“Please be enough yarn, please enough yarn…”. No need for magical wishing, here’s the technique I use for making sure I have enough yarn to finish a row (or round).
The yarn and pattern for the baby blanket in this video is from Purl Soho.
Thrums / Thrumming
Thrums are a way to add warmth and bulk to a knitted item by knitting little bits of wool roving into the work. This video demonstrates the technique on it’s own, and next week we have a tutorial on thrummed mittens. Many thanks to Knitter’s Pride and their Marblz needles, for sponsoring this video.
The Knitter’s Pride tools I use in this video are Marblz circular needles from an interchangeable set that includes nine needle sizes.
You can find more information about Knitter’s Pride needles, as well as retailers using these links:
Bryson Distributing
Accessories Unlimited
Knitter’s Pride Shop finder
Q: Can I add thrums to any knitted item?
A: Yes, and no. Because thrums add bulk, the knitted item has to be larger to accommodate the thrum stitches. This can throw off the proportions of a pattern. For example, you can make thrummed slippers, knitting a larger size than you would knit if you were not adding thrum stitches. This would create a pair of slippers that would fit well in width, but would likely throw off the proportions for the length of the slipper. My recommendation is to knit a pattern specifically designed for thrums, until you are familiar with the technique and the adjustments you’ll need to make to patterns. (I have a thrummed mittens pattern coming out next week, or you can search Ravelry for thrummed patterns.)
Q: Can I use a fiber other than wool, like superwash wool or a synthetic for thrummed knits?
A: Your best bet is to stick with 100% non-superwash wool for thrummed knits for the best warmth and wear-ability. As the item is worn, you want the thrums to felt to themselves and the knit fabric to create a layer of smooth insulation.
Instructions for the swatch I used for demonstration in the video:
CO 40 stitches
Bottom Border: Knit 8 rows, purl 1 row
Row 1 (RS): Knit 8, work a thrum stitch, (knit 3, thrum) 6 times, knit 7
Row 2: Knit 5, purl 30, knit 5
Row 3: Knit all stitches
Row 4: Knit 5, purl 30, knit 5
Row 5: Knit 6, work a thrum stitch, (knit 3, thrum) 7 times, knit 5
Row 6: Knit 5, purl 30, knit 5
Row 7: Knit all stitches
Row 8: Knit 5, purl 30, knit 5
Information on things you’ll see in this video:
The long-staple roving I used is from Knit Picks.
The shorter-staple roving I used is from Colorways Gallery.
The green yarn I used for demonstration is Knit Picks Wool of the Andes Bulky.
The nail polish I’m wearing is by Julep, color “Ilga”.
My silver ring is actually a knitting needle gauge, and can be found here.
The Finer Points of Garment Fitting & Blocking
You’re probably going to spend between 40 and 100 hours knitting a sweater, here are some very specific things you can do to make sure the sweater fits when it’s finished.
The six steps:
1. Choose the correct size (video on that here)
2. Knit a swatch (video on that here)
3. Mark changes you know you’ll want to make on the schematic
4. Knit the sweater!
5. Try it on, write down actual measurements and changes you want to make when it’s wet
6. Wash sweater according to yarn label instructions, set out flat to dry (block) according to what you’ve indicated in Step 5
Information on things you’ll see in this video:
The sweater in the thumbnail photo is the Arrowhead Cardigan, more info on my Ravelry page here.
My beautiful wood pen can be found at here on Etsy.
The nail polish I’m wearing is by Julep, color “Janie”.
My silver ring is actually a knitting needle gauge, and can be found here.
3 Ways to Join In-the-Round
In this video, I demonstrate three different ways to join stitches in-the-round.
The Knitter’s Pride tools I use in this video are Platina 16″ circular needles from an interchangeable set that includes seven needle sizes.
You can find more information about Knitter’s Pride needles, as well as retailers using these links:
Bryson Distributing
Accessories Unlimited
Knitter’s Pride Shop finder
The yarn I use for demonstration is Knit Picks Wool of the Andes Bulky.
My silver ring is actually a knitting needle gauge, and can be found here.
The nail polish I’m wearing is by Julep, color “Ilga”.
Using 9″ Circulars & Needle Review
In this video, we cover the ins-and-outs of 9 inch circular needles. When to use them, using them (both Continental and English/American), and a needle review of the four most popular brands.
