to be put off by - our Wardie cardigan for example! It also allows you to knit a bigger project like a jumper or cardigan in more portable pattern pieces which is very handy if you like to knit on the go!
For mattress stitch, a good rule of thumb is for your yarn to be 1.5 times the length of your seam + 12"/30cm of yarn* for weaving in ends
* you can plan ahead for this with your cast on/bind off and leave a long tail of yarn at the corner of one of your pieces of work. This should be 1.5 x the length of your seam + 6"/15cm (as you won't need to leave the length for weaving in at one side, since it is already attached to the work).
If you follow along with tutorials best via video, we have a Youtube video below with step-by-step instructions, or if you prefer a step-by-step in still images just keep scrolling.
To begin the mattress stitch, we are going to join the bottom edges together securely and neatly, and anchor the yarn if you're using a separate piece of yarn (like in this tutorial).
If you are using a separate piece of yarn for your mattress stitch, be sure to leave 6"/15cm at either end for weaving in once you have completed this stitch.
Knitting Tip: leave this loose until the end as you will be able to adjust your tension before weaving in the ends.
So now you've got your two pieces of fabric joined together, we can move onto the 2 step repeat of mattress stitch.
Step 1: insert your needle between the first two stitches on one edge, from front to back. Bring the needle back up two bars higher.
Knitting Tip: if you gently pull the fabric, you'll see horizontal bars between the stitches (if you can't determine where they are, this is shown in our mattress stitch video)
Step 2: bring the needle under the first two bars on the opposite edge the same way you did in step 1.
Repeat steps 1 and 2 to sew your seam.
After every few stitches it is good practice to pull your yarn just tight enough so the yarn disappears and the two edges draw together (shown in the images below).
It’s important not to over-tighten the mattress stitch seam - you should keep it loose enough that the seam still stretches a little. If the seam is too tight the yarn could easily break when the project is stretched and put on.
At this stage you may discover that you only have one stitch left, so just go ahead and do the mattress stitch repeat using just that one stitch.
Hopefully you've got the same amount of stitches on each piece of fabric so that your seam is nice and even.
To finish off your mattress stitch seam, bring your needle up through the bind off edge on both sides and then pull those edges together. Go back into the wrong side edge the same way and leave your yarn there.
You are now left with two tails of yarn at each end of your mattress stitch seam to weave in.
However before weaving in your ends, it's a good idea to check your tension.
You want to be able to comfortably stretch your seam, which ensures that any items which need to be stretched to put on a body, such as a hat or a jumper, will be able to stretch without putting stress onto the tension of the yarn causing it to snap and your seam to come undone.
An example of tension that is too tight on a mattress stitch is below. Tension that is too tight is what causes seams to look messy and uneven.
You are more likely to make your mattress stitch seams too tight than too loose, however to fix this you can use your fingers to work the stitches up and down so that they look more even. This is also why it is a good idea to leave extra yarn on the ends of your work!
Knitting Tip: when pulling your seams together, as soon as the yarn disappears, that is probably tight enough.
You can now weave in your ends.
On the wrong side of your work, the mattress stitch seam creates a ridge which is created because you're turning one column of knit stitches on each side, under and to the wrong side.
The ridge provides structure to your garment and a stronger point in your fabric which helps to hold it in shape. There are times when you may want to reduce the bulk that the seam creates, which you can read about below.
Hopefully you've found our step-by-step tutorial for mattress stitch helpful, and it's opened up many more patterns for you to try!
For tips and knitting community goodness, don't forget to join The Knitwork - our community of likeminded knitters where you can ask questions, share projects and just have a nice time!
Learning how to knit a scarf is an easy project for beginners because it only requires 3 basic skills;
It's the perfect foundation for becoming a knitter, since you'll use these skills in every project going forward.
You'll also learn to select materials for a project, slip a stitch, join a new ball of yarn and weave in the loose ends of the yarn.
For this free knitted scarf pattern you will need:
305 yards / 280m of Bulky (aka Chunky), 230 yards / 210m of Super Bulky (aka Super Chunky) OR 155 yards / 140m of Jumbo Weight yarn.
Thicker yarns can be easier for beginners to use to than very fine yarns: it's easier to manipulate the yarn and needles, and to see what you're doing. Using a thick yarn also means that your scarf won't take as long to complete, and you're less likely to get bored.
Even amongst thicker yarns, there can be a lot of variation! We've included 3 sets of numbers in the pattern, so that your scarf will turn out roughly the same size no matter how thick your "thick" yarn actually is. Very thick yarns, and correspondingly large needles, can be harder to learn with than ones at the thinner end of this range, but the tradeoff is that your scarf will knit up faster. It's your choice!
On the yarn label you should see the yarn weight, and a suggested needle size. There might also be a number for the yarn. Look for a yarn that is labelled bulky (aka chunky), super bulky (aka super chunky) or jumbo weight or numbered from 5 to 7.
Yarn can also be made from many different types of fibre, and have a range of textures.
As a beginner knitter you'll find it easier to work with yarns that are relatively smooth, and have some "memory". This means that you can stretch the yarn a little bit and it will bounce back when you let go.
100% wool or a blend of wool and synthetic or plant fibres are ideal. 100% silk or plant fibre yarns are harder to work with as a beginner and won't make a warm, cosy scarf.
To knit a scarf, 200g of yarn should make an average width and length scarf. If you want a wider scarf, or you're Dr Who, you'll need extra yarn.
2 balls of StyleCraft ReCreate Chunky (40% wool, 30% acrylic, 30% polyester, (all recycled) 153 yards / 140m, 100g) in the shade Ecru for this project.
You should use a pair of straight needles OR 24"/60cm or 32"/80cm circular needles, in the size recommended for your yarn for this scarf pattern.
If a range of needle sizes is recommended choose a needle at the larger end of this range.
If there is no recommended needle size for your yarn, we suggest using
to complete this scarf pattern.
Knitting needles come in 3 main types: straight, circular and double pointed.
As a beginner you can use either a pair of straight needles, or a circular needle to knit a scarf.
Shorter straight needles are easier to control than very long ones. Circular needles are more portable, and will be more versatile as you grow your skills beyond knitting a scarf because they can also be used for knitting in the round. They come in different lengths: make sure to get a 24" (60cm) or 32" (80cm) needle for this project.
Bamboo or wooden needles are much easier for beginners to use than metal needles. They're less slippery so they'll grip your stitches and you'll be less likely to accidentally drop a stitch off the end.
Tapestry needle / yarn needle - with a blunt tip and an eye big enough to easily thread your yarn through.
You'll use this to weave in the loose ends of yarn when your scarf is complete.
Measuring tape (optional)
Scissors
The pattern includes 3 sets of numbers to cast on.
Use the first number if your yarn is chunky, the second if it's super chunky, and the third if it's jumbo weight.
To begin knitting a scarf you will cast on 24 [18, 12] stitches.
Visit our long tail cast-on blog post for a step-by-step guide, if you don't know how to do it.
Row 1: slip the first stitch, then knit every stitch to the end of the row.
Repeat row 1 until your scarf measures 63"/162cm, or your desired length.
The exact length will vary depending on your yarn, but your scarf is likely to grow about 10% once it has been washed for the first time. You can keep knitting until the yarn that remains is about 4 times longer than the width of your scarf (you need this to bind off).
Bind off all of the stitches.
(There is an example of how to do this in the PDF pattern)
Weave in your ends to finish off. Weaving in ends blog post will show you how this is done.
Gently hand wash your finished scarf and lay it flat to dry.
If you plan on gifting your brand new knitted scarf, there is a gift tag included in our free PDF pattern.
And that's it, you have knit a scarf!
This method uses a long tail of yarn along with one needle and your hand to establish the stitches that you’ll knit from. The Long Tail Cast-on is structurally identical to a backwards loop cast on plus a row of knitting, making it sturdier and less prone to stretch out as you knit than a simple loop cast on. You can use the Long Tail Cast-on for just about any knitting project. If you’re just learning how to cast on and knit, the Long-tail cast on is an indispensable skill for your toolkit!
The long tail cast-on is worked onto one needle. If you're using circular needles hold one tip in the right hand and let the other dangle.
Pull a length of yarn from the ball.
Getting just the right length of tail can be tricky, but it’s better to have more yarn than not enough! To estimate the yarn tail length, measure out about 1" / 2.5cm per cast-on stitch in worsted weight yarn. You’ll need a little less in thinner yarns, a little more in chunkier yarns. An alternative rule of thumb is to use 3 times the width of the project you're casting on for, plus about 6" / 15cm extra.
Make a slipknot and place it on the right-hand needle (easier for beginners) OR lay the yarn over the right needle without a slipknot.
The ball end of the yarn should be away from you and the tail end closer to you.
Holding the needle in your right hand, use your left hand to grasp the two tails hanging from the needle. Insert your left index finger and thumb between the tails.
Open your index finger and thumb, letting the yarn slide down onto your thumb and finger to create the “slingshot” or a V shape. You’ll return to this hand and yarn position after each cast-on stitch.
Step 1. Bring the right needle tip slightly towards you, then insert it into the left thumb loop from below.
Step 2. Grab the strand from your index finger with the right needle, from right to left.
Step 3. Draw the index finger strand down through the loop on your left thumb.
Step 4. Release the yarn from your left thumb.
Step 5. Use your thumb to tighten up the stitch and return to the slingshot position.
Repeat steps 1–6 to continue the Long Tail Cast-on until all of your stitches have been cast on.
Learning how to cast on for knitting is one of the very first things you learn as a knitter, and the Long Tail Cast-on is a versatile and easy method that’s perfect for hats, shawls and sweaters.
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Have your two sets of stitches ready, on two needles (or both needle tips of 1 circular needle). The two needles should be held together parallel, with both needle tips pointing to the right. The needle closest to you is the “front” needle and the other is the “back” needle.
Cut your working yarn, leaving a tail at least 3 times as long as the section you need to graft, and thread it onto a blunt tipped tapestry needle. In the step-by-step photos below we've used a contrast colour so you can clearly see which stitches have been added, but you'll almost always use you working yarn.
Insert the tapestry needle purl wise (from right to left through the front of the loop, as if you were going to purl it) into the first stitch on the front needle, and pull the tail all the way through.
Then insert the tapestry needle into the first stitch on the back needle knit wise (from left to right through the front of the loop, as if you were going to knit it), and draw the yarn tail all the way through the stitch.
Step 1. Insert needle through the first stitch on the front needle knit wise, draw the yarn through, then drop this stitch off the knitting needle.
Step 2. Insert needle through the next stitch on the front needle purl wise, draw the yarn through, and leave this stitch where it is.
Step 3. Insert needle through the next stitch on the back needle purl wise, draw the yarn through, and drop this stitch off the knitting needle.
Step 4. Insert needle through the next stitch on the back needle knit wise, draw the yarn through, and leave this stitch on the knitting needle.
Repeat Steps 1-4 until you’ve worked across all your stitches.
When you reach the last couple of stitches, skip step 2 and go directly to step 3 to finish.
Every few stitches, adjust the tension on the grafted stitches using the tip of your tapestry needle. Be careful not to pull your grafting yarn too tightly, or the join will be visible and not stretchy.
If you’ve worked with Kitchener stitch before and just need a refresher, here you go:
Setup: Front purl, back knit
The rhythm: front knit off, front purl on, back purl off, back knit on, repeat.
Kitchener stitch definitely takes a bit of concentration and practice to master, but you will get into a rhythm with it! Your perfectly seamless sock toes and mitten tops await!
]]>For a crochet provisional cast-on, you’ll need:
- some smooth waste yarn (nothing mohair or fuzzy!) in a similar size to your working yarn or a bit thinner
- a crochet hook that’s a similar size to your working needles
Step 1. Begin by making a slipknot and placing it onto the crochet hook.
Step 2. Hold your crochet hook in your right hand, and an empty knitting needle in your left hand. Cross the crochet hook in front of the knitting needle at a 90 degree angle, with the long tail of the scrap yarn behind the left needle. Wrap the yarn from behind the knitting needle, over the crochet hook.
Step 3. Draw the yarn through through the slip knot on your hook. One stitch has now been cast on.
Step 4. Prepare for the next stitch by bringing the scrap yarn over the hook, but not drawing it through yet. Position the knitting needle between the loop on the hook and the wrap for the new stitch.
Step 5. With the knitting needle now between the loop and the wrap, draw the wrap through the loop to cast on another stitch.
Repeat steps 4 and 5 until you’ve cast on the required number of stitches.
Alternative method for steps 4 and 5: After completing a stitch, bring the yarn to the back between the hook and the needle, and then wrap the scrap yarn around the hook and draw through to create the next stitch.
To finish off the waste yarn, work a few extra chain stitches: [wrap the yarn around the hook and draw it through the loop on the needle] about 5 times. Then cut the waste yarn and pass the end through the final loop.
Now you can join your working yarn and work into your provisional cast on!
Ready to remove the provisional cast-on.
Begin at the end of the provisional cast-on where you worked the extra chain stitches. Unpick the end of the yarn until a loop is exposed. Pulling on the end will now unzip the chain.
As you unzip the provisional cast-on, place the live stitches onto a working needle.
Since the stitches have been turned upside-down, there will be a half-stitch at the end of the row. Once you’ve picked up all your live stitches, compare your stitch count with the required number and adjust by picking up or dropping a half stitch at the edge - nothing will unravel.
You can use the provisional crochet cast-on anywhere a provisional cast on is needed. You can also use this crochet method to cast on with your working yarn rather than waste yarn as it makes a pretty edge that matches a standard bind-off.
]]>Working in the round on DPNs is similar to working on a circular needle, except that the stitches are distributed over 3 or 4 rigid needles rather than one flexible cable. You are still knitting with just two needles at a time - the other needles are simply holders for the stitches you haven’t worked yet.
Although your first time with double pointed needles (DPNs) might feel a bit like wrestling a porcupine, with a little practice you will be sailing along and impressing everyone with your skills. You might also find that, like many knitters, you prefer to work small circumferences using the magic loop technique.
Double pointed needles, as the name suggests, have points on both ends of the needle (rather than one, as for straight needles), and come in sets of 4 or 5. One needle is always empty as your right-hand needle, and the remaining 3 or 4 needles hold the worked stitches.
DPNs come in all sizes and materials, including wood, metal, plastic, and bamboo. They also come in a few different lengths. Short DPNs are 4–5” long, and won’t hold very many stitches each, so are best suited for small projects with few stitches. Medium length DPNs are 6–7” long, and are useful for most projects, including sleeves and slippers.
Long DPNs also exist, and are sometimes used for knitting whole colourwork sweaters without circular needles!
The steps are similar to knitting in the round on one circular.
Cast on all the stitches
Use your favourite cast on method to cast on all the stitches to one needle.
Distribute stitches
Working from the first cast-on stitch, slip about 1/3 or 1/4 of the stitches to one double pointed needle, being careful not to drop or twist the stitches.
Then take up another needle and slip more stitches to this second needle. Repeat for a third needle if necessary. Then leave the last 1/3 or 1/4 of the stitches on the cast on needle.
Some patterns include directions for how many stitches to arrange on each needle. For example, many sock patterns will distribute the heel stitches on one needle.
Whether you distribute your stitches over 3 or 4 stitches is personal preference. You might prefer to use 3 needles for smaller projects, and 4 for larger.
Join, being careful not to twist
Arrange your 3 or 4 needles with stitches on them into a triangle or square - this is the outline of your knitted tube. Work your way around the stitches and make sure that none of them are twisted around the needle, or twisted between the needles. The working yarn should be attached to the last cast-on stitch, and this needle should be on the right-hand side of the triangle or square.
The one empty DPN is your right needle. Insert it into the first cast-on stitch, then wrap the working yarn around it to complete the stitch. Your work should now be joined into a tube.
Mark the beginning of the round between two needles by inserting a locking stitch marker into the edge of the fabric.
Knit in the round
Continue to work across the stitches on the first needle.
When you reach the end of the first DPN, you will have a new empty needle to use as your right needle.
Rotate the work to the right by one needle. Now use the empty needle to knit across the second DPN. Rotate the work again and continue knitting across the third needle. Repeat for the fourth needle. You’ve completed one round!
As you finish each DPN, make sure to push the stitches to the centre of the needle so they don’t slip off the ends.
Continue in this manner, working each double pointed needle and then rotating to work the next one, around and around.
You may encounter patterns that are written specifically for double points, and use “needle 1” and “needle 2”, etc to provide pattern instructions.
Tips and Tricks
Looking for an alternative to double pointed needles? Learn to knit in the round on one circular or Magic Loop with our other knitting in the round tutorials!
]]>Compared with DPNs, there’s much lower risk of dropping stitches, and since it’s just one circular, you can’t misplace or lose a needle. Learning Magic Loop is also a good way to purchase fewer needles, since a long circular can be used for both magic loop and larger projects.
Needles for Magic Loop
A circular needle for Magic Loop should have a very flexible cable - it will be very frustrating to use one that twists on itself or refuses to bend. You can use any needle material, but when starting out with Magic Loop you may want to choose a less slippery material such as wood.
The length of the needle will depend on how large your project is. For socks and mitts a 32” (80cm) needle is likely long enough, but for sweater sleeves you may want a longer one such as 40” (100cm). These two lengths will cover most of your Magic Loop needs. Keep in mind that circular needle length is measured from needle tip to needle tip, not the length of the cable itself.
Cast on all the stitches onto your needle using your favourite method, or the one called for by your pattern.
Once you’ve cast on, push all the stitches down onto the cable.
Fold the cable in half, with the (approximate) centre of the stitches at the fold. Between the stitches, grab hold of the needle’s cable and pull it out, dividing the stitches into two sections.
Slide the two halves of the stitches up onto the needle tips. Depending on how large your project is, the stitches might be all on the needle, or some on the cable.
Before you join to work in the round, ensure that the cast on isn’t twisted - the bottom edge of the cast on should be continuous across all the stitches.
Join in the round
Hold the needles parallel and pointing to the right, with the working yarn coming off the back needle. Holding the stitches in place with your fingers, pull the back needle (the one with the working yarn attached) to the right, so that the stitches slide back onto the cable. This now-empty needle is your right needle.
Insert the right needle tip into the first stitch on the front needle, and knit it (or purl if that’s the pattern). Your work is now joined! Mark the beginning of the round between the needles with a locking stitch marker.
Knit in the round with Magic Loop
Now continue working across the first half of the stitches on this needle. When you reach the end of the stitches on this half, the right needle will have stitches on it and the left needle will be empty.
Flip the work so the second half of the round is facing you.
Slide the second-half stitches up to the empty needle tip, ready to be worked.
Pull the back needle (with the working yarn attached) to the right so the worked stitches are on the cable, and use this needle to work across the second half of the stitches.
You should always have two loops in the needle’s cable: one attached to your right working needle, and one halfway through the round.
Continue in this manner, working each half of the round by sliding the stitches up the working needle, pulling the back needle out to create a loop, then knitting across the front needle.
The Magic Loop technique is a useful and versatile skill to have in your circular knitting toolkit! What will you knit with the Magic Loop?
]]>Rather than turning your work after each row as you would with knitting flat, you keep knitting around and around in the same direction, creating a seamless tube of knitting. When knitting in the round, the outside of the tube always faces you as you - this makes it easy to maintain stitch patterns or work colour patterns.
Once you learn how to knit in the round, you can create all sorts of seamless projects, like cowls, hats, mitts, and seamless sweaters. Plus, you can never drop and lose one needle! This tutorial covers the basics of knitting in the round with one circular needle, appropriate for hats, cowls, and sweaters.
For simple knitting in the round, the circumference of your project needs to be large enough for the stitches to fit around the needle. For smaller cicumferences, like socks and sleeves, you'll need to use a different technique. Check out our tutorials on Knitting with Double Pointed Needles and Magic Loop for more on knitting small projects in the round.
Circular needles are a pair of knitting needle tips that are connected with a flexible cable. Circular needles come in all the same sizes as straight needles, and in different lengths. The needle tips can be made of wood, bamboo, plastic, or metal. The cables used in circular needles vary greatly depending on the brand of needle, so try a few until you find one you like!
The length you’ll need depends on the circumference of your project, as you need a circular needle that is a bit shorter than the finished circumference of the stitches. Here are some common lengths and the types of projects you can use them for:
Circular needles can hold many stitches on the cable, since they can bunch together. Generally, a circular needle can hold at least twice as many stitches as its length - so a 24” needle could hold 48” worth of stitches. Some knitters prefer to have more stitches bunched up on a shorter needle, while others like to have more room between the stitches on a longer circular. It can be frustrating to use a circular needle that is much shorter or longer than needed, so check your pattern requirements.
Cast on all the stitches
You can use any type of cast on that you prefer. If you use a two-needle cast on like the cable cast on, you will use one needle in each hand as for straight needles - except that the needles are connected to each other. Once you’ve cast on all your stitches, they should fill the length of the circular needle.
Be careful not to twist
As you cast on, the stitches have a tendency to spiral around the needle. This is completely normal, but you’ll need to make sure you don’t have any twists before you start knitting in the round. To do this, work your way across the circular needle making sure that the bottom of the cast-on edge is facing the same way all the way across.
Join to work in the round
Distribute your stitches so they reach all the way to both needle tips. The working yarn should be attached to the right needle so that you’re ready to knit.
Place a stitch marker on the right needle to indicate the beginning of the round. Then insert your right needle tip into the first cast on stitch on the left needle and knit or purl it in pattern. Your work is now joined!
Knit in the round
Continue knitting across your stitches.
As you work from right to left, your completed stitches will gather on the right needle and move down onto the cable.
Slide the unworked stitches up to the left needle tip to work them. As you knit, you’ll develop your own way of knitting and sliding the stitches around the circular needle.
When you reach the beginning of round marker, you’ve completed one round.
Slip the marker from the left needle to the right needle and continue knitting.
Tips and Tricks
Whether you knit in the round on one circular, double pointed needles, or Magic Loop, circular knitting is an easy and fun way to create seamless knits! Practice what you've learned with our free beginner hat pattern.
]]>We’ve put together a list of some of our favourite knitted gift ideas for the different recipients in your life with the reminder that knitting time is often a rare and precious treat in a busy week so make sure you enjoy it!
For those who celebrate Christmas, a stocking to fill or simply hang to decorate is a sweet way to bring your maker identity into festive traditions. Ysolda designed a knitted Christmas stocking pattern a few years ago and they make a great stashbusting project. Charts are included for all 26 letters, a tree, snowflake and a bird.
https://ysolda.com/products/last-minute-stockings
Find it on Ravelry https://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/last-minute-stockings
One person’s plain knit sock is another’s Everest to climb so we find it a little tricky to state confidently what makes for an easy knitting experience! However, may we suggest Tombreck, our free knitted hat pattern? Tombreck is perfect for new knitters as this easy hat pattern uses only knits and purls to create the fun textured chevrons!
https://ysolda.com/blogs/journal/free-beanie-pattern
Find it on Ravelry https://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/tombreck
If there’s one thing we know, it’s that people cannot resist welcoming little ones into the joyfully soft world of hand knitted baby clothes and toys! Our best selling knitting pattern for babies remains the Wee Envelope, a gender neutral baby sweater with a wide overlapping neck that makes for easy dressing.
https://ysolda.com/collections/baby/products/wee-envelope
Find it on Ravelry https://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/wee-envelope
Sometimes you want something you can achieve in just one single skein. If it’s a special skein, may we suggest Poza, a beautiful cowl where chevrons meet smaller detailing throughout. This is the cowl to try out that precious skein from an indie dyer you’ve always admired. It’s a treat to knit so make it double the joy with something a little luxe!
https://ysolda.com/products/poza
Find it on Ravelry https://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/poza
If this is your criteria because you’re trying to fit in a last minute knitted gift, can we urge you to stop, step away from your needles and think about why you’re putting yourself (and wrists) under that pressure? If however you’re just hoping for something small and satisfying, we can recommend the Kaerlig mittens that use only a small amount of fingering weight yarn. Due to the interesting construction, they require minimal finishing and fiddling with fingers and thumbs too.
https://ysolda.com/products/kaerlig
Find them on Ravelry https://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/krlig
We have some pretty cute knitting patterns for toys and Poklon is one of our favourites. Poklon is the wee pup who featured in Ysolda’s first Knitworthy collection, a design collection that focuses on gift knitting. There’s now 40 patterns to choose from and Poklon pops up on knitter’s needles time and time again.
https://ysolda.com/products/poklon
Find Poklon on Ravelry https://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/poklon
Well, this is where we want to ask a lot of questions about who gets to decide what counts as neutral versus feminine or masculine…. there’s a lot to unpack. If you’re looking for something that the wearer would feel they didn’t have to perform any particular gender identity though, we’d recommend Hiraeth, a knitted scarf pattern that works for everyone.
https://ysolda.com/products/hiareth
Find it on Ravelry https://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/hiraeth–2
Want something that looks very impressive but is actually an easy colourwork knitting pattern? Meet Pyukkleen, an excellent first stranded colour work pattern with its geometric patterns, short floats and lack of steeking. It uses up lots of small colours too so is a great project to cast on from the leftovers of your colourwork yoke sweater too.
https://ysolda.com/collections/cowls/products/pyukkleen
Find it on Ravelry https://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/pyukkleen
We get it because we hear this a lot “I want something handknit but I don’t want it to look handmade”. One thing we want to urge is for you to explore who is truly worthy of your knitting time. Who is valuing the production that goes into clothing and fashion? When we knit, we reconnect with that process and in a world where climate justice is becoming increasingly urgent and vital? Knit for those that truly connect with this super skill of production. Maybe gift knitting lessons to help this recipient connect with a process they’ve become so disconnected from instead….?
Looking for even more knitted gift ideas? We’ve got a whole design collection with you in mind. Ysolda’s Knitworthy collection spans 5 years of design work and includes 40 designs aimed to be fun to knit with beautiful results. You can view the Knitworthy back catalogue, here. https://ysolda.com/collections/knitworthy-patterns
]]>The Porty Hat follows up on our bestselling Musselburgh pattern with a similar top-down, swatchless construction and just as much cool, casual style. We’ve named it after our local beach in Edinburgh, where a cosy hat that can be pulled down over your ears to keep out the chill is an essential accessory. The Porty Hat’s universal appeal and comfortable, elastic fit, make it a wonderful gift for anyone on your list.
Whether you’re an adventurous beginner eager to learn new skills, or an experienced knitter looking for a quick, compelling project you’ll love knitting the Porty Hat. The swatchless design begins at the centre top: the crown is shaped by increasing outward in 4 ‘compass point’ lines. When you’ve created enough fabric to do so you can simply measure your gauge on the project, and match it to the numbers given for your size and gauge. Once the fun crown shaping is complete, there’s lots of soothing 1x1 rib that makes for the perfect “take anywhere” project.
