What a wealth of answers, thank you, Rox! I have a suggested variant to try when making an SSK - this is not a version that causes a twisted stitch but it does incorporate a "yank" component. It is from Nathan Taylor (Sockmatician) which he calls the "easing method". He has a video on it on TH-cam. The gist is that he drops off the first of the 2 stitches worked together from the left hand needle but gives the second stitch a tug to take the slack out of the first stitch, allowing it to lie flat the way a k2tog lies flat. It has corrected the zig-zag look I would get in my SSKs when they are worked sequentially as in shaping the toe of a top-down sock. Just thought I would mention this since it has been my solution for a couple of years, having tried all the other methods. Maybe someone else will also find it tidy.
I knit a sideways T-Shirt in a DK cotton yarn (following a pattern) once, that cleverly hid all the yarn joins inside a folded hem. That did mean you could only join a new ball at the beginning/end of the round, so maybe a few meters of yarn were wasted, but the joins were absolutely invisible. (For the joins itself I did a braided join.) So my suggestion for slippery yarns, especially at loose gauges (where duplicate stitch is visible), would be to think about whether there's a way to construct it that hides a few stitches of the fabric on the inside of the work when it's finished. Another possibility is to seperate the yarn into its seperate plies (or into several strands) and weave those in seperately. If you weave them in in seperate directions it cuts down on the yarn end working itself loose AND it spreads out the matrial to avoid extra thickness, especially for thicker yarns or loose gauges. On another note, I'm enjoying this video! But I also wouldn't have minded if you took this week off for the holidays! For alternating skeins, you could also do an irregular number of rows for each skein to use them up at seperate rates. For example do two rows of the first skein all the time, or just some of the time. For a pretty obvious colour difference you could also knit a fade, but that (as you obviously know) involves more planning across the body and sleeves. Your idea of seperating one skein into halves is likely the easiest option! It is very possible in flat knitting to do one row colour stripes! You need to use a circular needle (or double point) and just slide the work back across the needle! I've used this in a shawl where I did one row of a different colour between garter stripes (in that case you do need to purl every second garter stripe...).
You have made an incredible difference in my knitting since I began watching Technique Tuesday back in the late 2010s. I found this channel because I always wanted to know "why" and "when" and others at the time didn't satisfy my left-brained tendencies. Your experience and knowledge is so vast that I learn and re-learn so much from you. Thank you for sharing your knowledge with all of us, and for all of your years of dedication to running this channel.
Love all your tidbits and advice. I've found with tonal yarns like Malibrigo to ball the skein in thirds. Through all your balls in a bag and then choose 2 to start. Alternate like you suggested either every other row or round. It works well and I haven't had an issue with crazy pooling.
I had a revelation when you were talking about superwash wool. I keep hearing that superwash grows, but I never really experienced it that way, and my FOs from superwash are exactly as big as they're supposed to be. And then it hit me: people just don't wash their swatches, if they even swatch at all! Or they just rawdog it, and measure while the project is being made! And then are surprised bc the thing grew when blocking, and then complain about it on the internet. Meanwhile, washing the swatch and using washed swatch to measure the thing means i don't experience my projects growing when blocking.
:) My youngest of two daughters has also been visiting , she is not a knitter though, but working remotely allows her to visit more often than my eldest. Great questions everyone , and answers !!
Thank you for your videos. They are so informative. You are one of my favorite knitting instructors. In the future, I would love to see after-the-fact methods to correct a neckline. I have a top-down raglan with the ribbing added afterward, but I dislike shape of the neckline even though I used short rows in the back. Is there a way to adjust the scoop of the neckline and re-knit the ribbing? I'm sure others have made entire sweaters and then were unhappy with the results of the neckline. I love your sweater.
The default assumption is that it is worsted spun. To confirm/learn whether the yarn might be woolen spun, you can check the yarn label (least likely place to indicate that), the Ravelry yarn page (good possibility it will be there), the yarn company's website (reasonable possibility), or check yarnsub.com (strong possibility). Yarnsub doesn't say something is worsted (always the default), but will say if it's woolen spun.
Hi Roxanne. Great questions with great answers. Thanks for sharing your knowledge with us. Great to hear that Sophia learned to knit! That’s wonderful!! Am I correct in remembering that Nina already learned? And her fiancé too? I’m teaching one of my granddaughters and hopefully the other 3 will follow suit, lol. Wishing you a happy holiday weekend with your family. 😊
If you can, (carefully) cut off the pilling rather than picking it off. Picking it off primes the fibers for more pilling after (same for quite a lot of depilling tools)
What a wealth of answers, thank you, Rox! I have a suggested variant to try when making an SSK - this is not a version that causes a twisted stitch but it does incorporate a "yank" component. It is from Nathan Taylor (Sockmatician) which he calls the "easing method". He has a video on it on TH-cam. The gist is that he drops off the first of the 2 stitches worked together from the left hand needle but gives the second stitch a tug to take the slack out of the first stitch, allowing it to lie flat the way a k2tog lies flat. It has corrected the zig-zag look I would get in my SSKs when they are worked sequentially as in shaping the toe of a top-down sock. Just thought I would mention this since it has been my solution for a couple of years, having tried all the other methods. Maybe someone else will also find it tidy.
