nonaKnits

Grafting Epiphany

Several years ago I confronted my fear of grafting -- gulp -- bit the bullet and became reasonable proficient.  I do, however, have grafting amnesia, which requires me to google,"nonaknits grafting", each time I need to dredge up my grafting tutorial and these four steps:

1. Front needle, knit-wise, drop off
2. Front needle, purl-wise, leave on
3. Back needle, purl-wise, drop off
4. Back needle knit-wise, leave on

Even though these steps are repeated over and over and over, I cannot for the life of me remember if it's knit-wise or purl-wise first and which is it for which needle -- you get the idea.  Well yesterday while grafting my prototype sideways sock I had an epiphany.  Instead of thinking about moving the tapestry needle knit-wise and purl-wise why not think about moving it in to the middle and out from the middle.  This makes the directions consistent -- let me repeat, consistent -- for both the front and the back needles. 

Front Needle
In to the middle & drop off	Out from the middle & leave on
Back Needle
In to the middle & drop off	Out from the middle & leave on

Before I knew it I was cruising down the needle grafting and singing "In, Drop Off, Out, Leave On", and not worrying a bit if it was the front needle or the back.  Thus endith my epiphany.   If nonaGrafts, then you can too!

Rowing Out

Thank you to all the creative commenters who participated in Sunday's Quiz.  Many of you sleuthful knitters correctly deduced that the textural difference observed in my Baby Bell Bottoms was due to knitting back and forth -- the legs -- verses knitting in the round -- the body.  Although it's possible -- as Ava suggests -- that "one too many of the aforementioned Starbucks beverages" might have played a marginal role.

nona's embarrassed that her rowing out is so clearly visible.

And the cause?  I knit using the "Western" method, which means I wrap my yarn counter-clockwise when both knitting and purling.  Although this sounds impressively consistent, it does mean that my purl stitch uses slightly more yarn than my knit stitch.  I first discovered the inadequacies of my enlarged purl stitch when solving my saggy ribbing problem.  Priscilla Gibson-Roberts calls this phenomenon rowing out and comments that "it is not a mark of excellence".  Ouch.  My rowing out is not always visible, but Calmer -- a cotton and microfiber yarn -- seems to accentuate the slightly bigger purl stitches.   

The solution?  I suppose I have 3 solutions -- 1) live with it, 2) add more tension to the yarn when purling, or 3) create my purl stitch using the same amount of yarn as the knit stitch by wrapping the yarn in the opposite direction -- clockwise.  I think this calls for some swatching!

New Things

I like new things.  I like change.  I like experimenting.  With the blanket I'm knitting for 3 day old nona-niece-the-newest -- who, by the way, is super cute -- I'm trying several two new things; the Addi Turbo Lace Needles and the Russian Join.

nona loves trying new things and is hooked on the needles

The new Addi Turbo lace needles are wonderful -- dare I say perfect --- and worth every single doggone penny -- 1595 of them.  The tip, the cord, the metal, the join -- what more can a girl ask for, except a larger range of needle sizes.  Excellent review and additional details here. 

Weaving ends in is my knitting nemisis.  It's high time for a change. Time to try one of the many yarn joining techniques out their.  For this yarn I selected the Russian Join.   So far so good -- the join is a tad bit bulky, but is not visible with this yarn and stitch pattern. Are you ready for a change?  Try something new!

March Madness
6:00pm PST -- March Madness is in full swing!  We have 4 "Knit Pickers" tied for 1st place -- Deb, Melissa, Preeti, & Kate -- with many more in hot pursuit.

9:30pm PST -- All the games are in for the evening and we have a new leader -- Preeti, with 24 points.  Following close behind with 23 points are Kate, Jennifer, Deb, and Melissa.  We'll see what tomorrow brings...

Improvisational Tutorial

My love for color, short rows, and log cabin construction coupled with my fascination with the quilts of Gee’s Bend and Nancy Crow have inspired my improvisational knitting.

I've written a tutorial for those interested in giving improvisational knitting a try.  Curiosity and a sense of humor are the only prerequisites for learning this style of knitting.  Once you understand — and are comfortable — with the techniques please abandon my instructions and let your own creativity take over.  Experiment!  Be curious!  Don’t be afraid of failure!  What’s the worst that can happen!?  It’s only knitting.

Not interested in a full tutorial?  Continue reading for a list of improvisational knitting "rules of thumb". 

Here are a few heuristics to consider for your own improvisational knitting.  These are not hard and fast rules, please experiment and find what works best for you and your knitting.

• Work in garter stitch.

• Use the YO short row technique — it’s fast and easy to work, especially with garter stitch

• Whenever you encounter a YO, knit the YO together with the next stitch.  This closes the gap caused by turning mid row and keeps your stitch count consistent.

• Add a new color on a right side row.

• You’re going to have a lot of ends, so knit your ends in as you go.  I typically knit the old color’s end in on the 1st row of the new color and the new color’s end in at the next opportunity.

• When you add a new color, level off the current shape — more or less — before adding any new wonkiness.   This keeps the piece from getting too lop-sided.

• For greater complexity and depth of color, use several shades or textures of the same color.

• Think about line verses shape.  2 rows will read as a line, while 4 or more will read as a shape.

• Keep it improvisational!  Don’t think or plan too much.  Turn when you feel like turning!  Likewise, change colors or work in a different direction when your eye or intuition tells you it’s time.

