The Knitters Thread

plumduff55

Hi, where is everyone ????

Today I went and spent my £50 prize voucher from Watt Bros. Can't believe how difficult it was 😐. Most of their wool was 100% acrylic and I don't like knitting with that. So after spending about an hour trying to decide I eventually chose 7 x 400gram balls of Aran wool. These were an acrylic and wool mix and cost £6.99 each. I also bought a knitting pattern booklet which I forgot to put in my bag :shocked:. I phoned the shop and they are keeping it for me.

I must now buy some vacuum bags to store all this wool. Happy knitting everyone xx

nursemaggie

Maybe everyone is struggling with knitting like me at the moment. I have gone back on my cancer treatment, it came back and it makes my hands feel sore. I have temporarily abandoned the dead fish hats. Still waiting for measurements for GDS's hands as he is big for his age. His mum was wearing age 6 -7 at 3 so I expect him to be the same.

Have restarted the jumper I was knitting before but it is painful knitting so I keep putting it down. This ones smaller size needles so I think that may explain not being able to hold them so well. I think I have left a knitting pattern behind in a shop before.

I would look for some better quality storage bags than poundland I bought some a few years ago they leaked.

I wish I could buy wool instead of acrylic but I am allergic to it. I am sightly worried I may struggle with the "Pure New Wool I bought to make DD some gloves but could not resist it for £2 in a charity shop. For 100gm.

I also got some for SiL 200gm for £3 it is mixed but 25% wool. I thought it was blue/grey in the shop but when I put it against something grey it turned out to be green. I hope to get two pairs from that.

plumduff55

Hi nursemaggie, sorry to hear about your treatment affecting your hands but good that you're still able to knit a bit. Would other needles help you. I've never knitted with circular needles but I've heard a lot of people saying they're great. I knit with bamboo needles. They're lighter in weight, more pliable and warmer. I started knitting with them several years ago when I had shoulder pain and now I couldn't go back to the metal needles. I don't know if any of this will help you but hope so.

I am also allergic to wearing wool next to my skin but can get away with a small percentage of wool mixed with acrylic. I know I could wear cashmere (cause I tried my friends cardigan) but it is so expensive. I love an acrylic and nylon mix for babies clothes as it is so soft.

I've got two things on the go at the moment. A deep red chunky cable cardigan for myself and a chunky fishermans rib scarf to put by for a Xmas present. Fishermans rib is lovely to look at but takes ages to knit and it is so boring. That's why I'm doing 2 things otherwise the scarf would drive me mad.

Nice to hear from you nursemaggie xx

nursemaggie

I agree about the fishermans knit and if you go wrong you have to pull back to much. It does make a nice thick scarf though.

Thanks for the suggestions but actually using my hands at all hurts. They feel like grazed knees do if you can remember the pain from childhood. I do so much and then rest them. If I don't knit when watching TV I fiddle with things. I just get irritable. It's things that need to be gripped or things that have edges like knives, forks and spoons that hurt the most, switching things on and off too. I think having warm needles would be worse than cool metal ones.

I would rather have painful hands than keep fiddling with things. It still hurts.

mardatha

I've put my knitting on hold - got so much new energy now that I'm making the most of it. Spring cleaning and decluttering like mad. Not been able to do much at all since Oct 2015 so it's long overdue. I will eventually circle back to knitting when my batteries run out lol

PipneyJane

Nursemaggie, do you crochet? Because you use your hands differently when you crochet, I was wondering if it would be less painful. Either way, good luck with your cancer treatment.

I'm currently knitting "Young and Pretty" from A Stitch In Time, in Lidl's finest "Crelando Anika" 4-ply sock yarn. The yarn has been in my stash for 4 years. It was sold in packets of 2-multi-coloured balls, 2-plain blue. I knitted several pairs of socks with the multi-coloured yarn but the plain blue languished. (At the time, I bought 3 packs for £24, so this jumper will cost me £12.)

Does anyone else knit with Lidl's yarn? I like it. I have knitted 2 jumpers in their Zettle Alina bulky 100% wool, as well as the above mentioned socks. It's good quality and cheap. Annoyingly though, you never know when they will carry it and the colours are usually a weird selection.

mrs-moneypenny

Sorry not been in for a while hope all are as well as can be and hugs to those who need them
Nurse Maggie I hope your treatment is going well.

Im on the third of three blankets I've knitted recently, I did a green one, a white one and am now on a variegated pink/red one I've knitted this blanket in four corner to corner squares that I crocheted together I'm now doing a crochet edging to finish it off.

nursemaggie

Thank for wishing my treatment goes well. There is no way of telling yet until I can have a scan. There is a limit to how many you can have in a year, I think it is five or six. I had one at the beginning of February, when they found the cancer was growing again. I think I will have to wait a few more weeks perhaps the middle of April, for the next.

We do have a knowledge that it did stopped it growing for three years before they stopped the treatment. I shall have to stay on the treatment for life now.

I don't think crocheting would help that uses some of the parts of the hand that hurts most. Typing is the most painful. I am thankful I am not working and I don't have to type all day.

The jumper I was struggling to get the stitches the right number for the size I have got right now. I have done quite a bit and the cable is interesting. The two bits you twist are 5 st ss and 5 st moss st. It really looks nice. I may use it some time for another hoodie for DGS.

PipneyJane I have never seen Lidl's wool, I used to shop there. I find it easier to go to Ald! now. We have three of them here and they are all easier to get to than Lidl. I will have to keep an eye out for some online and then go and get it.

I did like Ald!'s because it knitted up nice but now I have had a couple of things over a year I am finding it goes bobbly very quickly. It too has some problems with odd colours.

purpleybat

hooray!!
I finally finished the short sleeved top I started this time last year I had to stop for about 5 months cos I woke up in agony one morning and was eventually diagnosed with 2 prolapsed discs in my neck which gave me evil arm pain and a numb right hand.
when it was a bit better I couldn't get back into the pattern for a while, but I kept at it and its finally finished and sewn up.
when shopping for more yarn online I saw that bulk packs on LoveKnitting was cheaper than if I bought the amount I strictly needed, and as I like the idea of a multi-coloured sweater using all the odds I decided to buy a pack. the downside was I couldn't decide on the colour I wanted so bought dark purple, dark pink and black.
I've spent 2 weeks of cig money on it and so far its keeping me from smoking (as well as chewing nicotine gum like a demon) so a brilliant buy as far as i'm concerned.
the very plain cardi i'm making is from a pattern in an ancient woman's weekly magazine, is a nice quick knit in contrast to the pain in the a**e 'counted' pattern of the last one, and am looking forward to finishing and wearing it in a month.

nursemaggie

Congratulations on finally finishing your short sleeved top, and even better on stopping smoking. You have just done the best thing you could ever do for you and your families health. You have also given your bank balance a boost if you stick to it you will save a lot of money and no longer be a slave to tobacco. :j:j:j:T:T:T:beer::beer::beer: