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Slip Stitch Using Knitting Loom

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tip if you encounter a knot m your yarn. do not knll with »L Cut il and join Ihe y^m using one ol the method* above.

Creating Flat Panels

Don't lot'I intimidated by the idea ot creating a Hat parte) on a circular loom, (t is .1 simple process tlut involves knitting on the knitting loom in a "('." figure.

Knitting a Hat panel on the knitting loom is not much different from knitting circularly on the knitting loom. You can do the same cast on methods, knit the same stitches, and use the same bind off methods.

However, there are a few things that differ. Since you are not knitting circularly around the knitting loom, you will have a starting point and an ending point At both ends you will have a turning peg/stitch marking the beginning of a new row or the end of the last one.

When starting at point A, the peg at point A is your beginning peg. The peg at point B becomes your last peg, and will also be your turning peg. When you finish a row, by knitting the peg at point B. you turn and knit back to point A Thus the pegs and Point A and B alternate as turning pegs ami beginning and ending pegs for the rows.

Beware of the Selvedge

Now you are no longer going round in circles, you will have edges to deal svith. The edge stitches of a knitted panel are called edge or selvedge stitches.

When knitting from a pattern, look for instructions on how to treat the selvedge stitches. One way is to wrap the turning pegs and knit them, as above. Alternatively you can slip stitch the first stitch on each row.

A slip stitch (si st) is simply a stitch that is not knitted You skip the peg and simply take the yarn to the next peg and knit it. Using a slip stitch at the beginning of each row creates a cham-like edge at both sides of the knitted item.

How to decide which turning option to use? If you are going to be seaming two pieces together or adding a border, it is best to knit the edge stitches (always knit the first and last stitches). If you are looking for a more decorative edging, slip the first stitch of every row. However, slipping the stitch on each row will deduct the width of your knitted item by two stitches. If the pattern doesn't allow for this, you will have to add one stitch to either side of the pattern as you go along.

GLOSSARY

Selvedge At i\\ njroe suggests. this n the sett mode edg«? ol lb«- fabac you arc creating, »ometwn« (livappcjnng in • seam. but sometime a morr vivbfe fimthed edge

i - wrap the next peg in «1 counterclockwise direction Knit over. Co back to the first peg and knit the stitch Tug gently on the working yam to tighten Use first stitch.

Continue knitting down the loom, e-wrapping the pegs in a counterclockwise direction.

i - wrap the next peg in «1 counterclockwise direction Knit over. Co back to the first peg and knit the stitch Tug gently on the working yam to tighten Use first stitch.

Continue knitting down the loom, e-wrapping the pegs in a counterclockwise direction.

Turning stitch options

You can knit the first peg, or slip it. Knitting the Knit SUtch or the Twisted Knit stitch at the beginning and end of each row provides a nice even edge

To begin, cast on your knitting loom in a clockwise direction. The practice project uses the slip method at Use selvedge. You will see the difference.

Using the Twisted Knit Stitch

E-wrap the last peg in a counter clockwise direction, run the working yam behind to the next pet) and wrap around it in a clockwise direction. Knit over this stitch, then go back and knit over on the first peg. Tug on the yarn gently to tighten the lirst stitch.

Continue knitting back to the next pegs in a clockwise direction. When you reach Use last peg on the right, knit it, then bring working yam to the Iront of the peg. Wrap around it in a clockwise direction. Bring working yarn behind the pegs.

Practice Project

You will need

You will need

Tools

Tapestry needle Knitting tool

Size

Pattern notes

Knitted completely as a flat panel Selvedge stitches slipped thru'Oiit k-knit stitch/flat stitch

Instructions

Cast on 12 stitches. Row 1: SI1. kit Row 2: SI1,p11. Repeat Rows 1-2 until item measures 30 ins. (76 cm).

Divide scarf for keyhole opening: Attach a second ball of yarn

Purple Trendy Scarf

Grab a hall of some funky, novelty yarn and knit an extraordinary flat panel scarf. The Purple Trendy Scarf knits up quickly on a large gauge knitting loom.

Knitting Loom

Large gauge knitting loom with at least 12 pegs

I Red Kmfty Knitter used in sample)

Yarn

90 yards (82 m) bulky weight novelty yarn llo-Arvn Sensations Halo, 100% nylon, 49.21 yds. (4S m) per 1.7S o/s (SO g) ball used in sample)

to the seventh peg.

Pick up the new yam attached to peg 7 and knit to peg 12.

Next row: SI1, pS. Drop yarn and pick up the other skein of yarn and purl to peg 12.

Repeat above 2 rows 3 times.

Rejoin the two sides Remove one of the balls and work entire row with one strand.

Next row: SI1. kll Next row: $11, p11. Repeat Rows 1 -2 until item measures -14 ins. (112 cm) from cast on edge. Bind off with basic removal method.

To wear, |>ass one of the sides through the opening or wrap anyhow the mood takes you.

H.AT PANELS S7

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Shaping

When making most things shaping will be necessary and is achieved by creating Increase* and decreases In the number of stitches in s'our knitted items.

Increases (inc)

Adding extra stitches to the panel makes it wider. When increases happen within rows, it is recommended to only increase 2 stitches on a given row. Increases are used to shape items such as sweater sleeves, skirts, and items that fan out. There are various ways to increase stitches on the loom, and all of them require you to move the stitches outwards to the empty pegs to allow room, or an empty peg, for the new stitch. Below, you will find three methods. Familiarize yourself with all three.

Move the last stitch to the next empty peg outwards, leaving an empty peg between the last peg and tl»e peg before last.

