Appendixes

Suggested Reading

Amos, Alden. The Alden Amos Big Book of Handspinning. Interweave Press, 2001.

Anderson, Enid. The Spinner’s Encyclopedia. Sterling Publishing, 1987.

Anderson, Sarah. The Spinner’s Book of Yarn Designs: Techniques for Creating 80 Yarns. Storey Publishing, 2012.

Casey, Maggie. Start Spinning: Everything You Need to Know to Make Great Yarn. Interweave Press, 2008.

Fannin, Allen. Handspinning: Art & Technique. van Nostrand Reinhold, 1981.

Field, Anne. Spinning Wool: Beyond the Basics, rev ed. Trafalgar Square, 2010.

Fournier, Nola, and Elisabeth Fournier. In Sheep’s Clothing: A Handspinner’s Guide to Wool. Interweave Press, 1995.

Franquemont, Abby. Respect the Spindle: Spin Infinite Yarns with One Amazing Tool. Interweave Press, 2009.

King, Amy. Spin Control: Techniques for Spinning the Yarn You Want. Interweave Press, 2009.

Larsen, Kate. The Practical Spinner’s Guide: Wool. Interweave Press, 2015.

McCuin, Judith MacKenzie. The Intentional Spinner: A Holistic Approach to Making Yarn. Interweave Press, 2009.

Menz, Deb. Color in Spinning. Interweave Press, 1998.

Parkes, Clara. The Knitter’s Book of Wool: The Ultimate Guide to Understanding, Using, and Loving this Most Fabulous Fiber. Potter Craft, 2009.

________. The Knitter’s Book of Yarn: The Ultimate Guide to Choosing, Using, and Enjoying Yarn. Potter Craft, 2007.

Robson, Deborah, and Carol Ekarius. The Fleece & Fiber Sourcebook: More Than 200 Fibers from Animal to Spun Yarn. Storey Publishing, 2011.

Ross, Mabel. The Encyclopedia of Hand Spinning. Interweave Press, 1988.

________. The Essentials of Yarn Design for Handspinners. Rev. ed. Mabel Ross, 1986.

Smith, Beth. The Spinner’s Book of Fleece: A Breed-by-Breed Guide to Choosing and Spinning the Perfect Fiber for Every Purpose. Storey Publishing, 2014.

Stove, Margaret. Merino: Handspinning, Dyeing, and Working with Merino and Superfine Wools. Interweave Press, 1991.

Vogel, Lynne. The Twisted Sisters Knit Sweaters. Interweave Press, 2007.

________. The Twisted Sisters Sock Workbook. Interweave Press, 2002.

Glossary of Techniques

Backwards Loop Cast On

You can use this method of casting on in a variety of situations, but it’s especially useful when you need to cast on in the middle or end of a row. Use only one needle for this cast on. Here’s how to do it:

Make a slipknot in the yarn and place it on the needle. This is the needle that will receive the cast-on stitches. Holding it in your right hand, wrap the yarn counterclockwise around your left forefinger or thumb so that it creates a loop. The working end should be over the end that’s attached to the stitch already on the needle. Next, insert the needle through the loop as though you were knitting, and slide the loop onto the needle. Repeat until you have cast on the required number of stitches. (Note: If you are using this method to cast on starting from scratch, you need to begin by placing a slip knot on the needle.)

Judy’s Magic Cast On

Judy’s Magic Cast On was first published in Knitty online, in the spring 2006 issue (http://knitty.com/ISSUEspring06/FEATmagiccaston.html). The version documented below differs from the original published version in two small ways; this update was also developed by Judy herself and makes the process a little easier.

Setup

  1. 1. You’ll need a tail, about a half inch per stitch for the total cast-on number, and two needles. Hold the two needles parallel in your right hand, with the tips pointing left. Loop the yarn over the topmost of the two needles.The stitch goes on the right-most needle.
  2. 2. Set up the tail and working ends of the yarn in your left hand as you would for the Long-Tail Cast On, but with the yarn tail on your finger and the working yarn on your thumb.

Creating Stitches

  1. 1. You work in pairs, and it’s a game of opposites. The left/lower needle needs a stitch, so we take the yarn on the index finger and drape it over the needle from the outside, down into the middle.
  2. 2. We have a pair of stitches. The right/upper needle now needs a stitch, so we take the yarn on the thumb, and bring it up between the tips of the needles and over the top of the right/upper needle.
  3. Repeat Steps 2 and 3 until you have the total number of stitches you need, half on each needle.

