Knitting - help and advice super thread!

Tideswell · 23-05-2014 3:18pm

Thanks folks. That's going to keep me quiet for a while!

Tideswell · 23-05-2014 3:38pm

Has anyone got a copy of a Beekeepers Blanket pattern?

duckling10 · 23-05-2014 9:20pm

you can buy the pattern for Beekeeper's quilt here on ravelry it costs 5.50 USdollars
or search for Hexipuffs on ravelry or on the web, to find more patterns. I do not know if any are free on the web, but there are 77 free charts/patterns for Hexipuffs on Ravelry
beekeepers quilt is knit using hexipuffs.
you can read an amusing blog post here about hexipuffs : http://afterthekidsleave.com/2013/09/everything-you-ever-wanted-to-know-about-hexipuffs/
There is even a crochet version of the knitted beekeepers quilt, using crocheted hexipuffs of course, and the pattern is called The Apiary, it's here: on Ravelry and free.

ABajaninCork · 23-05-2014 9:46pm

I'm making a jacket for my 2 yo nephew. Got the pattern as a free download from Love Knitting, and the wool is Rowan's Big Wool. It's super chunky and knits up on 15mm needles (but I'm using 12mm as my tension tends to be tight

). Only started it last night, and already I'm dividing for the back.

I'm well impressed! Lovely wool and great stitch definition.

wmpdd3 · 24-05-2014 1:46am

Love big wool, but be warned it felts! cool wash.

ABajaninCork · 24-05-2014 10:20am

Thanks for the tip. I was going to hand wash it in warm water and dry it flat before handing it over.

wmpdd3 · 25-05-2014 12:32am

I made a bag ages ago with big wool and the back of it felted from rubbing against me! Couldn't work out what had happened to it!

Silverfish · 26-05-2014 10:10pm

Help help help I'm having an emergency!

I'm halfway through a baby blanket, and realised that I bought 3 ply instead of 4 ply, but the same dye lot...

U knew there was a site I saw a while back that would match the dye lots, would anyone know any sites that do that?

TreasureBin · 27-05-2014 3:00pm

Do you mean you're looking for more of the original dye lot?
The best way would be to contact the manufacturer of your yarn to find a retailer near you, or check out Ravelry.com where knitters sometimes sell their own stash of yarn and it can be a good way to find older yarns and discontinued dye lots.

Alternatively, get creative: buy a completely different colour for the second half of the blanket, and then do a border with either the 2 colours or a third colour.

I did something similar with a blanket last year and it turned out very well!

kandr10 · 03-06-2014 9:10am

I'm thinking of doing this shawl in white for a friends baby. Would it be gender neutral enough?
Has anyone used baby cashmerino? I googled it and it seems to be 5ply but on ravelry it's listed as dk? I was hoping to use 4 ply.
http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/lacy-shawl-3

Gatica · 03-06-2014 10:14am

They have likely made a mistake on the pattern page saying it's 8ply. The yarn they're suggesting is 5ply and the gauge they're quoting also sounds like a 5 ply, rather than 8.
I've recently used Drops Baby Merino for a hat using 2.5mm, really nice to work with. Bigger would've been quicker though

I've used other Debbie Bliss yarn though, it's wonderful.

kandr10 · 03-06-2014 11:05am

Gatica wrote: »

They have likely made a mistake on the pattern page saying it's 8ply. The yarn they're suggesting is 5ply and the gauge they're quoting also sounds like a 5 ply, rather than 8.
I've recently used Drops Baby Merino for a hat using 2.5mm, really nice to work with. Bigger would've been quicker though

I've used other Debbie Bliss yarn though, it's wonderful.

Thanks a mill! That's what I thought. For this I'm just going to use what I have but I'm going to do a smock coat for my little girl so might splash out on the baby cashmerino for that. Thanks :-)

wmpdd3 · 10-06-2014 11:35am

a while back someone suggested bamboo circular needles, I ordered a set and they are brilliant. way better than the aero ones I have from my grandmother's knitting kit.

also, I found a free lesson on short rows on crafts.com.

it was brilliant, the lady turned out to be from cork and the last lesson showed a way to construct your own sleeve with out a pattern .

I rooted out a cardi that I gave up on a few years ago and finished it without a pattern. you just knit the same way that I draft sewing patterns.

well worth a look, you get to download notes too

TreasureBin · 10-06-2014 12:20pm

wmpdd3 wrote: »

a while back someone suggested bamboo circular needles, I ordered a set and they are brilliant. way better than the aero ones I have from my grandmother's knitting kit.

also, I found a free lesson on short rows on crafts.com.

it was brilliant, the lady turned out to be from cork and the last lesson showed a way to construct your own sleeve with out a pattern .