Smooth sock yarn? Something squishy and chunky? Stripes, speckles or colour-blocking? Extra long with a giant pom-pom? Understated or loud? How will you make this blank canvas your own?
We know you'll find the incredible range of hats made by our preview knitters inspiring! We've broken them down by yarn weight so that you can see how yarn choice and gauge affect the results.
Winnie
Instagram: @bokchoyknits
Yarn: Atelier Franziska Uhl Handgefärbte Sockenwolle
Jy
Instagram: @jychao
Yarn: Doulton Border Leicester 4ply
Patrice
Instagram: @Beesinthepines
Briggs and Little Sport 100% wool single ply
Winnie
Instagram: @bokchoyknits
Yarn: Sweetgeorgia tough love socks held together with Hedgehog Merino lace
Rachael
Instagram: @redrabbit8584
Yarn: Knit Spin Farm Targhee Sport
Max
Instagram: @thirdfactory
Yarn: Toots Le Blanc DK 60%wool/40%angora
Sophia
Instagram: @craftink/
Yarn: Cherry Tree Hill Yarn Supersock DK
Nahoko
Instagram: @nm.ninemountains.nm
Yarn: DARUMA Merino DK / DARUMA COMBINATION WOOL
Charlotte
Instagram: @lolotte1409
Yarn: Squoosh fiberarts ultra worsted, Malabrigo Worsted
Tracy
Instagram: @tfknits
Yarn: Cascade 220 Superwash
Jy
Instagram: @jychao
Yarn: New Lanark DK plus a strand of silk mohair
Winnie
Instagram: @bokchoyknits
Yarn: Black Cat Custom Yarn Let’s Get Worsted
Amanda
Instagram: @hippiemommy
Yarn: Hedgehog Fibres Merino Aran
Amy
Instagram: @runallthetrailsco
Yarn: Western Sky Knits Biggie
Feeling inspired? Click here to purchase the Porty Hat pattern, which includes print friendly, mobile optimised and low vision pdfs, and cast on today! We can’t wait to see your Porty Hat so please do tag us on social media and show us your progress using the hashtag #PortyHat!
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The cast- on is worked by making a loop of yarn and casting on stitches around it. When your cast-on is complete you can simply pull the end of the yarn: the cast-on stitches will snug up against each other and the hole in the middle will vanish.
Similar ways to cast on from the centre-out include the pinhole cast-on and Emily Ocker’s cast-on. These methods both draw up a stitch from the centre of the loop, then use a crochet hook or your fingers to create a crochet-like chain stitch into it. This extra step separates the new stitches, but can also cause extra bulk around the cast-on.
Instead of working chain stitches, this disappearing loop cast-on alternates between drawing up a loop from the centre and yarn overs onto the right needle. Since there are fewer stitches picked up through the loop, this method is less bulky and quicker than other methods. If you also crochet you might recognise this technique: the disappearing loop is just like the “magic circle” in crochet, but knit!
Watch the video, or follow the step by step directions below.
Begin by making a loop with your working yarn, about 6” (15cm) from the end. The short end of the yarn should cross over the ball end. This is the loop that will “disappear” once you continue knitting.
1. The first cast on stitch is a yarn over onto the right needle. Holding the loop open with your fingers, bring the right needle tip behind the ball end of the yarn - this is your first stitch.
2. Making sure not to let go of the loop, insert the right needle tip into the center of the loop, then over the ball end, grabbing up the strand, and drawing it through the loop to create your second stitch.
3. For the third stitch, yarn over onto the right needle.
To cast on an odd number of stitches, begin with the ball end over the tail end of the yarn.
1. Make the first stitch by inserting the right needle into the center of the loop and drawing up a stitch.
2. Then yarn over onto the right needle.
Repeat steps 1 and 2, ending with a step 2. The first and last stitches are both picked up through the loop.
The step-by-step photos above show the disappearing loop cast-on worked on a circular needle. If you prefer to use dpns work the cast-on onto just one needle.
You’ll now divide your stitches over needles suitable for working small circumferences in the round: double pointed needles, 2 circulars, or magic loop. Working from right to left, slip a few stitches to each double pointed needle until you have 3 or 4 working needles, then you can begin knitting in the round.
If you’re using magic loop or 2 circulars, slip half the stitches onto each needle. Once you’ve worked a few rounds, pull on the tail to close up the loop.
In addition to top-down hats like Musselburgh, you can use the disappearing loop cast-on for all sorts of projects! It's the perfect cast-on for top-down mitts, seamless toys like Elijah and Sophie, toe-up socks, and centre-out shawls and blankets.
]]>Scroll down for a video tutorial.
Work in pattern to the increase. You will be working the increase stitch into the right side of the next stitch, before working the stitch itself- this is a Right Lifted Increase (RLI).
Insert the right needle tip into the right half of the stitch directly below the left needle.
Open this stitch slightly and place this loop onto the left needle.
Knit into this stitch normally.
Increase complete.
Purl to where you need to increase.
The increase will be worked into the purl bump directly below the left needle.
You can purl directly into the loop if you wish, or lift it onto the left needle with the leading edge on the right. Purl into this loop.
Using your fingers, open the stitch column slightly to identify the row two rows below the stitch on your right needle.
Insert the left needle tip into the purl bump below and behind the stitch just worked, and lift this strand onto the left needle.
Knit into this stitch.
Purl to where you need to work the increase. The LLIP will be worked into the second purl bump down from the right needle.
Insert the left needle tip into the purl bump from below and lift it onto the needle.
Purl into this loop.
If video suits you better, here's a tutorial we made illustrating these increases. You may well find watching the video and then looking at the still photos works best for you.
lifted increases from Ysolda Teague on Vimeo.
With right and left lifted increases in your personal stitch dictionary, you can substitute lifted increases for m1s or other types of increases whenever you like!
Check out some of our patterns with lifted increases: Glenmore and Inverleith.
]]>It's the perfect bind-off method for 1x1 rib, and can also be used for 2x2 rib and to finish brioche stitch projects.
The tubular bind-off begins with set-up rows worked in double knitting, which separates the knit and purl stitches into two layers. These layers are then grafted together to complete the bind-off.
Blunt darning needle
Spare needle(s) in the same size or a slightly smaller size than the working needle.
If your project is worked in the round you'll need 1 spare circular needle.
If your project is worked flat you'll need either 2 spare dpns, or 2 spare circular needles (depending on the width of your piece).
2 or 4 set up rows can be worked. These set-up rows will create both sides of a tube at once using the double knitting technique. Each set-up row is the equivalent of half a row of regular ribbing.
How many set up rows to work is personal preference. 2 rows will be more subtle, while 4 creates a bouncier, more rounded edge. You might want to match the number of set up rows you worked on the cast-on.
Compensate for the length taken up by the set-up rounds and bind-off: Begin working the bind-off when there are 1 or 2 rows / rounds left in the pattern, so that your ribbing doesn't come out longer than the desired length.
Knitting flat
Work 2 or 4 rows as follows: knit the knit stitches and slip the purl stitches with the yarn in front.
Knitting in the round
Round 1: knit the knit stitches and slip the purl stitches with the yarn in front.
Round 2: slip the knit stitches with the yarn in back and purl the purl stitches.
Optional: repeat last 2 rounds.
The sewn tubular bind-off is completed by grafting the two sides of the tube, created by the set-up rows, together. If you have plenty of experience with basic grafting it is possible to do this without first re-arranging the stitches.
Don't worry if that sounds too challenging! The method shown in this tutorial makes the grafting much simpler by first rearranging the stitches so that all of the knit stitches (the front layer of the tube) are on one needle, and all of the purl stitches (the back layer) are on a second needle.
Slip the first stitch onto a spare needle. If you're working in the round this can be the other end of your working needle.
Then slip the second stitch onto a different spare needle.
Hold the two needles in the right hand parallel. Continue to work your way across all of the stitches, slipping the knit stitches onto the front needle and the purl stitches onto the back. Slip all stitches purlwise.
Slide the stitches to the opposite ends of the needles, so that the live yarn is close to the needle tip.
Cut the yarn leaving a tail about three times as long as the edge. Complete the bind-off by grafting the two sets of stitches together.
Thread a tapestry needle with the yarn and hold both needles in the left hand, with the needles parallel.
Step 1: Insert the tapestry needle through the first stitch on the front needle as if to purl. Pull the yarn through without removing the stitch from the front needle.
Step 2: Insert the tapestry needle through the first stitch on the back needle as if to knit. Pull the yarn through without removing the stitch from the front needle.
Step 3: Insert the tapestry needle through the first stitch on the front needle as if to knit. Remove this stitch from the front needle and pull the yarn through.
Step 4: Insert the tapestry needle through the first stitch on the front needle as if to purl. Pull the yarn through without removing the stitch from the front needle.
Step 5: Insert the tapestry needle through the first stitch on the back needle as if to purl. Remove this stitch from the back needle and pull the yarn through.
Step 6: Insert the tapestry needle through the first stitch on the back needle as if to knit. Pull the yarn through without removing the stitch from the front needle.
Repeat steps 3-6 until all stitches have been joined.
Tip: adjust the tension after every few stitches. The grafting effectively adds a row of stitches so aim to match the tension of the surrounding stitches rather than pulling them tightly together.
For 2×2 rib the stitches can be rearranged into 1×1 rib before working the set up rows. If you’ve already worked the tubular cast-on for 2×2 rib the process of rearranging the stitches is essentially the same.
Work the following row to rearrange the stitches and then continue to follow the set-up row instructions above:
*knit 1, slip the next stitch off the needle, purl into the next stitch making sure that the loose stitch is at the front, put the loose stitch back on the needle and knit it, purl 1, repeat from * to end.
When beginning a larger cross stitch project, one of the hardest things can be actually starting. How should I prepare my fabric? What color should I start with? Where should I begin stitching?
All of these questions are great AND at some point, you'll have to jump in. Here's how.
To begin cross stitching, you'll follow the instructions to find the center of your pattern and the corresponding center of your fabric. In order to get to the 'jump in' part, I like to take the time to make a grid on my aida fabric that matches the grid on my pattern. This process will help you both get familiar with your cross stitch pattern as well as set up some guidelines for the entirety of the cross stitch project.
There are two main ways to set up the grid on your cross stitch fabric. One is with a water-soluble marker, I use the DMC brand you can order from my website, and the other way is to temporarily stitch a grid with embroidery floss.
Using a water-soluble marker, take the time to mark the grid of your pattern onto the fabric. Use the marker to make a dot on every tenth hole, corresponding to where the bold gridlines on the pattern intersect. The hole is the point of intersection.
Mark as much or as little of your fabric as you'd like to get started. This process takes time, but the more markings you add, the easier it will be to finish your large cross stitch project.
It can be helpful to mark off the dots on your paper pattern if you're not going to transfer all of them.
Once all of your stitching is completed, you'll be instructed in your cross stitch pattern to wash the fabric. At that point, the markings will also wash off, and your large cross stitch project will be ready for framing. You can find instructions for framing your project with a hoop here or here and in your instruction booklet.
If you make a mistake while counting, spritz some water onto your fabric at the 'mismade' marking and continue on. Wait for you fabric to dry before marking in the correct spot.
Your cross stitch pattern is divided into 4 equal quadrants. Make a quick guide with thread that follows those quadrants for easy reference while stitching.
This is a great option if you plan to stitch your project one quadrant at a time, instead of one color at a time across the whole pattern.
These thread lines are similar to making a 'running stitch' or 'basting stitch' when sewing. There is no need to be consistent here - you're simply dividing the fabric into the 4 sections matching your pattern.
Cut a long piece of thread, about 18" / 46cm, so that it's longer than your Aida cloth. Use a single strand of floss, begin at one end of the Aida and stitch continuously to the other end. Now turn the fabric and stitch the perpendicular line. I like to make sure I cross threads directly in the middle of my cloth so I get a clear center marking.
This is where you can get really creative. The whole point of marking the grid onto your fabric, is to give yourself the ease of counting to make sure you're stitching in the right spots. How you do that is up to you!
Shown in the photo above from left to right:If you've chosen to use thread, keep the threads on your cloth as long as they're useful. This could be throughout the whole project, or after you've stitched a majority of your project. When you're ready, simply pull from the edge of the cloth to remove the single strands. If the string gets stuck, take your scissors and snip the floss into smaller sections from the back. Be careful not to snip your actual cross stitches.
Now that your Aida has a matching grid to your pattern, you can really begin anywhere! I always advise starting towards the center no matter what. Choose to stitch one color at a time, one section at a time, or whatever makes sense for you when reading the pattern. Have fun and set yourself up for success.
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Do you struggle with tight bind offs? Whether you’re knitting a toe-up sock, a top-down sweater, or a lacy shawl, a bind off that’s too tight can really get in the way of enjoying your finished project! Here are 3 easy methods to work a stretchy bind-off without sewing.
Tip: If you tend to knit tightly, you may also want to go up a needle size to bind off.
This purl-based bind-off is often worked from the wrong side, although it can also be used on the right side for a decorative ridge.
Step 1. Purl the first 2 stitches together (p2tog). There is now one st on the right needle.
Step 2. Slip it back to the left needle without twisting.
Repeat these 2 steps until only 1 stitch remains.
