Knitting - help and advice super thread!

janmaree · 15-11-2016 1:28pm

Broken Hearted Road wrote: »

I started this back in September. The pet dog wasn't feeling well and so I lost my love for knitting for a bit. I put this in time out and seamed it up last week. I was working from a pattern but I also wanted a large rib section so that I could fold it over. Found out I wasn't going to have enough wool and changed things about a bit and this is the end result:

Made from merino wool. It's lovely stuff. I think Debbie Bliss Rialto.

That's a lovely hat, well done indeed. Your stitching is really nice and even too, I wish mine turned out as smooth as that!

Gatica · 15-11-2016 4:39pm

veggie newbie wrote: »

Never thought of using 3 ball, good idea! I'm not a v experienced knitter, is it difficult to manage 3?

It's a little awkward but easy to manage if you're at home on your own couch/table. I had 5 stripes through a baby hat I had to manage I the round. It was finicky but doable. I'd to switch the yarns around in circles to keep it from tangling.

OffalyMedic · 07-01-2017 7:41pm

Anyone have a pattern for 0-3month baby sock?

wmpdd3 · 09-01-2017 3:24am

Yep, I'll get it tomorrow night 4u.

aknitter · 31-01-2017 5:02pm

Does anyone have recommendation for a good wool for a beanie for a child - he wants a bright yellow one!

wmpdd3 · 03-02-2017 1:22am

Stylecraft acrylic, I hate acrylic but to yarn is perfect for kids clothes. Soft and very hard-wearing.

ShaShaBear · 03-02-2017 9:30am

wmpdd3 wrote: »

Stylecraft acrylic, I hate acrylic but to yarn is perfect for kids clothes. Soft and very hard-wearing.

Agreed. Stylecraft comes in a range of weights, huge amount of colours and is remarkably soft as far as cheap acrylic goes!

Broken Hearted Road · 03-02-2017 3:19pm

aknitter wrote: »

Does anyone have recommendation for a good wool for a beanie for a child - he wants a bright yellow one!

In Ireland yarn is so often called wool. Wool is a fibre as is cotton and acrylic. What kind of fibre would you be interested in working with. Considering you wrote wool - I'm a big fan of merino wool.

I found this online from This Is Knit in Dublin:

http://www.thisisknit.ie/shop/index.php?route=product/product&path=236_241_730&product_id=5136

It's a superwash merino yarn. The brand is Ella Rae and the weight is DK. I think that looks like a yellow too.

Broken Hearted Road · 03-02-2017 3:23pm

Broken Hearted Road wrote: »

In Ireland yarn is so often called wool. Wool is a fibre as is cotton and acrylic. What kind of fibre would you be interested in working with. Considering you wrote wool - I'm a big fan of merino wool.

I found this online from This Is Knit in Dublin:

http://www.thisisknit.ie/shop/index.php?route=product/product&path=236_241_730&product_id=5136

It's a superwash merino yarn. The brand is Ella Rae and the weight is DK. I think that looks like a yellow too.

I tried to link this but it didn't work unfortunately but go over their site thisisknit and play around there in their online shop. Click yarn by weight, DK, Ella Rae superwash, if you are interested.

I would say to give them a phonecall or an email if you are interested to see if they have it in stock. Often bought things online from there to have things not in stock and left waiting for a bit.

Broken Hearted Road · 03-02-2017 3:27pm

Always had great success with this lovely shop - thewoolshop.ie

Here's a lovely yarn a worked with before

Debbie bliss Rialto DK

http://www.thewoolshop.ie/magento/yarn-by-type/double-knitting-wool-yarn/100-double-knitting-wool/debbie-bliss-rialto-dk-banana-57.html

It's a superwash wash merino yarn, DK in weight and comes in yellow/banana colour.

