Get Ahead of the Holidays, March Videos

These videos by Nell will assist those of you in the heart-felt Get Ahead of the Holidays Club for March. Here we'll cover Provisional Cast On, SKP (Slip/Knit/Pass) English/American and Continental versions, PSSO (pass slipped stitch over), and How to Pick Up from the Provisional Cast On. These are useful skills for any knitter to know!


A Provisional Cast On, or Open Cast On, is meant to be removed while the knitting project is in progress, or as part of the finishing steps. Use a contrasting color for your waste yarn to make it easy to see. In this video, Nell shows you how to do a Provisional Cast On using a crochet hook.

Provisional Cast On (Crocheted)


Next we'll do a decrease using SKP (Slip/Knit/Pass) in two ways -- English/American and Continental.

SKP (Slip/Knit/Pass) - English/American Style


SKP (Slip/Knit/Pass) - Continental Style


At the heart of this month's project, there's a heart. When you arrive at the point at the bottom of each heart the instructions tell you to slip one, K2tog, PSSO. Here's how it's done -- in both the English/American and Continental styles:


Sl1, K2tog, PSSO - A pointed decrease for the bottom of your heart.


This video shows you how to pick up your stitches from the Provisional Cast On. You'll be working from the "wrong" or reverse stockinette side. You'll see why having a contrasting color for your waste yarn is so very helpful.


Picking Up Stitches (PU) from Provisional Cast On

So, how'd you like the part where you zip out the Provisional Cast On? We love that . . . it's always fun! Oh the joys of knitting!

Skills-Building Videos

Here are your videos, Skills Building Club members!

K3P3-Combining Knitting & Purling
to Make Rib Pattern

In this video, Nell shows you how to make a nice wide rib pattern, combining knitting and purling. Using this as a basis, you can create any size rib you want from K1P1 to K10P10 and beyond!


K3P3 - Combining Knits & Purls to make a Rib


K2tog, YO, K1P1
Knit 2 Together, Yarn Over, Knit3 Purl3

Here Nell shows you how to create an eyelet (aka an intentional hole) by decreasing (K2tog) and
increasing (YO) in a rib pattern. Note: You can do this in any pattern.


K2tog, YO, K1P1


K1, YO, SKP
Knit 1, Yarn Over, Slip/Knit/Pass

Here is another method of creating an eyelet (a hole on a mission) using an increase (YO) and a decrease (SKP).


K1, YO, SKP


Binding Off in Pattern . . . or Not:
The Right Way and the Other Way

When your instructions call for binding off in pattern, there's a good reason for it. Binding off in pattern creates a pleasing edge and the proper amount of elasticity in your finished piece. Here Nell shows you how to do it and also show what happens when you justdo a straight bind off, regardless of the pattern. Granted, you might choose to do it that way for the design it produces, but you'll want to know the difference so you can make the choice that best suits you and your project.


Binding Off in Pattern . . . Or Not


Long Tail Cast On - Two Methods:
With Slip Knot and Without
Nell demonstrates the basic cast on, the one most of us learn starting out. There are lots of ways to cast on and we'll get into more at a later date. This is one you'll want to know. We'll also show you a clever alternative cast on just below this that is fast becoming our go-to cast on.


Long Tail Cast On With Slip Knot


Long Tail Cast On Without Slip Knot