reblog

Knitting a shawl is one of the most beginner-friendly projects. An all season-favorite project, shawls can be knitted with any knitting needles and yarn. For yarn you can knit with any lightweight lace yarns to chunky wool and any fiber or shade. It is simply constructed in back and forth knitting (flat) with a pair of classic single pointed needles or circulars. Single pointed knitting are an ideal fit as long as you cast the width of the project and then go knitting lengthwise. Circular knitting needles are a better fit as the ergonomic make allows to divide the weight of the project and not strain your hands and wrists. For scarves, you can go ahead with a knitting pattern or plan one without one. It is very easy to knit a length of around 100 – 150 cm and a width of 15 – 20cm. This can also be customized according to your need. Asymmetrical shawls such as triangular.

So, let’s get started. For a shawl you can go ahead with any new yarn of any weight according to your preference or even use scraps from your stash. Leftover yarns from previous projects are particularly wonderful as you can truly express your creativity.

Garter Stitch

The most basic of all stitch patterns, garter is made by knitting every row (when you are knitting in rows which you will be basically doing to make a shawl). It is a handy stitch if you want something flat, reversible in a ridged fabric. The stitch pattern will create a solid fabric that works for most shawls, especially if you are looking for a dense and warm knitted fabric. If you looking for something light for summer or spring, make the project in lightweight yarn. Lively spring and summery colours will work best for the garter shawl.

Stocking Stitch (Stockinette)

The stocking stitch pattern, known as stockinette is another basic stitch pattern that lends itself beautiful to many knitting projects. The pattern is made by alternating one row of knit stitches followed by a row of purl stitches. Stockinette is a mix of both knit and purls but has a tendency to curl at the edges. Follow the yarn suggestions for the stitch pattern too. Work with multiple yarn colours in lightweight fibers and vibrant shades. Finish up the shawl with pom poms on all four ends or tassels of same or a contrasting shade of colour. You can also try out a beautiful edge of seed stitch or work a patter or picots or ruffles. Blocking you knitted shawl is a step you must not miss out.

Reverse Stocking Stitch

Working the reverse stocking stitch is also a good option. Instead of alternative rows of knit and purl, work on alternate rows of purl and knit stitches. The knitted fabric still curls but the sticth pattern will have a different look that regular Stockinette.

Multi-coloured shawl

Knitting with multiple colours is one of the easiest ways to dress up your knitted shawl. Choose two or three colours that complement each other. You can go for knitting with stripes or make colour changes after 3-5 rows for bold lines. If you are a fan of colourwork and have a pattern and requires skills, it is one of the best options of knitting a shawl for the spring season. Even if you not yet gained the colourwork knitting skills, you can simply thread your darning needle with a contrasting shade of yarn than the knitted fabric and cerate interesting designs on your finished piece.

Lace Knitting Patterns

Lace knitting is an art. You create holes in your knitted baric with a variety of techniques. A knitting pattern is the best bet if you are a beginner and you’ll find many advanced makers searching out patterns for their projects. A lace shawl is perfect for spring and summer seasons. Choose knitting needles, a size bigger than mentioned on the yarn label or pattern. With lace patterns, create motifs of leaves, flowers and more. Stainless steel knitting needles works best for lace patterns. Interchangeable circular needles are also perfect for the task as they assist with smooth knitting and have a lifeline hole that works for the knitting pattern.

Get ready for shawl knitting! Besides the above you can make interesting shawls with any more stitch patterns. Textured stitch patterns work beautifully. If you have worked on a seed stitch or a moss stitch pattern you just have to follow the pattern in changed dimension. A knitting trend from the 1970s, Condo knitting is also making a comeback. You work in the garter stitch pattern with two knitting needle sizes. The effect is an open weave that looks beautiful for a spring or summer-inspired shawl.

With the Mindful Collection explore the range of stainless steel needles for single pointed, double pointed, fixed circular or interchangeable circulars and sets of multiple sizes. With mindful knitting needles enjoy the meditative process of knitting.

