Have you encountered problems with knitting thumbs while knitting gloves or mittens? In today’s video tutorial, I’m going to go through the steps of knitting a thumb! These technique will apply to both fingerless and full coverage thumbs. From placing the thumb stitches on a holder, to casting on stitches for the fourchette, then coming back to pick up stitches for the thumb and knitting it in the round, I’ll be covering all of the important and sometimes tricky steps. Please do keep in mind that these are the techniques I use in my Girly Knits patterns, and not all thumbs will be constructed exactly the same with patterns from other designers. If you have a glove or mitten pattern from me however, these techniques will apply! I hope you find this video helpful, and that you have fun knitting your gloves and mittens!
Here are the Girly Knits patterns that use the techniques I went over if you would like to give thumbs a try!
Duplicate stitch is awesome and I am so happy to share it with you today! Duplicate stitch is a wonderful and easy way to add colorwork to your knitting, and is performed after you have knitted an item. With duplicate stitch, all you will need to add a color chart to your knitting is a tapestry needle and some yarn. I find this technique to be a little easier than performing colorwork as you knit an item like with fair isle, intarsia, and stranded knitting, as it does not require you to manage multiple balls of yarn while you’re knitting.
Here is a video of me below showing how to do the technique, and below that you will find the heart chart I use in the video:
You will need to thread your needle with approximately 26 inches of yarn to make this heart. In the video you will notice I cut out me doing Row 4 of the chart (it got kinda boring, lol), but hopefully you caught on at the point 🙂 Again, the basic concept to duplicate a stitch is that you come through the stitch below the one you’re duplicating from back to front, back and around the stitch above the one you’re duplicating, then back through the stitch below from the front to the back of your knitting.
Here are a few tips that will help you when using this technique:
Count how many stitches tall and wide the chart is (this heart is 5 by 5 for example), then mark where you would like your chart to be positioned on your knitted item. If you are applying a chart to a glove for example, you want to make sure the chart will end up centered on your hand height wise and width wise, so be sure to try the glove on to determine which stitch you would need to start on for the chart to end up centered.
I find it easiest to work charts back and forth, from the bottom up, as you will see me do in the video.
You may need to adjust the tension of your stitches after you finish to make sure they look even with the others, which you can do with your tapestry needle.
If you make a mistake, no need to worry, you can easily rip it out and start over and it won’t affect your knitting!
Have fun!
I hope this tutorial was helpful, and please let me know if you have any questions by leaving a comment below!
P.S. The Girly Knits patterns that I mention in the video that use duplicate stitch are Be My Valentine and Eye Candy. Each of those patterns have lots of fun opportunities to practice duplicate stitch!
When I was thinking up design ideas for my Valentine’s Day inspired collection of knitting patterns “Follow Your Heart”, I thought it would be really fun to make a little heart puff to make a knitted heart necklace! I started looking at what was already out there, and came across this cute little heart pattern on Martha Stewart’s site for a catnip toy. I modified the pattern so that the heart would be knit in the round as one piece on double-pointed needles so you wouldn’t have to sew the 2 sides together at the end as instructed in the pattern on Martha Stewart’s site. Whether you use her pattern or the modified one below, the result will be the same, a cute little stuffed heart! I made one with size 2 needles and sport weight yarn for the necklace, and a larger one using an aran weight wool and size 4 needles for a toy for my cat to play with, both turned out super cute and fun!
Here is how I modified the pattern to be worked in the round below, and the materials that I used for the heart necklace:
Materials:
US 2 (2.75mm) double-pointed needles (set of 5)
Lion Brand Microspun in Fuchsia
Tapestry needle
Stuffing
28″ chain for necklace
Small metal clasp
Abbreviations:
BO: bind off
CO: cast on
k: knit
k2tog: knit 2 stitches together
kfb: knit into front and back of stitch
p: purl
rnd: round
st(s): stitch(es)
Directions:
CO 4 sts.
Kfb every st – 8 sts.
Divide 8 sts over 3 needles (4 sts on needle 1, 2 sts on needles 2 and 3). Join to work in rnd, taking care not to twist sts.
Knit 1 rnd.
Next Rnd: Kfb, k to last st on needle 1, kfb, kfb, k to last st on needle 3, kfb – 12 sts.
Next Rnd: Knit
Rep last 2 rnds until there are 28 sts.
Next Rnd : K2tog, k5, join with needle 3, with extra needle k5 (from needle 3), k2tog – 12 live sts, 14 sts held for other side of heart on dpns.
Next Rnd: [K2tog, k2, k2tog] x 2 – 8 sts.
BO in Kitchener St to join front and back of heart.
Join yarn at center of heart to work 14 held sts.
Next Rnd: K5, k2tog, k2tog k5 – 12 sts.
Next Rnd: Join 2 sides and [K2tog, k2, k2tog] x 2 – 8 sts.
BO in Kitchener St to join front and back of heart.
