Grandma -- HELP!

Over time we come across so many useful conversion tables, terms and abreviation lists, gadgets etc that we decided to put them all together in one handy Help/Support page. Try the link!

And if you have more or better tools than offered here, please let me know at support@needlenart.com. Thank You! Jurgen

New: Online Waist Shaping Calculator

This came today from KnittingDaily, for curvy Waist Shaping:

This little wonder widget takes you through the steps of Waist Shaping and does the math for you! It asks you for all the pertinent information: stitch and row gauge, hip/waist/bust measurements, desired ease, and the necessary vertical measurements, then gives you stitch counts, row counts, and fills in the blanks for such things as "work decrease row every X row Y times."

Click below and get also more information about using this calculator.

Sock Tips

With so many of you knitting socks these days, I thought I would share with you a few of the tips and tricks we have learnt over the years to make sock knitting easier. The first one involves the loose stitches that often occur when joining the round after casting on. If you slip the first stitch cast on onto the last needle, and the last stitch onto the first needle (in effect, crossing the stitches), then proceed with the ribbing, you will find you have a nice firm join. This tip works, of course, any time you have to join a round.

Next, we come to the heel flap. Whatever stitch you decide to use for your heel flap, try knitting the first stitch of every row. This gives a straighter edge for picking up stitches for the instep and makes counting the rows easier, also adds a little decorative detail to the heel. Talking about picking up stitches, pick up an extra stitch at the end of the 1st needle, right in the corner and also at the beginning of the 4th needle. On the first round, knit this extra stitch (through the back of the loops) together with the first stitch on needle 2 and the last stitch of needle 3. This should prevent a hole from appearing. This trick works well when you are picking up stitches for mitten thumbs!!!

Now we come to the toe and I know what a pain grafting can be. I avoid it as much as possible, especially when I am using fine yarn. Decrease in the usual manner to 12 stitches (or so), knit 2 together all around, break yarn, thread through the remaining stitches and pull up firmly, darn in end.

I know many of you will already be using some of these tricks and perhaps have a few more. We would love to hear them - anything that will make life easier!!

Summer Flip-flops

You have all seen the cute furry flip-flops that many of the young girls are wearing this summer. Wonder how they are done? Lois and I spent some time experimenting last week and you can see the result in the photo. It is a little awkward at first to crochet around the strap, but it didn't take long at all. We used flip-flops with straps about 1/2 inch wide, a furry polyester yarn (Boa by Bernat, but any "fun fur" yarn would work) and a 4 mm crochet hook. We found that for us single crochet worked the best. As we worked, we pushed the stitches together so that the strap didn't show through. The piece between the toes was not worked. A great gift for that special little girl in your life. Quick, easy and inexpensive, especially if you have left over yarn from knitting scarves.

Summer is coming, maybe

I hope everyone has been as lucky with the weather as we have been on Vancouver Island these last few days. The spring flowers and sunshine are a reminder that summer is on the way and this is the perfect time to knit a cotton top or two in readiness for the warmer weather. Hi! my name is Pam and I am employed by Inge and Jurgen in the yarn department of the store. We have some wonderful cotton yarns in stock and more coming. I am presently knitting the child's summer sweater Jurgen posted earlier. I'm knitting in Drops Safran which is a lovely yarn that works up very evenly into a soft flexible fabric. The sweater is for a little girl, size two, so instead of the plain hem the pattern calls for I have made a picot edge by knitting 2 together, yarn over. When folded up and sewn in place, it will give a feminine touch. I chose orange with mauvy blue stripes. Sounds wierd, but it looks very "trendy". I just have one sleeve to finish now and it looks as if I will have some yarn left over. Enough to make a "Lucy Pocket" ( little shoulder bag), about 3 inches square. After all, a girl needs a purse!! The sweater is knitted in the round on a circular needle. I recently learnt a couple of "new"tricks for joining the cast on edge of circular knitting. You can either a) cast on an extra stitch and knit it together with the first cast on stitch or b) slip the last cast on stitch over the first cast on stitch, thereby crossing the stitches. Both work well. Who says an old dog can't learn new tricks!!
If anyone has any tips and tricks they would like to share, we would love to hear from you.