Knitting

Free Patterns, Tutorials and Project Ideas

Giveaway: The Knitter’s Book of Finishing Techniques

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the knitter's book of finishing techniques

Congratulations to knittingdancer!

We could all use a little help when it comes to finishing our knitting projects well. Of course the knitting itself matters a lot, but finishing can really make or break a project. If your buttonholes are a little wonky or you don’t pick up stitches evenly for your edging, you project is just not going to look that great.

The Knitter’s Book of Finishing Techniques by Nancie M. Wiseman aims to help knitters finish as well as they start, with tips on things you would think of as finishing, like bind offs, picking up stitches and seaming. But it also includes tips on casting on stitches, increasing, decreasing, using selvedge stitches, making buttonholes, even things like how to store finished sweaters.

It’s a really great and concise guide to a lot of issues that perplex knitters.

If you’d like a chance to win a copy of this book, leave a comment on this post before the end of the day Sunday, June 21. If you want, tell me the area of finishing with which you have the most trouble. For me, lately, it’s grafting; I always seem to do it backward!

Thanks for visiting, commenting and sharing, and good luck!

Comments

  1. I find binding off and finishing edges around collars and button bands tough. What a wonderfully useful book this would be to have.

  3. The hardest thing is setting the sleeves in. it is like grafting in a circle…. horrible to do. I always bind off before I remember to three needle bind off and then I am committed to grafting in a circle…again.

  4. I have double/triple vision. I’m already disabled from my back problems and now it’s harder to see so I’ve been trying to figure out what I’m capable of doing. I recently started knitting and crocheting, something I haven’t done since childhood. I’m currently making sweaters for Christmas gifts. They look nice but I know they could be better. This book would be an awesome help! Thank you for the possibility of getting it.

  6. Seaming pieces together to make it look good is my “tricky” and sticking with the same ol’ same ol’ bind off because I don’t want to worry I can’t fix a mistake and then I think I’ll ruin my piece lol

  7. Eeeeek, Any kind of Finishing would be helpful for me as I am useless at doing anything more than stitching. I seriously need to learn how to do stuff properly but then I’ve only just pushed myself back into knitting after the 8ft long unfinished Scarf I started while pregnant with my daughter, she’ll be 14 in November lol
    She has had lots and lots of Dresses and Costumes. But anything Knitted or Crocheted comes from her Aunt and Granma lol

Have you read?

Pencil Knitting Patterns

Getting ready for back to school makes me think about pencil crafts, so let’s take a look at some pencil themed knitting patterns! 

I recently made a pencil on a circular knitting machine, and it was a fun, quick, easy project that uses little bits of leftover yarn (and if you don’t have yellow you can make it a colored pencil using whatever color’s your favorite). And if you want to make a bigger version check out this pattern from Orange Olive Road on Etsy.

If you want to knit a pencil pillow by hand, check out Sketchy, available on Ravelry from Shana S. Cohen. This one uses worsted weight yarn and has two size options and the choice to make a pencil with an eraser or a colored pencil. 

Pencil scarves seem to be the most popular kind of pencil knitting pattern, and there are lot of cute ones. This one from Cosy Craft UK mostly uses garter stitch, with some welts to add texture and what looks like an I-cord edging. It calls for DK weight yarn. 

If you want to go all garter stitch try this version from Emsley Co Creations, which uses five colors of DK weight yarn and just a little shaping to make the point of the pencil.

There’s also this fun, mostly stockinette so it looks like it curls a bit, pencil pattern that looks like it’s worked in chunky yarn from Little Knits Studio. This one uses just a little garter stitch and easy shaping for the point. 

If you don’t want a pencil scarf, how about some pencil socks? The No. 2 Pencil Socks from The Yarn Enabler are available from Ravelry and use five colors of sock yarn. They feature wide ribs to mimic the texture of a pencil and have options to be worked from the top down or the toe up. 

Needs Sharpening by Alexander Walker is a free pattern on Ravelry that uses five colors of sock yarn to make a sort of shortie sock. The little bit of black at the tips of the toes inspired the name. These, too, can be worked in either direction and are available in three sizes.