Edge Stitches

Some things are best said straight up, no beating around the bush, no coy intonations.  Such is the case with edge stitches.  Hear me and hear me now:

For any edge that will be seamed, the edge stitch will be incorporated into the seam allowance and lost to the wrong side of the piece.

This plain and simple fact is vitally important when the piece is worked in a pattern stitch.  For example, the sleeves of my EZ baby sweater were worked back and forth and then seamed.  Even though the pattern called for 42 stitches -- the lace pattern is a multiple of 7 stitches -- I added an extra stitch on each side of the sleeve.  These edge stitches became the seam allowance when the sleeve was sewn together and allowed the stitch pattern to flow uninterrupted through an invisible seam.  I prefer to work my edge stitches in stockinette stitch -- knitting them on the right side and purling them on the wrong.

Edge Stitches Mean Invisible Seams

Patterns -- even well written, clever patterns -- are merely suggestions to the intelligent.  It is the wise knitter who adds her own knowledge, skills, and craftsmanship to each and every project.  After all, it is Knitter's Choice.

Turned Hem Revisited

Many, many thanks to Margaux and to Whitney for recommending a Provisional Cast On when working a turned hem.  Always in an experimental mood, I tried this technique for my sleeve hem.  Can I tell you, it was much, much, much -- did I say much -- easier than picking up the cast on stitches.  The live stitches created by the provisional cast on also ensured a straight hem alignment.

Is "Provisional Cast On" Greek to you?  In a nutshell, a provisional cast on creates two sets of live stitches, the first set ends up on your knitting needle and are worked first.  At some point -- in the near or far future -- the second set are taken and worked in the opposite direction.  There are two basic ways to work a provisional cast on -- check out the videos for The Invisible Provisional Cast On or The Crochet Provisional Cast On.

Now for the turned hem avec le provisional cast on.  Work the hem as described before up to the last step, then...

	Fold the hem inward along the turning edge.  Take the live stitches from the provisional cast on and place them on a separate needle. In this picture, the live stitches were held on scrap yarn -- the white yarn -- and have been transfered to a spare double pointed needles -- the back needle.  I can now removed the scrap yarn, it's done its job.
	Knit two stitches together.  One stitch from the front needle -- a sleeve stitch -- and one stitch from the back needle -- a hem stitch.  Repeat across the needle, joining the hem to the sleeve. This technique is similar to the 3 needle bind off without the bind off.
	Once you're all the way around, the hem is completely turned and beautifully joined to the sleeve.  Easy as pie!

Little Dodges

Last fall at the Olema knitting retreat -- or workshop depending on your perspective -- my friend and I stalked a wonderful cardigan.  Think seed stitch details, dart waist shaping, lapel collar, and silk/wool yarn.  The kind of sweater that improves any outfit, including your pajamas.  Yes we're both knitting one, jointly creating the pattern as we go along.

While working on her right front my partner-in-crime became obsessed with the horizontal buttonholes, frustrated by the small hole created to the left of the button hole.  Hole?  What hole?  Did I have the hole?  Sure enough, I too had a small hole next to each button hole -- previously unnoticed, but now glaring.  My friend's buttonhole quest lead her to Elizabeth Zimmermann's Knitter's Almanac and the "definitive" one row horizontal buttonhole.  Needless to say, I ripped out my right front and reknitted the thing using this excellent buttonhole.

At this point, experimental reader, I'm sure you're salivating to learn this ingenious buttonhole.  Think me cruel, but I want you to learn this buttonhole from the original source.  Really it's for your own good -- EZ is such a funny, opinionated, and clever woman that everyone needs to be exposed to her writings.  Run -- don't walk -- to your nearest library or LYS, grab a copy of Knitter's Almanac and read the "July" chapter.

To quote Elizabeth Zimmermann from her classic, Knitting Without Tears:

It is little dodges like these that make a craft a joy; some of them one picks up from friends and enemies; some of them one discovers for oneself.

nona considers the one row horizontal buttonhole to be a little dodge I picked up from a friend.

Comparing Left Slanting Decreases

Many of you will remember my left slanting decrease woes, followed by my challenge to invent a superior left slanting decrease -- nona thinks it's better to solve a problem then to moan and groan about it.  I then proceeded to trot off on vacation and leave you all hanging.  No longer my friends, today I'm going to reveal my results.  After reading all your creative suggestions and comments, I came up with 7 left slanting decreases I wanted to compare.

Here are the decreases I used:

1. ssk -- slip 1st stitch knitwise, slip 2nd stitch knitwise, insert the left needle through the front of these two stitches and knit them together.

2. ssk improved -- slip 1st stitch knitwise, slip 2nd stitch purlwise, insert the left needle through the font of these two stitches and knit them together.  Recommended by Carrie and others.

3. sl1, k1, psso -- slip 1st stitch knitwise, knit 1 stitch, pass the slipped stitch up and over the knit stitch.  Recommended by Purly Whites.

4. June's twist on the back -- "On the wrong side row, figure out which 2 stitches are involved in the decrease. Purl those stitches "backwards" - ie, with the left leg in front of the needle and the right leg behind (wrap yarn in the opposite direction around the needle). Essentially, this obviates the need to do the "slip-slip" part of SSK. When you get to it on the front side, all you have to do is knit the 2 st through the back as normal."  -- June.

5. Dave's evening out the lefties -- "Evening out your lefties is a two-step process. 
   
   1. Do the SSK as slip 1 as if to knit, slip 1 as if to purl, insert left needle into front of stitches and knit them together.
   2. This is the important part. On the non-decrease rows/rounds, knit the stitch in line with that decrease through the back loop.
   This will smooth out the jag by 'lessening' the decreasing stitch and 'pronouncing' the non-decreaseing stitch."  --  Dave.

