Knitting Questions and How to
May 28th, 2007 at 09:47am
Under Knitting Questions and How to+ Ask SweaterBabe
“Dear SweaterBabe, I am a new knitter and have a pattern for a bolero jacket that calls for a gauge cast on of 2.75 sts. How do you get 2.75?” — Diana M.
Dear Diana, I’m assuming the gauge is stated as 2.75 sts per inch. My first step would be to be to figure out how many inches you can measure across to get a whole number (vs. the fraction) of stitches so you don’t have to try to count partial stitches.
In this example, if you measure across 2 inches, you’ll need to count 2.75 x 2 = 5.5 stitches, which is still a fraction. Across 3 inches, you would count 2.75 x 3 = 8.25 stitches, which is not easy to count. But, over 4 inches, you can count 2.75 x 4 = 11 stitches, which is much easier to do. So the gauge to aim for is 11 stitches to 4 inches.
It is more important to match gauge as closely as possible when you are making garments (vs. blankets or scarves). So if this is a bolero, I would recommend taking the time to make at least a 4 x 4″ swatch to give yourself enough room to measure across 4 inches accurately.
Often, it is tempting to just cast on 1 inch of stitches (in this case 3 stitches), knit a few rows, then measure. But I STRONGLY advise against this in cases where you really want the finished measurements to come out right. It is too easy to “fudge” your measurement when you have too small a swatch. Stitches may measure a little differently across a few stitches in one part of a swatch vs. another (just due to variations in hand-knitting tension, the nature of the yarn, etc.), so measuring over several inches will help average all of that out and give you a much more accurate measure. You should also bind off the swatch, not leave the stitches on your needle. This too will help you get a more accurate measurement. AND, you should knit a few inches of rows, so you can measure across a row in the middle that is not too close to your cast on or bind off edges, which can also affect your gauge.
AND even if you do all of the above, I would still recommend measuring your work after you have knit a few inches of the first piece (which is usually the back piece of a garment). At this point, if your expected width does not match your work, you can still unravel and not have lost too much time and effort! Believe me, after having made MANY garments that have been off just a few inches here and there, I take the time to check my gauge multiple times now to avoid painful rework or (worse!) the disappointment of a finished sweater this just doesn’t fit as well as I’d like.
There is much more to say about gauge… more to follow in upcoming newsletters! Please email specific gauge questions to me at advice@sweaterbabe.com.
By Katherine aka SweaterBabe
May 15th, 2007 at 09:45am
Under Knitting Questions and How to+ Crochet Questions and How to+ Ask SweaterBabe
Here’s a question about finishing that applies to both knitters and crocheters…
“Dear SweaterBabe, I have a problem with sewing my side seams. They never look professional. I am not accurate with what stitch to go in to get a thin seam. Any hints?”
Dear Seamer,
Here are some hints for sewing seams to finish your knitting or crochet projects…
– If you are using non-basic yarn, i.e. something that is furry, nubby, thick and thin, has eyelashs, etc., then you might be better off using a basic yarn in a matching shade to do your sewing.
– Another great reason to use a matching basic cotton or wool yarn to seam with is that you can undo your seams more easily if you use a different yarn. You will be able to see the seaming stitches and pull them out if need be.
– If you are making a sweater (and are using a basic yarn that you can seam with), leave extra long tails when you cast on. Use these tails for seaming the sweater and save yourself some extra finishing time (less loose ends to weave in!).
– Generally when seaming, you will be matching up your pieces with the front sides facing each other. It can really help to pin the pieces together (just as you would if you were sewing cloth), and line up any color stripes or patterning.
– A back stitch is ideal for sewing solid, firm seams. To do a back stitch (these are right-handed instructions), insert your needle from FRONT TO BACK through BOTH pieces of fabric (which are held with their right sides facing each other), then insert your needle BACK TO FRONT through BOTH pieces of fabric about a half inch or so to the left. Now, your yarn and needle are in front again.
* Now, insert your needle again, BUT start about halfway to the RIGHT of where the last BACK STITCH ended, i.e. about a quarter inch to the right. Insert FRONT TO BACK, then BACK TO FRONT as before, through both pieces. Continue from * to do the back stitch along the entire seam edge.
– To avoid overly bulky seams, try to maintain a thin seam allowance. Usually, a 1-stitch seam allowance works well. This will give you a consistent seam allowance and a secure seam. If you only have a 1/2-stitch seam allowance, the seam will not be very strong since you are only “grabbing” one strand. However, you may decide to do this is you are using VERY bulky yarn and the 1-stitch seam allowance is just too bulky.
– When seaming, take your time and carefully watch precisely where you stick your yarn tapestry needle. I often double check that I am maintaining the exact seam allowance on EVERY single back seam stitch (but I am a perfectionist when it comes to finishing!). This does mean looking at where my needle goes in and out through the first layer and in and out through the second layer.
