Embellishments
Once you have completed your project, a great way of adding detail is to embellish your knitting - by simply sewing things on. For example, before sewing up the mittens on page 84,1 sewed on sequins and beads randomly using silver thread, as well as embroidering star shapes. Using a really basic pattern, such as the Customized hat on page 48, and adding buttons, a spray of feathers and a little butterfly, I have given it a very different look.
By sewing things onto your knitting you can really give your project an individual feel, making it truly unique to you and the wearer. Take time to search through haberdashery shops or the family button box to create a 'treasure chest' of items that you can use. In the future, these could inspire you to create your own inventions.
These pretty flowers are created by casting on stitches, and then casting them off on the next row. You can knit them using oddments of yarn, and secure into place by sewing or with a button.
Using yarn and appropriate knitting needles, cast on 36 sts.
Row 1: K1, cast off 4 (2 sts on needle), *K1, cast off 4, rep from * to end.
(12 sts on needle)
Thread yarn through rem sts, pull tight and stitch into place. Lace knitting
The lace patterns in this book are achieved by using the eyelet (yarn over) method of increasing. This is usually worked in conjunction with a decrease, so that the number of stitches remains constant at the end of each row (see page 21). Some patterns in this book are achieved by increasing stitches on some rows and decreasing them on subsequent rows. These are quite complex patterns to work, but the effect is very rewarding.
Ribbon
You can embellish a lace pattern by threading thin ribbon through the eyelets (holes). This is also possible on a standard knitted fabric - simply thread the ribbon through the stitches.
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