Category Archives: Tutorials

3 No-Knit Ways to Package Your Gifts

Looking for new ways to package your gifts? Whether you celebrate Christmas, Hannukah, or have a winter birthday in coming days, we've put together some ideas for creative ways to make your gifts look special.

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Felted Purses

I have had a blast playing with wool fiber! I find it rewarding to see what wool fiber, hot soapy water and a little elbow grease will create! I've recently been making felted envelope-style clutch purses.

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Wavy Chevrons Dishcloth

I'm so happy to finally share my first contribution to our 52 Weeks of Dishcloths Knitalong - the Wavy Chevrons Dishcloth! My general rules for dishcloths are that the pattern has to work up quickly and be easy to memorize. And this simple crocheted chevron pattern fits the bill perfectly.

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Learn to Crochet: the puff stitch

Over the past year, I have been shifting my crafting energies from knitting everywhere, all the time to focus on expanding my crochet skills. And I have to say, I finally feel as though my efforts have been paying off! With practice, a few basic stitches eventually transformed into granny squares which grew into giant granny square blankets. So what has been captivating my crochet sensibilities lately? Textured stitches! Once I got the hang of how to work bobbles to my crochet, I couldn't help but learn a few more textures to add to my crochet repertoire. After bobbles, the next stitch on my list of things to tackle was the puff stitch.

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Daydreaming of Autumn in Summer: My Crocheted Infinity Cowl

During the height of summer, I was perusing one of my all-time favorite crochet books, Simple Crocheting by Erika Knight, when I was struck with the need to make the Classic Snood. The image of a large tweedy wool cowl paired with my favorite fall coat would not escape me, so I naturally spent an afternoon searching through my stash to find just the right yarn. Looking back, it's easy to see how the pages of cozy knits and oh-so-lovely photography transported me out of the sweltering summer heat and into the world of comforting winter accessories. Plus, who doesn't love having a few freshly finished accessories ready for the first day of cool autumn weather?

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Learning to Knit Lace

Light and airy lace - the epitome of summer knitting! Although it can look intimidating, the basics of lace lie in the added yarn overs to create an open fabric. Throughout the main body of the lace pattern, you'll often find these extra increases paired with decreases in order to keep the stitch count the same. However, yarn overs can also be used to create the shaping found in shawls. Shadow Lace If you have dabbled in lace or are new to the world of shawls, Kerin’s How to Knit Lace video class is sure to be your go-to guide for creating elegant lace wraps and shawls. This 12-part video class begins with a brief overview of lace knitting, then moving into the basics of how to determine the right yarn, fiber type, and color that will make your shawl shine! Next, you'll follow along with Kerin as she shows you how to cast on and make the yarn overs that will create your lace motif.

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Crochet Week: New Tutorials!

In honor of KP Crochet’s launch, the Knit Picks staff is taking this week to focus on all our favorite, hook-tastic products and projects. The introduction of KP Crochet just wouldn't be complete without a whole set of brand new video tutorials! We were lucky enough to work with knit and crochet designer Kalurah Hudson from While They Play designs, who kindly shared her wealth of crochet knowledge with us to create our series of crochet tutorials. Spanning a wide range of topics, complete beginners can learn about the anatomy of a hook or check out different ways to hold a crochet hook and yarn while those more acquainted with crochet can learn new techniques like broomstick lace!

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Sweater Finishing Series: How to Whipstitch a Hemmed Cuff

A hemmed edge is one of the more subtle finishing details that can really add a polished look to your sweater or cardigan. Whether you add a hemmed edge to your cuffs, collar, or along the lower edges of your pullover – there are several advantages to using this simple, yet effective technique that leaves a very neat and clean edge. If you don’t want your fabric to pull in as a ribbed hem would and you want to avoid the bulk of a rolled edge – a hemmed edge just might be the perfect solution! Not only does a hem prevent your edges from curling, it also adds stability and keeps edges like cuffs and colors from stretching out over time. It is also a simple and classic design detail that won’t distract or compete with any other patterning that you might have worked into your pullover, making this a versatile skill to have in your mental library of knitting techniques.

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