It might be a bit bright for a boy though. I don't know. The same type of yarn comes in prints or variated and there's one or two of them with yellow running through.

aknitter · 06-02-2017 2:26pm

Thank you BrokemHearted Road! You went to a lot of trouble.
I think I'll pop into town and have a look - the hat is going to be pikachu from Pokemon, so it needs to be bright yellow.
I've never been asked to do something like this before!

Graces7 · 14-02-2017 11:38am

Broken Hearted Road wrote: »

Knitted dishcloths are great. I love making them for using up scraps of yarn. One of my first knits when I started knitting a few years ago was done using cotton yarn and I loved it so more often than not I stuck with cotton so I have loads of scraps of cotton.

My mam doesn't want to use them as dishcloths. They are too good to be used as dishcloths she says.

I knitted a lot of these for my market stall last year, the simply granny square idea. I called them "whatever "cloths; dishcloths, washcloths....

LittleBrick · 19-07-2017 12:26pm

Hi. I am looking to buy Sirdar Snuggly Snowdrops Chunky Wool in shade 0357 for my grandmother. She is knitting a cardigan for her first great granddaughter and is one ball short. We have checked every other avenue, but it just cannot be found. I am willing to pay any price, as I know it would mean the world to her to be able to finish the cardigan.

New Home · 19-07-2017 6:22pm

Are these of any use to you?

https://www.englishyarns.co.uk/acatalog/Sirdar_Snuggly_Snowdrops_Chunky.html
https://www.for-sale.ie/sirdar-snuggly-snowdrops-chunky
http://www.ebay.co.uk/bhp/sirdar-snuggly-snowdrops-chunky
http://www.knitwell.co.uk/acatalog/copy_of_SIRDR_SNUGGLY_SNOWDROPS_CHUNKY-1.html

LittleBrick · 19-07-2017 9:42pm

Just e-mailed one of the ebay sellers i found on your link. They might have it, but don't generally post to ireland. Fingers crossed!! Thanks.

New Home · 19-07-2017 9:44pm

LittleBrick wrote: »

Just e-mailed one of the ebay sellers i found on your link. They might have it, but don't generally post to ireland. Fingers crossed!! Thanks.

I believe the Parcel Motels (and the equivalent An Post thingy) can supply a UK address - if they don't post to Ireland maybe they will to that UK address.

looksee · 19-07-2017 9:45pm

https://www.facebook.com/groups/1570446733237394/?multi_permalinks=1921277648154299&notif_t=commerce_interesting_product&notif_id=1500393114085514

you could try this group on facebook. Its called Wool new old & leftovers for sale (Ireland).

LittleBrick · 20-07-2017 1:23pm

No luck with any of the above links (still waiting for approval on Facebook). Still looking and hoping though.

wmpdd3 · 22-07-2017 3:21pm

I'll ask on facebook for you. If you find it in england, I can help you with parcel motel.

duckling10 · 23-07-2017 1:45am

Regarding ordering from UK sellers who do not want to post stuff to Ireland, there are two services you can use to get the stuff. As well as Parcel Motel there is AddressPal from An Post. You sign up for free online. Later when you order you will pay 3.75 euro per parcel received.
You receive instantly an email with your UK address that you can use there and then and after a few days you get an Address Pal card with that address on it.
When you sign up you choose a post office near you where you will be collecting your items.
When you order stuff from UK you just give the Uk address that you got from AdressPal , order and pay as normal. A few days later you get a text from your nominated post office to say your stuff has arrived. You show ID at post office, pay your 3.75 per parcel and off you go.

(Easiest way ever to fill your house with wool and books about wool and spinning, etc.. !!)

ShaShaBear · 23-07-2017 7:31am

duckling10 wrote: »

Regarding ordering from UK sellers who do not want to post stuff to Ireland, there are two services you can use to get the stuff. As well as Parcel Motel there is AddressPal from An Post. You sign up for free online. Later when you order you will pay 3.75 euro per parcel received.
You receive instantly an email with your UK address that you can use there and then and after a few days you get an Address Pal card with that address on it.
When you sign up you choose a post office near you where you will be collecting your items.
When you order stuff from UK you just give the Uk address that you got from AdressPal , order and pay as normal. A few days later you get a text from your nominated post office to say your stuff has arrived. You show ID at post office, pay your 3.75 per parcel and off you go.

