Blog – Little NutMeg Productions

Tutorial - October 08, 2021

How to: Turkish Cast-On

Turkish Cast-on for Toe-Up Socks The Turkish (also known as Eastern) cast-on for toe-up socks is a simple method for starting a sock with two sets of live stitches on either side of a row of stockinette stitches. Worked by looping the active yarn around both needles held parallel and then knitting each loop twice, this method makes for a seamless beginning to any toe-up sock. How to Work It Begin with both needles held parallel to each other and bring the active yarn over the bottom needle from front to back, and up behind the top needle. Wrap the...

Read more

Bind-Offs, Tutorial - September 10, 2021

How to: the Chained Bind-Off Buttonhole

Buttonholes are a utilitarian part of knitting that, in conjunction with buttons, perform the function of keeping a garment or accessory fastened together. This does not mean that buttonholes need to be simple or plain, but it does mean that they require a certain level of stability, especially if larger buttons are desired on the finished piece. The chained bind-off buttonhole is both visually attractive and superior in stability, making it a sturdy addition to any piece that will receive a rough-and-tumble workout (children's garments perhaps?). This buttonhole is worked with an opening using waste yarn, very much like an...

Read more

Tutorial - August 17, 2021

How to: Double Yarnover

Double yarn overs can be used for shaping or decoration. They create a large hole that is at least two times larger than a normal eyelet made with a single yarn over. In essence, a double yarn over is worked by wrapping the yarn twice around the needle and then working each wrap as a separate stitch on the following row. For this tutorial I will be pairing the double yarn over (that creates two stitches) with two decreases to keep the stitch count the same. When using a double yarn over for shaping, keep in mind that each one...

Read more

Tutorial - January 15, 2021

How to: Choose Colors for Knitting Projects

With over 7 million colors visible to the human eye, sometimes settling on even three of them for a knitting project can seem overwhelming. Many times knitters will only choose the colors that the sample project was designed in since even taking a small step into color choosing can seem calamitous. But never fear! With a little journey through color theory and a few simple guidelines, choosing the colors for your next three-shade project will be easy and fun! The Color Wheel & How Your Yarn Fits In Above is a color wheel; this is an organizational tool for the color...

Read more

Tutorial - November 19, 2020

How to make a Mug Cozy out of a Swatch

Swatching is a necessary step in creating a knitted garment that fits, but not everyone likes to swatch, and many knitters consider it a frustrating use of time. But what if there was an excellent use for that swatch after the garment it is informing is finished? By applying I-cord to a simple rectangular swatch, you can transform it into a mug cozy that is perfect for gifting this holiday season. When selecting the swatch to make a mug cozy out of, you might want to have a standard mug handy to measure against. Typically, a cozy extends most...

Read more