Knit, Crochet and Natter 8: Keep Calm and Carry Yarn!

[crazyjinglist]

A thread for woolly crafters. All welcome, from total beginners to experts!

Previous thread here

Thank you, @FlaviaAlbiaWantsLangClegBack - I’ve got the aida fabric and embroidery thread, so I’ve made a start on the new piece for ds1 and my soon to be dil’s wedding - and already it is going better than the previous one (not that that would be difficult).

The postman has just delivered my new Debbie Bliss baby knits book, so,I will be able to start knitting things from that, once the wedding embroidery is done. I want to knit a baby blanket, but I can’t decide which pattern to make - there is a lovely apple tree blanket, or the D B book has a hearts and snowflakes blanket that is very pretty - but maybe there is another, even prettier pattern out there. I am going to knit it in cream, because we don’t know the sex yet, and I’d like to do something that has interesting texture. But I do have time to decide.

@CrochetBug - that granny square is gorgeous - I love the pattern and the choice of colours!

@SDTGisAnEvilWolefGenius. Sorry if I missed it, but what (2nd) criss sitich are you doing for DS& STBDIL?
As the baby blanket isn't a surprise, have you considered putting together a bunch of photos of ones you're happy to make & asking them to choose one & what colour etc?? (I do like the tree one though, it's unisex & not babyish, some have even gone off to uni.

@QuantumWeatherButterfly

I think your cowl looks lovely! I think the slightly frilly edge will make it look softer & cosier!! & love the octopus!! I know he was tricksy, but he was worth it.

@FlaviaAlbiaWantsLangClegBack. how are you feeling now?!

That sampler sounds ..errr... bonkers. If it was merely 'challenging' I'm
Sure you'd have sorted it.

@sophs29. Would your mind dogs not wear them inside/in the car if your dad feels a bit if an idiot walking them with a jumper on?

If my Dad had seen a dog wearing one, he would have said it was a daft idea & they have fur etc but if I had knit one it would have been the best thing since sliced bread & the slightest shiver out of our dog & he'd have put it on her 😍I miss my Dad, so much.

@JugglingJanuary - it’s similar to this one (they are both Peppermint Purple patterns) but instead of the flowers and background pattern in the middle, I’m going to put their names and the wedding date.

[quote SDTGisAnEvilWolefGenius]@JugglingJanuary - it’s similar to this one (they are both Peppermint Purple patterns) but instead of the flowers and background pattern in the middle, I’m going to put their names and the wedding date.[/quote]
Oh I did see that earlier @SDTGisAnEvilWolefGenius, & read about your mum wanting to change the yellow🤣

It'll be fab for them with names & dates. ❤️

@JugglingJanuary oh your dad sounded lovely! I have made my mum and dads dogs little coats (but sewn) and my dad loves them and they always wear them when it's cold but I'm not sure if a little crocheted jumper is too far 😂 probably not to be honest. One of my mums dogs looks like a little Del Boy with his brown suede and fur coat 😂

Much better thanks @JugglingJanuary! I feel pretty good today

After advice on the previous thread I have got the Nitty Gritty book from the library. It suggests starting with a scarf using chunky wool and options of different needles but I need serious hand holding, which wool and needles do I buy?

@sandwiches77 - any wool you fancy, as long as it's classified as 'chunky'/'bulky' on the label or is found in the 'chunky wools' section of the yarn shop or website. The label/description will also give you a recommended needle size for that yarn. Apart from that, the main consideration is price! Are you going to a shop or buying online?

crazyjinglist - not sure whether to buy online or in store. Thinking if I go to a specialist wool shop I will get good advice for an absolute beginner like me but on the other hand online would probably give me a better choice..... I'm so confused, so many different brands and types of wool and needles.

If I were going for some chunky yarn, I might go for something like this - nice British yarn, looks soft and lovely colours. 6.5mm needles

Thanks for the Kingsley square love. The colours were random, but suits the real Kinglsey so well. He was colorful and larger than life. I've crocheted the back for the cushion so just need to sew some buttons on to keep it closed and then it's ready for hugging.
I hadn't considered a bag, I've got another square pattern I want to make into a bag though.

Love the dog coat!

@sandwiches77 Stylecraft special is my 'go to' yarn, it comes in every yarn weight. Especially when I'm learning because it's cheap and lovely.

Thanks for the dog coat love 🥰I'm still waiting to see a pic of him dressed in it.

What sort of colour would you use for the Dobby ears hat? I have some stylecraft aran in cream, but can't decide if maybe it should be a more mushroom-y colour, if that makes sense?

@sandwiches77 I'd go to an actual shop for your first purchase - only because when I first started, I ordered the wrong yarn weight online & didn't really know what I was looking at. Now the differences are more obvioius to me, but it does take practise to "get" what you're looking at/for iyswim? :)

@sophs29. He was lovely, do anything for anyone. We are/were (the terminology when someone's died always stumps me!!!) but we are/were very alike so used to clash a lot too 🤣. Much of how he was a really good Dad I (of course!!) didn't appreciate until I was older then a LOT more when I read threads on MN where you realise how other people were brought up.

I bet your Dsd would love them as much as their wee coats 😍

@FlaviaAlbiaWantsLangClegBack

Hood to hear you're starting to feel better! Don't over do it!!

