'Pass it on': Let's make some holes!

If you have been reading my blog, you would know that I've been a bit obsessed with lace knitting lately. Naturally, when I was having a good think about what knitting technique I should pass on, I cast my mind back to the time when I first started lace knitting and what challenges I had encountered. One of these was with a basic technique that you would need for all lace patterns - the yarn over (abbreviated as 'yo'). 

My growing collection of lace knitting resources

There are a fair few knitting websites, blogs and YouTube videos out there on the www that explain particular ways of doing the various types of yarn-overs, for which I was quite grateful. However, I remember almost ripping my hair out with frustration, because I couldn't for the life of me understand why some yarn-overs created holes significantly larger than others. You see, the tricky thing with yarn-overs is that, easy as the actual manoeuvres may be, the way you go about making them will determine the amount of yarn that is used between the stitches on either side them, and hence the size of the resulting holes. There's no way that is more 'right' than another, since blocking the finished work is going to even the holes out a bit; however, if you are a bit of a perfectionist like me, seeing vastly different sized holes form in one piece of knitting is positively going to drive you up the wall. 

Ultimately, through a lot of Googling and trial-and-error, I came up with my preferred method of carrying out this technique, which I have found to yield the least inconsistencies in hole sizes between the different types of yos. I think it's only fair to reciprocate the favour of the tech-savvy, advice-dispensing knitters out there by sharing this and passing it on to those new to lace knitting. Shall we go through it now, step-by-step?

How to yarn-over between 2 knit stitches:

After the first K stitch, carry the yarn under the needle from the back of the work to the front. Leave it there and knit the next stitch. 

How to yarn-over between a knit and a purl stitch:

After knitting the first stitch, bring the yarn under the needle to the front, then wrap it around the needle once, finishing at the front of the work again, in preparation for purling. Purl the next stitch. 

How to yarn-over between a purl and a knit stitch:

After purling the first stitch, leave the yarn at the front and knit the following stitch. 

How to yarn-over between 2 purl stitches:

After purling the first stitch, take the yarn under the tip of the needle to the back of the work, then purl the next stitch.

Out of all the yarn-overs, this one actually feels a bit weird and even looks like it might be wrong when you do it, especially when you knit across the stitches on the following row. Just breathe, and rest assured that all is well. 

Knit and compare:

Here's a swatch with all the yarn-overs knitted using the methods described above, in the same order (bottom to top). I'm sure you'll agree that they all look roughly around the same size. I prefer my yos to be small and neat, but you may find that other methods may achieve a look that you might like better. My advice is to try out all the different ways of doing it, and finding out through personal experience which you are most comfortable with. 

Well, that's it for this tutorial! Hopefully it will save some hairs on the heads of newbie lace knitters out there, or at least provide inspiration for others to try out new ways of approaching certain knitting techniques. 

Knit on! x


Disclaimer: This blog entry is my submission to the Deramores Blog Awards 2014. Deramores is the UK's number one online retailer of knitting and crochet supplies. 

Ltd Espresso + Brew Bar - THE best coffee in Brisbane

Ltd Espress + Brew Bar

362 Brunswick St, Fortitude Valley QLD 4006

http://ltdespresso.com

(Open every day of the week!)

My friend once said to me, during one of my raving reviews about a certain coffee spot, that it isn't actually hard to find a good coffee in Brisbane. I would tend to agree (but, of course, do stay away from coffee at fast food chains!), however, there is a difference between a tolerable cup of coffee, a better-than-average cup that you would prefer to have regularly, and certainly a great cup of coffee that you might go out of your way to get hold of. And it isn't always easy to find the latter, unless you're actively scouting out all the existing coffee shops to try. 

For me, the best coffee in Brisbane (thus far) is found at Ltd Espresso + Brew Bar (which said friend, a coffee-lover, hadn't even heard of). If this place wasn't recommended to me by a colleague, who is a regular customer there, I don't know if I would have ever found out about it. I just did a quick search for 'Coffee in Brisbane' on Urbanspoon, and choosing the list by popularity, this particular place is lost amidst the 1316 other results, on page 2. However, if you go on beanhunter.com, which I didn't know about before and is specific for coffee, Ltd is actually listed as #1 in Brisbane. So, there you go. Trust the coffee addicts. 

If I wasn't looking out for this place, I think I would've totally overlooked it driving past, because the shop front is tiny; not much wider than the actual door itself. The contemporary-looking interior is quite narrow and is designed like a bar, where you can sit along the bench opposite the barista at his work. There are a few stools along the wall there where you can sit and have your coffee (there's little square platforms protruding from the wall to seat your beverage), but it can get pretty squishy when people are trying to walk through to the little partially enclosed sitting area right at the back, where there's cushions to allow you sit more comfortably, a little coffee table, and a selection of books for you to flip through, while you enjoy your coffee. 

The main barista there, Luke, who is also the owner, is a true coffee expert. He is very friendly and always keen to chat about all things coffee-related. When a shop is operated by someone who oozes enthusiasm and passion for what they do, you can almost be sure that their goods are not likely to disappoint. 

My cappuccino

The coffee they use is by Cleanskin Coffee Co., which is a roastery in Brendale, north of Brisbane. Not only does it taste good, but the beans are also sourced from ethical and sustainable farms around the world; so, extra brownie points for that. The coffee I get from here is always perfectly brewed and has a wonderful flavour. I generally find that it is smooth, strong and deep, without ever verging on bitterness. I usually opt for milky coffees, but Ltd also offers specialty blends and makes cold drips and other fancy things, which I have yet to try (but have heard/read good reviews about). 

A cold press coffee is also offered, but this is not made on site. The last time I spoke to the owner about this, he said the coffee concentrate (or whatever it is called), made from some secret recipe, is produced by another company and sent to them, and they dilute it with the right proportion of milk and bottle it up. Now, I'm not sure if things have changed since then, because the packaging is different (see pictures below), and I'm sure the cold press tastes sweeter than it used to. Nonetheless, it's still a nice-tasting iced coffee, perfect for warm weather days, when it's just too hot to drink normal coffee. These are stored in their fridge and available for takeaway. I think they're sold for about $4.50-5 per bottle, but occasionally they have specials, like $20 for a 6-pack, so keep an eye out on their Facebook page!

Cold press coffee

One thing to note about Ltd is that they almost exclusively trade in coffee. They sell a small selection of baked goods, made and delivered to the shop by someone else, so you can still have something to nibble on with your coffee, but don't expect a range of your typical café offerings being available.

Interestingly, this shop is located next to Reverends Fine Coffee, which is also listed as one of the top 10 coffee spots in Brisbane, on Bean Hunter. I shall review their coffee for you when I try it out next time :) In the meantime, I hope I helped you find another favourite coffee spot!