Source: https://medium.com/@mindfulknitpro/how-to-knit-a-shawl-7fc2bd30cdad

Fingerless gloves are perfect for spring and summer. If you are planning to knit one, it is quite easy and quick and always works easily with your stash. Fingerless gloves were preferred by fishermen and sailors to keep hands warm while not struggling with manual dexterity and in the 80s, it became a fashion statement. So, let's get started. In this blog, we’ll discuss how to knit fingerless gloves.

Before that let’s take a look at the knitting needles to craft a pair of gloves along with yarn and a pattern.

Knitting Needles - You can knit fingerless gloves on any knitting needles in your collection. Knit them flat with single-pointed or circular needles and join the seams to make a round. Or, seamlessly knit in the round with circular or double-pointed needles (DPNs), depending on your preference. For circulars, either choose a length smaller than the project circumference. Another option is the Magic Loop technique that requires an extra-long circular knitting needle. This works for knitting even the smallest circumference. Another advanced knitting technique is knitting with two circulars and having two gloves grow on the needle at the same time. DPNs make ideal tools for small projects but requires handling multiple pointy ends.

Yarn – A small and quick project, fingerless gloves can be easily knit with a small quantity of yarn often times found in your stash. Multiple colours or yarns can work beautifully for a fingerless gloves pattern. You can knit gloves with fine lightweight yarns or chunky wool depending on the look you want.

Pattern – A knitting pattern works like a map. It instructs the steps on knitting. There are multiple patterns to explore from. You can knit fingerless gloves without a pattern. If you worked on a pair of socks or even a hat, you understand knitting in the round and that is how you’ll knit the gloves.

To make things easier, we’ve a step-by-step tutorial for knitting fingerless gloves. Whether you opt for double pointed knitting needles (DPNs) or a pair of circulars, you might want to choose two sizes though. The smaller needles are ideal for the rib stitch edge while the larger ones are best for working on the wrist. Before you start, first knit a gauge swatch with the bigger knitting needle size and yarn.

Step 1: Cast on stitches on 3 DPNs or a circular needle length that is smaller than gloves circumference. The number of stitches can be calculated with the gauge swatch. Join your stitches in the round any method you prefer but be careful not to twist the stitches.

Step 2: Knit in the round a 2 x 2 ribbing pattern (knit 2, purl 2) until you’ve 8-10 cm of knitted fabric. For the next section opt for a garter stitch edge of 6-8 rounds and continue in stockinette stitch. 

Step 3: When you reach the wrist, switch to bigger needles and continue to knit in stockinette stitch in the round for 2- 4 cm. 

Step 4: Place a stitch marker at the beginning of your round for the thumb opening. Just write it down that for your second glove; the thumb opening will have to be marked on the opposite side. The exact stitch number will depend on the cast on stitches.

Step 5: In this step, you will be knitting in the round while increasing one stitch on each side of the marker in every third or fourth round. You can work any knitting increase with KFB (knit front and back) or YO (yarn over).

Step 6: Use a stitch holder to carry the increased stitches and the marked and continue to knit in the round. Be careful to avoid laddering of the connecting stitches.

Step 7: Knit for another 5-7 rounds, switch your needles to the smaller size and knit two or three ribbed edge (or any edge you prefer for finishing your glove). Bind off all your stitches according to your pattern, knitwise for knit stitches and purlwise for purl stitches.

Step 8: Pick up the stitches from the stitch holder on your knitting needle and additionally pick up six or seven new stitches from the edge behind the thumb stitches. Distribute them evenly on three DPNs. Now the double points are the best option here as you’ll only have a few stitches on hand.

Step 9: Knit 1 round in knit stitch, then continue 5-6 rounds in rib 2 x 2 rib pattern. Bind off the stitches, cut the thread, and weave in all your yarn tails.

Step 10: Craft the second glove like the first one.

