Lets_Knit_Issue_143_April_2019e

THE LITTLE THINGS YOU’VE

ALWAYS WANTED TO KNOW BUT

NEVER GOT ROUND TO ASKING!

77

Focus on...

I-CORD EDGINGS

Central

Q&A

WHAT ARE THEY?

An i-cord is a very thin tube, usually

worked on two dpns. They’re great

for everything from ties to toy limbs

and can be used to create a

smooth, neat inished edge.

HOW ARE THEY MADE?

The most common method is the

‘cast-of’ technique. Stitches

(usually three) are cast-on at the

start of the row. The irst two are

knitted, then the third is knitted

together through the back loops

with the irst stitch on the left

needle. The stitches are slipped

back onto the left needle, then

this sequence is repeated until

all stitches are cast of.

FIND ME A PATTERN!

Hoodie Shawl Cardigan by

Susanne Sommer, €6.50 from

ravelry.com

The Yarn

Doctors

OUR KNITTY CONSULTANTS
ARE READY TO TACKLE YOUR
PROBLEMS AND ADMINISTER
EXPERT ADVICE!

‘I’m knitting a lace pattern and
I need to start shaping. How do
I keep the pattern correct?’

THE YARN DOCTORS’
PRESCRIPTION:

How you work a lace
pattern when you are
shaping a garment will depend
on the individual pattern and
where the yarn overs and
decreases fall, but there are a
few basic rules of thumb.
If you have a small lace
repeat, say three to ive stitches,
it may be best to work complete
repeats at the edges as stocking
stitch or garter stitch, depending
on what’s appropriate for
your pattern.
With larger repeats you
need to look at the individual
stitches in each row and match
each yarn over to a
corresponding decrease stitch.
When shaping your work for
armholes, neck, etc, don’t work
any yarn over in the pattern at
the edges of your knitting unless
you can work its matching
decrease and vice versa.
Otherwise your stitch counts will
be wrong and both your shaping
and your lace pattern will go
awry. Work the non-lace stitches
in stocking stitch or garter stitch
as appropriate.
This may sound a little
complicated, but you’ll ind it
all much clearer when you are
actually knitting. Also, many
designers include notes on how
to keep the lace correct during
the shaping sections of their
pattern. You may ind it helps to
calculate the total number of
decreases you’ll be making
and place a stitch marker at
this point to help you stay
on track.

Ankle socks by Dawn Finney

FREE from letsknit.co.uk

Gretta Hat by Tanis Gray, $7

from luxadornaknits.com

Mini-mania scarf by Sarah Core,

FREE from ravelry.com

Q

I find wool too itchy

to wear – does this

mean I’m allergic?

A

Many people find

certain animal fibres

itchy – this can also

include mohair and alpaca as well

as wool – but unless they bring you

out in a rash you’re unlikely to be

allergic. The itching comes from

tiny hairs or scales, so if you’re

sensitive to these but still wish to

use wool opt instead for smoother

fibres like merino which has far

fewer of them.

THANKS TO JULIET

AND BRONAGH FROM

THE UKHKA

An allergy to wool actually

means you’re allergic to the

lanolin that it’s coated

with, not the wool itself

Find

hundreds

of fab free

patterns at

letsknit.co.uk

A MINI-SKEINS

STASHBUSTER!

I need a pattern for...