– Every once in a while, flip the seam over and see what it looks like from the finished right side. If you don’t like what you see, take out the back stitches you don’t like redo them. I still do this, just to make my seams look professional.
– Use good lighting and a yarn tapestry needle that is the right size for your yarn weight! If you use too sharp of a needle with certain yarns, you may end up spliting your stitches a lot and get a messy looking seam. Most tapestry needles intended for knitters have blunt tips.
– And what I tell many beginners - don’t rush! To get professional results, don’t hurry. Be precise in your seaming and take as much care with your finishing as you did knitting or crocheting the project.
Hey! If you have a great tip on seaming, please email me and I will share it in future newsletters and on this blog! Email me at advice@sweaterbabe.com. Thanks!
By Katherine aka SweaterBabe
May 5th, 2007 at 09:09am
Under Knitting Questions and How to+ Ask SweaterBabe
Here is a question emailed to me on how to read a knitting pattern:
Dear SweaterBabe,
I am just beginning to learn to knit and while reading a knitting pattern, I came across these stitches “K0″ and “P0″ as stated below:
P1, k1, [PB1, k1] twice, PB1, k5, [PB1, k1] twice, PB1, k0(0, 5, 5), k2, p8, k2, k0(0, 5, 5), PB1, [k1, PB1] twice, k5, PB1, [k1, PB1] twice, k1, p1
K1, p1, [KB1, p1] twice, KB1, p5, [KB1, p1] twice, KB1, p0(0, 5, 5), p2, k8, p2, p0(0, 5, 5), KB1, [p1, KB1] twice, p5, KB1, [p1, KB1] twice, p1, k1
I would be much obliged if you could kindly explain to me what these stitches mean.
Dear Knitter,
This pattern seems to be written for 4 different sizes. Let’s call the sizes X-Small, Small, Medium, and Large. The pattern is giving you the instructions for ALL of the sizes by giving you the instruction for the smallest size, followed by the larger sizes in parentheses.
So, the “k0(0, 5, 5)” that you see means:
k0 or knit 0 sts, i.e. knit zero sts if you are making the X-Small size;
k0 if you are making the Small size;
k5 if you are making the Medium size;
k5 if you are making the Large size.
The best thing to do is to go through the pattern BEFORE you start knitting and use a highlighter to mark all of the instructions that apply for the size you are making. For instance, if you are making size Medium, go through the entire pattern and highlight the 3rd number, i.e. the 2nd number within the parenthese, throughout the pattern. Then, you can easily see which number to follow for your particular size.
Thanks for the great question!
If you have a question, please email advice@sweaterbabe.com.
By Katherine aka SweaterBabe
April 28th, 2007 at 12:49pm
Under Knitting Questions and How to+ Ask SweaterBabe
Our “Ask SweaterBabe.com” advice will now live here on the SweaterBabe.com blog. That way, you can search on a topic easily and more of your questions can get answered. Please keep your great knitting and crochet questions coming by emailing them to advice@sweaterbabe.com. Here’s one that I’ve been asked a lot!
“Dear SweaterBabe.com, The pattern says, row 2 and all WS rows: knit the knit sts and purl the purl sts. What does that mean?” — Susan H.
Dear Susan, “To knit the knit sts and purl the purl sts” means to work the stitches as they present themselves. For example, as you are about to work the next stitch, see if you are looking at a knit stitch (which looks like a “V”) or a purl stitch (which has little horizontal bars that look like ripples). Then, do what you see by knitting any stitch that looks like a knit stitch and purling any that look like purls.
Here are some photos to illustrate what the knit stitches look like vs. the purl stitches:
The bottom half of this swatch shows the “Knit” side of the Stockinette stitch.
The top half shows “Knit 2, purl 2″ ribbing, so you can see how distinct the knit stitches look with their “V”-like look.
Here is the flip side of the swatch. The bottom half of this swatch shows the “Purl” side of the Stockinette stitch, which can be thought of as little “bumps,” “ridges,” or “pearls.”
The top half shows “Knit 2, purl 2″ ribbing, so you can see how the purl stitches appear next to the knit stitches (which seem to “pop” upwards).
This is an example of knitting the knit sts and purling the purl sts to maintain a stitch pattern (in this case, the “Knit 2, purl 2″ ribbing).
The next stitch on the left-hand needle to be worked is a knit stitch, therefore, you knit it.
The next stitch on the left-hand needle to be worked now is a purl stitch, therefore, you purl it.
If a pattern says “row 2 and all WS rows: knit the knit sts and purl the purl sts,” it is often that the complex part of the stitch pattern is only happening on the odd rows (all the RS rows), e.g. the yarn-over-ing, the skp’s, etc. for a lace pattern; the cable or twist stitches for a textured pattern, etc.
By Katherine aka SweaterBabe
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