Tips & Tricks

I thought this little trick is quite interesting!

Martha Puccio, on Fair Isle tension: I make a lot of Norwegian mittens on four needles that have two colors. I have found the best way to avoid puckering is to work the mitten with the right side inside. In other words, after I complete the cuff and start the pattern work I rotate the knitting so the right side is inside and the wrong side is outside. This seems to leave just enough carried yarn to prevent puckering.

And I might have to try this one as well.

Lillian M., on shaping armholes: Often times a pattern will call for binding off stitches on multiple rows. To avoid a "jagged" edge, I always slip the first stitch on a second or third row of the bind off and then work the next stitch, and then bind off that first stitch. It makes for a much smoother curve. (It also makes it easier to sew in sleeves.)