This bind-off is similar to the p2tog bind-off above, but worked knitwise through the back loops. Working an extra stitch between the decreases provides even more elasticity.
Step 1. Knit the first two stitches.
Step 2. Insert the left needle tip into the front of these two stitches on the right needle.
Knit the 2 stitches together through the back loop
(k2tog tbl).
Step 3. Knit 1 stitch from the left needle. There are now two stitches on the right needle.
Repeat steps 2 and 3 until you have 2 stitches left, then work step 2 once more.
Jeny’s Surprisingly Stretchy bind-off, originally published in Knitty combines the traditional bind off with yarn overs for extra elasticity, without requiring a super long tail or sewing. Knit and purl stitches are treated slightly differently while working this bind-off.
Knit (on left)
Purl (on right)
Step 1: Knit or purl the first stitch as needed.
Step 2: If the next stitch is a knit, work a reverse yarn over, bringing the yarn over the right needle then to the back.
If the next stitch is a purl, work a standard yarn over.
Step 3: Knit or purl the next stitch.
Step 4: Using the left needle tip, catch the yarn over and previous stitch and pull them over the last stitch on the right needle.
Repeat steps 2-4 until all sts have been worked.
This method works really well as a bind-off for ribbing, and is perfect for ribbed edges that you want to be really stretchy. It's a great choice if you're binding off a toe-up sock cuff, or as a bind-off for the neckband of a toddler sweater – you won't have to worry about getting it over their big head!
Follow the directions above, knitting the knits and purling the purls, and basing the yarn over direction on whether the next stitch is a knit or purl.
The result is a decorative edge with a slightly knotted appearance with great stretch and recovery.
When you’ve finished binding off, cut the yarn. Instead of threading it through the last stitch, pull the loop of the stitch until the end pops out. That way you won't get a little "ear" that sticks out at the end of the bind-off.
The p2tog and k2togtbl bind-offs have the closest appearance to a traditional bind-off, while Jeny's Surprisingly Stretchy bind-off results in a more decorative, rounded edge.
Both have great stretch, and depending on your tension and the yarn used Jeny's Surprisingly Stretchy bind-off tends to be slightly stretchier.
Which you use is personal preference and may depend on your project or yarn. If you're not sure you can always try binding off a few stitches using each method on a swatch to compare.
For the ultimate seamless, elastic edge for your ribbed sweater edges, sock cuffs and top-down hats, try a Tubular bind off! A tubular bind off requires more forethought than the ones we covered today, but it’s worth it for the excellent result.
This sewn bind-off method essentially involves grafting the knit stitches to the purls. Learn how to work it with our step-by-step sewn tubular bind-off tutorial.
Image from Ravelry user Sawomuc
who worked a tubular bind-off
to finish the neckline of his Glenmore sweater.
This isn’t a decision that I’ve taken lightly. Building an online store has meant employing a larger team, renting warehouse space and studios, and setting up all of the structures a retail business requires. There are members of our team who have been with me since I first started self-publishing books, and that I, and the business, would not be where we are now without. We’ve also been lucky enough to collaborate with freelancers all over the world whose expertise and perspectives have made the business stronger and more vibrant. There are many others who have jumped in and worked a few hours, or days, to get us through busy events, pop-ups, open studios and sales weeks. This decision comes with the knowledge that these structures must now be wound down, team members looked after as we say goodbye and of course, thinking of what you, our customers would want.
So Why Now?
As makers ourselves, each team member has loved the challenge of sourcing products, collaborating with producers, and tying a neat bow around a project idea so that we can provide the yarn, tool or pattern you need to fuel your own creativity. Over the last fourteen months this has become increasingly challenging to deliver to the standard we feel customers deserve. The combined effect of the global pandemic and Brexit on our supply chain means that, as you may have noticed, we’ve been unable to restock a huge percentage of our range.
Adding new products, without losing what makes us special, means doing so slowly whilst being mindful of not introducing competition to other independent stores we know are also facing the same challenges. We pride ourselves on taking the time to invest in the stories of our products and develop those projects. Pivoting to a different range of products, on the scale necessary, isn’t a quick or easy solution.
I’m incredibly proud of how our team has responded to these challenges, and I’m grateful for both how fortunate we’ve been and for the support we’ve received from customers all over the world. With sharpened focus we’ve been carefully tracking our numbers, finding ways to be more efficient, seeking experienced advice, and, ultimately, taking a hard, honest look at what’s working. We’ve planned, we’ve pivoted and now we can see that there needs to be a bigger change altogether.
Closing this chapter with intention means that my business will be able to meet its financial obligations and to pay my team the redundancy payments they deserve.
On both a personal, and professional level, being able to see what comes next requires taking some time to process and reflect on what serves me and my community best. I began designing and blogging 16 years ago, on the cusp of adulthood, and this business, in all its different phases, has been my life. I know that it has meant a lot to so many of you to see an openly queer, outspoken woman business owner finding success and creating their own path, and I don’t take the responsibility of that lightly. Earlier this year, I was also officially diagnosed with ADHD, and suggested Autism. Gaining understanding of my neurodiversity has been both a positive experience, and a lot to process.
As I’ve considered the possible paths for my own business, I’ve really appreciated other small business owners who have shared their stories and questioned how to build a small business without perpetuating harmful structures. I particularly appreciated this post from Sancho’s, and the timely reminder that “independent businesses can’t and shouldn’t behave like multinational chains”. In order to create more ethical futures where people, and especially marginalised people, are placed ahead of capitalist supremacy, we need to move with intention. If we can’t do that in our personal businesses, we risk emulating the corporate practices we’re resisting as makers.
What This Means
Over the next few weeks, my team and I are hoping to send you out the last of our available products and spend time sharing what makes our remaining stock special with you. Products will be available to buy but only whilst stocks last. Once items are gone, we will not be restocking them.
We’ve created a special update this coming Wednesday at 2pm (BST) with something that works a lot like a care package as a thank you to the many of you have been loyal customers over the years. These will be hand picked by our team and I will share more details in the newsletter announcement on Wednesday. (You can sign up here if you want to be sure to mark this ending with us.)
After the 25th June, we’ll continue to sell and support digital patterns, our Knitwork community and our free tutorials will remain online. My team will be considerably smaller and I’ll be taking some much needed time off with my family and loved ones.
What Happens Next?
I appreciate your patience as I take this time to remap what my knitting business will look like in the future. I’m sure many of you have practical questions and that’s why we’ve pulled together all the questions and answers we could think of on this page. Please do reach out by emailing us at support@ysolda.com if there’s something we haven’t covered here.
I want to personally thank all of our customers for your support and enthusiasm for everything we’ve worked on over the last few years. Your creativity has been hugely inspiring and a constant source of joy every time one of us (me especially) finds a knitting project tagged on social media and gleefully shares with the rest of the team. It has been such a privilege to be the small business owner folks choose to get their making supplies from.
Ysolda
As knitters ourselves, the Ysolda studio team love helping other makers to find ways to enjoy their knitting. Sharing knowledge is what really keeps us creating as a business! We asked our friend Atia of Bright Blooms to write about how to wear a shawl, and some things to think about when planning to include shawls in your outfits. - Ysolda
Ever since I first learned to knit, I have always enjoyed knitting shawls. Shawl patterns are a great way to learn a new technique such as lace knitting or brioche, and I particularly enjoy making triangular shawls with their neat increases along the spine. I have knitted quite a few shawlettes in the past but didn’t find them very practical to wear as I prefer to wear larger warm shawls! However these smaller shawls came into their own when my daughter was a toddler, she wore (and lost!) several beautiful shawls knit in hand dyed yarn, including a pretty Ishbel shawl. Although I no longer have them any more, I have fond memories and photographs of them which I treasure.
I usually choose a shawl pattern without a particular outfit in mind, and just choose a design and yarn that I will enjoy using. The larger shawls I like to wear are a bigger commitment as I am a slow knitter! Knitting a shawl has become a mindful activity to occupy the evenings, so the process of making one should be a tactile and enjoyable experience.
I also like to sew clothes and although I don’t usually plan my knitting to match clothes I have made, I enjoy putting together outfits which coordinate well together. I tend to use a colour palette of jewel tones with some pastels, and I am happy to try unexpected colour combinations such as lilac and mustard. I also do like to use neutrals as well, such as grey, navy or dark green, as they are versatile and practical colours which go with lots of brighter shades.
Choosing colours feels very straightforward and natural to me and I usually have a feel for which colours will work well together. However, there was a time when I wore a lot of black, so my wardrobe was not always as colourful as it is now! I would recommend adding small amounts of colour with accessories (shawls are ideal for this!) until you get more comfortable with colour, and then experiment with other items of clothing. You can start with a more muted shade of a colour you would like to incorporate into your wardrobe, and then choose a brighter colour when you are ready.
Another way to add colour is with prints. I use a lot of botanical and floral prints in my sewing. People often think prints are hard to coordinate, but I usually pick out a couple of colours from a design and use those to accessorise with. I avoid having everything in the same colour though, as this can give quite a flat and ‘matchy-matchy’ look. Again, this is probably worth experimenting with, Instagram can also be a great source of inspiration.
I usually wear shawls for the practical aspect of keeping warm, and like them to be casual and unfussy. As I also wear a hijab, a small shawl can lack impact, so I choose bigger ones which I can drape around my shoulders or wrap around the body easily. I recently received a shawl pin which has been very useful for keeping shawls in place. I find midi dresses really easy to style with shawls, prairie style ruffled dresses in floaty fabrics seem to work well. They can equally be styled with jeans and a top for a more casual look.
For these photos, I chose a range of styles from my wardrobe, some toning in with the colour of the shawl and others providing a bold contrast. These shawls perfectly illustrated how versatile shawls can be, as they are each completely different in size, weight and colour.
What's your favourite type of knitted shawl? They're the perfect knitted accessory for Spring. Our guide gives you suggestions for your next shawl project, whatever your best loved shawl type!
Read our guest post by Liam Hartle, about his experiences as a trans knitter figuring out what patterns will both suit his style and fit the way he hoped.
]]>Simply put, gauge (also known as tension) in hand knitting is the number of stitches and rows in a defined area. In modern knitting patterns, the gauge is usually presented per inch (2.5cm) or over four inches (10cm). Some vintage patterns give gauge over 2 inches (5cm).
Here’s an example of a common knitting gauge (these all represent the same gauge):
5 sts and 7 rows = 1” / 2.5cm square in stockinette stitch
10 sts and 14 rows = 2” / 5cm square in stockinette stitch
20 sts and 28 rows = 4” / 10cm square in stockinette stitch
In this example, for every 5 stitches on your needles, you will get 1” of width. Or said another way, for every 20 stitches on your needles, you will get 4” of width. So 40 stitches would equal 8”, and 80 stitches would equal 16”.
When knitting stockinette stitch, the stitches are wider than they are tall. So although it takes 5 stitches to make 1” widthwise, you need 7 rows to equal 1” tall. Different stitch patterns may have different relationships between the number of stitches and rows in an inch, depending on how the stitches are manipulated.
One of the main goals in defining gauge is to create a fabric that you like the feel of, and that suits the intended purpose of the project. Since everyone knits differently, some people knit more tightly, and some more loosely. The same yarn used on the same needles by 3 different knitters will most likely come out 3 different sizes. Conversely, 3 knitters might need 3 different needle sizes to arrive at the same gauge.
Generally, yarns knit at a tighter gauge than the ball band (smaller needles, more stitches per inch) will be more dense and firm, less stretchy, and more durable than the same yarn knit at a looser gauge. This firm fabric is perfect for decor items and structured garments.
Example: A worsted weight yarn calls for 5mm (US8) needles. If you decided to knit it on 3.25mm (US3) needles, the resulting fabric will be very stiff and tight.
On the other hand, if you use larger needles than recommended or knit quite loosely, the fabric will drape and stretch, and have a more open look with more light coming through. Looser gauges work best with thinner yarns, and lend themselves well to lighter garments and flowy accessories.
Example: A fingering weight yarn calls for 2.25mm (US1) needles for socks, to create a firm fabric that isn’t see-through. The same yarn knit on 4mm (US6) needles for a shawl would create a lacy, light fabric that drapes well.
Gauge affects the finished size (and sometimes shape) of your knitting project. When reading a knitting pattern, there will be a gauge given along with a suggested needle size. Using the same needle size called for is less important than matching the gauge - you might need to use a different needle size to obtain the pattern gauge.
The numbers and yardage in the pattern have been calculated using this gauge, so that if your own knitting gauge matches it, you can be reasonably confident that the project will come out the intended size. Matching pattern gauge is less important for items that don’t need to fit body parts, such as shawls, wraps, blankets, and other decor items. However, a different gauge can also affect your yardage requirements: if your gauge is significantly different from the pattern, you’ll likely need more or less yards than the pattern calls for.
Example:
A hat calls for a cast on of 100 stitches. At 5 stitches per inch (100 divided by 5), the hat will be 20” around.
If your gauge is different, however, then the finished measurement will also be different.
If you get 4 stitches per inch (100 divided by 4), then the hat would be 25” around - probably too big.
If you get 6 stitches per inch (100 divided by 6), the hat would be approximately 16.6” around - probably too small!
If you haven’t used the yarn before and are uncertain as to whether you knit tightly, loosely, or somewhere in between, the suggested needle size is a good place to start. Note that even if you’ve worked with the same yarn and needles before, your gauge can change over time, and with different stitch patterns.
If the fabric is too tight, difficult to work, or has more stitches per inch than you need, try a larger needle size.
