A knitting chart is a graphical representation of knitting or knit fabric, most often used for stitch patterns such as lace, cables, or colourwork. Charts condense the information given in a written-out pattern into a concise visual version, making it easier to understand how the stitches work together to form a pattern. Although they may appear intimidating or difficult to use at first glance, learning to read knitting charts is a rewarding way to gain a new perspective on your knitting. Even if you prefer knitting from row-by-row directions, understanding how charts work will help you ke ..read more

Learning how to knit a scarf is an easy project for beginners because it only requires 3 basic skills; Casting on The knit stitch Binding off (known as casting off in the UK) It's the perfect foundation for becoming a knitter, since you'll use these skills in every project going forward. You'll also learn to select materials for a project, slip a stitch, join a new ball of yarn and weave in the loose ends of the yarn.  Download the Free Garter Stitch Scarf Pattern Send me the pattern You'll receive your free pattern after confirming your subscription to our newsletter. We resp ..read more

The Long Tail Cast-on method is a classic knitting technique that’s known for its speed and stretchiness. It's one of the most popular ways to teach new knitter's to cast on, and for good reason! This method uses a long tail of yarn along with one needle and your hand to establish the stitches that you’ll knit from. The Long Tail Cast-on is structurally identical to a backwards loop cast on plus a row of knitting, making it sturdier and less prone to stretch out as you knit than a simple loop cast on. You can use the Long Tail Cast-on for just about any knitting project. If you’re just learnin ..read more

Kitchener stitch is a knitting technique used for grafting together two sets of live stitches, most often stockinette stitch. Instead of binding off and sewing two edges together, you can use a tapestry needle and yarn to join the stitches completely seamlessly. Kitchener stitch creates a new row of knitting by drawing the tapestry needle through the stitches in a particular order. It’s best used for sock toes, hats, mitts, and anywhere else you need to join two pieces without a bulky seam. However, Kitchener stitch isn’t a great choice for sweater shoulders or other structural seams because i ..read more

Have you ever needed to work a provisional cast-on and weren’t sure what to do? This crochet provisional cast-on tutorial is for you! A provisional cast-on doesn’t refer to any particular cast-on method, but rather to the idea of a temporary cast-on that can be undone later, leaving live stitches that you can knit in the opposite direction. You can cast on provisionally with any method using waste yarn, but we love this crochet method because it’s easy to work and unzips easily to release the live stitches. You don’t need to know how to crochet to use this method. Materials For a crochet prov ..read more

Learning to knit on circular needles opens a world of possibilities in knitting! Circular knitting eliminates the need to sew seams to create a continuous fabric. Rather than turning your work after each row as you would with knitting flat, you keep knitting around and around in the same direction, creating a seamless tube of knitting. When knitting in the round, the outside of the tube always faces you as you - this makes it easy to maintain stitch patterns or work colour patterns. Once you learn how to knit in the round, you can create all sorts of seamless projects, like cowls, hats, mitts ..read more

The Magic Loop is a technique, not a needle! Using one long circular needle, you can knit different circumferences of project using the Magic Loop technique. It’s a great alternative to double pointed needles for working small circumferences in the round, such as socks, mitts, hats, and sleeves. You can use magic loop for any project that doesn't have enough stitches to fit comfortably around a circular needle.  Compared with DPNs, there’s much lower risk of dropping stitches, and since it’s just one circular, you can’t misplace or lose a needle. Learning Magic Loop is also a good way to ..read more

Double pointed needles can be intimidating - how do you knit with so many needles? Knitting in the round on double pointed needles creates a seamless tube of fabric, and allows you to work small circumferences such as socks and mitts that don't have enough stitches to fit around a circular needle.  Working in the round on DPNs is similar to working on a circular needle, except that the stitches are distributed over 3 or 4 rigid needles rather than one flexible cable. You are still knitting with just two needles at a time - the other needles are simply holders for the stitches you haven’t ..read more

November and December are traditionally busy months here at Ysolda. We know folks start looking for Christmas gift knitting ideas as the colder weather rolls in and for those who celebrate Christmas, handmade gifts may even become part of the festive tradition. Creating knitted gifts for teachers, family and loved ones does have a certain charm especially as knitters with the skills and resources to make this a reality! A word of caution though- not all recipients are knitworthy and stressing ourselves out to be as productive as possible is a true joy stealer! We’ve put together a list of some ..read more

As part of our work preparing to get the Porty Hat design into knitters' hands we once again invited some knitters from our community to work up their version as part of our preview knitter programme. The Porty Hat follows up on our bestselling Musselburgh pattern with a similar top-down, swatchless construction and just as much cool, casual style. We’ve named it after our local beach in Edinburgh, where a cosy hat that can be pulled down over your ears to keep out the chill is an essential accessory. The Porty Hat’s universal appeal and comfortable, elastic fit, make it a wonderful gift for a ..read more