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tutorial – fixing a forgotten shaping yo in a triangle shawl

In an earlier tutorial, I already showed you how to fix a forgotten yo. However, fixing a forgotten yarn over becomes a tad more complex if it’s a shaping increase. Take, for example, a typical top-down triangle shawl, with increases on both outer edges, and on both sides of the central spine stitch. But, no fear, when such a shaping increase has been forgotten, it’s still very much possible to fix it without ripping out all your work back to the -place where the error occurred.

So, in this post I’ll show you to fix a forgotten yarn over, used as a shaping increase. Specifically for the situation that the lack of the increase hasn’t been noticed until several more rows have been worked.

Materials used

Yarn: Paintbox Yarns Simply DK, a good value, good quality 100% acrylic yarn, here in the color 142 Tea Rose.

A crochet hook in the same size or slightly smaller than your knitting needles. For example, this Pony Aluminum Crochet Hook in size 4 mm.

Fixing a forgotten shaping yo step by step

Let’s get started! In this tutorial, I’m using the swatch I also used in previous tutorials on fixing things in knitting.

First, we have to identify the exact spot where the increase is missing.
Do you see it?
The yo is missing in between the two columns of stitches above the yo’s that are there.
The two horizontal threads, in the center of the yellow circle, is where we need to work our magic. You can count both the garter stitch ridges in the border, and the shaping yo’s that have been worked, to know how many rows have been worked since making the mistake. In this case, that’s 4 rows.
Let’s start fixing! Insert the crochet hook as shown from bottom to top underneath the two horizontal threads…
…. and pull the top thread through the one below to make the yarn over.
Now we can ladder the work back up! To see which threads should be used to ladder up the rest of the stitch column, you can pull the two columns of stitches slightly apart above.
There are 4 horizontal threads, just like we deduced earlier.
To ladder the work back up, insert the crochet hook underneath the lowest horizontal thread directly above the new yo (the 4th horizontal thread down), and pull the thread through the loop already on the hook to make a new knit stitch.
Repeat this (for stockinette) as often as needed until you’ve run out of threads to pull through to make the new column of stitches above the yarn over.
The end result!
The new yarn over and stitches above it, will be a bit tight when compared with the surrounding stitches. But, this will usually even out with some blocking.

And that is how to fix a forgotten shaping yo! You are now ready to continue with your project.

Thanks to my Patreon supporters for bringing you this freebie! Creating quality patterns and tutorials is a lot of work and resource-intensive. However, I find it important to give you free content like this tutorial. Thanks to the generous support of my Patreon supporters, I can make it happen. Thank you, patrons! Click here to join, or click here to read more about La Visch Designs on Patreon.

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stitch pattern – little bells stitch

The little bells stitch is a pretty lace stitch pattern that does well all-over, and as an accent. It does have patterning on both right side and wrong side rows. That said, on the wrong side rows there are only knit and purl stitches, all increases and decreases are done on the right side. Please keep in mind, that the above swatch is worked in an unblocked worsted weight acrylic. When this stitch pattern is knit in a yarn that blocks out nicely, say a wool or cotton yarn, it may look a tad different from how it looks like here.

This stitch pattern is worked as a multiple of 8 stitches + 3, and in a twelve row repeat. Please note that I’ve added 2 edge stitches in garter stitch on both sides of the swatch.

Materials used

Yarn: Paintbox Yarns Simply DK, a good value, good quality 100% acrylic yarn, in the color Vintage Pink.

Knitting needles: This is a pair of straights that I picked up at the second-hand store when I started knitting, brand unknown.

