The Knitters Thread

thriftmonster

I'm a bit worried - I already have a serious wool and material stash - I can see dh's face if fleeces suddenly start piling up. The dog and I are off to the Westmorland show in September and there are fleeces and spinning there - really looking forward to it.

hiddenshadow

I'm looking forward to my wheel arriving (just moved to Ireland, but could only fit the animals in the car!). I don't have too much fibre at the moment but would like to get more to play with, especially more varieties of wool/blends. (So far I've worked with BFL and corriedale, and I have merino in my stash somewhere.)

I've met up with a knitting group here once, unfortunately I think the rest of August is a write-off as I won't have transport to get there. Hopefully in September I can get into a routine, though.

Bit stalled on knitting mojo at the moment...working on a second sock currently, but not feeling the love for the other sock patterns I've been trying lately. I'm awaiting yarn to cast on a lovely cabled sweater, so that should be a nice project to sink my teeth into.

mardatha

I wish I had moved to Ireland, that does sound lovely. I'm sick fed up of knitting socks, I hate the bl00dy things.
Kittie we need a thread with photos of us all looking like nutters knitting!

hiddenshadow

I like the portability of sock WIPs, and I do enjoy making them...I think it's partly because I've been having to do them one at a time lately, so that feels like much more of a slog than TAAT. Maybe I'll cast on a pair of vanilla TAAT socks soon and regain my mojo that way...at least it's getting into sock wearing weather now.

meanmarie

I have been asked by at least 2 of my children how long I am planning to live when they see how large my wool stash has become.

Hidden Shadow.....where are you in Ireland? There several knitting groups not fzr from me.......pm me if you like

Marie

[Deleted User]

It worked :j almost 9 good hours sleeping last night. I know I looked like a minion monster, when I was knitting :rotfl:and I`ll have to loosen the ear elastics but I am so happy. I haven`t had a good nights sleep in ages but I have also been curling up with a book or I am knitting under the same bright special led reading light. Was knitting right up to standing up and going to bed. I have ordered some more glasses with arms to go over my specs but it was a very good trial. I don`t knit much at all in the day, too much to do but maybe more when winter comes

Division jumper is going nicely and I have three stripes done, just slightly thicker yarn, not different colours, so they are adding texture. 220 stitches in a round and short metal points, so the wool is slipping very smoothly and I can keep my arms down, avoiding shoulder ache

Thriftmonster, I washed fleeces in the past, remember not to use the bath as the lanolin can block drains. I used special scouring liquid and something like a baby bath outside and dried either on flat mesh airers or on ikea toy holders that I hung from a washing line, vertical mesh with holes in the sides for hands. I still have a lot of washed fleece because it involves a lot of work afterwards, combing etc. I store it in 5 gallon pails with airtight lids in a cool dark shed, the moths cannot get to it. Tbh I much prefer world of wool fibre these days, I have stonking blends in tightly sealed bags, :cool: enough for years of spinning. Ravelry have some wonderful threads wrt spinning but the uk ones are best, some of the US people tend to be snappy sometimes

PipneyJane

Did someone mention SABLE? (Stash Acquisition Beyond Life Expectancy). I think I'm a member of that club. :rotfl: Part of my goals for this year was to not increase the size of the stash, but I've failed by 11 skeins so far, since I don't think I can knit fast enough to clear them and eat into the stash before the end of the year.

I'm currently knitting a Bellacond blouse in Blacker's 4-ply Gotland yarn (bought because they were discontinuing it). Have done the body in the round up to the armpits. Also on the needles is an Acer cardigan that just needs the button bands finished - I stalled on that one months ago because it didn't give clear instructions for placing the buttons - but I am determined to get it finished tonight. (I want to wear it.). My Achilles heel is sewing stuff up.

There is always a sock on the needles, lurking in my handbag for those quiet moments on the Tube or whenever. I can knit without looking at my hands. If they ever film the really cheap seats at the Proms, I'm the knitter sitting in the gods working on a sock. (I do not knit if the performers can see me.). Apparently, I was filmed knitting at the Women's Cricket World Cup Final.

Hello, my name is Pip and I'm a yarn-aholic.

hiddenshadow

That blouse looks lovely, PipneyJane. I knit a cardigan in Blacker's Swan DK and it was lovely, I want to try their Tamar and Lyonesse lines as well.

lynseydee

What does everyone make with their scraps of yarn? I have some dk yarn but not sure what to knit with it. I've looked on Ravelry but can't say anything is jumping out at me as to what to do with my odd ends.

nursemaggie

lynseydee I make lots of mittens in different sizes, use different sized stripes to make patterns and it ends up using even little bits up. Keep them in a bag you have something to give for garden parties, Christmas fairs etc and you can take a bag full to your favourite CS. I take these around the end of September. I even use up the ends from sewing up as I put a thread through a pair and tie them together with contrasting wool.

At the moment I am knitting hats and mittens for Christmas Shoe boxes, https://www.ssj.org.uk/‎

There may be more things you can knit for other charities and hats and matinee coats for premi babies. There are several sites for that or call your local hospital Maternity department. Sites will have patterns and your local hospital may have some.

Small sort toys for Christmas Fairs etc. https://www.jeangreenhowe.com look here for patterns. Some are for free. There are lots of free patterns just right for fundraising. Cheapest way to get stuffing is to buy a cheap polyester pillow and use the stuffing from that.