    To knit, turn the work so that the working yarn and the tail end are on the right-hand side of the needle. Using the working yarn, knit the first stitch on the top needle. You’ll see that the stitch isn’t fully formed; you have to twist the yarns around each other for that first stitch.

    The rest of that needle’s stitches are well formed and stable. Knit to the end of that needle, and then turn the work around to knit the other needle’s stitches. (Stay on the same side of the developing fabric to keep a smooth stockinette look.) Once you’ve knitted both needle’s stitches, your first round is complete.

Knitted Cast On

Make a slipknot and place it on your left-hand needle. Knit into this loop as normal, but do not drop the stitch or the loop off the needles. Insert the left-hand needle into the front of the newly created loop from right to left, and place the new stitch onto the left-hand needle. Continue by knitting into the first stitch on the left-hand needle and placing the resulting stitch on the left-hand needle until you have cast on the required number of stitches.

Kitchener Stitch

Also called “grafting,” this way of joining two sections of knitting is done on “live” stitches. To set up for it, place half the stitches to be joined on one needle and the other half on another needle. Arrange the needles with their points facing in the same direction and with the wrong sides of the fabric facing each other. Thread a yarn needle with the working yarn. Note that some instructions have a setup step: the end result of this version is not significantly different, and it’s a little easier to work.

  1. 1. Insert the yarn needle into the first stitch on the front needle from left to right (as if you were going to knit with it). Draw the yarn through the stitch, and slip it off the needle.
  2. 2. Insert the needle into the next stitch on the front needle from right to left (as if you were going to purl it), draw the yarn through, but leave the stitch on the needle.
  3. 3. Insert the needle through the first stitch on the back needle from right to left (as if you were going to purl it). Draw the yarn through the stitch, and slip it off the needle.
  4. 4. Insert the needle through the next stitch on the back needle from left to right (as if you were going to knit it). Draw the yarn through the stitch, but leave the stitch on the needle.

Repeat steps 1–4 until all of the stitches have been joined. Cut yarn and fasten off.

Long-Tail Cast On

Estimate the length of yarn you will need for the cast on by wrapping the yarn around the needle as many times as the number of required stitches; add a few inches extra to be sure you have enough. Make a slipknot at that point and place it on the needle.

  1. 1. Hold the needle in your right hand, and arrange the yarns so that the tail comes from the slipknot to lie over your thumb to the outside and the working yarn comes from the slipknot to lie over your forefinger to the outside; use your other fingers to secure both yarns in your palm, and use your right forefinger to keep the slipknot from sliding off the needle. Take the tip of the needle under the yarn tail on the outside of the thumb, then over the working yarn on the inside of the forefinger.
  2. 2. Use the tip of the needle to draw this strand through the loop on your thumb.
  3. 3. Let the yarn tail slip off your thumb so that you can draw the yarn tail and working yarn snug to form a new stitch. Try to maintain an even tension for each stitch, but ensure that the stitches have a little bit of space between them on the needle. If they are too close together the edge will be too tight.

Sewn Bind Off

This bind off is also called stretchy bind off. Cut your working yarn, leaving a tail three times as long as the length of stitches you’re binding off. Thread a yarn needle with the tail.

  1. 1. Insert the needle from right to left (as if to purl) through the first two stitches on the needle, and draw the yarn through.
  2. 2. Insert the needle through the first stitch from left to right (as if to knit), and drop that stitch off the needle.
  3. Repeat steps 1 and 2 until one stitch remains. Draw the yarn through that stitch, fasten off, and weave in the tail.

Three-Needle Bind Off

As with Kitchener Stitch, this way of joining two sections of knitting is done on “live” stitches. To set up for it, place half the stitches to be joined on one needle and the other half on another needle. Arrange the needles with their points facing in the same direction and with the right sides of the fabric facing each other. Insert a third needle into the first stitch on each of the other needles. Knit these two stitches together. Insert the third needle into the first stitch on each of the other needles and knit them together. Draw the stitch already on the right-hand needle over the new stitch, just as you do in a “normal” bind off. Repeat this process until you have bound off all (or the required number) of the stitches.

