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Techniques


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1x1 Twisted rib (in the round)

For even number of sts.
Round 1: [K1tbl, p1] around.
Repeat Round 1 for patt.

Backwards loop cast-on

Step 1: With your thumb, make a backward loop over the RH knitting needle and pull to tighten, creating a new st.
Repeat Step 1 until you have the necessary number of sts.

German short rows

Work as per instructions to where it says “turn work”.
Slip the first st purlwise with yarn in front. Tug the yarn up and over the right needle, creating a “double” stitch. Continue row as instructed in the patt. When you come to this st in the next row, work the “double” st (DS) as 1 st (k2tog or p2tog of the 2 strands of the DS, depending on the established st patt). 

Japanese short rows

Work as per instructions to where it says “turn work”. Turn work and secure yarn with a locking marker or bobby pin. This will become a loop in the subsequent row and will be used to close the gap: pull the locking marker or bobby pin slightly and place the loop onto RH needle creating an extra st.

To close gap on RS: 

  • If approaching a turn that was made on RS and the next st to work is a purl st, work the loop created and st after it together as p2tog.

  • If approaching a turn that was made on RS and next st to work is a knit st, work the loop created and st after it together as k2tog.

  • If approaching a turn that was made on WS, work the last st before turn and the loop created together as ssk.

 

 

    To close gap on WS: 

    • If next st to work is a purl st, work the loop created and st after it together as ssp.

    • If next st to work is a knit st, work the loop created and st after it together as ssk.

      Judy's magic cast-on

      Step 1: Make a slip knot leaving a tail end of about 15 cm / 6” and place around one of the needles. The loop will count as the first st.
      Step 2: With RH, hold the two needles together, the needle with the slip knot should be at the top.
      Step 3: With LH, hold the yarn so that the tail goes over your index finger and the working yarn goes over your thumb. (Opposite of long-tail cast-on)
      Step 4: Bring the tip of the bottom needle over the yarn on your index finger; around and under the yarn and back up, making a loop around the bottom needle; pull the loop around the needle. 1 st cast on the bottom needle.
      Step 5: Bring the tip of the top needle over the yarn tail on your thumb, around and under the yarn and back up, making a loop around the top needle. Pull the loop around the needle. 1 st cast on the top needle.
      Continue repeating steps 4 and 5 until you have cast on all necessary sts. The top yarn wraps around the bottom needle and the bottom yarn wraps around the top needle.

      Provisional cast-on

      Setup: Using smooth waste yarn, create a slip st and place it on the crochet hook. Chain a few sts.
      Step 1: Hold your crochet hook perpendicularly above the knitting needle and wrap the yarn under the knitting needle and over the crochet hook. Pull yarn through the chain st on the crochet hook, creating one st on the crochet hook and one st on the knitting needle.
      Repeat step 1 until you have the necessary number of sts on the knitting needle. Then chain a few sts without wrapping yarn around the knitting needle, break the yarn and pull through the last chain st. If needed, put a knot at the tail to indicate the side you will start to unpick the sts later.
      Step 2: Using the working yarn, knit all sts on the knitting needle.

      Sewn bind-off

      Cut the working yarn to about 3 times as long as your finished piece of knitting. Thread that yarn onto a blunt needle. [Pass the yarn needle through the first two sts from right to left, pass the yarn needle through the first st on the knitting needle from left to right, drop the first st off the knitting needle] to 1 st before the end. Sew through the last st from right to left.

      Sloped Bind-off

      Work to last st of row before bind-off, sl1.
      Next row: Pass first st over 2nd st to bind off, bind off other sts as normal.

      Tubular bind-off for 1x1 rib (in the round)

      Setup round 1: [K1, sl1 wyf] to BOR.
      Setup round 2: [Sl1, p1] to BOR.
      Bind-off setup: Measure out a tail about 3 times longer than the length to be bound off, break yarn, and thread through a tapestry needle. Working from right to left, insert the tapestry needle purlwise into the first (knit) st and pull through. Holding the tapestry needle behind the first st, insert it knitwise into the next (purl) st and pull through.
      Step 1: Return the tapestry needle to the front and insert knitwise into the first (knit) st, slip this st off the knitting needle. Skip the first (purl) st on the knitting needle and insert the tapestry needle purlwise into the next (knit) st and pull yarn through.
      Step 2: Insert the tapestry needle purlwise into the first (purl) st and pull through, slip this st off the knitting needle. Holding the tapestry needle behind the first (knit) st, insert it knitwise into the next (purl) st and pull yarn through.
      Repeat steps 1-2 until all sts are bound off.