If you are knitting in the round, attach the new yarn in a place that will be less visible later when you wear it. If you want to knit color changes over just a few rows, you can take the different colored yarn up along the edge without having to attach it anew with each change.

Color change in rows

A common pitfall even for experienced knitters is changing colors. It happens again and again that old threads are always cut off when changing colors. If you knit a lot of color stripes, sewing the threads together at the end can quickly be your undoing. Instead, leave the old thread hanging and bring it up along the edge of the work. Decide for yourself how many rows you find this procedure acceptable - it is a matter of personal taste, there are no fixed rules.

If you knit two colors alternately and only a few rows at a time, you can let the yarn you don't need run along the edge.

This way, you don't have to cut it off every time you change color and you don't have to sew countless threads at the end of the work.

The raised thread is of course slightly visible at the edge. However, if you have crossed the threads carefully and always according to the same principle, this is hardly noticeable in the end.

Color change in rounds

When changing colors in rounds, unattractive color steps (so-called "steps") occur during the round change, which you can prevent with the following trick.

Knit the first round with the new color.

At the beginning of the second round, lift the stitch from the previous row that lies under the first stitch up onto the left needle ...

... and knit it together with the first stitch of the second round.

When changing colors in rounds, you can also bring the unused thread on the back up with you. In this case, the color changes can even take place less frequently. Cross the
threads in each round to prevent loops on the back.

If you have used up a ball of yarn or want to start a new color, make sure to leave both ends of the yarn at least 10 cm long so that you can sew them together more easily later.

Leave the thread hanging and sew it up later

Join the new yarn to the previous yarn with a light knot. Push this knot to the beginning of the row and continue knitting with the new yarn. Later, undo the knot and sew both yarns together at the edge of the knitted fabric (see illustration).
If you are knitting in the round, there is no edge. In this case, change the yarn in a place that will be less visible later.

There are various ways to find out whether the remaining yarn in the current ball of yarn is still sufficient for another row. Lay the piece of knitting flat on the table and pass the remaining yarn back and forth 4 times along the row to be knitted. If it is long enough, you should be able to knit another row. However, more complicated patterns may use more yarn.

Alternative: Mark the remaining thread in the middle with a light (detachable!) knot and knit a row. If you have not yet reached the knot at the end of the row, you can safely knit another row. Otherwise, attach the new ball of yarn.

Russian thread attachment / splicing of yarns

For the Russian thread attachment, place the two threads around each other. Anchor the end of one thread in the middle of the same thread with a pointed needle ...

... and then cut off the end. This method is suitable for thin, multi-strand wool yarns.

For heavier yarns, untwist the twisted threads of both ends and thin them out a little by cutting off some of the threads. Lay the two thinned threads on top of each other and twist them together until the fibers have interlocked.

This method is best suited for yarns with wool content.

Knit or weave in yarn ends

If you want to knit in the old yarn end, attach the new yarn and knit it over ...

... a few stitches in two threads together with the previous thread. Then cut off the end of the old thread.

Weaving in is more advantageous for threads of different colors.

Knit the next stitches with the new color alternately under and over the old yarn.

In this way, you weave in the old thread.

The old thread of a different color disappears in the stitch definition.

It is inevitable that, even with the utmost concentration, you will occasionally knit yourself up or drop stitches from the needles. The most important tip in this context is: learn to "read" the stitches and rows). Then it will be easy for you to correct mistakes without too much effort. For more complicated patterns, also knit a "rescue thread" at regular intervals.

Rescue dropped stitches in a right-hand row

If a stitch has slipped off the needle in a row of knit stitches, briefly lift the stitch from the row below onto the left needle.

Pull the cross thread through and then place the saved stitch back on the left needle.

The right stitch leg must be in front again!

Rescue dropped stitches in a purl row

Rescue a dropped stitch in a purl row as follows: Insert the right needle from behind into the stitch underneath.

Lift it onto the left needle and pull the front cross thread through.

This forms the saved stitch, which you can then lift back onto the left needle.

Sometimes stitches fall down more than one row, or you may discover a single mistake a few rows down in the knitting. In this case, you do not have to undo several rows. Simply drop the stitch that is exactly above the mistake to the point where the mistake is and then use a crochet hook to work your way back up the ladder of cross threads. It's so easy - you'll be amazed!

Crochet stitches up in a knit row

To restore knit stitches, place the corresponding cross thread behind the stitch.

Insert the crochet hook into the stitch from the front and pull the cross thread through. Work your way up this way, cross thread by cross thread, as if on a ladder.

Crochet stitches up in a purl row

To make purl stitches again, place the corresponding cross thread in front of the stitch, insert the crochet hook into the stitch from behind and pull the cross thread through.

In this way, work your way up crosswise thread by crosswise thread as if on a ladder. Of course, you can also simply turn the work and crochet knit stitches up to save dropped purl stitches: Purl stitches appear on the back as knit stitches.

If you have knitted yourself into a row, simply knit the stitches back by inserting the left needle from front to back into the stitch under the first stitch of the right needle (i.e. taking this stitch back onto the left needle) and then pulling out the working yarn.

Dribble on several rows

If you have knitted several rows, insert a knitting needle from right to left into a row further down and simply separate the stitches above by pulling out the working yarn.

Once you have understood the principles of picking up stitches, it is easy to optimize knitted pieces that are too short or too long. To do this, insert a knitting needle into a row/round, separate the row(s)/round(s) above and bind off the stitches (to shorten) or continue knitting in rows and rounds until the desired length is reached.