If the fabric is too loose, overly stretchy, or has fewer stitches per inch than you need, try a smaller needle size.
As with all skills in knitting, learning to work with gauge and your personal knitting style takes practice and persistence. Luckily, yarn can be knit and re-knit until you’re happy!
Our website is full of free tutorials and resources to help with all aspects of your knitting. If you're new or just need a refresher, check out the other posts in our Learn to Knit series:
How to knit a swatch
How to read knitting charts
How to work yarn overs
Knitting a swatch serves several important functions in your knitting life. It’s the best way to ensure your knitting gauge matches the pattern gauge, so that your project comes out the correct size and shape. It’s also a great way to familiarise yourself with new stitch patterns and techniques before embarking on your project.
While it isn’t as necessary to match pattern gauge for items that don’t need to fit a particular body part (such as wraps and scarves), it is important to make sure you like the fabric that is created. The yarn may work up thinner or thicker than you thought, or maybe it has a texture or colour that could conflict with the stitch pattern. Swatching before beginning your project is insurance against unexpected surprises, and it shouldn’t be a chore - it’s more of a warm-up to your project!
Read on for our tutorial taking you step-by-step through the process of knitting a swatch. All images were styled and photographed by our friend and contributor Nidhi Kansal.
About 5-6” square (12-16cm) is a good size for a swatch to check your gauge. In practice, this is usually between 20-40 stitches.
If there is a stitch pattern with a defined repeat, cast on a number of stitches that will work for the repeat, plus a couple on each side for an edging.
Example: Pattern repeat of a multiple of 8 stitches + 5.
24 stitches would be 3 repeats, plus 5 more stitches is 29.
Add 2 stitches to each end for a total cast on number of 33 stitches.
With your project yarn and needles, begin by casting on with your preferred method, or the method given in the pattern. If it’s a cast on method that you haven’t worked before, this is a great way to try it out and see if you like it.
Work a few rows of a flat stitch such as garter stitch, ribbing, or seed stitch (or the stitch used in the pattern) to anchor the bottom edge of the swatch, so it doesn’t curl up.
Then, keep working the first and last 2-3 stitches of every row in garter stitch, to prevent the sides from curling inward.
Work at least 4” (10cm) in stockinette stitch or the pattern stitch, following the pattern repeats if necessary.
Then work a few more rows in garter stitch or ribbing and bind off. You don’t have to weave in your ends if you don’t want to! Take a photo and/or write down what needles you used so you don’t forget.
Always treat your swatch the way you will the finished piece. Some yarns change significantly after a relaxing bath.
If you plan to hand wash, soak the swatch in water with a little wool wash (link) for at least 10 minutes, then squeeze out the water and dry flat.
If you plan to machine wash, you can throw the swatch in with your laundry - just make sure it doesn’t go through the dryer!
For lace patterns, pinning out your swatch is probably a good idea. For more solid fabrics or sweaters, I suggest just smoothing the swatch a bit rather than pinning it, to prevent excess stretching.
Once your swatch is dry, you can take your gauge. In stockinette stitch, each stitch appears as a “V” on the right side of the fabric. A swatch measuring tool [https://ysolda.com/collections/sundries/products/swatch-measurement-tool] helps by narrowing the field that you’re looking at, helping you count straight across, and holding down the edges of the swatch. Or you can use a ruler or tape measure.
Count the number of V-shapes across one row, over 2 or 4 inches. To count rows, pick a column of stitches and count the vertical number of Vs in 2 or 4 inches.
To measure pattern repeats of more complex patterns, you may want to measure the full size of your swatch (inside the edge stitches) and divide by the number of pattern repeats you cast on.
Avoid the temptation to cast on just the number of stitches given in the gauge! Edge stitches distort and the gauge will be inaccurate. Your swatch should be large enough to take the gauge in the centre of the fabric.
Always swatch the stitch pattern(s) given in the pattern gauge. Cable patterns draw the fabric in tighter, while lace patterns create a looser fabric. Swatching in stockinette only might not give you enough information about how the yarn behaves.
Too tight
Try a larger needle and/or thinner yarn.
Too loose
Try a smaller needle and/or thicker yarn.
Stitch gauge is ok, but row gauge is off
Keep in mind that swatches are a lot smaller than a finished sweater or blanket, and the weight and construction of the yarn in a large project can also affect how the final product hangs. With a little practice and experience, you’ll be better able to tell how your swatch is working out, and how to make adjustments for a stress-free knitting experience.
]]>When learning to knit lace, whether it’s a shawl or a hat, mistakes are inevitable! Lace patterns incorporate yarn overs and decreases to create a beautiful finished fabric, but it can be challenging to keep track of your stitch repeats while on the needles.
One of the greatest things about knitting is that do-overs are allowed (and encouraged!) - almost any error can be corrected.
Here, we’ll go over identifying, correcting, and preventing common lace errors. Learning to fix your lace knitting will make your knitting time easier and more enjoyable!
If you're not sure how your stitches correspond to the directions, check out our post on how to read your knitting, then come back to figure out the problem.
First you need to figure out where the error was introduced. Compare the row on your needles to the directions, going stitch by stitch to see if you can find where you made a mistake. If it’s in the same row, you can probably just unknit to get to the error and correct it.
Checking your work against the chart, even if you don’t generally use charts, can also be very helpful since they provide a good overview of how the stitches should interact.
Follow any visual clues such as columns of knit stitches or zigzagging yarn overs and compare them with your work. If you can’t figure it out, take a step back - put the project down if you can, and come back to it a little while later. This can really help when you're frustrated!
A missing yarn over is one of the most common errors, and one of the easiest to fix!
If you missed a yarn over on the previous row:
Lift the bar between the stitches onto the left needle (making sure it’s oriented the same way as the other stitches).
This is your new yarn over. Depending on how tightly you knit, this yarn over may be on the smaller side since you are creating it from the bar between the stitches.
If you missed a yarn over 2 rows down:
Insert the right needle below the 2nd bar down from your needle and
use it to grab the 1st bar down from your needle, then pull it through.
You’ve created a yarn over + a purl stitch.
You put the yarn over in, but it's in the wrong place.
If you did the correct number of yarn overs and decreases in the row, you might end up with the right number of stitches, making it a little harder to spot.
Drop the yarn over that’s in the wrong spot
and pick up a new one in the correct place, as for “missing yarn over”.
If you have an extra yarn over that isn’t needed at all, you can usually drop it off the needle on the following row without much of an issue. If it’s been worked over a few rows though, simply dropping it off can cause a loose space between stitches.
You worked a k2tog instead of an ssk, or vice versa, or you did your k2tog in the wrong place.
This can throw off the rest of the row, particularly if you tend to read your knitting to figure out where in the repeat you are.
Errors in the same row you’re working (or within a few rows) can be corrected by carefully unknitting / tinking back to where the error occurred. Otherwise you may need to take more drastic action, such as laddering down.
“Unknitting” describes taking out one stitch at a time, working your way back across the row.
Although it’s a bit slower than just taking your needle out and ripping, unknitting is a great way to ensure that you don’t lose any stitches or lose track of what row you’re on. You can also undo multiple rows with this method.
If you need to go back a considerable amount of rows, you can take your needle out and rip back to a row or two before where you want to be, then work slowly across the last row, pulling the working yarn out of each stitch and then placing that stitch onto the left needle. Make sure you’ve oriented the stitches with the leading leg on the right.
When taking out 2 or 3-stitch decreases, make sure that you catch all the stitches and that they aren’t twisted. To tink a k2tog from the right side carefully insert the needle tip through both stitches before releasing the stitch on the current row.
For an ssk: insert the left needle tip into the left hand stitch of the decrease, slip the stitch off the right needle
and scoop up the free stitch with the right needle tip. Slip it to the left needle, making sure it's orientated to match the other stitches, before continuing. Double, or 3 stitch, decreases can be dealt with in the same way.
If you need to fix an error more than a couple rows down and don’t want to rip out full rows, you can ladder down a stitch or a section of stitches, and re-knit it correctly. This method can be a bit scary, but you will feel like a superhero for conquering it!
Identify the section of stitches you need to ladder down
and how far you need to go.
Remove these stitches from the needles and begin gently pulling the horizontal strand of yarn that makes up each row, working from the row just below your needles downward and placing the resulting live stitches on a double pointed needle.
When working with slippery yarns, you might want to keep these stitches on a double pointed needle as you ladder down, so that they don’t drop further than you intend.
Each horizontal strand is used for 1 row of stitches. Make sure you don’t accidentally mix up their order - you can pin out the ladders on a pillow or blocking mat to help keep them straight. Pin out the highest strand first, so that the bottom one is on top.
With an empty double pointed needle and the lowest ladder strand, work across the held stitches in pattern - make sure you’re on the correct row! For wrong side rows, you can turn the work to re-knit the row, or ladder up the stitches from the right side only (as if you are knitting in the round).
The almost completely re-knit section (can you spot the error in this photo?)
The re-knit section.
Any small tension issues should block out. They might be more noticeable if the section didn't include exactly the same balance of yarn overs and decreases as the pattern. Using the tip of a needle to spread any excess yarn along the row can help.
Swatch patterns you’re unfamiliar with - this will give you a great opportunity to practice the stitch pattern, and make it much easier for you to identify mistakes later on in your project. Ripping and re-knitting is much less painful on a smaller swatch than a full-sized shawl!
Place stitch markers between each pattern repeat, to make it easier to check that each repeat is correct. Check your work against the pattern after each pattern row. Note that some patterns may require you to shift markers a stitch to the right or left when working increases and decreases.
thread a thin, smooth yarn or thread onto a tapestry needle.
Leaving the stitches on your needles, slip the tapestry needle purl wise through each stitch from right to left.
Draw the lifeline through all the stitches on your needle. Secure the ends of the lifeline if desired.
Now you have a “save point” where all your stitches are on the lifeline, and you can rip back to this row if needed.
Fixing your own knitting mistakes is empowering and satisfying!
With these lace knitting tips and tricks, you'll be prepared for any (knitting) problems that come your way.
A knitting chart is a graphical representation of knitting or knit fabric, most often used for stitch patterns such as lace, cables, or colourwork.
Charts condense the information given in a written-out pattern into a concise visual version, making it easier to understand how the stitches work together to form a pattern.
Although they may appear intimidating or difficult to use at first glance, learning to read knitting charts is a rewarding way to gain a new perspective on your knitting. Even if you prefer knitting from row-by-row directions, understanding how charts work will help you keep track of your rows, diagnose errors, and deepen your understanding of knitting as a whole.
A chart is a grid, where each square represents one stitch as it appears on the front of your work
Symbols are used to represent different stitches, and their definitions appear in the chart key.
Each symbol usually has a definition given for both the RS and WS, so the stitch you work depends on whether you are on the RS or WS.
Note: Although many chart symbols may appear similar across different publishers, it’s important to double-check the chart key to make sure that each symbol means what you think it does.
Each row of the chart corresponds to a row of knitting (with some exceptions), and is worked in the same direction as you knit: once you have cast on, you work across the needle from right to left, and the fabric grows below your needles. So you will begin reading the chart at the bottom right corner, and read the first row from right to left.
Here are some tips for when you're working flat and reading a knitting chart.
Right side rows (usually odd-numbered) are read from right to left.
Wrong side rows (usually even-numbered) are worked from left to right.
Right side rows are numbered on the right-hand side of the chart.
Wrong side rows are numbered on the left-hand side.
Beginning at the bottom right-hand corner of the chart, work the stitches to the beginning of the pattern repeat.
Then, work the pattern repeat the number of times necessary, or until there remain only enough stitches to work the left edge stitches. Then work the remaining stitches.
When working in the round, the front of your work always faces you.
So when working from a chart in the round, every row of the chart will be read from right to left (just as how you knit). This is usually represented on the chart by row numbers all on the right-hand edge of the chart.
The red box around the center X sts indicates a pattern repeat, as shown on the chart key (refer back to above images).
These stitches will be repeated across the row as needed, while the stitches outside of the pattern repeat will only be worked once - at the beginning and end of the row.
The pattern repeat may be worked the same number of times on each row, such as for a sweater. Or, the number of pattern repeats may change as you work through the project, such as a top-down triangular shawl with increases.
You might need to look at what comes after the repeat box to work out when to stop repeating, as shown below:
Sometimes WS rows are omitted from charts, such as when all WS rows are purled or otherwise worked the same. In this case, the row numbers are all on the right-hand edge of the chart, but only every other number is shown.
“No stitch” shading is used in charts as a placeholder, for where increases or decreases change the shape of the chart. The no stitch placeholder helps keep the chart tidy, and maintains the visual connection between the chart and your work.
Simply skip the “no stitch” box and continue to the next stitch.
In this pattern several rows are worked with only decreases, before one row that has lots of yarn over increases. The total number of yarn overs and decreases balance out, and the stitch count on row 1 and 8 is the same, but it reduces between rows 1 and 5.
Without the no stitch boxes this chart would have wavy edges and it wouldn't show you that the paired decreases stack on top of each other in columns.
There are lots of ways to keep track of your place in a chart.
Depending on the size of the chart, you could try:
Tip: place your post-it tape or magnetic marker above the current row so that you can easily see how the stitches you're working line up with those on the previous row.
When working from row-by-row-directions where charts are also given, you can use the knitting chart as another source of information to check your work against.
Referring to the chart while knitting from row-by-row directions, especially on the first repeat of the pattern, is a good way to ensure that your stitches are stacking up the way they should.