6. Mei's WS ssp -- "Now if you want to get technical, the true perfect match to the K2tog is the SSP. (Slip 2 sts 1 at a time as if to knit, return them to the left needle, then purl them together thru the back loop.) Yes, it must be done on the purl side..." -- Mei

7. nona's crossed stitch left slanting decrease -- It's a variation on k2tog, but before knitting the 2 stitches together I swapped their positions, keeping the first stitch in front -- so it crosses to the left.  Here's how:
   1. Slip 1st stitch purlwise onto a cable needle and hold in front
   2. Slip next stitch purlwise to the right needle
   3. Slip the stitch on the cable needle back to the left needle
   4. Slip the stitch on the right needle back to the left needle
   5. k2tog
   Several of you have suggested alternative ways to cross the stitches without using a cable needle.  I experimented with these suggestions, but found using the cable needle did make a big difference for me.

The next question is, which is my favorite?  I actually have two favorites; #3 sl1, k1, psso and #7 my crossed stitch left slanting decrease.  Now it's your turn to make a swatch and decide which is your favorite.

Last, but not least, the prizes.  I loved the spirit of all the left slanting decrease commenters and hate picking "winners" -- thank goodness for random number generators.  And the random number generator says Anonyknits is our winner.  Please email me your snail mail address and I'll send your prize out.

Time!

It's been 48 hours since my call for submissions to the left slanting challenge.  Thank you all, for contributing your ideas and expertise.  I've been swatching quite of few of them -- you know me, I cannot resist a good swatch -- and will report on my opinions in the marrow. 

But first, I want to submit my own contribution.  It's call "nona's crossed stitch left slanting decrease".  A bit tedious to work, but heck I had to come up with something.  I've pair it with the beautiful k2tog so you can compare -- take a peek...

nona's crossed stitch left slanting decrease compared with k2tog

and a closer look

It's a variation on k2tog, but before knitting the 2 stitches together I swapped their positions, keeping the first stitch in front -- so it crosses to the left.  Here's how:

1. Slip 1st stitch purlwise onto a cable needle and hold in front
2. Slip next stitch purlwise to the right needle
3. Slip the stitch on the cable needle back to the left needle
4. Slip the stitch on the right needle back to the left needle
5. k2tog

As I said, a bit awkward, but I'm quite happy with the results.  Give it a try and see what you think!

Left Slanting Woes

This morning my friend "no-sleeves" -- she's determined to get through 2006 without knitting a single sleeve -- and I were bemoaning the fact that the left slanting ssk decreases on our Picovoli Ts were not nearly as nice as the beautiful -- yes, beautiful -- right slanting k2togs.  Now, you know you're a knitter when 1.  you have these kinds of conversations with your friends and 2. you find them highly interesting and entertaining, but I digress -- back to my left slanting woes.  I've tried all the major players in the left slanting world -- ssk, k2tog tbl, and sl1, k1, psso -- and none come close to the clean line created by the right slanting k2tog.  Am I the only one having this problem!?

nona thinks this calls for some out of the box thinking.  Care to join in?  You have 24 hours -- okay, 48 hours -- to put your thinking cap on and invent a new left slanting decrease.  And there will be prizes!

I know, I know, it's hard to see.  You'll have to trust me. 
The right slanting decreases are nice and smooth,
while the left slanting decreases are jagged.

Knitting Your Ends In

On Fridays -- the best day of the week -- I work at my LYS.  Last Friday, I drew the short straw in your 3 car, 4 driver household and had to be dropped off 2 hours early -- not a problem when you work in a knitting store.   I grabbed a couple balls of wool, pulled out my needles and continued with my log cabin fiesta.  As Friday turned into Saturday, and Saturday into Sunday, this log cabin square continued to grow and grow.

The colors are not very accurate, but you get the idea.

I find when I'm in a knitting groove, it's best to avoid bogging yourself down with laundry, bill paying, or weaving ends in.  If presented with a plethora of ends -- like my log cabin squares -- I opt for knitting my ends in as I go.   Shall I show you...

It takes two knit stitches (repeated several times) to lock in an end.  The first stitch -- steps 1 to 5 below -- twists the end and the working yarn.  The second stitch locks in the twisted.  Repeat these 6 steps for about 2 inches to secure the end. 

Step 1 -- Hold the end in your left hand and the working yarn in your right.  In this example, the end is sage green and the working yarn is turquoise. Insert the right needle into the first stitch on the left needle.
Step 2 --  Lay the end over the right needle from right to left.
Step 3 -- Wrap the working yarn as you normally would to create the new stitch.
Step 4 -- Move the end to the right and off the right needle.
Step 5 -- Finish the knit stitch by drawing the new stitch through the old and sliding the old stitch off the left needle. This completes the first stitch and twists the end and working yarn.
Step 6 -- Without changing the positions of the end and the working yarn, knit one more stitch normally. This locks in the twisted end.

Blocking the Living Room

Consensus has it that my Habu schematic looks more like a floor plan than a knitting pattern -- and did you see the large walk-in closet!?  This vest is constructed from 8 panels -- we'll call them rooms -- half knit horizontally and half vertically.  Each direction has a different gauge and calls for "hard" blocking. 

I've finished the living room (the back top left panel) and it's a stretch -- pun intended -- to get it to it's final dimensions.  This situation calls for drastic measures.  Yes, my friends, this situation calls for a paper pattern and the Steam Queen.

