KNITTING GENERAL HINTS AND TIPS

1:  Always knit first and last stitches of knit row and purl first and last stitches of purl row.  This will produce a firm edge and ease the toils of sewing up.

2:  Yarn should never be knotted.  Always add yarn at the beginning of a row, ends can be sewn in later.

For joining wool in socks (which are knitted in the round sometimes on circular needles on using four needles) unravel the ply on the last six inches of the end of the yarn in use and the new yarn, splice or roll together and knit so that at least ten stitches are covered by the join otherwise wool may shrink back during washing causing a weak line. 

3:  When picking up dropped stitches use a fine crochet hook, taking care to follow pattern and not to twist stitches.

4:  Ribbing - always do ribbing with a needle at least two sizes finer than the main part of the garment.  The cast on should, of course, stretch well.

5:  Neck bands and 'V' necks - Always pick up the stitches with a finer needle even than that which is going to be used for the ribbing as this will avoid holes.

For 'V' neck garments, if possible, knit the front of the garment with an odd number of stitches so that, when dividing for the neck, the odd middle stitch can be left on a safety pin to continue up the centre of the neck band.  This stitch should always be knitted and decreasings carried out either side, keeping the continuity of the rib correct.

Casting off should be done in rib so that it stretches well as it needs to go over the wearers head.  If this cannot be obtained with the correct size needle use a larger size for the actual casting off.

6:  Striped knitting - Always change the colour on a knit row.  This will avoid the two colours mixing on the right side.

If knitting in rib, with right side facing, knit one row with new colour using one size finer needle to counteract the knit row spoiling the stretch of the rib, then continue in rib.

7:  Colour knitting - the second yarn is woven in the back on this type of work.

Knit row - The yarn to be woven in on a knit row is held over the fingers of the left hand and placed above the knitting whilst the knitting yarn is knitted in the usual way.  The next stitch is knitted in the normal way.  This is repeated along the whole row.

Purl row - Hold the wool to be woven away from worker for the first stitch.  For second stitch bring wool towards worker.  Repeat along whole row.

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