This also helps you identify issues later on, such as missing yarn overs that should be stacked on top of one another.
For more in depth discussion on this check out this post from Ysolda on using charts even if you hate them.
If you knit socks, then learning how to darn a sock is a vital skill! Our free tutorial by Arounna Khounnoraj of Bookhou will teach you how to darn socks, sweaters, and any other knitwear that needs it.
]]>Darning is the simple process of weaving yarn in rows and columns to create a little patch of fabric to cover the hole or worn area.
We asked Arounna Khounnoraj of Bookhou to explain the process. Arounna is a fibre artist living in Toronto, and her studio focuses on screen printing in the making of a variety of goods including bags and home decor items using natural materials. She also works with her husband John Booth in designing and making wood furniture and accessories. She's also a darning expert, and recently published her new book Visible Mending.
This tutorial shows you how to create a weave mend using wool yarn and the Katrinkles Darning Loom.
Let’s begin, when darning a hole in a garment it makes it easier to sew when you have a flat object underneath the hole. The wood base of the Katrinkles loom serves this purpose.
Take the wood base of the Katrinkles loom and place it centered under the hole that you want to mend, making sure to keep the flat edge of the loom at the top.
Take the heddle with its teeth pointing upright and press against the flat edge of the loom with the fabric sandwiched between.
Continuing to hold the heddle against the base, take the elastic provided and wrap around the perimeter so that it holds the fabric onto the base and the heddle to the flat side.
Once you put the elastic around the loom, adjust the heddle so that the teeth are just above the hole and protruding above the surface of the fabric.
Take the tapestry needle provided and cut a piece of yarn the length of your arm from fingertips to your chin. Thread the needle so that one end is loose - you don’t need to tie a knot because the tails get woven into the back of mend.
Start at the bottom about ½ an inch below the hole, opposite the side with the heddle and to one side aligned with the first tooth on the heddle. Take the needle and go pick up some of the knitted area - about ⅛ of an inch.
Pulling the thread all the way through, leaving a tale about 3 inches long, start making the warp by taking the thread up and over the hole and wrap it around the first tooth on the heddle before coming back down over the hole and anchoring your needle into the knitted area.
Moving the needle to the side slightly, anchor the thread again, opposite the next tooth, and repeat step 8 until the area above the hole is covered with thread. Try to keep the threads evenly spaced and parallel to each other.
Rethread your needle with a contrasting colour and start perpendicular to the threads you just finished to create the weft. To start, achore your needle into the knitted area just above where the warp threads start and about 1/8th of an inch to the side of the first warp thread.
As you reach the warp threads, slide your needle under and over each thread, repeating those steps untill you reach the other side of the mend where you will once again anchor the thread into the knitted area about 1/8th of an inch again. This will secure the mend along the edges and will not result in a gap.
Repeat step 11, moving back in the opposite direction but this time sliding the needle through the warp threads in an over and under, opposite to the previous thread. Anchor the threads into the knitted area on the sides and continue back and forth, under/over, then over/under untill the mend completely fills in over the hole.
Once you complete your weave mend over the hole, remove the elastic band that is holding the heddle in place.
Carefully remove the heddle by lowering the teeth and releasing the top loops of your mend.
To tighten the top loops of warp thread, take the loose tail that is connected to the first loop and gently pull it down until the top loop disappears and the thread is tight. Move to the next thread, again gently pulling the thread tight and repeat until the entire mend is tight and there are no loose loops.
In order to finish the top edge, take your needle and thread and run a whip stitch along the edge to attach it to the knitted piece.
Flip over the knitted piece to reveal the back side of the mend and pull all your tails through from the front to back. Then take your needle and thread the tails using a running stitch to weave them into the knit. Any left over tails you can snip away.
Have you been inspired to give darning a go? Explore our range of darning products currently in stock in our online shop by visiting our mending collection.
]]>For many makers a knitted shawl is an ideal project to make the most of a precious, luxurious skein picked up on travels, or gifted by a friend. A shawl holds memories while you’re making more.
Are you all about bright and bold knitted shawls? Or maybe you look for that pop of colour to lift your outfit. (We just love a neutral shawl with a little peek of colour!) Shawls are also a great way to play with colour combinations, whether you like stripes, holding different colours together to create marled effects, or even strong graphic colour blocking.
For a strong pop of colour, and the ideal project for showcasing that gorgeous skein of hand dyed yarn that’s been calling to you, we love Ishbel. In a bright colour, the Ishbel shawl is truly striking, and a fantastic addition to both casual and more formal outfits. It comes in a range of sizes too so you can make the most of every inch of yarn. (Well almost, we wouldn’t recommend that you risk running out while binding off…!)
Fornjót is a versatile option if you’re just looking for a graphic shawl that would work with just a little pop of colour. The Fornjót shawl looks amazing when worked up in a neutral yarn, something many of us have in our stashes, with a bright contrast. Using leftovers for the colour pop is a great way to test yourself with a new to you colour combinations too.
For stripes, Mareel is the perfect canvas for using up all those bits of different colours of yarn that you know combine beautifully, but don’t seem enough for a whole project. Pair them up with a main shawl colour and create something amazing! Also, remember those baby shawls? Mareel is a customer favourite.
Perhaps you like a swoop of a hug, textured and chunky to throw around your neck on cold evenings? It might be Springtime but there’s still plenty of chilly air around! A cosy knitted shawl is the perfect accessory for those sudden cold breezes - it’s easy to bunch them up around your neck when needed, or wear them a little looser for when the sun comes out. They’re also really satisfying and fun to knit!
One of our favourite cosy designs is Llawenydd, a gorgeous wool shawl with an intuitive and addictive cable pattern. Cables are a great way to add texture and warmth to your shawl as they trap air in all those little textured pockets of stitches making a very snuggly accessory. The great thing with the Llawenydd shawl design is that you begin at the long edge and gradually decrease. This way of shaping a shawl is almost universally loved, as it each row gets faster and faster, meaning lots of cosy warmth without a marathon slog at the end when you want it the most.
Willowbank is great option too to get that ultimate cosy-factor, in a relaxing and straightforward knit. It’s a large semi-circular shawl that doubles as a stealth blanket, featuring smooshy garter stitch, lovely lace and strong vertical lines.
When we think of knitted shawls often the first thing we imagine is something delicate, and with good reason. There are so many designs and types of lace shawl, from simple and repetitive lace stitches to more intricate patterns. Lace shawls range from beginner projects through to more complex and intricate designs that you’ll definitely need to concentrate on! They’re also perfect for Spring through Summer, giving a light and delicate extra layer just when you need it, and they’re easy to slip into a bag for those unexpected fresh breezes.
Marin is light and delicate, with long points and shape that curves gently round your neck. As a bonus it’s also reversible and symmetrical, so there’s no need to worry about spotting your gift recipient wearing it inside out! Unusually for something so light there’s no lace - the whole shawl is knit from side to side using simple stitch patterns and shaping techniques.
For something with a little more lace, the Caer Idris shawl is long, asymmetric and elegant - a perfect finish to the simplest Spring outfits. The length makes it easy to toss around your neck and the points along one edge look good however they settle.
Knitted shawls are the perfect canvas to master lace stitches, unusual constructions or detailed shaping.
True knitted lace is something knitters are often nervous to try, with patterning on right side and wrong side rows. It really is worth effort and creates stunning lace patterns, just make sure you block it well to show off your work! Lunna Voe would be a great choice to try this out with clear sections to work through and some lovely squishy garter stitch as a reward at the end!
If unusual constructions are your thing, then Phobos is a geometric, modularly worked wrap that makes the most of humble stitches. It begins with a square worked in the round, with different sized modular sections joined from picked up stitches. It sounds confusing, but comes together easily with minimum fuss. You’ll definitely have fun with this one, and create a gorgeous wrap that you can wrap round and round to ward off any Spring chills.
So, what knitted shawl will you make for Spring? If this has got you feeling inspired to add to your shawl collection, or perhaps to try out a new kind, you can find our range of shawl loveliness here.
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After putting hours of work into a shawl, it can be tempting to start wearing it immediately! But learning how to block a shawl will take your project to the next level. Although it might sound involved, blocking boils down to just washing your project and laying it out to air dry in the shape you want it to be.
Blocking is to knitting what ironing is to sewing - it flattens and smooths tight crinkly fabric and sets the stitches. In the case of lace shawls, blocking allows the yarn overs to relax and open, and shaping lines become more prominent, allowing the stitch pattern to truly shine. Gently stretching the fabric open while damp and holding it with pins can make a huge difference to how your finished shawl looks and drapes. Blocking is magic!
You can see that straight off the needles, the stitches aren’t very well defined and the edge curls in. You can’t really see the lines of the lace patterns, and the shawl might also seem a bit small! Blocking will stretch out the stitches so you can really see the pattern, and the finished shawl will be bigger than it appears right after you bind off.
One important note: if the bind-off edge of your shawl feels tight and inelastic on the shawl, it won’t be able to stretch out more when blocked. Make sure you use a stretchy bind-off method and don’t worry too much if your bind-off appears loose before blocking.
Weave in your ends before blocking, making sure you don’t pull them in too tightly, and don’t trim the end of the yarn too closely - it will need to stretch during blocking. Leave a couple inches of tail to be trimmed off after it’s dry.
Gather your supplies:
Fill your basin with lukewarm water - not too hot or cold to the touch. Swish in some wool wash. Then submerge your shawl in the water, holding it down until bubbles stop coming up and the piece is completely wet.
Let it soak for 10-30 minutes (it’s okay if you forget about it for awhile!).
Gather the knitting into a ball and use both hands to lift it, squeezing out as much water as you can with your hands without wringing.
To take out more of the water, lay out the shawl on a towel and roll it up. Then press or step on the roll to squeeze it out.
Yes! A top-loading machine can act as your basin - fill it with water, add wool wash, let soak, and then use the machine’s spin cycle to spin out the water.
You can also use front-loading washing machines, with caution - use a delicate or speed cycle with cold water, and set the spin to medium or low.
Once you’ve spun most of the water out of your shawl, it’s time to lay it out. Prepare your blocking surface - here we’re using Cocoknits blocking mats, which interlock to create a perfect shape to block on. You can also use a spare bed, carpet, or just dry towels on the floor - it should be somewhere that the shawl can dry undisturbed for a few hours or a day.
Blocking wires are thin, flexible metal rods that are amazing for helping you block straight lines without using a million pins. The wires are threaded in and out of the fabric along an edge, and then the whole side can be stretched and pinned as one.
Here we’re using wires along all three edges: the top straight edge, and the pointed lower edges. The wires are threaded into the very tip of each point, and they’ll be straight and even.
Whether you’re using blocking wires or not, follow the major design lines as a guide for blocking.
Anchor the centre of the top edge with T-pins, and then working out from here, stretch and pin the top edge straight.
Then begin working downwards - here we want the centre spine to run straight down the middle of the shawl, so smooth that out and pin it down.
Finally, gently stretch the remainder of the fabric out evenly between the top edge and the centre point and pin in place.
Make sure you take a step back for a look, and adjust and re-position until you’re happy with the final shape! If you’re using blocking wires, you can anchor just the wire with pins. If you’re not using blocking wires, you’ll need to pin out each point separately.
Once your shawl is completely dry (it won’t take as long as a sweater would!), carefully remove the pins and wires. Check that your woven-in ends are still where you left them, and trim any remaining ends.
Ta-da! Stand back and admire those beautiful stitches! Your lace shawl is now perfectly defined, with crisp stitches and a lovely openness. It truly is amazing what blocking can do to make your knitting look complete!
Do you want to learn how to knit pretty lace patterns, brioche stitch, and other fun knitting stitches? You’ll need to learn how to knit a yarn over! A yarn over is a simple increase stitch creates an eyelet in your knit fabric, but it can be so much more. Paired with other increases and decreases, learning how to yarn over can vastly expand your knitting repertoire.
A yarn over (yo) is a type of increase in which the working yarn is wrapped over the right needle between two stitches, creating a new stitch on the needle. They can be used for shaping, such as on a top-down shawl, or for working decorative stitches.
Since yarn overs create stitches, they are usually paired with decreases to maintain a constant stitch count. The combination of yarn overs and decreases are the basis of the vast majority of knitted lace patterns, as well as brioche stitches.
Unlike many other increases which incorporate previously worked stitches (like knit front and back, or lifted increases), yarn overs are created with the working yarn independently of the stitches on your needle.
Knitting patterns, especially vintage patterns, may use any of the following terms to refer to a yarn over - make sure to read any abbreviation lists included with your pattern.
yo: yarn over
yf (yfwd): yarn forward
yfon: yarn forward and over needle
yfrn: yarn forward and round needle
yon: yarn over needle
yrn: yarn round needle
For charts, a yarn over is usually shown as an open circle symbol.
Working a yarn over is very simple. Generally, you will bring the yarn to the front between the needles, then over the right needle to the back.
Work the next stitch. This creates a new, open stitch on your right needle. Working the following stitch is NOT included as part of a yarn over.
To make a yarn over between a knit and purl stitch, bring the yarn to the front between your needles. Wrap it over the right needle towards the back, and then bring it back between your needles towards the front, ready to purl the next stitch.
If your yarn is already in the front because you are purling, simply bring the yarn over the right needle. If the next stitch will be purled, the yarn should wrap completely around the right needle and back to the front of the work.
