Index of Articles & Tips

From the knitting needles and spinning wheel of Jackie E-S

My wish is that a tip or comment here will cause you to think of something in a new way, or you will recall something long forgotten, or lead you to other random thoughts and "un"-ventions. These are offered to you without charge, but if you find them helpful and would like to donate something, of course I would be most appreciative.

In addition to the listings here, there may also be some other articles of interest to you in recent issues of HeartStrings Knitterly News, the e-Newsletter publication of HeartStrings FiberArts. I also invite you to subscribe to the newsletter so that you can read the newest articles as I write them.

Creativity

• The Role of Individual Creativity
  Spinning straw into gold.
• Creative Expression
  Using patterns as a jumping off point for your own creations.
• Discovering the "Wrong Side"
  New insights and creative pleasures await you on the other side.
• Creatively Ethereal
  Kim's handpainted roving scarf version.
• The 3 R's of Knitting
  Use the theme of Reading wRiting aRithmetic to learn about our fiber arts.
• When Oops! Turns into Creativity
  Turning mistakes into creative learning experiences.
• What Kind of Project Are You?
  Just for fun, we ran this easy one-question survey to get all of us thinking about how we approach our knitting projects. How do you compare?

Fiber Frenzy

• Warm Fibers that are Cool
  Wool and silk are fibers that keep you both warm and cool. How do they know when to do which?
• Superwash Wool
  The convenience of machine washability in a natural fiber.
• 5 Favorite Tips for Knitting with Handspun
  These tips are my top 5 favorites from a workshop with Rita Buchanan that have served me well through the years.
• Knitting with Cotton
  "Give Me Five" quick tips for success with cotton yarns.
• Rayon
  A great choice for cool comfort in warm weather.
• What is Silk Noil?
  Lovely texture from the waste product of combed silk.
• What's that Smell?
  How to get rid of the fishy odor that is sometimes found in silk.
• Knitting with Silk
  Quick tips for handling silk on and off the knitting needles.
• Using an Umbrella Swift
  Try the "ferris wheel" method for smooth reeling with less tension.
• Yarn Direction
  Yarns with a nap.
• Must I Wash Yarn before Using?
  Knitting with a variety of yarns in the same project.
• What is Wraps Per Inch (WPI)?
  Measuring and universally communicating a yarn's thickness.
• What is Blooming?
  Flowers bloom, but what about yarn?
• Playing with Color in your Mind's Eye
  What might yarn colors really look like when knitted?
• Spinning a 2-ply Laceweight Yarn
  Spinning hand-dyed silk roving into a 2-ply laceweight yarn.
• Cotton Roving - braiding, dyeing, spinning and knitting
  An outline of steps to take cotton roving from its undyed, natural state to a colorful knitted scarf.
• Spinning Jacob Wool – one fleece, many colors
  I can create a palette of tones from light to dark from a single Jacob Sheep fleece.
• Wool Damage
  Don't make the mistake I did.

Finishing as an In-Process Activity

• Intro to Finishing Starts at the Beginning
  Exercise choices and employ techniques to make more of your projects like the "when you're done, you're done" category.
• To Seam or Not to Seam?
  Make the finishing steps of your knitting project easier and seem effortless by making good choices at the very beginning of your project.
• End-less Knitting
  Options that help reduce ends that need to be woven in later.
• To Swatch or Not?
  Like any other planning activity, swatching can help make the final finishing steps easier.
• To Begin the Tale
  What good is a tail of yarn?
• Cast On for a Good Finish
  Getting off to a good start can save you from dealing later with finishing problems or disappointments.
• What to do with Ends?
  Hiding yarn ends in lace knitting. Includes instructions for joining yarn using the "Stitching Together" method.
• A Continuous Yarn
  How to splice two ends of yarn for an invisible join using the "Splitting Plies and Re-twisting" method.
• Russian Join
  Joining yarn with the "Interlocking Loops" method.
• Slimmer is Better
  Quick tip for joining and finishing ends with a blunt-ended sewing needle.
• Gathered Woven Closure
  An improved approach to closing off the last few stitches of a circular item.
• Suspended Stitch Bind Off
  A method to achieve a loose bind off edge.
• What is Crochet Bind Off?
  Using a crochet hook for regular bind offs and for decorative effects in lace knitting.
• Doily Finish Using Crochet
  A method to achieve a smooth invisible join.

Blocking and Care

• Blocking Tips
  Make blocking a pleasurable part of the knitting process.
• Blocking in Progress
  Blocking is something we usually think of as only doing in the final stages of completing a knitting project – usually the very last thing! But have you ever worried while knitting whether you were going to like the outcome? Avoid the uncertainty of whether something is going to turn out satisfactorily by doing a blocking in progress.
• Knitted Lace Blocking Magic
  Do you believe in magic? Well, just compare the before and after of blocking knitted lace!
• Weaving in Ends
  Should you block first then weave in the ends, or weave in the ends then block it?
• Extracting Water
  Tips for use with small hand-washed articles.
• Special Soap?
  Treat your fine woolens as you would your own hair.
• Washing Socks
  Hand washing method for deep cleaning delicate yarn.
• Blocking a Smoke Ring
  KNITTERS ASK – How should I block my smoke ring?

