If you are thinking about starting to knit or crochet, you may like to take a look at my Beginners' Tips post and the other useful ideas which readers left in the comments below the post.
Since starting to knit 2 years ago, I've relied heavily on various online resources. I've listed a few of my favourites here along with links to some of my previous posts which you may find helpful:
- Knitting Help Video Tutorials (and the App, reviewed here) have been invaluable in deciphering patterns.
- Read about the benefits of Continental Knitting and how it made a huge difference to my productivity.
- A Knitty photo tutorial for Judy's Magic Cast-on . Ideal for socks, mitts and hexipuffs. You can also read how to make more than one hexipuff at a time here.
- When things go wrong - my guide to picking up dropped stitches or dropping them to fix a mistake.
- This post shows how you can effectively "bodge" a mistake in Moss Stitch to make it look perfect.
- If you need to remove some rows but are worried about losing stitches, read my post on lifelines and how to use them when "frogging".
- This was something that troubled me - if you're pernickety too you may like to read my notes on getting equal sized Yarn Overs between knit and purl stitches.
- My favourite YouTube video for Jeny's Surprisingly Strechy Bind-off. Use it on socks, hats, gloves, and anything else you would like to have a stretchy edge. I also like this Sewn Bind-Off technique as an alternative.
- This Short Rows class from Carol Feller on Craftsy is free and very good, detailing four different types of short row.
- Running out of yarn and you don't want a visible knot or join in your work? Take a look at this YouTube video which demonstrates a method known as a Russian Join.
- The free class from Craftsy is perfect to learn the Ins and Outs of Grafting.
- A wonderful lesson in weaving-in ends from The Purl Bee.
- My first attempt at darning a sock, and my lessons learned.
- When you get to the end of a pattern it'll probably recommend 'Blocking'. Here's how I do it.
I don't crochet as much as I knit, so there are not so many links to share with you, but here are some of my favourite and most used resources from around the web.
You may also like to visit my Crochet board on Pinterest which has hundreds of inspiring pictures and links.
- Step-by-step USA Stitch guide - Crochet with Raymond
- How to read a Crochet Pattern from Slugs on the Refrigerator
- This is a detailed series of crochet "classes" - Crochet School with Craftyminx
By far the most useful thing for me, was a conversion for the UK/American terminology which had me completely flummoxed when I was first learning. Please feel free to save this image, to print it for your project bag, or however else you might like to use it.
