Guys, do you realize that you haven’t heard from me in two weeks? Did you miss me? I missed you. It’s been sooo hectic around here but now the crazy has sort of died down. The to do list is shorter and way more manageable. Final assignments and exams have been submitted and written and I can finally get to my favourite part of the season: Christmas prep. Time to sort out all the shopping and see what's left to do. Start real work on the handmade projects which, sadly, always get left until the last moment. I've finally accepted that the girls cardigans are probably not going to be done on time for Christmas. Maybe by Valentines day. We'll see.
I can at least say that their hats will be done on time which I’m super pleased about. I actually saved the bind off so I can give you guys a little tutorial in case you haven’t seen a three needle bind off before. The first time I heard of a three needle bind off I was pretty intimidated. I could barely handle two needles without adding a third into the mix but a three needle bind off is pretty much exactly the same as a basic bind off but you’re knitting two parallel stitches together to close a seam. Take a look below.
Step 1 - Line up the stitches you want to seam together on your needles and hold them parallel in your left hand.
Step 2 - Use your third needle and insert it into the front of the first stitch on your front needle as if to knit.
Step 3 - Insert your third needle into the front of the first stitch on your back needle as if to knit.
Step 4 - Wrap your working yarn around your third needle...
... knit these two stitches together...
... so that you have one stitch on your right (third) needle.
Step 5 - Repeat steps 1 - 4 again so that you have two stitches on your right needle.
Step 6 - Insert the tip of one of your left needles into the first stitch that you made, lift it over the second and let it drop off the end of your right hand needle.
You've now bound off one stitch. Do you see it there just over my thumb, leaning toward the left?
Continue this process until you have bound off all stitches. Remember you should only ever have two stitches on your right hand needle MAX. When you get to the end, cut your working yarn leaving at least six inches for seaming and pull the working yarn through your last stitch to finish it.
That's it! I chose this bind off instead of Kitchener stitch because I wanted a nice solid edge on top and I find this seam super pretty. My two little hats are all finished and waiting for some pom poms in the corners and then I'll take some more pictures for you all to see.
That's it for me for this week! PEACE to you and your fam! I hope you all have an amazing holiday season and we will definitely talk soon. Happy knitting! XOXO