Tips, Tricks, and Techniques

[Jejune]

I'm going to try to catalog some of our best links to helpful tutorials and the like, so if there's something you want added, let me know.

The Basics
Learn to Knit (http://www.learntoknit.com/)
Knitting Help (http://www.knittinghelp.com/)
Lion Brand Learn to Knit (http://learntoknit.lionbrand.com/)

Fancy Stuff
Cabling Without a Cable Needle (http://www.grumperina.com/cables.htm)
Seamless Cap Sleeves from the Top Down (http://pearlknitpurl.blogspot.com/2006/04/sleeves-from-top-down.html)
Short Rows (http://knitty.com/ISSUEsummer03/FEATbonnetric.html)
Japanese Short Rows (http://nonaknits.typepad.com/nonaknits/2005/04/japanese_short_.html)
Twined Knitting (http://www.knitty.com/issuewinter05/FEATwin05TT.html)

[Jejune]

Since all of the knitting slang can get a little heavy, I thought I'd list some of the more commonly used terms here. I don't know that they'll be used a lot on Spiffy Moms, but you're bound to run into them if you spend any time looking at online knitting sites. And the Muggles may want to know what we're talking about.

DP/DPNs: Double pointed needles
FO: Finished object
Frog: Unravel - it comes from the weird fact that "rip it" sounds like "ribbit"
KAL: Knit-along, which is when several people knit the same item as a group
KIP: Knit in public
LYS: Local yarn store
Muggle: Non knitter
SEX: Stash enrichment expedition
Stash: Personal collection of yarn
Stitches: Major knitting conference put on around the United States by Knitter’s Magazine
Tink: Unraveling fabric stitch by stitch (it’s knit spelled backward)
UFO: Unfinished object
WIP: Work in progress


If I've missed any, please let me know.

[hillsturner]

I'm not a knitter, but I love needlework crafts i.e. embroidery, cross stitch.... so, I started reading a series of books called the Needlecraft Mysteries, by Monica Ferris. I've really enjoyed them and anyone else who has a knowledge of needlecrafts might enjoy them too. The name of the shop in the book is Crewel World.