An update on The Craft Sessions 2014

So a super quick one today as I am still away and really struggling with internet access. I feel like things have been a bit quiet about this year's event - September 5-7th just in case you were wondering - and I just wanted to let you know that it wasn't because we weren't working on it. We are planning our little hearts out! 

We have some wonderful new teachers and many new classes. Mainly new classes in fact. There are only one or two classes that we are repeating (due to super popular demand) and there is so much goodness there. I am bursting to tell you about what we have planned. So very good!

As we did last year - we are focusing for the most part, on traditional hand crafts that are fibre based. We know we can bring you classes that are taught in ways that make these skills and techniques more accessible. Classes that focus on empowering you, and increasing the joy you get from your chosen craft. Again, we have a fantastic balance for all levels of crafter - new crafters right through to those that are already super skilled. There are also plenty of opportunities to dabble in a new-to-you craft. 

In addition to all the new - many of last year's teachers are coming back, which I am so very happy about, as they were fantastic. This was confirmed in spades by the feedback we got from last year's participants. 

So some "dates" - sometime around mid March we will be announcing this year's lineup. I'll let you know as soon as we have them up via the mailing list and then the blog. We will give you a registration date as soon as the classes are finalised.

I can't wait to share it with you. 

Felicia x

PS. If there was a class that you didn't make last year but are desperate to do then leave a comment. I'd love to hear it. I have a week or two left of wiggle room before things get locked down.....speak up lovely people!

Part 1 - Knitting Tips and Tricks - Counting

Another new ongoing mini-series prompted and inspired by the lovely Jen and Martine - my mates who I have been assisting through the process of beginner knitting. Working with them has made me realise that there are so many things about knitting (and also sewing but that is for another day) that it isn't possible to learn in books. And it is really valuable stuff. The kind of stuff you learn from experience and experimenting. From being in the right place at the right time with the right knitter. Or picking a pattern that usefully tells you how to do something. So much of knitting is assumed knowledge and I am only realising through working with them all that I actually know more than I think I do. It's the little things.

And so I have decided that occasionally, as I think of them, I will write them down for you in the hope they help you.

First up we are going to do counting. An oft overlooked annoying point for knitters. Counting stitches, counting gauge and counting rows. I can make it easier.

1. Counting stitches

This is possibly the best "trick" I know and it isn't even a trick. But it will change your life if you are a knitter!

I have no idea if I made it up or I read it somewhere. My apologies for not crediting the genius that came up with it (if there was one), but I have been doing it so long I don't know to not do it y'know?

Doing a stitch count to check you are on track is one of the only times where I condone counting in knitting. Generally I think you should learn to read your knitting and so there should be little reason to count. Stitch counts here and there however, are essential. Really important. 

The number of times early on I had to count my 300 stitches (my first project was Birch) and kept loosing count, over and over and over again and taking for-e-ver. Well you probably don't need the details. Incredibly frustrating, 1,2,3,4,5, .....145,146.....

Later in my knitting career I started counting in twos. 2,4,6,...you get the picture. Still loosing count and still wasting my life and my knitting time.

So the trick! - the trick is to count in FIVES!! Yes fives. I swear this is life changing.

Your eyes can actually clock five stitches at a time. They really can - five stitches look a certain way. They make sense to the eyes and make it so much quicker to count and much much harder to loose your place. You may need a small amount of practice but you can pick this up really quickly and it will save you SOO much time. All about the joy!

2. Counting your gauge

I often hear of people struggling to count their gauge and so I thought I would share what I do which makes it super easy. You just need a few sewing pins, a ruler or tape measure of some description and you are good to go.

Lay your swatch on a bed/couch/something firm but squishy. Take out your tape measure and lie it towards the top of your swatch. Make sure that you follow the line of stitches across from your first stitch so you are measuring along the same row and not crossing rows. 

Mark out the start and finish of your 10cm/4" with pins making sure that you start on the left hand side of a V - see our Learn to Read Your Knitting post - Part 1 if this doesn't make sense. Put your final pin in exactly where the 10cm/4inch mark is. 

Mark the start and the end, making sure you begin on the left hand side of a V.

