Purl Stitch Tutorial

Here is the third video in my "learn to knit" series! This is a tutorial on the PURL STITCH, which is a second foundational stitch in knitting. I hope you find this helpful.
I've added even more videos to my "Learn to Knit" page covering techniques from cast on to bind off! You can CLICK HERE to check those out or VIEW THE ENTIRE PLAYLIST ON YOUTUBE. The videos are listed in order, so you can knit up a swatch of stockinette in no time ;)

Knit Stitch Tutorial

Here is the next video in my "How to Knit" series! In this video, I'll be showing you how to make a "knit stitch," which is one of the foundational stitches in knitting. You can start knitting stitches as soon as you cast on. If you need a review of casting on stitches, check out my previous video HERE.

I'd also like to take a moment to show my new tab & the animated gif in my sidebar, which will help you  navigate easily to the "learn to knit videos"! If you ever have questions, just leave a comment & I'm happy to help.

Long Tail Cast On Method for Knitting Tutorial

I decided to make a little video series about knitting! This video, which covers the Long Tail Cast On Method, will be the first in a series covering the basics of knitting.

I hope some of you might find it helpful, especially if you're just starting out & want to learn how to knit. When I first began, there were several youtube videos out there on "how to knit", but knitting never clicked for me until a friend showed me how in person. Nowadays, there are TONS of great youtube videos out there, but I'll be putting mine all in one place so you can literally go step-by-step with ease. And if there's something you've been wondering how to do & would like to see it demonstrated in a video, let me know in the comments!

Over the next week, I'll also be uploading video tutorials for KNIT STITCH, PURL STITCH, STOCKINETTE, and BINDING OFF.

Free Chunky Cable Hat Pattern from Yarnspirations

I am in LOVE with this chunky cabled hat! The pattern is from Yarnspirations, and you can find it HERE. I used Lion Brand Wool Ease Thick & Quick for both the hat & the pompom. I didn't knit quite as much ribbing because I didn't want to "roll" my hat like in the pictures that go with the original pattern (sorry, that looks gross). I also didn't go up in needle size after the ribbing; I stuck with the size 10 needles the whole way since it seemed like it'd get too big. LOVE the end result!




CLICK HERE TO VIEW THE FREE PATTERN.

Overcoming Knitter's Block

Confession: I suffer from Knitter's Block. It's serious, guys.

I realize I'm blessed to be knitting in the age of wifi, where virtually any pattern you want to knit or skill you want to learn is at your fingertips.. most of it for FREE. That's right: most of it, but not ALL OF IT. And the problem is that I'm picky.. about the clothes I wear, the makeup I'll use, the food I eat, the way I decorate my home, etc...but mostly about the patterns I'll knit. Basically, I'm a huge control freak & also a little bit cheap economical. I want the good stuff & I want it for FREE.

Right. So most of you are probably thinking I'm such a snob, but I know you do it, too!
I will literally waste a decade browsing Ravelry & come up with nothing acceptable to knit.
On the off-chance that I do find something, it ends up that the pattern is flawed. WHY ME!?

Oftentimes, I can envision exactly what I want in my head, but I just don't have the skill or know-how to make it happen. Luckily, a solution occurred to me over the past weekend. What I've been missing is a Stitchionary. A dictionary made up totally of Knitting Stitches/cable patterns/motifs. I rushed out to my local bookstore to pick one up this weekend, and I'm really excited to learn some new skills & implement them in original designs which I will, of course, share here!

Basically, if you want to improve your knitting, go to Barnes & Noble and look at all the knitting books until you find one that has a ton of stitches you like with clear, simple instructions & good pictures.
Here's the one I got: Knitting Stitches Visual Encyclopedia by Sharon Turner. 
I've linked to it on Amazon in case you want to check it out also.

I'm also thinking of subscribing to VOGUE Knitting magazine. It just seems to have the most modern and "wearable" fashions of all the knitting magazines I've seen. What do you guys think? What are you favorite knitting magazines, if you subscribe to any? Leave me a comment, I'd love to hear your advice!

Easy Seed Stitch Boot Cuffs

Boot cuffs make a fabulous last minute gift! They're fast, easy, and the pattern possibilities are virtually limitless. Funny enough, my calves are big enough that I don't need any extra bulk, so I never wear them, but they look adorable on others! (If your calves are as big as mine & you rock them anyway, more power to you!) Still, boot cuffs seem to be a popular item with most of my friends. My family requests these frequently when the weather gets cold & Etsy is plagued with them this time of year!

Here's the pattern..
*I think this size will fit most calves, but decrease or increase by 4 stitches for smaller or larger sizes*

Materials:
US Size 7 double pointed needles or round needles (I used magic loop method)
Lion Brand Heartland Wool (I used the colorway Isle Royale)
Stitch Marker (to mark beginning of round)
Yarn Needle (for weaving in ends)

Cast on 40 stitches.
First seven rows: K1 P1 ribbing to end of row
Row 8 & all even rows: P1 K1* repeat from * to end of row
Row 9 & all odd rows: K1 P1* repeat from * to end of row
Finish with K1 P1 ribbing for seven more rows, then bind off.

*Tips: I used "tubular" cast on to make the ribbing extra stretchy so these cuffs would slide on & off easily. It was tricky & took me a few tries to get right.
For bind off, I used something called suspended bind off. Though I ended with ribbing, I knitted all the stitches when binding off.. seemed to work fine & was easier ;)
I learned these methods from Youtube videos. Links below!

Tubular Cast On
Elastic Cast Off

**If you want a boot cuff that's a little bit fancier, I also wrote up a pattern for a cute cabled & seed stitch boot cuff. You can check it out here:
Check out my FREE Seed Stitch & Cable Boot Cuff Pattern HERE.

Knitted Pumpkin Pattern

... Happy Fall!...

(...to all my fellow basic white b*****s!)

What better way to celebrate than by knitting pumpkins?? I just think these are the sweetest decoration for your home this season!

The best part about this pattern is that you can knit or crochet! Plus, I used chunky yarn to make things even faster. It was instant gratification, and I had plenty of time to cruise through the Starbucks drive thru afterward for a pumpkin spice latte. I also have this great idea of making six or seven in different sizes/colors & attaching them all in a line to make a draft guard for my doors. My house isn't particularly draft-y, but who cares? All the basic white b*****s are gonna want one..

CLICK HERE FOR THE FREE PATTERN 

by Hannah Maier  for Knit Picks