This technique comes up rather often in knitting. Two popular examples are the sleeves on a top down sweater (like Flax or Harvest), or the thumb stitches on a mitten (like Maize). The example below is a mitten but the principles remain the same.
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Two simple steps:
- Thread some yarn through your darning needle
- Run the needle and yarn through the stitches, making sure all of the stitches are still on the yarn (don’t pull it all the way through)
Voila, stitches have been place on hold! You can tie the ends of the waste yarn together (so it doesn’t slip out). Later on, when you want to continue knitting from these ‘held’ or ‘live’ stitches, simply slip them back onto needles, then pull the waste yarn out.
Check out our Free Simple Collection patterns:
Barley Light
Rye Light
Maize
Wheat
Flax Light
Flax
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September 13, 2020 @ 7:58 am
Me again. I’m working on the flax light
September 13, 2020 @ 7:56 am
Hello! I’ve made this sweater 3 times ! and am now not sure about the part before placing stitches on yarn. Need a reminder. Do I understand that “you will now work even” means that all stitches are knit except for the garter panel which will continue? I’ve done 3 rows this way but forgot to check stitches when I started this section. Thanks for your help. Love the pattern.
September 13, 2020 @ 9:08 pm
Hi Lita – Work even means you are working without increases, but you are keeping the stockinette and garter sections in tact.
February 6, 2019 @ 9:35 am
Thank you. I’ve been browsing your website while I waited to start the next section, and I love it! You have such a diverse collection of how-to posts. Can’t wait to learn more!
February 5, 2019 @ 7:24 pm
Hi. Working on the Mountain Mist sweater, starting the yoke separation rounds. I’ve removed the CB marker k39 stitches and placed the BOR marker. The next step is to place 43 stitches on hold, which I can do. But the next direction says to cast on 13 stitches. Should I cast on 13 stitches on a new needle like I did to start the sweater? Or cast 13 more stitches onto the working needle?
February 6, 2019 @ 9:28 am
Hi Julianna – you want to cast those sts onto the working needle.
February 2, 2019 @ 4:50 am
Please tell me what the instruction means “turn cast on one stitch turn”. I am knitting antler mittens and have put the thumb stitches on hold.
February 4, 2019 @ 10:39 am
Hi Doris – you can turn your work and use a knitted cast on to add one stitch, or you can skip the turn and just cast on 1 stitch using the backwards loop cast on.
October 26, 2017 @ 10:30 am
I am making a sweater (first time) and the instructions say to put the last 33 stitches for the back on a stitch holder (or waste yarn). How do I do that if I need the rest of the yarn to start the front? Can I bind off and pick up those stitches when continuing with the pattern or do I have to start a whole new skein?
October 26, 2017 @ 12:42 pm
Hi Carla – kind of depends on the sweater, but you can always cut your yarn.
November 12, 2016 @ 5:56 am
Best explanation I have seen but could you not just put the stitches on a stitch holder?
November 12, 2016 @ 9:30 am
Sometimes, but I prefer waste yarn because it is flexible
November 3, 2015 @ 8:02 pm
Good explanation for technique I have never done before