You can use the gauge swatch to determine very precisely how your knitting pattern will actually look and feel in the selected yarn. Many knitters have less yarn tension in purl rows than in knit rows. This varies depending on the yarn, which you can see very clearly from your gauge swatch. When knitting back and forth rows, this leads to stripes in the knitting pattern: the purl stitches are usually knitted much looser than the knit stitches.

You can eliminate this unevenness by ...

• ... either knits with two different needle sizes.
• ... pay particular attention to the yarn tension in purl rows and consciously tighten the working yarn after each stitch.
• ... knit the purl stitches the wrong way round and the knit stitches crossed.

You can recognize unevenly knitted back and forth rows by the unevenly wide rows, especially on the back (wrong side) of plain knitted pieces.

Irregularities in the thread tension are particularly visible on the reverse side. Try out different variations of the thread position to achieve the most even and attractive row pattern possible.

Note

The problem of varying yarn tension can result from different working postures or knitting speeds. You may knit more relaxed on vacation than on business trips or in between.

Stitch markers are used to mark special areas during knitting. They can either be placed on the needle, i.e. between two stitches, or directly on a single stitch.

They are used to ...

• ...the start of the round,
• ...the front of a knitted piece,
• ...supply or take-off points,
• ...the beginning, the middle and /or the end
• of a sample set

If stitch markers are placed between two stitches, i.e. hung on the needle, they are always lifted from left to right in the following rows.

If you want to mark a pattern point in the knitted fabric, simply attach a marker to the corresponding stitch.

Especially when knitting more complicated patterns, but also if you are simply not yet too practiced at "reading" the stitches and correcting possible mistakes afterwards, it is worth threading or knitting in a so-called "lifeline" (also known as an "auxiliary thread" or "life line") from time to time.

The rescue yarn can be pulled in later with a wool needle. However, as this procedure requires you to actually recognize a specific row, it may be easier to knit the thread in directly or pull it through a row of stitches that have just been knitted before a mistake is made.

If necessary, undo the knitted fabric above the rescue thread
so that you can later simply pick up the secured stitches
with a needle by following the course of the thread.
following the course of the thread.

It is often recommended to correct errors by pulling in an auxiliary yarn underneath the error that has occurred, up to which the yarn can then be unraveled. However, it becomes problematic when a pattern is so complicated that it is virtually impossible for inexperienced knitters to pull in an auxiliary thread.

It is therefore worth inserting auxiliary threads at regular intervals as a precautionary measure. For more complicated patterns and cables, you can simply pull a thread through the stitches on the needle from time to time.

Fine stitch tip

There are needle cords with slits just below the needle base. These slits are intended to draw in threads during knitting. The holes for tightening the screw connection between the rope and needle on needle systems are also suitable for this purpose.

Pockets, buttonholes or even heels and thumbs can be worked onto your knitted fabric in a very simple way. To do this, the corresponding part of the knitted piece must be prepared beforehand so that the stitches can be picked up and processed later.

This is particularly advantageous if the actual knitted piece is worked in an intricate pattern and knitting pockets etc. at the same time would disrupt the pattern. But even with simple, plain knitted pieces, this type of subsequent knitting in is very easy to achieve, especially for beginners.

Knitting in an auxiliary yarn can be useful for knitting pockets, buttonholes, heels, etc.

Attach an auxiliary thread of the same yarn weight in a different color and use it to knit the stitches over which the buttonhole, pocket or heel is to be worked later. Leave the original working yarn hanging, do not cut it!

All straight stitches are then lifted back onto the left needle ...

... and knit once more (this time with the working yarn).

Once you have worked a sufficient distance above the point, you can carefully remove the auxiliary thread stitch by stitch.

Pick up the stitches at the top and bottom with two needles.

You can continue working over these stitches later.

Fine stitch tip

Due to the offset (this is created by picking up the knitted stitches at the bottom and the loops between the knitted stitches at the top), one stitch less is picked up at the top. If an even number of stitches is required, this missing stitch can simply be knitted on.

From time to time, you may have to "set aside" a certain number of stitches for a while. This means that the stitches are saved, i.e. explicitly not cast off, so that they can be picked up again at a later time and worked on again. For example, when knitting a sweater "top-down", i.e. from the top down, the sleeve stitches are often set aside after a while. The body part is completed and only then are the sleeves knitted on. In this case, pull a thread of approximately the same yarn weight (in a contrasting color for the sake of clarity) through the stitches on the needle and secure it by tying a knot. Later, pass the needle back through the stitches that have been set aside and remove the yarn on which the stitches were "parked", stitch by stitch.

Note

The yarn should not be too thin for the cast-off, as otherwise the stitches could tighten considerably, making it difficult to pick them up again later.

Pass the stitch latch (or alternatively a different colored thread) through the stitches on the needle ...

... and at the same time removes the knitting needle and closes it.

Tip

So-called stitch latchers are useful auxiliary tools for closing smaller numbers of stitches. In this case, they replace the thread. However, they are not suitable for long stretches with a large number of stitches.

Especially during the vacation season, we often get the question: "Can you take your knitting project with you on the plane?" These are our tips (without guarantee, of course):

• Use wooden pins instead of metal pins - and especially not your most valuable Nadal model.
• If there is any trouble because of the needles, have a stitch holder rope to hand. This way you can stop your project if you have to hand in the needles.
• It's also best to put a pair of spare needles in your checked suitcase. If you have to hand in the needles from your hand luggage, you can continue knitting on vacation.
• Do not pack scissors in your hand luggage.

So far, it has worked for us in most cases. However, there are airlines that expressly do not allow knitting needles. Ultimately, however, the airport and the security staff are the deciding factors.