Advertisement
If you have a new account but are having problems posting or verifying your account, please email us on hello@boards.ie for help. Thanks :)
Hello all! Please ensure that you are posting a new thread or question in the appropriate forum. The Feedback forum is overwhelmed with questions that are having to be moved elsewhere. If you need help to verify your account contact hello@boards.ie

Knitting - help and advice super thread!

Options
1…1920222425…54

Comments

  • Options
    #632
    wmpdd3
    Registered Users Posts: 9,624 ✭✭✭wmpdd3


    All my circular needles are crap, the stitches wont slide back on to the needles from the cable and the cable is always kinked even after I put the needles in hot water.

    I have seen a seriously expensive set of interchangeable needles but will have to wait for the lottery.

    Other than that I love using them, I usually knit from the waist to under arms as all one piece, front and back combined on circulars.


  • Options
    #633
    Snitchy
    Registered Users Posts: 10 ✭Snitchy


    Hey guys, a friend of mine is interesting in starting to knit. She really likes a yarn I just used with alpaca in it but is vegetarian so doesn't like using yarn with wool in it. Anyone know of an acrylic/poly yarn that's nice and soft? :)


  • Options
    #634
    aknitter
    Registered Users Posts: 505 ✭✭✭aknitter


    I've used sirdar snuggly for hats and mittens in the past, its readily available in Cork Wools in the English Market. Its a baby wool but start in that section and you'll find some lovely yarn.

    Also try Vibes and Scribes on Bridge street they carry brands that Cork Wools don't and I think they have a buy 2 for €5 on Bonus DK wools which I have used and are perfect for starting out and again they are acrylic.


  • Options
    #635
    TreasureBin
    Registered Users Posts: 319 ✭✭TreasureBin


    Snitchy wrote: »
    Hey guys, a friend of mine is interesting in starting to knit. She really likes a yarn I just used with alpaca in it but is vegetarian so doesn't like using yarn with wool in it. Anyone know of an acrylic/poly yarn that's nice and soft? :)


    If you look for "microfibre acrylic", they're usually very soft - Wendy Poppet is gorgeous. Also Rico Baby So Soft.


  • Options
    #636
    TreasureBin
    Registered Users Posts: 319 ✭✭TreasureBin


    wmpdd3 wrote: »
    All my circular needles are crap, the stitches wont slide back on to the needles from the cable and the cable is always kinked even after I put the needles in hot water.

    I have seen a seriously expensive set of interchangeable needles but will have to wait for the lottery.

    Other than that I love using them, I usually knit from the waist to under arms as all one piece, front and back combined on circulars.


    I use bamboo circular needles and love the smooth feel of them and the stitches slide back on easily enough. I've had a couple of pairs for years with no kinking in the cable. Have you tried different lengths? Or do you think your tension is tight? A friend who knits very tightly can't get on with circular needles!


  • Advertisement
  • Options
    #637
    wmpdd3
    Registered Users Posts: 9,624 ✭✭✭wmpdd3


    My tension is a bit tight alright, I'm about 10% tighter on my swatches compared to everyone else in the knitting group.

    I will def try a bamboo pair as I have 2 pairs of bamboo needles and I love them.


  • Options
    #638
    ABajaninCork
    Closed Accounts Posts: 8,411 ✭✭✭ABajaninCork


    Bamboo is the ONLY way to go! I have all bamboo needles (DP's SP's and circulars) and wouldn't use anything else now. Cheap enough and easy to get on eBay.


  • Options
    #639
    Beardyman
    Closed Accounts Posts: 49 ✭Beardyman


    Hi all I've no idea about this so I'm hoping someone can help me.

    Last year my fiancée lost a beautiful wool hat I bought her. It was a floppy wooly hat with 2 large baubles, the wool was chunky, in red with a gold thread.

    I'm looking for a help on any of the following:

    a) does anyone know where I might buy a replacement hat (it was originally bought in Lucy's Lounge in Temple Bar)?

    b) is it possible to buy this wool (ideally in Dublin) so that I can get it remade?

    c) is there anyone who has made this hat or had one made for them so I can get it remade.

    Any help would be hugely hugely appreciated.

    PS It may have been me who lost the hat!:(


  • Options
    #640
    Princess Peach
    Registered Users Posts: 11,698 ✭✭✭✭Princess Peach


    I love Lucy's Lounge!!

    Maybe just call in there and talk to the people? The people who make the stuff are often working there, or will know who made it to get in touch.


  • Options
    #641
    j@utis
    Registered Users Posts: 3,064 ✭✭✭j@utis


    Beardyman wrote: »
    Hi all I've no idea about this so I'm hoping someone can help me.

    Last year my fiancée lost a beautiful wool hat I bought her. It was a floppy wooly hat with 2 large baubles, the wool was chunky, in red with a gold thread.

    I'm looking for a help on any of the following:

    a) does anyone know where I might buy a replacement hat (it was originally bought in Lucy's Lounge in Temple Bar)?

    b) is it possible to buy this wool (ideally in Dublin) so that I can get it remade?

    c) is there anyone who has made this hat or had one made for them so I can get it remade.

