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You are here: Home / Knitting Solutions / Knitting Instructions, Techniques & Tips / These 4 Tips Will Ease Your Knitting Frustrations

These 4 Tips Will Ease Your Knitting Frustrations

Knitting Instructions, Techniques & Tips

If you find knitting frustrating at times, these 4 tips just might help

I think we can all agree that knitting, while fun, can occasionally be frustrating.

Have you ever struggled with a cast-on that was far too tight? Knitted a flat piece that wouldn’t actually STAY flat? Went crazy with novelty yarn? Bemoaned the pilling and worn look that one (or more) of your hand-knits developed?

If any of these have befallen you, keep reading!

The following are terrific knitting tips that generations of experienced knitters have passed along. Some may seem obvious at first blush, but I think you’ll find some beneficial nuggets within each of these tips.

1. Tip for Casting On

Cast on with a needle that’s one size larger than you plan to knit with. This is especially helpful if you’re using something like a long tail cast-on, where part of the process involves pulling stitches tight.

2. Tip about Stockinette Stitch

Stockinette stitch is what you produce when you alternate between knitting a row and purling a row. (Or, if you’re knitting in the round, when you’re knitting every round.) Basically, it creates the appearance of knit stitches on one side of the work and purl stitches on the other.

Stockinette stitch looks nice and smooth, but when you knit it flat, it curls at the edges.

There are a couple of ways to combat this curling, though:

  1. Knit your project twice as wide as you want it. Then, when you’re done, fold it over and seam the edges together. This works especially well for scarves, and as a bonus, it’s nice and warm.
  2. Line your project with a piece of fabric. This could be knitted fabric, or it could be fabric you have left over from a sewing project.
  3. My favorite tip, and the one I use most often, is to use a non-stockinette edging. Seed stitch is my favorite way to do this; it looks really pretty and is so simple. Seed stitch gives the appearance of seeds by alternating knit and purl stitches.
  4. Block that baby! You’ll want to block in addition to one of the other methods, but it ensures a nice and neat appearance. And, it’ll ensure your piece stays flat. (For blocking tutorials, check out this article!)

3. Easy Does the Novelty Yarn

Use novelty yarn sparingly. Sometimes novelty yarn is so cute and fabulous that you want to knit a whole project with it. But resist the urge! There are dozens of fun things you can make with novelty yarn that WON’T drive you nuts or make you look like a fashion disaster.

Consider projects like scarves, trimmings for mittens or hats, stripes, and tassels. (Also, take a look at this article and this one. Both are filled with fun ways to use novelty yarn!)

4. Glycerin Can Work Miracles

Did you know that glycerin prevents finished products from pilling? If you want to keep your finished products looking new (and don’t we all), try adding just one or two drops of glycerin into the wash water, which smooths the yarn and keeps you from getting ugly pills and bunches.

NEVER put that piece into the dryer, though. Dryer + glycerin = gross, sticky mess.

I hope these tips will help you get more joy out of your knitting. Remember: knitting should be fun!

Get "How to Get Your Handknits to Local People in Need: What You Need to Know" FREE with your subscription to the Knitting Nuggets Newsletter. When you join this community, you'll receive resources + inspiration to knit patterns you love for people you care about!

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Nicole

I believe there's someone who needs what you love to knit. If you'd like to knit patterns you love for people you care about, I can help!
Get your free guide, "How to Get Your Handknits to Local People in Need: What You Need to Know" with your subscription to the Knitting Nuggets Newsletter! When you join this community, you'll receive resources & inspiration to knit patterns you love for people you care about.

Last Updated: December 20, 2018 ·

About Nicole

I believe there's someone who needs what you love to knit. If you'd like to knit patterns you love for people you care about, I can help!

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Nicole Haschke
Are you missing your in-person knitting nights? If Are you missing your in-person knitting nights? If so, let me tell you about a virtual knitting event you won't want to miss! 

