How to Use a French Knitter

The other day, I post an Instructable on how to make a cheap and easy French Knitter with a paper towel tube and popsicle sticks. This Instructable will now show you the basics of using a French Knitter to make a nice long yarn cord.

For french knitting, you don't need too many supplies.

• French Knitter - or make your own
• Yarn of choice
• Scissors
• Crochet Hook (optional, for cleaner finish)

I don't know if it's called casting on, but that's kind of what you are doing. You need to start by getting your yarn on your french knitter.

• Start by threading the yarn down the center of your knitter and bring it to the outside and hold it in place with your thumb.
• Make a loop around one of the hooks sticking off the knitter.
• Continue to loop your yarn around all the hooks going clockwise.
• Push all those loops down, and loop your yarn around the hooks again. Hold the yarn strand or the loops will all just pop off the hooks.
• Take your hook (or crochet hook) and grab the bottom loop.
• Bring the bottom loop over the top loop and off the hook.
• Repeat around until you've taken all the bottom loops off the hooks. (you don't need to hold the yarn end anymore)
• Repeat this over and over.

Now, you just keep repeating the same process until your cord is as long as you want it. Remember to measure from the bottom of the hooks where your yarn is; do not measure from the bottom of the french knitter.

This is the easy way to end your cord. It is also the way most directions will tell you to do it.

• Cut your yarn leaving at least a few inches (leave more if you are going to use this yarn to sew or for anything really).
• Loop your yarn around your first hook as you normally would.
• Pull the bottom loop over the top loop and off the hook as you normally would.
• Now, pull that loop you just put on the hook until the end comes through it. Now the loop you just made should be on your yarn.
• Repeat this around until all of your loops are off the French knitter and on the yarn end.
• That's it.
• You can pull it tight and you'll get more of a point like the last picture shows.

When I was working on my scarf, I realized I didn't want those weak ends on my cords, so I chose to end my cord this way.

• You don't have to cut the yarn yet, I would wait until you are done.
• Take the loop that is to the left of the one that is attached to your ball. Take it off the french knitter hook it is on, and put it on the french knitter hook to its left.
• Take your hook tool, and go through the top loop and grab the bottom loop.
• Pull the bottom loop up through the center of the top loop.
• Pull both loops off the french knitter hook but make sure the loop from the bottom that you just grabbed stays on your hook too.
• Take this loop and put it on the french knitter hook to the left.
• Keep going around until you've put all the loops through other loops. You should be left with one last loop on your hook tool.
• If you want to be done now, cut your yarn and pull the yarn through this last loop. Continue on to get the cleanest ending.

Finishing your tube:

• Cut your yarn and pull the yarn through that last loop.
• Stick a crochet hook through the next "V" loop in your chain (follow along with the pictures the best you can).
• Pull your yarn through that "V" loop.
• Using your hook, bring the yarn down through the last loop that you had on your hook when you took your cord off the french knitter.
• If you are done and don't need the yarn, bring it down through the center of the cord and cut off the excess.
• You should be left with a nicely braided-looking ending on your cord.

Sorry, this ending is a little harder to explain. Hopefully the images help it make sense, otherwise, ask questions (with pictures if possible) and I'll try to help you along!

Not sure what to do with a french knitter?

I'm going to post an Knit Infinity Tube Scarf that I made with mine.

If you can get your tubes small enough, you can make this Spaghetti and Meatball Knit Scarf.

Another great project is this Easy Earmuff Headband.