With literally thousands and thousands of free knitting patterns showcased on almost every internet knitting site, finding a knitting pattern was never easier. But understanding a knitting pattern is not so easy, in fact it can be down right complicated and confusing. Getting a grip on the terminology and stitches required in a knitting pattern takes patience and perseverance and practice. The following information will help you understand and comprehend the art of knitting.

Knitting patterns generally consist of these basic components:

1) Finished Measurements – usually listed at the beginning of most knitting patterns detailing the final size of the garment if you use the recommended yarn and needle sizes.

2) Required Materials – basically a list of the various items you need to complete the project including recommended yarn color and fiber, yarn weight and needle sizes. It is crucial to use these recommendations if you want the garment to be the size of the finished measurements.

3) Gauge Information – the final and extremely critical description piece detailing how many stitches are in an inch of the knitted fabric for this particular garment pattern.

Once you have decided upon your knitting pattern, assembled all your materials and double checked the gauge information, now begins the actual knitting by reading and following the pattern. Knitting patterns come in two forms – written and charts. Written patterns are knitting patterns that are written out. Charts are a combination of writing and little pictures detailing specific stitches. Most knitting patterns are written out with charts only being used on the more complicated designs. Here are a few more tips to help you through the maze of numbers and abbreviations:

1) Reading sizes – most knitting patterns list a small, medium and large version of the garment. Typically, the smallest size is listed first with the medium and large sizes being bracketed by parenthesis ().

2) Cast-on – this is the first step in starting the knitting and is written like this: CO 26 (32, 40) which means you will cast on 26 stitches for a small garment, 32 stitches for a medium and 40 stitches for a large garment.

3) Abbreviations – Beg = beginning; BO = bind off; CC = contrasting color; CO = cast-on; Cont = continue; Dec = decrease; Dpn = double-pointed needles; Inc = increase; K = knit; K1b = knit one through back loop; LH = left hand; M1 = make 1 stitch; MC = main color; P = purl; Patt = pattern; Pu = pick up; P1 = purl one through back loop; Rem = remaining; Rep = repeat; Skp = slip 1 stitch, knit 1 stitch, pass the slipped stitch over the knit stitch; St = stitch; Tbl = through back loop; Tog = together; Yo = yarn over; WS = wrong side.

Now all you need to do is begin – follow the knitting pattern and practice. Don’t get discouraged if you make a mistake, drop a stitch or count the number of stitches wrong. What matters is you will be learning how to make a beautiful work of art for yourself or someone very special.

About the author:

Zoya Woolwitch is a professional knitter and knitwear designer, and the author of “150 Haute Couture Knitting Ideas” eBook. If you are an advanced knitter, you too can discover the most incredible collection of mind blowing inspirational ideas at http://www.hautecoutureknitting.com/

by A Graf


When searching for patterns online it's best to start with your favorite search engine and type in what you are looking for. Unfortunately most of the time you end up with alot of links to web sites that are trying to sell you something.

Some of the best places I have found for great craft projects such as crochet, scrapbooking, knitting, and more are found on the following web sites:

http://www.joann.com/catalog.jhtml?CATI ... PID=971684

http://www.michaels.com/art/online/home

http://freepatterns.com - You will have to register

http://www.lionbrand.com/

http://www.coatsandclark.com/fun_and_free/index.htm

There are severall other web sites with free patterns but these are just some of my favorites that offer a variety of crafts from crochet, knitting, cross stitch, kids crafts and more.

To learn more about crafting projects please check us out on the web at http://www.craftdrawer.com

About the Author

http://www.craftdrawer.com

by Maddy Cranley

Knitting in its simplest form is often described as the looping of a string around two sticks. When faced with multi-color patterning, intricate stitches or complex graphs, this seemingly easy craft becomes a more complex activity that can benefit from an innovative tool or two. Right from the start when the ideas for a new knitting project abound, there are aids to guide you in choices of yarn and color. Color wheels and color selectors, using proven principles of color theory, can steer you through establishing a pleasing color combination of two or many colors. Even though you may pick the perfect geranium pink to match that perfect leaf green, you still must find commercially available yarns of compatible weights in those very colors. Many yarn retailers offer, at a reasonable cost, sample cards of available yarns in their full color range. Much like selecting paint chips at the hardware store, you are able to see at a glance what colors are available in a particular yarn and how they interact with other colors of that yarn type. These swample cards also allow you to judge the compatibility to the ideal colors worked out in a theoretical selection process.