    Any help would be hugely hugely appreciated.

    PS It may have been me who lost the hat!:(

    if you could find a picture of similar hat on the internet - it would be easier to help


  • Advertisement
  • Options
    #642
    iguana
    Moderators, Entertainment Moderators Posts: 12,909 Mod ✭✭✭✭iguana


    Not having knit anything since an abandoned attempt at a snowman when I was 12 (22 years ago) I decided to knit a hat for my nearly 1 year old for Halloween. It's a tri-coloured winter hat with ear flaps and a pompom of the kind worn by Jayne Cobb in Firefly. Not being very confident of my knitting abilities, and tbh not looking forward to the task of knitting I asked my Mum if she'd do it with me (pathetic, I know). She's not a huge knitter but has done a couple of cardigans since I got pregnant. I honestly envisioned that I would limp along with the earflaps and just about manage to get them done for Halloween, while my Mum did the hat itself (then whoever finished first could do the pompom) so I just got the wool for the earflaps yesterday. Last night I unenthusiastically sat down to make a start initially shying away from my Mum's suggestion of doing one row plain, one row purl as it was too complicated.

    However after a few messy rows and a restart I got the hang of it pretty quickly and surprised myself by really enjoying it. So much so that I now have two completed earflaps and am feeling bereft that I don't have either of the other two wool colours I need to continue. To make matters worse I won't have any chance to get them until at least Wednesday. :( But I'm feeling super proud of myself for managing to do so, so much better than I ever imagined.


  • Options
    #643
    x Purple Pawprints x
    Registered Users Posts: 40,401 ✭✭✭✭x Purple Pawprints x


    I'm doing a blanket. 7 of 144 squares complete. :p


  • Options
    #644
    LoonyLovegood
    Moderators, Music Moderators, Social & Fun Moderators Posts: 6,068 Mod ✭✭✭✭LoonyLovegood


    Oooh, the temptation to start a massive blanket with my spare pieces of wool...


  • Options
    #645
    x Purple Pawprints x
    Registered Users Posts: 40,401 ✭✭✭✭x Purple Pawprints x


    That's what I'm doing :D


  • Options
    #646
    Geansai Rua
    Registered Users Posts: 343 ✭✭Geansai Rua


    Hi everyone,

    Im interested in starting to knit and am looking for a bit of advice..
    I used to knit in primary school and quite liked it, 24 now so probably dont remember a whole lot!
    I want to get some cheap, basic stuff. What would u recommend in terms of starting off equipment..
    And if anyone has a simple pattern to get started on I'd love your advice.
    I want to make my own nice knitted things, and then perhaps for gifts for family. I'm even more looking for something to occupy myself in the evenings! (instead of stuffing my face ;) )

    Thanks :)


  • Options
    #647
    LoonyLovegood
    Moderators, Music Moderators, Social & Fun Moderators Posts: 6,068 Mod ✭✭✭✭LoonyLovegood


    I've started again thanks to a magazine I found in easons! If you go on ravelry, there's loads of advice and patterns.


  • Options
    #648
    RiverOfLove
    Closed Accounts Posts: 876 ✭✭✭RiverOfLove


    I learned a little bit of knitting in primary school and I used to like it back then. It's going back about 22 years. Recently I took an urge to take it up again and surprising it never left. It came back to me very easily. I bought a massive knitting book in easons explaining techniques and things. I learned the name of the two stitches I learned in school - garter and purl stitch.

    I started to knit a patchwork blanket for a doll. The patches came out well. It came to sewing up the patches and I got a lot of sewing done until half way through sewing some stitches came loose and then a lot. I figured out where I went wrong. When the patches were all done I went chopping all the wool tails off the patches. I found out that I should have wound the tails into the knitting before chopping off. Also the slip stitch I think I did wrong but I learned the correct technique. I learned the sewing from the book and youtube. So I'm now making another blanket and I'm loving it.

    I have two more blankets to make after my new blanket I'm knitting. After that I've a few more things I would like to try.

    I'm looking forward to learning more knitting techniques and using other wools. Right now I'm using the cheapest kind just for starting off. I've seen some nice soft wool.

    I also bought the first issue the knitting collection - bigandlittleknits. I'd like to try a cushion cover sometime. The throw on the front of that looks lovely but it's completed in 60 issues.


  • Options
    #649
    LoonyLovegood
    Moderators, Music Moderators, Social & Fun Moderators Posts: 6,068 Mod ✭✭✭✭LoonyLovegood


    I'm making one of the cushions in that magazine right now! It's coming out lovely


  • Options
    #650
    wmpdd3
    Registered Users Posts: 9,624 ✭✭✭wmpdd3


    I'd say the easiest things to knit for practice are hand warmers.

    Start pattern:

    Measure from your knuckle on your middle finger to above your wrist. This is the length.

    Measure from the bottom of your thumb to the bottom of your little finger. Double this and this is the width.

