🧶 The Oh La Lana! Knitting Academy
Welcome to the Academy! Whether you are picking up needles for the first time or looking to master the perfect invisible seam for your blanket, you’ll find everything you need here.
1. Getting Started: The Foundations
Every masterpiece starts with a single loop. In this section, we cover the essential building blocks of knitting—from choosing your first pair of needles to mastering the knit and purl stitches. If you are picking up needles for the first time, start here to build a rock-solid foundation for your creative journey.
- How to Choose the Right Yarn & Needles
- The Long-Tail Cast On (And why it’s my favorite)
- The Very First Row: How to Knit
- The Purl Stitch: Mastering the Basics
- How to Knit Back and Forth on Circular Needles (flat knitting on circular needles)
- Binding Off: Ending your project neatly
2. Stitches & Textures
Ready to go beyond the basics? Explore the rhythmic patterns and beautiful textures that bring your knitting to life. Here you’ll find guides on classic stitch combinations, how to read professional knitting charts, and techniques to keep your edges neat and tidy.
- Garter Stitch vs. Stockinette
- How to Slip the First Stitch for Neater Knitting Edges: The Slipped-Stitch Edge
- How to Read a Knitting Chart: A Beginner’s Guide
- Knitting charts symbols used in Oh La Lana! patterns
- How to Knit Big Popcorns
- How to Make Hachi Twists (a basic Japanese Stitch)
- How to make a simple loop element (no cable needle required!)
- Making the double loop element that features in many Japanese style knitting
3. Shaping & Advanced Techniques
Knitting isn’t just solid squares! This section focuses on the “engineering” of knitting. Learn how to increase and decrease stitches to create shapes, how to fix common mistakes without panicking, and the more technical skills that turn a beginner into a confident maker.
- The Yarn Over
- Knitted Yarn Over: where lace knitting starts (and the easiest way to make a buttonhole!)
- The Twisted Yarn Over: increase without a hole
- Purl Yarn Over
- The “KFB” Increase (Knit Front and Back)
- Decreasing: K2Tog and SSK
- How to Pick Up Dropped Stitches (Don’t Panic!)
- How to Use the Intarsia Technique
4. Finishing & Assembly
The final steps of a project are where we ensure our hard work is preserved for years to come. Whether you are joining blanket blocks, seaming a cozy vest, or blocking a new hat to the perfect shape, these tutorials will help you assemble your projects with a clean, high-quality result every time. Make your handmade treasures remain beautiful and functional for a lifetime!
- Blocking 101: The Step-by-Step Guide
- How to Join Knitted Squares: 3 Easy Ways
- How to Knit a Tea Cozy: finish your very first seamed project and surprise your friends with an easy handmade gift
- How to Weave in Ends Invisibly
- Adding a Crochet Border to Your Blanket