I find it easier to use a different colour pin to mark each 5 stitches. Look for the Vs.

Leaving the ruler/tape measure in place put a pin in every 5 stitches. You can do this easier because you know that you are looking for the Vs - right. Five Vs then a pin and then another five Vs etc until you reach the 10cm/4inch mark.

Leave the pins in and then count the number of left over stitches between the last marker for a five and the final pin that marks 10cm/4inches. Make sure that you count 1/2 stitches and even 1/4 stitches at the end if you have them. Be as accurate as you can. 

And here is the critical bit....Repeat towards the bottom of the swatch. It also helps if you do it before and after you have washed your swatch. This tells you what gauge you will be getting when you are knitting, as well after it has been blocked.

Here is another example just because ...

This shows that we have 3 and 3/4 stitches in the last bit. Giving us 23.75 stitches as the gauge.

One final example. This large gauge knitting often is tricky because the yarn stretches so much. Make sure it is relaxed when you count. And don't do what I am doing in the picture and counting when it is on the needle....

3. Counting rows

In the Learn to Read Your Knitting - Part 2 post we talked about counting rows. The best way I've found is to mark the first V you are counting with a pin in the hole of the stitch. Then stretch the fabric slightly before using the needle tip to count the Vs going upwards. Stretching the fabric width-wise and length-wise makes the individual stitches easy to see. You can also use pins here to mark 5 rows to make it easier, or you have a lot of rows to count.

Same two examples for you - which I like because they are both lightly hairy yarn (both contain alpaca) and are slightly harder to read - which is good because you can see that using this stretching pin "trick" you can easily see the stitches.

Counting the Vs.

The other thing that will help is to put a contrasting colour on the table behind the knitting when you are trying to count. Then when you stretch the knitting you can more clearly see the holes. If you have light coloured knitting use a dark fabric and vice versa.

I didn't realise before I wrote the post but the key to counting is 5.....who knew?

I really hope that was helpful. Try the counting 5s thing. It really is lifechanging. Let me know if you like it.

Felicia x

How to get better at colour!

So colour is a part of making that I find hard. Possibly the hardest. I have the feeling I am not alone in this, so I thought I would tell you about the little colour journey I have been making over the last year, and what I have found that has been helping.

Unlike other parts of crafting that may involve using technique or a pattern where I know what to do, colour feels a bit unknown, a bit unsure. I lack a bit of confidence and so spend far to much time thinking about what to do. Which annoys me. Especially because more and more of the things I am doing, involves making colour choices – be that knitted colourwork or quilting. And so, for the last couple of years I have been trying to figure it out. Trying to learn some more about colour in theory, but also about what it is that I like colourwise.  I still need a lot more practice – but I have found some things that have helped with the process of choosing colour, that I thought I would share with you. 

But first, as always, a quick description of the problem. So, I go into the fabric store searching for something particular for a project. While I am there, something bright and shiny captures my attention and I do the odd bit of purchasing. I come out with a stack of shiny things that make me happy on the day. A week or three later, I might be inspired by some wonderful persons style on the interwebs and think "right-o, I’m off to the cupboard". But there is nothing there I want to use. It is all too patterned, too bright, too XYZ. I look around my home or in my kids wardrobes and they are full of bright patterned things. I want to use something calmer/bluer/more-neutrally but that doesn’t translate on purchasing day for some reason. Which means a cupboard of bright and shiny. And then, because I feel I should use what I have, I then make with what I have. Bright, patterned (and also pretty) but not necessarily the direction I would really like to head. I need to put in more thought and more planning. 

And then there is my wardrobe. I had a pile of small kids (3) in just over 4 years which meant that I went from having a wardrobe I liked, that was full of colour (still mainly blue but colour none the less) to wearing black trakkies and a black maternity top almost day in day out for a year or three. Yes – I (sadly?/happily?) admit I was that woman covered in sick with a exhausted shocked look on her face for a few years. So now I am out the other side, but I am still trying to figure out what I like wearing again. And it is tricky. I find myself being super safe and/or just plain lazy. And I want to fix it, which means I need to fix my colour issue. I have an entire wardrobe that is just blue. Safe, boring, gorgeous blue.

