rigidly to a pattern: the whole point of your knitting is that it’s yours and no one else’s. So make something that has bits of your brain all over it. Not the actual gooey stuff inside your head, but the ideas that grow in that goo. Treat your needles as your paintbrush and the yarn as your paint. Pour the weird workings of your imagination on them and watch what grows.
ABBREVIATIONS
Ahhhh. A little gaggle of knitting abbreviations. So sweet, all tucked into the pattern in neat little rows. Abbreviations are the bits of a knitting pattern that resemble complicated algebraic equations. They’re the bits that make nonknitters peering over your shoulder turn slightly green and need a sit down. They’re also the bit that Dumbledore loves the best in the Harry Potter books. Lucky for you, they’re easy-peasy. Roll your eyeballs over this lot and feel free to come back if you forget any.
approx. – approximately
beg – beginning
cm – centimetre(s)
DK – double knitting
DPN – double-pointed needle
g – gram(s)
in – inch(es)
inc – increase(s)/increasing
inc1 – increase one; knit into front and back of stitch to increase
k – knit
k2tog – knit two stitches together (decrease by one stitch)
k3tog – knit three stitches together (decrease by two stitches)
ktbl – knit through the back loop
m – metre(s)
m1 – make one; increase using stitch lying between two stitches
mm – millimetre(s)
oz – ounces
p – purl
p2tog – purl two together (decrease by one stitch)
psso – pass slipped stitch over
rem – remain/ing
rep – repeat
skp – slip 1, knit 1, pass slipped stitch over (decrease by one stitch)
sl – slip
ssk – slip, slip, knit; slip two stitches one at a time, knit two slipped stitches together (one stitch decreased)
st(s) – stitch(es)
st st – stocking stitch (US: stockinette stitch)
tbl – through back of loop
tog – together
yd – yards(s)
* – repeat directions following
* as many times as indicated or to end of row
( ) – repeat instructions in round brackets the number of times indicated
LONDON LINGO
Londoners have their own language, built on the foundation of the Queen’s BBC English and then chewed up and spat out on the gritty city streets by cab drivers, market-stall shouters, and ruddy-faced pub landlords. If you want to Stitch London, you have to learn a little of the lingo or you’ll be lost. Here are a few words to help you find your way:
battenburg – the pink and yellow king of cakes. Wrapped in a marzipan jacket of sugary goodness.
berk – a rather foolish individual.
blinder – an excellent thing or achievement. Woo hoo! ‘This fairisle jumper was a proper blinder.’
bog-standard – plain and ordinary ‘The newbie bought bog-standard metal knitting needles to begin with.’
bovver – aggressive, thuggish behaviour.
faffing – messing around and wasting time. Tut.
gammy – see manky.
gubbins – stuff and things. In this book, it means the materials you’ll need to make each project.
manky – diseased and a bit disgusting. Yuck.
me old mucker – my friend. How nice.
mince pies – ‘eyes’ in cockney rhyming slang.
newbie – brand-new, shiny-eyed knitter. Awwww.
not really cricket – not a very nice thing to do. Shame on you.
Oyster card – ticket for all manner of London transport. Not a card for shellfish.
skint – penniless or poor.
throw a wobbly – have a huge, dramatic tantrum.
toerag – scallywag, scoundrel, imp.
tube – London’s underground transport system. Full of sweaty commuters.
wellies – rubber boots made for jumping in puddles. Splosh.
WIP – Work in Progress. Your knit while it is being knit.
‘You’re nicked!’ – you are under arrest.
STITCH ESSENTIAL GUBBINS
Before you embark on your journey through the streets of Stitch London, you will need to arm yourself with some wool-wrangling weapons. Here’s a list of stuff you won’t survive without.
Knitting needles
Straight needles
These fellows are long, straight and pointy in metal, plastic or wood. You are not going to get far without these, so pick ones you like the feel of. You’re going to be holding them a lot.
Circular needles
These guys are two needles joined together with a cord. Good for knitting tubes, knitting on the tube (they’re shorter
