Duplicate Stitch is a super easy way to embellish and add color to your knitting. All you need is a yarn/tapestry needle, and a different color of the same yarn you used for your project. Preferably the same, or at least the same weight, of yarn. This really isn't set in stone - feel free to experiment with different types of yarn if you like. Just do a small swatch in the yarns of your choice to see how you like it, before going right to work on your finished item.
If you decide to use a different yarn for your motif, keep in mind that if you plan on laundering your item, the two yarns should have the same laundering requirements.
Basically, duplicate stitch is just tracing or covering up your stocking stitch Vs with another yarn. For your first stitch, you will want to leave a short tail, about an inch, and hold it in place with your finger while you finish the first stitch, just to make sure the yarn doesn't get pulled all the way out.
While doing the heart in my sample, I worked from left to right on the first row, then right to left on the row above, and so on. Try not to jump around here and there too much, in order to keep the back of your work as neat as possible.
Also, don't pull too tightly on your yarn, as this will cause your fabric to bunch up and it won't look pretty at all.
To weave in your ends when you are done, just tuck the tails under a few of the stitches on the back of the work.
Step One:
Come up at the bottom of your V.
Step Two:
Cover the right leg of your V. Slip your yarn needle under the two legs of the V above the stitch you are currently working on.
Step Three:
Cover the left leg of your V. Push the needle down into the same spot you came up at in Step One.
You have now made one duplicate stitch.
Repeat this process until you have drawn your motif onto your project. If you make a mistake, it is really easy to fix. Just work the steps backwards to remove the stitch(es) you don't want.
Here is the video. Happy Knitting!
PS
If you like the nails, you can find the Gradient Tutorial HERE
My favorite time of year is fast approaching - Autumn! I love the smells, the colors, and the crisp feel of the air.
I designed a cowl for my favorite time of year that uses the Acorn Cable Stitch, and a yarn that reflects the colors of fall. You can use any color you choose, of course!
The yarn I used can be purchased here:
http://www.herrschners.com/product/Lighthouse+Waves+Yarn+1.aspx
Hi everyone! Here is a free pattern for you to knit for the Fourth of July, which is right around the corner. This uses Lily Sugar n Cream self striping yarn, so all you have to do is knit.
The stitches you need to know for this pattern are: knit, purl, yarn over, purl three together. If you don't know how to do the star stitch, here is a video:
June 20, 2012 - I used my cloth for the first time tonight, and the red has bled a little bit into the white. There is also a little bit of bleeding from the blue, but not much. This doesn't bother me, but I wanted to let everyone else know in case it may be an issue.
This was requested by a YouTube friend. I personally avoid seams whenever possible. I just don't like to seam. When I bind off, I want to be done! But I do love how this makes an invisible join that you really can't see at all. Below are still photos, as well as a video of some small stockinette pieces being joined with Mattress Stitch.
My sample was done on stockinette fabric, however this could really be used with any stitch or fabric. Do keep in mind that you should add a couple of extra stitches to the sides of your fabric so that you can seam easily, and you won't lose any width. Seaming takes away from the width of your fabric - patterns that require seaming should have that fact accounted for, so no need to worry about adding extra stitches if you are following a pattern. But if you are designing your own pattern, just keep in mind when calculating the size.
OK, so here we go.
Your fabric should be placed with right sides facing. You will be working in a side to side fashion.
Use the same yarn that you knit your garment with. To make things easy, you can either reserve a length of tail from your cast on, or bind off, for this purpose. Or you can simply cut a length of yarn to use instead.
Don't seam along the immediate edge of your fabric; instead, move over to the first line of stitches. You could always move over two lines of stitches, but that will make the back side a bit bulkier.
Be sure that you stay straight as you seam up the fabric.
For the sake of clarity, we will say we are starting with the left piece of fabric here, but you may start with whichever piece of fabric you like.
Beginning at the cast on edge of the left piece of fabric, insert your yarn or tapestry needle into the cast-on edge stitch, then do the same on the right piece of fabric.
On the left piece of fabric, insert your needle under the first strand of yarn between the edge stitches and the first line of stitches.
Repeat on the right piece of fabric.
Continue moving left, right, left, right and so on, until you reach the top of your fabric. Then, insert the needle into the stitch along the bind off edge on both the left and right piece of fabric.
Now, gently pull on the tail of your yarn to tighten things up. Pulling from both ends is easiest for me. You will see that the yarn you used to sew up disappears like magic. Don't pull too tightly or your fabric will become misshapen. Just pull gently until the seam is neat and even. Weave in the loose ends.