I rooted out a cardi that I gave up on a few years ago and finished it without a pattern. you just knit the same way that I draft sewing patterns.

well worth a look, you get to download notes too

Hi
Can you give the link for that lesson? (Can only find products on crafts.com)

iguana · 10-06-2014 1:55pm

I'm knitting a cardigan in a simple basket weave stitch at the minute and it's not going great. Between some of the squares, the threads are coming out very loose and it looks kind of holey. I'm not sure why this is happening as I'm pulling the thread tight between each change between purl and plain but some squares are nice and neat next to their neighbour and others have almost a ladder of holes between them.

ABajaninCork · 10-06-2014 3:11pm

Did you check your tension?

wmpdd3 · 11-06-2014 12:09am

TreasureBin wrote: »

Hi
Can you give the link for that lesson? (Can only find products on crafts.com)

Sorry stuipd phone auto corrected me!

It was craftsy.com

http://www.craftsy.com/classes/knitting/free?_ct=wberqbdql-sbqiiui&_ctp=knitting/free

Its the one one left, short rows.

LoonyLovegood · 11-06-2014 1:34am

I find that with my basketweave as well. Blocking can often sort it out.

witchity2 · 26-06-2014 4:16pm

Hi hope there's someone here who can help. Im following a pattern that is all in knit stich. I have to increase but starting on the wrong side. With everything being plain, how can you tell which is the right and wrong side. Thanks

Gatica · 26-06-2014 5:37pm

Right side or RS, is the outside of a garment or the side that will be facing you normally when your work is complete.
If your pattern is in garter stitch (you knit every row or purl every row) then pick the side you think will be the one facing you or the outside side. If it's the same either way, then it doesn't really matter which one you start on, but just mark that side with something, e.g. a safety pin or something like that, so that every time you need to do something on the RS or WS (wrong side) you know which is which.

TreasureBin · 27-06-2014 11:00am

As Gatica said, it doesn't really matter since both sides look the same. But if you want to be precise, count your rows from the cast on edge. Usually the odd rows are right side and even rows are wrong side (unless your pattern states otherwise, or your cast-on technique takes an extra row.)

osullc10 · 27-06-2014 8:07pm

I know it's 6 months to Christmas but...
I got the idea to get a Snowman scarf like the boy gets in the Raymond Briggs cartoon, to wear this Christmas for a bit of fun. I bought a knitting pattern for a suitable scarf on Etsy, but I can't knit whatsoever, so I was wondering how to go about obtaining the services of someone who could knit it for me.
The pattern is for a child-size scarf, so the knitter would have to scale things up to adult size.

Could anyone give me any pointers? I'm in Dublin.
Thanks

wmpdd3 · 28-06-2014 12:20am

Get a loom and knit it, it's easy!

Honestly a scarf on a loom can be done by my 3 year old.

Even if you just managed 4 snowmen on each end, you'd have a good chance of succeeding for a first project.

Other than that ask in any wool shop, they'l hook you up.

lomadesigns · 01-07-2014 7:58am

Hi
I want to knit some baby hats. Please can someone advise me on best yarn to use for babies and where is great place to purchase
Many thanks

Gatica · 01-07-2014 9:23am

I've used Drops Baby merino for a baby hat. Wonderful yarn, feels really soft and warm, hasn't been worn yet though. It is quite fine so was a bit more work on smaller needles than the adult hats I've done.
I got it at
http://store.winniethewoolwagon.com/store/product/15190/Drops-Baby-Merino-16-Red/
I'd also looked at http://www.theconstantknitter.ie/shop/yarn/baby-bamboo as an option. The shop owner also recommended http://www.theconstantknitter.ie/shop/yarn/essentials-merino-dk-0 as a DK alternative, which she said knitted quite soft.

There are of course acrylic blends that you can use and usually are easily available in most craft stores at very cheap prices.

ABajaninCork · 04-07-2014 11:58am

Deramore's Something for the Weekend blog has some great new stitches to learn on it. Might be a good way of using up odd bits of yarn for practice! I'm certainly going to have a go.

PinkFly · 04-07-2014 7:51pm

Hi can anyone recommend sites to buy patterns off ,looking for some unusual ones for blankets/babywear? Thanks

ABajaninCork · 04-07-2014 8:00pm

Search Ravelry. Plenty of free patterns on there.

wmpdd3 · 05-07-2014 10:23am

does anyone know of any where in ireland that sells cones of yarn.

I've been asked to knit a 2 piece suit but the lady wants to choose the yarn and I need it on cones, I'd need about 2kg.

janmaree · 05-07-2014 12:33pm

I know that Craftspun Yarns near Naas, Co. Kildare and Springwools in Ballymount, Dublin 12 both do them. I'm sure there must be more but those are the two that I know of, if I come across any others I'll let you know because I'm snooping online this morning for baby blanket patterns so who knows where I'll end up!

wmpdd3 · 05-07-2014 3:15pm

Oh thats great, they are both within 2 hours of my house, I'll get onto the them and see if they have what I'm after.

