Count by Row for Accurate Measurement
Don't trust the ruler, but rather count row by row for accurate measurement. Then the knitter can sew up row by row when using the mattress-stitch seam, or another seam choice. The most recent piece of knitting you have worked on is usually a little stretched and will relax and contract some when you are through, making a ruler somewhat unreliable. Susan Esser, teacher/designer

Take Risks
There is no penalty for failure. You can really learn from mistakes whether it be in putting colors together that you've never considered before or using yarns in ways that are not recommended by anyone else. Some things will work, others not. But when it clicks, when the results of your own ideas come together in something wonderful, there is no feeling quite like it. That's how I approach my garden, and my hand-painted yarns. Cheryl Schaefer, Schaefer Yarns (hand-painted yarns)

Counting Rows for Cable Crossings
To Figure Out How Many Rows You Have Worked Since the Last Cable Crossing, count the horizontal rungs after the last cable stitch is worked. When there are the same number of rungs as there are number of rounds (or rows) between crossings, it's time to cross again, on the next round. Example: If doing a cable that crosses every sixth round, and after knitting the last stitch of that cable there are five rungs and the rung just made, then you'll cross on the next round, as the first of those rungs was the last crossing, plus five rounds since. Dawn Brocco, designer

Help When Your Knitting Is Slow or Clumsy
If your knitting seems slow or clumsy, try using a different brand of needle. Sometimes a change in the design of the tip or the material can make a big difference in how smoothly your work goes. Janice Fischer, knitter

How to Work With Different Dye Lots
When using hand-painted yarns, buy more yarn than you think you will need. Dye lots never match. If you need to work with different dye lots, alternate yarn from two different skeins/dye lots every two rows. Don't be afraid to mix yarns from different companies. Many complement each other very well. If you are worried about striping, try slipstitch pattern stitches. Texture of any kind also seems to break up stripes. By working cuff to cuff or side to side, any striping runs vertically and improves the line of your garment. Leslie Taylor and Diana McKay, Mountain Colors Yarn

Leave the Ribbings for Last
If you are worried that you'll run out of yarn for a sweater, try leaving the ribbings for last. Use a provisional cast on and knit the sweater, then do the same for the sleeves. If you do run out of yarn, you can coordinate all the edges by using a different yarn. You also have the added benefit of doing the ribbing in the round (if you're knitting flat). Sew the pieces together, pick up the provisional stitches, adjust the number and knit down. It also gives you time to decide what kind of edging treatment you'd like to use. Janice Fischer, knitter

Help in Reading Charts
Drugstore magnifying glasses can be a big help in reading charts. Try using half-glasses so you can focus back and forth easily. Janice Fischer, knitter

To see this, draw a triangle and draw a line parallel to the top edge halfway up. This gives you a smaller triangle, which represents the 1/2 of the length you have just knitted. If you look at the piece left on top of this small triangle, you will be able to fit 3 such triangles in it. Thus, you have only done 1/4 of the total knitting or used 1/4 of the total amount of yarn needed.

So here you are, working on a shawl, and you have used 1 ball of yarn, and you are 1/3 of the way up to the top. You have done 1/3 times 1/3 of the total knitting, so you have 8/9 of it left to go, and you better have at least 8 more skeins of yarn.

This linear vs. area ratio result is the reason why the top part of a triangular shawl or the edging seems to take forever. Suppose you are knitting a circular shawl with a total radius of 30 inches, of which the last 2 inches is a lace border. When you get to the border, you will have done 28/30, or 14/15, of the distance from center to outside edge, but only 14/15 times 14/15 = 196/225 = .87111, or a little bit more than 87 percent of the total amount of knitting. No wonder that edging seems to take forever!

Caution: The ratio comparison only works with what you have already knitted, not with what you have left to do. It does not work on things with proportions that change as you knit. A scarf is a rectangle, but the ratio between length and width constantly changes as you knit, so the ratio trick doesn't work on it. Lois Young, designer and mathematician

Secrets of Entrelac Knitting
Entrelac hint #1. To overcome the color "glitch" that often happens where two blocks of different colors are joined, work the last row of each block on the one tier in the color of the blocks on the following tier. Entrelac hint #2. Another entrelac artifact that can easily be avoided is the little hole at the junction of blocks. After picking up stitches along the edge of a block, slip the last picked up stitch back to the left needle and work a joining stitch right away (e.g., ssk or p2tog). Note that this also shortens your block by two rows, making it somewhat less rectangular. Kathleen Power Johnson, designer

