CHOOSING YOURYARN

Yarns, garment shapes, and stitch patterns must work together for your knitting project to be successful. The main

areas to consider are:

Gauge Needle sizeTexture and colour of yarnFibre content of yarn

The thickness of your yarn (among other factors) has a huge impact on the look of your knitted or crocheted fabric — and certainly the amount of time it takes to complete it. Yarn weight determines how many stitches it takes to knit 1 inch.

Although there are no official categories for yarn weights, many knitting books and yarn manufacturers use common terms to indicate a yarn’s thickness and the size of the needle with which you work on the yarn.

YA R N W E I G H T ( T H I C K N E S S )

Hold the left needle lightly over its top, using the thumb and index finger to control the tip of the needle.

HOLDING YOUR NEEDLES

Right hand needle Left hand needle Hold the right needle as if you were holding a pencil. When casting on and working the first few rows, pass the knitted piece over the hand between the thumb and index finger. As work progresses, let the thumb slide under the knitted piece, grasping the needle from below.

CA ST I NG ON

Casting on is when you form the first row of stitches. Making a slip knot:

METHOD 2

Casting on with the cable method (two needles)

THE BAS IC ST I TCH ES

The knit stitch (k)To knit into the back of a stitch (KB1)The purl stitch (p)To purl into the back of a stitch (PB1)The garter stitchStocking stitchReverse stitchRibbingKnit one Below (K1B)

CA ST I NG OFF

Casting off is the method used to dispose of a number of stitches. It is used during shaping, on shoulder seams for example and often forms the last row of the work.

Casting off knitwise Casting off purlwise Casting off with a crochet hook

FOREFRONT OF FASHION

John Galliano Fall 2011 Collection: Amazing fanciful furs, woollens and silk prints at the John Galliano for Fall Winter 2011 2012.