Knitting - help and advice super thread!

OffalyMedic

Hi Guys,

I've posted here a couple of times before and looking for some advice again on a couple of things.

I took up knitting again last December, hadn't knitted much since primary school. I made 3 teddies for the kiddies of the family for Christmas. I used Sam and Sally the Scarecrow pattern by Jean Greenhowe, some of you may be familiar with the pattern.I was so delighted with how these turned out that i wanted to knit more and more. I get great satisfaction when i see a finished project.

Life got busy after christmas and I stopped again until this month, My bf sister announced she was expecting so i decided to go knit a baby cardigan and depending on how it finished maybe give it as a present. It turned out lovely and I even added a hat, mittens, booties and a blanket to the gift.

Those kept me busy for a few weeks and now. I'd love to try cable knitting but dont know where to start. Would love to make a hat, scarf and glove set using cable knitting for myself for the winter.

Also would like to make a sheep hat pattern I saw on ravelry for my OH to keep him warm when farming and my cousin asked me to knit her a basic hat with wool she bought (DK mixed colour one) and keeping on the same theme found a nice peppa pig and shaun the sheep hat pattern for his two nieces.

So i need to make 4 hats for others and then the set for myself but here is where i need advice.

1) when i started knitting i bought any aul wool and have loads of balls lying around but now haven't a clue what weight wool it is, how can i identify if its dk, aran etc by looking at it?

2) I have alot of colours but with the hats i need alot of colours that i dont have but only in small quantities and dont particularly want to spend €5 on a ball to use only a few grams off.

3) I've heard of destashing but cant find it on ravelry. Can someone point me in the right direction??

4) How difficult is intarsia?

5) How difficult is cable knitting?

ShaShaBear

I'm not a knitter, but a crocheter, but I might be able to answer a few of these!

1) when i started knitting i bought any aul wool and have loads of balls lying around but now haven't a clue what weight wool it is, how can i identify if its dk, aran etc by looking at it?
Not by looking at it really, unless you are a real pro! But what you can do is look for a standard DK pattern on Ravelry that includes a swatch gauge and knit it up! If the swatches with that yarn and the same needles works out the same size or extremely close as the swatch dimensions for the pattern, it's almost certainly DK yarn you've used. Same for other weights.

2) I have alot of colours but with the hats i need alot of colours that i dont have but only in small quantities and dont particularly want to spend €5 on a ball to use only a few grams off.
You can buy Dolly mix balls of yarn like this which is over 60 metres

3) I've heard of destashing but cant find it on ravelry. Can someone point me in the right direction??
When you go to your Notebook in Ravelry, there is an option for your Stash. You input all the yarns you have (there is a tagging feature so that the yarn's page on Ravelry will be linked) and you can mark them as available for sell or for trade.

janmaree

4) How difficult is intarsia?

I only knitted one garment in intarsia which turned out fine but I wouldn't be keen to do it again, I just don't have the patience or the eyesight anymore. Like anything else, it's probably quite easy once you know how but when you don't, it looks like rocket science. Here's a link to a youtube tutorial which seems straightforward and informative, might help as an introduction. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gK07PBQMTE8

5) How difficult is cable knitting?

Again, once you get used to it and handling an extra little needle, it's fine. Perhaps starting with a simple cable without any intricate intertwining (some cable patterns can be mind boggling) would give you a way to learn easily. I love Aran patterns and all the different stitches involved but they use a lot more wool than something simple and flat and they take serious concentration as well. It explains why pure wool, hand knit Aran garments cost so much.

Hope it's of some help but when I'm stuck, I always turn to youtube to learn something new, usually everything you need is there.

wmpdd3

I agree with everything above.

I hate intarsia!I always end up doing it too tight, especially when I do it in the round.

I prefer to crochet a graph( same thing but crochet)

Def get dolly mixture or there are facebook pages to buy left over wool from people, its great for ' I need a bit of grey DK acrylic' posts.

Have a look at swiss darning as an alternative to intarsia.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lBPSJB-JH60

tringle

Intarsia can be easy or difficult depending on the pattern.
If it is to do a motif such as a teddy with many colours then swiss darning is much better. However if you are only ever knitting two colours in a row then intarsia can be easier, don't ever carry the wool over more than three stitches. And you must wrap each colour change wool around the next to prevent a hole. Yes, check youtube and do a practice swatch first to see if it suits you.

Cables are lovely to knit and very effective. Find a simple pattern with just one type of cable, there are many baby jumpers with cabled ribs to try. A cable of 4 stitches is the easiest. And you cable forward or back, this will make the rope twist to the right or left. I find using the extra cable needle a nuisance and so pinch the two stitches in my fingers while knitting the other two then slip them back onto the needle to knit, again hard to explain so use youtube to check.

To find out what weight your wool is the americans use a system called wraps per inch. Wind the wool around a needle and count how many wraps or stiches there are to an inch of needle length. I don't have the list of what is what but you will find it on raverly or on pinterest.

Broken Hearted Road

I wouldn't launch into a new knit project containing a new a technique like cables and intarsia. I had some left over yarn before and I wanted to practice cable knitting so I was able to knit up a cabled headband with the left over yarn. Earlier this year I was working on a knit project using cotton. I wanted to try out intarsia so with the scrap yarn I made a dishcloth with an intarsia design. I still had yarn left over and I wanted to practice a crochet border so I did on the dishcloth too.

kandr10

Broken Hearted Road wrote: »

I wouldn't launch into a new knit project containing a new a technique like cables and intarsia. I had some left over yarn before and I wanted to practice cable knitting so I was able to knit up a cabled headband with the left over yarn. Earlier this year I was working on a knit project using cotton. I wanted to try out intarsia so with the scrap yarn I made a dishcloth with an intarsia design. I still had yarn left over and I wanted to practice a crochet border so I did on the dishcloth too.

That's a really good idea! Do you mind me asking, are knitted dishcloths any good?

I love intarsia! I think the technique itself is easy - just wrap the old and new colour together at the back of the work. It can be hard to organise if the block of colour is quite big as you need small balls of each colour and they can tangle. I use yarn bobbins and it makes life so much easier.

OffalyMedic

ok thanks for all your help guys!

Since I was last on I knitted a hat in the round and was happy with how it came out. Now I'm onto another hat for himself and in the pattern it says it uses a technique called fair isle. Is that the same as intrasia??

I've never knitted anything using a chat as opposed to written instructions? is it difficult?

[URL="file:///home/chronos/u-3320a1ce0e305ea75dd3ab9823ebbf1f7d2417bc/Downloads/Baable_hat3.pdf"]Heres[/URL] the pattern if anyone has any tips it would be much appreciated.

wmpdd3

Fair Isle is where you carry the yarn along the back of the work, this is where I slip up and end up with a gathered pair of knickers!

Intarsia is where you use a new piece of yarn for the design in the middle.


I can see the pattern, the link doesnt work, is it baa-ble?

http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/baa-ble-hat

If so, its really easy to do, as far as I can remember you just knit white blobs and sew in the black part! I'd use fair islu for that and carefully carry the colour behind the white when in use.

OffalyMedic

Thank you, it is the blast-bah hat I'm attempting to make but from what I can make out from pattern it's all knitted, none stitched together?

Broken Hearted Road

kandr10 wrote: »

That's a really good idea! Do you mind me asking, are knitted dishcloths any good?

I love intarsia! I think the technique itself is easy - just wrap the old and new colour together at the back of the work. It can be hard to organise if the block of colour is quite big as you need small balls of each colour and they can tangle. I use yarn bobbins and it makes life so much easier.

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.

Broken Hearted Road

I'm coming to the end of knitting a cardi that was pure joy to knit. I used merino wool and it was such a pleasure. Merino is definitely my new love.

I stuck in a new large order of yarn online earlier today. A large batch of merino wool will be coming my way next week in the post. I bought a pattern too for the wool. I'll be knitting a dress (toddler siz) for a Christmas present. I hope to start on that next week and hopefully will be ready by the end of October to get started on some more Christmas knitting.

While I was browsing online at patterns and yarn, I came across a lovely cardigan pattern done in merino wool. LoveKnitting is a great online shop. I love the section under patterns - get everything you need to make this and select size. So I clicked around and priced the project if I was so inclined and trust me, I'm well and truly tempted. €154 it came up to. I wish I had the funds.

alexonhisown

Has anyone used ICE brand yarns, just wondering if they have any really nice soft baby wool. Their prices online seem to be so cheap. My favourite wool so far is RICO soft baby dream.

LoonyLovegood

They're fairly soft for an acrylic, alright!

wmpdd3

I love Rico, it's so hard wearing too.

Ice can work out expensive when you add shipping which is about the same price as the yarn!

Look for a polyamide or viscose mix, but just order a little to check what's it's like, there is no saving to be made by bulk buying.

veggie newbie

I'm using a pattern for a baby blanket consisting of 1 colour but would love to knit the border in a different colour. Should I knit the border separately, or knit as part of the blanket?
If I knit the border as part of the blanket, I guess I should cut the wool when I've finished the border stitches and then sew in the threads when completed? This would result in a lot of threads and sewing so maybe it's best to knit the border separately and sew it on at the end? And advice much appreciated. Thx.

This is the pattern if it helps: http://web.archive.org/web/20130114111934/http://www.fortheloveofyarn.com/Issues/07Winter/patterns/winter07_pearlsblanket.shtml

Gatica

veggie newbie wrote: »

I'm using a pattern for a baby blanket consisting of 1 colour but would love to knit the border in a different colour. Should I knit the border separately, or knit as part of the blanket?
If I knit the border as part of the blanket, I guess I should cut the wool when I've finished the border stitches and then sew in the threads when completed? This would result in a lot of threads and sewing so maybe it's best to knit the border separately and sew it on at the end? And advice much appreciated. Thx.

This is the pattern if it helps: http://web.archive.org/web/20130114111934/http://www.fortheloveofyarn.com/Issues/07Winter/patterns/winter07_pearlsblanket.shtml

I would just switch between yarns on every row, if you need border on left and right, then divide your yarn into two and try to manage the three balls of yarn for switching. It will keep the loose ends to tuck down to just 6 (3 yarns, start and end)

veggie newbie

Gatica wrote: »

I would just switch between yarns on every row, if you need border on left and right, then divide your yarn into two and try to manage the three balls of yarn for switching. It will keep the loose ends to tuck down to just 6 (3 yarns, start and end)

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

janmaree

It's a lovely pattern but I notice that the cables are pulling the borders out of shape and distorting the overall finished look. I'm no expert either but I would be tempted to knit the body of the blanket (with the cables) separately and after blocking the central piece, I would either knit or crochet a border to fit. That way you can easily use a contrasting colour for the border and you're likely to end up with a better shape in the final piece and very few loose ends to weave in. You would just end up attaching the border to the centre piece by sewing or slip stitching in crochet, or crocheting directly onto the central piece with a simple turn at the corners. Just my tuppence worth but it is a lovely pattern and should keep you interested to the end.

Broken Hearted Road

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.

janmaree

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

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

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

wmpdd3

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

aknitter

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

wmpdd3

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

ShaShaBear

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

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

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

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.