Underrated Knitting Tips

I have three underrated knitting tips for you today that, in my opinion, deserve more attention.

I have shared these many times in my classes and in-person meetups, and I wanted to write them down in one place so they are easier to pass along. Please feel free to share if you find them helpful.

If your goal is to use as much yarn as possible in a project, a weighing scale can be very useful. Shawls worked sideways, socks, and lengthening the body of a sweater are all good examples. Weigh your skein before you begin, then continue weighing at key points.

If you stop the increasing section of a sideways shawl when you have a little over 50 percent of your yarn left, you can be confident you will not run out during the decreasing section.

If you measure how much yarn is used for the cuff, heel, foot, and toes of a sock, you can plan to lengthen the leg as much as you like.

If you are knitting the body of a sweater in plain rounds without shaping such as bust or waist shaping, measure how much yarn is used in one round to estimate the total needed for the body.

If you like my newsletter, please consider sharing it with a friend. ♥️

Share While I was knitting

Superwash yarns are made by flattening or removing the scales of wool fiber to prevent felting in the wash. This process can also cause the yarn to lose structure, making it prone to growing when wet.

To manage this, consider spray blocking your projects. Lightly spray your item with water or a wool wash solution, pin it to measurements if needed, and let it dry completely. This method offers better control over the finished size and shape.

If you are interested, you can read more tips for working with superwash yarn in this earlier post: A Handknitter’s Guide to Superwash Yarns

I know swatching is not everyone’s favorite part of knitting, but here is one idea to consider: If you take the time to swatch, make it worthwhile by getting as close as possible to the actual knitting experience of your project.

If your project includes lace or cables, swatch a few repeats of the pattern.

Try new techniques in a swatch before committing to the full project, such as a new short row method or unfamiliar increases and decreases.

Also, make your swatch more than four inches. A five or six inch swatch tends to be much more accurate.

If you are knitting in the round, swatch in the round. If you are making mittens, the cuff itself can serve as your swatch. You can read more about this here: Your guide to knitting well fitted mitts

Can you add to this list? Do you have knitting tips that should be shared more often in the community? I would love to hear them in the comments.♥️

Leave a comment

To let me know you liked what you read, you can also press the little heart icon at the bottom of the newsletter. ♥️ However, if you are clicking it from your inbox, you might have to wait until Substack opens in a browser and make sure the heart icon is indeed red. Thank you.

1. Retro Shawl is my latest design featuring garter and mosaic stripes in fingering weight yarn. There is still some time left to take advantage of the intro discount. ❤️

   

2. Sneak Peek 1: Latha Cardigan pattern drops on May 14 2026. ❤️

   I am so pleased with how this one turned out, especially the juxtaposition of the lace panel and the double knit trim. I can’t wait to share it with you all.

   

3. Sneak Peek 2: New design in progress, Metro Tee ❤️

   

4. Spots are open in my Intro to Brioche Workshop at Stitch and Revel in May. Please check it out if you are interested. ❤️

5. Design Spotlight: My patterns in @malabrigoyarns Arroyo. ❤️

   

   

   I have published 6 patterns using Arroyo yarn which is a Sport / Light DK weight Superwash yarn. I prefer fingering weight yarn and the knitting gauge it gives any day. But there are also times I am super bored when projects take forever.Arroyo produces this lovely fabric which is just the right amount of step up from fingering weight, in my opinion. Have you tried it yet ?

   1. Soar Scarf - A unique V shaped construction that can be knit using 1 skein of Arroyo or 1 skein of fingering.

   2. Kiran Cowl - Cowl with twisted ribbing motif and a small slit to wear it comfortably.

   3. Pretty Little Brioche Scarf - A beginner level 2-color brioche long narrow scarf that comes in 3 sizes.

   4. Vivir Shawl - Kite shaped shawl with interesting garter stripes.

   5. Amar Hat - 2-color ribbed hat, that looks complex but is easy to knit.

   6. Amphi Mitts - 3-color fingerless mitts with mosaic patterning on the back of the hands and stockinette stripes on the palm. Cuffs are done in a third color for a polished look.

1. If you haven’t already, please read Kate Davies’s article on AI encroachment in knitting spaces.

Finished reading 📖

The ending writes itself - Evelyn Clarke

Currently reading 📖

The Exes - Leodora Darlington

Until next time,

Kavitha. ♡

Currently, this newsletter is free to subscribe. If you like my work, please consider these other ways to support:

• Click the ❤️ at the bottom of this post. If you are reading from your email inbox, this will open substack in web browser. Please allow it to open and make sure you see the red heart.

• Occasionally I share affiliate links to products and services. If you click on those affiliate links and make a purchase within a certain time frame, I'll earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.

• Share your thoughts in comments. I am here for the conversations. I hope you are too!

• Introduce this newsletter to a friend!

Share While I was knitting

• Buy my patterns. I hope you find something you like.

  https://www.ravelry.com/designers/kavitha-raman

I accept any of these with immense gratitude. Thank you!