The Knitters Thread

cuddles123

Orkney...

http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/little-hot-bod - this one costs £2.50 (it's free to join Ravelry)

http://www.facebook.com/EdfEnergyLit...cingOrangeBlob - this one is in a post on facebook

homealone_2

OrkneyStar wrote: »

The tension square will tell you how many stitches per inch (or stitches per 4 inch in this case) and should also state how many rows per inch, otherwise it isn't a square . Aran wool is normally about 5-6ply, so doubled up it would be pretty bulky (too bulky?). You really need to do a tension square to get a definite answer, for something you will be wearing like a tank-top, less needed for a blankie etc.

am sorry think i am having a bit of a dim day..... do not understand how many rows i have to knit to get 4 inches????

OrkneyStar

homealone wrote: »

am sorry think i am having a bit of a dim day..... do not understand how many rows i have to knit to get 4 inches????

Only the pattern will tell you that. For the 4 inch tension square it should say how many stitches along the way and how many rows up the way you should have to be knitting to correct size.

OrkneyStar

cuddles123 wrote: »

Orkney...

http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/little-hot-bod - this one costs £2.50 (it's free to join Ravelry)

http://www.facebook.com/EdfEnergyLit...cingOrangeBlob - this one is in a post on facebook

The facebook link won't work for me. I found another one though, thanks anyway .

OrkneyStar

Just finished this- technically crochet but really easy and satisfying:

PipneyJane

homealone wrote: »

would like to start knittinf whats called an easy tank top. i have learned the hard was to always do a tension square but have no idea what they are asking me to use to get guage it says
"14sts =4 inches" but how many rows am i meant to do??? also pattern says to use 4.5mm on a pattern of k2 p2 rib with a bulky wool would i be able to use an aran wool for this? or is it not thick enough? and if not could i then just double up the wool as i have plenty?

Aran weight wool is 3/4 the thickness of bulky, so that wouldn't work. I did a quick search of Ravelry and came up with 50+ free tank top patterns for aran weight yarn you could try (click here to see the results). If you aren't a member of Ravelry, do join it. It's free and it's a wonderful resource.

On the tension question: generally you should not knit your tension square/gauge swatch to try to get it to 4 inches (although Sublime patterns are written that way). That will get you a very misleading swatch because everyone's stitches are tighter at the ends and at the cast on/cast off edges and you only want to measure the relaxed stitches in the middle. Instead cast on enough stitches to get a six inch wide square, do a couple of rows in garter stitch then start your pattern as per the tension square instructions. Knit until you have created six inches of fabric then do a couple more rows in garter stitch and cast off. I usually work the first three and last three stitches in garter stitch, too, since this stops it curling up. Wash your swatch in the same manner as you'd wash the garment (so if it's going to be machine washed bung it in there and put it through a cycle). When it's dry, then count your stitches and rows (mark off a four inch square in the middle of the swatch with pins and counting between the markers). Washing it changes the texture of the swatch and can change the stitch/row count you'll get (some yarns stretch once wet; some shrink a little).

Some patterns don't give a row count because the designer doesn't think it's important, often because there is no row-based shaping.

Hope this helps.

OrkneyStar

PipneyJane wrote: »

Aran weight wool is 3/4 the thickness of bulky, so that wouldn't work. I did a quick search of Ravelry and came up with 50+ free tank top patterns for aran weight yarn you could try (click here to see the results). If you aren't a member of Ravelry, do join it. It's free and it's a wonderful resource.

On the tension question: generally you should not knit your tension square/gauge swatch to try to get it to 4 inches (although Sublime patterns are written that way). That will get you a very misleading swatch because everyone's stitches are tighter at the ends and at the cast on/cast off edges and you only want to measure the relaxed stitches in the middle. Instead cast on enough stitches to get a six inch wide square, do a couple of rows in garter stitch then start your pattern as per the tension square instructions. Knit until you have created six inches of fabric then do a couple more rows in garter stitch and cast off. I usually work the first three and last three stitches in garter stitch, too, since this stops it curling up. Wash your swatch in the same manner as you'd wash the garment (so if it's going to be machine washed bung it in there and put it through a cycle). When it's dry, then count your stitches and rows (mark off a four inch square in the middle of the swatch with pins and counting between the markers). Washing it changes the texture of the swatch and can change the stitch/row count you'll get (some yarns stretch once wet; some shrink a little).


Some patterns don't give a row count because the designer doesn't think it's important, often because there is no row-based shaping.

Hope this helps.

