Frequently Asked Questions
We receive many emails via the website, all requiring a personal reply. Not surprisingly, many enquiries are similar. Please read through the FAQS below and if these still don't answer you query completely, please do not hesitate to drop us a line.
Click here to contact us
I want to open my own knitting shop
Where can I find patterns for flowers, cakes and fruit?
I would love to set up a knitting group, but am not sure where to start
I'm thinking of setting up an 'After School Knitting Club', how do I find all the resources I need?
I have boys in my knit club, how do I ensure that they don't loose interest?
I know there are lots of 'Fancy' yarns available nowadays, but where do I find 100% wool?
I am looking for cashmere yarn to knit with, are there any shops that sell it in the UK?
I never quite understand about knitting and copyright, please explain
I have a knitting pattern and the first instruction is: "Cast on using Thumb Method"
I know someone who is left handed and would love to learn to crochet. Do you have any tips?
I am looking for software to help create knitting patterns.
I need help on how to do Intarsia correctly
I'm looking for a chart to convert the old size needles to metric
I am left handed and would like some help to knit the 'continental way'.
I need someone to help me calculate how many stitiches I need once I know my measurements
I would like to have my patterns published, what's the best way to do this?
I am looking into the History of Knitting, can you help?
Please can you explain the difference between yarn over needle and yarn round needle
Are there any safety standards I should follow when knitting toys to sell for charity?
I want to open my own knitting shop
All
the members of the UKHKA are producers
of yarn and would be happy to discuss terms with you.
Click
here for
their contact
details or
go to 'About Us' on the home page
Click here for details of the first UKHKA Trade Show taking place in Bradford in June 2010
The
Trade Stitches Show is held at the NEC in Birmingham
every February.
Click
here to view a list of exhibitors who are wholesale suppliers
I have a pattern I am desperate to knit, but the yarn is discontinued. How do I substitutue another yarn?
Try to match the yarn as near as possible
and then knit a tension square and check your tension against
the one given.
Click
here for more information about adjusting patterns
Click
here for yarn equivalents
Click
here when substituting in knitting or crochet
Click here for new yarn converter
Where can I find patterns for flowers, cakes and fruit?
Click
here for patterns for flowers
Click
here for patterns for cakes
Click here for patterns for fruit
Knitting
Pattern Central patterns are grouped according to subject
I would
love to set up a knitting group, but am not sure where to start
Click here for
advice
Click
here for advice
Click here for
advice
Click
here for advice
Click
here for
advice when setting up a group for children
I'm thinking of setting up an 'After School Knitting Club', how do I find all the resources I need?
Ask
all the children at school if they have any spare yarn
and needles at home, visit your local Charity Shops, ask wool
shops to notify you of any reduced stock, emphasise
that these youngster want to learn to knit - such a worthwhile cause!
Also look for bargains of yarn on eBay.
Try the website called ‘Freecycle’ where you
can request items as well as put on items for collection and
it is all free.
Click
here for Freecycle and scroll down to your nearest town
Click here to contact The Knitting and Crochet Guild. They have a huge amount
of donated yarn which they sell to raise funds at a very small cost
The
basic instructions for knitting and crochet can be
downloaded from the website and used in your sessions together with
the free patterns.
Click
here for instructions
Click
here for our 'School Knit Clubs' page
I have boys in my knit club, how do I ensure that they don't loose interest?
First always start with small achievable
projects like a wrist/sweat band.
Get them to make their own needles or use something novel like
chop sticks.
Ask them to find something 'alternative' to knit with like
garden twine or cut plastic strips from bags
I would
like to 'chat' to other knitters and be able to share experiences and
ask questions about knitting
The easiest way is through one of the many Knitting Forums.
You will need to register to take part.
Click on the name to visit
each Forum:
Laughing
Hens
Ravelry
I know there are lots of 'Fancy' yarns available nowadays, but where do I find 100% wool?
Simply put the words 'pure wool yarn'
into any Search Engine and check out the links
Click
here to go straight to the list
I will be coming to London on holiday and wonder if there are any great yarn shops that I should visit?
Click
here for our 'Help Us To
Promote Knitting' page and scroll down to 'Shops-England, London'
Click
here for an up-to-date comprehensive list of London Wool
Shops (courtesy of Spitting Yarn)
Click
here for a list of shops from the internet
I am looking for cashmere yarn to knit with, are there any shops that sell it in the UK?
The following websites sell cashmere
Texere
Hipknits
Poshyarn
DT Craft & Design
I never quite understand about knitting and copyright, please explain
Click here for a full explaination from a lawyer who's partner is a knitter
Click here for more useful information. Please note that both these links are from the US and may differ from laws in the UK
I have recently moved to France/Germany/Spain and I need help in translating the knitting patterns here
Click here for a translation of English knitting terms
I have a knitting pattern and the first instruction is: "Cast on using Thumb Method", please explain
Click here and on the icon to see a video showing this method
Click here for links page and scroll to 'Knitting Help for help with other knitting techniques
I have heard that 'Finger Knitting' is really easy and doesn't require needles, do you have the instructions?
Click here for Finger Knitting instructions
I know someone who is left handed and would love to learn to crochet. Do you have any tips?
Click here for information on how to crochet if you are left handed
I would like to knit some patterns I have from America. Please can you explain the equivalent yarn types?
Yarns from America don't tend to be the same thickness as those from the UK, so you might like to try and match the yardage.
Click here for more information on American Yarn Weight System
I am looking for software to help create knitting patterns.
Simply Knitting magazine reviewed a selection of what's available in their March issue. Here are the ones listed:
Knitware, Sweater Wizard, EasyKnit, Garment Designer, DesignAKnit, Aran Paint+Plus, Stitch & Motif Maker, Stitch Painter, Knitting Math Wizard, Print-a-grid, Actual Size Graph Paper, Sock Wizard
I need help on how to do Intarsia correctly
Click here for help
Click here to view video (you will need to scroll down a little way)
I'm looking for a chart to convert the old size needles to metric
Click here for conversion chart
Click here for conversion chart
I am left handed and would like some help to knit the 'Continental Method'.
I want to knit my first jumper, but I'm not sure about how I work out the correct size from my measurements.
Altering A Pattern To Fit Your Measurements
I need someone to help me calculate how many stitiches I need once I know my measurements
Click here for a 'Waist Shaping Calculator' from Interweave
I would like to have my patterns published, what's the best way to do this?
You could approach any of the Knitting magazines, who will consider your designs, or set up a site to sell them as a downloadable pdf.
Click here for advice from an American site
I am looking into the History of Knitting, can you help?
Click here for a really useful article by Anna Bialkowska of Serenity Knitting
Click here for information about the History of Knitting and it's beneficial effects
Click here for the history of the sock
Please can you explain the difference between yarn over needle and yarn round needle
Click here for video of Yarn Over needle (right handed)
Click here for video Yarn Over needle (left handed)
Click here for video of Yarn Round needle
Are there any safety standards I should follow when knitting toys to sell for charity?
Filling: use only polyester filling that complies to BS 1425 and BS 5852 and is suitable as a component for articles requiring BS 5665 and the European EN71 standard. Suitable filling will have these codes printed on the bag it is packed in.
You will need to sew in a CE label to confirm that you have used the correct fillings