Stitches used

k – knit
p – purl
k2tog – knit 2 stitches together
skp – slip a stitch knitwise, knit 1, pass the slipped stitch over.
sl1-k2tog-psso – slip next stitch, knit 2 together, then pass slipped stitch over.
st(s) – stitch(es)
yo – yarn over

Little bells stitch instructions

Row 1 (RS): K1, p1, k1, *p1, yo, sl1-k2tog-psso, yo, (p1, k1) twice*; rep *-* to end.
Row 2 (WS): *(P1, k1) twice, p3, k1*; rep *-* to 3 sts before end, p1, k1, p1.
Rows 3-6: Rep rows 1-2.
Row 7: K1, k2tog, yo, *(p1, k1) twice, p1, yo, sl1-k2tog-psso, yo*; rep *-* to 8 sts before end, (p1, k1) twice, p1, yo, skp, k1.
Row 8: P3, (k1, p1) twice, k1, *p3, (k1, p1) twice, k1*; rep *-* to 3 sts before end, p3.
Rows 9-12: Rep rows 7-8.

Repeat rows 1-12 for pattern until desired length.

In the below pictures, you see the patterning first from the right, and then also from the wrong side of the fabric:

The below picture gives an impression on how this stitch pattern looks when used allover in a project.

Little bells stitch from the RS all-over

stitch pattern – little bells stitch Read More »

electric violet

The Electric Violet shawl, was inspired by the gorgeous hand-dyed yarn from RMR Yarn Co. it’s knit with. It combines a relaxing-to-knit stockinette body, with a delightful lace section, followed by a twisted rib edging. The shawl as shown in size L, uses 300 g of fingering weight yarn. A smaller 2 skein shawl (size S in this pattern) is made by omitting the twisted rib section.

This shawl is knit from the top-down in one piece, starting at the neck edge with a garter stitch tab. The instructions for the lace are both charted and written out.

Pay what you want: (minimum €6.95)

€

Difficulty level

This shawl is worked from the top down, starting with a garter stitch tab. The patterning in the edging is worked on both right side and wrong side rows.

Stitches used include knit, purl, k tbl, p tbl, skp, k2tog, k2tog tbl, p2tog, p2tog tbl, yo and a wrapped stitch. This pattern is therefor suitable for the intermediate to advanced knitter.

Sizes and finished measurements

Size S (L): Wingspan of 196 (235) cm (77 ¼ (92 ½) inches) and a depth of 89 (106) cm (35 (41 ¾) inches), measured after blocking. The shawl pictured is a size L.

The size of the Electric Violet shawl can be changed by using lighter or heavier yarn and/or working fewer (or more) repeats of the various sections of the shawl. This will, of course, change the amount of yarn needed.

Pattern details

Gauge: Approx. 14 sts / 25 rows = 10 cm (4 inches) over stockinette stitch, measured after blocking. Gauge is however not critical for this design but should give you a fabric that you like with the yarn used.
Pattern languages included: English.
Digital PDF has 7 pages (letter size)

Yarn

RMR Yarn Co. Micaela (75% SW extra fine merino, 25% Mulberry silk; 400 m (437 yds) / 100 g) in the following colors and quantities:
C1: 400 (800) m (437 (874) yds) / 100 (200) g) in Para Harumi
C2: 400 (400) m (437 (437) yds) / 100 (100) g) in Jalea De Uva

Substitute a fingering weight yarn in a speckled color for C1, and a solid or tonal colorway for C2 for a similar result.

Materials

Size 3.5 mm (US 4) / 80 cm (32 inches) circular needles were used for the sample shawl. Use needles appropriate for the yarn chosen.
4 stitch markers to indicate the center stitch and the edge stitches
Cable needle
Stitch markers to indicate repeats of the lace patterning (optional)
Yarn needle

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tutorial – working the Estonian cast-on

Working the Estonian cast-on - a tutorial by La Visch Designs

The Estonian cast-on is a long tail cast-on method for those projects that need some stretch at the edge. Think, for example, of socks, hats, and gloves or mittens. This particular cast-on has many names. It’s also referred to as the Latvian cast-on, the Double Start cast-on, and the German cast-on. As with all long tail cast-on methods, it can be a bit tricky to get the hang of. However, once you get the hang of it, it’s pretty fast to work.

The main challenge with this cast-on is that it uses its yarn tail together with the working yarn. In other words: if you don’t leave the tail long enough, you may run short of yarn to cast-on all needed stitches. This is especially bothersome when casting on many stitches. A rule of thumb is to leave a yarn tail that is 3 to 4 times as long as the width you want your work to become. A somewhat more reliable guesstimate can be made by casting on 10 stitches. Unravel those and leave a yarn tail in that length, multiplied as many times as needed to arrive at the number of required stitches. Plus a bit extra, of course, to weave in later on.

Another way to deal with it is not to calculate or guess anything, but just use 2 different strands of yarn. This can be from 2 different balls of yarn, or both ends of the same ball if you can find the end in the center.

Shall we go see how the cast-on is worked?

Materials used

Yarn: Paintbox Yarns Simply DK, a good value, good quality 100% acrylic yarn, here in the color Tea Rose.

Needles: This is a pair of straights that I picked up at the second-hand store when I started knitting, brand unknown.

Working the Estonian cast-on step by step

Let’s get started on the Estonian tail cast-on!

Start by holding the yarn around your thumb and index finger.
It isn’t very clear in the picture, but I’m holding the ball end of the yarn around my thumb and the yarn tail around my index finger.
Next, place your left thumb and index finger as shown, and position the needle against the yarn between your thumb and index finger.
In this next picture, I’ve rotated the needle downwards, twisting the yarn around it.
In this picture, I’ve moved my right hand down. Doing this, the yarn basically makes a “v” between my thumb and index finger, making it possible to dip the tip of the needle underneath the strand of yarn you see going around my thumb.
Next, bring the needle over the top of the strand of yarn going around your index finger, and dip below it from right to left.
Now we’ve caught this strand too, it’s time for the next step.
Now we pull the last caught strand through the “thumb loop”.
This picture shows this step pretty well.
To finish the new stitch, gently draw out your thumb from the loop, and tighten the stitch a bit by pulling on the strands.
Next, position the yarn around your thumb and index finger again, but this time wrap it around the opposite way.
Rotate your left-hand upwards, while moving the right hand down again to form a “v” between your thumb and index finger again. Then, place the tip of the needle underneath the top strand of yarn you see going around your thumb.
Next, take the needle over the top of the strand of yarn going around your index finger, and dip below it from right to left.
Bring the needle back through the thumb loop…
…then drop the yarn from your thumb and tighten the stitch.
Repeat steps 2 to 12 as often as needed to arrive at the desired number of stitches.
This is my result working the Estonian cast-on:

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stitch pattern – slip stitch basket weave

Slip stitch basket weave by La Visch Designs

The slip stitch basket weave stitch pattern is a variation of 2 x 1 rib. It has strategically placed slip stitches, creating the horizontal threads that give this stitch pattern its lovely texture. Please keep in mind, that the above swatch is worked in an unblocked worsted weight acrylic. When this stitch pattern is knit in a yarn that blocks out nicely, say a wool or cotton yarn, it may look a tad different from how it looks like here.

This stitch pattern is worked as a multiple of 6 stitches + 5, and in an eight-row repeat. Please note that I’ve added 2 edge stitches in garter stitch on both sides of the swatch.

Materials used

Yarn: Paintbox Yarns Simply DK, a good value, good quality 100% acrylic yarn, in the color 128 Lime Green.

Knitting needles: This is a pair of straights that I picked up at the second-hand store when I started knitting, brand unknown.

Stitches used

k – knit
p – purl
sl1 wyif – slip 1 stitch purlwise with yarn in front.
sl1 wyib – slip 1 stitch purlwise with yarn in back.
st(s) – stitch(es)

Slip stitch basket weave instructions

Row 1 (RS): *P2, k1*; rep *–* to 2 sts before end, p2.
Row 2 (WS): K2, *p1, k2*; rep *-* to end.
Row 3: *P1, sl1 wyif 3 times, p1, k1*; rep *-* to 5 sts before end, p1, sl1 wyif 3 times, p1.
Row 4: K1, sl1 wyib 3 times, k1, *p1, k1, sl1 wyib 3 times, k1*; rep *-* to end.
Row 5: *P2, k1*; rep *-* to 2 sts before end, p2.
Row 6: K2, *p1, k2*; rep *-* to 3 sts before end, p1, k2.
Row 7: P2, k1, *p1, sl1 wyif 3 times, p1, k1*; rep *-* to 2 sts before end, p2.
Row 8: K2, *p1, k1, sl1 wyib 3 times, k1*; rep *-* to 3 sts before end, p1, k2.