    Knit a rectangle as long and as wide as this measurement.

    Sew the 2 long sides together leaving a space for your thumb.

    End pattern!

    Dont worry about measuring too much if you knit a loose knit like chunky yarn with 8mm needles, it will stretch to fit you. Once you do one you can get adventurous and knit loads.

    http://www.mayfly.ie/collection/handmade-knitted-chunky-hand-warmers/


  • Options
    #651
    aknitter
    Registered Users Posts: 505 ✭✭✭aknitter


    When I started back knitting - for the exact same reason! I did Jean Greenhowes toys, they are quick and you use a lot of basic techniques. I then bought Debbie Bliss's how to knit and went from there. As for tools, I'd suggest buying to suit the project you're starting and keep an eye on Lidl & Aldi they do knitting stuff from time to time and its a great way to pick up cheap practice wool and bulk needle sets - oh and ebay!

    http://www.amazon.co.uk/How-Knit-Definitive-Step---step/dp/1843402130/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1382523807&sr=8-3&keywords=debbie+bliss+knitting+books+how+to+knit

    Best of luck!


  • Advertisement
  • Options
    #652
    x Purple Pawprints x
    Registered Users Posts: 40,401 ✭✭✭✭x Purple Pawprints x


    I got wool from Aldi a couple of weeks back and it was quite nice :)

    Dealz also have a really nice selection of double knit wool. :)


  • Options
    #653
    aknitter
    Registered Users Posts: 505 ✭✭✭aknitter


    x Purple Pawprints x wrote: »
    I got wool from Aldi a couple of weeks back and it was quite nice :)

    Dealz also have a really nice selection of double knit wool. :)

    I got lovely Dealz wool and made some christmas baubles from it last year!


  • Options
    #654
    x Purple Pawprints x
    Registered Users Posts: 40,401 ✭✭✭✭x Purple Pawprints x


    Oh how did you make those? :)


  • Options
    #655
    Geansai Rua
    Registered Users Posts: 343 ✭✭Geansai Rua


    Thanks for all the tips.

    Like the idea of the handwarmers, found a few easy instructions on other sites too so I might start there.
    Seen wool and things in Lidl at the weekend so they might be still there (hopefully).


  • Options
    #656
    aknitter
    Registered Users Posts: 505 ✭✭✭aknitter


    I got styrofoam balls from a local craft shop - they were about €2 each and I used the pattern on the link here http://www.letsknit.co.uk/free-knitting-patterns/krista_and_kringle
    I used bits and pieces I picked up on my travels then to make the string at the top.
    Thats a good site actually.....

    http://www.letsknit.co.uk/free-knitting-patterns/neva_and_siria
    they are pretty too...I have a lovely green for those!


  • Options
    #657
    x Purple Pawprints x
    Registered Users Posts: 40,401 ✭✭✭✭x Purple Pawprints x


    Those are cool. Will be having a look at that site again methinks. :)


  • Options
    #658
    RiverOfLove
    Closed Accounts Posts: 876 ✭✭✭RiverOfLove


    CTYIgirl wrote: »
    I'm making one of the cushions in that magazine right now! It's coming out lovely

    Wow! I hope to knit a cushion cover from that. It will be a few weeks though before I'll get a chance to start that.

    Are you using the needles that came with the pack? What kind of wool are you using?

    I wonder, did the second issue of the bigandlittleknits come out yet? I think it's out every fortnight and I was keeping an eye out for it in the shop this week but still no sign of it.


  • Options
    #659
    LoonyLovegood
    Moderators, Music Moderators, Social & Fun Moderators Posts: 6,068 Mod ✭✭✭✭LoonyLovegood


    RiverOfLove wrote: »
    Wow! I hope to knit a cushion cover from that. It will be a few weeks though before I'll get a chance to start that.

    Are you using the needles that came with the pack? What kind of wool are you using?

    I wonder, did the second issue of the bigandlittleknits come out yet? I think it's out every fortnight and I was keeping an eye out for it in the shop this week but still no sign of it.

    I'm using some I had lying around! I'm making the green cushion out of the first set, and I'm using King Cole Wicked wool. It's a gorgeous colour, should come out really well.


  • Options
    #660
    shhling
    Registered Users Posts: 128 ✭✭shhling


    Hi all I am just starting knitting for the first time ever. Went and got wool and needles yesterday. I am thinking of attempting a scarf and have looked at lots of videos on youtube. I was wondering is 90 stitches for the first row crazy? It looks right on the needle as to the width I would like


  • Advertisement
  • Options
    #661
    Spexy
    Registered Users Posts: 8 ✭Spexy


    CTYIgirl wrote: »
    I'm making one of the cushions in that magazine right now! It's coming out lovely




    Hi there,

    I've started knitting the blanket from Big and Little knitting Projects also, am looking to buy some of the wool in a shop though, would anybody know what I should ask for ? there are no details on the label, if it is DK or whatever, just that it's acylic/


Advertisement