Support thread from Arts & Crafts for the blankets

[tribpot]

We've been talking quite a lot on the main thread about getting the stitches right for a particular square with a lovely heart design in it. You need to be registered on Ravelry to see it here or with the designer's website (also free) to see it here.

The race is on to see whether any of us can complete it without going completely insane at the difficulty of some of the patterns, so we are having a (supportive) 'heart-off' this weekend to try and get it done without flooding the main thread with messages about it.

On the cast list so far are: GleamingHeels, MinnieBar and me, but all are welcome - beware though, you have to supply your own valium.

I've just recharted it to get it down to a size that will knit out to (about) 6", so have chopped out 4 rows of border from the bottom, 2 stitches of border from the sides and 2 stitches of the plain bit between the outer and inner border. So I'm starting with 29 stitches. I'd prob prefer to have 3 rows of border and 3 side stitches of border too, but as the square is going to be put into a larger blanket (unless rejected by our Blanket Mistresses Pistey and Knotty) I thought a slightly scrappy border would probably be okay.

Minnie, that looks good! I've done one similar to that (this one) but the squares weren't knit in the round, so each one is made up of four different squares which then have to be laboriously sewn together.

It might be easier to do the first few rounds using the utterly genius Emily Ocker's cast on as then the first few rounds won't be so close together.

Gleaming - love the border on that hat.

I've stared and stared and tried, but I can't work that cast-on out (is this sounding familiar?!!). I'm going to give it a go anyway, worst that happens is I can't do it.
[calm]

Minnie - have you done circular knitting before? You realise the pattern is on 4 needles?

Er, no, not done circular knitting before. And I don't have four needles the same size. And no double-pointed ones.
I thought it said you could do it on just one lot of circular needles though??

Ah I've just re-read it - I see you stay on 4 x double-pointed until row 16. I couldn't understand how you could knit in the round with so few stitches!

I need to pay a cheque in tomorrow and my nearest branch happens to be over the road from a knitting shop... maybe I'll give it a try! Get me and my new knitting bravery .

Anyway, for tonight, my mother's day champagne and new uber-posh flutes are beckoning...

Also the cast-on link makes more sense when you're not looking at it on a phone and can hover over the pics for more explanation!!

I'll stop hogging the thread now...!

You can knit in the round on only a few stitches using a circular needle, using a method called Magic Loop. You can learn how to do circular knitting basically from YouTube and online tutorials, but it takes a little patience and probably no champagne :) (I've only started knitting since I've been sober although I do have a friend who can demonstrate how to drink from a huge wine glass whilst not poking yourself in the eye with any of the four double-pointed needles you are holding at the same time - should the need arise ).

I was so so close to knitting an entire square without a mistake. I'm about 12 rows from finishing and somewhere dropped a stitch. :(

But I am getting better!! :)

Right, I've got my DPNs and I'm going in? anyone want to take bets on how long I last before resorting to a moss stitch square?!

Good luck Minnie - the thoughts and prayers of Team Heart go with you

Glaikit - it's all good, well done!

Well, after a couple of attempts I'm four rows in. It looks a bit loose, but ok... pattern says it gets easier after row 6 but that'll have to wait til later.

I'M PURLING I'M PURLING!!!!! WHOOP!!!

Is it normal for it to curl back on itself? I'm knitting a row the purling a row.

Go Glaikit! Go Glaikit!

Yes, Glaikit, stocking stitch (or stockinette as our American cousins have it) is very curly. Fret ye not. The idea of doing a few border rows of garter or moss first is to avoid the curling uppiness but it really doesn't matter, cos it will be sewn into place by the hands of Knotty and Pistey.

Minnie - well done on these early rounds!

What's a moss stitch?

Moss stitch or seed stitch - makes a pretty border but as RedRosie will testify on the main blanket thread, is a bit hard going for a full 6" square :) Knit one purl one row after row does mean a lot of moving the yarn backwards and forwards.

I'll stick with my sticking then!!

Go Minnie! and Go Glaikit! The Woolly Adventurers

Waves to trib holding the fort

Gleaming, back atcha.

I've got two days off work - super woo-hoo. Unfortunately I will have to intersperse knitting with more mundane events such as further trips to the tip and ironing but I have finally finished my DH's application for Disability Living Allowance, which has been hanging over me for months. So I am doing a few rows of my latest Baby Surprise Jacket as a reward. The cashmere yarn is so snuggly, I am totally going to do something for myself this winter - if I ever get a chance in between baby knitting. After five babies in the space of a month from friends & colleagues (still waiting on the last one), I have a hiatus until two colleagues who are due in September, and there's someone else in the office who is at a very similar stage of pregnancy but I don't know who yet! (I had a meeting with one of the three yesterday where she was on the verge of puking through the whole meeting, poor thing).

congrats on finishing the DLA form trib if that's not totally inappropriate.. but you know what I| mean I hope.

I'm jealous of you having so many babies to knit for, I haven't had one since last September and no more on the way (that I know of)

Coincidentally, I am about to go to the tip too. We know how to live

I have finished knitting the cable band for the hat I'm making - it it a thing of loveliness, though I say so myself - however I now need to do the horrendous picking up of stitches to knit the main bit, what on earth possessed me to use this stretchy wool - it's like knitting with elastic

Thanks Gleaming - I'm totally convinced he's going to get knocked back this time in the whole 'chronic pain, no-one cares about that' way of care needs being assessed but fingers crossed.

I really do not like picking up stitches - I had to do a shedload for this little number earlier in the week, which was just about worth it because Carina Spencer's patterns are total genius. But it really is a terrible pain.

I'm planning two tip trips in a row - nothing like living it up. One today for smaller things and then one tomorrow on van day when I can take larger items, without resorting to driving both the car and the van down to the tip and then taking the items one at a time through the tip in the car on a day when vans are Not Allowed.

That Carina Spencer pattern is lovely

Thanks Gleaming - you might want to think about her Regina hat if you have some yarn left from the one you're knitting now - you can make it with whatever yarn you like and just fit it to the size of your head!

trib 'chronic pain, no-one cares about that' that must be deeply frustrating, doubly miserable to have the pain and then to be disbelieved - hope it goes well for you both.

stitches picked up - twice - first time not enough, this time probably too many but will knit a few rows and see how it looks. I'm making it up as I go along as the yarn I used is so different to the chunky stuff the original pattern used.

Meanwhile my HDR Hard Disk seems to have died... I'm having to watch live television and it's Not Good!