You can then purl the next stitch on the left needle. If the next stitch is a knit stitch the working yarn should stay in the back of the work.
This is a standard yarn over, where the leading leg of the stitch on the right. Reverse yarn overs, in which the leading leg of the stitch is on the left, are also used in some circumstances (see Deep Dive below).
When you work into the yarn over on the next row, simply knit or purl the yarn over in the standard manner. Working into the stitch stabilizes it, creating an eyelet.
Double yarn overs (yo2, yo twice) are used to create a larger eyelet or elongated strands of yarn for patterns. Wrap the yarn around the right needle in the same direction as above, as many times as needed. Double yarn overs are usually worked as (k1, p1) or (p1, k1) on the following row to maintain the stitch count, or one wrap may be dropped off the needle to create an elongated stitch.
We’ve mostly been discussing open yarn overs, which create eyelets, but yarn overs can also be worked so that they are closed, and do not create as much of an eyelet. The yarn over is worked in the same manner as above, but when working the following row, you work into the BACK of the yarn over, as for a twisted stitch. This twists the yarn over, closing the hole.
This closed yarn over is a good alternative for knitters who knit tightly and find make 1 increases (picking up the strand between stitches) difficult, and creates a similar look.
When working brioche stitch, yarn overs are used to introduce more yarn to the fabric, creating its signature fluffy, squishy quality. These yarn overs don’t create eyelets, but are instead knit or purled together with the following stitch. Shown here is our free brioche beanie pattern Daniel's hat - a perfect project for new knitters looking to try out brioche stitches for the first time.
There are subtle differences in how yarn overs can be worked between knit and purl stitches. Since the yarn is already in the front of the work when purling, the yarn over created between two purl stitches is generally shorter and less open than between two knit stitches. This can be tweaked by working yarn overs in the opposite direction, depending on the circumstances. Check out our post on troubleshooting asymmetrically sized yarn overs to learn more.
]]>Have you ever started knitting a top-down shawl and been stymied by a “garter tab” cast-on?
Cast on, knit, rotate, pick up stitches - a garter tab is a fiddly bit of knitting that is commonly used to begin top-down triangular shawls, as well as various other shawl and wrap shapes.
The garter tab cast-on is used to seamlessly join the border stitches at the centre back, and, at the same time, cast-on the initial centre stitches which will then be increased to shape the shawl.
To work a garter tab, you will cast on a small number of stitches (3 or 4), and knit a short rectangular strip. Then you will pick up stitches along one long edge and one short edge, converting the rectangle into half-circle shape that will flow more easily into the triangular shaping. Check out our step-by-step tutorial below to learn how to knit a garter tab.
To begin, cast on 3 stitches. Here we used the cable cast-on method, so that the first row is a right side row.
Then knit 6 rows, turning at the end of each row, to create the garter tab.
On the next row, we will pick up stitches around two sides of this tab. First knit across the 3 stitches.
Then, slide the stitches on the right needle tip down onto the cord. The arrows indicate where we'll be picking up stitches along the side of the tab.
With the first three stitches now on the cord, rotate the work 90 degrees clockwise and insert the right needle tip into the side edge of the first garter ridge.
Wrap the yarn and pull up a stitch.
Continuing in the same direction, pick up 1 stitch from each garter ridge creating 3 stitches.
Push these new pick-up stitches down onto the cord as well. This makes 6 stitches total.
Rotate the work 90 degrees clockwise again. Now we'll be picking up stitches from the 3 cast-on stitches.
It can look a little crowded here but take your time to open up the stitches so you can see where to pick up.
Pick up 1 stitch from each cast on stitch. 3 stitches.
The garter tab cast-on is complete! There are now 9 stitches on the needle.
The garter tab cast-on can be fiddly at first, but don’t give up! If something seems off, it’s perfectly fine to gently rip out the stitches you have worked and try again.
You might find that your stitches are very slippery, and if this is the case you can try a different type of knitting needle, such as a wooden one, until your stitches are established.
Once you’ve worked a garter tab a few times, it’ll become second nature, so don't give up!
Try out the garter tab cast-on with our shawl patterns Ishbel, Halimede or Stac Shoaigh!
As knitters ourselves, the Ysolda studio team love helping other makers to find their perfect yarn. Sharing knowledge about knitting and yarn is what really keeps us creating as a business! Our regular contributor Nidhi offered to share her tips on how to make buying yarn online an exciting thing, rather than something people are often nervous about. - Ysolda
When one has limited accessibility to brick and mortar yarn stores, one gets used to shopping online. I live in Mumbai, on the west coast of India. Given our warm climate, knitting is understandably a rare craft and acrylic is the most commonly available fibre in the city. In fact, in my early years if I asked for wool, acrylic is what I got and I truly believed it came from sheep. Needless to say, fibre events are almost non-existent, and meeting unexpectedly with a total stranger who happens to be a knitter is a thing to celebrate.
I do believe it’s a luxury to be able to visit a store that stocks all your dream fibres, to interact with people at retreats and events, discuss new design releases and most of all touch and feel all that gorgeous yarn before you pay for them. What do you do when you don’t have that option?
Fortunately the internet has opened up the world to us and now we have the entire shopping experience at our fingertips. The biggest advantage to online shopping is that we now have access to big yarn stores as well as small indie dyers across the globe and we can pore over their online homes to our hearts’ content and keep filling up our virtual carts.
Caution: Endless hours may be lost while gaping at pretty yarn.
It’s always good to start with a budget.... not just for the yarn of course, but the accompanying costs. A key area where my cost could go up is shipping and customs duties. Yarn stores in Europe and the UK are a more economical choice for me. For access to the rest of the world, I wait impatiently for indulgent friends and family to bring me yarns on their visits to India.
Since shipping costs are mostly calculated based on the weight of purchased items, this could be a critical factor in deciding whether you want to add that extra skein of yarn or not. Websites like this one have a free shipping option once your order meets a certain limit which makes it worthwhile to spend more on yarn while saving on shipping.
It is important to check your domestic customs policy though! Some countries like mine also apply a customs duty on international packages, so it’s critical that I factor in all of these costs. I have had some experience sadly, in placing orders that qualified for free shipping, only to end up paying a heavy customs fee on delivery.
It can also helpful to check for return policies that a store might have but if you live as far away as I do, it’s best to put in some extra time and effort and get that yarn selection right the first time round. Lastly, always check yardage for a project. The difference of even one skein from total yardage could be the difference between being stuck on the second sleeve without enough yarn or a moderate shipping cost!
It’s easy if I’m looking to buy yarn for a particular project, say a cozy colourwork hat like Bellfield. I can look up details on the pattern page, place an order online for the suggested yarn and can rest assured that my project will pretty much work up like that shown in the sample photograph.
What if I wish to substitute yarns or maybe just try out new fibres or brands? How do I ensure the yarn I add to my cart is actually something I will enjoy working with?
Firstly, I try to gather as much information as I can about the yarn before I hit ‘pay’. The bigger and more popular a brand, the easier it is to purchase with confidence. Stores around the world will stock them, and a basic search on the internet will throw up projects made with said yarn, interesting blog posts by makers who have used them and so on. The lesser known brands on the other hand, will require some more digging.
One easy way is to look up yarn reviews on the website itself. For example, if I wanted to purchase a sweater quantity’s worth of Gilliatt from Ysolda, I find not only the relevant information on the page, but also user reviews that are helpful to me. Reading about the lightness of a worsted weight yarn, or the beautiful stitch definition while working texture helps me better visualise the finished sample. I particularly appreciate reviews that mention if a fibre is suitable keeping allergies or sensitive skin in mind.
Ravelry.com is one website I turn to often before making a yarn purchase. This site has considerable information added by makers themselves to their project and pattern pages, that one can refer to as a guide.
For starters, I can look at all the Ravelry projects made with Gilliatt. These can further be filtered based on the most commonly used needle sizes. From this I get an idea of whether the fabric works up drapey or dense. I can see how it looks worked up in different textures like lace or cables, and even read project notes wherein there are helpful reviews about what they liked or disliked about a particular yarn.
To help me with colour choices, I can also search for a specific colourway on Ravelry and see how it looks when photographed by other users for as true a colour depiction as possible, since screen differences and photography lights often alter shades considerably.
There’s also yarnsub.com, a free and independent tool to help knitters and crocheters find workable substitutes for discontinued or hard to find yarns. It has a large database of current and discontinued yarns that you can browse directly or search with the custom-built search engine for characteristics such as fiber or weight. You could use it to find similar yarns that you might be more familiar with.
A word of caution about colour....
Despite all the research, things can still get missed. I once ordered a yarn that I was sure would be a gorgeous peacock blue but it turned out to be a really dark green and greens are so not my favourite colour. It was not serious enough to consider returning, but one is left feeling a little deflated. The yarn was perfect to work with and I got a lovely bias scarf out of it.
It’s always worth remembering that screen colours can vary, dye lots can change, I have even filtered out projects by year so I get to see the most recent shade of the dye. Yes, I’m clearly a case of once bitten, twice shy! Which really makes me appreciate the fact that Ysolda has a 28 day return period if the colour you chose looks different in hand from what you saw on screen. I think that’s truly a considerate element in a return policy.
If in doubt at any time while making an online purchase, make sure to reach out via the relevant contact info on the website.
It’s always exciting to try out new yarns for the first time; you just want to sniff them and squish them, you’re torn between wanting to keep those pretty skeins just as they are and winding them up so you can get knitting! The excitement...no, the thrill really, is more so when they’re purchased off the internet based only on the pictures on display and some basic information accompanying the picture like yarn weight and yardage.
It must be clear by now that I can easily spend hours combing through the internet for the right fiber with the right shade. I can load up my cart fast enough, but there’s always a bit of nervous excitement because I haven’t touched the yarn yet! Will it really work for me? Better yet, will it work with me – transform what is so far only in my imagination into something that I can hold in my hands and love?
This is one of the reasons I opt for hand winding my yarn. For me the journey of designing or even knitting begins with this step. A slow yet meditative process of winding a hank or skein by hand is my first introduction to the fibre I’m going to be working with, where I can feel it run through my fingers and get an idea of how it behaves. Is it stretchy, will it be soft when draped around my neck, can it showcase a simple lace pattern? Will it hold texture and define cables and twisted stitches, and finally... what do I really want it to become – something warm and cozy like a textured wrap, or a simple lacy stole to throw on as an accessory, or will it be my comfy boxy pullover that I’d want to spend all my days in?
The ultimate test of the yarn of course is when I begin to knit with it. By this time I already have an idea of what I want to make with it, but now to verify it with a trusty pair of needles. A few swatches and some good old blocking will tell me soon enough if I have a winner on my hands. Swatching, and getting to know a yarn will help you to understand more about the yarns you buy in future. It's such a vital step in understanding your materials, and on the blog you can find free tutorials on swatching in the round, how to swatch for a sweater and how to swatch in pattern.
We love to hear about your experiences too - have you any tips you can share on buying yarn online?
]]>Tukuwool Fingering is a well loved wool yarn, spun and dyed in Finland from Finnish Wool. This traditional fingering weight yarn is lightly processed and grippy enough to steek. It's perfect for colourwork, creates a glowing texture of stitches, makes cables pop but with a drape that makes it lovely in lace too.
As knitters ourselves, the Ysolda studio team love really getting to know the yarns we recommend to other knitters. Sharing knowledge about knitting and yarn is what really keeps us creating as a business! We recently sent some skeins of Tukuwool Fingering to our regular contributor Nidhi to get her thoughts on knitting with Tukuwool Fingering yarn. - Ysolda
The Tukuwool range is spun and dyed in Finland from Finnish Wool. Tukuwool Fingering is a lightly processed wool which means some lanolin and vegetable matter remain after the processing, and a wonderful woolly scent. The yarn itself is a woollen spun 2 ply and has a quite tight and lively twist.
Tukuwool Fingering has a lovely range of colours to play around with, from the neutrals to the brights. They also have a heathered base for some colours giving them that beautiful rustic look. There are both natural and dyed heathered colours which are overdyed on naturally grey yarn. Colours with an H before the number are dyed on naturally grey yarn and have a heathered appearance. Colours with just a number are dyed on white yarn and have a more solid appearance.
Tukuwool fingering swatched up in stockinette and garter on 3.5mm needles, in colour H33 Uoma.
While knitting with Tukuwool Fingering, the words that came to mind were light, airy, grippy, crisp and warm. It’s the kind of yarn where I can make a yarn ball and throw it up in the air without it unravelling, which is very typical of woollen spun yarn! It also means its lightness and grippy-ness would make it work just as well for a cozy sweater like Threipmuir as it would a pretty colourwork hat like Gleði.
The convenience of using woollen spun yarns like Tukuwool Fingering is that while working textures like lace or cables, even if I happen to drop a stitch, the grip in the yarn ensures that the loop doesn’t unravel too far and can usually be found a row or two below, waiting to be helped back on to the needle.
Frogging the work on the other hand could be a little trickier. While the loops as such behave themselves, if the needle hasn’t gone through the entire loop cleanly, the fibres could get interlocked making it difficult to pull out stitches quickly.
Tukuwool Fingering blocks well and the swatch holds its shape after drying. If you’re worried it could be a bit rough, don’t be! It softens up after a good soak. It is wonderfully light and when you squish the garter swatch, it springs right back into shape.