The screwdrivers and wrenches of knitting, the needles, though basic in shape, appear in a variety of materials. Wood and plastic offer comfort to tired hands, metal promises speed. A luxury class of needles fashioned from ebony or rosewood are advertised as hewn from the remains of prized woods used in the manufacture of musical instruments. These needles should make your stitches sing. There is also the “heritage“ needle collection of which mine is labelled due to many being borrowed from my mother’s knitting basket and never returned. A “classic” collection will likely contain a hodgepodge of needles gathered over the years as in mine, which range from a chipped orange metal No. 4's to green plastic No. 8's. It’s an odd grouping of materials and colors but favorites are easily recognizable when a certain knitting job comes to mind.

Now any good craft project whether made from wood or wool is only worth its weight when measurements are accurate and consistent. To knitters, the correct gauge must be achieved or every measurement throughout the project will become skewed. With numerous devices available to help accurately measure those all-important numbers of stitches and rows, there is absolutely no excuse for having the wrong gauge. A square gauge frame will force you to line up your knitting with the stitches at right angles to the rows, leaving you to count the numbers between the borders of the frame. Transparent stitch templates will tell you nothing but the truth as you try to match the drawing of the desired stitch gauge to the stitches of your knitted sample. A good tape measure, plastic or cloth, retractable or not, is essential to measure those lengths and widths once you start knitting.

To see those stitches clearly, use a magnifier lamp clamped to your favorite chair or stood behind the sofa. Try a pair of magnifying flip-up lenses to increase your staying power when working with intricate stitches and dark colors. Don’t forget to prop up that book or pattern on a bookstand to keep your charts and graphs front and center. A line magnifier placed over the chart on a magnetic board will eliminate a lot of twisting and turning in your seat as you lean to squint at those lines. Once you have found your place there are gadgets to keep it. Stitch markers and row counters mark the spot and giant safety pins put stitches on hold.

A collection of tools needs a toolbox. Needles should be organized in needle cases, one for the straights and another for circulars, small boxes or bags for the bits and pieces such as stitch markers and measuring devices, and a great big bag or basket to keep it all handy and neat. Last thing, finding the time to knit!

About the Author

Maddy Cranley is a professional knitwear designer, who has created exclusive designs for knitting and craft magazines, authored and published three books on the subject of creating felt garments and projects from handknitting, and produces an ever-growing line of maddy laine handknitting patterns. For additional information, see http://www.maddycraft.com
© 2003
mcranley@maddycraft.com

by Cynthia Rymer

The Genesis of a Yarn and Fabric Junkie When my husband was a young child, his mother would give him some pencils and a huge sheet of butcher paper and then send him outside to draw. As he grew older, he became curious about how other people made pictures and eventually read every art book in his local library. He particularly devoured the how-to books and became a very sophisticated artist by the time he was a teenager. But, thanks to those early years of drawing on his own, he never lost his own style, especially his distinctive line. And even now, when he works with computer software, his distinctive sense of design still comes through. Now think about how you learned to work with yarn. Were you given some yarn and a crochet hook and told to go make something? Of course not! You were probably taught how to knit first, which is far more difficult technically, and encouraged (I'm being kind here) to make nice, even stitches. Chances are that you didn't even get to choose the yarn. Right? And from there you moved on to patterns, since they're everywhere. In women's magazines, in specialty mags, and everywhere yarn is sold. Right? You weren't encouraged--you possibly weren't even allowed--to make something on your own, because you were supposed to make something pretty and useful, and you couldn't possible do that by yourself. Right? I'm not going to talk about the sexism inherent in all this, or the way women have been pushed, for centuries, into learning superb fiber techniques so they could fabricate someone else's designs. Yes, women have increasingly become the designers, but they're just feeding a system that puts other women into creative straitjackets. Right? Then there are the glossy craft mags, mainly for knitting and weaving, that showcase very lovely and often extremely sophisticated pieces that their readers can only copy. And, of course, instructions and patterns are included to make your copying easier, and the more you copy, the better you get at it. Right? And the better you get at copying, the less confidence you have in your ability to make something on your own. Right? And if you do dare to make something original, you better make sure the technique is perfect, because that's the first thing people are going to talk about. Right? And if your shoulders ache and your wrists hurt and your fingers are starting to get numb, don't worry--that's what happens to everybody as the arms of their straitjackets get pulled tighter and tighter.

