Knot Knecessarily Known Knitting

In the pattern I wrote "jp" for "joined picot." This maneuver combines both the picot and the joined ssk, so please be sure to watch both of those videos first and work those techniques a few times so you feel familiar and confident.   This maneuver appears in only one row of the pattern. If you like, you can just work a regular joined ssk instead, but I noticed the missing picot in the selvedge. Basically, you'll set-up the two stitches to be joined, work most of the picot, then finish the join, then finish the picot. By the time you get to this row of the pattern you will have knit many picots and made many joins, so this really shouldn't give you a lot of trouble.

In the pattern I wrote "jssk" for "joined ssk." You'll need to rearrange some stitches so you can work a left-leaning decrease that will join the triangular and square sections of the scarf as you knit. The joined ssk is worked at the beginning of certain wrong-side rows. For those of you who are very clever and know how to combination knit, you can reverse-wrap the last stitch of the right-side row. When you turn, that stitch will already be turned and facing east, so all you will have to do is slip the other stitch over. This will save you a wee bit of time and effort.

In the pattern, I simply wrote "fh" for "fill hole." You'll make the holes on the right-side rows, then fill them in on the wrong-side rows. Notice that this technique could be used for different-sized holes. The ones in Bootkicked involve binding off five stitches. Whatever size you use, be sure to bind off an odd number of stitches on the make hole element because the fill hole element is (knit, yarn over) repeated as many times as you need, ending with knit. So the fill hole will always be an odd number of stitches.

In the pattern, I simply wrote "mh" for "make hole." There are other ways to make holes, but I particularly liked this version from Lucy Neatby. If you want to try this technique to make other sizes of holes, be aware you should bind off an odd number of stitches. It is easy to bind off any number you like, but when restoring the stitches on the following row, it will be easier if you are restoring an odd number rather than an even number. This is because you restore the stitches by working some variation of (k yo k) or (k yo k yo k) or (k yo k yo k yo k) into the large hole. While you could work (k yo) or (k yo k yo) or (k yo k yo k yo), I suspect ending with a knit stitch rather than a yarn over will be tidier.

Bootkicked is an intermediate level scarf. You'll be doing three or four things at once: shaping (triangles or squares) pattern (half-drop holes separated by three ridges of garter stitch) edging (picots) joining motifs as you go None of these things are difficult, per se. But all of them are probably a little more interesting than your usual knitting. So over the next few days I'll be posting five short videos to show you clearly the odd little steps to this strange little dance. First up: Picot Edging Be aware that in the pattern, I simply wrote "mp" for "make picot." There are a lot of different ways to make a picot, and you can do what I did or something you like better or you can just delete the picots entirely. Picots are made by casting on stitches and then binding them off immediately. In Bootkicked, you'll always be casting on and binding off three stitches, but you can do more or fewer to make your picots longer/larger or shorter/s...

This final video shows you how to Kitchener graft garter stitch. Most people learn Kitchener stitch just enough to graft sock toes closed in stockinette. Garter stitch is trickier, because one side of the graft is knit and the other side is purl. I like to think this video will make it easier for you to seam your Tetra beautifully with a graft. You might also be able to seam your Tetra instead with a combination of mattress stitch and garter stitch seam, similar to what you might do on a Baby Surprise Jacket. Whatever you decide to do, try to avoid a seam that would be thick or that would take fabric into a seam allowance. The fun of a Tetra is that you can fold it into lots of other shapes. I suspect it will fold less easily and be less comfortable to sit upon if you have thick seams in your blanket.

This second video also deals with the selvedge. Changing colors every other row (i.e. every right-side row) is a common knitting technique. Not only can you make stripes without breaking the yarn and weaving in lots of ends, but you can also blend two similar colorways of different dye lots when you are using hand painted yarns. Since there are two strands, you have a choice of which way to move your yarns when you change color. In this video, I show you both options. Choose what you like best. Tomorrow: How to graft garter stitch.

The Tetra Stadium Blanket isn't a terribly difficult knit. After all, most of it is garter stitch. This means you can knit on it throughout the sport season, and have your blanket finished and ready for the post season. While you can make it in more than two colors, the two color style is perfect for incorporating the colors of your team. This is a good gift knit, provided you have the time and don't mind the yarn commitment. You can give it to a man who starts each day with ESPN, or you can make it in baby colors and give it to new parents. This first video is how to work what Fleegle has called a vertical lifeline. Basically, you trap a piece of waste yarn, or a circular needle, or a cable from an interchangeable needle in your yarn as you turn to knit back. Tomorrow: How to change colors every other row (i.e. every right-side row).