When I was a teenager, I decided to teach a learn-to-knit class for kids at one of the yarn shops in my hometown. One of the girls seemed to catch on especially fast, so I let her do her thing and spent more time helping another student get started. When I looked up again, the… Continue reading Ask Amanda: What do I do with an extra stitch?

When you’re knitting something large enough to require more than one ball of yarn, your first ball will eventually run out and it will be time to change to a new one. At its most basic, adding new yarn is as simple as it sounds. You just stop using the old ball and start knitting… Continue reading Ask Amanda: How do I change to a new ball of yarn?

It’s the ultimate test of self-control. You’re eager to start a new sweater project - all the beautiful yarn is sitting on the couch next to you, the pattern is waiting on your lap, and the recommended needle is in your hands. Why in the world would you knit a tiny, seemingly useless square when… Continue reading Ask Amanda: Why should I knit a gauge swatch?

When you’re preparing to knit in the round, joining is a critical step. Your pattern will tell you how many stitches to cast on, and then it will ask you to join in the round, being careful not to twist the stitches. Even one little twist will result in a potentially unusable piece of knitting,… Continue reading Ask Amanda: How do I join my knitting in the round?

Before I delve in, it may help to clarify the difference between intentional twist stitches and unintentionally twisting your stitches. It can be a little confusing with such similar names, but they are two separate techniques. Twist stitches (the intentional kind) are a nice way to add surface texture to your knitting. The examples below… Continue reading Ask Amanda: Are my stitches twisted?

Binding off in knitting can be one of the most exciting steps of the project, since every stitch takes you closer to finishing. While the actual motion of binding off (alternatively called casting off) is very similar to knitting, there is an important difference. A standard bind-off row naturally has less elasticity than your typical… Continue reading Ask Amanda: Why is my bind-off so tight?

It’s important to remember that there are as many styles of knitting as there are knitters, so each person’s work will look slightly different. Oftentimes, a slight tension difference between stitches won’t be that noticeable after the project is finished and blocked. That being said, sometimes a little knitting help can get a looseness problem… Continue reading Ask Amanda: Why is there a loose stitch at the end of the row?