(Easiest way ever to fill your house with wool and books about wool and spinning, etc.. !!)

This is actually incredibly helpful because my closest parcel motel is a 20 minute drive (which means I have to tell the husband :pac: ) but my local post office is a 5 minute walk

kandr10 · 23-08-2017 11:23pm

You know in a pattern when they give you the sizing and tell you the sleeve length- is it usually from underarm or from shoulder ? It just says 'long sleeve length' in the description in the pattern. It's a raglan cardigan. I'm just wondering because I added 14 extra lines for the back and sides, so thought I should add the same to the sleeves. Having done that, it now measures 15 cm but I still have to knit with no shaping for another 8 lines, followed by raglan shaping. The 'long sleeve length' is supposed to be 15cm.

janmaree · 24-08-2017 11:01am

Afaik, it's usually wrist to underarm and that's how I work but I've been having problems lately with sleeves that would comfortably fit a gorilla. I don't know if arms are growing longer nowadays or what but it's a tricky area for me too. Unless the sweater is supposed to be a surprise, I now measure the victim very carefully, as in inner arm length wrist to underarm AND outer arm shoulder seam area to wrist, taking one from the other it leaves you with the balance which should give you an idea of whether you're on track or not. In the case of a raglan sleeve the outer measurement would be from wrist to neckline. I think the wrist to underarm measurement is the one to really take care over, if the sleeve is working out too long, you only have to rip back to the armhole take off point. I always keep my measuring tape to hand and I try to check as I go but not all patterns are easy to follow. I may be making this as clear as mud but without actually seeing the pattern you're knitting or getting to read the directions, I'm having to imagine it. For what it's worth, I've been knitting for yonks and if there's any way I can help at all, just ask, no problem at all. J.

kandr10 · 24-08-2017 5:32pm

janmaree wrote: »

Afaik, it's usually wrist to underarm and that's how I work but I've been having problems lately with sleeves that would comfortably fit a gorilla. I don't know if arms are growing longer nowadays or what but it's a tricky area for me too. Unless the sweater is supposed to be a surprise, I now measure the victim very carefully, as in inner arm length wrist to underarm AND outer arm shoulder seam area to wrist, taking one from the other it leaves you with the balance which should give you an idea of whether you're on track or not. In the case of a raglan sleeve the outer measurement would be from wrist to neckline. I think the wrist to underarm measurement is the one to really take care over, if the sleeve is working out too long, you only have to rip back to the armhole take off point. I always keep my measuring tape to hand and I try to check as I go but not all patterns are easy to follow. I may be making this as clear as mud but without actually seeing the pattern you're knitting or getting to read the directions, I'm having to imagine it. For what it's worth, I've been knitting for yonks and if there's any way I can help at all, just ask, no problem at all. J.

Thanks for your help!
I have it done to the underarm as is and haven't started decreases yet for raglan side. It's now 15cm and the pattern says in the measurements overview at the start that sleeve length should be 15cm.
I'm not sure if I do the raglan part now, thus making the sleeve even longer than 15cm, will it be too long or will it be just right? Are sleeves usually roughly tithe same length as the side from the underarm?

janmaree · 24-08-2017 8:52pm

15cm is quite short so it's either for a child or it's a short sleeve summer cardigan for you, maybe? Does the pattern have schematics at the back, does it show the measurements in the different sizes as in bust size, length of body from armhole to lower hem, that kind of thing? It's like a map of the garment showing the measurements in all directions, so to speak! Not all patterns have them but they're very useful. In your shoes, I would take the pattern, the finished pieces so far and go into a good wool shop. They're usually very knowledgeable and always glad to help. Otherwise, if you can scan the pattern and PM me, I could give you my email address and I could at least take a look for you. There are far more skilled knitters here than I am but until they get a chance to chip in, I'd be happy to look at it for you. I can't think what else would work and now I'm really intrigued:)

