Get Knooking E-Book

Laura Strutt

• Herausgeber: CICO Books
• Kategorie: Lebensstil
• Sprache: Englisch
• Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2019

Beschreibung

Everything you need to know to create 35 fantastic knitted projects using a crochet hook. Get Knooking also includes a free bamboo knooking hook (size 4mm) and a cord so you can start right away. A great introduction to the new trend in yarn craft, Get Knooking is perfect for beginners, as well as crocheters who want to expand their skills. You'll have fun with this innovative method for knitting using a specially adapted crochet hook, and will soon be on your way to making Laura Strutt's amazing designs for items to wear, gifts and home decorations. Start small with a zipped purse, a headband and armwarmers, then move on to a block-colour cushion, a nautical rope-handle bag and knitted storage boxes. For something a bit more challenging, try making an on-trend kimono cardigan, a rainbow throw, or a dip-dye effect shawl. There is a comprehensive techniques section with detailed step-by-step illustrations so you have everything you need to begin.

Leseprobe

Get Knooking

35 quick and easy patterns to “knit” with a crochet hook

Laura Strutt

To John and Eth an Wolf

Published in 2019 by CICO Books

An imprint of Ryland Peters & Small Ltd

20–21 Jockey's Fields341 E 116th St

London WC1R 4BWNew York, NY 10029

www.rylandpeters.com

10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

Text © Laura Strutt 2019

Design, illustration, and photography © CICO Books 2019

The author's moral rights have been asserted. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, or otherwise, without the prior permission of the publisher.

A CIP catalog record for this book is available from the Library of Congress and the British Library.

E-ISBN: 978 1 78249 761 5

ISBN: 978 1 78249 690 8

Printed in China

Editor: Kate Haxell

Pattern checker: Marilyn Wilson

Designer: Louise Leffl er

Photographers: Terry Benson and James Gardiner

Illustrator: Stephen Dew

Stylist: Nel Haynes

In-house editor: Anna Galkina

Art director: Sally Powell

Head of production: Patricia Harrington

Publishing manager: Penny Craig

Publisher: Cindy Richards

Contents

Introduction

Techniques

Chapter 1 WEARABLES

Bow headband

Color-block bobble hat

Pocket scarf

Legwarmers

Tapered color-block scarf

Arm warmers

Slippers

Textured infinity scarf

Dip-dye effect shawl

Slouch blanket cardigan

Kimono cardigan

Chunky cardigan

Chapter 2 ACCESSORIES

Tech sleeve

Zipped purse

Handwarmers

Sunglasses case

Chunky clutch purse

Phone purse

Tote bag

Slouch bag

Square bag

Knooking hook case

Nautical-style tote bag

Chapter 3 HOMEWARES

Planter cozy trio

Hot water bottle cozy

Peg bag

Lavender bags

Contrast pillow

Mug cozy

Storage box

Modular block blanket

Duo of tubs

Kitchen trio

Rainbow and monochrome blanket

Two-tone squares pillow

Abbreviations

Yarn supplies

Index

Acknowledgments

Introduction

With a life-long love for textile crafts, passed to me from my grandmothers and mother, and with a nudge from my sister (I took up knitting again 14 years ago when my first nephew was born), the opportunity to try my hand at a new technique featuring yarn is a fabulous and exciting opportunity. Knooking is a wonderfully clever way to create knitted fabrics with the use of a single, cord-strung hook, and while I came to it with both knitting and crochet experience, this technique is accessible to those who enjoy other yarn crafts, and also those who are completely new to this creative realm.

The illustrated instructions will show you how to master the knooking technique quickly and easily and soon enough you will fall into the rhythm of working the different stitches. As with knitting, you are able to create a wide range of textures such as those used in the Infinity Scarf (page 38), and work clever shaping as in the Two-tone Square Cushion (page 106). You'll be able to work on quick and easy smaller-scale projects like the Zipped Purse (page 54), right up to large makes like the Modular Block Blanket (page 93).

Due to the small number of supplies that you need, knooking is a wonderfully portable craft, so you can tote along a ball of yarn and you favorite knooking hook and work on your makes on the go!

Happy Knooking!

Laura

Techniques

The knooking methods are easy to master for a beginner, and if you have knitted or crocheted before then you will have no problem understanding the simple stitches involved in knooking.

GAUGE (TENSION)

A gauge (tension) is given with each pattern to help you make your item the same size as the sample. The gauge (tension) is given as the number of stitches and rows you need to work to produce a 4-in (10-c m) square of knitting.

Using the recommended yarn and knooking hook, cast on 8 stitches more than the gauge (tension) instruction asks for—so if you need to have 10 stitches to 4in (10cm), cast on 18 stitches. Working in pattern as instructed, work eight rows more than is needed. Bind (cast) off loosely.

Lay the swatch flat without stretching it. Lay a ruler across the stitches as shown, with the 2in (5cm) mark centered on the knitting, then put a pin in the knitting at the start of the ruler and at the 4in (10cm) mark: the pins should be well away from the edges of the swatch.

Count the number of stitches between the pins. Repeat the process across the rows to count the number of rows to 4in (10cm). If the number of stitches and rows you've counted is the same as the number asked for in the instructions, you have the correct gauge (tension). If you do not have the same number then you will need to change your gauge (tension).

To change gauge (tension) you need to change the size of your knooking hook. A good rule of thumb to follow is that one difference in hook size will create a difference of one stitch in the gauge (tension). You will need to use a larger hook to achieve fewer stitches and a smaller one to achieve more stitches.