Finishing:
Trim tails to approximately 2 inches. Excluding tails at top center of heart, pull tails to inside or heart closing up any holes as you pull them in.
Stuff heart.
Use center tails to sew up center sides of heart, then double knot ends and pull to center.
String a chain with a small metal clasp, and clasp knitted heart at top center of heart.
Woo-lah! You just made yourself some awesome knitted jewelry! Enjoy! For more fun Valentine’s Day inspired patterns, check out my brand new collection “Follow Your Heart”! ♥
P.S. If you make this necklace, please post pics of your project on Ravelry here!
I am so super excited to share my brand new collection of knitting patterns with you, “Follow Your Heart”! It is a collection of 7 lovely knitting patterns inspired by Valentine’s Day and all of the fun girly goodies that come along with it! The collection includes gloves with flirty valentine’s messages, a skirt and legwarmer set featuring a heart cable pattern, playful and romantic reversible eye masks, a cupcake inspired hat and mitten set, and more! Check out the video of me below doing a show and tell of the collection, and telling a little more about each piece! A fun thing I also did with the collection was to include girls sizes in the patterns, yay!.
In the video, I also share a fun Valentine’s Day promotion!:
You can get the full collection of all 7 patterns for only $24 through Ravelry here! You can also purchase the patterns individually for $6-$7 each through Ravelry.
When you purchase the collection you also get a free bonus pattern, “Trifecta“! If you’re on Ravelry, just make sure to add the pattern to your cart and it will be free at checkout.
Receive a very special Girly Knits Valentine from me when you purchase the “Follow Your Heart” collection by February 5th! Just make sure to e-mail me your mailing address after purchasing the collection. (Note: This date has passed but I do have some Valentine’s left over – if you send me your address I will still send you one until they run out 😉 )
Here are all of the patterns in the collection and their descriptions below:
“Heart Me Forever”
If you were looking for a skirt that you will heart forever that will heart you back, you are in luck! “Heart Me Forever” is the most lovable skirt you will meet – with a super sweet heart stitch pattern, elegant mirrored cables, charming bobbles, and a playful bow drawstring with pom-poms, you will believe in love at first sight! This skirt will love you back with its flattering fitted shape and cozy warmth that only hand knit pieces provide. Knit with the ever hearted Knit Picks Swish Worsted and in the round as one piece for ease of finishing and ability to try on as you go, there truly is nothing not to love. I hope you love knitting “Heart Me Forever” as much as I loved designing it!
“Heart Warmers”
Keep your legs and wrists warm this Winter with the warmest type of cables, hearts! Hehe so that may not be technically true, but hearts make everything extra warm and fuzzy feeling, right?! This stylish set of legwarmers and mini mitts are knit in the round for ease of finishing and custom fit! They also feature a heart cable pattern that alternates between open and filled in hearts for a super fun and fashionable knitting experience and look! Whether you are making these for yourself or a very special recipient, the love and warmth will surely be felt. Enjoy!
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“Be My Valentine”
Give “talk to the hand” a whole new meaning when you stylishly wear and flash these fun and flirty fingerless gloves! With phrases such as “Be Mine”, “Kiss Me”, and “I Heart You”, you will be sure to surprise and delight the recipient of your message. These valentine’s day themed gloves feature many different style options to suite your fingerless needs, including an oh-so-cute removable mitten hat! The pattern contains a heart and lip color chart to sass up your mittens, and interchangeable word charts to make your message your own. Choose your preferred worsted weight yarn in your favorite color combo and you are good to go! Have fun!
“Eye Candy”
Treat your eyes to something sweet with these colorful knitted eyemasks! Whether you’re sleeping next to the one you love or enjoying your sweet dreams solo, this mask is sure to express your desires! The reversible eyemask is 2-sided to for double the fun, and includes 10 interchangeable charts for you to choose from! It also includes 2 blank charts so you can design a custom message and motif of your own! The mask knits up with less than your average ball ‘o yarn, making it a great stash buster, and a bite size project to practice your awesome colorwork skills. Sweet, colorful, and bite size, this mask really is just like candy! Yum! Enjoy!
“Sweeter Than a Cupcake”
What is sweeter than a cupcake? You are of course, especially when you’re adorned in this cute and cozy hat and mitten set! The matching hat and mittens are knit up with your 3 favorite colors of cupcake, and topped off with delicious colorful sprinkles and a pom-pom! All pieces are knit in the round, and have a hint of Fair Isle for just a sweet little taste of colorwork. The mittens feature a detachable top for your fingerless needs, which looks just as cute on or off your fingers! While this pattern may cause cupcake cravings, I promise your sweet tooth will be satisfied when you complete this set! Enjoy!
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“Care to Cuddle?”