Spinning Yarn

• 5 Favorite Tips for Knitting with Handspun
  Here are my "top 5" favorite take-aways that have served me well through all these years. Whether it is something new to you or just a reminder, I hope you find them useful when knitting with hand spun yarn or even choosing commercially spun yarn for your projects …
• Deb Robson explains scouring fleece
  Deb Robson is the presenter in Knitting Daily TV Episode 603's How-to Segment. This segment focuses on the the process for producing yarn before you even knit a stitch. Deb explains step-by-step the process …
• Cotton Roving – braiding, dyeing, spinning and knitting
  Here is a fun way to play with cotton roving …
• Spinning Jacob Wool – one fleece, many colors
  Jacob sheep are small, multi-horned animals somewhat resembling goats. I love their spotted colors because of the fun I've had with their wool fleeces. From just one Jacob Sheep fleece, I can create a palette of tones from light to dark. Let me share …
• Knitted lace blanket in handspun Cotswold wool
  The background on spinning for my Cotswold Lacie Blankie entry to the Save the Sheep Project, sponsored by Interweave Press and included in the book Handspun Treasures from Rare Wools. …
• Moody Blues, handspun pima cotton plied with silk
  Besides the hypnotically soothing relaxation I feel when spinning, I think that a great joy in handspinning your own yarn is practiced control over the creative results. There often is the serendipity, too, and this leads to even more adventures and exploration …
• Spinning a 2-ply laceweight yarn for a scarf
  Sometimes I am asked about the laceweight yarns I have handspun and used to knit scarves or shawls. At the top of my list of favorites, I like to spin a laceweight 2-ply yarn from hand-painted silk, cotton or fine wool blend. Here's how …

Other Articles and Quick Tips

• Have Our Eyes Fooled Us?
  Do you sometimes think you are following instructions, then find out later your eyes fooled you?
• A Nifty Measuring Tape
  A nifty little gadget to take easier, more accurate and consistent body measurements.
• Support Full-service Yarn Stores
  Have you found your local yarn store yet?
• Choosing Needle Size
  A useful method to choose a starting needle size to use for swatching your yarn.
• What is the Correct Knitting Gauge?
  The actual knitting is what tells the true story.
• Reading Out Loud
  Have your eyes fooled you? (from the original newsletter article)
• Smoother Wooden Needles
  Help your stitches move more easily across the needles.
• Circular Needle Organizer
  A home-grown solution.
• Simple Beading Needle Options
  You don't need fancy needles to string beads. Use something you probably already have on hand.
• Small Beads
  Reduce abrasion when stringing smaller beads relative to the yarn size.
• Be a Bead Counter
  A bit of quick counting in beaded knitting avoids errors discovered later.
• Spinning Yarn for Beaded Knitting
  Is it strong enough for beads?
• Selecting Beads to Go with Your Yarn
  Guest article by Linda Michaluk of Swallow Hill Creations.
• A Heart-Warming (Pulse-Warming) Story
  Guest article by Ellen Sandin of Earth Faire.
• The Lifeline
  "Insurance" for knitters.
• Repairing a Lace Knitting Disaster
  Nearing the big FO (Finished Object) stage for a shawl, I instead detoured to the "disaster" stage. I washed and went to block the shawl and a big area in one of the corners was nearly disintegrated. Here is the story …
• A Less Stressful k3tog
  Tips for less stress on both you and the thread.
• SSK Alternative Method
  A no-slip, no-remount method for making a left-leaning decrease.
• Crazy Quilt Combination of Colors
  Using small amounts of yarn in knitting projects.
• Cable Take-up
  Guidelines to avoid flare and puckering.
• Lever-Action Knitting
  This is not an endorsement of the way I knit. I am describing here, only because so many people have asked. If you are looking to add to, change or refine your repertoire of knitting methods, I hope you find these ideas helpful. The basic premise is that less wasted motion means quicker knitting. A side benefit is the reduction of risk for repetitive motion stress ailments.
• Seamless Shoulder-down Sweater Sleeves
  A neat construction alternative to knitting sleeves from cuff to sleeve cap, then sewing into the body of the sweater.
• Sizing Up a Pattern
  Knitting for the larger figure.
• The Weigh-Down on Stitches
  Struggling to work the first row or two of your knitting?
• Easy Knitted Circular Center Start
  How to avoid the struggle of beginning the center of a circularly knit piece.
• Avoiding Finger Pain
  Knitting should NOT be a pain. There shouldn't be any stress or strain on the finger in continental knitting.
• Will a circular needle work for making this blanket?
  Why you should consider using a circular needle for flat knitting when there are a lot of stitches.

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