Repeat rows 1-8 for pattern until desired length.

In the below pictures, you see the patterning first from the right, and then also from the wrong side of the fabric:

The below picture gives an impression on how this stitch pattern looks when used allover in a project.

stitch pattern – slip stitch basket weave Read More »

fixing damage in ready-made knitwear

Last week, I was approached by a colleague about fixing damage in a garment: she had bought this lovely gold knit cardigan. But when she came home, she found this large laddered down area at the back neck of the garment. She could, of course, bring it back to the store, but it was the very last one they had available in her size. So, she approached me to see if I could perhaps fix it.

I must admit that I’m not too keen on mending, in the sense that I don’t particularly enjoy the process of mending itself. The concept of mending, however, is something I very much endorse. One of the best ways to minimize your environmental footprint, is to make sure to maximize the lifespan of the products you use. When examining this particular garment, mending actually seemed doable because it was indeed regular knitting, and not some complex machine-knit tuck-stitch. And it gave me an opportunity to show you that sometimes ready-made knitwear can be fixed just as nicely as our hand knits can.

So, I gave it a go! In this post, I’ll show you exactly what I did.

Helpful materials

To start, it is pretty handy to have some tools available to make fixing the mistake easier. I used the following:

A circular knitting needle, in a smallish size. Here I used 2.5 mm.
A crochet hook.
Some pins.
A pillow.
A darning needle.
A ball of yarn in a somewhat matching weight and color.

In this fix, I also used some new yarn, because I noticed that the top edge of the garment was consisted of a single thread of yarn holding the live stitches of the back panel. What probably happened, is that the thread snapped near the right shoulder, releasing the stitches and enabling them to run down. I was lucky that the stitches were caught before they ran through the bit of garter stitch below the first lace panel. In other words: the upper edge really needs some reinforcement.

The pillow and pins were used to make sure that your work stays exactly where you need it to be. Also, it helps to see the mistake better when pinned out, instead of all scrunched up like lace tends to be before blocking.

On to the fixing!

To start, I first examined the work. The lace consists of some sort of patterning involving double yarn overs, as well as left- and right-leaning decreases. So, this is the patterning I somehow have to try to replicate.
Once had a picture on how to work the patterning back up, I pinned out my knitting on the pillow as described in this other post of mine, and followed the various steps using my circular needle. I ended up with the below situation.
It’s not perfect, but being on the back of the garment, I think it’s good enough.
Next, I used the new yarn to bind off these worked-up stitches using the crochet hook and a slip stitch bind-off.
Next, I continued reinforcing the rest of the back panel by edging it with a row of single crochet.
It’s a bit hard to see in the above picture, but the newly bound-off part is not as high and looks a bit different from the rest of the edge. So, I also worked a bit of single crochet over that part of the edge. Better!
Finally, I checked the garment for other potentially weak spots. And yes, I did find them… The shoulder seams were serged, but the finishing was such that the edges of the serged length were unraveling due to a lack of enough locking thread.
So, I fixed that too on both shoulder seams.

And there you have it, this is how I went about fixing damage in this garment! A fixed ready-made cardigan that can now at least be worn. I think my colleague will be happy!

fixing damage in ready-made knitwear Read More »

stitch pattern – Estonian button stitch

The Estonian button stitch is a lovely way to add texture to your knitting. It can be added as extra interest to a lace or cable pattern. Or, as pictured here, to spruce up otherwise plain stockinette fabric. While the instructions directly start with a button stitch row, it’s advised to insert 2 rows in stockinette before starting the patterning.

This stitch pattern is worked as a multiple of 6 stitches + 2, and in an eight-row repeat. Please note that I’ve added 2 edge stitches in garter stitch on both sides of the swatch.

