Crafts Articles

Video / Updated 08-15-2023

It can be difficult to know what you really need when it comes to jewelry and beading design, especially if you're standing in front of racks of supplies. Don't fret; use the following list of supplies you should have handy so you can create jewelry at a moment's notice. And watch the video above to learn about the tools you should have and where to find jewelry making supplies. Assorted clasps (toggle clasps, spring ring clasp) 2-x2mm tube-shaped sterling crimp beads Sterling and gold-filled bead tips Ear wires (leverback and shepherd hook styles) Head pins Assorted sizes of jump rings (5mm to 7mm in gold-filled and sterling)

Video / Updated 08-09-2023

A dropped stitch is one that has come off the needle. Whether it is a dropped knit stitch or purl stitch, fear not. You can fix it. You might see it right away after you knit a round or you might miss it for a few rounds. Depending on the type of yarn you’re using, the dropped stitch might just sit without going anywhere or it might “run,” leaving a ladder behind. Luckily, you can easily pick up the stitch with a small crochet hook. Learn how by watching this video or following the steps below. Pick up a dropped knit stitch You can pick up a stitch that drops off the needle but doesn’t run down by simply placing it back onto the left needle on the next round. Make sure that you place the stitch back on the needle in the correct orientation — front leg of the stitch should sit to the right of the back leg. To pick up a stitch that drops several rows back, first identify the stitch. One strand of yarn runs between the adjoining stitches for each round that the stitch drops, which creates a ladder. Here, the stitch drops 5 rows. Knit to just before the dropped stitch. Repair the dropped stitch by pulling each of those strands through the dropped stitch with a small crochet hook and working your way back up to the needle. Insert the crochet hook into the dropped stitch from front to back. Catch the lowest strand of the ladder with the hook. Pull it through the stitch towards you. This technique moves the stitch up one round. Remove the crochet hook from the stitch and re-insert it from front to back. Catch the next strand of the ladder and pull it through the loop towards you. Repeat until you pick up all the strands and the stitch is level with the current round. Place the stitch back onto the left needle and you’re ready to knit again. Be careful not to twist this stitch. Be careful not to twist this stitch. Pick a dropped purl stitch Because a purl stitch is the opposite of a knit stitch, you can pick up a purl-side ladder by working from the inside of the sock. Turn the work so that the inside of the sock faces you. Pick up the dropped stitch by inserting the crochet hook into the stitch from front to back and pulling each strand through the stitch one round at a time. Arrange the dropped stitch so that the lowest strand of the ladder is in front of the dropped stitch. To pick up a dropped stitch purlwise from the outside, you need to recreate the purl “bump.” Insert the crochet hook into the dropped stitch from back to front, and use the hook to pull the strand through the loop from front to back. When you pick up the dropped stitch, the fabric might appear loose or elongated. Don’t worry, any looseness will disappear when you wash or block your socks. Remove the crochet hook from the dropped stitch and rearrange so that the next strand of the ladder is in front of the dropped stitch. Repeat steps 3 and 4 until you work the purl stitch back up to the current round and place it back on the left needle without twisting. Now you’re ready to work this stitch again. Sometimes a dropped stitch can work to your advantage. If you notice an error several rounds down from your needles, you don’t need to unknit or unravel back to that point. You can correct stitches by intentionally dropping a stitch, creating a ladder, and then picking up the stitch correctly.

Video / Updated 08-09-2023

When you knit in the round on a circular needle, you first cast on, join the round, and then begin knitting. Joining simply means that when you work the first stitch, you bring the first and last cast-on stitches together, joining the circle of stitches. See the following instructions and video for how to do it. Place a marker on the RH needle before making the first stitch if you want to keep track of the beginning of the round. Many in-the-round patterns tell you to place a marker to indicate the beginning of a round. When you’re doing color work or any sort of repeating pattern, knowing where one round ends and another begins is vital. Insert the tip of the RH needle into the first stitch on the LH needle (the first cast-on stitch). Knit or purl as usual. If you have to place markers later in the knitting process (common with pieces that require shaping), do something to differentiate your “beginning” marker from the others: Make it a different color than the other markers you use, or attach a piece of yarn or a safety pin to it.