Forgot to answer your last question. I find that the sleeves on modern patterns are rarely shown to be the same length as the body, they seem to be much longer and I think this is why I've been having problems myself......more than once I've felt I was knitting for a bunch of silverbacks and have had to "open" up the finished sweater to remove and re-knit the sleeves. There was a blue cloud of effing and blinding hanging over our house on those occasions! Seriously though, it depends on the designer and the style of the garment, lots and lots of things so we have to take a closer look at the pattern you're doing at the moment and obviously, take a really good look at the photograph on the front, you can work out lots of questions by the picture. "Talk" soon.

OffalyMedic · 04-09-2017 11:04am

Hey everyone, getting to that time of year again and i'm looking for some help. Looking for a patter for a children's Christmas jumper, nothing to difficult preferably 1 colour jumper with picture on front of snowman / Santa/ tree / reindeer etc. Need patter for a 11mth old, 13mth old, a nearly 4 yr old and a 3.5 yr old.
Thanks in advance

wmpdd3 · 04-09-2017 7:31pm

You'd probably have to get a paid pattern for all those options, have you tried ravelry?

wmpdd3 · 04-09-2017 7:31pm

You'd probably have to get a paid pattern for all those options, have you tried ravelry?

New Home · 04-09-2017 7:51pm

You could also check your library.

OffalyMedic · 04-09-2017 8:30pm

wmpdd3 wrote:

You'd probably have to get a paid pattern for all those options, have you tried ravelry?

Yeah very little options for what I'm after. Thanks though

scarepanda · 10-09-2017 11:49pm

Hi everyone! Does anyone know of a yarn store in the lucan/blanchardstown/ikea areas of Dublin (im not from Dublin, but will be in those areas during the week)? I need one ball of King Cole Embrace for a project and my local store isn't stocking the colour i need anymore. I can get it online, but delivery is nearly as much as the yarn itself.

Day Lewin · 11-09-2017 10:30am

Where can I buy "sock wool" (retail) in Dublin?
It's for mending wool socks! (not darning, I mean a knitted patch.)

I met a woman once who swore she knitted all her own socks and they lasted ten years at least, in continuous wear, and she used this stuff "Sock wool"

kandr10 · 11-09-2017 7:54pm

scarepanda wrote: »

Hi everyone! Does anyone know of a yarn store in the lucan/blanchardstown/ikea areas of Dublin (im not from Dublin, but will be in those areas during the week)? I need one ball of King Cole Embrace for a project and my local store isn't stocking the colour i need anymore. I can get it online, but delivery is nearly as much as the yarn itself.

Near ikea, in the omni shopping centre in santry, there's a shop called Sean's wool cabin. He might be able to help.

duckling10 · 28-09-2017 12:31am

Would it be alright to post in this thread about an upcoming workshop in Wool Spinning on a Spindle and Spinning Wheel in Limerick, that I will be giving? Mods?

Mikekally · 08-10-2017 11:22am

Hi all sorry if this has been asked before, but does anyone know if there's machine knitting classes running anywhere near Dublin (can travel a bit outside if needs be). Have just acquired an old brother machine, but need help!

Also, best place to get serviced/buy replacement parts?

MJensen · 09-10-2017 8:27pm

I recently bought a knitting kit from Aldi. It's for stripy socks knit in rounds with circular needles. I've never knit socks before and thought it might be a fun quick project. However it is turned out to be a real headache.

It starts out fine by knitting 44 sts in several rounds.

Then half those sts are used to make the heel flap while the remainder sts are kept in the circular needle.