Materials used

Yarn: Paintbox Yarns Simply DK, a good value, good quality 100% acrylic yarn, here in the color 155 Vintage Pink.

Needles: Needles: This is a pair of straights that I picked up at the second-hand store when I started knitting, brand unknown.

You will also need a cable needle in a size similar to that of your knitting needles

Stitches used

k – knit
p – purl
st(s) – stitch(es)

Estonian button stitch instructions

Row 1 (right side): K1, *k the next 3 sts onto the cable needle, move the working yarn behind the held stitches and wrap them with the yarn 4 times (behind the work from left to right, then move to the front and move from right to left). Slip the 3 stitches onto the right-hand needle, k3; rep from * to 1 st before end, k1.
Row 2 and all following wrong side rows: Purl.
Row 3: Knit.
Row 5: K1, *k3, k the next 3 sts onto the cable needle, move the working yarn behind the held stitches and wrap them with the yarn 4 times (again behind the work from left to right, then move to the front and move from right to left). Slip the 3 stitches onto the right-hand needle; rep from * to 1 st before end, k1.
Row 7: Knit.

Repeat rows 1-8 for pattern until desired length.

Below you can see how this stitch pattern looks, first as seen the from the right side, and then from the wrong side of the fabric.

stitch pattern – Estonian button stitch Read More »

tutorial – making a tassel

Yarn tassels are very easy and quick to make, and can be a lovely addition to your knitting project. You may have seen those lovely triangle shawls with a tassel added to each corner of the shawl. With just some yarn and a piece of cardboard, you can make a yarn tassel in only a few minutes! In this tutorial, I made my tassel with a DK weight yarn. You can, of course, also make your tassels with other weights of knitting yarn, but also with crochet thread, or embroidery floss. Do keep in mind that the thinner the yarn you’re using, the more times you would need to wrap the yarn for similar fatness of the resulting tassel.

Ok, let’s get started!

Materials

Yarn: Paintbox Yarns Simply DK, a good value, good quality 100% acrylic yarn, here in the colors 133 Marine Blue, and 142 Tea Rose.

A piece of cardboard. In this tutorial, I used a piece of about 7.5 x 10 cm (3 x 4″). You can adjust the length of your tassel by changing the size of the cardboard template. Cut a piece of cardboard about 2.5 cm (1″) taller than the height that you would like your finished tassel to be.

You will also need sharp scissors, and a darning needle. Pictured is a Hiya Hiya Darn It Yarn Needle.

Making a tassel step by step

Wind your yarn around the shortest part of the cardboard template.
In this example, I wrapped around 30 times for this tassel. When using thicker yarn, you may need to wind less times, or more when using a thinner yarn.
After the last wrap, cut off the yarn at the bottom of the cardboard.
Measure a separate piece of yarn, of approx. 25 cm (10″).
Next, thread the piece of yarn through the eye of the darning needle.
Insert the needle underneath threads at the top of your piece of cardboard.
Make a knot, but do not pull it tight yet.
Next, use the scissors to carefully cut the loops at the bottom of the cardboard.
Now tighten the knot, and make it a double knot. You can now remove the cardboard.
Next, take another length of yarn (approx. 25 cm / 10″) and wrap it tightly 4 tot 6 times around the tassel. Place it about 1.5 – 2 cm (3/4″) below the top. Make a double knot to make sure it doesn’t come undone.
Take your darning needle, and use it to pull the ends of the yarn you used to wrap around the tassel, behind the wraps.
This way, they become part of the tassel.
Now take your scissors again, and trim the ends of the tassel to make it nice and neat.

The results

And there you have it: a lovely tassel! It’s complete with a piece of yarn at the top, that you can use to sew it to your project!

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stitch pattern – poollehekiri half leaves stitch

The poollehekiri lace stitch pattern is Estonian in origin. Poollehekiri translates to “half leaves”. And that is literally how it’s constructed! If you take a look at the chart below, you can see that once the first row of leaves has been worked half, a new set of leaves is worked, offset to the first row. This way, interlocking chevrons are formed by the yarn overs. Please keep in mind, though, that the above swatch is worked in a worsted weight acrylic. When this stitch pattern is knit in a yarn that blocks out nicely, say a wool or cotton yarn, it opens up a lot more than it looks like here.

