Jil Eaton’s

knitting School

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 Jil Eaton’s
knitting School
The Complete Guide
to Becoming a Confident Knitter
Photographs by Nina Fuller

New York

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 Copyright © 2010, Jennifer Lord Eaton, d/b/a Jil Eaton. MINNOWKNITS are trademarked and copyrighted
dedication
under U.S. and international law, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
SMALL POND STUDIOS, 52 Neal Street, Portland, Maine 04102 USA

All rights reserved.

Published in the United States by Potter Craft, an imprint of the Crown Publishing Group,
a division of Random House, Inc., New York.
www.crownpublishing.com
www.pottercraft.com

POTTER CRAFT and colophon is a registered trademark of Random House, Inc.

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

TK

Printed in XX

Design by XX
Photography by Nina Fuller
Photography Art Direction by Jil Eaton
Styling by Merle Hagelin, Jil Eaton, Mark Dube
Pattern Design by Jil Eaton
Drawings by Jil Eaton
Technical Illustrations by Joni Coniglio
Technical Writing and Editing by Stephanie Doben
Pattern Checking by Janice Bye
..... to my toast band mates, Ted Arnold, Kathleen Egan,
10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 and Tori Lambert, who have given me so many joyous
hours over the past years, full of fun and harmony,
First Edition
the perfect prescription for health and happiness and
Every effort has been made to be accurate and complete with all the information in this book.
The publisher and the author cannot, however, be responsible for differences in knitters’ abilities,
creativity—thanks for every single note!
typographical errors, techniques, tools or conditions or any resulting damages or mistakes or losses.

Jil Eaton’s hand-knitting patterns may not be knit for re-sale.

MinnowKnits™ patterns and books and yarns are distributed by

Classic Elite Yarns, 125 Western Avenue, Lowell, MA 01851 www.classiceliteyarns.com

No copies of any or all of this publication may be made

without the express written permission of the publisher and author.
www.minnowknits.com
www.classiceliteyarns.com
www.ninafuller.net

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 contents
introduction . ...................................... 8 Lesson 9 ......................................... 69 Lesson 16 ...................................... 112
Lesson 3 ......................................... 37
How to Make Stripes How to Create Fair Isle
about this book . .......................... 11 How to Make the Simplest Decrease
Project: Striped Tee How to Read a Color Chart
Knit Two Together
How to Make I-Cord
How to Sew a Simple Seam
knitting basics........................ 12 Project: Zany Puppetina Lesson 10 ....................................... 75 How to Make an I-Cord Bind-Off
The Perfect Knitting Kit Project: Cross Country Cap
Ribbing
Needles
A Yarn Over
Other Knitting Equipment Lesson 4 ......................................... 40
How to Make Yarn-Over Buttonholes Lesson 17 ...................................... 118
About Yarn How to Join a New Yarn
How to Make Duplicate Stitch How to Knit Texture Patterns
Always Knitting to Fit How to Make a Three-Needle Bind-Off
Project: Bird’s Eye Cardigan Project: Checkerboard Jewels
Measuring How to Pick Up Stitches
Blocking How to Make a Single Crochet Edging
Laundering Project: Crew Sweater Lesson 11 ....................................... 82 Lesson 18 ..................................... 123
How to Read a Pattern How to Make Bound-Off Buttonholes How to Knit in the Round
Project: Garden Party Cardi How to Crochet a Chain Stitch
Knitting Abbreviations Lesson 5 ......................................... 46
How to Make Box Pleats
Let’s Knit ....................................... 26 The Basic Purl Stitch
Lesson 12 ....................................... 88 Project: Dressy Dress
Knitting on the Go The Stockinette Stitch
Starting a Knitting Group How to Make an Invisible Seam How to Make Cables
Knitting for Charity Project: Easy-as-Pie Pullover How to Make a Tassel Lesson 19 ..................................... 130
Project: Big Fish, Little Fishie How to Work Multistitch Patterns
Going on a Field Trip
Project: Latticework Tank Top
Lesson 6 ......................................... 52
beginner’s delights The Seed Stitch Lesson 13 ....................................... 96
Project: Seedling Pullover How to Knit Lace solutions to commonly asked
Lesson 1 ......................................... 30
Project: La Petite Shrug questions .......................................... 136
How to Make a Slip Knot
How to Cast On Lesson 7 ......................................... 57 needle conversion
Knit-On Cast-On How to Increase graduate school chart ............................................. 135
Cable Cast-On Knit One Front and Back Lesson 14 ..................................... 102 contributors . .................................. 138
Backwards Loop Cast-On How to Felt How to Make Knit-In Bobbles
The Basic Knit Stitch Project: Pooch Jacket Project: Bobble Shawl acknowledgments . ........................ 141
The Garter Stitch the knitting market .................... 142
intermediate charmers Lesson 15 ..................................... 106 index ............................................. 143
Lesson 2 ......................................... 33 Lesson 8 ......................................... 64 How to Use Double-Pointed Needles
How to Bind Off How to Make Another Decrease How to Make a Sock
How to Weave in Ends Slip, Slip, Knit How to Turn a Heel
How to Make Pompoms How to Embroider How to Wrap a Stitch
Project: Learn-to-Knit Scarf with Pompoms The Back Stitch How to Do the Kitchener Stitch
The French Knot Project: Toasty Toes
Project: Duckie Baby Blanket