The needles I review in the video are:
Clover, purchased on Amazon for $11.99
ChiaoGoo, purchased on Amazon for $8.88
HiyaHiya, purchased on Amazon for $12.50
Addi, purchased on Purl Soho for $15.45
The video clip of the Continental knitter is my friend Steven. Steven is an excellent knitter who enjoys knitting complicated patterns. You can follow his work here:
Steven’s Ravelry page
Steven’s knitting blog
The yarn I’m using in the knitting sample is Knit Picks Hawthorne Sport Multi, in color Montavilla.
The nail polish I’m wearing is by Julep, color “Ilga”.
My silver ring is actually a knitting needle gauge, and can be found here.
Russian Grafting
Russian grafting is a decorative way to join two pieces of knitting, no working yarn necessary. Additionally, it leaves no ridge on the back of the work, making it appropriate for pieces worn next to the skin.
The needles I used for demonstration are Knitter’s Pride Bamboo DPNs.
The crochet hook I used is Knitter’s Pride Dreamz.
The yarn I used is Berroco Vintage Worsted in color in Sunny.
The nail polish I’m wearing is by Julep, color “Amanda”.
My silver ring is actually a knitting needle gauge, and can be found here.
Removing a Bind-Off Row
In this video, I show you how to remove a bind-off row – either to correct a mistake, or redo the bind-off (because it was too tight or too loose).
Information on things you’ll see in this video:
The yarn I used in the demo piece is Knit Picks Wool of the Andes Bulky.
The needles I used are Knitter’s Pride Bamboo.
My silver ring is actually a knitting needle gauge, and can be found here.
The nail polish I’m wearing is by Julep, and isn’t actually a color, but I like the way it looks. It’s a nail treatment, called Oxygen Nail Treatment. It seems to help my nails grow, and prevents chipping and peeling.
Provisional Cast-On Using a Crochet Hook
Provisional cast-ons are important in knitting, especially when knitting toe-up socks. Here is an alternative to picking up stitches from a crochet chain, by creating stitches directly on the needle.
The Knitter’s Pride tools I use in this video are Symfonie Dreams Crochet Hooks, and Symfonie Dreamz Double-Pointed Needles from Knitter’s Pride Sock Needle Set.
You can find more information about Knitter’s Pride Symfonie Dreamz needles and hooks, as well as a retailer using these links:
Bryson Distributing
Accessories Unlimited
Knitter’s Pride Shop finder
The yarn I use for demonstration is Berroco Vintage.
My silver ring is actually a knitting needle gauge, and can be found here.
The nail polish I’m wearing is by Julep, and isn’t actually a color, but I like the way it looks. It’s a nail treatment, called Oxygen Nail Treatment. It seems to help my nails grow, and prevents chipping and peeling.
Twisted Knit Stitches
In this video, I cover everything you ever wanted to know about twisted knit stitches. When it’s good, when it’s bad, and how to easily correct a twisted stitch.
You can find more information about Knitter’s Pride Marblz needles, as well as a retailer using these links:
Bryson Distributing
Accessories Unlimited
Knitter’s Pride Shop finder
In the video, I mention Combination Knitting, and Annie Modesitt’s website. You can find more about Combination Knitting on her website here.
The yarn I use for demonstration is Knit Picks Wool of the Andes Bulky.
My silver ring is actually a knitting needle gauge, and can be found here.
The nail polish I’m wearing is by Julep, and isn’t actually a color, but I like the way it looks. It’s a nail treatment, called Oxygen Nail Treatment. It seems to help my nails grow, and prevents chipping and peeling.
Determining Yarn Weight (WPI)
In this video, I demonstrate how to create your own WPI (wraps per inch) tool, and how to use it to determine the weight of mystery yarns.
The Ravelry Standard Yarn Weights chart can be found here.
The yarns I use for demonstration are Knit Picks Wool of the Andes Bulky, Berocco Vintage Worsted, and Knit Picks Hawthorne Sport.
My silver ring is actually a knitting needle gauge, and can be found here.
The nail polish I’m wearing is by Julep, and isn’t actually a color, but I like the way it looks. It’s a nail treatment, called Oxygen Nail Treatment. It seems to help my nails grow, and prevents chipping and peeling.
