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

Wrapping up a wonderful year

How time has flown! We see it especially in the changes in our Knitch baby, Sully, from newborn to robust, happy, full-of-personality almost 10-month-old. We see it in our new digs on a charming little stretch of Virginia Avenue (North East!), very close to the bustling center of Virginia-Highland and just far enough away. We see it in bare trees and patches of snow on the ground (highly unusual in these parts!)

We're celebrating it all with a perfect project to welcome the new year: our Artyarns Silk Rhapsody Hug. Some are making it with Silk Rhapsody, some with Silk Rhapsody Glitter and some with Silk Rhapsody with Beads and Sequins. It's truly gorgeous, such fun to make and a great treat to wear as the chilly weather sets in for awhile. Do let us see your creation!

Sully and the Quince

yarn is great, but very hungry caterpillars
are more interesting for some people . . .

Sully was in the house for our Quince & Co. trunk show on Wednesday, so happy under his new Kelpie Cap, knit from Quince & Co. Osprey by his mama the night before.

yes? you wanted something? . . .

okay. back to work . . .

Come by and see the yummy samples and revel in the yarn from Quince & Co. If you're lucky, you might even get to meet Mr. Sully.

Over the River Mitts: Comfort & Joy, with a Video!

Oh comfort and joy! We just got in a new shipment of Jade Sapphire Cashmere. It's the perfect thing for making these super warm and cozy fingerless one-skein mitts. The only hard part is choosing just one color! Tough decision, made easier if you decide to make several! We'll leave that to you and, once you've decided, we'll send you the complimentary pattern with your purchase of the yarn.

In the meantime, we've put together a 3.5 minute video that unravels the mystery of increasing with Make 1 Right and Make 1 Left (M1R and M1L) -- something you'll need to know to make the thumb gussets in these mitts. Here Nell shows you exactly how it's done, using a nice bulky yarn so it's very easy to see all the detail. Watch it through a time or two and you'll have this clever (and easy!) technique down!

All you need to make these delicious mitts is one skein of Jade Sapphire 6-ply plus US size 7 needles and a darning needle. Then you're good to go!

Beautiful detailing!

A Video How-To for our Sweet Ruffled Scarf

Our Sweet Ruffled Scarf is a satisfying quick knit, especially when you understand the ins and outs of picking up stitches for the ruffle. Nell shows you how simple it is to do in our video.

To make this soft, feminine scarf, you'll need two skeins of Malabrigo Worsted, a pair of US 7 needles and a pair of 47" - 60" US 8 circular needles. The pattern is free with your purchase of the yarn at Knitch.

A Quick Knit for Holiday Gift-Giving - The Lightning Cowl!

We call it Lightning Cowl because it's so quick to knit. And the results are astonishing. You'll just need one skein of Malabrigo Rasta, a 24" US 17 circular needle and some stitch markers. Oh, and the pattern, of course, which we will throw in with your purchase of the yarn! Make one for each of your best buddies and one for yourself. You've got the time -- we've got the yarn!