Avoid Holes at Necklines
To avoid a hole at necklines, when you have already worked one side of the neck, and need to rejoin the yarn to bind off for the base of the neck. Instead of joining the yarn and starting the bind off with the next two stitches, pick up and knit one in the stitch before the first stitch you want to bind off. Knit the first stitch of the neck base, pass the picked up stitch over. (Do not count this as a bind off.) Now continue with your neck bind off as usual. The extra stitch acts as a wrapped stitch to stabilize the corner of the neckline. Diane Zangl, designer

How to Set in a Sleeve
When having difficulty setting in a sleeve, with matching yarn, run a basting line around the cap of the sleeve. Pull up to slightly gather before fitting into the opening. Adjust the fullness so that it falls mainly along the top of the cap. Use a crochet hook to slip stitch in place. If it still looks lumpy, try again. Ann E. Smith, designer

Don't read ahead when following patterns
Stay focused on the sentence that you are working on, almost as a Zen exercise, and only when that step is completed, move ahead with the next instruction. This prevents the knitter from getting confused and frustrated, as knitting instructions can be overwhelming when read all at once, especially for the novice. Joan McGowan, designer

Use Ring Markers
Get LOTS of ring markers and don't be afraid to use them, even where you think you shouldn't need them. Also slip them from one needle to the other as to purl and they won't be as prone to flying off and getting lost, although some will anyway. That's why you should have lots of them! Janice Fischer, knitter

Long-Tail Cast-On Tips
When deciding how much yarn you need for a long-tail cast-on, pull off about 12-inches for each 10 stitches to be cast on in worsted to heavy worsted weight yarn, and 8-inches worth of yarn for DK weight. Bulky gets about 15 -- 16 inches worth and super bulky gets about 18 inches for each 10 stitches. I don't use a tape measure, I just eyeball it and never run short, and usually have just a few inches extra. Dawn Brocco, designer

A Pillow Relieves Stress
When knitting for several hours place a small pillow under your right armpit to relieve stress. If you are left handed, put it under the opposite arm. Ann E. Smith, designer

Make an Easy Bobble
For an easy bobble -- in next RS stitch (k, p, k, p, k); on the WS, p5tog. Ann E. Smith, designer

When Your Work Is on Hold
Put stitches on waste yarn instead of metal holders if you plan to have your work on hold for a while. Yarn is less likely to leave a line of stretched-out stitches when you return to work on it. Diane Zangl, designer

Saddle Shoulder Tip
To keep shoulders from stretching out when adding saddle shoulders, bind off the shoulder stitches of the body. Then pick up stitches when you join the saddle shoulder. Diane Zangl, designer

Turn Bloopers Into Happy Accidents
When knitting along following a pattern, if the instructions do not seem correct, they may not be. No matter how hard we try, humans, even designers do make errors. Use your creativity to turn bloopers into happy accidents. Ann E. Smith, designer

How to Dry Sweaters Quickly
To dry sweaters quickly, place them on an old, non-rust window screen, covered with a towel. On pleasant days set the whole assembly outside, propped on blocks or bricks, out of the sun. Diane Zangl, designer

How to Add Rows for Growth
Crochet children's garments together with slip stitches and keep extra yarn. When the child grows it will be easy to release the slipped stitching and add some rows to the garment. Ann E. Smith, designer

Counting Your Skeins
If you forget how many skeins you used in a garment and it is in one yarn and color, weigh it. A small kitchen scale is very handy to weigh small projects. Ann E. Smith, designer

Q. Is it possible for totally blind people to knit socks?

A. Absolutely, both people with partial sight and those who are totally blind can knit socks.

Q. What are the best needles/yarn for beginners, or those who have lost/are losing sight?

A. Larger needles and heavier yarn such as a light worsted weight work best. The yarn is easier to feel, and the needles are easier to handle.

Q. Must the visually challenged always use larger yarn and needles?

A. No. As soon as one is comfortable with handling the needles and yarn, the sky is the limit.

Q. When using double-pointed needles how can one be sure they haven't become confused and are going in the wrong direction?

A. When the knitter has become familiar with the "feel" of the work this isn't a problem, but even for the experienced knitter with a vision problem point protectors are a good idea, since they will help in telling which direction the work is going.

Q. What about circular needles?

A. Many visually challenged knitters find that socks are easier to knit on 12-inch or 11-inch circular needles. The entire sock can be done on the circular needle until the toe shaping is reached.

Q. How does the visually challenged knitter know when a round has been completed?

A. Place a marker at the beginning of the round if using a circular needle, and one stitch before the end of the last needle when using double-pointed needles. If the stitch is placed one stitch before the end there isn't the danger that the marker will fall off at the beginning of the needle.

Q. Where can a visually challenged knitter find help?

A. If possible, another blind knitter would be a good source of help. Otherwise, find a really competent knitter who is willing to help. For instance, when I first started learning to knit socks I was given help and encouragement from a wonderful woman who owned a yarn shop.