Category Archives: Tips & Tricks

How to Wash Wool Without Dreading the Outcome

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wash wool - A bath for my cardigan. I'm using a laundry basket that I placed in my bath tub. I am only washing that one cardigan because this is the first time I'm washing it and it might release some excess dye. And because I don't have enough room to dry more than this one piece.

We love our hand knits and wear them often. And maybe we are even lucky and have loved ones around us that also like to wear what we knit just for them. With all that use sooner or later, we will have to wash an item. And we should wash every piece after we’re done knitting, to relax the yarn,… Read more »

How to Get Your Yarn Tension Just Right for Stranded Colorwork

yarn tension - Catching a float with the yarn held on each hand.

I’ve recently been asked by a reader (hello Clelia!) how I avoid my stranded colorwork from puckering up in some places and being too loose with floppy floats in others. Those of you who have tried to knit colorwork before probably recognize those problems from their early attempts. Maybe even your only attempts. Maybe you decided that stranded colorwork just… Read more »

How to Get the Most out of Your Stash

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A small part of some of my oldest stash yarn

The stash, our treasure. Almost all crafters have one, not just fiber enthusiasts. But what is a stash? What can it do for us? And how could we get more out of it? As I am organizing mine, I started thinking about this and tried to figure out what others have said about this subject before. There is a lot on… Read more »

How to Best Use Patterns and Have More Fun Knitting

As a knitter, you will likely be using knitting patterns a lot. There are those that don’t, but most beginners stick to them. They are a great way of learning how to knit a particular item or garment. But what if you still don’t get a satisfactory finished project? What if the sweater doesn’t fit or has a weird shape?… Read more »

How to Avoid Problems With Your Vacation Knitting

This was the view from the lawn behind our apartment - beautiful Baltic Sea

Are you planning a nice summer getaway? Maybe a little trip to a beach or a lake? And of course you are planning on knitting there but you don’t really know what would make a good vacation knitting project? Here are a few things to keep in mind when choosing a project (or two or three) and some patterns for… Read more »

How to Avoid Problems with Your Travel Knitting

While traveling you likely won't have much space, so your project should be sized accordingly

So, you are going on vacation and you want to take some travel knitting? But you don’t know what to take? Or what you should consider when choosing a project? In this first part of my two part series on vacationing as a knitter, I’ll tell you about what you may have to think about and add a little bit… Read more »