These two issues sound almost contradictory but they kindof aren't. I've lost my confidence that I will choose things I will like in a year. And I feel like I keep buying either things that are safe - or the complete opposite where I break out and buy something that is a too shiny/crazy/bright. Arrrghhh....

And then there is the issue that colour is a much trickier proposition for crafters (as opposed to artists). Even when I take the time to figure out what I want, I can't necessarily get it. Artists are often able to mix/make the colour they want. Crafters are often limited to the colours they can buy (and yes of course you can dye but I'm lacking the time at this stage of life). Sometimes you want that particular shade with just a little more XXX to it. Incredibly frustrating or a limitation to be worked with?

So without further complaining, here it is.....

Lessons I have learned that help with colour

1. Your visual diary is key

I wrote the post a little while ago about how all crafters need a visual diary and this is where it gets super useful. I do two things on pinterest that really help. I keep a board called craft – colours where I pin random things where I love the combination of colours. I go to this board for inspiration whenever I am starting a new project. While I am there I also edit this board to try to find images that stand the test of time. 

Trying to work some colour back into my summer wardrobe. Still a bit stuck on the blues.....at least it is a bit brighter??

Clothing-wise my main colour loves haven’t changed that much over my life, but I also know that I get comfortable. I get a bit scared of branching out – which leads to boredom and then wildly inappropriate purchasing when I feel the need to be less boring. Urgh. What is needed is some considered thought. The alternative is to stick with the blue/grey thing I have going on - which I am feeling is no longer an option. Pinning on the colour board and then combining the ideas I find with the ideas found on my clothing board are helping me to look at other things I might like. One of my latest purchases includes a sweaters worth of dark orange/rusty wool (in the top photo) to make Cinnamon Girl based initially on this image. And I have just made a lovely orange Lila (no proper photos of my version but there is one on instagram). Over time I have found more and more images on the page that have this type of combination. I think I may love it. Controversial choice for me - and choosing this involved a bit of bravery and a bit of thought - and a bit of time to make sure that orange/rust wasn't just a passing phase. 

The other key thing I have started doing is going through boards like the textiles board or my clothing board and analysing what themes are common. For example by looking at my textiles board I have realised that I like particular types of quilts that a fair bit of contrast or a clever use of value (see below).

I am also using it to choose quilt colours that sing. Once I have a project in mind I then also use the pretty colours board to see if there is something that grabs me as a starting point.

2. Develop your ideas before you start

Anna has been working on me about this. Crafting isn’t art. You aren’t doing a painting whereby you may be able to paint over a mistake. When you are quilting or sewing you are often cutting your fabric up. And cutting means more consideration is needed before the project starts. By doing this you can avoid costly fabric errors.

Anna suggested that the way to go about developing an idea involves mocking it up using any artform you are comfortable with. Draw it, colour it, paint it and for me she came up with "collage it" (drawing and painting aren't my strong suits). I was sent off the the paint store with my existing fabrics to collect swatches that matched. I could then play around with other swatches to determine if I could find some that worked. Due to the aforementioned limitation around colour choice this will involve some flexibility but at least I would then know what I was aiming for.

The other thing that this process allowed is for development of the form of the project. When sewing a garment I know what the finished garment would look like – I’m working to a pattern often. With the development of a quilt this allows me to look at shape, proportion and form before cutting into precious fabric.

3. Value is important

One of the key things about colour theory for crafters is often value. This is especially true when talking about colourwork for crochet or knitting and for quilting. Simple way to do this is to take a photo with your phone of the possible choices of yarn or fabric and then turn it to black and white. Then you can see if you are getting the contrast (or not) that you want. The quilt below is a great example. The value of the lighter too fabrics is too similar for what I want to do but I am was a bit stuck. I'm stuck with the fabrics as my kid chose them and they are what I have. So instead I was playing around with proportion to try to get a better balance. It's not working.

Mocking up these quilt samples with colour chips has actually clearly showed me that they don't work which is mainly due to value. There is too much similarity between the two lighter colours. Now I need to renegotiate colour choices with my small person!

