Knitting

Free Patterns, Tutorials and Project Ideas

Learn the Right Way to Pick up Stitches for a Button Band

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picking up stitchesOne of the biggest problems knitters have when knitting sweaters is accurately picking up the right number of stitches evenly across the garment when working the button bands on a cardigan (or a neckline, for that matter).

Kelbourne Woolens has a great tutorial on their website all about how to pick up stitches in a way that makes a lot of sense. You need to know your own blocked gauge and, yes, do some math, but it’s not that difficult, and this little bit of work can make your finished garment look so much better.

It even shows you what to do when the math isn’t pretty, which is always a nice feature.

Have any tips for picking up stitches? I’d love to hear them!

[Photo via Kelbourne Woolens.]

Looking for more knitting patterns for knitted Cardigans? Check out these Knitting patterns we found on Etsy.

Specific to knitters, you can join our Knitting Patterns Only group to get, well, knitting patterns, ask questions and gain inspiration for what to knit next.

Looking for Yarn online? Check out Lionbrand our preferred source for purchasing yarn online.

Comments

  1. I like to pick up my stitches with a crochet hook, using a hook that’s about the same diameter as my knitting needle. I collect about 10 stitches at a time on the hook, and then slide them off the back end of the hook onto a knitting needle. If you put the hook OVER the yarn when you make the stitch, rather than under the yarn as you would for a normal crochet stitch, the new stitch will be mounted correctly on the knitting needle.

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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.