With this tutorial you are ready to knit fingerless gloves. For spring you can make some leaf motifs or work with vibrant shades. Duplicate stitches with a darning needle can also be used for some interesting colorwork. With stainless steel knitting needles from the Mindful Collection you can enjoy smooth crafting. Choose DPNs or fixed circulars or an interchangeable knitting needle or even a needle set. Along with needles, explore knitting accessories that assist with smooth crafting.

Source: https://www.zupyak.com/p/3580727/t/how-to-knit-fingerless-gloves

Knitters love to make things with their loved craft. They always have a project growing on their knitting needles for their loved ones. These knitting projects encompass even the dear pets. Be it a cat, dog, turtle, bird on any lovely creature that you adore, you can knit them beautiful garments accessories or some playful things. The loved pets have a treasure trove of designs from hoodies, sweaters, hats, toys, beds and so much more, with a range from practical to endearing options. Get out your favorite knitting needles ready and discover some great options. Even if you don’t have a pet, you can gift them to any friend or family member for their adorable beings.

So, gather you supplies.

Pattern – There is a wide range of patterns available for knitting projects for pets. From specially designed hoods to cosy beds and delightful toys, there is a lot to choose from. If you are beginner then knitting pattern will assist you with the knitting needles, the sizes, yarn, gauge and step by step instructions. Even if you want to plan your own design, you can go ahead with the measurements and gauge swatch.

Knitting Needles – The choice of knitting needles for adorable projects for your pets totally depends on what you are making and how. If you are knitting a hat, you can entire knit in the round with double-pointed knitting needles (DPNs) or circulars or you can choose the work with single pointed needles to knit back and forth. For flat projects, you can either work with circular needles of the appropriate lengths or STNs. The right knitting needle size is determined by the yarn weight, which is either mentioned in the label or the pattern.

Yarn – Choosing the yarn for your pets is done after careful consideration. Wool, cotton, acrylics or acrylic-blends are the most popular options. Make sure that your pet or the one you are knitting for is not allergic. Many times you’ll find yarn in your stash from previous projects that will be sufficient for a quick project for your pets.

1. Pet Garments

Pets are susceptible to cold so many knitters fashion garments to keep them warm and snuggly. Even for fashion, making a cute sweater or hoodie for them is easy. You can follow a pattern but then too you would require to calculate the right measurements along with positive ease. Scarves and hats are wonderful knitting projects that you can work out by yourself without a pattern with any pair of single points and circular knitting needles. You just need the standard size and knit them back and forth. For the hat you can knit it flat and shape it up with a darning needle. Or, knitting in the round is the best way to go about it. For a cardigan or even a sweater knit it in pieces and seam them later. Even baby booties can be worked and adjusted according to your pet’s hoof or paw size.

2. Pet Beds & Blankets

Beds and blankets are wonderful gifts for pets. While dogs love snuggling on your bed with you, cats prefer their own space. Snuggly beds and blankets will be a good option for both pets. Also, cats may be less accommodating about wearing things so they would appreciate their own soft corner to curl up. Beds for pets can be knit in various ways with almost all yarns and knitting needles. You can knit a round or rectangular bed. Stuff in some soft foam or other products for a comfortable bedding. You can work with any blanket pattern and customize it according to your measurements. Working with circular knitting needles with a long cord length, especially interchangeable circulars will accommodate all the stitches for a mid-size to large project.

3. Toys

Knitting toys for your pets is adorable. You can work with any pattern. Consider colourful projects as this way you can reduce your stash of leftover yarn. A simple ball or one of the favourite creatures such as a bunny or penguin can be easily knit with double pointed needles (DPNs) or circulars. For dogs they would love to have chewy bones projects while cats enjoy pouncing on balls and other shiny stuff. Even little birdies and other pets prefer snuggly toys.

4. Bow Tie

If you are fond of dressing up your loved pet, a bow tie is a quick and easy project. It is also a great yarn stash buster. Any pattern can be used with your measurements. Knit a few in different colours for every occasion for different outfits.

5. Toy Basket

Toy baskets are easy knitting projects. You can knit one as a gift too. The toy basket can be designed by customizing any regular project. You can add a name or other designs with duplicate stitches with a darning needle or knit a Fair Isle pattern.