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 beginner's delights

Lesson 3
Project:

zany puppetina

project: zany puppetina

How adorable is this frisky critter, Skills

complete with a shaggy mane and fiery knit stitch ............................. page 00
decrease............................... page 00
tongue? A toy is fun to knit and even more
sewing a seam..................... page 00
fun to play with, and is a good way to use
up leftover yarn. The puppet makes a
charming present for both the young and
Row 12 K2tog, knit to last two stitches, k2tog.
the young at heart.
Repeat the last three rows once more—18 stitches.
Jil’s Tip
Make sure to Next row K2tog across—9 stitches. Cut yarn, leaving a
take breaks from long tail, and thread through remaining stitches.
Finished Size
your knitting to
10" (25.5cm) long stretch your body
and your hands. Finishing
Tongue
Materials
Cut six 12" (30.5cm) strands of A. Tie a knot near one
 65 yards (60 m) worsted weight yarn in MC and
end and make a braid using double strands. Tie another
2 yards (1.8 meters) each in A, B, C, and D
knot near the end of the braid.
 One pair size 8 (5mm) needles, or size needed to
obtain gauge
 Tapestry needle Mane
 2buttons, ¾" (19mm) wide Wrap one strand each of B, C and D around four fingers
twenty times. Cut loops at one end and sew opposite
end into seam of puppet as follows: With RS facing, pull
Gauge long tail of MC snug and sew back seam while securing
tongue at front of puppet, and mane between 2" (5cm)
18 stitches and 36 rows = 4" (10cm) in garter stitch
from front and 4" (10cm) from back of puppet.
Eyes
Puppet Sew on button eyes 1" (2.5cm) from front of puppet and
With MC, cast on 38 stitches. ½" (1.25cm) down from seam.

Rows 1-8 Knit.

Row 9 K2tog, knit to last two stitches, k2tog.
Repeat the last 9 rows 7 times more—22 stitches.
Rows 10 and 11 Knit.
38
Sample in photograph knit in Jil Eaton MinnowMerino
(50g/77yds): #4794 Jade (MC), #4758 Rouge (A), #4789
Pinque (B), #4788 Tangerine (C) and #4755 Cerise (D).
Buttons by Zecca. Knit by Jil Eaton.
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 beginner's delights

Lesson 3
Project:

zany puppetina

project: zany puppetina

How adorable is this frisky critter, Skills

complete with a shaggy mane and fiery knit stitch ............................. page 00
decrease............................... page 00
tongue? A toy is fun to knit and even more
sewing a seam..................... page 00
fun to play with, and is a good way to use
up leftover yarn. The puppet makes a
charming present for both the young and
Row 12 K2tog, knit to last two stitches, k2tog.
the young at heart.
Repeat the last three rows once more—18 stitches.
Jil’s Tip
Make sure to Next row K2tog across—9 stitches. Cut yarn, leaving a
take breaks from long tail, and thread through remaining stitches.
Finished Size
your knitting to
10" (25.5cm) long stretch your body
and your hands. Finishing
Tongue
Materials
Cut six 12" (30.5cm) strands of A. Tie a knot near one
 65 yards (60 m) worsted weight yarn in MC and
end and make a braid using double strands. Tie another
2 yards (1.8 meters) each in A, B, C, and D
knot near the end of the braid.
 One pair size 8 (5mm) needles, or size needed to
obtain gauge
 Tapestry needle Mane
 2buttons, ¾" (19mm) wide Wrap one strand each of B, C and D around four fingers
twenty times. Cut loops at one end and sew opposite
end into seam of puppet as follows: With RS facing, pull
Gauge long tail of MC snug and sew back seam while securing
tongue at front of puppet, and mane between 2" (5cm)
18 stitches and 36 rows = 4" (10cm) in garter stitch
from front and 4" (10cm) from back of puppet.
Eyes
Puppet Sew on button eyes 1" (2.5cm) from front of puppet and
With MC, cast on 38 stitches. ½" (1.25cm) down from seam.

Rows 1-8 Knit.

Row 9 K2tog, knit to last two stitches, k2tog.
Repeat the last 9 rows 7 times more—22 stitches.
Rows 10 and 11 Knit.
38
Sample in photograph knit in Jil Eaton MinnowMerino
(50g/77yds): #4794 Jade (MC), #4758 Rouge (A), #4789
Pinque (B), #4788 Tangerine (C) and #4755 Cerise (D).
Buttons by Zecca. Knit by Jil Eaton.
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 To purchase a copy of
Jil Eaton's Knitting School
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