Sorry, I should have mentioned that you don't need to knit 4 inches, simply enough to be able to measure a decent 4 inches either way- you explained it well .
I would have thought a tank top would have some row based shaping and hence a row count, but perhaps not.
PS Finally finished 'Zingy'

homealone_2

PipneyJane wrote: »

Aran weight wool is 3/4 the thickness of bulky, so that wouldn't work. I did a quick search of Ravelry and came up with 50+ free tank top patterns for aran weight yarn you could try (click here to see the results). If you aren't a member of Ravelry, do join it. It's free and it's a wonderful resource.

On the tension question: generally you should not knit your tension square/gauge swatch to try to get it to 4 inches (although Sublime patterns are written that way). That will get you a very misleading swatch because everyone's stitches are tighter at the ends and at the cast on/cast off edges and you only want to measure the relaxed stitches in the middle. Instead cast on enough stitches to get a six inch wide square, do a couple of rows in garter stitch then start your pattern as
per the tension square instructions. Knit until you have created six inches of fabric then do a couple more rows in garter stitch and cast off. I usually work the first three and last three stitches in garter stitch, too, since this stops it curling up. Wash your swatch in the same manner as you'd wash the garment (so if it's going to be machine washed bung it in there and put it through a cycle). When it's dry, then count your stitches and rows (mark off a four inch square in the middle of the swatch with pins and counting between the markers). Washing it changes the texture of the swatch and can change the stitch/row count you'll get (some yarns stretch once wet; some shrink a little).

Some patterns don't give a row count because the designer doesn't think it's important, often because there is no row-based shaping.

Hope this helps.

thanks let it really helpful, now that i have gone through my stash and put like with like i can see exactly how many balls of what i have. having said that in some cases i wish i had not looked. i seem to have rather random amounts of each type. most looks like their would not be enough for a garment and ended up with one black bag filled with an assortment of wool the max of any one type 100g but mainly 50g or less. i did make a jumper a couple of years ago where i just knitted all the bits and pieces knotting along as ian out of one and on to the next making an actual feature of the knot in the middle where you would panic and have to unwind for end to be at end. funny enough knots always seemed to appear on wrong side and at end of row. it turned out quite well. it took forever as it was on small needles and had untold amount of stitches. i will get son to put it on here in case anyone would like a look at it. also now to be pest have another question??? how many balls of 50g 100% bamboo wool would i need for a roughly size 20 vest top? please

OrkneyStar

homealone wrote: »

thanks let it really helpful, now that i have gone through my stash and put like with like i can see exactly how many balls of what i have. having said that in some cases i wish i had not looked. i seem to have rather random amounts of each type. most looks like their would not be enough for a garment and ended up with one black bag filled with an assortment of wool the max of any one type 100g but mainly 50g or less. i did make a jumper a couple of years ago where i just knitted all the bits and pieces knotting along as ian out of one and on to the next making an actual feature of the knot in the middle where you would panic and have to unwind for end to be at end. funny enough knots always seemed to appear on wrong side and at end of row. it turned out quite well. it took forever as it was on small needles and had untold amount of stitches. i will get son to put it on here in case anyone would like a look at it. also now to be pest have another question??? how many balls of 50g 100% bamboo wool would i need for a roughly size 20 vest top? please

You'd need to find a pattern using bamboo yarn, see how many balls it specifies, then check the length of your yarn as well as grams (you can have 2 balls of 50g DK yarn, that are completely different lengths, due to the yarn type weighing different amounts). I am also not sure the measurements of size 20, so you might need to get your measuring tape out and base it on your actual measurements, rather than a UK size (though some patterns may be 8-10, 12-14, 16-18, 20-22 etc, just depends).
Perhaps you could make some smaller things, eg headbands, gloves, wristwarmers with your smaller amounts of yarn, that way you can use them up? All the best.

homealone_2

am having one of those days when you are bursting at the seams to get some wool on a needle yet everything is set out to not let me achieve this. i even got up extra early when house was quiet but nothing. i have a lot of some wools but are generally of the cheaper persuasion that i know will not look good in the garments i want to make and small amounts of the more favoured type. wa tnt to make a basic enough vest so you would think that was easy but no. the pattern i like best decided to leave off the guage insnstructions and so am worried either the aran would not be thick enough and dont really want to find out after i have knitted it. which could have happened last week. i bought what i thought to be two packs of identical packs of wool from ice yarn same dye number etc but found when putting away that one pack was a deep blue with grey and the other a mauve with grey in it. they were 2 complete different colours so that could have been devastating. they dont have any more of either so now hoping to get a pattern that only calls for 400g. also wanted to use this funny ribbon looking wool i have but only have 400g of that too and thats in a wendy 100% bamboo but every search i have done comes up with a who???? any how feel a little better after rant. will just have to do a few more rows of my never ending crochet blanket until some patterns come along thanks guys