The great folks at Knit + Escape are holding a Galentine's Day virtual celebration from Feb. 4 to 6. A $10 ticket will give you access to vendor virtual booths and a whole lot of free content that includes fiber demos and lectures, farm tours, charity knitting, and much, MUCH more. 

And here's a bonus that I hope you'll love: your Marketplace Ticket includes access to the Friday Evening CHARITY KNIT NIGHT, an exciting event led by Kristy Glass, where I will be a special guest. We’ll have several opportunities for participants to ask questions and celebrate the spirit of giving!

I'm going to be talking about creating Bonding Hearts and how these wonderful little creations can help preemies and their families through an amazing organization called Mighty Miracles Foundation. 

I would LOVE to see you there, so I hope you'll join us! You'll find a registration link to this event in my profile.
(Please note: the following has nothing to do with (Please note: the following has nothing to do with charity knitting. But I can't be silent any longer. If I - and Knitting for Charity - am going to be for making the lives of others better, I have to speak up.) I've been wanting to say something for well over a week. But I felt like it wasn't my place to talk. This isn't my experience. I should be listening. 
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Systemic racism is not a theory. It's not a kooky idea. It's a fact of life. And whether white people feel like they've benefited from it or not (I'm sure most of us feel like we haven't)... we have. 
Sure, slavery is no more. Sure, Jim Crow laws are no more. But racism? It's still very much here. And it pushes down our brothers and sisters of color every. single. day. It makes them fear for their lives, no matter what they're doing. It makes their very existence a risk. 
And I've finally realized that it's not enough for me to believe these things in my heart and go on with my life as if there's nothing more I can do. It's not enough to be proudly "not a racist." By my silence, by my inaction, I'm perpetuating a system that feeds off black and brown human beings. 
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We're not going to change the world in a day. Or even a week. But each of us can start taking steps to unlearn racism. (Yes, even a proud "non-racist" like me has racism to unlearn.) This doesn't have to be your book or your path. But do *something* to start listening. In the barest glimpses of social media, you're bound to find lists of books, movies, documentaries, podcasts, and so on. I've already seen more of those than I can count. (Cont'd in comments)
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My first sock knitting lesson is LIVE on YouTube! My first sock knitting lesson is LIVE on YouTube! Link is in my profile. Comments are very welcome! #learningtoknitsocks
Spent some time this weekend recording the first v Spent some time this weekend recording the first video lesson of my spiral rib tube sock knitting class. It will be releasing very soon... who's excited? #charityknittersofinstagram #learningtoknitsocks
I've been so inspired by all the people releasing I've been so inspired by all the people releasing free help during this time of crisis. Zoos and aquariums and nature livecams all over... Broadway offering free videos of their shows... musicians offering free living room concerts...and so on. 
So I decided to offer my own kind of help. 
If you're a knitter, I want to teach you how to knit socks!

Visit my profile for the link to my video explaining what I'm teaching and why, and the supplies you'll need. 
You can subscribe to my YouTube channel for notifications, or you can subscribe to my newsletter to get email notifications of new videos. The link to subscribe to my newsletter is also in my profile. 
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How is everyone doing? I've got a set of socks goi How is everyone doing? I've got a set of socks going on my new Hiya Hiya Sharps, so I think I'll be good to go for a while. How about you? Are you staying home as much as possible? And, of course, what are you knitting? #KnittingTogether
So this happened. 😭 Thank God for Friday nights So this happened. 😭 Thank God for Friday nights in which there's nothing going on, so we can drive to the nearest yarn shop (40 minutes away). #SockNeedleCrisis
We voted! (Well, technically we shared a vote. Sad We voted! (Well, technically we shared a vote. Sadly, owls can't vote...even if they're hand knitted. 😆) #SuperTuesday
Just finished a very special project: creating the Just finished a very special project: creating these pocket prayer cloths for our community's Blue Christmas service. This is a service for folks who, for myriad reasons, don't feel merry or joyful as they think they ought to. Praying that these cloths will remind them of God's love and constant presence. #charityknittersofinstagram #prayerclothknittersofinstagram

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