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Flicking Q & A

“Flicking” is a way of knitting that is a variation on English/American/throwing knitting – a way to hold the working yarn in your right hand without ever letting go of the right needle. The first (and more general) video I have about flicking can be found here.

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 Knitter’s Pride Platina needles I’m using can be found here.

The seed stitch cowl I’m working on is a kit from Purl Soho.

The nail polish I’m wearing is by Julep, color “Janie”.

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Intarsia vs. Duplicate Stitch

When you want to add a “blob” of color to your knitting, especially circular knitting, duplicate stitch is an easy way to add the design after-the-fact. In this video I demonstrate both intarsia and duplicate stitch.

heart chart

Information on things you’ll see in the video:
The yarn I used for demonstration is Knit Picks Wool of the Andes Bulky.

The needles I used are Knitter’s Pride Bamboo DPNs.

The nail polish I’m wearing is by Julep, color “Janie”.

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Portuguese Knitting Style

Even if you’re perfectly happy with the way you knit, I encourage you to give this video a looksie. Portuguese knitting is kind of mind-blowing, and the resulting stitches are identical to Continental/English/American knitting, which means you can work a row of Portuguese knitting or purling in your current project, if you like.

The needles I’m using for demonstration are Knitter’s Pride Bamboo DPNs.

The pink yarn I’m using is Knit Picks Wool of the Andes Bulky, in color Crush.

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.

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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.

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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.

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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”.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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