Knitting

Patterns, projects and techniques

Knit Kards: Knitting References and Tips in Handy Card Form

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Knit Kards Nancy's Knit KnacksThese are going to Hedvig!

A long time ago, Nancy’s Knit Knacks sent me a bunch of goodies, some of which I reviewed in the About.com days, and some of which I’ve given away over the years. And some of which I still have!

These Knit Kards are really cool. They’re a set of 14 cards, which are slightly bigger than 3×5, and which are collected on a key ring. The topics covered on the cards include:

  • average yardage for different projects in different yarn weights and sizes
  • how to make different kinds of increases and decreases
  • a card for storing of to four people’s measurements with tips on ease
  • how to knit a perfect gauge swatch
  • knitting needle and crochet hook inventory
  • knitting abbreviations
  • how to determine the rate of increase or decrease on an angle (as when shaping a sweater sleeve)
  • yarn weight classification chart
  • how to determine the length of the long tail for a long-tail cast on
  • how to make a one-row buttonhole
  • how to estimate the yardage needed for a project based on your swatch
  • how to read a yarn label and washing instructions

Lots of handy info, right?

I’m giving this away with week, along with a hook and needle gauge and a pack of circular needle identification tags.

If you’d like a chance to win these goodies, leave a comment on this post before the end of the day Sunday, September 10. I’d love to know if you have any clever knitting tips or favorite tools.

Thanks for visiting, commenting and sharing and good luck!

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Comments

  3. I love that! I have several tips. First, always slip first stitc purl wise for pretty edges. My 2nd tip was invented to help me knit cables and watch tv. Let’s say the cable has a 6 row repeat – the wrong side rows are usually simple. I print two rows of instructions onto index cards. Label the top with name of cable, date and use. Then I flip through to use and save for later.

  4. This sounds like a great thing to have. Are you sure you want to give this away, Sarah? My favorite tools are KnitPicks circulars, which are great for making socks. I just can’t imagine those double pointed needles, which always gave me apoplexy when I tried to use them. In fact, I didn’t make socks or hats for years upon years, until I discovered circulars. (Actually, it was years upon years before circulars were even invented.) My biggest tip would be to enjoy your work. Stop every so often and look at it, inspect it, look for errors that can be corrected now, before you have to rip out half of your hard work and admire your own work as much as you admire another’s.

  6. My favorite tools are multiple handy notion bags, point protectors, stitch markers, highlighter tape. All this for my grab and go project bags.

  8. My favourite tools are my removable stitch markers. I always use them for pattern repeats and have some with instructions for SSK etc so I know which decrease/increase to do without looking at the pattern.

  10. My most useful tip of late is the “lifeline”…inserted in the work at random intervals so that if a mistake is made, it is easier to rip out to correct. I absolutely hate ripping out!

  12. My daughter has really upped her knitting game and is starting to sell some of her work. This would be an awesome present for her.

  14. These cards really seem to be a VERY handy thing to have!!
    My favorite tool? Well, it may seem simple, but plastic zipper bags from Ikea to keep my WIPs, and specially the different balls of yarn in intarsia or stranded projects!! 😀
    And a tip I always use because it’s an incredible timesaver: when casting on a lot of stitches with the long tail cast on and need to estimate how long the tail should be, wrap the yarn around the needle 10 times, and then just use that lenght as a reference for how much yarn is needed approx. for 10 stitches. And always: place a marker every 10 stitches when casting on and avoid starting over and over again 😉

  15. Love my card for doing Kitchener……….I always forget and the little tag with this info keeps me going.

    from overcast VT,
    the Vermonster

  17. Looks like a great gift. Very useful. My favorite tools are my stitch markers. I love collecting and using them. So cute.

  18. My favorite tool? My husband, of course! He is great at math and is always willing to help when the numbers perplex me! Plus, he’s more fun to be with than a calculator.

  19. These tip cards look awesome! I’d like to win them to give to my daughter for Christmas! She started knitting 2 years ago. Thanks1

  22. These look like they’d be so handy to have at hand, especially for those of us who are not great knitters. I love to knit but I will never attempt any patterns that require much thought. Thanks for the opportunity!

  23. How ingenious! I never know how long to make my starter tail so I end up doing my project in crochet. These cards would certainly come in handy. Thanks for this neat giveaway.

  25. They look like a good reference tool. My favorite tool is my fishing tackle box. It has lots of compartments that I keep my knitting notions in and it is small enough that it fits in my knitting bag, so it goes everywhere with me. Very handy.

Have you read?

Yarn Cozy Knitting Patterns

I’ve been toying with the idea of making a yarn cozy or yarn ball holder on the circular knitting machine, but I haven’t gotten to it yet. In the meantime, here are some yarn cozy knitting patterns you can make with knitting needles. Use yarn to hold you yarn!

In its simplest form, a yarn cozy is just a sleeve or a little basket that holds your yarn when you’re working with a center-pull ball so it doesn’t fall apart when you knit. The easiest ones I could find are from Love in Stitches KN, which has a regular size and a mini size. They’re worked with sock yarn and there are options for making them with ribbing, faux cables and with self-striping yarn.

For bigger cakes there’s a project called We call it the “bail holder” from Nicole LeBlanc. This pattern is available on Ravelry and you can use any yarn and make it any size you like. It features an I-cord edging that has a loop in it so you can thread they yarn through the loop to keep it extra contained as you knit.

Another large one that has a slightly fancier pattern is this one by Mareike Meye. You can use any yarn and any gauge, and slip stitch pattern worked in different colors on the sides makes it a little more fun and uses a bit more stash. A strap buttons across the top to hold the ball in place and you can add a buttonhole to the middle of the strap to thread the yarn through. Check this one out on Ravelry.

Adding lace to a yarn cozy makes it fit a wider variety of balls and expand or shrink a bit as needed. Jennifer Sugarman’s Ball Sack uses sock yarn and is made to hold sock yarn. It has the option of making I-cord or using ribbon or cord you already have to make a drawstring at the top. You can find this pattern on Ravelry.

Another lacy option is the yarn ball holder from Frugal Knitting Haus. This one uses worsted weight yarn and has an easy mesh lace pattern and an I-cord drawstring that’s sewn together at the ends so you could loop it over your wrist while you knit if you like. This pattern is also on Ravelry.

Speaking of wrist yarn holders, I also found this one form Knituition. This one uses sport weight yarn and has a spiral rib pattern on the body. The strap is attached to the bag with D-rings, or you could make it a little longer and just sew it into the bag.