Adding Beads to Your Knitting

Choose a crochet hook small enough to fit through the holes in the beads you are using. When you come to the stitch where you want to place a bead, insert your hook through the bead and then into the next stitch on the left needle (a). Draw the stitch through the hole in the bead, then replace the stitch on the left needle (b). Knit the stitch as usual. (You can also use super floss or a Beadle Needle to thread the bead onto the stitch.)

Metric Conversion Chart

When the measurement given is

To convert it to

Multiply it by

inches

centimeters

2.54

yards

meters

0.91

ounces

grams

28.4

pounds

kilograms

0.454

°F

°C

°F – 32 × 5/9

Abbreviations

[ ] Work instructions within brackets as many times as directed

( ) Work instructions within parentheses in the place directed

* Repeat instructions following the single asterisk as directed

** Repeat instructions between asterisks as many times as directed

CC Contrasting color

cdd Slip next 2 sts together knitwise, k1, pass 2 slipped stitches over stitch just knit

ch Chain stitch (crochet)

dc Double crochet

k Knit

k2tog Knit 2 stitches together: 1 stitch decreased

k2tog tbl Knit 2 stitches together through back loop: 1 stitch decreased

k3tog Knit 3 stitches together: 2 stitches decreased

kfb Knit into the front and back of the same stitch: 1 stitch increased to 2

kfbf Knit into the front, back, and front of the same stitch: 1 stitch increased to 3

M1 (Make 1), backward loop method Make a backward loop (yarn is wrapped counter-clockwise) and place it on your right needle: 1 stitch increased

M1L, lifted method Insert left needle, from front to back, under the horizontal strand that lies between the stitch just knit and the following stitch; then knit into the back of this loop: 1 stitch increased

M1R, lifted method Insert left needle from back to front under the horizontal strand that lies between the stitch just knit and the following stitch, then knit into the front of this loop: 1 stitch increased

MC Main color

p Purl

p2tog Purl 2 stitches together

pm Place marker

psso Pass slipped stitch over

RS Right side

sc Single crochet

skp Slip 1 stitch knitwise, knit next stitch, pass slipped stitch over: 1 stitch decreased

sk2p Slip 1 stitch knitwise, knit 2 stitches together, pass slipped stitch over the knit 2 together: 2 stitches decreased

sl1p Slip 1 purlwise

ssk Slip 2 stitches knitwise, one by one; return these 2 stitches to the left needle, and knit them together through the back loop: 1 stitch decreased

ssp Slip 2 stitches knitwise, one by one; return these 2 stitches to the left needle, and purl them together through the back loop: 1 stitch decreased

sssk Slip 3 stitches knitwise, one by one; return these 3 stitches to the left needle, and knit them together through the back loop: 2 stitches decreased

tbl Through the back loop

WS Wrong side

w&t, wrap and turn Slip the next stitch purlwise; move the yarn between the needles (if it’s at the back, bring it to the front; if it’s at the front, take it to the back); slip the stitch back to the left needle. Turn your work and bring the working yarn to working position for the next row

wyib With yarn in back

wyif With yarn in front

yo Yarnover

Resources

Fiber Companies

A Verb for Keeping Warm

Abstract Fiber

Anzula Luxury Fibers

Ashford Wheels & Looms

Blue Moon Fiber Arts

Bricolage Studios

cjkoho Designs

Enchanted Knoll Farm

Fiber Optic Yarns

Fiberstory

Happy Fuzzy Yarn

Hilltop Cloud

Into the Whirled

Jazzturtle Creations

Lisa Souza Knitwear and Dyeworks

Lorna’s Laces

Louet North America

Mountain Colors

The Natural Fibre Company

Porpoise Fur

PortFiber

Sheepspot

Southern Cross Fibre

Spunky Eclectic

Strathearn Fleece & Fibre

SweetGeorgia Yarns

Three Waters Farm

Treenway Silks

woolgatherings

Wheels and Tools

Camaj Fiber Arts

HansenCrafts

Lendrum

Louet North America

Nancy’s Knit Knacks

Schacht Spindle Company

Tangerine Designs

TravelKate

Other Online Shops

These resources have a variety of wheels, tools, and fiber.

Spunky Eclectic

The Woolery