This week, Roy decided that with the weather starting to get cold and frosty, he needed a new rug, something to snuggle under on the lounge or when sitting around, to keep him warm and snug. We looked at lots of different ways to make a rug, but he decided knitting one would be perfect. Knitting is a skill he and I had been meaning to perfect, and this was the perfect opportunity. When we got under way, we even discovered it wasn't that hard! Of course, we couldn't knit the squares, sew them together and finish the rug off all in one week, so over the next few weeks come back to learn about the next stages in making our rug. We will even show you how to make special wrapping paper, for in case you decide to give your rug to someone as a gift!
You Will Need:
- Lots of brightly coloured 8 ply wool. Roy decided to make all his squares different colours, because his Grandma could give him lots and lots from her own 'wool store'.
- Knitting needles. You will need needles which are size 4 (old size 8)
- Scissors
- A ruler
- A wool needle
- Time and patience!
Method:
Notes:
- These are instructions for right handed knitters. If you are left handed, reverse the instructions!
- The stitch we are using is called garter stitch.
- Don't pull the stitches too tight or you will have trouble with your knitting!
- First, you will need to cast on your stitches. Make a loop, not too tight, on one of your knitting needles and tie a double knot. This will be your left hand knitting needle.
- Take your other knitting needle (in your right hand) and push it through the loop on the first needle (in your left hand).
- Wind the wool around the (right hand) needle and pull it back towards the centre of the X your needles make.
- Use the tip of the (right hand) needle to pull the stitch you have just wound onto the needle back through the loop you originally made (on the left hand needle).
- Use the (right hand) needle to slide to stitch you have made off the (left hand) needle.
- Now, put the stitch you have made (currently on the right hand needle) onto the (left hand) needle. You now have two stitches on the (left hand) needle.
- Repeat - you now have three stitches on the (left hand) needle.
- Roy knitted his squares on the diagonal, because he liked the edge it made, but if you aren't confident, just knit as many stitches as you want each side of the square to be and then keep knitting straight.
- Push your (right hand) needle through the back of the last stitch you made (on the left needle) and 'knit it' (put the wool around, pull through etc) as you did before.
- Slide the stitch off, onto the (right hand) needle and repeat with all three stitches.
- Row 1: Knit one stitch, increase one stitch (make one like you did when you cast on) but don't slip it off your needle yet. Knit through the back of that same stitch as well to make an extra stitch.
- Continue this way, making one stitch at the beginning of each row until you have the side of the square as long as you want it to be (Roy made his squares 6 inches)
- Now, you need to decrease down the side of the square. To decrease, knit one stitch as normal, then knit TWO stitches together, as the photo above shows. Repeat this on every row until you are back to having only 3 stitches on the needle.
- To cast off: knit one stitch, knit another stitch and then lift the first stitch you knitted over the second one and drop it off the needle. Repeat until you only have one stitch left.
- Cut off your ball of wool leaving a short tail and use the needle to pull the leftover tail through the last stitch.
- To 'get rid' of the ends, thread a wool needle with the tail and then slip it down the outside stitches of the square. Cut off any excess and put it aside in a zip lock bag for a later project (wrapping paper). Repeat with all your squares.
- Roy used 36 6 inch squares to make a lap rug sized rug but you can make it as big as you like.
- If you would like to visit another site with more comprehensive instructions on knitting, click here.
