Craft club topic of the month - knitting!

[Biddlybee]

I'd bind off on the RS.

 

[crustychick]

I'd bind off on the RS.

thanks Biddly

 

[RubyToogood]

It's the knitting and stitching show this Thurs - Sun at Ally Pally. I'm quite tempted to go as I've never been before. OTOH it's £15 to get in, not to mention all the things you'd want to buy once you'd got in

 

[Biddlybee]

another pair of tiny booties... my cardigan is taking forever

 

[RubyToogood]

NB I did go to Ally Pally and was glad I did, but it was expensive and it wasn't as amazing as I thought it would be, so I probably won't go again.

 

[RubyToogood]

How long do we think a man's scarf should be?

 

[moose]

Same as a woman's + 6" ish? Depends on whether it wraps round, I guess.

 

[RubyToogood]

OK, that's not too bad. Foot and a bit to go then. Why are my knitting projects always like this?

 

[moose]

At least you have knitting projects. I've totally lost my crafting mojo

 

[RubyToogood]

At least you have knitting projects. I've totally lost my crafting mojo

It happens. I'm just getting my music mojo back after nearly a year

 

[Biddlybee]

as it's getting colder I'm getting all my projects out again. Finished a hat for my brothers girlfriend...

 

[RubyToogood]

This scarf is fecking long. Just not quite long enough. I'm starting to feel like this woman.

 

[Hellsbells]

does anyone know anywhere i can buy knitting needles near Holloway road? There seems to be so few independant shops around these days & i really don't want to go all the way to John Lewis.

 

[Biddlybee]

Not Holloway Rd, but not town either - Loop off Upper Street.

 

[Biddlybee]

Not far from Holloway Rd, I'd call first to see if they have what you want:
http://www.handweavers.co.uk/shop/Visiting_the_shop.html

Near Arsenal tube station:
http://www.knittingwoolandyarnshop.co.uk/

 

[Hellsbells]

Cool - very helpful! Thanks Biddly. I'd forgotten about Loop.

 

[Biddlybee]

moose... I love you, thank you!

(they don't have loads of colours, but that's good for someone as indecisive as me!)

cheers for talking me through it too Rubes, there is still so much I don't think about and don't really get with knitting

Forgot to say I got a mix of the blue sky (it is soooo soft) and the knit picks. But now I'm stumped by what order to put the colours in... how difficult can a decision like that be? Does it really matter? It's not like the baby will care, but it could look shit if I do it wrong

These are the colours I have, and the order I've laid them our in so far, any thoughts?

 

[RubyToogood]

Forgot to say I got a mix of the blue sky (it is soooo soft) and the knit picks. But now I'm stumped by what order to put the colours in... how difficult can a decision like that be? Does it really matter? It's not like the baby will care, but it could look shit if I do it wrong

These are the colours I have, and the order I've laid them our in so far, any thoughts?

View attachment 24446

What is it, just stripes?

 

[moose]

After the first round of colours, it's quite a jolt from the cream to the dark brown, maybe swap the cream and yellow round?

 

[Biddlybee]

It's a wave blanket, so essentially stripes, but one of each rather than recurring.

 

[RubyToogood]

I'd just knit a little of each and juggle them round to see what you like.

 

[Biddlybee]

I've been doing that with the balls (juggling them round)

Maybe a little strip of garter will be easier to decide.

 

[moose]

It's a wave blanket, so essentially stripes, but one of each rather than recurring.

Ahhhh, I had a vision of thin stripes, repeating.

 

[Biddlybee]

It's this blanket: www.purlbee.com/chevron-baby-blanket/

I'm having a brain-doesn't-work day, and part of me knows the order of colours really doesn't matter

(other part going ARGH... which one first )

 

[Greebo]

<snip>These are the colours I have, and the order I've laid them our in so far, any thoughts?

View attachment 24446

Orange, brown, yellow, blue, red, mauve, white?

 

[Biddlybee]

Thanks Greebo, that made me get them out and start playing again.

I think I've settled on:
Red
Blue
Orange
Brown
Purple
Yellow
White

That'll do, what a fuss! My SiL will probably hate it now anyway

 

[Greebo]

<snip>I think I've settled on:
Red
Blue
Orange
Brown
Purple
Yellow
White

That'll do, what a fuss! My SiL will probably hate it now anyway

No matter what, it'll keep the baby warm and take ages to outgrow.

 

[Hellsbells]

Was doing really well with my hat, then i dropped a stitch & i'm useless at picking up stitches . I tried and failed. So I undid a row and tried to pick up all the stitches and ended up dropping a load more stitches Can't bear the thought of starting again. I know hats are meant to be fairly quick to knit, but not for me! Does anyone have a really easy way of picking up stitches? Easy as in for someone who is REALLY REALLY rubbish at it and has little patience?

 

[Biddlybee]

Not picking up stitches, as I don't know how to explain that in words, but if you are undoing a few rows, then rather than undo a row and try and pick up the loops, get stitches (from a row or two below) onto a needle first then undo it.

This should help: http://knitty.com/ISSUEwinter03/FEATwin03TT.html

Ooh, knitty have an article on dropped stitches too, but it sounds like you have more than one at the mo: http://knitty.com/ISSUEwinter02/FEATtheresa.html

 

[Greebo]

<snip> Does anyone have a really easy way of picking up stitches? Easy as in for someone who is REALLY REALLY rubbish at it and has little patience?

One thing which might make it easier is picking up the dropped stitch with a crochet hook (of the right size, of course). If your tension is loose enough, the yarn isn't too fluffy or hairy, and you can work out where to thread the stitch as you pull it up, it can save a lot of time and frustration.

BTW it might be worth doing a small & narrow practice square (10 by 10 stitches?) with a few deliberately dropped stitches to practice on.