Tukuwool Fingering is a reliable choice for colourwork projects. Its characteristic woolly texture and natural grip delivers an evenness in the fabric that surprised a novice Fair Isle knitter like me. I have always taken the safe path thus far in colourwork knitting and stuck to projects with simple stripes or slipped stitches to add that pop of colour. However, this experience with Tukuwool Fingering is giving me the courage to try out more Fair Isle knitting.
Holding yarns in both hands and trying to maintain an even tension is not the easiest task for newbies, but this yarn makes for a very forgiving fabric. The tiny fuzzy fibres fill up the spaces between stitches and kind of bind the fabric together. This also means that if I can keep my tension uniform across the stitches, the floats will neatly stick to the back of my work and any unevenness in tension gets hidden. Needless to say, it can be used just as successfully for mosaic knitting as well as adding simple stripes to a project.
While cables can sometimes feel bulky or dense in a fabric, in the case of knitting with Tukuwool Fingering, it manages to add a well defined structure to the pattern while keeping the fabric light in weight. I’m happy to say Tukuwool Fingering works up cables beautifully with a good stitch definition. While knitting, the grip in the yarn ensures that the stitches stay in place even if they come off the needles. This also helps if you’re working cables over a small number of stitches or want to avoid using a cable needle altogether.
Twisted ribbing is a personal favorite of mine and I tend to incorporate it into a lot of my work, which is why I had to add them to this swatch. I love it! The stitches stand out, are well defined and add just the right amount of texture.
The Abbeyhill Sweater showcases deeply textured cables and stockinette with a swingy, slightly cropped shape. Perfect if you want to give Tukuwool Fingering a try in a garment that's the ideal mix of an intuitive, fun cable pattern and relaxing knitting.
Whenever I see woolen spun yarn, I usually think colourwork projects or textured wraps, maybe even simple stockinette sweaters. I went down a similar road with Tukuwool Fingering, working the lace swatch only after all the other swatches were done. Having now knit with Tukuwool Fingering, I have to admit, I have just been made deeply aware of how much I underestimated the lace capability of this yarn. As mentioned earlier this yarn blocks very well, and while I wouldn’t stretch a yarn of this structure too much when wet, it still has enough give and lets the pattern bloom once dry. I used an all-over lace pattern stitch to get an idea of how the entire swatch fabric would feel like, as opposed to just a lace panel at the centre or at the sides. I can easily imagine this as an elegant lacy cardigan which provides as much style as it does warmth.
When I hold the swatch up to the light, I can see the tiny fuzzy fibres almost filling up the yarn overs, giving a feeling of being warm despite all the lacy-ness.
Tukuwool Fingering is clearly a very versatile yarn and my experience of knitting with Tukuwool Fingering has really shown just how versatile it can be! If you’re looking to knit up something special for yourself or for the people you love, this yarn definitely has something for each one of us. Have you tried knitting with Tukuwool Fingering? We'd love to hear about your experience and what you've made. You can even leave a review on the Tukuwool Fingering product page here too to help other knitters choose their yarn!
Want to get to know some of our other yarns in the Ysolda curated range in more detail? Click here to find our series of in depth yarn write ups.
]]>There are many reasons to prefer either a superwash or non-superwash yarn for your project. Many knitters love the sheen, colour saturation and ease of care that a superwash yarn offers, while others enjoy the woolly smell and feel of a non-superwash yarn.
Have you ever wondered what makes superwash yarns different from non-superwash yarns? As the name suggests superwash wool has been treated to make it machine washable. Wool is a protein fibre and each strand is made up of overlapping tiny scales. When these scales stick together, the fibres felt. Sudden changes in temperature can “shock” the fibre, causing these scales to open up, and then any agitation or friction can result in them catching on each other.
Superwash yarns have either been chemically processed in a way that removes the tiny scales from the fibre, or they have been coated with an extremely fine layer of polymer plastic resin which has the same effect. Both smooth out the fibre and stop the tiny scales sticking together, and this prevents the yarn felting or shrinking when washed or agitated. This process is less sustainable as it uses chemicals and creates waste. It also uses more energy and water than the processing involved in non-superwash wool yarns.
Photo: Neighborhood Fiber Co non-superwash yarn (left) and superwash yarn (right) in the colourway Mondawmin
Protein fibres are usually dyed with acid dyes, a type of dye which requires heat to set the dye to the fibre. Commercially dyed wool is dyed in huge vats, while hand dyers will use a variety of techniques at a smaller scale to apply and set the dye.
As the tiny fibres of a superwash wool have been smoothed, the yarn has a sheen and absorbs dye more easily. This gives the bright, saturated colours that knitters love. It’s also possible to be a little less gentle during the dye process, as the yarn is much less likely to felt at high temperatures or while being moved around in the water. In the photos both above and below the superwash skein on the right is darker, and more saturated.
Photo: Neighborhood Fiber Co non-superwash yarn (left/below) and superwash yarn (right/above) in the colourway Hollins Market
A non superwash yarn needs a little more care while dyeing, so that it doesn’t get too hot and isn’t agitated. It’s a slower process, as the yarn is heated more gradually and often to a lower temperature and so takes longer to absorb the dye. You might find that hand-dyed non superwash yarns are priced a little higher to reflect the additional time and labour involved in the process.
Most knitters will notice a difference when working with superwash compared to non-superwash yarns. As non-superwash yarns still have the tiny scales on the fibre, your stitches will stick together and then bloom when washed. This makes non-superwash wools perfect for colourwork projects, creating more cohesion between the stitches, and a smoother result across a colour pattern. It also makes steeking (cutting your knitting) much easier as the stickiness of the yarn means that your stitches are less likely to unravel. Dropped stitches are often easier to pick up too!
Knitting with superwash yarn can also be a lovely experience, especially for those projects that you want to be soft, smooth and sleek, such as baby gifts, cowls and socks. Stitches will glide across your needles with ease and create a beautifully soft fabric. As superwash yarns can often have less body and more drape they can be a lovely choice for lightweight sweaters and fine garments.
If you’re unsure which type of yarn will be best for your project swatching is often the answer. You can tell a huge amount about how a yarn behaves, as well as the feel of the finished fabric, and how it will wear from knitting and blocking a swatch.
If you’re looking to knit a garment that is easy to care for and can be thrown in the wash with the rest of your laundry then superwash yarn is the safer choice. As the tiny fibres are unable to stick together your knitting is unlikely to felt or shrink, and so superwash yarn is often the preferred option for baby and kid clothing and blankets that will be washed frequently. Many superwash wools can also be tumble dried, but be sure to check the care instructions on the yarn label. It can also be easier for new parents or if you’re giving a gift to someone who may not be enthusiastic about hand-washing.
There’s no doubt that caring for knits made from non-superwash yarn takes a little more time and effort. Your knitting will need to be gently soaked or hand washed, the water carefully removed by squeezing it in a towel and then laid flat to dry. Many makers enjoy this process though, and caring so carefully for something that you’ve made certainly makes it seem special. You can read on the blog more about handwashing your knits and the blocking process for shawls and sweaters.
When I first started knitting the majority of the wool I encountered was superwash, other than a small stash of vintage Shetland yarns I'd inherited from my grandfather. Over the last 15 or so years the options for non-superwash yarns have exploded, and I've loved exploring the natural characteristics of different breeds and wools from different places – like many knitters I didn't know wool could be so interesting! That doesn't mean that sometimes a good superwash wool isn't exactly the right fit for the project, I love being able to toss an everyday sweater in the washing machine, or know that the gifts I've put time and love into will be easy for a non-knitter to care for! For a lot of indie dyers, superwash bases have been easier to access, and they can be easier to dye. I’d never throw a delicate lace shawl in the washing machine, even if the yarn was superwash so it’s exciting to see Neighborhood Fiber Co. switch to non superwash wool for their Rustic Fingering base, and that they've combined this more sustainable option with organically farmed fibre. Ysolda
We asked Karida, founder of Neighborhood Fibre Co to explain why they decided to make the switch from superwash to non-superwash wool in their bases.
The move away from superwash is partly about "walking the walk" in terms of commitment to minimizing our environmental impact but also is a response to demand. Our customers had been asking about non-superwash, woolier kinds of yarns for awhile. So, the first shift to a non-superwash merino was a big step. I wanted a wool that felt like wool, that blooms nicely, and has a nice sheepy smell when we open the box from the mill. Also, when you block non-superwash wool, it will actually retain its shape, which is so important for lacey shawls, like Ishbel.
Initially, I wasn't planning to switch our Rustic Fingering base to an organic wool, but I fell in love with the quality and sheen of the machine washable organic wool, so I enquired about getting some of it untreated. Honestly, I was blown away by how soft it was. I've never had a non superwash yarn that felt so delicious. The downside is that you can't make a kid's sweater and just toss it in the washing machine as it will felt. It should be gently hand-washed and laid out to dry. I'm okay with that idea, even as someone with a little kid. I like the idea of making special garments that I care for and pass along to the next generation of family.Karida, Founder of Neighborhood Fiber Co
If you’re looking for a superwash yarn to try, we love The Uncommon Thread Tough Sock, and Everyday Singles. Both are beautiful soft and perfect for shawls, cowls, baby knits and sweaters. Rauma Petter makes fantastic garments for kids that need to go through a washing machine.
Our non-superwash yarn range includes lovely wools from Tukuwool, De Rerum Natura, Rauma, Neighborhood Fibre Co, Ístex Léttlopi and Harrisville.
Do you have a favourite superwash and non-superwash to work with? We’d love to know!
]]>Petter’s colours range from neutrals and pale pastels, right through to stronger, deeper shades and brights. This gives wonderful (and many!) options for colourwork in a soft and cosy fabric. Petter’s crisp stitch definition and drape also make it ideal for cable and lace stitch patterns.
I'm delighted to have found this yarn, which I used for a two-colour stranded hat. The yarn is beautifully soft, even for my wool-sensitive husband and I love the colours. Superb value! Online review by Catherine
In some yarns the superwash process can result in a very slick texture, and a fabric that doesn’t hold its shape. One of the things we love the most about Petter is that it retains most of the character that makes wool so great! It blooms a little when washed but, in our experience, tends to retain the original dimensions without stretching out of shape.
Petter has become a surprise favourite yarn of mine. After years of seeking out non-superwash, minimally processed yarns, I gave Petter a try looking for something that my sensitive kid would happily wear and loved working with it. It’s soft and easy care but still feels like you’re knitting with something full of life. As a bonus the colours are beautifully saturated – a fun side effect of the superwash treatment can be particularly vibrant colours! Ysolda
Rauma have put together a range of classic shades for petter, making it easy to create beautiful colourwork combinations or find the perfect shade to go with everything in your wardrobe. The neutrals cover pure white, cream, warm pale caramels and shades of grey, right through to black. They pair up beautifully with the range of colours which include the pastels more traditionally associated with children’s clothes but also strong, bright colours and deep shades. There’s even a fabulous neon yellow!
Petter swatched in stockinette stitch with colour 328 using 4mm needles.
Petter swatched in garter stitch with colour 311 using 4mm needles.
Petter's smooth texture makes it a great choice for garments in both stocking stitch and garter stitch. Although a superwash wool, it retains all its lovely woolly characteristics when blocked. We love the stitch definition, and the resulting fabric is soft and warm.
A perfect yarn for blankets or children’s garments that will last wear after wear, and ideal for cosy sweaters too. We've used Petter to knit up the Hearthstone sweater, and for designs like Dogstar by Tincanknits.
If you’re looking for a soft, medium weight yarn for colourwork Petter is our first choice. We often recommend it to beginner colourwork knitters because the DK weight makes it easy to learn new skills with, and although it’s a superwash yarn, it’s not too slick and blocks well. Choosing colours can often be the most difficult part of getting started with a project, but our blog post on choosing colours for colourwork projects should help you navigate your choices and find the perfect combination. Read more in our blog post here.
The Petter colour range is full of complimentary shades, and as a fun experiment we were easily able to knit four different colourwork sweaters using different combinations of the same five shades. View the results in our blog post 'A Petter Palette.'
Ysolda used Petter for the Brunstane cowl which she designed specifically for beginner colourwork knitters, as part of our first Colourwork Club. Brunstane kits featuring Petter and a copy of the pattern are much loved by beginner colourwork knitters and you can order your own kit here. If you’d like to try it out on a small colourwork project the Crassula cowl, Broughton mitts or Hugni socks would be great choices.
Petter has a soft, bouncy hand, and knits up into lovely three dimensional cables with plenty of definition. Petter is woolly enough that your stitches should behave nicely on the needles and shouldn’t slip away if you prefer to make your cables without a cable needle. We loved knitting the Hearthstone sweater in Petter, with its subtle cables in the raglan shaping combined with smooth stockinette.
Petter swatched in colour 324 using 4mm needles.
The slight woolly halo Petter has, coupled with its bouncy drape mean that it can make wonderful lace projects. When blocked, yarn overs open up into well defined holes that show and hold the pattern clearly. For most it's soft enough to wear next to the skin, and can make heirloom blanket projects that will last and be loved for years. We swatched a sample of a traditional feather and fan pattern and found that Petter held its lace pattern well, even after being stretched and moved around - just what you need when knitting a lace blanket that's going to see a lot of use.
Petter swatched in colour 308 using 4.5mm needles.
Have you tried knitting with Petter? We'd love to hear about your experience and what you've made, and you can leave a review on the product page here too to help other knitters choose their yarn!
We hope you find this close look at one of our favourite yarns useful - we've swatched in a similar way with another workhorse yarn, Rauma Finull PT2 and you can read more about that in our blog post.
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