Once the heel has been made (ending with 14 sts), stitch markers are place on each end of the circular needle and with that same circular need 11 sts are picked up without knitting from the heel. The 14 sts on the DPN from the heel is transferred onto the circular needle, then 11 sts are picked up without knitting from the other side of the heel. This gives now 58 sts on the circular needle with stitch markers between the 22th & 23rd stitch and also at the end between the last stitch the beginning of the next round.

So far so good

The pattern now reads:
Round 1: Using yarn colour B, slip the first stitch marker, then K all sts until you get to the second stitch marker, slip it to the right needle, K1, SSK then K all sts until you get to 3 sts before the first marker. K2tog, K1, slip the marker to the right needle (56 sts)

Round 2: Slip first st, then K all remaining sts in the round, slip the stitch markers as you pass them (56 sts)

Round 3: Change to yarn colour A, Slip stitch marker, K1, SSK then K all stitches until you get to the 3 sts before the next marker. K2tog, K1, slip the stitch marker (54 sts)

And this where I am stuck! There are still unworked stitches remaining to finish the round. Do I assume to knit to the end of the round? But if I do that, the decreases do not occur in the same place. Does that matter?

When I read on in the instructions:

Round 4: Slip first st, K all remaining sts in the round, slip the stitch markers as you pass them (54 sts)
Round 5: Slip stitch marker, K1, SSK then K all sts until you get to 3 sts before the next marker. K2tog, K1, slip the stitch marker (52 sts)

I appreciate any help I can get.

Thanks!

wmpdd3 · 10-10-2017 6:55pm

Did you start with 56sts when you went to turn the heel?

#Round 3: Change to yarn colour A, Slip stitch marker, K1, SSK then K all stitches until you get to the 3 sts before the next marker. K2tog, K1, slip the stitch marker (54 sts)

How many start do you have have left.

You start with 56, ssk,(reduces by 1)
then K2tog(reduces by 1) = 54

Also Google the name of the kit and errata! Just in case!

MJensen · 10-10-2017 6:56pm

I got the answer from a different forum, but sharing the answer here in case there is anyone else here stuck on the same thing.

It looks like there is a flaw in the pattern, which is by the way called "Knit Your Own Stripy Socks" by So Crafty

Decreases really should be in the same place. So really Round 3 should be in the same manner as Round 1 and should read:

Round 3: Change to yarn colour A, Slip the first stitch marker (if you haven't already), then K all sts until you get to the second stitch marker, slip it to the right needle, K1, SSK then K all stitches until you get to the 3 sts before the first marker. K2tog, K1, slip the stitch marker (54 sts)

Same goes for round 5, and all other decreasing rounds.

Hope this is of use to anyone else who got stuck like me :P

ShaShaBear · 11-10-2017 9:52am

I gave up on the pattern as about 2 rows in I discovered that the circulars it comes with are actually too big for knitting socks. Turns out several friends who are seasoned knitters, one who actually sells her socks, found the same issue. Aldi told me they are monitoring the supplier as they received several complaints about the crafting materials in that week, not the least of which was the super, super, super bulky wool that became useless after washing!

wmpdd3 · 12-10-2017 9:49am

If you use the 'magic circle', you can knit socks with these needles but a pair of knit Pro will be more comfy!

There's a few examples on YouTube of this.

veggie newbie · 23-10-2017 8:13pm

My pattern says to cast off # of stitches at the beginning of the next 6 rows. I'm knitting a cardigan and the cast off is to shape the shoulders. Do I try to keep knitting the pattern, which includes cable stitches, while casting off? Or do I just knit plain/garter stitch while casting off and then resume pattern once required # of stitches are cast off? Thanks for any advice.

spurious · 23-10-2017 8:18pm

veggie newbie wrote: »

My pattern says to cast off # of stitches at the beginning of the next 6 rows. I'm knitting a cardigan and the cast off is to shape the shoulders. Do I try to keep knitting the pattern, which includes cable stitches, while casting off? Or do I just knit plain/garter stitch while casting off and then resume pattern once required # of stitches are cast off? Thanks for any advice.