THE ANATOMY OF A KNOOKING HOOK

A knooking hook features a hook on one end of the shaft and a hole or “eye” on the other. Like a crochet hook, knooking hooks are available in a number of sizes, and each project will include the size and gauge (tension) information.

The hook is used to pick up the working yarn to create the new stitches, which are initially held on the shaft of the knooking hook before being fed onto the cord.

The eye at the end of the knooking hook is used to hold a length of cord on which the working stitches are placed, allowing you to turn the piece and work back and forth in rows. Thread the cord into the eye in the same way as threading a needle—pass one end of the cord through the eye and draw through a short length, leaving the remaining length hanging loose.

The cord can be a length of waste yarn. Select something smooth, such as a cotton or acrylic yarn, but avoid anything with long fibers like mohair or angora, as the fibers can get tangled up in the stitches.

If you pick a cord that is a contrasting color to the project, it will help you to clearly see the stitches as you need to work them. Make sure that the cord is two to two-and-a-half times the width of the make to ensure that you can pass the stitches on to the cord without them sliding off the end.

Be sure to select a cord that is a similar weight to the project yarn: if the cord is too thick it can distort the stitches, and if it is too thin you may find it not strong enough to hold the weight of chunky knooking projects.

HOLDING THE WORK

This method of holding the yarn and hook will work for right-and left-handed people.

Hold the yarn in your left hand, catching it between your little and ring fingers, passing it under your middle finger, then over your index finger. Hold the work between your left index finger and thumb, close to the stitch being worked in to. Hold the knooking hook in your right hand, gripping the shaft a short distance behind the hook. Much like crochet the knook can be held in a pencil grip or a fist grip—try both holds to find which is the most comfortable for you.

SLIP KNOT

This is the start of a foundation chain, the first step in working a piece of knooking.

1 Make a circle of yarn with the tail end going under the circle. With a knooking hook, pull a loop through the circle.

2 Slip the loop along the hook and pull the tail gently to make a loose loop on the hook.

FOUNDATION CHAIN

A chain is needed as the foundation for a piece of knooking, as it is into this chain that the stitches are cast on.

1 Wrap the yarn around the hook ready to pull it through the loop on the hook.

2 Pull the yarn through, creating a new loop on the hook. Continue in this way to create a chain of the required number of stitches.

CASTING ON

The stitches are cast on to a foundation chain of the required length.

1 Ensure that the knooking hook is threaded with a length of cord long enough to hold all the stitches needed. Work a foundation chain that is the specified stitch count.

2 Working into the second chain from the knooking hook (the chain on the hook counts as the first stitch), insert the hook from front to back through the upper loop of the chain. Catch the working yarn with the hook using a downward motion.

3 Draw the yarn through to make a stitch on the hook.

4 Work along, picking up one stitch from each chain.

5 Pull the knooking hook right through all the stitches so that they are all held on the cord.

KNIT STITCH

This is the first stitch to learn in knooking. Working entirely in knit stitch creates garter stitch fabric (see page 15).

1 From front to back, insert the hook into the next stitch on the cord: here the second stitch is being knitted. You can put the hook through either under or over the cord, but whichever you do it should be maintained throughout the row. I prefer to work under the cord and all these illustrations show that method.

2 Catch the working yarn from above and draw it down toward the stitch.

3 Draw the yarn through the old stitch to create a new stitch on the hook.

4 Continue across the row in this way to knit every stitch.

5 With the new row of stitches on the hook, pull the cord free from the previous row of stitches.

6 Then pull the hook through all the stitches so that they are held on the cord, ready to work the next row.

PURL STITCH

This is the other knooking stitch to learn. Working in alternate rows of knit stitch and purl stitch creates stockinette (stocking) stitch fabric (see page 15).

1 From the back, insert the hook into the next stitch on the cord: here the second stitch is being purled. You can put the hook through either under or over the cord, but whichever you do it should be maintained throughout the row. I prefer to work under the cord and all these illustrations show that method.

2 With the hook angled upward, catch the working yarn from below and draw it down toward the stitch. Draw the yarn through the old stitch to create a new stitch on the hook.

3 Continue across the row in this way to purl every stitch. As for knit stitch (see page 9), with the new row of stitches on the hook, pull the cord free from the previous row of stitches. Then pull the hook through all the stitches so that they are held on the cord ready to work the next row.

BINDING (CASTING) OFF

This is the method used to finish off a piece of knooking and stop the stitches from unraveling. You will need a crochet hook of a similar size to the knooking hook, though you may find that with thicker yarns you can easily lift the stitches over one another with your fingers.

1 Knit two stitches with the knooking hook in the usual way.

2 Slip the crochet hook into the first stitch you have just knitted, as shown.

3 Lift the first stitch over the second stitch.

4 Knit another stitch so that there are two stitches on the knooking hook again. Repeat the process of lifting the first stitch over the second stitch and continue in this way until there is just one stitch remaining on the knooking hook. Pull the cord free from the previous row of stitches.

5 Break the yarn, leaving a tail of yarn long enough to sew the work together (see pages 16–17). Pull the tail all the way through the last stitch. Slip the stitch off the knooking hook and pull it fairly tight to make sure it is secure.

KNIT FRONT AND BACK (KFB)

This creates a simple increase.

1 Work to the point of the increase. Insert the knooking hook into the next stitch from front to back and make a knit stitch.

2 Insert the hook back into the stitch just worked, this time from back to front. Wrap the working yarn around the hook.

3 Draw the yarn through to make a second stitch and complete the increase.

KNIT TWO STITCHES TOGETHER (K2TOG)

This creates a simple decrease.