Simple Knitting Tips: Where is Your Yarn??

I was peacefully knitting myself a pair of my (Mostly) Ridge Rib Socks one day, when I glanced down at my needles to see that the yarn was not where I thought it was, and consequently not where it should have been. And I thought, it's a good thing I caught this because it would have made a mess that would have been hard to trace, diagnose, and fix. And naturally it turned into a blog post. Naturally. 

How many mistakes have been made--and could have been avoided--because our yarn was not where it should have been. This applies to both the working yarn and the tail yarn. 

Some scenarios: 

1. Knitting with the tail. 
One of the first things we teach beginners, yet seasoned veterans still find themselves doing this occasionally. Awkward.
2. Working yarn is in the wrong place for knit stitch or purl stitch. 

Yarn front to purl, yarn back to knit.  Unless the directions say otherwise--in so many words.

3. Yarn in the cat's mouth. 
Pets and knitting is not always a happy mix.  I have a friend who has cats who will dig in the knitting bag for yarn then run off with it.  Needless to say, she has to use knitting bags with zippers!

4. Yarn caught in a dpn. 
This is what happened to spark this blog post.  I was two stitches into the pattern on one needle and must have set the sock down and picked it back up and when I did, the working yarn had gotten wrapped around the needle not in use.  Because the yarn was dark, (and the needles were, too, come to think of it), I didn't see what was going on immediately.  My Spidey senses were tingling though and I've learned to pay attention to them. They were asking me, "Where is your yarn?!?!"

The "Yarn caught in dpn" issue, except with lighter yarn so you can actually SEE it!

5. Yarn wrapped too many times around the needle.
Intentional yarn-overs are lovely things, aren't they?  The unintentional kind are not. I've seen the yarn wrapped too many times before working the rest of the stitch as a result of paying too little attention to the process of the stitch.  And maybe also a result of there being an adult beverage in range.  Just maybe.

 These are only a few examples--I would love to hear from you other scenarios so we can get the word out about this insidious problem.  OK, maybe not insidious, but certainly pernicious, right?

Also, the (Mostly)Ridge Rib Sock pattern is a free pattern, available to download from Ravelry HERE.



 

Simple Knitting Tips: Organize your stitch markers

Every now and then a knitting trick comes my way that it is so clever I wish I had either a) thought of it myself or b) heard about it sooner.

At the Knit Inn this month, someone bought a project bag that had one of these Book Rings on it.  Turned out that one of the uses for it was to keep your stitch markers organized and handy.  GENIUS!  

I've had a couple of these rings in my office supplies for years (no clue where they came from) and I am delighted to be able to tell you that you can actually BUY THESE AMAZING THINGS at your office supply store of choice (Mine is Staples, because EASY button, of course!).

As you can see, they come in massive quantities and since I only need a few to keep my stitch markers ready for action, I've decided to share my largesse with the populace.  So...if you're local (or happen to be in town) and you see me and mention this blog, I will happily give you some of these incredible knitting tools.  Life changing, truly.
2/20/14: Edited to add: The bag was courtesy of my friend Jessica, who was clever enough to buy it and show me the genius ring :)

Reminds me of some winter sports that are happening somewhere...

Organized and Adorable, just like me. (Except better)

                                   

Simple Knitting Tips: Know Your Chart

Simple Knitting Tips: Know Your Chart

Lately I've been working on charting some new designs.  I could just write them out "k2, p2, k5, p2...." and I probably will, but some designs are just so much easier to knit using a chart rather than written directions.  Some new (and not so new) knitters shy away from charts as being too complicated and hard to follow.  I understand, I really do.  What makes it even more of a challenge is that not all chart symbols are universal.  Sometimes " I " means knit and sometimes " . "  means knit.  What?? Confusion! Chaos!! Rioting in the streets!!!

Naturally, I have an easy way to stop the madness:

Bookmarks.

I have a folder of bookmarks on my browser where I keep bookmarks to sites with lists of different types of knitting symbols.  If the chart I am using doesn't make sense, then one of these knitting sites is bound to help.  