With these 7 adorable knitting projects now cast on your stitches on your knitting needles.

Happy knitting for pets!

Source: https://articlebusinessnews.com/7-adorable-knitting-projects-for-your-pets/

Double pointed needles are one of the oldest knitting needles, as old as knitting itself. In the past days, DPNs were the only option for knitting in the round. Today, while there are options of knitting with a circular needle (with a smaller length than the circumference of the project), the magic loop technique as well as two circular needles, DPNs are still loved by knitters. They are particularly used for projects such as baby socks, hats and sweaters but can be used for adult-size socks, hats and more.

With tapered points on either end, the double-pointed knitting needles (DPNs) are perfect for knitting small circumferences. Unlike the regular straight needles, DPNs come in sets of four or five of which three or four are used to make a circumference and the extra needle is used to knit. This gives the freedom of a circumference you want to create. While circular needles are restricted by the needle tip and cable length, double points do not face any such barrier. In fact, many knitters who cast on projects with circular needles for the entire project, switch to double points when the stitches are very few or when you have decrease to shape a hat or other projects in the round.

Like other knitting needles, the double-pointed needles come in a range of sizes 6″ and 8″ in a standard range of sizes. The 6-inch needles are ideal for knitting gloves, mittens and socks and 8-inch knitting needles are for hats, sweaters, and larger items. Working with the multiple tips while knitting in the round can be intimidating at first, but with time and trial, you will discover your ease of work.

How to knit in the round with double-pointed Needles?

Knitting with DPNs is similar to working with any other regular knitting needle. You cast on stitches, join the round, and knit or purl the stitches until you have completed the pattern instructions or knit the desired measurements.

Cast on

Cast on stitches in your preferred technique on one single needle tip. Casting stitches on multiple needles will be difficult to manage so it is best to cast on one. Say, for example, you have cast on 30 stitches then divide 10 stitches into three needles so that each needle has about the same number of stitches. If you are working with four needles, move 8, 7, 7 & 8 stitches. While moving be careful not to drop any stitches.

Place the needles with the cast on stitches and form a triangle or a square as mentioned in the pattern of the knitting project. Take care to not twist your stitches as it will result in wonky loops.

Join the Round

Joining the cast on stitches is the most important step when knitting in the round. There are many ways to join the stitches, the simplest way is casting on an extra stitch and simply slipping it into the knitting needle and joining the round.

Knitting in the round 

Now, using your extra (fourth or fifth needle) that is not used for the circumference start to knit the stitches. Like regular knitting, the needle with the first cast on stitches is held in the left hand.

After knitting, the stitches will be transferred to the extra needle in your right hand. Now, rotate your project clockwise and use the needle that has just been freed up to knit along the stitches on the next needle.

Continue going round after round. Use stitch markers generously. To mark the start of the round place a stitch marker on the second last stitch on the needle or use a locking stitch marker. While you work with two needles at a time, the rest of the needles will hang on the project as you. When you switch between the knitting needles make sure to avoid gaps or ladders. Keep a tight grip on the yarn for the last two stitches of the round particularly.

It is also recommended to move the stitches after a few rounds. Keeping the working needle on the top always as if the needle is trapped under other needles, the stitches might be overstretched and uncomfortable to work with.

Finishing off

Continue knitting with your DPNs till you have achieved your desired length. Different projects and patterns will have different ways to finish off. The top of the hat or the closed end of socks, may not need to bind off as you can now work them with a darning needle.

With this, get ready to start on knitting projects with DPNs. You can have individual needles or a double-pointed needle set. Explore the Mindful Collection for stainless steel knitting needles. Perfect pointy tips, smooth surface, sturdy construction and inspirational word imprinted on the needle tip make it the perfect DPNs for your projects.

So, are you now ready to take up double-pointed knitting needles?

Source: https://knitpromindful.bcz.com/2023/03/04/how-to-knit-in-the-round-with-double-pointed-needles/