Monday 20 April 2015

So Clever… So Easy!

It was great to get everyone's replies on the previous post, thank you!  You know the green socks?  Well, they had been on the needle for so long that I couldn't even remember how I cast them on.  So I started searching for toe-up cast-on methods (already thinking of the next pair) and decided to try the Turkish cast-on… what a revelation!  So easy, so clever.  I love it.


Makes a perfectly invisible start to the toe shaping, it all looks seamless and is easy to execute in my opinion.  I also found a new way to increase which I'd not used before:  knitting into the stitch below and then into the following stitch to increase one.  Looks nice.  Also easier to do than picking up the strand between two stitches and knitting into the back of it or knitting front and back into the same stitch which makes a little bump at the base of the new stitch.

I love finding out new tricks and techniques.  Don't you?  I feel so lucky to have ALL that information available at my fingertips (thank you internet!)... just a few clicks… and you can discover all sorts of new things you never knew existed.  Isn't it amazing?

Best wishes,
Frivole

11 comments:

  1. It is amazing to be able to learn so many new techniques. Turkish cast on? Hmmm, I must investigate!

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    1. I highly recommend it Jane. Just wrap your thread around both needles half the number of times as required stitches (i.e.. if you need to start with 24 stitches all together, you wrap the yarn around your needles 12 times which will make 12 stitches on each needle when you're done) then you just knit the wraps off one needle, turn around, do the same with the other needle and that's it. Neat and tidy. Easy to do. :-)

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  2. Wow, your post has so many new tips and techniques that need checking out, especially with the evidence right there in the form of your perfect WIP sock !!!
    Thanks for sharing :-)

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    1. My pleasure Muskaan… I get so excited when I find new stuff I like that I always want to share my discoveries! I know many people (knitters) will know this technique already but it was new to me!

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    2. I just read about the Turkish cast on on knittingabout.com . But now I have to figure out with DPNs ... or else buy a good set of circular needles -- I really Am tempted after reading your recent posts ;-)

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  3. I've read about the Turkish cast on, but haven't tried it. It's nice to know it works so well! That yarn makes me want to break out my knitting needles!

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  4. Have you heard of "Judy's magic cast-on"? That is another really good one and it all sorts of uses. There's a whole book about it! Youtube, of course, has some great videos showing how to do it, including one by Judy Becker herself. I'd love to hear what you think of it...

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    1. Thank you Megan, I have tried it since making this blogpost and it's fab too. I must write about it soon.

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  5. Not heard of the Turkish cast on, I have been knitting since I was three, yes mother taught me to keep me quite. They say. You learn something every day so here's mine today. I usually increase stitches knitting into one stitch making two. It depends on the pattern if I knit into the stitch or pick up the loop between for me. I also increase at the beginning of the rows by knitting into the first stitch making two stitches.
    Must go and have a look at the Turkish method
    Margaret

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  6. The Turkish cast on is absolutely fantastic! Thanks very much.

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    1. My pleasure Jane. I'm glad you like it. You should also try Judy's Magic Cast-on. I tried it after this one but have not had time to make another blogpost yet. Clever though, isn't it? I love how you can start with a "closed end" like that.

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