4. Colour theory is useful but don’t get stuck on it OR Trust your instincts

So when I initially went looking for an answer on what was the perfect (;)) colour to go with what I had and bigger than that – how to choose colours for a project that sing – I looked quite hard at colour theory. And I found it useful – complementary, harmonius, tone, value etc. Interesting even. You should investigate it and see what you get out of it. There are may useful things to learn.

But the answer to my particular colour problem doesn’t lie with colour theory. Because, as the lovely Penelope pointed out to me, when she found me amoungst the paint chips of the floor of our local hardware store

“There isn’t one answer Felicia. There are lots of answers!”

— Penelope Aitken, in Bunnings

And if I am doing all the other things – using a visual diary, developing my ideas on paper and considering value, thinking a little about colour theory, then really I just need to practice and trust my instincts on what looks right.

So there you have it. My findings on what has helped me - hopefully something in there that will help you in your colour journey. I would love to hear any other ideas you have .....I'm always on the hunt for new ideas!!

Felicia x

Note: We are currently working on the next round of classes for The Craft Sessions Sept 2014 and I am going to be asking each of my teachers – where appropriate – to give you their individual takes on colour theory. What they use and how they use it within their crafting practice. I can’t wait to hear what they have to say.

Learn to read your knitting - Part 2 - Decreases

Learn to read your knitting – Part 2 – Decreases

Thanks for all the love for Part 1 of our new series, Learn to Read Your Knitting. If you want to have a look at Part 1 you can find it here - The Secret to Becoming a Great Knitter.

Learning to read which kind of decrease you have made, and how many rows you have knitted since the last decrease, is one of the simplest and yet most helpful things you can learn.

Learning to read which kind of decrease you have made will come in handy when you have done something like heavily modified a sleeve, left it for a year and then are trying to figure out what you did OR when you see (as I once did) a gorgeous vintage pullover in a cabinet displayed on the wall and you are desperate to copy the gorgeous raglan shaping it had. 

And learning how to count the rows since your last decrease row gives you total freedom from writing down the number of rows that you have completed. Freedom!! And it means you can quickly power through knitting the body or sleeve or yoke without needing to refer (too often) to your pattern. 

Today we are going to look at the two most common decreases - a k2tog (knit two together) and a ssk (slip slip knit). K2tog is a right leaning decrease. The ssk is a left leaning decrease that is similar to the sl1k1psso in look - so what I write about the ssk will also apply to that decrease.

These decreases are commonly used for;

• sleeves when working from the top
• yoke decreases when working from the bottom e.g. in a raglan
• side seam decreases when working from the bottom.

1. What is a decrease stitch?

A decrease stitch is simply a single loop pulled through two (or three) stitches - decreasing the number of stitches from two (or three) to a single stitch. This is true regardless of whether it is a k2tog, ssk, sl1k1psso or even a sl1 k2tog psso. 

2. Reading the number of rows since the decrease row

The theory for reading the number of rows you have knitted since you did the decrease row, is exactly the same no matter what type of decrease you are doing – and it is easy to learn. The only thing that is a slight bit trickier, is reading the number of rows it in the round versus doing it flat. Both are so easy though, you will be reading your knitting in no time.

Again you can do this yourself. Just watch your decreases as you make them. Learn what they look like. Please remember to only use light/mid coloured yarn that isn’t too fluffy when you begin. Round yarns are easier too. AND we are still working only on stocking stitch. Again my apologies for my pictures which are still using a yarn with a slight twist. I am away and a bit stuck with what I have on hand.....

The decrease point can often be found as we can see two lines of Vs merging and/or if you run your fingers around the fabric (thumb on top and pointer underneath) then you can often also feel it. Along a sleeve, this decrease is often in the curled up edge if you are knitting flat. This finger trick will help - it doesn't work so well with a flat yarn - round yarns are easy.

To read the number of rows since the decrease we simply need to find the single loop that was pulled through the two loops and then we count up from there. That single loop is in the decrease row. 

Look for one stitch sitting on top of another and find the loop coming out of them. AND because we know that the structure of a knit stitch has a V at the bottom and a loop at the top, we can count upwards starting with the hole in the middle of the V. Poke your needle tip into each hole in the V - it helps!