Here's the top-left panel pre-blocking.
Move your mouse over the picture to see the post-blocking shape.
Sorry about the poor color, sigh

When I have to hard block to exact measurements I like to use a paper pattern.  Interested in seeing the process?  Read on...

Step 1 -- Create a paper pattern to the actual measurements of the piece.  If your pattern includes a schematic, this is an easy task given a good ruler and large sheet of paper. If you pattern does not include a schematic, you'll need to calculate the dimensions yourself -- a story for another day.
Step 2 -- Using lots and lots of pins, stretch the knit piece to fit the size and shape of the paper pattern. Since I knew I needed lots of horizontal stretching -- the pattern warned me about this -- I haven't yet bound off.  We all know binding off can create a tight edge.
Step 3 -- Steam the heck out of the piece and let it thoroughly dry.  When you remove the pins the piece should retain it's new, blocked shape.

Yarn Dominance

Yarn Dominance may sound a bit aggressive and overly pushy, but get to know it and you'll think there's nothing sweeter.  I first heard about yarn dominance from Beth Brown-Reinsel at a workshop I attended last November.  This tid-bit -- along with the life changing skill of learning to knit with 2 colors in the same hand -- made the workshop worth its weight in gold.

When knitting with two colors -- think fair-isle knitting -- one of the colors appears more pronounced and is called the dominant color or yarn.  Typically the foreground color is made the dominant yarn, causing the pattern to appear crisp and clean.  Here's an example:

In this example the same pattern was knit twice.  In the bottom half the orange is dominant over the purple, while in the top half the purple is dominant.  The effect is subtle, but especially noticeable in the checkerboard center of each motif -- can you see it?  Doesn't the motif in the bottom half look crisper than that in the top half?

So, how do you control which yarn is dominant?  When knitting with two yarns one of the yarns will sit below the other -- coming from underneath.  It is this yarn -- picked up from under the other -- that is the dominant yarn.

For example, when I knit with two colors I hold both colors in my right hand.  On the the knit side, the yarn held farther away from the knitting needle will come from underneath and is the dominant yarn.  While on the purl side, the yarn held closer to the knitting needles comes from underneath and is dominant.

Why not experiment a bit and see if you can control yarn dominance.  It's these little details that elevate the craftsmanship of a knit item.

Additional References
For more information on yarn dominance please see:

• The Art of Fair Isle Knitting by Ann Feitelson
• "Working With Two Yarns" by Beth Brown-Reinsel published in Interweave Knits Summer 2004
• Take one of Beth Brown-Reinsel's fabulous workshops!

 

Two Circular Needles

It's not that I don't like double pointed needles, really it's not.  It's just that knitting in the round using 2 circular needles seems to render my double points obsolete.  True, it does require you to have two circular needles in the same size.  But as I scan my needles collection I realize that in some cases -- okay, in many cases -- I have at least 2 circular needles per size -- not a problem.

Let me ask you, experimenting reader, have you knit in the round using two circular needles?   Don't know what I'm talking about?  Let me show you how...

In this example, I'm knitting the sweater from the top down and am currently working on a sleeve.  Traditionally, I would have started with 16" circulars and moved to double points as the sleeve narrowed.  Instead, I'm using 2 circular needles -- both the same size, US8 -- for the entire length of the sleeve.  Let's take this step by step.

Step 1: Using 2 circular needles of the same size, put half of the stitches on one needle and the other half on the other needle.  Notice how I've moved the stitches to the middle of the cords, well away from the tips of the needles. Tip:  It's helpful if the 2 circular needles look different.  For example, if one is metal and the other is plastic.  This will make it easier to tell the 2 needles apart.  Helpful, but not necessary!
Step2:  Determine which stitch is next in line to be knit and slide this stitch and all it's buddies to the tip of their circular needle.  Position the needle so it's facing you and the stitches are in your left hand.  Using the other tip of the same circular needle begin to knit normally.  Try your best to completely ignore the other circular needle and its half of the stitches dangling behind you.
Step3: Finish knitting all of the stitches on this circular needle.  Hey, did you notice I'm wearing my pink and tangerine footlets?  They're peaking out from my clogs.  nona dear, please get back on track and leave your MCS for later.
Step4: Slide these newly knit stitches to the center of the cord, safely away from the needle tips.
Step5: Flip your knitting over so the other circular needle is now facing you and slide it's stitches to the needle tip.
Step6: Using the other tip of the same circular needle begin to knit normally.

It's as easy as that.  Just remember these two important points:

1. Always knit the stitches with the other tip of the same circular needle.
2. Make sure the stitches on the other, idle circular needle are safely positioned in the middle of the needle's cord.

Picot Cast On

Looking for a new edging?  Tired of rolled edges, ribbing, hems, and garter stitch?  Then nona's got an edging for you.  Today I was helping one of my knitting students with the Miss Dashwood hat.  This cute baby hat starts with a picot cast on, creating a nice decorative edging.  After consulting Nicky Epstein's Knitting on the Edge I found the "Picot Point Chain Edging", which creates a similar bind off edging.

The Picot Cast On is shown at the bottom of the swatch and
the Picot Point Chain Edging at the top.

Interested in giving either of these techniques a try?  Read on...

As a prerequisite, both of the edging techniques use the Knit Cast On.

Knit Cast On

• If just starting, create a slip knot and place it on the left needle.
• Insert your right needle into the first loop on the left hand needle, as if to knit
• Wrap the yarn as usual and draw the new loop through the old
• Leaving the original, old loop on the left needle slip the new loop onto the left needle.

