Tutorials

Here you will find information about some of the techniques used in our patterns. If you have a question regarding a technique described here, or a technique from one of our patterns which we have not described, please do not hesitate to contact us by email (theauldwoollyalliance [at] gmail [dot] com). We will do our best to help you.

Quick access to techniques:

Intarsia
Dimple Stitch
Miranda The Masham Sheep: “fleece” and assembling details.
Herdy Cushion: photographic guides for assembly and facial features.
Herdy Rucksack: photographic guides for assembly, construction and facial features.
Herdy Hot Water Bottle Cover: photographic guides for assembly, construction and facial features.
‘Heads and Tails’ cabled Toe Up socks: A guide to help with wrapping method used in this Toe Up sock workshop. Additional photographic guide to show how to close the common hole found when joining instep/heel.
Finishing Techniques: additional photographic tutorial to consolidate notes given at workshop.

Intarsia

Intarsia is a colourwork technique which involves knitting blocks of colour, without carrying yarn at the back of the work: only one strand of yarn in one colour is used at a time. As a consequence, a separate ball of yarn (or some yarn wound onto a little bobbin) is needed for each block of colour.

The key to a neat piece of knitting in intarsia is to avoid holes where the colour changes occur. In order to achieve this, the two colours need to be “twisted” so the yarn for the new colour “traps” the old one.

Intarsia – Crossing yarns at colour change

When the changes of colour are stacked upon each other row by row, thus forming vertical lines, proceed as follow: knit with the “old” colour up to the change, hold this strand in front of the “new” colour (but still at the back of the work), catch the new colour and knit the first stitch of the new colour area, thus trapping the old colour between the new colour and the knitted fabric at the back of the work (see picture on the right).

Intarsia – View from the wrong side of work

After completing a few rows, the knitting should look like the picture on the left when viewed from the wrong side.

When the colour changes are not stacked perfectly, but “slant” to one side, the technique remains the same. Knit the stitches in one colour as per the pattern; when reaching the point where a change of colour is required, catch the new colour from below the old colour and knit the new stitch while trapping the old colour. This will create a diagonal “strand” of the old yarn at the back.

Dimple Stitch

Dimple Stitch – Photo 1
Showing right side of fabric

Dimple Stitch produces an exaggerated texture which when knitted in a chunky yarn looks a bit like puffy sheep fleece; which is why Janice chose to use it a recent design for the Herdy company. To help any struggling Herdy knitters we have included a tutorial on working the ‘gathering stitch’ used in the pattern.

Special abbreviation
gathering stitch - take yarn to back of work as though to knit, insert needle from below under 3 strands, knit the next st, bring the st out under the strands.

Dimple Stitch – Photo 2
Wrong Side of Fabric. Immediately below the needle you can see the 3 rows of ‘stranding’ which occur once rows 2, 3 & 4 or rows 10, 11 & 12 of the 16 row repeat have been worked.

Dimple Stitch – Photo 3
With wrong side of fabric facing, we begin to work the ‘gathering stitch’ by inserting the right needle ‘under 3 strands’

Dimple Stitch – Photo 4
Shows the right hand needle ‘under 3 strands’ and now beginning to ‘knit the next stitch’.

Dimple Stitch – Photo 5
The right needle has now been wrapped and the stitch brought through the ‘next stitch’

Dimple Stitch – Photo 6
Shows the stitch being brought out under the 3 strands. It may be helpful here to use the thumb of your left hand to guide the strands over the stitch.

Instructions:
Row 1 (RS) – Knit
Row 2 – P1, * sl 3 wyif, P3; rep from * to last 4sts, sl 3 wyif, P1.
Row 3 – K1, * sl 3 wyib, K3; rep from * to last 4sts, sl 3 wyif, K1.
Row 4 – As row 2
Row 5 & 7 – Knit
Row 6 – Purl
Row 8 – P2, * gathering st, P5; rep from * ending last rep with P2
Row 9 – Knit
Row 10 – P1, * P3, sl 3 wyif; rep from * to last 4sts, P4
Row 11 – K4, * K3, sl 3 wyib; rep from * to last st, K1
Row 12 – As row 10
Row 13 & 15 – Knit
Row 14 – Purl
Row 16 – P5, * gathering st, P5; rep from * to end

Repeat these 16 rows to form pattern.

Miranda – The Masham Sheep

Details about where to get (free) pattern for Miranda the Masham Sheep can be found on Janice’s design page on the blog.

A few pictures to help: How to make Miranda’s “fleece”?

Fold a length of yarn measuring approximately 15 cm (6 in) in half. Insert crochet hook through purl/raised stitch (forming a “bump”). Catch loop of folded yarn with crochet hook and pull through the “bump”. Thread the two loose ends of the folded yarn into loop created and pull tight.

Further pictures to help with assembly

Picture showing the belly and the front and back legs with hooves.

Picture showing 1st and 3rd layers of the fleece,
and the empty 2nd ridge of raised stitches (“bumps”) which remain unworked.

Herdy Cushion

Details of where to buy the Herdy Cushion Knitting Kit can be found on Janice’s design page on the blog. Here are a few photographs to help with assembly and embroidery of facial features.

Picture shows inside seams of envelope closure.

Stitching guide for nose and mouth.

Stitching guide for eyes.

Herdy Rucksack

Details of where to buy the Herdy Rucksack Knitting Kit can be found on Janice’s design page on the blog. Here are a few photographs to help with assembly and embroidery of facial features.

Close up of Herdy head attached to flap closure.

Stitching guide for nose and mouth.

Stitching guide for eyes.

Detail of closure. Shows the gathered opening with twisted cord tie, and the flap in a raised position.

Close up view of strap attachment.

Close up of foot position and attachment.

Back view showing position of straps.

