One of the Guild’s main purposes is to further skills and inspire creativity for knitting and crochet. Our members are enthusiasts and experts who are happy to share their knowledge and experience with others who love these crafts and want to learn more.
On-line resources are often the first port of call for advice and information for many. YouTube has a wide range of how-to videos to help with a huge range of topics and Ravelry is a free site for knitters and crocheters and is quick and easy to join, once you have why not come and find us by searching under Groups for kcg and join in the discussion.
Meanwhile here are some tips from our members – don’t forget to let us know using our contact form if you’d like to share your ideas.
Some top tips from Poppy Scott
Use a craft lap tray
Which sits comfortably on the lap, due to a soft bean-bag cushion underneath. These trays are available with a circular slot for a mug or cup, which is also suitable for small items such as safety pins. Also a long narrow slot, ideal for knitting needles, crochet hooks, pencils and small scissors.
Use a magnetic board
Which can be placed under a pattern, with magnetic strips on top which keep the pattern in place whilst serving as place markers.
Photocopy patterns or magazines
The print can often be small and appear grey in colour rather than black, making it difficult to read. To compensate for this, photocopy each page and the print comes out much darker and more easily readable.
Note: If you are unable to read the original because of size or lack of contrast, making a copy is likely to be considered fair use on accessibility grounds. Remember that you must not pass on photocopies to anyone else (for any reason), and if you have made copies you must destroy them before passing on the original document.
Some tips from Hilary Grundy
Do take the time to make a tension square
Most disasters can be avoided by taking the time to work your tension square, block it and take note of the number of stitches and number of rows in a 10cm (4inch) square and the needle size used to produce it. We have a page giving more advice on tension squares for hand knitting.
Make a cardboard template of the shape you want the garment/object
You can buy craft cardboard from stationers and glue onto it dressmakers’ squared paper (Dunelm) on which you can outline your design. You may need several pieces sellotaped together, but this makes storage easier as it can be folded to A4 size. You can then lay your project against the template to check that all is going to plan.
Write down everything you do
Record the details of your tension square, the details of the yarn being used, including shade and dyelot – just in case you need to buy more and the ball bands have been thrown away.
Take time to check sizing if knitting in the round
Be brave and take the knitting onto a spare length of yarn, or transfer stitches to a couple of circular needles and try the garment on.
Do I have enough yarn to get to the end of this row?
If you can lay the yarn across the remainder of the row, back and forth, 4 times in total you’ll have sufficient to get to the end of the row.