About the Author

Cindy is a teacher, artist, writer and a yarn and fabric lover. Her web site is http://yarn-and-fabric.mustsee.info

by Mayoor Patel


Knitting a wool blanket is a huge commitment if a person has never knitted anything in their entire life. Knitting is the delicate balance of holding needles and continuously feeding yarn until a pattern emerges. People who knit are skilled at juggling both these tasks and also switching yarn in order to add color to their blankets. If a person has never knitted before, they should start out with something smaller like a hat or a towel. Once a person has mastered the art of knitting, then they should plan on making a wool blanket.

Learning how to knit from another person will make knitting much easier. Learning how to hold the needles is the first step. The second step is adding yarn. A simple stitch is completed by creating a beginner knit block. This will be the foundation for the knit row. People who are new to knitting should practice this move over and over again until they can successfully complete it and are ready for the next type of stitch. There are a few types of stitches that can be used to make dramatic patterns on blankets, but these should only be attempted by those who have learned the basics.

After practicing, one should be able to follow a simple stitching pattern and begin to create a wool blanket. This many take a few weeks depending on how large the blanket is supposed to be. By using simple stitches, a person will be able to create a blanket. While some of the stitches will be clumsy and may unravel, completing a blanket will create a sense of pride. When a person is ready, they will be able to learn more complex stitches.

Knitting a wool blanket will probably take a person many tries, but in the end if they can stick to practicing, they will become a good knitter. Knitting clubs have sprung up in recent years which may be worth investigating if there is no one else who can teach the art of knitting. These clubs usually meet once or twice a month and its members can offer advice and tricks on how to knit. There are many other items that one can knit before they devote their time to knitting a wool blanket. Getting ideas from others is also a good way to improve skill and also learn how to knit other items that will be useful around the house.

About the Author

For vital information on all things concerned with wool, fabrics, tips and techniques and visit Wool
http://www.wool.wares-are.us/Articles/T ... ol_Rug.php

by Alice Seidel

Copyright 2006 Alice Seidel

Quess what? It's almost October. Witches and goblins aside, you just know what's coming. And fast!

Christmas! Hanukkah! Holidays, the New Year! Festivities, parties, shopping, wrapping, baking, decorating, lots and LOTS to do!

Of course there are always gift cards, but, somehow they never seem to be too much like gifts. And, if we decide to buy, we're always left wondering if we found the right gift, the correct size, color, variation, designer label, price, -- you name it; just trying to satisfy everyone's gift needs can get pretty frustrating.

Well-l-l, if you know how to knit, your problems are over! Your gift problems, anyway.

So, I have written this article to give you *5* easy-as- pie knitting gift ideas. The only problem I can see is that time is running short!

But, if you have evenings or weekends or any free time at all, these nifty knitties can be whipped up in a hurry! Don't forget to take them along when you travel by car or train.

I will list my easy-as-pie knitting gifts starting with "Gift Idea #1" in this article and for my next four articles. So keep a look out!

Gift Idea #1: Scarf. Now, I know, I know -- how boring is that! Yet with all the snazzy new knitting yarn, boring is out the window! And your friends and family will be amazed! You could try any color "fun fur" or mohair for something extra soft! Try combining yarns; say, a ribbon yarn with a boucle or multicolored sport yarn. The effects are always spectacular!

Knitting a scarf is one of the easiest things to do! Just make sure you never knit a scarf in the stockinette stitch; that particular stitch tends to curl up too much the longer you knit it. And, who wants to have a scarf that looks like an inner tube around your neck!

Try one of the Fun Fur brands. Any color looks terrific, and it's even fun to knit half in one color and half in another. Or alternate colors every 10 rows or so; I like gold and purple; red and green; or maybe three colors, it's totally up to you!

Knit every row, so it couldn't be easier, but your scarf will never look like anyone else's!