For times when life is too much and you are feeling in despair, what could cheer you up more than a cuddle from a cute fuzzy koala bear? You needn’t go down under to experience his charms, you can make him up in your favorite worsted weight yarns! With his big fuzzy ears, and large button eyes, he knows just what to do to make your spirits rise. He will keep your ears warm, your wrists and fingers too, as all he wants to do is cuddle with you! “Care to Cuddle” can be other fuzzy things, as an Owl he will enlighten you with the wisdom he brings! Just remember as you come out of despair, “Care to Cuddle” wants to be shared! Enjoy!
“Your Time You Shine”
It is your time to shine girl when you make and rock this super stylish hat and glove set! Featuring a charming eyelet and garter stitch stripe pattern, and the option of adorning yourself in a big flower or bow, you are sure to shine! The bow set is made with Patons Lace Sequin with 2 strands held together for extra sequin sparkle, with the addition of bling at the center of the bows! The flower set uses Lion Brand’s Amazing for a fabulously chic color changing effect. Fear not the flowers, they are actually knitted using dpns! Whether you want to go glam or bohemian chic, this pattern is sure to suite your unique style! Enjoy!
Special Vday Promotion!
I hope you enjoy the patterns as much as I loved making them! You can find all of these patterns on Ravelry, where they are $6-$7, or you can buy the entire collection for only $24 on Ravelry! For a limited time I will also be giving you “Trifecta” as a free bonus pattern when you purchase the “Follow Your Heart” Collection – simply add the pattern to your cart on Ravelry and it will be free at checkout.
“Trifecta” (Bonus Pattern!)
Staying warm in the Winter can be a challenge with all of the knitted accessories you need to keep track of. Between a hat, scarf, and 2 gloves, something is bound to get lost in the mix. As the knitter of said items, this causes quite the dilemma! In comes Trifecta, a fun and fashionable accessory with all 3 of your favorite wooly Winter wonders combined! Trifecta will warm up your head, neck, and hands all at once, with an added bonus of making you look extra cute and cozy in the process! Knit with two strands of yarn held together in a stylish moss stitch and cable pattern, Trifecta knits up into an extra chunky fabric that is guaranteed to keep you extra warm. Trifecta will be your new favorite one stop cold-weather accessory, there’s no way you’ll leave this hand-knit beauty behind!
Purchase the “Follow Your Heart” Collection by February 5th and I will personally send you a Valentine!
Another fun thing I wanted to do was to send you a Girly Knits Valentine! Just email me your address to girlyknits@gmail.com after purchasing the collection, and you will receive a fun valentine from me in the mail! Yay!
Thanks for checking out the new collection! I hope you enjoy it! Happy Valentine’s Day!
I absolutely love the look of knitting combined with sequins. It seems to be a trend as I have been seeing more yarns incorporating it. I love Loops and Threads Dewdrops yarn (which I used for my Snow Princess design), and have been looking for a lighter weight one that I can use for future designs. Have you used yarn with sequins and what do you think? Have a favorite one? These sweaters are so pretty, the sequins add so much charm!
Check out this old photo of Tyra Banks in knitted lingerie! I’m guessing it was from the mid 90’s – considering that I am actually quite surprised by how cute the design is! Reminds of the first time I saw knitted lingerie – it was also a white number that a girl was wearing on the cover of a magazine, and I tried to copy it! Haha, wish I still had that image!
I am super impressed with the New York City Lion Brand Yarn Studio’s Winter window! That knitted dress is stunning, and the white swans are so neat! You can read more about all of the work that went into the window and the artist behind it on the LBYS website here!
Loving the look of these crocheted picture frames! Have you ever made a crocheted or knitted picture frame? Or covered one in yarn? I’m thinking it would be a fun project!
Have you encountered problems with knitting thumbs while knitting gloves or mittens? In today’s video tutorial, I’m going to go through the steps of knitting a thumb! These technique will apply to both fingerless and full coverage thumbs. From placing the thumb stitches on a holder, to casting on stitches for the fourchette, then coming back to pick up stitches for the thumb and knitting it in the round, I’ll be covering all of the important and sometimes tricky steps. Please do keep in mind that these are the techniques I use in my Girly Knits patterns, and not all thumbs will be constructed exactly the same with patterns from other designers. If you have a glove or mitten pattern from me however, these techniques will apply! I hope you find this video helpful, and that you have fun knitting your gloves and mittens!
When I was thinking up design ideas for my Valentine’s Day inspired collection of knitting patterns 
I am so super excited to share my brand new collection of knitting patterns with you, “Follow Your Heart”! It is a collection of 7 lovely knitting patterns inspired by Valentine’s Day and all of the fun girly goodies that come along with it! The collection includes gloves with flirty valentine’s messages, a skirt and legwarmer set featuring a heart cable pattern, playful and romantic reversible eye masks, a cupcake inspired hat and mitten set, and more! Check out the video of me below doing a show and tell of the collection, and telling a little more about each piece! A fun thing I also did with the collection was to include girls sizes in the patterns, yay!
Another fun thing I wanted to do was to send you a Girly Knits Valentine! Just email me your address to 