The ABC's

Knitty

Vogue Knitting

Craft Yarn Council

KnitPicks

Granted, most patterns you work with should have a key to the symbols used in their chart.  If you get stuck, or if you're just learning the fine art of chart reading, a little help can go a long way.   Also, don't be afraid to try a pattern just because it has a chart.  Just take it one stitch at a time, use your resources, ask for help and go as slow as you need to.  Oh, and one more thing....don't forget to have fun!

Simple Knitting Tips: Label before stashing

Simple Knitting Tip:
Label your yarn before you put it in your stash and forget why you bought it....

You and I should both be doing this via Ravelry or Wooley. If, however, you haven't yet achieved that high stage of technological advancement necessary for this, you absolutely MUST slap a sticky note on the yarn label.  I am very prone to forget what sock yarn is planned for whose socks, for example, so this method keeps me sane.  Unfortunately, I have only recently (in the past year) begun this technique, so I am probably wearing your socks.   They are awesome.

Simple Knitting Tips: The Knit List

Sometimes I forget that not everyone around me has been knitting like, forever.* There are so many little tricks I have to keep my knitting flowing smoothly that I just take for granted, until I see someone has a question that can be answered by one of my totally ingenious** fixes.  Because helping people love their knitting is one of my life's goals, I have decided to share with you, in random order, on random days, 

some of my Knitting Tips.  

Simple Knitting Tip: The Knit List

This idea is a mashup between something I saw my friend Becky do, and something I just do anyway.  One year when Becky was visiting me, she had a slip of paper on which she had written a List of Things She Was Trying to Get Knitted. I had two thoughts when I saw this:
1) She knits far more complicated things than I do,
2) Why have I never thought of making a list of my knitting projects until this very moment??

I am a list-maker from way back, and yet, combining my love of lists with my works-in-progress had never occurred to me. I do not keep a current running list at all times, but when I have deadlines it does help.

Looking for a way to keep your knitting on task, and maybe be less prone to the "ooh shiny" aspect of a new pattern that you really don't have time to start right now despite how perfect and awesome it is and the fact that you could knit it entirely from stash so it wouldn't cost anything and how long could it take anyway and besides you really really want it?  Try keeping a Knit List.  Jot down what's on the needles, post it in your craft room or keep it in your knitting bag, or tape it to your computer for a reminder whenever you find yourself browsing shiny new patterns on Ravelry. That's ok, don't feel bad--we all do it!

 Next time: Now what did I buy that yarn for???

*OK, I've only been knitting for 9 years, but in dog years, that would be a l-o-n-g time!

**Some of these ingenious tips you will easily find somewhere else--a book, the internet, a magazine, etc.  I don't claim originality, I just claim they work for me :)

Simple Knitting Tips: The Side Marker

 

Sometimes I forget that not everyone around me has been knitting like, forever.* There are so many little tricks I have to keep my knitting flowing smoothly that I just take for granted, until I see someone has a question that can be answered by one of my totally ingenious** fixes.  Because helping people love their knitting is one of my life's goals, I have decided to share with you, in random order, on random days, 

some of my Knitting Tips. 

Simple Knitting Tip: The Side Marker

When I am knitting a project, and I need to know the right side from the wrong side, and I don't want to expend too much energy re-thinking the answer to that question over and over, I attach a marker like the one pictured to the right side. You could attach it to the wrong side if you prefer, and I promise it won't hurt my feelings, but I strongly suggest you pick one side and stick with it! You can also tie a piece of contrasting color yarn, if you don't have a stitch marker handy that opens and closes, or if you're like me and it's just easier to cut a random piece of yarn and tie it on, because there is yarn everywhere around here.  

Obviously this isn't something you'll need to use all that often, but if you're wanting to simplify things (like say you're at knitting group and there's wine involved...), this can be a super quick fix.

Next time: Productivity--the Knit List

*OK, I've only been knitting for 9 years, but in dog years, that would be a l-o-n-g time!

**Some of these ingenious tips you will easily find somewhere else--a book, the internet, a magazine, etc.  I don't claim originality, I just claim they work for me :)