It's down to personal taste really.
Casting off and reducing stitiches in general is going to mess with the pattern. I used to try keep in pattern, but where there were cables, this usually meant one side had an extra row and sometimes an extra twist in the cable and would look funny to me, so in that case I would just use plain on the cables.

OffalyMedic · 15-11-2017 10:39pm

Has anyone here got Jean greenhowe Christmas booklet with the nativity scene pattern that would sell to me?

janmaree · 16-11-2017 1:15pm

OffalyMedic wrote: »

Has anyone here got Jean greenhowe Christmas booklet with the nativity scene pattern that would sell to me?

I just have one that's full of teddy bears so can't help there but Amazon have some, this link includes a nativity scene which looks lovely, maybe it's the one you're looking for? There's quite a choice on Amazon of both new and used, some say they don't ship to Ireland but for now, there's Parcel Motel.

If you have a parcel motel account you will qualify for UK delivery rates plus €3.95 for Parcel Motel. Maybe check the postage charge to Ireland first and compare. I hope this helps

www.amazon.co.uk/gp/offer-listing/1873193076/ref=dp_olp_all_mbc?ie=UTF8&condition=all

Aralk · 01-04-2018 11:01pm

Hi, I’ve just taken up knitting & the pattern says
Row 6 k2, [m1, k4] 5 times,

While I get that
Row 6 = Row 6 of the pattern
K2 = knit 2
M1 = make 1
K4 = knit 4

I don’t understand what it all means together.
Knit 2 rows of what?

duckling10 · 01-04-2018 11:05pm

K2 = knit 2 stitches.

So altogether for Row 6 you
knit two stitches then,
make 1 stitch, knit 4 sts,
make 1 st , knit 4 sts,
make 1st and knit 4 sts,
make 1 st and knit 4 sts
then make 1 st and knit 4 stitches.

Thats that row done. You will have 27 stitches on the needle at the end of that row, whereas you only had 22 before you started row 6.

01-04-2018 11:09pm

Row 6 k2, [m1, k4] 5 times
Row 6: knit 2 stitches first, then you (make 1 - your pattern will explain how to do this- and then knit 4 stitches) 5 times...

Gatica · 03-04-2018 10:10am

Aralk wrote: »

Hi, I’ve just taken up knitting & the pattern says
Row 6 k2, [m1, k4] 5 times,

While I get that
Row 6 = Row 6 of the pattern
K2 = knit 2
M1 = make 1
K4 = knit 4

I don’t understand what it all means together.
Knit 2 rows of what?

Knit 2 is talking about the type of knit, i.e. in this case "knit". It probably sounds confusing as you expect them to say to knit 2 stitches in purl, or knit 2 stitches in "knit" or something to that effect. As "knit" is the type of stitch, you do 2 of those... and posters above have well explained how to follow the patterns. You probably already know how to do knit and purl, so I don't wanna sound condescending... just hope it's a handy explanation.

RiderOnTheStorm · 18-04-2018 6:35pm

Hope I am not asking a question thats been answered before (cant read the whole thread).

Anyone know of good website for FREE patterns? Am looking for chunky vest / gilet pattern, but have spent an hour so far googling, and sites that say they have free patterns either dont have them for what I want, or patterns are buried deep in site (or require me to register first....and still no assurance that they will actually have the pattern)

Arrrgh....just fed up of searching!

Please & thanks in advance...

yellowlabrador · 18-04-2018 6:39pm

RiderOnTheStorm wrote: »

Hope I am not asking a question thats been answered before (cant read the whole thread).

Anyone know of good website for FREE patterns? Am looking for chunky vest / gilet pattern, but have spent an hour so far googling, and sites that say they have free patterns either dont have them for what I want, or patterns are buried deep in site (or require me to register first....and still no assurance that they will actually have the pattern)

Arrrgh....just fed up of searching!

Please & thanks in advance...

my favourite site is
https://www.garnstudio.com/

or else ravelry.

Knitting - help and advice super thread!

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