Now, if you are like me, you may be scratching your head and saying "Huh?!" after reading that. I find visual aids much more easy to understand than the written word. So, here are some pictures, and the video.
These are the strands that you will be picking up and running your needle and yarn under
Yarn has been inserted into the cast on edge stitches of each piece of fabric
Needle going under the first strand
I have started weaving from left to right, left to right
I have now finished weaving all the way to the top of my fabric, and the yarn has been placed into each stitch along the bind off edge as well
The yarn used to seam has been pulled tight, and I now have an invisible join!
You can see how beautifully these pieces of stockinette fabric have been joined. Here is a sample of seed stitch fabric I joined, which is just as nice.
I decided to do a tutorial on yarn overs, since there can (and is) often times a lot of confusion on the topic. When I first began knitting, I was good with the YO - yarn over. But then I started seeing things like yon, yrn, yfwd... I didn't quite understand what I was supposed to do. I thought it was a yarn over, but then again, it seemed different. It must be different, otherwise the pattern would just say YO, right? As a result, I avoided anything that contained these goofy instructions. Somewhere along the way, I figured out that these were all yarn overs, and the only difference was yon, yrn, etc. were there to indicate how the yarn was treated, depending on whether the next stitch was a knit or purl. These days, whenever I see any of these directions, I just make a yarn over and don't even worry if I am going over the needle, around the needle or whatever. I know my working yarn has to be in the front when I purl, and in the back when I knit, and that my yarn will be going over the needle. So I just throw the yarn over my needle, place it in the correct position, and make my next stitch. It really is that simple.
I know a lot of knitters are very passionate about this topic. For me, as I said above, they are all yarn overs, and I don't get too particular what "kind" of yarn over it is. I just do it. I knit to relax, and really don't need to stress over a hole in my knitting.
Here is a printable reference guide on yarn overs, including what to do when you forget to make one and what to do when you make one you don't need. There is also a video which demonstrates everything on the sheet. I hope this helps anyone who may be as confused as I was. Happy Knitting!
Hi everyone! I just wanted to take a minute to thank all who stop by and read my little blog. Also, The Weekly Stitch blog too! You may not have noticed, but both blogs are now just a .com, instead of the .blogspot.com!
I will soon be posting a tutorial on entrelac knitting. I will have a free pattern to go along with the tutorial, and a video as well.
I am also working on a couple patterns which will be available for sale in my little area of Craftsy. I am really excited about these ones!
Hi everyone! It's certainly been quite a while since I did a show. Now that the weather is warmer, I can sit outside to record.
Here are the things I talk about in this episode, in no particular order
Magazines (you can find links to each of these in the Magazine tab at the top of the blog)
Filati Handknitting - Home
Filati Pocket
The Knitter
Simply Knitting - free gift - wooden purse handles
Knit Today - free gift - some really sheep shaped yarn bobbins
Knitscene
Hobby Lobby Visit
I recently went to Hobby Lobby for the first time. I loved their selection of knitting books, and while I typically do not knit with acrylic yarn, they did have some nice yarn also. There were a few I liked, but in the end only got a few skeins of Andes Alpaca by Yarn Bee, in the color Camino. I have decided to make my first top down shawl with this yarn. I also got two pairs of rosewood needles - one having an inlay of mother of pearl on the top. As you all know, I love my Addi Turbo neeldes, but am quickly becoming fond of the rosewood needles!
Autumn Acorn Cowl
This is my latest pattern, which is available for purchase on Craftsy. This is a quick knit, using Lighthouse Waves yarn featuring the Acorn Cable stitch. Even if you have never knit cables before, this is an easy stitch. There is also a video tutorial of the stitch incase you need help with it. I know the weather is beginning to warm up, and probably the last thing on your mind is making something to keep you warm. The mornings and evenings are still rather chilly, and a little warmth around your neck can help keep away the chill. Also, a lot of offices crank up the AC in the summer, and a cowl is nice to help keep the air off your neck. And of course, if you make it now, you can have it ready to go when autumn/winter returns.
Project Bags
I've told you before about using those nifty little plastic bags that bras and bed sheets come in to take along a small project when you go on a trip, etc. I recently purchased some sheets which came in a nice little cloth bag. The extra pillow cases also come in little bags, which are perfect for a small project, needles, a few notions, and a copy of your pattern. I love these! They are soft, pretty and just the right size for carrying along where ever you go! I got mine at Walmart, but I am sure you can find them in any store that sells sheets.