The decrease stitch is the loop below the stitch on the left hand needle. You can see the two stitches that were decreased below this stitch. 

The decrease row is generally the first row in the decrease repeat section of the pattern. Normally a pattern will say something like;

“ROW 15: (RS) Decrease row......

ROW 16-22: Knit 7 rows in pattern.

Then repeat Rows 15-22 X times.”

So an 8 row repeat in this case.

So here is the key to counting - The number of rows we have knitted including the decrease row/round includes the stitch (the loop) that comes out of the two loops, then all the Vs in a direct line above it, as well as the stitch that is on the needle. 

Count the rows and see if you can figure it out. Answer at the end * - a bit like the crossword in the paper ;)

How I wish you were all in my lounge right now so I could show you rather than trying to type it out. I have made you some pictures and hopefully they help but if I have lost you then please ask questions in the comments. I'm going to try saying it a few different ways to bring you all along, so please feel free to skip ahead if you have got it.

So to really spell it out - our pattern tells us to do a decrease row and then to knit 7 rounds, then we are looking for 8 stitches total in a vertical line above the two stitches sitting on top of one another. The decrease stitch (which is the loop pulled through the two stitches) as well as the stitch on the needle are both included. We have the first loop (pulled through the two stitches), six more Vs above it and then a stitch on the needle which makes your 8. In an eight row repeat you are due a decrease round for the next row.

And another one - this time we are looking at the decrease below the first stitch on the left needle. This one is a k2tog and a little trickier to see. Look for two lines of stitching becoming one. One of the two stitches sits behind the other. Again the number or rows is at the end**

If we are knitting a flat piece of work, it is a little simpler to count the number of rows because we know if we are at the start of a right side (RS) row then we have knitted an even number of rows including the decrease row.

If we are knitting in the round we don’t have the advantage of being able to assume that we have completed an even number of rows BUT because we can count our Vs, then we simply carefully count up and include the stitches on the needle. Done.

The picture below is an example of what it would look like when you are up to a yoke decrease. When you are counting rows to decrease at the yoke then you often do the decrease round every second row.  If you have one loop coming out of the decrease stitch (which the stitch on the left needle below) then it is time for another decrease round.

If this was a yoke, and the decrease was every second round we would be up to a k2tog.

3. What kind of decrease is that?

OK. So the final thing we need to understand today is the difference between what a ssk (left leaning) and a k2tog (right leaning) look like. There are other variations you will do and you should learn them over time but these two are the most common. 

This is tricky to explain but pretty simple. The pictures should help I hope.

The key is this - whichever stitch goes onto the right needle first when doing the decrease dictates which way the stitch will lean and which decrease you have done. The stitch that is first on the right needle ends up in front of the second stitch on the needle. 

When you do a k2tog you put the right needle tip into the second stitch on the left needle before then putting it into the first stitch on the left needle.

Right needle into the second stitch on the left needle and then the first stitch on the left needle. This pulls the second stitch in front of the first.

The single loop is pulled through the two loops from back to front.

A little hard to see due to my yarn but look just below the stitch on the right hand needle. You can see that the second stitch is now sitting in front of the first.

This pulls the second stitch on the left needle on top of the first. The loop is then pulled from the back to the front through the first stitch on the left needle first and then through the second stitch on the left needle - giving you a right leaning decrease. The second stitch ends up on top. 

With a ssk you are changing the order of the stitches to ensure that the first stitch on the right needle is actually the first stitch on the left needle. This pulls the first stitch on top of the second stitch giving you a left leaning decrease. 

Slip one stitch from left needle to right.

Slip the second stitch from left to right needle.

This means that now the first stitch went on to the right needle first so it will end up on top. 

The single loop being pulled through the two stitches on the needle.

The first stitch is now sitting on top of the second stitch.

As always the best way to learn is to watch what you are knitting. Have a look at your decreases. Straight after you have done one. On the next row and the next. It will make sense in time - promise!

Questions?? Happy to answer anything - and also please let me know if there is something else you want me to tackle. 

Next up we do increases.....

Felicia x

UPDATE: Learn to Read Your Knitting - Part 3 - Increases is now up on the blog. 