Make 1 (Ml). Knit the stitches on the knitting loom, when you reach the empty peg. e-wrap it and continue knitting to the end ol the row. Increasing in this manner, will leave a small hole where the increase was created.

When creaimg a piece thai will rrqurte many increases, make sure to cast on to a loom that n big enough to hold .ill the stitches youtl need.

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Smart shaping

As d new loom knitter, the tendency will be to simply cast on the desired number of additional stitches at the end of the row ratl>er than increase within the row. By increasing within the row, the knitted item maintains its edge shaping.

The increasing techniques here are recommended whenever you need to increase one or two stitches within a row. Casting on is recommended when increasing more than two stitches on the edge of the row. You couldn't make a shape like this fish without increasing and decreasing.

Lifted Increase Make 1

Move the last stitch outwards to the next empty peg, leaving an empty peg between the last peg and the peg before last

With the knitting tool reach tor the running ladder coming from the two stitches on either side below the empty peg. Twist Hie strand and place it on tlie empty peg (tf you don't twist it, you will create a small hole). Knit your row as usual.

Row Below

This is another way of increasing using a crochet hook.

1 Move the last stitch to the next empty peg outwards, leaving an empty peg between the last peg and the peg before last. Get a crochet hook.

2 Knit to the empty peg. and with the crochet hook reach one stitch below (on the wrong side), pass the book through one of the "legs" of the stitch and hook the working yarn making a loop. Place the loop on the empty peg. Make sure to not pull on the stitch below too much as this may caus% the stitch to pull together

SHAPING

Decreases (dec)

Removing stitches from your panel will make the panel narrower. When decreases happen within rows it is recommended to decrease 1 or 2 stitches in from either edge to keep the selvedge neat. Tliere are various ways to decrease on the knitting loom; all of them require you to move the stitches inwards. Familiari/e yourself with the methods below.

Knit 2 Together

Knitting 2 together (k2tog) creates a right slanting decrease, and is best created at the beginning of a knit row.

Slip, Slip Knit

The left slanting decrease is Use mirror image of a k2tog and is achieved by a Slip, Slip Knit (ssk) at the end of a row.

Move the stitch Irom peg 2 to peg 3 (the peg to its left). Peg 3 now lias two stitches and peg 2 is empty.

Note: the stitch from peg I will be on the bottom jrid the stitch Irom peg 2 is on top. When knitting over, the stitch that was on peg 2 will disappear behind the stitch from peg 3. Move stitches inwards so there are no empty pegs. Knit the row as usual, making sure to knit 2 over I on the peg with the extra stitch.

Move the stitch from peg 5 over to peg 4 (or the peg to its right).

Note: The stitch from the right peg (peg 4) is on the bottom, the stitch from the left peg (peg 5) is on top—do not change the order of the loops— keep the bottom loop on the bottom and the top on the top. Move stitches inwards so there are no empty pegs. Continue knitting as usual down the row.

Purl 2 together

Also known as p2tog, this too creates a right slanting decrease, best created at the beginning ol a purl side row. It is made just like the k2tog above, except in a pod row

Pud the row as usual. When you reach the peg with the extra stitch, lay the yarn bdow Use two loops, and purl them, nuking sure to remove the two loops oil the peg and leaving the newly formed loop least one or two stitches away from the edge Creating the increaies/decrraset right on the rtfge can cause sloppy edge* and it makes picking up stiiches very difficult least one or two stitches away from the edge Creating the increaies/decrraset right on the rtfge can cause sloppy edge* and it makes picking up stiiches very difficult

Increasing two stitches or more

In certain cases, a pattern will call for increasing more than two stitches at any given row. In this case, it is best to cast on the stitches using a method like the Chain Cast on Method (see page 40).

Increasing more than two stitches at the beginning of the row:

1 Knit the entire row as called for in the pattern. With the working yam coming from the last stitch, cast on to tl»e empty pegs ining the chain cast on method. When you reach the desired peg number, stop.

2 The loom is threaded with the extra stitches and is now ready. Turn back and kmt or purl these stitches as directed by the pattern

Decreasing two stitches or more

A pattern sometimes will ask you to bind off stitches at a certain point within the pattern.

Knit to the stitch where tlie binding ofl is supposed to begin. Start bind off using the Basic Bind Off Method (see page 33), stop when you liave bound off the number of stitches called for in pattern.

Most patterns will let you know which increase or decrease method you should use. If there is no information at>out which method to me, knit a small swatch and experiment with the different methods above and see which one looks best. The increases on a sleeve, for example, usually come in pairs—k2tog at the beginning of the row and ssk at the end—look for Ihese mirror images whenever you are knitting something that has increases or decreases at each end.

other item where you want seamless curves. Shaping with short rows has one pitfall that you must be aware ol. It is necessary to wrap the stitch after the turning point to avoid a hole between the turning stitch and the next stitch. The "wrap" eliminates this almost completely.

Short Row Shaping

This allows shaping a knitted panel without t»w* decreasing stitches. It creates soft curves by knitting a row to a certain stitch in the row, then turning back and knitting in the other direction. It is a method commonly used in tieels, blouse darts for the stomach or bust area, and in any

How to Wrap and Turn (WfcT)

When knitting each wraf>f>ed peg, lift both the wrap eliminate the wrap ami the stitch together, 2 over 1, as this will short rows.

Knit or purl to the desired turning stitch. Take the stitch ofl the next peg and hold it with your knitting tool.

Wrap the peg by taking the yarn towards the inside of the loom and wrapping around the peg The working yarn will end up to the Iront of the knitting loom and fill the hole made with the j

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