Longer Stitch Videos
You asked, and now you will receive! An overwhelming majority of you voted to have longer videos demonstrating cable and lace stitches. I will still be doing the shorter, less complicated stitch videos, but now will also be including longer videos too. You can find all of the stitch videos over on The Weekly Stitch.
That is going to wrap it up for now. You can find me on Facebook and Twitter. Mostly on Facebook, Twitter is just for when I put up a new video or pattern mostly. Feel free to send any questions, comments or suggestions to sapphiresnpurls at gmail dot com.
This is my latest pattern. I chose the name because the colors of the yarn remind me of the beautiful fall colors, and the acorn cable stitch pattern I used. You are, of course, free to use any color of yarn you like! Gauge is not critical for this pattern, and feel free to substitute any other medium weight, similar yarn if you are not able to find the one I used.
This pattern uses a yarn called Waves, which is a 70% wool / 30% soy blend. (Same as Patons SWS, which has been discontinued).
This is a fairly quick knit, and great for keeping the chill away. You can purchase the pattern over on Craftsy.
Here are some pictures of the blocking and seaming done on the cowl. Blocking is optional, but I do recommend it to open up the beautiful cable stitch pattern. You don't need anything special to block the cowl. I just pinned mine onto a towel on the bedroom floor. Just be sure you have a place that is out of reach of toddlers, cats and any other curious creatures.
For the seaming up, use any method you like. I like to sew under the stitches of the cast on and bind off edges, and pull the needle up through the loop of the yarn on the needle. This makes a firm seam that is nice and neat.
Here are the pictures, and there is also a video demonstration of the Acorn Stitch over on The Weekly Stitch, incase you need some help.
This is just a little tutorial I put together to help you out if you would like to knit something in the round, but aren't sure how to get the stitch pattern to work out. I will be perfectly honest - this is not an easy thing for me! It does take me a little while before I "get it" with some stitch patterns. So, you are not alone if you aren't able to convert stitch patterns easily. I do get a thrill when I finally figure out some of the trickier ones, which is what makes me keep trying different patterns. Practice makes perfect - so don't get discouraged if something doesn't work out the first time. Keep trying!
Of course I did not come up with this information on my own. This all can be found in Barbara Walker's Second Treasury of Knitting, as well as various other places on the web. Also, Margaret Radcliffe has a new book due out in just a few short weeks, called Circular Knitting Workshop: Essential Techniques to Master Knitting in the Round. I pre-ordered this back in December and have been so anxious to get it, I keep checking to see if maybe it will be released sooner! This book is supposed to have information on converting stitch patterns for knitting in the round, which is the reason I want it.
Below are instructions along with a few stitches for you to try out to get your needles going if you have never converted flat to round knitting. You can print this tutorial out so you can have it in your hands - which I find is a lot easier than having to constantly looking at the computer. There is also a free hat pattern using Star Stitch for you to print out too. Last but not least, there is a video briefly going over the tutorial and I will show you the stitches given in the tutorial.
I hope this tutorial is helpful, and that you like the hat pattern. Happy Knitting and Enjoy!
Sunday Afternoon Dish Cloth - Get the pattern below!
Experienced knitters may not think much about how to do a simple project, like a dish or wash cloth. New knitters, however, probably don't know where to start. I know I didn't. So, if you are a new knitter, here is a tutorial for you. If you aren't a new knitter, then here is a quick and easy project if you need a little instant gratification.
There are really no rules for knitting a dish or wash cloth - you can use whatever stitch pattern you like, any size needles, make it big or small, it's all up to you. You don't even need to make a gauge swatch or block the finished cloth. I like to make dish cloths to get familiar with new stitch patterns, or just make it up as I go.
There are many yarns to choose from: Lily Sugar and Cream, Lion Brand Cotton Ease, Bernat Cotton Tots, Lion Brand Baby's First, Patons Grace to name a few. If you are just going to be using your cloth to do dishes, I recommend using a cheaper cotton such as the Sugar and Cream. You can use the same for a wash cloth, of course, but if you'd like to pamper yourself then use perhaps the Patons Grace or another nicer cotton yarn.
I usually use the needle size called for on the ball band; if you would like a denser, tighter fabric then try a smaller needle, and a larger needle if you'd like a less dense fabric. Of course, you can always do a small swatch in the yarn you like with different needle sizes to see what results each gives you.
