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Original poster

More knitting chat ...

473 replies

NotQuiteCockney · 27/01/2006 10:28

Ok, new pictures, photobucket.com/albums/c176/NotQuiteCockney/?sc=6 . I like both new hats, although the photos are rubbish. (Am I not holding the camera still?)

Not sure what to do next, am slightly uninspired. Thinking about tubular knitting? DH has a colleague whose wife is having a baby, so I should do one for them ...

OP posts:
motherpeculiar · 14/03/2006 23:43

that dress is gorgeous - think I may just have found my next project - thanks tamum Smile

any suggestions for good substitute yarns?

Original poster
NotQuiteCockney · 15/03/2006 07:07

That does look cute.

Yeah, I think the cardi will be ok, I am working from a range of patterns and instructions. I can't find any of the right-sized DPNs at the moment, though, so will be stuck once I get to the armpits.

Twiga, heuristic play is letting toddlers play with things that aren't (technically) toys. I think bark and pebbles are involved.

Oh, and you could knit your daughter a \link{http://knitonepurlonefrogone.blogspot.com/2006/02/first-pattern.html\hat}, not to overpimp my pattern.

OP posts:
FrannyandZooey · 15/03/2006 12:47

Hi Twiga, heuristic means learning through discovery and for young babies involves letting them explore collections of household and natural objects, for example egg whisks, paint brushes, shells, pebbles, feathers, pumice stone, ribbons etc - anything safe for a baby to hold and chew. They experiment with theitems in an open-ended way which is very satisfying for them, and the different textures and so on provide a rich sensory experience at the same time. It's like a sort of antidote to plastic V tech stuff!

If anyone wants more info please email frannyandzooey at india dot com and I will be pleased to help :)

tamum · 15/03/2006 14:48

Hi MP. I would have thought that you could probably get away with Rowan All Seasons Cotton if you check your gauge carefully, or Handknit Cotton on slightly larger needles (or go up a size). Debbie Bliss Cashmerino Aran looks spot on for stitch count, and has quite a good variety of colours. You could have a knitalong on here :)

motherpeculiar · 15/03/2006 20:20

thanks tamum - like the sound of the cashmerino aran, although I have never seen it...must go searching - this is where I bemoan the lack of a lys again (catch me throwing myever so recently acquired s'n'b acronyms about Grin)

Twiga, let me know if you want to do a knitalong...

Twiga · 15/03/2006 21:45

Hi all,

Nqc, wow impressed by your hat - I've never knitted in the round so not sure if I'd manage but if I get back into the swing of things I could aim to do it for the winter, it's really pretty.

Franny, really like the sound of the heuristic play thing, will get in touch over the next couple of days - think dd would enjoy this, she's such a nosey wee baby and enjoys exploring anything she can get her hands on.

MP, that would be great, you'll have to be patient though I'm a total amatuer compared with the folk on here. Might take me a few days to get the stuff I need together as we've just moved to Dumfries for the year and all my stuff is back home in Aberdeen.

If someone could recommend a good site I could always order what I need if can't find a shop here - bound to be one but still finding stuff!

Twiga · 15/03/2006 22:58

Keeping coming back for a look at that dress pattern - what sort of colours are you thinking about MP? Think it's going to be a challenge for me to do but hoping will work. Tamum would the cotton we used for the mn blanket be ok, was rowan iircc?

tamum · 16/03/2006 12:40

Twiga, the MN blanket was all done with DK, and I think you might need something a bit thicker to get the gauge with this, it's verging on an aran weight. The Handknit cotton should be OK though, I think. I never bother unduly to be honest, I just knit a smaller or larger size accordingly. This pattern looks fairly forgiving too, it's not very fitted, is it?

I am v. v. bad at geography, so this may be of no help to you at all, but there's an apparently wonderful shop in Ayr called Fankle, I think. They seems to stock wonderful stuff- bundle has been there.

Original poster
NotQuiteCockney · 19/03/2006 18:59

I found a new knitting stall at Spitalfields today, and got some lovely alpaca. (Yes, because I needed more yarn, of course.)

Nice blokes running it, really chatty. I'll dig up their web info, send them a link to my blog etc etc. They do a knitting group, in pubs, around London.

Oh, and I went to our local knitting group, which is run by someone who knows a lot, but doesn't know the words for things, which was interesting. Mostly old ladies working in synthetics, shocker.

I am making progress with my cardi, finally, I think it will be yoked. I'm nearly done one sleeve. Bottom-up yoked seemless is a stupid idea, although it means I'm not always working on big pieces, at least.

OP posts:
pipsqueak · 10/04/2006 19:01

just looking for some advice on which knitting book to buy . I want to make a cotton summer jumper or cardi for dd2 aged 4 . not sure whether to go for a debbie bliss or the pipsqueaks rowan book . i dont have a shop near me that sells either so can't browse and as they are fairly expensive would like to get the right one. also has any one any suggestions for where to buy wool on line? i realise since i last did any knitting that it is now horribly expensive! many thanks for any guidance .xxx

Littlefish · 10/04/2006 19:05

I've got the pipsqueaks Rowan book. I will have a look in it tonight. What sort of style are you looking for? One with textured stitches, or different colours in a pattern/stripes?

pipsqueak · 10/04/2006 19:30

thanks littefish, that's really kind of you . i think i would like to do textured stitches . i am reasonably competent I think . have managed an aran for dh but i think that was the liimit of my skill iykwim xx

pipsqueak · 10/04/2006 19:30

thanks littefish, that's really kind of you . i think i would like to do textured stitches . i am reasonably competent I think . have managed an aran for dh but i think that was the liimit of my skill iykwim xx

Littlefish · 11/04/2006 10:09

Hi Pipsqueak. I had a look through my Rowan Pipsqueaks book. There are 6 girl's cardigans in there, knitted in cotton, or a wool cotton blend (the Rowan wool cotton is lovely to knit in!)

