READER TIP: No More Tangled yarn!

Want to tangle-proof your yarn while knitting?

Take an empty tall plastic container used for baby wipes or disinfecting wipes (found in supermarkets). Enlarge the hole where the wipes come through to about 1" wide. Place ball of yarn in container, slip end of yarn through the hole in top. Use tacky glue to cover label with fabric. This will keep your yarn clean and tangle free plus your cat won't be tempted by your rolling ball of yarn!

(Some supermarkets have them by the registers for cashiers, when empty they just throw them away, just ask for one!)
    --- submitted by Vita Marie of Tennessee

COLOR MANAGEMENT: Using long-color repeats successfully

When using yarns with long repeats, such as Paint Box, plan which order the balls will be used. For example, if one ball will end with blue, try to select the next ball to begin with the same blue. Look at both the outside and inside of the balls to find the right color.

TIME SAVING TIP: Keeping on Track with Charts

When knitting from charts, particularly large, complicated lace charts, I find it most helpful to mark my rows with a Post-It note placed above the row I'm working on. This blocks out the rows still to come and allows me to see the ones I've completed, enabling me to "read" my knitting as I go.
    --- contributed by Corey LaFlamme

TIME SAVING TIP: No more twisting in circular cast on

When knitting a sock pattern, the directions immediately after casting on usually include the instruction, "Join in the round, being careful not to twist stitches." In a quick poll around the office, we came up with several different ways that we accomplish this. After visually checking that all stitches are oriented correctly (seen below), here are a couple ways to join and ensure they stay that way:

1. Cast-on one extra stitch and knit it together with the first stitch.

2. Flip the position of your first and last stitch by passing one over the other.

3. If you use a cast-on that leaves the tail at the beginning of the round (opposite of a long-tail cast-on), tie the tail to the working end after all stitches have been cast-on.

4. Knit a couple ROWS back and forth before joining in the round. The extra depth will make it obvious how the stitches need to be oriented (and you'll just have to sew up a very short seam at the end).

5. Use a cast-on that has obvious "right" and "wrong" sides, so it's immediately apparent if stitches have become twisted.