Picot Cast On

• Using the Knit Cast On, cast on 5 stitches
• Bind off 2 stitches
• Slip the lone stitch on the right hand needle back to the left needle
• Repeat these 3 steps until the required number of stitches have been cast on

Picot Point Chain Edging

• Bind off 2 stitches
• Slip the lone stitch on the right hand needle back to the left needle
• Using the Knit Cast On, cast on 3 stitches
• Bind off 5 stitches
• Repeat the last 3 steps until all stitches have been bound off.

Gulp! Grafting!?

Why oh why would nona -- a reasonable project finisher -- leave a 99.9% finished sock on her needles for 8+ days.  Here's a hint, the next instruction in the pattern read "using the Kitchener st, graft rem sts tog".  Kitchener st?  Graft?  These words chilled the blood in my veins.  I have vague memories of attempting this feat several years ago, along with vague memories of frustration and creative language.  Well, my friends, today was the day I faced my knitting skeleton feeling confident and sassy.

Trying to keep things light and easy, I turned to my "friend with black fingernails" -- the illustrated pair of knitting hands in Stitch 'N Bitch.  Somehow, these friendly hands with their peeling nail polish make things look so easy.  With page 79 opened on my lap, I grafted those toe stitches together.  Guess what?  The grafting bark is worse than its bite. 

Hey, if nonaGrafts then you can too!  Let me show you how...

For this grafting demonstration, I'll use my hunky yarn and needles.  First the prep work:

• Place two equal number of live stitches on two needles
• Hold the needles parallel to one another, with the wrong sides of the knit fabrics facing each other
• Thread the working yarn through a tapestry needles -- I'm using a contrasting color for illustration

Okay, you're ready.  Grafting comes down to 4 simple steps repeated over and over until you've worked all the stitches. 

Step 1

Step 1: Slide the tapestry needle through the first stitch on the front needle as if to knit AND drop this first stitch off the front needle. (Front needle, knit wise, drop off)

Step 2

Step 2: Slide the tapestry needle through the first stitch on the front needle as if to purl.  Leave this stitch on the front needles (Front needle, purl wise, leave on)

Step 3

Step 3: Slide the tapestry needle through the first stitch on the back needle as if to purl AND drop the first stitch off the back needle.  (Back needle, purl wise, drop off)

Step 4

Step 4: Slide the tapestry needle through the first stitch on the back needle as if to knit.  Leave this stitch on the back needles.  (Back needle, knit wise, leave on)

And we're back to the very beginning.

Hey look, I'm grafting.

To sum up, grafting is much easier than it sounds.  Just repeat -- or sing -- the following:

1. Front needle, knit wise, drop off
2. Front needle, purl wise, leave on
3. Back needle, purl wise, drop off
4. Back needle knit wise, leave on

And remember to the pull the yarn a little tighter than you'd think.   Tomorrow I may just buy a bottle of black nail polish in honor of my dear, helpful friend.  Maybe you should too!

Try Something New

Okay you knitters, grab some fine to light weight yarn and a pair of needles.  Here goes:

1. Cast on 40 sts
2. Knit into the front, then the back, then the front of each stitch -> 120 sts
3. Bind off all stitches purl-wise.

What did you get?  Go on, give it a try -- you'll like it!

Japanese Short Rows

nona likes to save the best for last, which means today we'll be exploring Japanese Short Rows.  Over the past few days we've seen the results of my short row experiment and taken a closer look at both the Wrapped Stitch and Yarn Over techniques.  I highly recommend trying the short row experiment for yourself -- generic directions for the short row swatch can be found here.

I first heard reference to the Japanese short row technique from a fellow knitter who attended a Lucy Neatby workshop -- I believe Lucy originated the pin trick I'll be showing you.  Additional references can be found in PGR's Knitting in the Old Way and Montse Stanley's Knitter's Handbook -- referred to as the "catch" short row technique.  nona found this technique to be very easy to execute and achieved the best overall look and feel.

Japanese Technique - Front and Back

Let's take a look at how the Japanese technique handles the turning point and closing the gap.

Turning Point
Each short row has a turning point, where the knitting is turned without completing the row. 

On the knit side:

• Knit to the turning point in the row
• Turn -- you're now on the purl side -- and slip the next stitch purlwise
• Attach a pin to the working yarn -- the pin should go around the yarn, not through it
• Continue, ignoring the pin, it won't be used until the gap is closed

Knit Turning Point

On the purl side:

• Purl to the turning point in the row
• Turn -- you're now on the knit side -- and slip the next stitch purlwise
• Attach a pin to the working yarn -- the pin should go around the yarn, not through it
• Continue -- if you flip the knitting over, you'll see the pin attached to a loop

Purl Turning Point

Closing the Gap
A gap is formed at each turning point, which is closed when the gap is next encountered.  With the Japanese technique the gap is quite noticeable.  When you reach the gap, the pin will be under the right needle.

