I wasn’t a fan of the make one (m1) increase when I first tried it. I’ve always used k1fb, and it has worked well for almost every project. But m1 has the advantage of blending in a little better to the stitches around it, and sometimes you need that. After using m1 and its reverse, […]
beginner
Increasing: How to Knit One in Front and Back (k1fb)
Knit one in front and back (k1fb) is a common increase stitch, and it’s really easy once you get the hang of it. You start by knitting the stitch as you normally would (through the front loop, or the part of the stitch that is in front of the needle), but you do NOT slide […]
How to Knit in the Round on Circular Needles
Before we get into how to begin knitting on circular needles, let’s talk about how to choose the circular needles for your project. Besides needing to know the size (in US sizes or mm) of the needles, like you would with any other type of needle, you also need to know the length. Circular needles […]
Beginner-Friendly Garter Stitch Hat
For an incredibly easy pattern, I had a surprisingly difficult time prepping it. For starters, I measured the gauge wrong and did all the math with incorrect numbers. I was a few rows into my prototype before I realized things looked wrong. I remeasured, redid the math, ripped it all out, and started over. […]
How to Knit on Double-Pointed Needles (dpn)
Knitting in the round isn’t nearly as complicated as it seems. The beginning is the trickiest part; once you’ve started, you only need to work RS (right side) rows, never WS (wrong side – as in, if you’re using stockinette stitch, you only need to knit, never purl). If you’re doing a larger project, […]
Decreasing: Left-Slanting Decrease Stitches
For my final post on decrease stitches, I have a couple of left-slanting decreases as alternatives to ssk. The first one, which you may see in patterns instead of ssk, is sl1, k1, psso, or slip one, knit one, pass slipped stitch over. This stitch is exactly what it sounds like: Slip the first […]
Decreasing: How to Slip Slip Knit (ssk)
Following in my series of tutorials on decrease stitches, we have slip slip knit (ssk). Slip slip knit is another common decrease and is knit two together‘s opposite–where k2tog slants right, ssk slants left. This is important for certain clothing items that should look symmetrical, like sweaters, socks, and mittens, or even Christmas stockings. It […]
Decreasing: How to Purl Two Together (p2tog)
Because purl two together (p2tog) is less common in patterns than knit two together (k2tog), it can seem intimidating at first, but it’s another really easy decrease. It has the same effect as k2tog only it’s worked on the wrong side. (You k2tog when you’re knitting, and you p2tog when you’re purling, and they […]
How to Check Your Gauge (and Why You Should Bother)
It is a truth universally acknowledged that a knitter, given their preference, will never check their gauge. (Sorry–P&P nerd moment.) It’s true, though. Nothing makes a knitter roll his or her eyes faster than suggesting that they knit a gauge swatch. I have yet to meet someone who actually likes doing it. […]
Decreasing: How to Knit Two Together (k2tog)
So you’re ready to try something beyond a scarf or a blanket. Maybe something like a hat, that requires a little bit of shaping. There are a number of decrease stitches that allow you to shape the top of a hat, but the most common one you’ll see, and the simplest, is k2tog, or […]
