Knitting Basics

1
Knitting Basics

• WT 226
• January 2004

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Structure of Knitting
Vogue Knitting p. 22
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Stitches and Techniques

• Cast on
• Long tail cast on or double cast on
• Others
• single,
• knitting on,
• cable, tubular,
• invisible,
• open,
• picot,
• Guernsey,
• chain,

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Stitches Techniques (cont)

• Knit stitch
• Insert the RIGHT needle from front to back into
  the first stitch on the LEFT needle, keeping the
  RIGHT needle under the LEFT needle and the
  working yarn toward the BACK of the work
• Wrap the yarn around the RIGHT needle starting in
  the back on the right, coming around to front on
  the left and then across the front of the needle
  to the right side
• Slip your RIGHT needle back out the way it came
  making sure to catch the yarn wrap
• Slide the stitch just used off the LEFT needle

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Stitches and Techniques (cont)

• Purl stitch
• Insert the RIGHT needle from back to front into
  the first on the LEFT needle, keeping the RIGHT
  needle on top of the LEFT needle and the working
  yarn toward the FRONT of the work
• Wrap the yarn around the RIGHT needle starting in
  the FRONT on the right, going behind the needle,
  coming around to front on the left and then
  across the front of the needle to the right side
• Slip your RIGHT needle back out the way it came
  making sure to catch the yarn wrap
• Slide the stitch just used off the LEFT needle

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Stiches Techniques (cont)

• Bind off
• Basic
• Knit two stitches
• Insert the left needle into the far right stitch
  on the right needle, pull the stitch over the
  other stitch on the right need and drop it off
  the right needle
• Others (suspended, decrease, one-over-two, single
  crochet, ...)

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Stitches Techniques (cont)

• Garter stitch
• knitting every row or purling every row
• Stockinette stitch
• knit a row, purl a row OR purl a row, knit a row
• Ribbing
• even rhythm of alternating knit and purl on each
  row

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Gauge

• 4 1/2 stitches/inch and 5 rows/inch
• Both yarn and needle size affects gauge
• Partial stitches important!!!!
• Ideally measure over 4 inches
• Easier to adjust of rows than of stitches

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Yarn Bands
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Tools for Knitting

• Those you need
• Those you can live without
• Sharing

Vogue Knitting pp. 18-19
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Last Years Projects

• http//www.depauw.edu/acad/chemistry/bgourley/

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Last Years Participants
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More Great Knitters
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Even More Knitters
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History of Knitting

• Dated to 1200 to 1500 A.D.
• Early knitting mostly socks caps
• Renaisance established guilds (e.g. 17th century)

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Guild Knitter

• 3 years apprentice
• 3 years as an journeyman
• Produce felted cap, pair of stockings (or gloves)
  w/embroidered decoration, a shirt (or waistcoat),
  and a knitted carpet 6 feet x 5 feet in 13 weeks
• Now called a master knitter

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Types of Knitting

• Fair Isle
• Aran
• Shetland lace
• Scandinavian
• Lativian
• Intarsia
• .