This stitch pattern is worked as a multiple of 12 stitches + 1, and in a twelve-row repeat. Please note that I’ve added 2 edge stitches in garter stitch on both sides of the swatch.

Materials used

Yarn: Paintbox Yarns Simply DK, a good value, good quality 100% acrylic yarn, in the color 128 Lime Green.

Knitting needles: This is a pair of straights that I picked up at the second-hand store when I started knitting, brand unknown.

Stitches used

k – knit
k2tog – knit 2 stitches together
p – purl
skp – slip a stitch knitwise, knit 1, pass the slipped stitch over.
st(s) – stitch(es)
yo – yarn over

Poollehekiri half leaves stitch instructions

Row 1 (right side): *K1, skp, k1, yo, k2tog, yo, k1, yo, skp, yo, k1, k2tog*; rep *–* to 1 st before end, k1.
Row 2 and all following wrong side rows: Purl.
Row 3: *K1, skp, k2, yo, k3, yo, k2, k2tog*; rep *–* to 1 st before end, k1.
Row 5: *K1, skp, k1, yo, k5, yo, k1, k2tog*; rep *-* to 1 st before end, k1.
Row 7: *K1, yo, skp, yo, k1, k2tog, k1, skp, k1, yo, k2tog, yo*; rep *-* to 1 st before end, k1.
Row 9: *K2, yo, k2, k2tog, k1, skp, k2, yo, k1*; rep *–* to 1 st before end, k1.
Row 11: *K3, yo, k1, k2tog, k1, skp, k1, yo, k2*; rep *–* to 1 st before end, k1.

Repeat rows 1-12 for pattern until desired length.

In the below pictures, you see the patterning first from the right, and then also from the wrong side of the fabric:

Poollehekiri (half leaves) stitch from the RS

Poollehekiri (half leaves) stitch from the WS

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tutorial – making a spliced join

Making a spliced join - by La Visch Designs

When making a bigger project, chances are that you’ll have to join a new ball of yarn. There are multiple ways to approach this, also depending on the type of yarn. For a non-super wash wool, for example, I’ll probably go for a felted join. In a project with a smooth and slippery yarn like cotton, I would most likely choose a braided join or a Russian join. But what about the spliced join this tutorial is about?

The spliced join is very similar to the Russian join, in the sense that a needle is used to thread the yarn through the end of the new piece of yarn. The difference, however, is that in the spliced join the yarn is not looped back. Because of this, it’s a join that less suited for the very slippery yarns. Yarns that have some texture and “grip” to them, will work splendidly, though. Similar to the Russian join, the spliced join locally produces a thicker thread. However, this does not need to be a problem, because it’s often not very visible.

Materials

Yarn: Paintbox Yarns Simply DK, a good value, good quality 100% acrylic yarn, here in the colors 133 Marine Blue, and 142 Tea Rose.

Darning needle: Pictured is a Hiya Hiya Darn It Yarn Needle. Please note that in the tutorial, I used a sharper darning needle, to make threading it through the yarn easier.

The spliced join step by step

In this example, I have used yarn in two different colors to illustrate how this method works.

Thread the yarn end from the first ball through the eye of the needle.
Zigzag with the needle through the end of the thread attached to your project, for approximately 5 to 6 centimeters (about 2 inches).
Make sure to do that about 10-15 cm (4 to 6 inches) from the end.
Pull the needle with its attached yarn through the other thread.
After that, you can remove the yarn from the needle.
Next, thread the yarn from the other tail through the eye of the needle.
Now zigzag back with the needle through the second thread for about 5 to 6 centimeters (about 2 inches).
Start at the point where the other “doubled up yarn section” ended.
Pull the yarn through, and gently tug on both ends to pull the yarn smooth.
The result of the spliced join!

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