Category Archives: Tutorial Series

Tutorial Series: How To Slip Knot

Posted in How to Slip Knot, Tutorial Series by

Cast on for knitting or a foundation chain for crochet all start with a slip knot. The first stitch in knitting is the slip knot. The slip knot in crochet is the loop for the first foundation chain. Therefore, how to make a slip knot is the first step in learning how to knit or crochet. There are many ways to make a slip knot. How to slip knot differs for knitters and crocheters. The video below shows how I make a slip knot to start a crochet foundation chain.

How to Slip Knot (slow motion):


Written Instructions for How to Slip Knot:

  • Wrap the yarn around index and middle finger of the left hand going from top to bottom (clockwise)
  • Bring the yarn across and between the two fingers
  • With the right hand, bring the strand of yarn in and through the ring formed by the wrapped yarn
  • Pull and tighten the ring holding the strand of yarn to form the slip knot
  • Insert a crochet hook into the slip knot and tighten it around the hook

~coffeeteaknits.com

Tutorial Series: The Knotted K2tog Bind Off

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A decorative bind – off method that I used in The Cozy Season Shrug is the Knotted K2tog bind – off. It gives a nicer looking finished edge for shawls, shrugs etc. that can be added to a garter stitch pattern border.

The written instructions and video below on how to do the knotted K2tog bind – off is shown for right handed knitting.

Abbreviations:

  • K: Knit
  • K2tog: Knit the two stitches on the left knitting needle together
  • wyif: with the working yarn in front

The Knotted K2tog Bind Off:

Knotted K2tog Bind Off: (written intructions)

  1. To begin the bind off row/round: K2, wyif slip the 2 knitted stitches on the right knitting needle back onto the left knitting needle
  2. Wrap the working yarn in front of the 2 stitches on the left knitting needle
  3. Insert the right knitting needle into the wrapped stitches on the left knitting needle and knit those 2 stitches together.
  4. Knit the next stitch on the left knitting needle. There are two stitches on the right knitting needle
  5. Pass the second stitch on the right knitting needle over the first stitch on that needle
  6. K1, wyif slip the 2 knitted stitches on the right knitting needle back onto the left knitting needle
  7. Repeat steps 2 to 5
  8. Repeat steps 6 and 7 till one stitch left in the bind off row/round
  9. Cut and pull working yarn through the last remaining stitch and weave in the end

~coffeeteaknits

Tutorial Series: Yarn Over (YO) with Knit Stitches

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Yarn over (YO) is another method to increase stitches in rows or rounds. Yarn overs create holes or eyelets in knitted items and are most commonly used in lace stitch patterns. A stitch increase with a yarn over is most often followed by a stitch decrease in the same or the next row or round for most lace stitch patterns in knitting. The written instructions and videos below show how to increase a stitch with a yarn over (YO) on a knit row for right-handed knitting.

Abbreviations:

  • K: Knit
  • YO: yarn over

Yarn Over (YO) in slow motion:

Yarn Over (YO) written instructions:

  • Wrap the working yarn from back to front on the right knitting needle
  • Bring the working yarn to the back of the right hand knitting needle
  • Insert right knitting needle into the first stitch on the left knitting needle
  • Knit the first stitch on the left knitting needle to complete the yarn over

Yarn Over with Knit Stitches:
   The video below shows K1, YO, K2, YO, K2, YO, K2, YO, K2

~coffeeteaknits

Tutorial Series: The Cable Cast-on Method

Posted in The Cable Cast-on Method, Tutorial Series by

One of the decorative cast-on methods I like to use is the Cable Cast-on method. I’ve used this cast-on method on several of my knits including The Cozy Season Shrug and The Cozy Mood Winter Hat. It gives a nice finished edge for any top down or bottom up knitted items. An advantage to this method is that you don’t need a long yarn tail to begin casting on the stitches. The cable cast-on begins with a slip knot and each additional stitch is added using an alternative to the knitted cast-on method. The written instructions and video below on how to do the cable cast-on is shown for right handed knitting.

The Cable Cast-on Method

The Cable Cast-on Steps:

  1. Make a slip knot
  2. Transfer the slip knot onto the left knitting needle
  3. Insert the right knitting needle into the slip knot and bring working yarn clockwise in between the two needles as if to knit
  4. Catch and pull the working yarn loop onto the right knitting needle
  5. Transfer the new stitch loop from the right knitting needle onto the left knitting needle
  6. Insert the right knitting needle into the space in between the bottom of first 2 stitches on the left knitting needle
  7. Catch and pull the working yarn loop with the right knitting needle
  8. Transfer the new stitch loop from the right knitting needle onto the left knitting needle
  9. Repeat steps 6 – 8 till the desired number of stitch count is reached for a knitting project

~coffeeteaknits

Tutorial Series: Pfb (Purl front and back)

Posted in Pfb (Purl front and back), Tutorial Series by

Purl front and back (Pfb) is the method to increase stitches on the purl side in a row or round. One stitch in a row or round is added when the first stitch on the left knitting needle is purled in the front loop as well as in the back loop before sliding that stitch off the left needle. The written instructions and video below show how to increase stitches by doing a Pfb for right handed knitting.

Abbreviations:

  • P: purl
  • Pfb: purl front and back

Pfb (Purl front and back) in slow motion:

.

Pfb (Purl front and back) written instructions:

  • With working yarn in front, insert the right knitting needle from front to back into the front loop of the first stitch on the left knitting needle
  • Bring the working yarn around and between the left and right knitting needles
  • With the right needle, catch and pull the loop made by the working yarn under the front loop of the stitch on the left needle
  • Turn the right needle towards the back loop of the same stitch on the left needle
  • Insert the right needle from back to front into the back loop of the same first stitch on the left needle
  • Bring the working yarn around and between the two needles
  • Catch and pull the new loop made by the working yarn with the right needle
  • Slide the first stitch off the left needle and secure the two new stitches on the right needle

P1, Pfb, P1, Pfb:

~coffeeteaknits