Learn To Read Your Knitting - Part 1 - Stitch Structure - post was called The Secret to Becoming a Great Knitter. 

*Including the decrease row there are six rows. The decrease is a ssk.

**Including the decrease row there are eight rows. The decrease is a k2tog.

The secret to becoming a great knitter!

The thing is that I'm not kidding with my heading. There is a secret....and I have no idea why it is a secret. Nor do I have any idea why noone talks about it or writes about it. Drives me a little nuts. So this is the post my friends when all is revealed. This is the post I have been meaning to write since the blog began.

See if any of this describes you. You might be an OK knitter. You might be a good knitter. You have been knitting for a few years (1 or 3 or 10 or even 40). You might be able to increase and decrease and have the skills to do an icord or a cable or a X or a Y or a Z. You have some skills. Whatever it is that you can do, means that you make pretty things - that people compliment you on. You like knitting. You may LOVE knitting! 

BUT one of these things other things is also true. While you are knitting you lack a bit of confidence. You worry about dropping stitches or misreading instructions. You worry about loosing count. You worry that you will lose your place. You worry that when you make a mistake you won't understand it well enough to fix it. You are scared to rip the knitting off the needles, so you tink back row after row, just to fix a one stitch mistake. You think that when you lose your place there is no way of figuring out where you are at, so you just need to fake it and maybe measure it with a tape measure, and guess a bit. You really want to try that lace pattern but don't have the headspace for all the counting at the moment. I could go on but I think you get it.

You have some fear. You have some tension in your body, and possibly in your heart as you knit. And you definitely have some worry. Knitting doesn't feel glorious and free and meditative all the time. It often feels a bit stressful and causes angst.

The thing is - you should never have to count your rows or your stitches* - except to do the odd stitch count to make sure you are on track. You should never knit with fear in your heart. You should be able to knit something in pattern without having to worry about finishing at a particular point so you don't get lost. You should be able to put something down for a year and pick it up and figure out where you are up to by looking at the knitting - not the pattern!! 

So let's get to the secret because this answer will truly set you free - free from all the grief and angst and pain.....

A favourite knit - Immie Tee by Carrie from Madder Made.

You need to .............

Learn to read your knitting!

This post is the start of a little mini series called - Learn To Read Your Knitting - where I tell you all I have learned over the last 10 or so years about the structure of knitting and why you should care.

So what does that even mean in reality?? And why is learning to read your knitting such a big deal?

Learning to read your knitting means that you will understand the structure of the piece you are working on. And structure is the key to becoming great at knitting - taking your knitting to the next level so to speak. You will be able to see if you have made a mistake and you will be able to see where the mistake was. And what it was. You will be able to fix things. You will rarely need to count in your head (except for the odd stitch count here and there), or tick off the number of increases you have done on the pattern. You will be able to alter your garments because you understand the structure of what you are making. You will be able to recover a garment that got left in your bag, slipped off the needles and then was chewed on by a toddler/dog.

Knitting will just be about joy **! You will be free!

Now this will take some time - it has taken me a few years! It will take some thought. And it will take some practice. I'm going to try to help - but really you can do this yourself. You really can. It is something you learn bit by bit. You will learn through your mistakes. You will learn through practice.

You can do this from wherever you are in your knitting career - complete beginner or capable knitter. You should only attempt to do it when you are knitting with light- or mid-coloured not-super-fluffy yarn, and this is a no-alcohol, no-exhaustion type situation. It calls for a clear head! 

Today's post will be obvious to some of you, but I know there are others of you who still see it as a bit of a mystery. Hopefully this helps. Don't expect that it will all make sense after reading through this once. Just start taking notice and it will make sense in time. 

Also when you are starting to read your knitting ignore garter stitch. I know it is a recommended stitch for beginners, and you can still knit it, but don't attempt to understand it till you have got the basics. (In my opinion a much better starting project for beginners is a 3 x 3 or 4 x 4 rib cowl or hat or scarf because you can see whether you need to do a purl or a knit stitch next and start understanding structure from day 1.)

The beautiful Clara - an all time favourite.