I want to say thank you. You are patient and thorough when you answer questions
I knit a sideways T-Shirt in a DK cotton yarn (following a pattern) once, that cleverly hid all the yarn joins inside a folded hem. That did mean you could only join a new ball at the beginning/end of the round, so maybe a few meters of yarn were wasted, but the joins were absolutely invisible. (For the joins itself I did a braided join.)
So my suggestion for slippery yarns, especially at loose gauges (where duplicate stitch is visible), would be to think about whether there's a way to construct it that hides a few stitches of the fabric on the inside of the work when it's finished.
Another possibility is to seperate the yarn into its seperate plies (or into several strands) and weave those in seperately. If you weave them in in seperate directions it cuts down on the yarn end working itself loose AND it spreads out the matrial to avoid extra thickness, especially for thicker yarns or loose gauges.
On another note, I'm enjoying this video! But I also wouldn't have minded if you took this week off for the holidays!
For alternating skeins, you could also do an irregular number of rows for each skein to use them up at seperate rates. For example do two rows of the first skein all the time, or just some of the time.
For a pretty obvious colour difference you could also knit a fade, but that (as you obviously know) involves more planning across the body and sleeves.
Your idea of seperating one skein into halves is likely the easiest option!
It is very possible in flat knitting to do one row colour stripes! You need to use a circular needle (or double point) and just slide the work back across the needle! I've used this in a shawl where I did one row of a different colour between garter stripes (in that case you do need to purl every second garter stripe...).
You have made an incredible difference in my knitting since I began watching Technique Tuesday back in the late 2010s. I found this channel because I always wanted to know "why" and "when" and others at the time didn't satisfy my left-brained tendencies. Your experience and knowledge is so vast that I learn and re-learn so much from you. Thank you for sharing your knowledge with all of us, and for all of your years of dedication to running this channel.
Love all your tidbits and advice. I've found with tonal yarns like Malibrigo to ball the skein in thirds. Through all your balls in a bag and then choose 2 to start. Alternate like you suggested either every other row or round. It works well and I haven't had an issue with crazy pooling.
Great episode! Thanks for answering my question. I love the story of FLAK and that red sweater!
Hope you're having a lovely holiday with your family ❤ thank you for taking the time and effort to make these videos for us
Thanks for so many great answers. I am left with one great idea, swatch and try ...
Your cardigan is a glorious colour and very much suits you. 🦘🦘🦘🦘🦘
I had a revelation when you were talking about superwash wool. I keep hearing that superwash grows, but I never really experienced it that way, and my FOs from superwash are exactly as big as they're supposed to be. And then it hit me: people just don't wash their swatches, if they even swatch at all! Or they just rawdog it, and measure while the project is being made! And then are surprised bc the thing grew when blocking, and then complain about it on the internet. Meanwhile, washing the swatch and using washed swatch to measure the thing means i don't experience my projects growing when blocking.
Fabulous cardi, really suits you 😍
How can you tell the difference between a woollen or worsted spun yarn in the shop? I've never seen it mentioned on the label.
Awesome! I always learn something new! Thank you for sharing!❤
Thanks for posting you are the best !
:) My youngest of two daughters has also been visiting , she is not a knitter though, but working remotely allows her to visit more often than my eldest.
Great questions everyone , and answers !!
Thank you for your videos. They are so informative. You are one of my favorite knitting instructors.
In the future, I would love to see after-the-fact methods to correct a neckline. I have a top-down raglan with the ribbing added afterward, but I dislike shape of the neckline even though I used short rows in the back. Is there a way to adjust the scoop of the neckline and re-knit the ribbing? I'm sure others have made entire sweaters and then were unhappy with the results of the neckline.
I love your sweater.
Thank you so much for your thorough answer! I have a follow-up question. How do you know if a yarn is woolen or worsted spun if it's not handspun?
The default assumption is that it is worsted spun. To confirm/learn whether the yarn might be woolen spun, you can check the yarn label (least likely place to indicate that), the Ravelry yarn page (good possibility it will be there), the yarn company's website (reasonable possibility), or check yarnsub.com (strong possibility). Yarnsub doesn't say something is worsted (always the default), but will say if it's woolen spun.
I have also wondered so many times about that FLAK binder!😂
Yes! And what a great answer!
Hi Roxanne. Great questions with great answers. Thanks for sharing your knowledge with us. Great to hear that Sophia learned to knit! That’s wonderful!! Am I correct in remembering that Nina already learned? And her fiancé too? I’m teaching one of my granddaughters and hopefully the other 3 will follow suit, lol. Wishing you a happy holiday weekend with your family. 😊
Yes, Nina learned, and was working at a yarn shop for 18 months, as well.
@ That’s wonderful! You have so much knowledge and expertise to share with your daughters! A wonderful legacy. ❤️
I want a T-shirt that says ‘Try it out on a swatch.’ 😂
what is your cardigan? like is there a pattern? and what is the yarn?
There's a link to my Ravelry page in the show notes that has pattern and yarn details
Thanks!
You're welcome!
If you can, (carefully) cut off the pilling rather than picking it off. Picking it off primes the fibers for more pilling after (same for quite a lot of depilling tools)
♥️👍
I love that cardigan you are wearing, it looks so cosy. You have lost some weight though, it's noticeable. Enjoy your daughter's visit.
*runs to look up information on Qiviut yarn*