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?
Posted on 11/10/2005 6:11:29 AM PST by Knitting A Conundrum
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.
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