Video / Updated 08-08-2023

You need to be mindful of your gauge throughout the entire knitting process (at least on projects that are supposed to fit a certain way). Read on to see when and how to check your gauge throughout a project. For something that doesn't need to fit exactly, like a scarf or a wrap, you don't need to be nearly as fastidious. If it looks good to you, you don't need to fret about the numbers. When to check your gauge After you've cast on and knit a couple of inches of your project, measure your gauge again to see how it's going. If you made and measured your swatch a month ago or even a week ago, things may have changed. Your mood, level of alertness, or the fact that you've been knitting more or less often can all affect your knitting tension. Or maybe you swatched on straight wooden needles and now you're knitting with metal circular needles. The material a needle is made of can make a big difference to your gauge. Check your gauge from time to time as you work on your project, particularly if you have put it aside for a while and have just recently come back to it. If you get in the habit of checking your gauge when you have a tape measure out to determine the length of your knitting, it won't seem like any extra work. After you verify that you're on the right track with your gauge, you can continue knitting with confidence. It's much easier to rip out a few inches than it is to rip out the whole back when you discover that your gauge is off. And knitters, like everyone else, are often loath to admit their mistakes. If you have a gnawing sense that something isn't quite right, force yourself to do the necessary reality check and measure things. The sooner you correct an error, the better. How to check your gauge To check gauge during a project, many knitters like to use a gauge measurement tool. This tool has holes to size up needles and a small window that's 2 inches wide and 2 inches tall. To use the gauge measurement tool, lay your knitting flat and, without pressing it down so vigorously that you distort the stitches, lay your gauge meter on top and count how many stitches there are across the window. Don't forget that you have to double the number of stitches to determine the number of stitches per 4 inches. You can also use a tape measure or ruler to help you count the number of stitches per 4 inches. A lightweight clear plastic ruler works nicely. Whatever tool you use, be sure that your knitting is flat on a table and that your measuring device is lying parallel to your rows of stitches.

Video / Updated 08-08-2023

If you catch your knitting mistake before the end of the row, you can rip out stitches back to your mistake. Just rip out one stitch at a time. Basically, you undo what you’ve just done until you get to the problem spot. See the written steps, illustration, and video below. Insert the LH needle from front to back (away from you) into the stitch below the one on the RH needle. Make sure you have the correct side (either knit or purl) facing you. Slide the RH needle out of the stitch and gently pull on the yarn to free it. Your work won’t unravel, because your LH needle has secured the stitch below. Repeat these steps, stitch by stitch. Continue until you reach the point of your mistake. All sorts of mistakes, such as inadvertently adding stitches, require that you rip out your knitting.

Video / Updated 08-08-2023

Knitted ribs are textured vertical stripes. Ribs not only make your fabric look good, but they allow for more elasticity in the fabric, which is why you see them often in knitted sweaters. This video shows you how easy the ribbing stitch can be.