Another scarf variation is to combine yarns. This gives your knitting a truly unique look!

For example, combine faux fur yarn with an eyelash yarn. Or, how about a sparkle yarn with a party yarn! The results are surprising! The wide range of colors and color combinations are always going to give you one-of-a-kind knitted creations!

You can always keep it simple with a classic wool yarn or a nice tweed, for the special fellows in your life.

For true Christmas or other holiday looks, try seasonal yarns, such as Glitterspun or Stylecraft Twilight DK yarn.

For an elegant, evening look, try a drop-stitch pattern. Cast on 12, or 18 stitches. For Row 1 -- knit 1, *yo, k1, repeat from the asterisk. Row 2 -- purl each stitch and just drop off the yo stitch. Repeat these two rows until you have 35" or so. Add fringe if you wish.

You now have some super scarf ideas! So, until next week, get knitting! There's plenty more to come!

About the Author

Keep YOUR knitting on the "Cutting Edge" with FREE patterns. The place where smart knitters gather resources and share stories. FREE Details => http://www.theknitstitch.com

by Maddy Cranley

The weather these past few months, at least for the northeast section of the continent, has been termed as a very cool spring. The key word here is cool, as these temperatures are always relative. A temperature of sixty degrees in July may seem on the cool side but if this were January, it would feel downright tropical. Talk among the neighbors and fellow gardeners seems to conclude that shrubs and trees are enjoying a bonanza season, sprouting in leaps and bounds. On the other hand, flowers, particularly some kinds of perennials, didn't survive the winter at all and delayed bloom times seem to be a common complaint. It seems that we never want to give in to the idea that we are dealing with something over which we have no control. The weather has played out its cycles for centuries but we still insist on noticing the changes as something threatening or of good fortune.

We may even find that our knitting is weather related, tied to the ups and downs of the thermometer. Knitting, at first thought, does conjure up an image of a sweater, usually a warm one and likely knit of wool or other cozy fiber, to be worn while taking brisk walks in autumn breezes and sliding temperatures. Though, there is really no need to abandon the needles because the weather turns warmer. With a few tweaks and adjustments to knitting comfort, we can knit throughout the summer months. Even if the needles do turn to the warm and fuzzy yarns, it increases the chance that the sweater wardrobe will be complete for that October walk in the woods.

With the ever present distractions of summer living such as taking a quick swim or brushing away that pesky mosquito, it is important to choose to knit something that is easy to pick up and put down. For sticky hands, more frequent hand washing, a dusting of talcum powder or a handy supply of individually-packaged wet napkins may help. A cotton pillowcase placed on the lap can add comfort if working with a warmer yarn or one that will be in close proximity to recently suntan-oiled limbs. Metal needles seem to perform better than plastic and quick wipes with a glass cleaner can keep needles in top knitting form.

As for yarns, cool natural fibers float to the top of the list for comfort. Cottons and linens are certainly much more comfortable to handle. Choosing colors from a cool palette such as a mint green, icy blue or sherbet pink can convey a cooling illusion while gazing at those finished stitches. Add to the lightweight yarn and low temperature colors some lacy, openwork or dropped stitch patterns and this additional airiness will afford the added benefit of the project knitting up quickly, particularly if the pattern chosen is short in length and sleeve. An easy knit may also guarantee that the sweater will be worn this season. If you dare to knit in the sun, don’t forget your hat, sunscreen and a good pair of sunglasses to aid in peering at those stitches.

Air conditioning, of course can eliminate most of the above-stated problems except for dropped stitches and the need for more knitting time. Offices and homes are likely to have some kind of cooling mechanism in place for the hot weather but why lose the opportunity of a change of scene. Winter knitting done indoors often in front of the television begins to feel confining by the end of the long winter months. Lakeside knitting, knitting on a park bench or perched on a porch can afford such a great change of view. Last but not least, pour a glass of lemonade and toast the summer with all the wonder it brings.

About the Author

Maddy Cranley is a professional knitwear designer, who has created exclusive designs for knitting and craft magazines, authored and published three books on the subject of creating felt garments and projects from handknitting, and produces an ever-growing line of maddy laine handknitting patterns. For additional information, see http://www.maddycraft.com
© 2003
mcranley@maddycraft.com