Posted on 11/10/2005 6:11:29 AM PST by Knitting A Conundrum
The Vast Right Wing Knitting and Needleworker's Circle
Well, I walk by the knitting and crochet mags and what do I see on their covers and headlines besides the usual sweaters and afghans? Scarves!
So let's talk about making scarves. Some are easy, some are tricky, some are just fun. And they tend to be great beginner projects, and can be great, fun gifts. Have you been making any scarves?
What have you done? Or want to do?
VRWKNC Ping! And I don't think I lost anybody's name this time! Yay!
since scarves are the only thing i KNOW how to knit, i am a knitting away on them. everyone will get one for christmas. there are so many fun fibers to knit with, that is the attraction for me.
If you can knit a scarf, you could knit an afghan, potholder, a shawl, and probably a sweater. (I am always trying to convert the word to knitology, you know!)
I have the first set of socks that I was making for my niece's kids done, and I started a scarf pattern, in acrylic yarn, but before I go any further, I am going to start it over in a different yarn, probably a real wool, maybe in a lace weight or fingering. It will be very lacy. I started it out k1 the first row. then start the pattern:
slip first stitch. (p1, k1 yo, k2 tog across) k the last stitch.
slip first stitch. p across until the last stitch, k that.
slip first stitch, k across.
It makes a corrugated pattern, totally reversible. with rows of lacy holes.
But before I do that, I have to start the socks for my grandniece, now that I have finished the ones for her brother.
Woohoo!
Thursday knitting!
Did some minor replumbing in re switching refrigerators; cleaning grates -- discovered a lose HVAC tube. Power lantern began failing.. but little LED light provided enough light for me to sufficiently feel my way around in reconnecting the tube. Oh, yes, (sarc) I just love crawling under houses...
But Scarves! I admit.. I have this addiction for getting very, very excited about the newer materials available on the market.
Probably stick with the afghan, as I'm in pre-Turkey prep mode.
Wrapping some Christmas gifts today. The end of the year just about blows my home projects up; but it evens out after the start of the year. In the dead of winter..
Perfect timing KAC!
I started a shawl the other day, a simple garter stitch shawl for my great-grandma, in a shiny cotton yarn; It's very pretty. I've finally grasped the concept behind YO, which helps. ;-P
YOs open a whole world of lacy pretty stuff. Yep. An important concept.
That is some good braiding! I am impressed!
Knitting is the one needle skill I've never mastered. It defies and eludes me. Any hints about good teaching materials?
Thanks.
Wow. How long did it take to make yours? Where did you learn how?
Well, I (unknowingly) got the wrong stuff for this one, but it still turned out okay. I just did a little here and there when I had time at work for four days. I'm estimating that it took me about 16 hours total; cutting, braiding, etc. I used an eleven foot piece that cost about fifty bucks.
I just picked up a few books. I also was a Boatswain's Mate in the Navy.
That's amazing; What a neat hobby! (/covet)
There are some sites online that have videos of how different things are done, but if you are really having problems, you might want to take a class.
If you crochet, you might find doing knitting in the continental way easier than the American style, because you hold the yarn in a similar way, and it is perfectly possible to knit continental holding the yarn wrapped around your hand like you were crocheting.
If the problem you have is stitches falling off the needle, you can switch to bamboo needles, which can really help.
If casting on dismays you, you can crochet a base chain in a needle about the same size as your knitting needle. Then you can pick up the loops in the chain like you do if you are doing afghan crochet.
Another trick is to make sure your needles are long enough for the piece you are working on. Short needles tend to lead to stitches falling off.
I don't use single pointed needles much. I tend to use double points for working in the round and circular needles for straight knitting, in part because I find I am less likely to let stitches drop off by accident.
What sort of problems have you been having getting started? That might help us figure out something to help you!
Thank you.
You are always welcome to show off your skills in crafting here, btw.
Sweet. I'm on vacation and just got paid. Going to the leather shop in a couple of hours.
You are such a sweetie! Since I bragged in a FReepmail to you about this, you're giving me the opportunity to brag more publicly! (LOL!)
I only know how to knit scarves, so now I am a scarf-knitting fool. And I agree with xsmommy that the marvelous yarns are what is making it fun, so EVERYBODY gets a scarf this Christmas!
In the last few days, I have knitted SEVEN scarves. Three were of that Red Heart Bright and Lofty (a very bulky, boucle-style yarn that goes VERY fast), one of Lion's Fun Fur (Hawaii color that looks like rainbow sherbet), Bernat's Boa in Toucan color (an eyelash yarn that looks harder to work with than it is), one called Highland Thistle in Glen Erie color (gorgeous violet with a hint of sparkle, but is rather stiffer than the others), and one called Lambie Pie "Child's Play", which is a baby yarn that is softer than anything I've ever felt, sort of like cotton balls on a delicate string.
With each scarf, I've learned a valuable lesson, whether it is about dye lot (it matters, really), split stitches, tension, and needle size or type. So NOW, I'm ready to roll on the presents! I'm also thinking of making one of those cute knitted purses with a shoulder strap that is found on the back of the label of some more yarn I bought.
Signed,
The happy yarn hog. (LOL!)
What size needles did you use for the Bright&Lofty? I've got a skein that I want to use, but the needles I was using (#5) kept splitting it...
I used #11 for one and #13 for the other two, and frankly, preferred the larger, as it was a looser, softer scarf (and only 15 stitches per row!). Splitting WAS more of a problem with this yarn than the others, but I learned to just slide off the little "extras" after I slid off the knitted stitch to the other needle, and the irregularity of the yarn seemed to "cover" my occasional little boo-boos. It also helped me to have really loose tension on this yarn, so this wasn't the one I worked on when I was feeling anxious, LOL!
Thanks! It's such a pretty, soft yarn...
PS. At 15 stitches per row, I thought one skein made a nice and decently-sized scarf. An earlier one I made with Bright and Lofty called for 25 stitches per row, using two skeins, and I thought it was much too wide for practical use. JMO, though.
Thanks for the tip! I'll have to find a pattern that won't get lost in the yarn...
Patterns do need to match the yarn!
My personal approach:
Fancy yarns, simple patterns.
Plain yarn, fancy patterns.
Stranded, striped, entralac, probably should be plain yarns.
You can do ribs with stripes, but cables and lace can get lost sometimes.
Mohair and eyelash yarns, you need to play it by ear.
Can you please add me to your ping list? Thank you! I had no idea there was a FReeper Knitting/Needlework circle!
I'll be happy to!
I found this site Learn to Knit and it helped me more then anything. The drawings are actually helpful for a change. The only problem is the bright yellow background that burns the retinas. It's really basic, but it's a good start, IMO. Hope that helps!
They will? Why, thank you! Could you possibly make mine the R.C.A.F. tartan? Thank you!
Whyisa, what pattern will you ask xs for?
(Banging head on desk)
It's 15 stitches per row with #11 needles, and 11 (preferably) or 12 stitches with #13 needles. Otherwise, it could be a VERY short scarf! Sorry I wasn't totally clear earlier. And all I do is plain knit stitches, nothing fancy.
And I agree with what KAC said about plain and fancy; she's got loads more experience than I, and seems to know instinctively what will work. I'm still in a (determined but defiant) trial and error phase (grin!).
Free scarf patterns!
Crystal Palace Yarns lists these:
http://www.straw.com/cpy/patterns/newscarves2002.html
mostly knit, some crocheted
Hogswarts scarf pattern if you're into that sort of things...
http://knit.atypically.net/scarves/hogwarts/pattern.shtml
Multidirectional diagonal scarf:
http://douma.net/Karen/knitting/Accessory-Scarves/Multidirectional_Diagonal_Scarf.htm
Easy gift scarves
http://members.aol.com/lwitchel/scarves.htm
Berreco Yarns has a bunch of them:
http://www.berroco.com/scarf_yarns/scarves_pat.html
A scarf pattern calculator!
http://www.girlfromauntie.com/patterns/clothing/yasp/yasp2.asp
A lacy mohair scarf pattern:
http://www.knitlist.com/95gift/mohairs.htm
More scarf patterns:
http://www.knittingonthenet.com/scarves.htm
Crocheted hat and scarf set
http://www.lionbrand.com/patterns/ccs-HatScarf.html
One skein crocheted scarf
http://www.lionbrand.com/patterns/cctq-oneskeinscarf.html
Knit Tinsel scarf
http://freeknittingpatterns.lionbrand.com/patterns/kfestivef-tinselScarf.html
There's a lot more out there. I got tired.
Always buy a bit too much yarn.
I tend to make scarves by saying. Hmmm...this looks wide enough, and then go to town in whatever design I am working on.
But when you follow a pattern, gauge counts. Gauge always counts more than official needlesize when trying to reproduce a pattern.
But I've been playing with yarn since I was 9. That's 41 years of experience (shudder. Now why did I have to calculate that?) In that amount of time, I have learned to pick up some serious preferences about technique, colors, textures and approaches to this stuff!
Holy cow! I see why you got tired. Thanks for all of those.
One can never have too much yarn, too much fabric, or too many patterns.
Marking my place for this link - thanks
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.
