Girlfriends Knitting

How to Cast On in Knitting: A Guide to Two Popular Techniques Introduction Whether you're new to knitting or have unraveled more sweaters than you'd care to admit, mastering the art of casting on is the first step to any knitting project. In this post, we're diving into two popular cast-on techniques: the classic long-tail cast on and the versatile knitted cast on.  Why both you may ask? Because if you have had to unravel and start over the long-tail cast on 583 times because your long tail wasn't long enough, you begin searching for an alternative! I've included links to my videos for each, so you'll be a cast-on wizard in no time. Ready to unravel the mysteries? Let's get started! Long-Tail Cast On Tutorial The long-tail cast on is a time-honored favorite. It's stretchy, neat, and all-around reliable. But let's be honest, estimating that long-tail length can feel like a guessing game straight out of Vegas. Here are the basic steps of this cast-on ...

Radiant Raffia Giveaway Thank you, Bloomsbury! I was so excited the other day to open my email and find a lovely inquiry from Emily at Bloomsbury Publishers (@Bloomsburybooksus) asking if I would like an advanced copy of Radiant Raffia by Olga Panagopoulou . Of course, I jumped at the chance, but not before getting a special treat for YOU as well! But more on that in a second. This beautifully photographed book includes 20 Inspiring crochet projects made with natural yarn. Wait, crochet? Not knitting? Yep! Crochet! My original fiber art. When I was about 5 years old, my grandmother taught me crochet. She was an avid crocheter. Though she never wrote her own patterns, she could take any doily she found and recreate it without a pattern. She taught my mom, who made all the blankets we had in our house and many I now have in mine. Then, my grandmother taught me. As my grandmother was one of my all time favorite people, her favorite hobby, crocheting, is very dear to my heart and reminds ...

7 Books for Learning How to Knit There has been a resurgence of crafts and learning how to make things ever since the pandemic locked us in our houses for over a year in 2020. One of those crafts is my personal favorite - knitting. I have spent over a decade teaching people to knit and spreading the love of all things fiber arts and now, it seems everyone knits, or wants to! I have searched the interwebs and have found seven books that I believe will help you learn my favorite craft. But let's get our crafts straight first. Every time I am knitting in public, I inevitably run across someone who says, "Oh, my grandma crochets." I usually respond with, "Mine did, too, and taught me how as well. But this is knitting." At that point I usually get a confused look and a quick end to the conversation. Your average non-fiber artists do not know the difference between knitting and crocheting. There are many examples in movies and television, as well as advertising, wher...

How do you decrease in knitting?  K2tog and SSK explained  When you first learn to knit, you start off with simple straight lines, back and forth. You learn to knit and then to purl. You learn that combining knit and purl stitches can create ribbing. But eventually most of us get bored with various sized rectangular items. There are only so many scarfs, dishcloths, and blankets one can make. If you want to learn how to create sweaters or hats or socks, you will have to learn how to shape garments by increasing and decreasing the number of stitches. A decrease is when you combine two or more stitches, thus reducing the total number of stitches you have. When shaping items, such as the top of a hat, you have to combine decreases to have the desired effect. In fact, there are many different types of decreases to further customize the look a pattern designer wants to achieve. In this article, we will look at two basic decreases. If you are a seasoned knitter, there will be very fa...