Craft club topic of the month - knitting!

[Ceej]

I thought the knitting Urbs might be intersted in this:

Knit a Poem

Over 500 people are needed to knit a giant poem to celebrate the Poetry Society's centenary.
Participating knitters will be sent a template for an individual letter (more if they are super-keen). They will knit their letters at home, and all the squares will then be combined later in the year into a huge poem. Knitters will use their own odds and ends of wool (doubleknit) to complete the work. Letters can be sent in to the Society, but knitters will also be invited to a big knit-together event. A small booklet of 'poems to knit by' will be sent to every participant.

Contact: officeassistant@poetrysociety.org.uk for template and to sign up!

 

[Biddlybee]

Cheers Ceej

 

[Nina]

That's a fantastic idea
Reminds me of being part of the Knitstable project in Whitstable last summer where we knitted a 'cosy' for a beach hut.

 

[Biddlybee]

Is the image on the right a sleeve? (I've never knitted a sleeve, so have no idea what they look like flat)

If it's the back of my top then I'll have to start again

 

[madzone]

Yes, it's a sleeve

 

[Biddlybee]

Phew

 

[ada]

I'm not sure exactly what they're called (if there is a name!). They're everywhere at the moment, but i can never find the exact type i want in the shops. You know the kind of tops that are like little dresses? Fitted at the top, and then they kind of flare out under your boobs. I want to knit something like that, in a lacey pattern in something that's light enough to wear in spring/summer.

In case you are still looking - this pattern is free on ravelry and reminded me of your query - though it isn't super-fitted at the top: http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/sage-blouse

 

[Hellsbells]

In case you are still looking - this pattern is free on ravelry and reminded me of your query - though it isn't super-fitted at the top: http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/sage-blouse

ooh me likey Not really what i was looking for, but it's reeeealy pretty & it's sounds fairly easy too. Thankyou! I'll add to it my now very long list of things i want to knit!!

 

[Biddlybee]

help....

I've done a swatch/gauge for this top I want to knit, and it's nowhere near what it's meant to be, 18sts / 26 rows = 10cm. I upped the needles from 4mm to 5mm and it's still not much closer. Comes up at about 8cm.

The yarn I want to use, looks best on 4mm needles, if I just make one size bigger in the top will it work?

 

[moose]

No - you need to do some calculations. If yours is coming out 80% of the stated size, the whole thing will be 80% of the measurements the pattern states, which is a huge difference! If the pattern was for a 36" chest, your top would come out at 29" approx. I'd use different wool and safe the stuff you've already got for something more suitable.

What tension does it give on the wool band?

 

[Biddlybee]

Ah, bugger. So it wouldn't work if I did the pattern for the 40" chest?

The wool band says 19sts / 25rows = 10cm (on 5.5mm needles).

 

[Biddlybee]

I'll try the swatch again tonight on 6mm needles (I have 4, 4.5, 5 but no 5.5!).. and see if that gets any closer. Not sure I can do all the calculations needed - there's lots of shaping and markers.

 

[Biddlybee]

hmmm... they're not that different, the yarn from the pattern and what I want to use

 

[moose]

I'm puzzled as to why you would want to use 4mm needles it's going to be way out if they recommend 5.5s. Try the 6mm or beg/steal/borrow 5.5s. At least you're going a square rather than having a nasty shock later

 

[Biddlybee]

I dunno... it comes out a bit nicer with the 4mm needles less holey

I'll try the swatch on the 6mm needles, and if it's to big then I'll know 5.5mm might work... if it's still too small then I'll have to sort out me maths!

I would've cried if I'd done that!

 

[RubyToogood]

Hmm. It does look pretty close. The nature of the Bamboo is probably a heck of a lot more drapey though.

I do often knit a different size according to my tension, but you do have to make sure of the maths of it (which always confuses the hell out of me).

 

[Biddlybee]

See that's the thing, I'm not sure I'd be able to sort out the maths bit and I really want to cast on so I've got something to knit this weekend - got two long train journeys to fill up.

 

[toggle]

http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=5168643

blatent spammation.

but i've started selling sutff on etsy and would love some thoughts from my friends here.

I've got someone who will make a banner/avatar combi for me, that will be next on my list.

 

[Biddlybee]

I've not used Etsy that much, but it looks good toggle

Only one thing, you've got two spellings of fibre/fiber.

 

[Biddlybee]

I might sack of the top and make this instead:

 

[toggle]

I've not used Etsy that much, but it looks good toggle

Only one thing, you've got two spellings of fibre/fiber.

i'll have a shuftie at that in a sec

 

[RubyToogood]

See that's the thing, I'm not sure I'd be able to sort out the maths bit and I really want to cast on so I've got something to knit this weekend - got two long train journeys to fill up.

Basically, once you've got a swatch you're happy with, decide what bust measurement (including ease) you want, and then figure out how many stitches you'll need* to arrive at that horizontal measurement, based on your swatch. Then knit the size that comes nearest to that number of stitches around the bust (front and back combined, you can knock a couple off for seams).


*This is the tricky bit. I suspect it's actually a really simple equation, but I end up having to work it out afresh every time and I'm never sure afterwards what I did Actually you sometimes have to do a bit of pre-maths as well, in working out how much ease the pattern is meant to have at the bust. This is the same equation, just starting from a different point.

 

[Biddlybee]

Gah, I need to drink my coffee and re-read that. Still getting my head around ease. Some patterns already include it in the size you pick and some don't

Tried a swatch on 6.5mm needles (I don't have 5.5 or 6)... and it was too big! So it may well just be a case of me being a bit impatient

If I happen to find a spare £70 down the back of the sofa, I'm going to get this:

 

[RubyToogood]

Well it's basically a case of: I want to knit something with a 90cm bust measurement. If I'm getting 18 stitches to 10cm in my swatch, I need to knit 9 times that, so 162 stitches. Then I pick the size that has that number of stitches at the bust.

 

[Biddlybee]

Ah now that makes sense I've got to get the right needles this weekend, then will give it a go.

I know it's not your finest alpaca, or any of the fancy wools - but some good deals on here at the mo: http://www.kempswoolshop.com/

 

[RubyToogood]

I went to the first day of the John Lewis sale yesterday and got some RYC Luxury Cotton DK - I don't normally knit cottony things but it was 80p a ball and my favourite shade of grass green. I fancy doing a cardigan as I was making a pig's ear of Coraline and have unravelled it. I'm thinking of either crocheting this:

Or doing sort of a composite... I've always liked this, but it's in the wrong weight yarn and doesn't come in my size:

so wondered if I could use the flowery panel from that and the basic shaping from this (making it longer and giving it a front opening of course):

I might come unstuck if I tried the composite of course. Mind you, I've never crocheted a whole garment before either.

I'm just thinking aloud really, as I have to finish something else first

 

[Schlingers]

Hey guys, Im kinda new round here but have been crocheting for about a year and loving it! Crocheting a skirt at the mo... well trying to at least! Will post details depending on the sucess!

I've found a really cool looking event in the tunnell gallery thing under waterloo station opened by Bansky. They want to combine crocheting/knitting and graffiti! It's some time in august, i thought it might be a nice urban outing! Any one fancy it? Check out the page for it http://www.iknit.org.uk/grittingthetunnel.html

 

[Biddlybee]

I've had a look at that before, but still can't understand what exactly they're going to do

 

[Schlingers]

I've had a look at that before, but still can't understand what exactly they're going to do

I'm not entirely sure either I'm hoping want to see what art they can create combining the two skills, or they just think it would be a cool place to have a stich n bitch session..... I'll investigate further.

 

[Biddlybee]

All I can imagine is a bit of knitting stuck to a wall