By Jo Black

1. Fluffy yarn has a habit of getting flattened during storage and can be a bit of a nightmare to work with because of it have a tendency to shed their fibers. Putting the yarn in plastic bag and then into the freezer for a few hours before working with it will help it to keep in fibers and stop them from getting up your nose!
2. When buying yarn always make sure you choose balls of yarn with the same dye lot or dye batch number. Yarn companies dye yarn in large batches and there can be slight variations in color between the batches. You can tell what batch the yarn comes from by looking at the batch number on the ball band. So if you don’t want to end up with your sleeves a different shade to your body, make sure all of the batch numbers on the balls you buy are the same. I always buy an extra ball than is recommended in the pattern just in case you need a bit extra (most good yarn stores will accept them back if you’ve bought too many. Believe me, it’s better to be safe than sorry as there is nothing worse than running out of yarn and finding that the yarn store has run out of your batch.
3. If you are using a different yarn to the one suggested in the pattern, be careful to make sure that it knits to the correct tension. It’s always best to choose a yarn of the same weight – worsted, fingering, chunky etc. Even so, you may still need to play around with the tension – adding or reducing the number of stitches until the tension square matches that in the pattern. This way you know it’s going to knit to the same size – and you won’t end up with a sweater that looks like it was made for an orange-utang!
4. Again, when using a substitute yarn make sure the length is the same as the one suggested in the pattern. I’ve fallen foul of this before when trying to save myself some money – buying a cheaper yarn can sometimes mean you end up buying more balls because they aren’t as long as the pattern suggested yarn.

That being said, don’t be afraid to substitute yarn. It can be a great way to unleash your creativity and produce something completely unique. Also try changing buttons, edgings and trimmings – your inner fashion diva will love you for it.

For more knitting articles, tips and advice, visit http://www.blissedoutknitting.com/index.htm. Jo Black has a passion for knitting and craft and believes that everyone can find their bliss through knitting. She’s a working Mum living in England with her son, partner and a rather large stash of knitting yarn!

Article Source: Jo Black
Knitting and Crochet – Tips for Getting The Best Out Of Your Yarn

By Jane Wright

Knit One Purl Two happens to be one of the most well known knitting terms, well known by non-knitters and knitters alike. Repeating it out loud confers some of the meditative experience of knitting. For those of us who knit, there is almost nothing more relaxing than watching a row of neat, organized stitches line up on your knitting needles.

The knitting craze is cyclical. It was very popular in the 1950s and again in the early 2000s. It has slowed somewhat, but its enduring nature is a testament to both the relaxation it bestows on the practitioner, and the joy of craftsmanship. Many people consider it akin to meditation. After all, the first most basic meditation you learn is breath counting; in breath, one, out breath, two. In knitting you are often counting your stitches and focusing on nothing more than the stitches being created and the count itself. Basic meditation.

Of course, the challenge of a complicated pattern, or a technique previously untried requires a bit more focus and can result in “tinking” (also known as un-knitting) or even some serious “frogging” (ripping out more than a few stitches, so called because “rip-it, rip-it” is reminiscent of the frog’s “ribbit”). But it is all part of the process, and most knitters, no matter how goal-oriented in their daily lives, face this part of the knitting experience with cool composure and aplomb. After all, it is the experience of knitting that we are seeking, more so than the finished-object.

Knitting teaches you to let go of your aspirations of perfection. There is some merit to leaving the error in place. We’ve all heard of Arab rug-makers who believe that only God can create something which is flawless, therefore they deliberately weave a mistake (or multiple mistakes) into their works of art in order not to offend God. It can be a humbling experience to the perfectionist. But mistakes can also be a good thing. My very first sweater was knit incorrectly. I knit everything through the back loop, the result a twisted stitch which worked wonderfully with the yarn I was using. I didn’t know I had done something “wrong” at the time, but got many compliments on the distinctive nature of that sweater. Your mistake makes your project uniquely yours. It differentiates your work from anyone else’s that might be knit from the same pattern.

There is also the cooperative aspect to knitting. There are many websites devoted to teaching / sharing knitting techniques on the internet. Knitting circles abound. The local yarn store will often provide assistance if you are having trouble with your pattern, regardless of whether you purchased your knitting supplies from them or a competitor. The knitting community, as a whole, is a warm, nurturing place.

The fact that knitting is such an easily portable activity also allows for us to mitigate stressful situations. Personally, I like to knit when I am a passenger in the car. Since I’m not the best passenger, this has the added merit of helping to preserve my marriage. If my husband and I are headed out for more than just a quick local errand I’ve got to have my knitting bag, or we’ll both be unhappy. And if I’ve lost my focus and commented on something going on outside the car, my husband will often ask me why I’m not knitting. I have to admit, though, most of my frogging is a result of knitting while “passengering” — my attention being diverted away from my knitting to some potential traffic mishap.

Things get better when you just breathe in and out; knit one, purl two.

Jane Wright authors knitting articles, when she can be convinced to put down her needles.

Article Source: Jane Wright / Knitting Zen