Mitten no.1 finally finished (again!). Still only just big enough,which surprises me - I have pretty small hands!

Oh, they look so good, crazyjinglist

But curse you all for all these wonderful project ideas! I am especially taken with the idea of baskets - as will DD be (she is 6) - but I must stick to either cotton dk or Aran acrylic for the time being.

This is the cactus progress so far (DD is obsessed with anything cute, so I think it will be a winner). I’m very pleased with it - nice and neat and even.

Thanks lucysmam I'm visiting DM today and there is a wool shop in the town where she lives. This is so stupid, but DM will laugh at me as I'm not blessed with her crafy genes, she can make anything. I suppose I feel inadequate before I have even started! I'm 50 for goodness sake, I shall give myself a slap

@sandwiches77 - it is daunting at first choosing yarns for knitting. I used to think I should just know but actually I spend almost as much time matching yarns and patterns as I do knitting so don't worry too much about not feeling confident. I often find that even when I have chosen something carefully I will often change my mind when I start working anyway.

Glad you're feeling better @FlaviaAlbiaWantsLangClegBack

@QuantumWeatherButterfly definitely lovely & even!

& anyone wanting some cute 'makes' including a sweet valentines heart plant!!

www.ravelry.com/patterns/search#query=Plant%20pot&sort=date&view=large_mobile&page=1

@crazyjinglist. Glove looks great!! You're fast too!!

@sandwiches77. If she'll laugh at you go on the way/way home & don't tell her!!

Glove looks great!! You're fast too!!

Thanks - I'm really not though . They are called 'one day mittens', because they are chunky and you can make one a day. I've taken weeks!

JugglingJanuary good idea, still feeling daunted, I feel so cross with myself, slapping myself again

@sandwiches77 if it was me making a scarf, I'd pick something with some colour variation just to keep things interesting as you'll see the colours changing when you knit. There's yarn shops and yarn shops, there's a chain near me who have staff who seem to pride themselves as being unhelpful as possible and then there's a few independent ones where they actually enjoy helping people

Those are lovely crazy!

That is very neat Quantum!

I started reknitting my last test knit, it's a mosaic cowl and I only handed it over reluctantly it was so warm and soft. I'm using DK instead of sport and knitting the smaller size with bigger needles so it might be yarn chicken time at the end.

I've got the bottom of the yoke of my black lace top but I've put it aside for the minute because at this point I ditch the pattern and calculate the fit and I don't have the brain space.

@sandwiches77 I’d also go to an independent yarn shop. Most have yarn at a variety of price points but you’ll be able to feel the yarn and see the colours probably. The staff might ask if you have a pattern but just tell them you’re doing a very simple scarf to start with and they should advise how many balls to get. If in doubt, get 1 more ball. You’ll find a use for it later if it’s spare, even if it’s just making Pom poms. I find scarves quite boring to do so maybe think about a colour changing yarn or look at doing a couple of colours and learn how to do colour changes too.

@crazyjinglist lovely mittens.

@QuantumWeatherButterfly your stash is perfect for the ideas you want to try, not that I’m enabling! Cotton DK for amigurumi and use your aran acrylic for baskets.

My library book is due back on Wednesday. I’m 61 pages in. I might have been a bit ambitious thinking I could read a book at the minute. So this weekend I will be cracking on with my book (but probably sneaking some crochet in too).

@crazyjinglist

Glove looks great!! You're fast too!!

Thanks - I'm really not though . They are called 'one day mittens', because they are chunky and you can make one a day. I've taken weeks!

You have made (&remade) several things in the time I've been procrastinating!!

I really need to get sorted with a project AND try to speed up the actual knitting /crochet.

So much NEEDS doing here, that I feel bad buying more wool/needles when what I need to do is use up some stash...

Maybe I'll crack on with an ear warmer in the wool I have rather than order something a chunkier wool & needles. Must do the dishes, have a shower, tidy up, change the bed....first though🙄🙄

@sandwiches77

JugglingJanuary good idea, still feeling daunted, I feel so cross with myself, slapping myself again

Don't feel daunted! I can't remember the exact quote or who posted it (sorry. please feel free to take the credit!!) But something (very roughly) along the lines of 'it's yarn - you can always undo what you've done & start again, no one dies!!'

Go into the shop, look at the chunkier yarns & choose one you love. Ask the assistant if it's good for a scarf & what size needles they suggest.

Go home, get comfy & start!!

Don't tell your mother until you have a beautiful scarf!!

But something (very roughly) along the lines of 'it's yarn - you can always undo what you've done & start again, no one dies!!'

I think that’s what I really like about crocheting, part of it is an experiment. You can use the same yarn in different projects and how well it works or doesn’t is down to the mix of colours, the stitches, how much of each colour you’re using, which colour goes next to each other. Sometimes it doesn’t come out the way you planned and that’s OK, you can undo it and find something else to make with that yarn. Other times it turns out better than expected. If you do undo it, it’s annoying and you’ve lost time but it’s probably time you’d have spent watching TV or if you were being productive, you might have done some hoovering or laundry (which I see as lost time anyway because you need to hoover and do laundry again more or less as soon as you’ve finished). I think it was really useful that one of my first projects was the CAL because it was all the same brand wool but I liked different sections more than others because the combination of colours or just because that colour had better stitch definition.