Knitting While Horseback Riding

Who says it can't be done?! I knitted two socks at a time on this fantastic fall trail ride in Aspen. Just tie your reigns up to the saddle horn and go! But seriously, having my hands occupied on an easy knitting project really helps me enjoy and appreciate things that move slowly, like the Colorado scenery. Here's a 20-second video for your entertainment!

My sister, Kate Howe, was our trail guide and camerawoman.

Want to be able to knit while horseback riding?

• To see how you can learn to knit two socks at a time, click here!
• To learn how to knit without looking, visit this post. 

How To Knit Backwards And When To Do It

Want a faster way to turn a heel? KNITFreedom is all about better, faster and easier, and this technique is one of my favorites. This video comes as a bonus in my sock video e-books, and I wanted to share it with you here.

Knowing how to knit (well, purl, really) backwards is optional, but take a look and see if you feel comfortable trying it on your next sock heel. It will save you a lot of time because if you know how to do it, you don’t have to turn your work back and forth every row.

In this video I show you the American and Continental way to purl backwards

This technique is very useful in Entrelac knitting, where you constantly have to turn your work after only a few stitches, and, of course, in turning any sock heels or doing any kind of short-rows.

Yay! In only five minutes, you've learned to purl backwards and added another skill to your bag of tricks!

If you enjoyed this video tutorial, you might also like

• "Learn To Knit Continental-Style In One Evening"
• "Messing Up Gracefully: How To Un-Knit And Get Unraveled Stitches Back On Your Needles”
• “Speed Up Your Knitting! Avoid These Top Ten Mistakes That Will Slow You Down”

It's Time To Knit! Knitted Clock Pattern

When I couldn't find the perfect wall clock anywhere, I decided to knit my own! Thank you to all of the Ravelers who requested this pattern - here you go! Please pardon the pattern slang -- if you don't understand something, please leave a comment.

Knitted Wall Clock

Materials:

Yarn: Fingering-weight (sock yarn) in three colors: MC, CC1, and CC2 (shown in photo: ShiBui Knits Sock)

Needles: US Size 1 (40" circulars for Magic Loop or DPNs)

Other:

Scissors, tapestry needle

Purchased clock parts (find at Michael's, ~ $7.00)

A flat piece of cardboard, cut into a 7.5-inch-diameter circle

A flat piece of cardboard, cut into a 1/2-inch ring with an inner diameter of 7.5 inches and an outer diameter of 8.5 inches

Nail polish or paint to match CC2. 

Fabric glue.

Finished size: 8.5 inches in diameter

Notes: The numbers are duplicate-stitched on. Use a DARKER color for the numbers, and a light color for the background.

Pattern instructions: Using MC and working back-and-forth following the chart below, knit a flat circle. Slip the 1st st of each row to leave a smoother edge. Do a YO, K2TOG right in the middle of the chart to put the clock part through (this is not on the chart).

Increase stitches to follow the chart by casting on the additional stitches at the beginning or end of each row (however you prefer). When it's time to decrease the number of stitches at the top of the circle, bind off the specified number of stitches at the beginning of each row.

After you create the circle (the "blank" face of the clock), pick up and knit all around the circle, and using Magic Loop, work in St St for a few rounds. Cut a long tail and thread it through all the live sts, so you can cinch the fabric over a circular piece of cardboard.

Using CC1, duplicate stitch the numbers on. Don't weave in ANY tails. They'll be hidden.

Block the clock face and put it on the round cardboard, cinching the tail tight. Tie off.

Using CC2 and Magic Loop or DPNs, CO 12 sts and work in St st in the round for 22-24 inches (however far it is around the cardboard ring). Cut the ring cardboard ring and slide the tube onto it. Tape the ring shut and using a tapestry needle, use the tail of yarn to graft the sts on the needles to the CO edge of the knitted ring.

Using fabric glue, attach the knitted border to the edge of the clock face.

Using nail polish or paint to match CC2, paint the purchased clock hands. Paint with white nail polish first, if you think it will help the CC show up better.

Assemble clock movement and insert batteries.

Hang on wall.

Be awesome!

Knitted Clock Chart -

If you liked this free pattern, you might also enjoy

• Free Pattern and Instructional Video: Key Cozy!
• Free Pattern: Bulky Cabled Legwarmers with Buttons
• “Speed Up Your Knitting!" Avoid These Top Ten Mistakes That Will Slow You Down

"Avoid The Terrible Tangles: Tips For Knitting Two-At-A-Time"

You've just learned the awesome technique of knitting two-at-a-time. But now you've got a tangled mess of yarn wrapped around your cable needles and hopelessly fused in your knitting bag. That's okay! I'll show you how to prevent your yarn from EVER tangling again. Remember, Two-at-a-Time is supposed to be better and easier! If it's not more magical in every way, I'll show you how to fix whatever's going on.

