Where to find the tutorials

At the top of the page there's a tab for "tutorials" - we've collected our Knit Picks knowledge base here for your use.

Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by ddisandro on September 4, 2008 at 2:21pm

I wish you would put on a tutorial for the Turkish Cast-on. I just found it on YouTube for starting some toe-up socks. Brilliant! It is so easy, and looks great. I imagine others would want to try it.

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by JanetClaire on April 8, 2009 at 6:23am

I thought it looked pretty easy too. I was wondering though, do you count the first stitch as the first loop or the knot stitch. Does that make sense?

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by SandraJo on September 29, 2008 at 11:15am

I just finished a sweater and did the weaving in of all my ends. I washed it and tossed it in the dryer for a few minutes and all the ends are on the right side now. Is there a way to keep this from happening or do I just pop them to the wrong side. Also, when you weave the ends in, how long of a tail do you leave when you cut the yarn. I get so nervous thinking it will come apart.

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Elianastar on April 10, 2009 at 12:19am

It is best to leave at least a six inch tail everywhere... weave the ends into the backside... go up a few stitches and down a few stitches until you've wove it all in.

If the ends come loose, it is probably because they were shorter than 6 inches... or they are particularly slick little suckers, in which case you might want to leave eight inches. :-) Weaving the ends in a zig-zag formation over 4-6 rows of the back also helps secure them against pulling loose.

(Oh good grief... I just noticed this post was from back in Sept... I certainly hope you got an answer sometime before now!)

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Sunshine on October 15, 2008 at 11:09am

Help!

I am trying blocking for the first time. I never understood why to do it before, so I didn't. But now I don't know how to do it. I saw the blocking board for sale on the website, but for those of us who just can't spend $90 right now, are there any tips or tricks? What should I use? How do you block with a towel? Oh... I also don't own an iron or an ironing board. (I know, I'm a horrible housekeeper, but if I'm not going to use it, why waste space).

Thanks!

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Alison on October 15, 2008 at 11:17am

Here's a link to our sweater blocking tutorial - when you block with a towel, you're just pinning your wet pieces to the towel in the correct shape/size. Personally, I've never used a blocking board. I just lay the towel (or towels) out on the floor, spread out my wet knitted pieces, then pin right to the towel.

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Sunshine on October 15, 2008 at 12:17pm

Thanks Alison.

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Susan the Blue Lake Knitter on October 15, 2008 at 4:14pm

Any type of foam core board would work. My husband had an extra piece of foam board insulation from a construction project, and it was large enough to block two scarves. Just wet your items, squeeze out all of the excess water, roll in a thick absorbent towel for an hour or two, then pin onto the board, stretching the knitted item to reveal the knitted pattern. My two items dried before evening.

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Elianastar on January 24, 2009 at 10:38am

Love the idea of the foam core board... I can easily move it out my way while the item is drying without any stress! I'm going to pick up a piece at Lowe's and cover it with some 1/2' gingham for guidelines. I don't have a lot of spare places to leave one or more towels set up for a day or two without them being in my way before the project would be sufficiently dry and I would prefer that the project not move at all when I transport.

If you've not fallen for the tv ads for the "Shamwow!" product yet, consider ordering a package of those! They are AWESOME for absorbing water from knitted products!!!

I looked at the $90 blocking board at KP too... too rich for my blood, although I'd love to have it. After I've used the foam core board for a while, I may consider attaching a strip of fabric, or something, to join two pieces together in such a way it will fold in half with my gingham top in the center, and attach some sort of handle. If/when I do that, if it works, I'll share how I did it if anyone is interested. May find just the one piece is sufficient and storable enough.

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Susan the Blue Lake Knitter on January 24, 2009 at 1:47pm

Actually the piece I use is a folded piece. I can open it up for larger items like shawls or afghans that I would want to block. One side was large enough to block three scarves I knit for Christmas presents. I attached them with silk pins I use in sewing (non corrosive), and partially opened the fold so that it would stant on the floor and put in in my bedroom to dry - somehow it's warmer in there. Worked beautifully. If you absorb most of the moisture, it only takes a matter of hours for the drying/blocking to take place.

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Elianastar on January 24, 2009 at 4:58pm

Really... does it fold that easily??? Gosh, I'd have never guessed! I've used it for other purposes but never attempted to fold it. Mine would probably be stationed in the basement, which currently doesn't have very good heating, so, my experience is, things take at least a full day to dry even when not all that wet.

Thanks for the clarification. :-)