Still More Tools for Your Knitting Toolbox!

It’s unusual to find someone who is a bona fide expert at both knitting and crochet, but one such person is Lily Chin. Though perhaps better known for her work in Tunisian and mosaic crochet, Lily is no slouch when it comes to knitting tips. She brings her expertise to viewers in The Knitter’s Toolbox, now available as an online streaming workshop.

A smorgasbord of knitterly information, this workshop features more than 50 knitting tips and tricks, from casting on to binding off. Even cooler, Lily provides back-up techniques if you flub the first ones. Need to cast on 500 stitches? She’ll show you how to calculate enough yarn, but if you end up a bit short, she has an ingenious method to add those remaining stitches without ripping out.

Need to check gauge? (This is a rhetorical question. Of course you need to check gauge.) Lily shows a few methods, from hang-blocking your swatch (very important for saggy fibers like cotton and silk), to accurately counting stitches in fuzzy yarns. With mohair making a return, this is invaluable information.

Lost the label to a skein of yarn and want to know if it’s an animal fiber? Try the burn test! It sounds scary, but Lily will show you how to do it safely.

Want your knitting to look better, but don’t feel like doing anything fancy? Lily hits her stride while sticking to the basics: joining yarns invisibly, changing colors, and working decreases in an exceptionally tidy manner.

My personal a-ha! moment came when she demonstrated working a 3 needle bind-off. Using a crochet hook transforms a fiddly and irritating task into one that is smooth and satisfying, giving you that ramrod-straight seam without any struggle.

The Knitter’s Toolbox is now a streamable workshop you can watch at your own pace—anywhere, anytime, on any device. Want more bang for you buck? Subscribe to Interweave’s online workshops and tackle new techniques without leaving the house. For $9.99 a month, you can binge-watch to your heart’s content.

Knit, crochet, spin, weave—hone a craft or learn a new one. Watch videos from great instructors and access and download plenty of supporting materials such as charts, photos, and worksheets. Interact with other students via our chat boards, and post your finished assignments to a shared gallery so others can see your work.

We’re adding new workshops every month, so why not sign up today?

Never stop learning,

Allison

Want to learn more? Check out these resources: