Tuesday, November 29, 2005

Anniversary Celebration 1: 10 Techniques in 10 Days

Every day from December 1 through December 10, we’re going to offer a brief introduction to some technique that we think every knitter should know—at no charge. Stop by and add a couple new tricks to your bag. (Note that the times vary--wildly. We hope everyone will find at least a couple that are convenient.)

1. M1L and M1R Thurs. 12/1 at 11 M1 is the smoothest, closest-to-invisible increase you’ll find. Now learn how to do it two ways, so that you can make paired increases perfectly symmetrical.
2. Winding a Butterfly Fri. 12/2 at 11 Keeps your cast-on “tail” out of the way while you knit, or keeps your intarsia tidy—without bobbins.
3. Making and Attaching Fringe Sat. 12/3 10:30 Where would scarves be without it?
4. 3-Needle Bind-Off Sun. 12/4 at 12:30 Shoulder seams will always come out smooth and even; afghan panels can be seamed without sewing.
5. Channel-Island Cast-On Mon. 12/5 at 3:30 Good elasticity, and gives the appearance of a 1x1 rib—perfect for sock cuffs.
6. Suspended Bind-Off Tues. 12/6 at 11:30 Keeps things loose and even without using a larger needle, and flows more smoothly.
7. Reading Charts Wed. 12/7 at 4:30 Don’t be intimidated; it’s the wave of the future.
8. Provisional Cast-on Thurs. 12/8 at 3:30 Put stitches on your needle—and then get them back again later to work in the opposite direction.
9. Duplicate Stitch Fri. 12/9 at 3:30 Use a darning needle to create patterns that look knitted-in.
10. Weaving In as You Go Sat. 12/10 at 10:30 Work in all your loose yarn tails long before you get to the finishing stage.

No comments: