“AH HA” Moments

I’ve been going through some of my stacks and stacks of magazines – some have been with me so long they are old friends – and wanted to share some of the tips that caused me to have an “ah ha” moment as Oprah would say.  Hope they have some meaning for you, too.

Michael del Vecchio: When working Fair Isle, the key to getting a good and smooth fabric is to stretch out your stitches on the needle every inch or so.

Knitting With Balls: A Hands-On Guide to Knitting for the Modern Man

Nicky Epstein: When working intarsia with several colors, use long lengths of yarn instead of bobbins so the yarns cn be pulled through when they tangle.

Caso on over two needles held together to assure a loose cast on.  Pull one needle out and continue in pattern or instead, cast on with a needle three sizes bigger and work first row onto your gauge needle.

If you have an unfinished sweater in your closet, turn it into a hat!  You’ll need to have knit at least 5″.  A typical head size is between 20-23″ in circumference, as are many sweater front or back widths.  On a RS row, knit two together across row, purl  next row.  Repeat these 2 rows until you have less than 10 stitches for a quick decrease.  Thread and tie off these stitches.  Sew the back seam.  Voila – a great hat.

Sandi Prosser: When working a pattern requiring the use of double-pointed needles, a set of 5 is easier to work with than a set of 4.  Also, the finished item has a better appearance overall.

When knitting mitts for kids, always knit 3.  Having the extra mitt will come in handy when the eventual happens and negates the need for the “idiot” string.