The Knitters Thread

spirit

Paddee wrote: »

Regarding this yarn, my local Home Bargains store has had small packs (4x25g balls) for £1.50 for some months. It can be a hit and miss affair but so far I have managed to get the equivalent of 4 ply and also aran. Looking at the price for the 50g balls it was quite a bargain. I used the white 4 ply to make baby cardigans for a friend and was so pleased with the results. At first it was in the aisle where the laundry items were but now it is in the stationary aisle.

Thanks Paddee, i'll look out for it.

RicardaRacoon

Evening everyone

Interessting to read how everyone knits a bit differently. I knit continental, so whenever I knit in publik in the UK other knitters will see that I'm a foreigner... ;-) I can knit the English way, but it takes forever and I haven't yet figured out how to purl, so will stick to continental...

I casted on a pair of socks today, christmas present for a friend. I do make progress with my jumper but I wanted to start the socks nevertheless to have something more challenging than endless rows of knitting straight... I prefere knitting over purling but it will be nice to have some purls and yarn overs to work...

My mum knitted a lovely baby jumper in green and red, never expected it to look so nicely. She now likes it too much to donate it so she put it aside for my friends baby. I'm sure my friend will like it, it is a jumper that fits both boy and girl, she is expecting a boy but it is a garnemnt that could also one day be passed on to a younger sibling.

Have a nice evening everyone!

plumduff55

Hi everyone, I am really excited about my day out tomorrow. I will make myself a packed lunch then drive about 6 miles where I will meet an old work colleague then we will get the bus to the SECC in Glasgow for the Crafts Exhibition. There are stalls for many crafts but I am mostly interested in the stalls selling wool and fabric. I am like a child in a sweetie shop :j

Ricarda, several years ago I had to stop knitting for a while due to shoulder pain. I was lost without my knitting so went to a class and learnt Continental knitting, it was amazing as knitting this way did not aggravate my shoulder pain. I knitted like this for several months but unfortunately my tension was very uneven and when my shoulder improved I went back to my old way of knitting, although I still knit ribbing this way. I do wish I had been able to improve my tension.

Happy knitting xx

maryb

spirit wrote: »

I hold it the same way maryb, I knit fast this way, I don't think I could if I held it on top? Looks much more cumbersome.

Apparently you can " scoop" the yarn rather than "throwing" it. I can knit pretty fast with the method I was taught so it's not a problem for me

[Deleted User]

this is a lovely positive and interesting thread, must be because it is all about a hobby that we love

My first hitchiker will be finished in an hour, I think it is very lovely but a bit weighty as it used 220g compared to the pattern, which used 150. I could use the same doubled yarn next time and larger needles as I can stop it at any length and it will grow faster too. Was meant to be a present but I think I will keep it for myself as it is lovely. I have one hand woven scarf in my drawer, never worn and used different textured yarns, loosely woven but I bashed it a bit in hot water so it has a very slight felting, just to stop the weave moving. That will make a nice present for a dd

Last year I gave a very carefully knitted scarf to my ds, it cost loads and used noro silk garden in small stripes. They came and visited and dil was wearing it, having washed it in her machine, needless to say it was looking a bit felted. I told her how to wash wool but lesson learnt and won`t be making more delicates for them so sock yarn is much better for some people. I am so glad that I kept the one I had made for my late husband. It is a very gorgeous scarf by Jared Flood on ravelry, very special
http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/noro-striped-scarf

Must finish urban poncho today as buttons have arrived. It will make a grand slipover for the cold weather

Needle/knitting discussion is very interesting. My mother was an uber fast knitter, she was Dutch and absolutely continental. That supposed continental way is just one way to knit. It is however we most comfortably knit that is best. She was always, long needles, right one tucked under armpit. I knit fast too and am liking ringing the changes between needles and circular and straight. Have learnt loads since joining ravelry, short rows etc. In the old days it was just up and down

I also have bamboo needles in all sizes and dpns, as backups. They were very good buys from ebay and get polished with use, so they allow good yarn slippage. I think they are better than knit pro wooden, I was disappointed in mine as a coule of points splintered so they became unusable

maryb

Now that the colder weather is here I'm looking to fill gaps in my wardrobe. My winter "uniform" is a long sleeved teeshirt jeans and a V neck sweater. However I'm very short of jumpers because I had to wear a back brace for three months back in March and it has left felted patches on every jumper - they're basically ruined. I used to wear cashmere and the jumpers I bought years ago (mostly from Uniqlo) washed and wore really well. But the ones they have now are so thin and expensive I can't bring myself to pay that. I looked at Woolovers which do a cashmere/merino blend but a friend who bought some says they pill badly so am reluctant to lay out that sort of money.

So a big incentive to tackle the stash! I'm knitting absolutely plain classic styles for my next two projects in 4ply wool from stash. Then I might tackle something a bit more interesting

[Deleted User]

oh yes woolovers do pil and soon become unwearable. If you learnt to spin then you could eventually spin any yarn combo you like as you can get whatever blend of fibre you like from world of wool and it ends up a fraction of the cost
http://www.worldofwool.co.uk/products/284/custom_processes.htm

my last one was merino/silk/cashmere

I have also had silk and tencel blended to a pale yellow, that made a really fab summer top

I did like woolovers for cotton jumpers mind. I an wearing one today

mardatha

Def agre ree Woolovers pilling - am sick of them. I do like their cotton though.

lynseydee

kittie wrote: »

I also have bamboo needles in all sizes and dpns, as backups. They were very good buys from ebay and get polished with use, so they allow good yarn slippage. I think they are better than knit pro wooden, I was disappointed in mine as a coule of points splintered so they became unusable

Kittie, what bamboo needles do you use?

[Deleted User]

lynseydee wrote: »

Kittie, what bamboo needles do you use?

I don`t use them now but have used them lots in the past but the dpns are sometimes useful as they might be a better length for something. I got a stack from ebay, they originally came from china. The bamboo circular needles are ok too, just that I have better now in all my needles. If any grandchild becomes interested in knitting when older, then I won`t hesitate to give them my bamboo needles. They are very cheap and good when they get smoothed by just using them

I washed my hitchhiker in the washing machine after a quick sink soak as loads of colour comes out. I got lots and lots and I mean lots from kemps a couple of years ago, when it was very very cheap. Regia creativ. I just wound up two strands together. The scarf/shawl is yummy and very flattering on and it is machine washable. I just squeeze and use a stand alone spinner for hand wash only yarns, because it doesn`t go side to side, which would make felt

I am just doing the garter stitch armholes for urban ponch, will finish this evening. It has been a good easy knit but the pattern instructions aren`t that good as I like to use a row counter. I will steam and hand press tonight and that will do. I am not doing the pinning out and spraying as I cannot be bothered

Its great not aching any more, I have just wound up 2 more lots of regia for another hitchiker. I am forgetting the socks for the men, they are getting comics instead, honestly