I am going to start writing about it using a yarn I had to hand - not perfect because it does have a little twist in it - and if I had time I would redo the photos and use a different colour for the yarn for the row just knitted....next post I promise - the photos will be better!  We are starting with stocking stitch - the most basic knit fabric.

Our sample is knitted at a loose gauge on needles that are too big so we can really see the structure!

Read Your Knitting - Part 1

1. The basic structure of knitted fabric.

The first thing you need to learn is the simplest and most important lesson. Everything hangs on this - the structure of knitting is really just a loop (from the current row) pulled through a loop (of the row below) pulled through a loop (of the row below that) pulled through a loop (of the row below that!). The way in which the loop is pulled through the loop means that you get either a knit or a purl stitch. If you pull the loop from the back through to the front you get a knit stitch. If you pull the exact same loop from the front to the back you will get a purl stitch.

A loop pulled through a loop pulled through a loop. The loop shown is a knit stitch BECAUSE it was pulled from the back through to the front - see how it pokes forward/up.

2. How the stitch sits on the needle.

Start by noticing that when you have stitches on the left needle, that the right-hand side of the stitch is on the front of the needle. This is super important to get. To really get this, have a look at the next stitch on the left needle. The right-hand side of the stitch will be on the front of the needle. If you now grab the right needle tip and poke it into the front of the stitch on the left needle (as if to knit) but then stretch the two needle tips a few mm apart, you can see that there is no twist in the stitch. 

The right hand side of the stitch is on the front of the needle.

The right-hand side of the stitch travels down into the right-hand side of the hole of the stitch in the row below. The left-hand side of the stitch which is was on the back of the needle, travels into the left hand side of hole of the stitch below.

Learning this means that you can put stitches back on the needle without twisting any. Right hand side on the front of the needle - simple.

3. The knit stitch

Look at the structure of the knit stitch. Use stocking stitch!! (not garter or you will confuse the beegeezus out of yourself). It simply is a loop of yarn pulled up through a loop of yarn pulled up through a loop of yarn. This is the basic reason why the fabric created by knitting is so awesome. It allows you to ladder a stitch back to where a mistake was way down below and fix it. It also allows a whole heap of other stuff that I won't confuse you with just yet. 

You can see the V by looking at the row just below the stitches that are on the needle. 

So just look at what it is. Really look! Have a look at how each stitch creates a V at the bottom and then has a loop at the top that travels behind the stitch directly above it in the next row - kind of hooking it in place. 

Notice that the back of the knit stitch (so on the wrong-side (WS) of your work) is the top of the loop - and that loop is kind of hooked around the stitch that is pulled through it to make the row above.

4. The purl stitch

Next look at what a purl stitch is doing! The reason you do a purl stitch in stocking stitch is so that all of your stitches face the right side of the fabric which gives you the nice flat fabric. So you need to change from a knit to a purl stitch on the WS of your fabric. This means you are pulling the loop from the WS through to the right-side (RS) or in other words from the front-facing-you to the back-which-is-the-right-side.

Confused yet? Reread it and better yet try it on some light coloured knitting you have lying around.

The loops seen from the purl side. You can also see how the stitch below holds the new loop in place.

5. Take notice

The last point for this week is just to take notice when you do something. Of what any stitch looks like - just before you knit it, straight afterwards, on the next row and the one after that. When you decrease, look at how the stitch looks from the front on the row that you are knitting. Have a look at the same stitch after you have done the next row. If you need to then you can grab a safety pin and thread it around the stitch you made. This will make it easier to see what it looks like on the next row. This will take time but really learn what it looks like.

Practice this and all the good stuff will come. Over time it will make sense. Maybe not on day 1 or 2 or 10 but it will come.

As always I'd love to hear your thoughts - good, bad, whatever. Tell me if my pictures aren't clear. I have no idea how to write on an image so as soon as I figure this out it will be a little easier. Are you up for more posts like this?  

Felicia x

UPDATE: I'll keep linking here as I create more.

Learn to Read Your Knitting - Part 2 - Decreases is up! 

Learn to Read Your Knitting - Part 3 - Increases is up!

*there are rare occasions but they should be rare!

**obviously this is a small exaggeration because of the pain inherent in any creative pursuit ;)