Hook and Needles: Knitting and Crochet Blog (cool stuff, techniques, and things I find)

I found this new technique for binding-off your knitting. I haven’t tried it, but I will in my next project:

Ok, so here I am struggling to make the yoke for the GreenGable hoodie I’m knitting (from Vogue Knitting, Fall 2008), and I decide to try it on… It’s not bad, but the sleeves have these beautiful big cables and they look off. According to the instructions I was supposed to stop following the chart, and just do ribbing after row 4. I’ve done a good part of the yoke by this point, and I can see that I had more than enough space to complete another repeat of the chart.

I go to the Ravelry group for this hoodie, and I see that I’m not the only one thinking this. There is a thread discussing whether you were supposed to stop at row 4 of that or the next repeat… I looked at the pictures, and I really like how it looks with the extra repeat (like in the magazine), instead of the long ribbing on the shoulders.

I have 3 options:

• Leave it, and live with it.
• Frog the yoke, and start it over.
• Try to fix it.

I knew I wouldn’t be happy leaving it, and the yoke had given me enough trouble that the idea of having to make it again gave me a headache. So my strategy was to try to fix it, and only if it looked like minced meat, I would  frog the yoke.

Fortunately, the fixing was succesful. Here’s the before and after picture:

Before and After

This is by far the biggest fix I’ve ever done. I had to undo 19 rows and 24 stitches on both sleeves, and re-knit the cable. If you have never fixed your knitting this way, basically what you do is drop the stitches all the way down to where the error is, and re-knit it up. You can use a crochet hook to re-knit, but the area to fix was so big, I just used needles for most of it, and the hook just for the last couple of stitches.

I went down 19 rows!

I used double pointed needles, because the sweater at this point is so big, it would have been very uncomfortable to have to turn the knitting to do the wrong side.

It went more smoothly than I expected. The only thing that slowed me down was trying to ge the same tension as the original row, so I wouldn’t have too much yarn left at the end, or too little. In some rows I had to use a needle to pull some stitches to correct this problem.

This sweater’s been a headache! It’d better look amazing when I’m done!

I recently got an email from a reader asking me how to increase a certain number of stitches evenly in a row. This is something that is often asked from crocheters as they follow amigurumi patterns, but you can also find this instruction in some knitting patterns.

There are some calculators that will do this for you: Increase Evenly Across a Row and Decrease Evenly Across a Row. But if you want to be able to do it yourself here’s how.

Increasing

What you need to do is  calculate the interval between increases: number of stitches you have now / number of stitches to increase

So for example, if you have 24 stitches, and you need to increase 6 (for a total of 30), you need to increase one stitch after every 4th stitches (24/6=4). A 5th stitch needs to be created.

If you are knitting, that would mean: *K4, M1* 6 times, or K2 *M1, K4* 5 times, M1, K2 (so you don’t have the increases in the edges).

For crochet, since you increase by crocheting 2 stitches in the same stitch (the 5th stitch is added in the same space as the 4th), it would be: *sc3, sc 2 in 1* 6 times.

Decreases

To calculate the interval between decreases, it’s easiest to do it as follows: number of total stitches after decrease / number of stitches to decrease.

For example, if you have 24 stitches, and you want to decrease 6 (for 18 stitches in total), you would decrease one stitch after every 3rd (18/6=3). The 4th stitch needs to disappear.

For knitting, you will knit 2 stitches, and the third one will be knitted with the 4th one: *K2, k2tog* 6 times or K1, *k2tog, k2* 5 times, k2 tog, k1 (so the decreases don’t fall on the edges).

For crochetting, also the 4th dissapearing stitch will crochetted with the 3rd: *sc 2, sc2tog* 6 times.

I know math is not a popular subject, but if you happen to like this sort of thing, I recommend  you check out Math4Knitters.

I just love knitting in the round. I’ll take every opportunity to avoid seams. I’ve knitted hats, gloves, mittens, bags, toys, and hoodies in the round.

One of the problems of knitting in the round, is knitting with colored stripes. As you go knitting in a spiral, at each color change you end up with a jog (adjacent  stitches of different colors) where you can clearly see where each row started. The following video explains a simple technique to fix it.

One of the things you’ll notice with this technique, is that you will have less stitches on the first stitch of each row. For example, in the hat I was knitting I was doing 3 rows gray, 2 black, but where I was applying the technique I had 2 rows gray, 1 black. It’s hardly noticeable, in my opinion… the jogs would be much more noticeable.

You have one less stitch where you make the color change

Further reading

• Jogless stripes – a new way – This excellent article shows another technique.
• Mastering the jogless job – Same technique as I showed, but with pictures.

We are reaching the end of January, and I’m getting tired of wrapping the old scarf around my face to keep my nose, cheeks, and chin from falling off (as I write this, it’s -25C/-13F). So, what better way to keep my face warm than a cowl?

Cowl buttoned to full length

And you can pull it over your face.

Cowl buttoned tight around the face

The cowl I made for my friend J is a flexible cowl, since you can button it tight to look more like a scarf, or wear it looser around the neck.

Cowl tight like a scarf

This is a project that a beginner can tackle. The final result is a rectangle of 12 in by 25 in. I used a somewhat light weight yarn (Noro Silk Garden Sock), with a 3.75mm hook, but you can use any hook and yarn (I only recommend you use a yarn that changes colors, o has an interesting texture, since the pattern itself is very simple).

• Make a chain of a multiple of 4 + 2 (mine was of 82)
• Row 1: ch 2 (counts as a sc), sc 1, * ch 2 , sc 2 * to the end.
• Row 2: ch 3 (counts as a dc), dc 1, * ch 2, dc 2 * to the end.
• Repeat rows 1 and 2 until desired length, ending with a row 1.