They are all quite simple patterns except the one with lots and lots of colours in it!

The great thing about the Pipsqueaks book is that the patterns go up to about 8 years old, so if you want to, you can knit from it for years and years so it's good value for money. I've knitted 3 things out of it already and there's about 6 more I want to do.

Which Debbie Bliss book where you thinking of? I've got a couple, but they are only baby books.

Marina · 11/04/2006 10:11

Big vote for Pipsqueaks here too littlefish. I have made several of the items for ds and dd and they have all come out really nicely.
I think it is Kim Hargreaves who is the Rowan designer for that book and I have to say he/she is way better at designing than Debbie Bliss imo. Her designs are too boxy and short in the body for my kids, although they look lovely
I am working on Cotton Candy for dd from that book at the mo and ds looks very smart in his Fletcher all seasons cotton hoodie :)

Littlefish · 11/04/2006 10:26

Off to look in my book at Cotton Candy and Fletcher!

Marina · 11/04/2006 10:29

All Seasons Cotton is my very favourite yarn at the mo. Knits up fast, feels almost chenille-like, and meets the little boy-hates-heavy-knitwear criterion perfectly
Denim, the yarn for Cotton Candy, is also nice to knit with littlefish, but dye will come off and tinge bamboo or birch needles...

Littlefish · 11/04/2006 10:31

The Wool Cotton is good for boys too - lovely and soft, great colours, not too thick.

I love knitting on bamboo needles, but I only have 2 pairs and they are very small sizes. I can't possibly buy any new needles as I already have at least 6 pairs in every size!

Marina · 11/04/2006 10:35

I can't use Wool Cotton on anything for ds with a raised neckline as he asserts it is itchy, the little wuss. Dd not so fussy, thankfully.
Rowan Junior and Rowan Babies (up to five) in the same format/series are also good you know, although some of Rowan Junior is a bit "directional" for my two Wink
I also stumbled on a total gold mine of gorgeous vintage knits in the form of Knitting in Vogue, a book compiled by Christina Probert (bought quite cheaply on abebooks).
It is full of 1930s onwards patterns for men, women but especially children.
Ds wants to be Just William at his school book fair in June and I have found the perfect sleeveless pullover for him, not to mention knitted frocks and twinsets for dd...:)

Littlefish · 11/04/2006 10:50

Found Fletcher - what a lovely pattern. I can't see Cotton Candy in my book

I've got

Cheesecake
Chill
Core
Crumpet

in the "c" section!

Your vintage book sounds great - I never thought of looking for vintage patterns.

tamum · 11/04/2006 11:15

Hello everyone :)

Pipsqueak, I know it's not quite the same as browsing in a bookshop, but there are several sites where you can look at at least some of the patterns from books directly, and get a good idea. So for example the Knitting Garden website has quite a good overview of \link{http://www.theknittinggarden.com/ro-magpipsqueaks.htm\Pipsqueaks}, and (just as an example) the Knitpicks website has a "view inside pages" option for books like \link{http://www.knitpicks.com/books/itemid_30599/books_display.aspx\Special Knits} by Debbie Bliss. Amazon.com has a lot of books you can look inside, too. Debbie Bliss's own website also has quite a few pictures from her books. HTH!

Marina · 11/04/2006 11:29

Hello maam, how was Mull? :) Good to see you back!
Sorry littlefish, I think Cotton Candy must be in Rowan Junior then Blush
It is basically a pretty cardy in blue and cream denim stripes, with moss stitch banding and a small collar. It is a very nice pattern. Apologies for misleading you...

tamum · 11/04/2006 11:35

Hello Marina :) Mull was fab, thanks- very snowy the last few days but very sunny to start with. Have to dash out now but will check back later!

tiktok · 11/04/2006 13:27

Popping in here to ask a Q about felting.

I found these \link{http://sarahsthreads.com/crafts/index.shtml?ttfgb\sweet little bags} and as I had some spare Noro I did one.

But would the bloody thing felt? Would it f*.

I have never felted before so i just chucked it in the washer a few times at diff. temps, and it still came out admittedly smaller but not all blended and fluffy. I even boiled it for 10 mins in a saucepan (scared dh would come in and ask what I was doing,,,,and I didn't want to say 'boiling this little bag to make it go all fluffy') and there is still a lot of stitch definition. The colours look like pink and grey porridge, too.

I suspect it's something to do with the washing machine - US instructions talk about putting it in hot, then cold, then hot again for x mins each time, and my machine doesn't have that option.
Any ideas?

bundle · 11/04/2006 13:31

i think that motherpeculiar had similar problems tiktok. iirc, it's not just the temp that matters but putting something in the machine with the bag (eg trainer in pillowcase) to fluff it up...(still have yet to try this myself)