EDIT: There you go, just what I was after:

http://www.craftspun.ie/craftspun-100-cotton-dk-cone-bleached-white.html

TOMP · 16-07-2014 6:58pm

Is this the only road sign in Ireland with a pair of knitting needles on it?!!!

wmpdd3 · 16-07-2014 10:29pm

Nope, there one on the road to Cork from Waterford, before the dodgy looking bridge with the chipper van!

Gatica · 17-07-2014 10:57am

What on earth do those road signs mean? A knit-along? :rolleyes:

LoonyLovegood · 19-07-2014 9:30am

Woollen mills, I think

kandr10 · 31-07-2014 3:37pm

Just curious...how many of you knit gauges before getting started on a project? Do you always knit a border around the swatch and wash and dry it before measuring? I have been known to lazily knit a swatch and measure it still on the needles (shock horror!) do you think it makes a big difference if it's washed and dried or blocked first?

ABajaninCork · 31-07-2014 3:56pm

I always knit a tension swatch. I add a few stitches on at either end, but I do take it off the needles to measure!

LoonyLovegood · 31-07-2014 4:11pm

I take it off the needles, and if it's in stocking stitch I'll pin it down to measure it.

kandr10 · 31-07-2014 7:35pm

That's typically as far as I go when I'm not being lazy about it. I've never had the patience to wash and dry the swatch cos I'm always so obsessed about getting the new project started

interesting to see how others approach it!

Gatica · 02-08-2014 4:16pm

Always do a swatch but don't have patience to block it. I'd say it makes a big difference especially for clothes.

wmpdd3 · 02-08-2014 6:39pm

I do a swatch, pin and block it. keep saying I'll knit all the swatches together into something but never have. I have had to rip back swatches as I have ran out of yarn at the end of a project.

Trying to knit a dress at the moment and its driving me berserk, the tension is changing as the dress is so heave that its dragging it down. I'm using Tivoli Maxi, I have just ripped t all back and will start again on my next night off from work.

mrsmiawallace6 · 24-08-2014 7:00pm

Hey guys

I am stuck on a pattern and was hoping for some help. The pattern is for a romper suit and I am about to shape the right armhole, here is the pattern

k15, turn and complete this side first for right front.

I have no idea what they mean by that.

Please help

kandr10 · 24-08-2014 7:36pm

Literally when you knit the 15, turn your work as if at the end of the row and continue the pattern. It's one of those things makes sense when you do it.

mrsmiawallace6 · 24-08-2014 7:43pm

nope sorry still dont make sense. When i turn my work i have the 15 in my left hand and my remanding stitches in my right. But my stitch with my working thread is in my left hand so how do i contuniue.

sorry if this is really easy but i am just not seeing it

kandr10 · 24-08-2014 7:50pm

mrsmiawallace6 wrote: »

nope sorry still dont make sense. When i turn my work i have the 15 in my left hand and my remanding stitches in my right. But my stitch with my working thread is in my left hand so how do i contuniue.

sorry if this is really easy but i am just not seeing it

No it's totally confusing but it will make sense when it's done. What's the next bit of the pattern that might help explain a but more

Gatica · 24-08-2014 8:10pm

You can put those extra stitches on a separate needle - those that close like a safety pin.
Knit the side that the instructions tell you. Probably bind off, then come back to the other stitches and start with a new thread and knit that side.

kandr10 · 24-08-2014 8:16pm

If you knit 15 you'll have those stitches on left kneedle. As Gatica says pop the remaining stitches on a holder. When you turn your work you then have the 15 on the left needle with the yarn at the start of the line so you shouldn't need to break it off and rejoin.

mrsmiawallace6 · 24-08-2014 8:28pm

ok, so i knitted the 15, now i have my remaining stiches a small gap and the 15 all on one needle the.

The next bin in pattern is
worl=k 11 rows straight, thus ending at front edge.

Do I work the 11 rows with all my stiches now. that would make sense as it forms the front of romper and the back

kandr10 · 24-08-2014 9:04pm

If it says 'knit this side first' I'd have thought it means to work on the 15 alone. Hard to tell without seeing the pattern. Is there anything further on that refers to working the other side?
As far as I can tell you would need the remainder on a separate needle or holder.

mrsmiawallace6 · 24-08-2014 10:25pm

hey

ye it was the 15 i needed to work.
The next bit has me stuck too

Cast off 2 st at beg of next row
Dec 1st at neck edge on next 2 rows then foll 1 alt rows

Do i dec the 1st stitch on the end that I took the 2 prev from.?
Then what does what does 1 alt row mean?

I am going mad i am stuck lol, when i picked up pattern i thought i could do it

Knitting - help and advice super thread!

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