Don’t Panic: A List of Resources

I thought long and hard about whether I wanted to write this particular post. You see, I really, really like talking to you all and helping you with your knitting and crochet questions. I like hearing about the project you’re making for your son on the East Coast, or your daughter in the Coast Guard. I really think it’s neat that you’ve been crocheting since you were 10, or that you’re in your 70s and have just decided to learn to knit. I want you to keep calling me and emailing me, and I want to keep helping you when you find yourself having a bit of trouble.

On the other hand, I think some of you only call and email because you’re not sure where else to turn, and I want you to know that there are some other resources out there that you can turn to if one of us at Lion Brand isn’t immediately available to you (like when you can’t quite remember how to properly do a hdc or sk2p at 3am on Sunday morning). So without further ado, here is a quick reference list of some helpful resources from LionBrand.com:

• Learn to Crochet and Learn to Knit: Great explanations of the basics, plus a few more advanced techniques. You can also go to the Lion Brand YouTube Channel to see a lot of techniques demonstrated in short videos.
• Hook and Needle Equivalents: Got a question about the proper hook or needle size? Check here for metric and imperial equivalents.
• Lion Brand Yarn Info: Questions about a particular yarn? Click on the name of the yarn you’re interested to see available colors, recommended needle size, and more.
• The Pattern Finder: This is one of the coolest things at LionBrand.com. Want to knit a sweater for your new grandson? Looking for a nice cowl pattern for yourself? You can search on a particular term, or you can scroll down and use the selection boxes and drop downs to narrow down the types of projects you want to see.
• The FAQ bank: Want to know how to substitute a different yarn into a pattern? Need to estimate how much yarn you need for a particular type of project? Want to know why we’ve discontinued your favorite yarn? The Frequently Asked Question bank has the answers to the questions that, well, our customers have asked most often over the years.
• List of Abbreviations: This mega-list of knit and crochet abbreviations is a fabulous resource, but remember to check the Stitch Explanation section of your pattern for detailed explanations of special stitches.
• Finally, don’t forget to use this blog as a great resource! There is all sorts of great info here, and it’s all searchable using the search box in the upper right corner of this page.

I hope you will find these resources as helpful as I do. If you’re still stuck, though, please do give us a call or send an email (click here for customer & pattern support contact info) — we really do enjoy hearing from you and helping you!