Picture shows twisted cord threading through back of rucksack and positioning of straps.

Herdy Hot Water Bottle Cover

Details of where to download the pattern for the Herdy Hot Water Bottle Cover can be found on Janice’s design page on the blog. Here are a few photographs to help with assembly and embroidery of facial features.

Herdy Hot Water Bottle Cover-Front View

Hot Water Bottle Cover-Back View

Herdy Hot Water Bottle Cover-shows close up of texture stitch

Herdy Hot Water Bottle Cover-Back View, showing opening,

Herdy’s Face-showing stitching of features

‘Heads and Tails’ – Toe Up Sock Workshop

The wrapping method used in the heel turn of this sock workshop is unusual. For those who have never wrapped stitches before it requires less steps to execute and is therefore slightly less ‘tricky’. It was invented by Jeny Staiman, who is also the author of ‘Jeny’s suprisingly stretchy bind off‘, my favourite cast off method for Toe Up socks. You can check out Jeny’s blog here and catch up with her on Ravelry here. The following is a photographic tutorial to guide workshop participants through the ‘Turning the Heel’ section of their notes.

Image 1: Gusset increase complete, we are now ready to start ‘Turning the Heel’

Working the first ryo. Note the yarn is coming from back, around the needle and finishing at the back of work.

Image 2: Round 1, needle 2 – Working the first ryo. Note the yarn is coming from back, will proceed around the needle and finish again at the back of work.

Image 3: Round 1, needle 2 – The left hand needle is now passing the ryo (or yo) over the stitch just slipped in order to wrap it.

Image 4: The ryo (or yo) has been passed over and the slipped stitch is now wrapped. Note horizontal bar at base of first stitch on right hand needle.

Image 5: Round 1, needle 1 – The second marker has now been placed on left hand needle.

Image 6: Round 1, needle 2 – The work has been turned to wrong side. You will now work back and forth on needle 2 only. You are ready to start Row 2.

Image 7: Row 2 – Working the yrn. Note the yarn comes from the front, around the needle and back to the front again.

Image 8: Row 2 – The yarn is at front after yrn and the next stitch is slipped purl wise.

Row 2 - The left hand needle if lifting the yrn (or yo) over the stitch just slipped in order to wrap it.

Image 9: Row 2 – The left hand needle is lifting the yrn (or yo) over the stitch just slipped in order to wrap it.

Image 10: Row 2 – The stitch is now wrapped. Note the horizontal bar at the base of the first stitch on right hand needle.

‘Heads and Tails’ – Toe Up Sock Workshop (continued)

It is common in sock knitting for a hole to appear at both points, where the top of the heel joins the instep. These holes will be more pronounced when working in a chunky weight yarn. To avoid this an extra stitch can be picked up before beginning Round 1 of ankle cuff.

Needle 1 in position to pick up additional stitches from needle 2.

Needle 1 is in position, ready to pick up additional stitches from
needle 2.

Pick up 2 sts from the back, below last st on Needle 2

Place slipped stitch from marker onto needle 2

Placing slipped stitch from marker onto Needle 2.

Pick up 1 stitch from the back, below 2nd stitch on needle 2.

Finishing Techniques Workshop – Photographic Tutorial

Due to requests from workshop participants this photographic tutorial consolidates the information given in the notes of my Finishing Techniques workshop. I hope the pictures will help to refresh techniques learned or discussed on the day. (It can all seem a bit of a blur, two weeks later!) (A big ‘Thank You’ to my daughter Jenny who took all the lovely photographs. Check out her Facebook page at JennyRosePhotography.)

Part One of the workshop covers sewing up. The first gallery shows a mattress stitch seam worked on K1, P1 rib.

Click on individual pictures to enlarge and scroll through the images.

: If both pieces end with a knit stitch, pick up ‘bars’ a half stitch from edge.

: Pick up ’2 bars’ at a time, side to side.

: continue up the seam, working from left edge….then right edge…….

: …. a few stitches at a time…..

: …..side to side…..

: closing the seam as you go…

: a few more…..

: and ‘voila’!

Gallery No 2, shows a mattress stitch seam joining two pieces of stocking stitch.

: When joining straight seams, keep to the ’2 bar’ rule as required.

: Work a few passes, right side to left side. Remember the needle is inserted into the same space that the last pass of yarn leaves.

: The completed seam in Stocking stitch

Gallery No 3, shows a mattress stitch seam joining two pieces of garter stitch.

: Remember those ‘smiles’ and ‘eyebrows’

: A smile from the right, just in from the edge.

: an ‘eyebrow’ from the left, right on the edge…..

: The completed seam shows the ‘eyebrows’ overlapping the ‘smiles’ making the seam almost invisible.

Gallery No 4, shows a mattress stitch seam joining two panels of moss stitch.

: Like stocking stitch work one stitch in from the edge.

: The ’2 bar’ rule applies.

: Finished mattress stitch seam in Moss stitch

Gallery No 5 shows a mattress stitch seam joining 2 stocking stitch panels which are set at right angles to each other. As if setting in a straight sleeve.

: Two panels set at right angles ready for joining with matress stitch seam.

: The needle works from side to side in the same way as other mattress stitch seams.

: With pieces set as shown pick up ’2 bars’ from left piece, one stitch in from edge.

: Next pick up from right piece, inserting needle in the centre of first stitch (or ‘V’) and out of the centre (or ‘V’) of the second stitch.

: Work from side to side. Note the ’2 bar’ rule cannot be used throughout as the row tension of left piece differs from stitch tension of right piece.

Gallery No 6 shows grafting of two panels of stocking stitch. As if joining a straight shoulder seam.

: Begin by inserting the needle around the first complete stitch of left piece. Next insert the needle in the centre (‘V’) of first stitch and out of the centre of the second stitch (‘V’) of right hand piece.