So: here's how to keep your balls of yarn from tangling when knitting 2-at-a-time:

The trick is to keep one strand of yarn to the front and the other to the back. Make sure you place your balls of yarn on either side of you! The key moment for keeping the yarns untangled is during "the switch."

Yay! Now you can knit two socks at a time without even breaking a (mental) sweat. Enjoy your newfound yarn serenity!

If you liked this video tutorial, you might also enjoy

• “It's Finally Here! The Most Complete Magic Loop Video Course Ever”
• "How to Knit Toe-Up Socks the Fastest and Easiest Way”
• “Speed Up Your Knitting! Avoid These Top Ten Mistakes That Will Slow You Down”

"Speed Up Your Knitting! Avoid These Top Ten Mistakes That Will Slow You Down"

Is the way you are knitting slowing you down? Almost every knitter I’ve taught has ingrained habits that make their knitting harder and slower. These problems are hard to recognize and fix on your own - after all, you’re used to them!

Once you learn to streamline your knitting style, you will be easily knitting all the projects in your queue, free from stress and hand-strain. Since I love to help people knit more easily, I created a video e-book course that guides you through the Top Ten mistakes that knitters make that slow them down. Whether you knit American or Continental style, these videos will help you become a Knitting Superstar!

What you’ll learn in the video e-book:

• How to hold your needles and yarn for faster knitting
• How to keep track of your rows and stitches without writing anything down
• How to tension your yarn to ease hand-strain - American OR Continental-style
• The top mistakes that knitters make and how to correct them,
• and MANY more tips and tricks

Sample page from "Increase Your Knitting Speed"

What is a video e-book?

• It’s a written book with videos integrated into the lessons
• The videos stream from the Internet, so you can download the book instantly
• The streaming videos save your computer’s hard-drive space
• You get a front-row view of everything you need to learn
• The full-page videos play right in your book

I have developed this course over the past ten years of teaching knitting at yarn stores across the country. My classes average in price from $20-$35. The flight to Salt Lake City is $350! But when you instantly download the video e-book, you get the entire course on your computer, to watch and learn at your own pace.

You get a way better view than you do in my classes, plus you can pause it anytime! With 10-25 videos per course, this is a great resource. I’ve decided to introduce my “Knit Faster! American or Continental-Style” course at LESS THAN HALF the price of an average class - just $8.77.

Since I want you to LOVE your knitting experience, try my e-ebook and if you don’t love it and tell all your friends, I’ll give you your money back and help you find a way to get the resources that work for you.

Would you like to watch a sample video? This tip didn’t make it into the ebook, but it’s a great way to speed up your knitting instantly. Check it out!

My high-resolution videos are full-page width and stream instantly from the web


This is a guaranteed course - if you don't find yourself being able to knit faster and easier, I'll give you a full refund for up to one year from your purchase date, AND I'll personally help you find the resources that will work for you.

Download this fascinating new tutorial and get started knitting faster today!

Video E-Book - Downloading & Viewing Instructions

• Save the document to your desktop.
• Open it using the latest version of Adobe Reader.
• You must be connected to the Internet to watch the videos.

Reader will ask your permission to access the websites with the videos stored on them.

• Check the box "Remember my preferences for this site"
• Click "Allow." Reader will ask your permission a few times initially, and then you won't have to give it again.

For a pleasant viewing experience, go to VIEW, select PAGE DISPLAY, and select SINGLE PAGE - CONTINUOUS. This will let the PDF scroll as though it is one long page, and will be MUCH easier to read.

E-Book Sneak Peek: Stretchy Bind-Offs 101

I couldn't help but give you a sneak peek of my toe-up socks video e-book. My favorite technique? The stretchy, invisible, hemmed-edge of the...

Invisible Ribbed Bind-Off.

You need a stretchy bind-off so you can get your foot into your toe-up sock. Watch the complete video tutorial for binding off two toe-up socks.... and go forth and bind off!

And to accompany your binding-off, here's an illustration that has proved to be really helpful for some of my students.

Invisible Ribbed Bind-off Illustration-2 -

Free Pattern: Moebius Duet!

This unique felted moebius bowl pattern is the product of three generations of moebius bowls - inspired originally by Somersaulting Rim Bowl by Cat Bordhi. This pattern is fun and slightly challenging - bet you’ve never done a moebius with five twists before!


The directions come with video and photograph tutorials to aid your moebius adventure. These bowls are fun to make in the summer since you don’t wear them, and once you get the hang of it, you can start giving them as gifts! This duo of moebius bowls will rock your knitting world!

• Makes 2 felted bowls
• Learn to knit a moebius!
• Use one skein of chunky yarn in 2 colors
• KNITFreedom video tutorials

Materials Needed:

   Yarn: 150 yards bulky-weight yarn in two colors

   Needles: One 47-inch-long circular needle US size 15. Optional: One 16-inch-long circular needle US size 15 and one set of 5 DPNs size 15.