On the knit side:

• Knit until you reach the gap.
• If you flip the knitting over, you'll see the pin attached to a loop behind the right needle
• From the knit side, pull the pin and pop the pin's loop up onto the left needle.  The loop should be correctly mounted with its right leg in front.
• Knit the pin's loop together with the next stitch.
• Remove the pin

Knit Gap Closing

On the purl side:

• Purl until you reach the gap -- the pin will be attached to a loop under the right needle.
• Slip the first stitch on the left needle purlwise onto the right needle
• Pull the pin and pop the pin's loop up onto the left needle.  The loop should be correctly mounted with its right leg in front.
• Slip the first stitch on the right needle back to the left needle (this slipping of the first stitch is necessary to reverse the order of the stitch and the pin's loop
• Purl the next stitch together with the pin's loop.
• Remove the pin

Purl Gap Closing

Yarn Over Short Row

Today is the day to talk about the Yarn Over short row technique.  To those not hip to what's been going around here the last few days, let me fill you in.  Last week, nona decided to conduct a Short Row Experiment.  In this experiment, I knit 3 swatches using 3 different short row techniques -- the wrapped stitch short row, the yarn over short row, and the Japanese short row.  You can find the results of the experiment and directions for the swatch here and details about the wrapped stitch short row here.

Now back to the Yarn Over short row technique.  I first discovered a variation on this technique when knitting footlet socks from the toe to cuff.  This technique is easy to execute and produces a nice result.  Let's take a look at how the Yarn Over technique handles the turning point and closing the gap.   

Yarn Over Technique - Front and Back

Turning Point
Each short row has a turning point, where the knitting is turned without completing the row. 

On the knit side:

• Knit to the turning point in the row
• Turn - you're now on the purl side with the yarn in front
• Backward Yarn Over - take the yarn to the back between the needles and then over the right needle to bring the yarn to the front.
• Continue

On the purl side:

• Purl  to the turning point in the row
• Turn - you're now on the knit side with the yarn in back
• Yarn Over - take the yarn to the front between the needles and then over the right needle to bring the yarn to the back
• Continue

Knit and purl turning points -- notice the yarn overs

Closing the Gap
A gap is formed at each turning point, which is closed when the gap is next encountered.  With the Yarn Over technique the gap is quite noticeable due to the yarn over sitting there.  When you encounter a yarn over, close the gap by working the yarn over with the next stitch.

On the knit side:

• Knit until you reach a yarn over.
• Correct the mount of the yarn over.  If you're wondering what the hell, "correct the mount" means, let nona fill you in.  A stitch is properly mounted if its right leg is in the front of the needle and its left leg in in back.  Look at your yarn over -- see how its left leg is in front of the needle?  Simple turn the yarn over around so its right leg is in front.  Easy!
• Knit the yarn over together with the next stitch.

On the purl side:

• Purl until you reach a yarn over.
• Slip the yarn over, knitwise, to the right needles
• Slip the next stitch, knitwise, to the right needles
• Return both stitches, purlwise, to the left needles
• Purl these 2 stitches together through the back loop.

Knit and purl gaps closed

Wrapped Stitch Short Row

First, nona must extend an apology to any reader who's not the least bit interested in short rows, because today nona's going to describe short row shaping using the wrapped stitch technique.  Historically -- at least for nona -- the wrapped stitch short row had been my technique of choice.  No longer baby!  My short row experiment opened my eyes to better options.  Even though this technique is no longer my favorite, I'll still describe it for you.  Why?  Just because it's not my favorite technique doesn't mean it cannot be yours.  Please, let's all think and decide for ourselves!

As you'll recall from yesterday, the different short row techniques differ in two ways -- what happens at the turning point and how the gap is closed.  Let's take a look at how the wrapped stitch technique handles these two predicaments.

Wrapped Stitch Technique - Front and Back

Turning Point
Each short row has a turning point, where the knitting is turned without completing the row. 

On the knit side:

• Knit to the turning point in the row
• Keeping the yarn in back, slip the next stitch purlwise from the left needle to the right needle
• Move the yarn to the front
• Slip the stitch back from the right needle to the left needle
• Move the yarn to the back
• Turn and continue

On the purl side:

• Purl  to the turning point in the row
• Keeping the yarn in front, slip the next stitch purlwise from the left needle to the right needle
• Move the yarn to the back
• Slip the stitch back from the right needle to the left needle
• Move the yarn to the front
• Turn and continue

Knit and purl turning points -- notice how the stitch is wrapped

Closing the Gap
A gap is formed at each turning point, which is closed when the gap is next encountered.  When you encounter a wrapped stitch, close the gap by working the wrap and the wrapped stitch together.

On the knit side:

• Before knitting the wrapped stitch, insert the right needle (front-to-back) into the front loop of the wrap and knit the stitch and wrap together

On the purl side:

• Before knitting the wrapped stitch, insert the right needle (back-to-font) into the back loop of the wrap.  Place the wrap on the left needle and purl it together with the next stitch.

Knit and purl gaps closed

Back to Short Rows

Back to the short row experiment -- neither blizzard, nor skiing, nor t-shirt knit along can keep nona from short rows.  When last we met, I was experimenting with 3 short row techniques.  But first a bit of background...

Short rows are a handy way to invisibly shape knit fabric.  Short rows are commonly used to shape shoulders, necklines, and sleeve caps, to accommodate varying rows gauges, to work darts, etc.  Frankly, the usefulness of short rows is only limited by your imagination.  Yes, perceptive reader, nona loves short rows.  Each short row has a turning point, where the knitting is turned without completing the row.  A gap is formed at each turning point, which is typically closed when the gap is next encountered.  The different short row techniques differ in two ways -- what happens at the turning point and how the gap is closed.   

For my experiment, I worked 3 swatches using 3 short row techniques -- the wrap stitch short row, the Japanese short row, and the yarn over short row.  Here are the results...

My least favorite technique was the wrapped stitch.  Wouldn't you know, this is the short row technique I typically use!  The wrapped stitch technique was both the hardest to execute and produced the bumpiest result.  I liked both the Japanese and the Yarn Over techniques, with a slight preference to the Japanese.

Over the next few day, I'll give details on each of these techniques so you can try the experiment for yourself.  Here is the swatch I used for each -- each technique differs in how the "turn" and the "closing gaps" are worked.  The swatch first works a series of knit side short rows in one color and then works a series of purl side short rows in a contrasting color.  Try the experiment for yourself -- which short row technique do you prefer?

With Color 1, Cast On 25 stitches (sts)
Work 2 rows in garter stitch
Work 4 rows in stockinette stitch (st st)
Knit (k) 20 sts, turn
Purl (p) all sts
k 15 sts, turn
p all sts
k 10 sts, turn
p all sts
k 5 sts, turn
p all sts
k 25 sts, closing gaps as each is encountered
Change to color 2
p one row
k one row
p 20 sts, turn
k all sts
p 15 sts, turn
k all sts
p 10 sts, turn
k all sts
p 5 sts, turn
k all sts
p 25 sts, closing gaps as each is encountered
Work 4 rows in st st
Work 2 rows in garter stitch
Bind Off all sts

Short Row Experiment

Do you know what nona loves about knitting?  There is always something new to learn and play with! 

Last night was knit night at nona's house, which translates into knitting, chatting, eating, and wine sipping -- all things nona enjoys.  Although I hate to admit it, I was quite envious when one of the knitters started describing her recent knit retreat with Lucy Neatby and was pushed over the edge when the talk turned to "Japanese Short Rows".  Short rows -- nona loves short rows -- Japanese short  rows -- nona has never heard of such a thing.  So, today I tracked down a reference to Japanese short rows in PGR's Knitting in the Old Way and tomorrow I intend to conduct a short row experiment.

For the experiment, I'll knit 3 swatches using 3 different short row techniques -- the wrapped stitch short row, the Japanese short row, and the yarn over short row.  Which of the techniques is the easiest to execute?  Which produces the best overall appearance?  These questions, my friend, can only be answered with an experiment.  Let the games -- I mean science -- begin. 

Stitches Adventures

nona must apologize, here it is Sunday and I haven't relayed my adventures at Stitches West.  Have you not been wondering --  How was nona's class with Debbie New?  How did nona's free yarn give away go?  Well patient reader, wait no longer.

nona's Free Yarn Give Away

The free yarn give away was over before it even started.  nona-friend and I left 12 bags of free yarn with a large "Free Yarn" sign outside the entrance to the Market Place.  We then poked around the Market Place waiting for our Debbie New class to begin.  When we came out  -- after only 15 minutes of browsing -- all of the yarn was gone, not a crumb in sight.   I left a note in each yarn bag asking the yarn recipient to contact nona with her plans for the free yarn, we'll see what I hear.

Debbie New's Tantalizing Techniques Class

As for the Debbie New class, Tantalizing Techniques, nona has one word to describe it -- Tantalizing.   If you see a "continue reading..." link, nona encourages you to click it, she'll even show you a cool picture if you do!

Debbie is a knitter who constantly invents, experiments, and creates.  It's no wonder that she has quite a few unique techniques up her sleeve.  The class started with a creativity exercise, moved quickly through a series of related techniques, and ended with a challenge -- do something you know, but add something unexpected.  Now nona's not going to tell you all the juicy techniques I learned all at once, but I will tell you about my favorite.

The Suspended Bind Off

If you're like me, you tend to bind off too tightly.  The suspended bind off gives you a reliable bind off tension, based on the size of your needle.  In a nutshell, you keep the parent stitch on the left hand needle until you bind off the next stitch.  Here are the details...

The Suspended Bind Off In Action[1] - Click the image for a large view

The 5 steps of the suspended bind off -- these steps assume you already have one stitch on the right hand needles waiting to be bound off:

1. Knit the next stitch -- call it the parent stitch -- from the left needle creating a new stitch on the right needle, but ...
2. Don't let the parent stitch drop off the left needle.  Keep this parent stitch suspended on the left needle until later. 
3. Pass the second stitch on the right needle up and over the first stitch -- just as you normally would.
4. Notice that the parent stitch is waiting patiently on the left needle as the bind off occurs.
5. Finally, let the parent stitch drop off the left needle.  It's this suspension that keeps the bind off tension even.

[1] If nona was really hip she would create an animated version of the 5 photos.  Alas, we are all well aware that nona is more sporty then she is hip -- so the animation will have to wait for another time, and perhaps another blogger.

The 2 Row Tango

Imagine yourself in this situation...  5 years ago you bought 3 skeins of hand-dyed variegated yarn.  Over the course of time, you knit the back and most of the front using about 1 1/2 skeins of the yarn -- no, no, don't worry, this may sound like a math problem brewing, but its not!  As a change of pace, you decide to start one of the sleeves with the third skein of yarn only to discover that this skein -- horrors of horrors -- is a different color way.  What would you do, nona-reader, if faced with this knitting dilemma?  Why not ask nona!

This is how nona found herself comfortably seated at ImagiKnit helping a family friend with her knitting dilemma.  Two of her skeins were dyed in pinks and purples with a kiss of spring green, while the third skein was dyed in rusts and browns with a tickle of teal.   At first glance the third skein seemed too different to be salvageable, but we decided to try the "2 row tango".  Here's how it goes -- keeping both balls attached, work two rows with the first ball, followed by two rows with the second, followed by two rows with the first, etc.  This technique -- I mean tango -- is useful for blending the differences between two balls of yarn and is particularly helpful when dealing with hand dyed yarns and their natural variations.   Luckily for us, this technique created a fabric that was quite similar to the original and entirely passable for the sweater's sleeves.  Dilemma solved, with no extra yarn required.  Just in time for the Superbowl, a big plate of nachos, a cold beer, and several hours of uninterrupted knitting.

