Knitting - help and advice super thread!

cmbutterfly45 · 30-01-2014 6:45pm

aknitter wrote: »

I think it's lovely, really pretty.

Thanks aknitter next step is to try it on with dress and hope it looks good with it

kandr10 · 30-01-2014 8:17pm

Well done! It's beautiful. I didn't post before cos of no advice to offer bits beautiful. Any chance of a pic with the dress when u try it? In also regretting not having done this for my wedding!

cmbutterfly45 · 30-01-2014 8:23pm

kandr10 wrote: »

Well done! It's beautiful. I didn't post before cos of no advice to offer bits beautiful. Any chance of a pic with the dress when u try it? In also regretting not having done this for my wedding!

Thanks ill definitely post a proper pic

now to get to work on the ring pillow!

ABajaninCork · 31-01-2014 1:54am

cmbutterfly45 wrote: »

Think I may have solved the bolero problem by turning it into a ballet wrap.... I'm not sure tho, would love some opinions/ feedback

I think it looks lovely! Nifty bit of thinking there. Are you still going to wear it for your wedding?

cmbutterfly45 · 31-01-2014 8:39am

ABajaninCork wrote: »

I think it looks lovely! Nifty bit of thinking there. Are you still going to wear it for your wedding?

Thanks! Yep that's the plan anyway won't wear it for ceremony but for after when I'm outside just have to cross my fingers that it's not too cold of a day

ValerieR · 31-01-2014 11:32pm

cmbutterfly45 wrote: »

Think I may have solved the bolero problem by turning it into a ballet wrap.... I'm not sure tho, would love some opinions/ feedback

Much nicer than the shrug imo.
Well done on thinking laterally !

Looking forward to seeing a pic from the D-Day with the wrap on

Well done

LoonyLovegood · 01-02-2014 5:24pm

Decided to teach myself how to knit socks...which then ends up with me deciding to teach myself toe-up socks. I'm sensible.

aknitter · 01-02-2014 10:26pm

CTYIgirl wrote: »

Decided to teach myself how to knit socks...which then ends up with me deciding to teach myself toe-up socks. I'm sensible.

And how is that going??!!

wmpdd3 · 01-02-2014 11:32pm

Remember doing socks in school, hates ir, size 3mm needles, that was enough to put me off, I really have no patience.

LoonyLovegood · 02-02-2014 4:02am

aknitter wrote: »

And how is that going??!!

Surprisingly ok, for the moment. I'll know more when I do the heel!

MargeS · 02-02-2014 8:43pm

I can't figure out this tension as I can match half of it:
20 sts and 26 rows = 4"

I can get my 26 rows to be 4" in length but my 20 stitches are 5" wide

Does the gauge mean 4" square?

ABajaninCork · 02-02-2014 10:04pm

MargeS wrote: »

I can't figure out this tension as I can match half of it:
20 sts and 26 rows = 4"

I can get my 26 rows to be 4" in length but my 20 stitches are 5" wide

Does the gauge mean 4" square?

Normally, yes.

aknitter · 02-02-2014 11:08pm

I tried a baby sock on dpn's and the join where the needles meet was always loose, didn't look too good. Socks are on my list of knitting things to learn! (its a never ending list!).

Actually question - whats the one knitting technique you want to learn or brush up on? For me I want to learn 2 colour brioche and socks.

kandr10 · 03-02-2014 1:19am

aknitter wrote: »

I tried a baby sock on dpn's and the join where the needles meet was always loose, didn't look too good. Socks are on my list of knitting things to learn! (its a never ending list!).

Actually question - whats the one knitting technique you want to learn or brush up on? For me I want to learn 2 colour brioche and socks.

I've never done anything in fair isle so wouldn't mind learning that. Have tonsay though, I usually just stockpile projects I'd like to do and if there's a particular stitch or whatever I've been learning as I go...unless its knitting in the round..yeah I'd add that to my list of things to learn :-)

wmpdd3 · 03-02-2014 12:05pm

I have never mastered Aran, I keep losing my way during the pattern, I usually simplify it, like adding more moss st, but id live to be able to knit it without thinking like my grand aunt.

and my fair isle ends up looking like smocking, I gave up on that year ago, I just Swedish darn the design on the finished piece.

janmaree · 03-02-2014 2:25pm

It's boring to hear this but success with Aran is really down to practice and that's why our Mums and grandmothers could do them without seeming to look, you actually get used to the instructions for each stitch and after a while they really come naturally! So for me, baby and children's Aran sweaters were a really good way to get that practice and familiarity. A tip that works for me, I use post-its to mark my place on rows for the different pattern panels and it helps a lot because some of the panels are longer than others, e.g. 10 rows per repeat versus 16 rows say, so you need to keep your place on each panel. The post-it sheets move easily and don't shift when the cat decides to jump in your lap to help you, one of my little problems!

There are lots of techniques that I'd love to try like weaving, entrelac knitting and tunisian crochet, I'd also like to try using circular needles but I can't get my head around the idea of them! I've been knitting so long on straights that it's like old dogs and new tricks! I love to do thread crochet as well but I can't follow a diagram for nuts and that's the way modern patterns seem to be printed. I need the long version, round by round by round..........I use my post-its for that too!!!

LoonyLovegood · 03-02-2014 2:59pm

I've made myself learn circular needles. I'd like to learn entrelac, because it looks gorgeous. That and some form of colour work.

Jellybaby1 · 03-02-2014 3:00pm

There are some excellent Youtube videos on Entrelac knitting and Tunisian crochet and I managed to follow them pretty well, although some were not that helpful. If I got lost a lot with one video I just dumped it and moved on to another until I found one that suited me and was clear enough.

The_Morrigan · 03-02-2014 4:33pm

Have any of you ever made an item for someone else that you don't like? I've just finished another baby blanket and I think it is horrible, purely based on the colours of the wool that the Mom picked out.

wmpdd3 · 03-02-2014 11:27pm

^^^ Always, I am useless for making things for people.

I either hate the yarn or the pattern or the whole idea.

I have given up, if you want something, I'll pick it out and you'll jst get what you're given, works so far.

kylith · 08-02-2014 3:53pm

Please help me decipher this knitting pattern instruction for the back of a sleeveless cardigan.

... when the work measures 115 rows cast off 1 x 6 stitches and in every second row 1 x 6 stitches and 2 x 5 stitches at each end...

So I finish my current row,
cast off 6 at the start of the next row, (or decrease by 6?)
knit the following row as usual
cast off 5 stitches at the beginning of the row
Do something with 6 stitches in the middle ? (Decrease by knitting two together??)
Cast off 5 stitches at the end (wouldn't that mess up the row after?)

wmpdd3 · 09-02-2014 2:41am

Are there any stars in the sentence above, there looks like there's something missing.

I agree it really doesn't make sense, further on how many stitches should you have, and for how many rows should you do this alternating casting off?

Are any of the instructions in brackets? as in for different sizes?

So I finish my current row,
cast off 6 at the start of the next row, (or decrease by 6?) Def says cast off and decreasing 6 just like that would be very untidy.
knit the following row as usual yes
cast off 5 stitches at the beginning of the row
Do something with 6 stitches in the middle ? (Decrease by knitting two together??) dont think so, I dont see any mention of the middle
Cast off 5 stitches at the end (wouldn't that mess up the row after?)

Sorry I'm not much help. Could you post a pic of the cardi?

cmbutterfly45 · 10-02-2014 9:27am

That is a really confusing pattern, where did u get the pattern? If it's from ravelry or similar it more than likely has a note as you can't be the first to have a problem with that.

I have finished my ring bearer pillow just have to attatch ribbon for the rings to be tied onto

looksee · 14-02-2014 11:20am

Agree that pattern has been wrongly printed. However you easily could have a cast off at the very start of the shaping for the armholes, as there is a 'flat' bit before you start the decrease pattern. Have you looked at the shaping for the front armhole edges - they will not be exactly the same but it might give you an idea of what the back is supposed to say.

kandr10 · 15-02-2014 12:26am

http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/foliage-lace-christening-gown

http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/h01---feather-and-fan-christening-gown

I just finished a cardigan for my now 3month old but since I've been working on it so long she's moved up a size! Typical! At least I'll be able to put it up as a present.

I'm thinking of doing a christening gown for may now...am I mad? I'm thinking the second link above would be quickest to knit up. Would any of you have experience with such things? I have a blanket done already that has a lot of lace work so hoping the feather and fan would compliment it. Then for a cardigan ...would a long sleeve bolero thing work if I had time? What do they usually put over the gowns? Thanks :-)

aknitter · 15-02-2014 12:38pm

I love those patterns, I've done feather and fan in a baby seat blanket and it goes fast when you get used to the pattern. But I was using 4mm needles the patterns call for smaller needles, so might just take a bit longer.

I did a long sleeve ballerina cardy for my fellas christening, it's shorted than the normal cardy and that way you can see the lovely lace detail on the gown.

kylith · 15-02-2014 3:06pm

cmbutterfly45 wrote: »

That is a really confusing pattern, where did u get the pattern? If it's from ravelry or similar it more than likely has a note as you can't be the first to have a problem with that.

I have finished my ring bearer pillow just have to attatch ribbon for the rings to be tied onto

Hi, sorry for the delay, the pattern is so tiny that it was hard to get a photo of it; the print is less than a millimetre in size. My mother got me some wool and pattern sets from Lidl and that's what it's from.

looksee · 15-02-2014 6:22pm

Ah, that is the shoulder shaping, not the armhole shaping. Apparently there is no armhole shaping, which is going to make a rather strange shaped cardigan - is it a child's garment? It seems likely that some of that shaping would create a dip in the centre to allow for the neck, ut I still cannot see how it works!

More confusion, it is a sleeveless cardigan, I was reading the pattern as being a cardigan. I would describe it as a gillet or waistcoat.

kandr10 · 15-02-2014 8:23pm

aknitter wrote: »

I love those patterns, I've done feather and fan in a baby seat blanket and it goes fast when you get used to the pattern. But I was using 4mm needles the patterns call for smaller needles, so might just take a bit longer.

I did a long sleeve ballerina cardy for my fellas christening, it's shorted than the normal cardy and that way you can see the lovely lace detail on the gown.

That's a good idea! I'll check out some patterns for ballerina cardys. I've done a feather and fan blanket too and you do get the hang of the pattern alright. I'm dying to get started now!! Do any of you ever find yourself very uneasy if you don't have another project on the go? I'm twiddling my thumbs here waiting to get some wool to start. Wouldn't mind but I've a stockpile the height of me of other wools lol :-)

wmpdd3 · 15-02-2014 11:44pm

I HAVE to have a list of planned projects, if I dont, I just end up making crap and getting ped off.

I've been given a new (35 year old) knitting machine, its brilliant, I cant seem to get off it. Its a zippy 90, really simple to use.

Knitting - help and advice super thread!

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