Video / Updated 08-08-2023

Knitting and purling open the door to all sorts of patterns that involve alternating between knit and purl stitches. But as a beginning knitter, you really only need to know two patterns: garter stitch, which you create by knitting (or purling) every row, and stockinette stitch, which you create by alternating a knit row with a purl row. Another stitch all knitters should have in their repertoire is seed stitch. Although a little more complicated than garter and stockinette stitches, seed stitches create an interesting texture and appear in many patterns. Knits and purls have a quirky but predictable relationship to each other. When lined up horizontally, the purled rows stand out from the knitted rows. Arranged in vertical patterns, like ribbing, the purl stitches recede and the knit stitches come forward, creating an elastic fabric. When worked in a balanced manner (meaning the same number of knits and purls appear on each side of the fabric), as in seed stitch and its variations, the fabric is stable — it lies flat and doesn’t have the tendency to roll in on the edges. These qualities make seed and moss stitches, as well as garter stitches, good choices for borders that need to lie flat and not pull in as ribbed borders do. Garter stitch Garter stitch is the most basic of all knitted fabrics. It’s made by knitting every row. (You can create garter stitch by purling every row, too. Neat, huh?) You can recognize garter stitch by the horizontal ridges formed by the tops of the knitted loops on every other row. Garter stitch has a lot going for it in addition to being easy to create. It’s reversible, lies flat, and has a pleasant rustic look. Unlike most knitted fabrics, garter stitch has a square gauge, meaning that there are usually twice as many rows as stitches in 1 inch. To count rows in garter stitch, count the ridges and multiply by two, or count the ridges by twos. Garter stitch has a hanging gauge that stretches more vertically. Therefore, gravity and the weight of the garter stitch piece pulls on the fabric and actually makes it longer. This is important to keep in mind when you’re making a garment that you want to fit properly and not grow two times larger after an hour of wearing it. Stockinette stitch When you alternate a knit row with a purl row (knit the first row, purl the second, knit the third, purl the fourth, and so on), you create stockinette stitch. You see stockinette stitch everywhere: in scarves, socks, sweaters, blankets, hats — you name it. In fact, most beginning and intermediate designs incorporate stockinette stitch. In written knitting instructions, stockinette stitch (abbreviated St st) appears like this: Row 1 (RS): Knit. Row 2 (WS): Purl. Rep Rows 1 and 2 for desired length. Stockinette fabric looks and behaves in a particular way. To successfully incorporate this stitch into your knitting repertoire, pay attention to the following: Stockinette stitch has a right side and a wrong side (though, of course, either side may be the “right” side, depending on the intended design). The right side is typically the smooth side, called stockinette or On this side, the stitches look like small Vs. The bumpy side of stockinette stitch fabric is called reverse stockinette or purl. If you’re working in stockinette stitch and you lose track of whether you knit the last row or purled it, not to worry. You can tell what to do next by looking at your knitting. Hold your needles in the ready-to-knit position (with the LH needle holding the stitches to be worked) and look at what’s facing you. If you’re looking at the knit (smooth) side, you knit. If you’re looking at the purl (bumpy) side, you purl. A good mantra to say to yourself is knit the knits and purl the purls. Stockinette fabric curls on the edges. The top and bottom (horizontal) edges curl toward the front or smooth side. The side (vertical) edges roll toward the bumpy side. Sweater designers frequently use this rolling feature deliberately to create rolled hems or cuffs, and you can create easy cords or straps simply by knitting a very narrow band in stockinette stitch (say, four or six stitches across). But when you want the piece to lie flat, you need to counteract this tendency by working the three or four stitches on the edge in some stitch that lies flat (like garter stitch, discussed in the preceding section, or seed stitch, discussed in the next section). To figure out the gauge of a swatch knitted in stockinette stitch, count the Vs on the smooth side or right side. They’re easier to see and distinguish than the bumps on the wrong side. Of course, if you find the bumps easier to count, it’s okay to do so. The names garter stitch and stockinette stitch date from the 1500s, when hand-knit stockings were a major industry in England. Garter stitch was used at the top of the stocking, where it needed to expand for the thigh, and stockinette (or stocking stitch) was used for the fitted leg portion. Seed stitch Seed stitch, shown in the figure below (and demonstrated in the video below), consists of single knits and purls alternating horizontally and vertically. Its name refers to the way the knitted fabric looks: The little purl bumps look like scattered seeds. Like garter stitch, seed stitch lies flat, making it a good edging for a sweater border and cuffs. It also looks the same from both sides, making it a nice choice for scarves and other pieces of which both sides are visible. Seed stitch stitch gauge tends to be wider than a stockinette stitch stitch gauge. This is important to note if you plan to mix stitch patterns but want to maintain the same measurements in both patterns. When knitting a stitch, the loose tail of yarn is in back of your work. When purling a stitch, the yarn is in front of your work. As you switch back and forth within a row, as in seed stitch, you need to move your yarn to the front or to the back as appropriate between the needles. If you forget to do so, you create an unintentional yarn over, resulting in an extra stitch on the next row and a hole in the work. Unfortunately for novice knitters, who often forget to move the yarn accordingly, instructions don’t explicitly tell you to bring your yarn to the front or back of your work. They assume that you know where the yarn should be when you’re about to knit or purl a stitch. As you practice the patterns that combine both knit and purl stitches, make sure your yarn is in the proper position for each stitch before you start it. To create seed stitch: Cast on an even number of sts. Row 1: * K1, p1; rep from * to end of row. Row 2: * P1, k1; rep from * to end of row. Rep Rows 1 and 2 for pattern. When working seed stitch, you alternate between knit and purl stitches in each row. The trick to creating the little “seeds” is to knit in the purl stitches of the previous row and purl in the knit stitches of the previous row. If you’re working in seed stitch and you lose track of whether you knit the last stitch or purled it, don’t worry. You can tell what to do next by looking at your knitting. Hold your needles in the ready-to-knit position (with the LH needle holding the stitches to be worked or the ones you’re working on) and look at what’s facing you. On the LH needle, if you’re looking at a knit stitch, you purl. If you’re looking at a purl (bumpy) stitch, you knit. A good mantra to say to yourself is knit the purls and purl the knits.

