tutorials

Sock tutorials

Knitting toe-up to fit your feet

How do you assess the length of socks for a good fit? How do you know where to start the heel shaping?

Knitting (and fitting) colourwork socks

Some advice about tailoring the fit of stranded colourwork socks

Stocking blocking

How to make a simple set of extended blockers, for all your stocking blocking needs.

Sock sizing guidance
A handy table of shoe sizes and foot lengths, which will be useful when knitting our sock, stocking and slipper patterns.

The OA

Two-colour grafting Follow these instructions to graft stitches over a stripe sequence in two shades, as in the Oa Hoody pattern.

Ester

A tutorial to make the 5-stitch star motif that features on the Ester hat.

Inside and Outside the Red Box. A Bold Beginner Knits Tutorial for the Footfall shawl


Triangular shawl construction. A Bold Beginner Knits Tutorial for the Footfall shawl


“Join body and sleeves into yoke” A Bold Beginner Knits tutorial
for the Upstream Pullover


Needle size is immaterial some words about gauge and swatching.

Tarradale Crown Twist
A tutorial by Emily Williams

How much more yarn do I need?

Blocking the Carbeth sweater

Weaving in ends over colour changes on the Ottar hap.

birlinn1
killeyan11-copy

furzesomerled1-copy

Crochet provisional cast on tutorial Follow these instructions to cast on stitches provisionally, as in the Somerled hap pattern.

buttoncollection

 Covered Button tutorial. Follow these simple instructions to make the covered buttons that feature on the Richard the Roundhead Tam and Scatness Tunic.

Hap stretcher tutorial

18_attaching the hap

Tom’s tutorial to make a traditional Shetland hap-stretcher

Steek Tutorials

cutting4

These tutorials will be helpful if you are making the Bláithín cardigan, the Rams and Yowes blanket, or the Tortoise and Hare sweater.

Part 1: What is a steek?

Part 2: Reinforcing and Cutting

Part 3: The steek sandwich

Part 4: Some questions answered

Part 5: different ways of finishing your steeks

Betty Mouat Video Tutorials

newbmc

Demonstrated by Melanie Patton.

Part 1: no-purl garter stitch
In the first clip, Melanie demonstrates Susan Stevens’ nifty and innovative trick for working garter stitch in the round without purling. This method allows you to knit the lace pattern in traditional Shetland fashion, using garter stitch throughout.

Part 2: Working with several colours
When knitting the lace section of Betty Mouat you will be working with three colours, and, if you are using the no-purl method, six balls of yarn. In this clip, Melanie demonstrates a neat and simple method for keeping control of your yarns, carrying them up the back of the work.


Part 3: Cockleshell Lace
In this clip, Melanie demonstrates rows nine and ten of the lace pattern, where the “cockleshell” is formed.

63 replies to tutorials

  2. Hi, I am currently knitting the Carbeth cardigan (It is the cropped cardigan) and have come to a block in the pattern. It is #3 Join Body and Sleeves into Yolk. I am at Commence yoke shaping; it is here I have encountered the problem . The pattern says to repeat steps C and D until 2sts rem etc…. but then I read on and do not understand the section that says Follow instructions for your size etc…… and I am supposed to end up with 70 stitches.
    I hope I have been able to make myself clear. I would really love some help.
    Thanks,
    Angie Robinson

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  4. Hi

    You absolutely rock!

    I have been following you since the beginning.

    Have had a hiatus from social media for sometime now, and have been greatly disappointed by some since returning.

    Stay strong Kate, I adore your designs and life principles.

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  5. I have just started the Betty Mouat cowl and fallen at the very start! Is there a trick to joining in the round with so many stitches? I have never had a problem before but I have never had so many stitches at cast on. Also, what cast on method do you suggest? Sorry to sound so dim but I really am in a muddle with this.

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      1. Doh, I don’t know why I was panicking but took a deep breath and got the stitches joined. Really enjoying the rhythm of the pattern.
        Thanks so much

        Liked by 1 person

        Reply

  6. Hi Kate. I have finally purchased wool to make your ‘sheep head’ hat. The pattern is dated 2011. In the pattern it mentions a website to go to to see your online tutorial on crown shaping. When I type in the details as per your pattern it says that the site address is for sale. Is the tutorial anywhere else that I can access please. Many thanks Kay

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  7. Hi Kate
    a friend of my daughters sold me some yarn for Dathan Pullover Love the yarn but was wondering if i could make the Strodie Pullover (i like the shape better) with this yarn i would like to purchase this pattern
    Cheers
    Marie Smith

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  8. I am just starting to knit A Hap for Harriet. And wondering if anyone has added beads. If yes, where were they added? And any recommendations for me in terms of bead size or technique? Thank you! Barbara

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  10. I have questions rather than comments. I just got my kit to knit Strathendrick. I am anxious to start. I am an experienced knitter and have done some complicated color work. However, the color work was a tam. I didn’t do a swatch. For the sweater, I will swatch. How do I go about it? Should I do it in the round, and to what measurements? Do I then cut it to get an accurate measurement? I assume there is enough yarn in the kit to allow for switching. Thanks for any help you can provide. Mary Lundberg

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  11. Hi Kate
    I do not speak English, I do it through a translator. A few months ago I bought the pattern A Hap for Harriet, and I have many doubts, is there any way you can help me? Could you give me an email address to write my questions? thank you.

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  14. I am working on my very first of your patterns the perrie floores hat .i am on row 4 the decrease row and I am sorta lost. I think my problem is after doing the first decrease I don’t know exactly where I am. After 1st dec. I was 10 stitches in slid two whites over a red. Now is that red the first red of the two reds one blue two reds

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  15. Dear Kate,

    I love the pictures of your wedding. Such beauty!

    I would love to make a cardigan like yours for my daughter who’s going to get married next year.
    Is it possible to buy the pattern. If not, can you recommend something like it?

    Greetings, Margreet

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      1. Hello Kate,

        Sorry I never replied your answer…I didn’t reed it until today. Maybe the pattern will be on time. I hope so for I still think it to be really beautiful. I love to read your blog. I makes me feel happy and wanting to make more lovely things.

        Love, Margreet

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  16. Pingback: Rams and Yowes | Buzy Day

  17. I adore your work, your patterns are awesome and I will knit the Blue Bells Sweater for my little daughter’s birthday. I’d also love to make the bag that unfortunately has been removed from this site. Could you please, please send it to me, I promise not to copy or sell it!
    I’m glad I came across your work, thank you so much, it makes me wanting to make progress with my knitting.
    Manu(ela)

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  19. Pingback: steeking resources for the Steek-along | NH Knits

  20. Help! I’m to be a grandma for the first time in December. My daughter -who loves fair isle patterns wants me to make the baby a crib/pram blanket in subdued neutral colours. My concerns are: What wool to use for baby softness
    Always use Jamieson Spindthrift but feels a bit coarse for baby
    Because of reverse having lots if loops will I need to back it with something
    How do I knit something a metre square. What sort of needles will take that many stitches?

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  21. Hi Kate
    I made a ‘Two Kates’ project bag a while back, and came back here looking for the pattern to pass on to some admirers. I can’t find it! Is it no longer available, or has it been relocated?

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  22. Thank you for the fantastic tutorials! It makes taking the leap into more complicated patterns much easier – can’t wait to try the BMC

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    1. Hi Judith – the patterns have only just been released – I have written a post about the release today, and will be posting the tutorial tomorrow. You’ll be able to find it on the home page, and via a link from this page also

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  25. I JUST landed from a whirlwind tour of Ireland, and a length of fantastic Donegal tweed landed with me….I am planning a shoulder bag with it! but I am wondering if it’s necessary to bind the tweed to some sort of backing to stop unravelling? Sounds silly, but I am in no way a seamstress! Thanks!

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  26. No purl garter stitch in the round: thank you so much for making this video. It is kind of life changing for my knitting, I usually hold off doing in the round garter stitch projects because, while I love knitting in the round, I feel that unnecessary purling puts a damper on the whole thing.

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  29. I really love your work and how it inspires other people to knit and be creative. Thank you so much for including the historical content in your patterns, as I feel it is a crucial part of each design you make. Well done Kate, keep up the good work.

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  31. Is there any way you can compress the bag tutorial? It’s 32mb for four pages and my browser and printer want to explode downloading that much. I think you need to compress the photos before sending it to the document.

    Thanks!

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  34. I cannot seem to purchase your patterns on revelry???
    It seems as if my bank does not like the paypal or something please advise

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  35. What an inspiration you are! Discovered this site whilst searching family history – my great-great grandmother was Sarah Morphew (nee Standen) and have sometimes wondered whether my love of textiles came from her. A business woman, yes, but caring also, I believe.
    Thank you for this lovely website. I’m not very good at all things electronic – but shall try to re-visit often.
    Sarah Langworthy

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  36. My Grandfather was Robert Mouet Fothergill. His mother was the sister of James Jamieson of the Columbine. Mate I think was Bobby Smith. Have camped from South to North. Have mothers pre1939 photos and other much older familly one including the Columbine. Thank for such a wonderful presentation. Now 81 and may not get north again so have to put up with the Lake District!
    Regards,
    Michael Jones… (Not Welsh!)

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  38. Those tutorial videos are great. I like how clearly Mel speaks, and the fact that I feel I can can hear either rain on the window or the sea and some seagulls very slightly in the background. Did you add those sounds in or are they just a happy coincidence of where you filmed? The videos are really helpful and the techniques well explained.

    I love that you have put these tutorials up, and that I could start with the cowl pattern if I was a bit intimidated by trying out the sweater first! Genius.

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  39. You inspire me. Your eye for detail is wonderful.
    My daughter is getting married and I am suggesting she/we make your bag
    and give as a gift to her bridesmaids.
    Thank you for sharing your talent!

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  40. Thank you for the pattern! It was serendipity that following the links from Rav about rams and yowes(and wanting to read Textisles, for some months, too), that I finally hit your blog. Just this past week my sister (a new knitter and pink ribbon survivor) asked me for a project bag so your tutorial was and will be a gift! Good reading, great patterns. Again, my thanks. Another Kate

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  46. I have just found your blog because you have been “freshly pressed”, congratulations! I haven’t looked at everything yet, but your patterns that I have seen are beautiful. I don’t have much experience knitting with different colours, but now I am inspired to try. And I love this pattern for the bag, I am definitely going to give it a try.

    Last year I was in the UK with my family, helping my mother care for my grandmother who had been suffering from transient ischemic strokes for the past 5 years. It was very hard to see a woman who had been so strong and healthy, barely surviving, and knowing that she never would have wanted to live in such a way. She died at home, which is what my mother wanted, but caring for her took a lot out of my mother. As you said in your post, at some point we will all have to deal with this, as carers or being cared for. However as families live more separate lives, taking on this type of care becomes harder, and shouldn’t be done alone.

    My grandmother suffered from migraines, so does my mother, and so do I. I am fortunate that my husband is very understanding when I am sick, and sometimes knows before I do that a migraine is coming. But the connections between strokes and migraines scares me.

    I know I am far away, but I hope you don’t mind me putting a link to your blog in mine, your knitting is “hermoso”!

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