Now, pick a stitch pattern. There are many to be found on the web, or if you happen to have stitch pattern books, grab a cup of tea ( or something stronger ), sit back, and spend time looking through them. Maybe there is a stitch you like but have been afraid to try - now is the perfect time to give it a whirl! Since cloths are so small, there won't be much wasted time if you end up not liking it and can easily frog it and try something else.
Once you have your stitch pattern, you are ready to cast on. Use any cast on you like. I like to add borders on my cloths - you do not need one, but if you are going to do a stocking stitch fabric, a border will keep the edges from curling. I usually like to knit the first 2-4 rows in seed stitch, and then keep a 4 stitch border on each side in seed stitch. A simple garter stitch border will also do nicely. Depending on which yarn and needle size you choose, the number of stitches cast on will vary. In the Sugar and Cream yarn, 40-45 stitches gives me a large sized cloth; 30-35 makes a cloth that is a bit smaller and is just a tad bigger than my hand and feels most comfortable to me. I cast on depending on what mood I am in that day.
When the cloth is as long as you want it to be, bind off. If you have added a border, knit as many rows on the top as you did along the bottom edge and then bind off. You can use any bind off you like, and then weave in the ends. You can also make a loop to hang the cloth if you wish. Just cut an extra long tail, about 6 inches or so (better to have too much than not enough), and then single crochet to the end of the tail and attach it to the corner of the cloth.
I made the cloth in the picture in about an hour, on a Sunday afternoon, so that is the name I chose for it. This is a smallish cloth - I find it easier to do dishes with something that is relatively the same size as my hand, as opposed to having a lot of extra cloth flopping around. You can view and download a PDF the pattern for the cloth I make in the video here:
-by Sharon Turner **Just a note on this one. I flipped through this in the store a week or so ago, and was excited when I first saw it because I love stitch pattern books. My excitement waned as I saw the stitches though. I didn't see any "new" stitches; practically all of them I have seen in my other books. I have all of the Harmony Guides, the first two Walker Treasuries, Big Book of Knitting Stitch Patterns, Essential Stitch Collection, among others (you can check them out in myLibrarything in the left sidebar). If you have several stitch pattern books, I would pass on this one. You probably already have these stitches in there, or they can be found online. If you only own one or two stitch books, or none at all, then you might enjoy this one.
There are oodles of other patterns out there, just Google or Bing away and you will find them.
Also, I will once again be watching my favorite Halloween movie several times between now and Halloween.
This is a favorite of my sister and I - for some reason we just love it and must watch every October. It's fun and something you can watch with the kiddies, if you have any.
I think I mentioned last year, I have some black and orange Sugar n Cream floating around in my stash somewhere. I never was able to track that down, otherwise I would have my own pattern posted here. I will have to check again and if I find it see if I can come up with something quick.
I've been making an effort to finish up my UFO's that are lying around. If you follow me on facebook, you may know that I finally joined the sleeves to my sweater a couple weekends ago! Yay! It was a lot less scary and much easier than I anticipated. So, I now only have about 8 inches or so and it will be done! I am a little apprehensive about doing the collar for some reason, but I am sure that will be like the sleeve fear - easier than expected!
I've also been thinking about breaking out the Kool-Aid and dying some yarn. I have some Lion Brand Fisherman Wool that I'd like to dye some autumn colors - maybe brown, dark orange and orange-red. I'd like to do that this coming weekend, if I have time. I may need to do a Kool-Aid run to make sure I have enough of the flavors I need to get these colors. I would like to try and get some deeper, richer colors this time than I have in the past. I've heard coffee or tea will make a nice brown - I may have to do that in conjunction with the Kool-Aid. Either way, I am excited - I love dying yarn!!
Well, fellow knitters, I am going to go and do some work on that sweater! Here are a few pictures of where I am. I will certainly be posting pictures once it's complete. Hopefully by the end of this month!
This is the quite the order I wanted the pictures posted, but blogger is not cooperating and letting me arrange them how I'd like. Until next time, Happy Knitting!
Sleeves with the underarm stitches on waste yarn to be seamed with the body later
Close up of the sleeve and body joined, with the reserved stitches waiting to be seamed up later
Here is the body, with a portion of stitches reserved to be seamed with the underarm of the sleeves later
This is just a close up of the body with the reserved stitches
This is a few rows after the sleeves have been joined