The diagram would be something like:

Cowl at full length

To finish it, add the button on the edge. They should fit through the little wholes.

Buttoned Cowl

If I made one for myself, I’d probably line the middle section so if I pull it over my face, no cold air would come through the little holes. I would leave the rest open, so I could still button it different ways.

Cowl buttoned horizontally

I hope my friend J will like it!

Sorry for not writing in such a long time, but the end of the year is usually the worst time for me at work (I teach). I hope that during my absence you had a great Christmas and a festive New Year!

So I know I should have posted my list for Santa before Christmas, but who cares, I still want this stuff. I figured I shared with you some of the things I’m saving for, and some of the things I know I’ll never buy, but wish I could afford.

1. Knit Visualizer: It’s a software that helps you build knitting charts. I sometimes get patterns with only written instructions, and with this I would be able to convert them into a handy chart. Also, I could post designs of my own (if I had any).
   Price: $185 USD.
   Possibility of me buying it: None.
2. Ball Winder: This handy device helps you make balls of yarns out of skeins or big yarn messes. At my LYS the owner is very gracious, so she has one and lets everyone use it (even if you didn’t buy the yarn there!)
   Price: $40 USD.
   Possibility of me buying it: Very likely (a friend game me some gift certificates that I plan to use to buy it.)
3. Umbrella Swift: It works in conjunction with the ball winder. You wrap the skein around it, and then use the ball winder to turn it into a handy ball.
   Price: $75 USD.
   Possibility of me buying it: Very low (as long as I have a husband with two hands and the ball winder, I’ll be fine).
4. Colorful stitch markers: I’ve made my own stitch markers, but kishcrafts’ stitch markers are such fun. I love the dessert and sugar skull markers.
   Price: $12 USD.
   Possibility of me buying it: Somewhat likely (but deciding which one to get is the hard part).

I’ll buy a lottery ticket later today…

Nibbler with cape, shoes and diaper

Sorry it took so long, but I thought I had written down what I did, and if I did, I can’t find it. So I’ll do my best to recreate my steps here. If you were able to make a Nibbler (that pattern is here, by the way), I’m sure you’ll be able to overcome any omissions or error in the following patterns (and if you see any, let me know).

For all parts I used yarn of the same weight as you used for your Nibbler, and a hook a size bigger (I used 4.5mm for Nibbler, and a 5mm for the garments).

Cape

Cape

The cape is done back and forward (turn at the end of every row) in double crochet.
ch 30
Rows 1 to 8: ch 3 (counts as dc), dc 29 (30)
Row 9: ch 3, dc 27, dc 2 tog (29)
Row 10: ch 3, dc 26, dc 2 tog (28)
Row 11: ch 3, dc 25, dc 2 tog (27)
Row 12: ch 3, dc 24, dc 2 tog (26)
Row 13: ch 3, dc 2, dc 2 tog, *dc 3, dc 2 tog* 3 times, dc 2 (18)
Rows 14 to 18: ch 3, dc 4 (5)
Row 19: dc 4 (4)
Rows 20 to 22: ch 3, dc 3 (4)
Row 23: dc 2 tog, dc 2 tog (2)

Repeat rows 14 to 23 on the other side of the cape. Weave in loose ends. To make the cape look better, slip stitch all around the edge.

Diaper

Diaper with flap forded to front

The diaper stats at the top, and worked down in a spiral of single crochets. The flap is worked back and forward, turning at the end of each row. The top folds inward about 6 rows to make the diaper looked bulkier.

Unfolded diaper (you can see where the rows started)

ch 60, join to work in the round
Rows 1 to 12: sc all around (60)
Row 13: * sc 8, sc 2 tog * all around (54)
Row 14: * sc 7, sc 2 tog * all around (48)
Row 15: * sc 6, sc 2 tog * all around (42)
Row 16: * sc 5, sc 2 tog * all around (36)
Row 17: sc 6 (or as many to cover the gap between the legs), Turn
Rows 18 to 22: ch 1 (counts as your first sc), sc 5 (6 or whatever number you are using)
Row 23: ch 1, sc 2 in 1, sc 3, sc 2 in 1 (8 or your number + 2)
Row 24: ch 1, sc 2 in 1, sc 5, sc 2 in 1 (10 or your number + 4)
Row 25: ch 1, sc 2 in 1, sc 7, sc 2 in 1 (12 or your number + 6)
Row 26: ch 1, sc 2 in 1, sc 9, sc 2 in 1 (14 or your number + 8 )
Row 27 to 30: sc 14 or your number + 8
Rows 31 to 40: ch 1, sc 2 tog, sc to last 2 stitches, sc 2 tog
Rows 40 until the flap is long enough to fold under the top: ch 1, sc 4

Weave in ends. You may want to slip stitch around the edges.

Shoes

Shoes (left pic shows where the foundation chain is)

The shoes are done in a similar fashion as the mouth piece in Nibbler. It starts with a chain, and you work around the chain to make an ellipse. The shoes start at the bottom of the shoe, and end at the opening. Measure the shoe as you go to make sure it’s fitting (you may want to skip row 7).

ch 4
Row 1: sc 2 in 1 on second chain from hook, sc 2 in 1, sc 4 in 1, sc 2 in1, sc 2 in 1 (12)
Row 2: * sc 1, sc 2 in 1 * all around (18)
Row 3: * sc 2, sc 2 in 1 * all around (24)
Row 4: sc all around through back loop (24)
Row 5: sc 7, *sc 2 in 1* six times, sc 5 (18)
Row 6: sc 6, *sc 2 in 1* four times, sc 4 (14)
Row 7: sc 5, *sc 2 in 1* three times, sc 3 (11)

Weave in loose ends.

Now you are ready to play with your compelete Lord Nibbler!

All hail Lord Nibbler!