My Friend, The Knitting Intuit

My friend, nona-friend the oldest, is a Knitting Intuit.  You must remember nona-friend -- she's the one who opens Christmas presents early.  nona-friend is very crafty with an art degree no less.  She is also a new knitter who is already addicted.  Let me tell you the story that confirmed her title of Knitting Intuit.

Over the holidays, nona-friend gathered with the other females in her family for a three day crafting fest.  Her teenage niece was making impressive progress on a circularly knit bag when, much to her horror, she discovered that the stitches were twisted.   We knitters can all sympathize with this disastrous situation -- the first time you realized what "join the stitches, being careful not to twist" really means.  Now if this was nona's niece nona would have said something like, "I'm terribly sorry nona-niece, but the only way to fix this is to rip it out and start over".  Not so for nona-friend, the Knitting Intuit.  She adroitly crochet two vertical lines down the bag creating a thin channel.  She then -- hold onto something -- cut the bag down the channel, untwisted the knitting, and seamed the bag back together.  Her niece was back on the needles and knitting in no time.

This, my friends, is why nona-friend is a Knitting Intuit and why nona will be calling her for knitting advice.  nona believes the best knitters are those who think outside the box, trusting their intuition to guide them to successful solutions.

Thrill Seeking

At times -- but not too often -- nona likes to live on the edge.  And in knitting that can only mean one thing, stitch dropping.  To some, the mere thought of dropping a stitch is enough to start the palms sweating.  But what if, just maybe, you drop stitches on purpose?  Wouldn't that be a bit, thrilling?

The last few days I've been experimenting with the intentional dropped stitch.  Not only is dropping a stitch thrilling, but it's also a cheap and easy way to achieve a lacy look without actually knitting lace.  I love the horizontal ladder rungs you get when the stitch drops.

Intentionally dropped stitches -- nona living on the edge

I'd like to share with you, adventure seeking reader, the things I've learned about stitch dropping:

1. When a stitch is dropped, the width of the horizontal running yarn is 3 times the width of the original stitch.  This means that one dropped stitch equals 3 regular stitches.

2. When working a stitch, which you intend to later drop, it doesn't matter if you knit or purl that stitch.  Once it's dropped, all traces of the knit or purl will disappear, leaving you with lovely, lacy horizontal yarn bars.

3. If you don't want the dropped stitch to run all the way down to the cast on edge, be sure to place a "break" where you want the dropped stitch to stop.  Here's how I set my break:

   1. Bind off 3 stitches at the spot in the row where you want the dropped stitch.  These bound off stitches form the break.
   2. On the next row YO (yarn over) above the 3 stitch bind off.  This YO adds the stitch, which will later be dropped.
   3. Continue for as many rows as required, until you are ready to drop the stitch.
   4. On the next row, when you encounter the thrill seeking stitch, drop it off the left hand needle and cast on 3 stitches -- to replace the dropped stitch -- onto the right hand needle.

4. If you're knitting with a sticky yarn, like mohair, don't wait until the end to drop the stitch -- it will never unravel.  Instead, drop the stitch every few rows.  For example:

   1. Row 1, the break row: BO 3 stitches at the spot in the row where you want the dropped stitch
   2. Row 2, YO above the 3 stitch bind off.  This YO becomes the stitch you'll later drop.
   3. Row 3, knit (or purl) the YO (whatever is easiest).
   4. Row 4, drop the stitch and YO.  The YO re adds the stitch you intend to drop
   5. Row 5, knit (or purl) the YO
   6. Continue repeating Row 4 and Row 5 for the desired number of rows.

Pleasurable Pick Up

nona had a pleasurable pick up experience this evening.   No, no, nothing like that -- I tried a new technique for picking up stitches on my Leftovers Vest.  I learned this technique from my Catherine Lowe Pullover Kit.  This technique has two big advantages.  First, the row of picked up stitches is invisible from the right side of the garment.  This is handy when the stitches are to be worked in a stitch pattern other than stockinette stitch -- ribbing for example.  Second,  the first row worked is a right side row.  Think of the picked up stitches as a join, not as a row of actual knitting.

Finished Ribbing -- Can you see the row of picked up stitches?

Okay, so that's the theory.  Want to know how?  Keep reading...

Here's How

A few things before you start:

1. You'll need a needle 4 times smaller than the needle you'll be using to work the picked up stitches and a crochet hook.
2. You'll be working with the right side of the knitting facing you.
3. You'll be working from left to right. 

To pickup stitches:

1. Secure the tail of yarn around the running thread at the spot you want to begin picking up stitches.  Using the crochet hook, pull the tail of yarn from back to front and then back again.  Knot the tail onto the working yarn.  Okay, you're ready to start

2. Using the crochet hook, pull a loop from back to front and slide the loop onto the small sized needle -- remember the needle is on the left. 

   

3. Pull the yarn tight and keep a firm tension throughout the process.

   

4. Once all the stitches are picked up, use your regular sized needle and begin with the first row of your pattern.  As the picked up stitches are worked from the smaller needle onto the larger needle, they virtually disappear to the back of the knit fabric.