THIS BOOK IS A COMPOSITE OF 2 MACHINE KNITTING HELPS BOOKS AND 2 CUTE PATTERNS:
CHEAP TRICKS is a collection of nearly free knitting helps. Some are original inventions of The Answer Lady. Others have been passed on from knitter to knitter. All are designed to make your knitting go more smoothly with less money and to prevent the derailing of a project if a tool goes missing. I am especially pleased to be able to offer the tool-making section. It includes ways to make all the tools machine knitters regularly use plus some extras. 21 fully illustrated pages.

contents: Yarn management,making the yarn flow smoothly, combining yarns to make tweed, preventing tangles, intarsia bobbins, knitting from balls and skeins, latch opener, center pull balls without a winder, spare cones for most winders, pompoms, tassels, tool-making, weights of all sizes, cast on combs, latch tools, needles selectors

COOL TOOLS TABLE OF CONTENTS
List of supplies………..page 3
Safety notes……………page 5
Basic process…………..page 6
Sizing…………………………page 6
Positioning………………..page 7
Shaping handles……..page 10
Basic baked clay……page 12
Pitfalls…………………….page 13
Fancy baked clay…..page 14
Clay coins………………..page 15
Handle making process….16
Individual tool
instructions……pages 17-23
Review…………………….page 24
Tool making log…… .page 25

Tools for any gauge or brand of machine may be made using the methods in this book. The materials required are readily available from knitting machine suppliers and craft stores. The process is simple, quite fast and the results are just as good as purchased tools.

COZY COTTAGE
This tea cozy measures 10”X6” and will accommodate a standard 1 quart teapot including the handle and spout. The roof is stuffed with fiberfill to give it shape and extra insulation. The sides are reinforced with craft foam for the same reasons. The piece is a sampler of many stitches and techniques, making it a good practice piece. The weaving, tuck and slip stitch all use the same punchcard. It also makes an excellent gift.

Any bulky machine can make this including Bonds and other hobby machines. Help notes for hobby machines are included. If your mid-gauge knits worsted weight yarn comfortably, it may be used as well but do remember that there is weaving and tucking in use so if stockinette requires the largest stitch size and knits stiffly, most likely weaving and tuck will be problematic.7 pages

BUSY OCTOPUS What is he busy doing? Anything you want. The sample is loom knitting but take a trip to the dollar store and look around. Yours could be babysitting, playing musical instruments, picking flowers, cooking and the list goes on.

YARN, GAUGE, SIZE AND MACHINE
Any machine may be used. The octopus shown is knitted flat. However, those with two beds could knit him in the round so instructions for that are included. Two gauges are given. The bulkier one, using Mary Lue’s Liberty Plus or a similar worsted weight yarn at stitch size 3 works on bulky and mid-gauge machines. An option using fingering to sport weight yarn will work for standard, Passap and Superba machines. Gauge is 4.5 stitches/ 6 rows/” for the worsted weight version, 7 stitches/10 rows/” for the fingering-sport version. For this pattern, matching gauge is not at all critical. Feel free to substitute yarns. Adjust for a firm fabric so that the knitting will hold the stuffing in nicely. The bulky version is given first with the numbers that apply to the standard version in parentheses. If gauge is matched perfectly, tentacle is about 7” long. The octopus sits about 5” tall. 4 ounces or less of yarn required.

eBook published in August 2010 by The Answer Lady

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