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Diveinto ourQ&A sectionwhereyourtrickyknitting
questions and queries are answered by our knitting experts!
ASK THE EXPERTS
KirstieMcLeod
Editor
Queenofsocksandgadgethoarder,
Kirstiehasmanyyearsofknitting
knowledge to share.JenBartlett
TechnicalEditor
Stitchexpertandtechnicalwhizz,
Jenlikestotacklethetrickiest
of knitting problems.SophieJordan
DeputyEditor
ProductexpertandFairIslefanatic,
Sophielovestalkingaboutthelatest
trends and cool colour combos.DebbieBliss
KnitwearDesigner
Famedforhere ortlesslystylish
knitcreationsandextensive
knowledge of knitting.ROUNDANDROUND
Q
Everyoneinmyknittinggroupknits
intheround,butI can’tgetinto it.
Whataretherealbenefits?
AbigailStenner,viaFacebook
Manypeopleknitintheroundbecauseit is
usuallyfaster.Thereisnoturningyourwork,
andnopurlingif youareworkinginstocking
stitch– yousimplykniteveryround,giving
youa rhythmthatalsohelpsyouworkfaster.
Becauseofthis,youshouldnotexperience
‘rowingout’(unevennesscausedby
alternatingknitandpurlrows).FairIsle
knittingshouldbeeasier,withnowrangling
withyarnatthebackoftheworkasyou
swapbetweenRSandWSrows.Laceand
cablescanalsobemoreintuitive,because
theRSisalwaysfacingyou.Bestofall,
knittingintheroundmeansseamless
garmentswhichleavesyouwithlittleto no
sewing-up when you have finished!Whenyouknitintheroundyouwillneeda
stitchmarkertoindicatewhentheround
endsandbegins.Youcanusea safetypin,
paperclip,fixedorhingedmarker,ora piece
ofwasteyarntiedaroundtheneedle.When
youcometotheendoftheround,simplyslip
yourmarkerfromyourleft-handneedleto
yourright-handneedle.Projectsthatare
idealforknittingintheroundaresocks,
glovesandhats.Thetechniquemakesthem
morecomfortableandattractivewhenthey
areknittedwithoutseams.InShetlandand
Scandinaviantraditions,raglanandyoked
sweatersaretraditionallyknittedinthe
round.Andnowa newgenerationofknitters
arecreatingseamless‘setin’sleeves
sweaters,usingclevershaping.Many
garmentsknittedfromthebottomupcanbe
convertedsothattheareworkedinthe
roundwiththebackand front split at the
armholes.KirstieQUESTION OF
THE MONTH
CONTACT
GotaquestionUS!
experts? forour
Thenemailus
[email protected]
co.ukorwrite
Knitting tousatSimply
Colston ,EagleHouse,
Avenue,Bristol,
BS1 4ST.KNIT
guruONTHESURFACE
Q
I’dliketotrysomesurface
embroideryandwonderedif youhad
anytipsonthebestplacetostart?
AlyssaMajor,Croydon
Surfaceembroideryisa wonderfulskillto
addtoyourset,andcanmaketherightpiece
ofknittingcomealive.Werecommend
startingwitha plainknittedfabricsuchas
stockingstitchtodeliverthebestresults,
becausethiswillallowtheembroideryto
standouttofulleffect.However,it’sworth
consideringthatembroiderycanalsobe
used as a way of highlighting or framingareasofyourknitting,nomatterwhatthe
basefabricis.Makesurethatyourbase
fabricisknittedtoa goodtension;it isbetter
tobeonthetightsideratherthanloose,as
stitchesworkedintoa fabricwitha loose
tensioncanpullordroopandcouldeven
accentuategapsandholes.Embroidered
stitchesareeasiertoworkandaremore
effectiveona basefabricmadesoleyfrom
woolora wool-blendyarnandareespecially
effectiveona feltedbasebackground.
Embroideringontocottoncanbea little
trickythoughandstitchescanaccentuate
holes and an uneven tension.JenKnittingintheroundis
good for socks and morePracticesurfaceembroidery
on a st st background first