Video / Updated 08-08-2023

In knitting-speak, to slip a stitch (abbreviated sl st) means to move a stitch from the LH needle to the RH needle ("slip" it) without knitting or purling it and without changing its orientation (that is, without twisting it). To slip a stitch, insert the RH needle purlwise (as if you were going to purl) into the first stitch on the LH needle and slip it off the LH needle onto the RH needle. Unless your instructions specifically tell you to slip a stitch knitwise, always slip a stitch as if you were going to purl it. Here’s a look at stitches being slipped both purlwise (a.) and knitwise (b.). You frequently run across slipped stitches in methods for decreasing stitches — when you want to reduce the number of stitches you have on your needle. They also form the basis of a family of stitch patterns. Like garter stitch, slip-stitch patterns are stable and lie flat — and they’re a breeze to knit.

Video / Updated 08-08-2023

When knitting in the round, the right side is always facing you — so you need to understand how this knitting-in-the-round stitch position affects the stitches you make. For example, whereas in flat knitting you create a garter stitch by knitting every row, knitting every round in circular knitting produces stockinette stitch. Here’s a quick guide to getting the stitches you want in the round: For garter stitch: Alternate a knit round with a purl round. For stockinette stitch: Knit all rounds. For rib stitches: In round 1, alternate knit and purl stitches in whatever configuration you choose (1 x 1, 2 x 2, and so on). In subsequent rounds, knit over the knit stitches and purl over the purl stitches. The trick is knowing how the stitch is created in flat knitting and then remembering the principle. For example, in flat-knitting seed stitch, you knit in the purl stitches and purl in the knit stitches. Well, you do the same in circular knitting. Rounds (rnds) are what you work in circular knitting. Rows are what you work in flat (back-and-forth) knitting.

Article / Updated 07-21-2023

Before you even attempt your first stitch, you need to master some basic skills. First, you need to know how to hold the hook and yarn, and second, you need to know how to get the yarn on the hook. Are you a lefty or a righty? Your dominant hand — the one that you write with, eat with, and do just about everything else with — is the hand that you should hold your hook in. This is the hand that does most of the action, while the other hand guides the yarn and holds the work that's already been completed. Although most crochet patterns are written for right-handed people, those of you that are lefties shouldn't be discouraged. Your motions are exactly the same. You just do it with your left hand instead of your right. Getting a grip Even though you crochet with only one hook, both hands are kept busy. Your dominant hand holds the hook, and your other hand holds the yarn. Holding your crochet hook is pretty simple. You just need to get a nice hold on your hook. If your hand isn't comfortable, it can cramp up, and your stitches won't go with the flow. Crocheting should be relaxing, not a continuous fight with the hook and yarn. Experiment with each of the following positions to see which one feels the most comfortable for you. Over-the-hook position: Position your hand over the hook with the handle resting against your palm and your thumb and middle finger grasping the thumb rest. Under-the-hook position: Hold the hook as you would a pencil with the thumb rest between your forefinger and thumb. Both are common ways of holding the crochet hook — for lefties and righties. Both work just fine. When you first start working with yarn, it's best to use a light to medium, solid color worsted-weight yarn. You'll be able to see the stitches more clearly and manipulate the yarn easier, thus eliminating any potential problems that may occur if you used a textured or variegated yarn. After you know what to do with the hook, you need to grab hold of the yarn. Like holding the hook, holding the yarn properly may seem simple. It may also seem like your fingers have to be contortionists to achieve the proper position, but don't worry, they can do it. Your yarn hand — the hand not holding your hook — has an important job. Not only does it feed the yarn to your crochet hook, but it also controls the tension of the yarn. Remember that right-handed crocheters wrap the yarn over their left hand, and left-handed people wrap the yarn over their right hand. The following steps offer one common method for wrapping the yarn around your hand. Starting from underneath your hand, bring the yarn up between your little finger and ring finger. Wrap the yarn around your little finger to form a loop. Draw the yarn under your ring finger and middle finger. Bring the yarn up to the top of your hand between your middle finger and forefinger. Finally, lay the yarn over your forefinger. To keep the yarn in place, grasp the end of the yarn between your middle finger and thumb. By raising or lowering your forefinger, you can control the yarn tension. Practice wrapping and rewrapping the yarn around your yarn hand. Whenever you feel that your working yarn is too loose or too tight, stop and rewrap to get the proper tension. This motion will soon become an ingrained habit.