More Knitting Questions! Again!

[NotQuiteCockney]

Ok, here are my new questions, for the other knitters out there:

1. Do you buy yarn for a specific project, or do you sometimes just buy yarn because it looks interesting? (If I do the former, I can't work out which project it was for. And the latter ... well, I have a good collection of random yarn I don't know what I make with. Particularly hemp. Hemp is weird.)
   
   
2. What is the best way to weave in ends invisibly? I want it on the reverse st stitch presumably, going under the bumps? Do I weave the end in a straight line? Or what?
   
   
3. How many projects do you normally have on the go at one time?

[tarantula]

whats hemp like? Ive never knitted with it but it sounds very interesting. Ill ahve to have a look at it. I dont knit a huge amount at the min as have lots of sewing projects on the go but I tend to buy wool when I see it and sometimes but not very often buy wool specifically for projects.

Not sure what you mean by weavign in the ends exactly so cant answer that one

I normally have about 5/6 different projects on the go but not all knitting cos I also sew and embroider and tablet weave and am hoping to learn to naalbind this summer.

[NotQuiteCockney]

Hemp is quite stiff. I haven't seen it in this country, DH brought some back from NYC. I'd read it gets softer if you tumble dry it a few times. Not having a tumble dryer, that's not too relevant.

Bamboo seems nice. Softer, at least.

[beansmum]

1. I buy yarn ALL the time, for no reason, or for a specific project or because I think it might make a good bag/jumper/hat when I find the right pattern. I just can't stop myself!

2. hmmm... not sure, trying to picture what I do. As long as it's on the ws it wont show anyway will it? I don't worry too much about it.

3. One big one and then lots of little ones, usually 3-4 at a time. Some nights I just don't feel like doing rows and rows of st stich on a jumper, so I'll start a new project with a pattern or beads or something to keep me awake.

[tarantula]

sounds interesting tho. Ive seen soem nice hemp clothing around and was looking at buying hemp nappies when dd was born but couldnt find any I liked (found some after Id bought cottan ones TYPICAL or what). Like the idea of making ahemp jumper might have to look into getting some tho havent got a tumble drier either. Bamboo sounds lovely where did you get at from? I should really start getting back into my knitting more. Ive got so many nice patterns at home. I need more time I think and dd is 18 mnths and into everything so cant see a ball of wool staying together for very long

[Lonelymum]

NQC, in answer to some of your questions, I only buy wool for a specific project and then go home and start it straightaway so there is no difficulty knowing what it is for.

Can't answer the ends question as I am hopeless at that part - too much like sewing, which I hate, for my liking.

Usually have only one project on the go at any one time although I am sure I have two or three abandoned projects hanging arund somewhere which I suppose I might pick up againa one day.

[merglemergle]

I am currently very strict with myself. I buy wool, then knit the project. Otherwise I have loads of half finished projects lying around.

Having said that, I hate sewing up and have about 5 jumpers that need fininshing off. I'm also probably the only person who hates adding (or even choosing) trims, buttons etc, so I put that off too.

Strictness comes from having BOXES of unused wool.

Anyone know where to get hemp, btw? (the woolly sort, obviously )

[Marina]

I'm very pleased to see I am not the only finishing/piecing shirker, I am rubbish at this part of the process. I have two items awaiting assembly but do try to have only one knitting project in hand at the time.

[NotQuiteCockney]

I hate finishing, too. It's too much like sewing. If I wanted to sew as a hobby, I'd sew.

I got hemp from Purl, in Soho, NYC. I ordered it over the phone, and DH picked it up (and the bamboo, too - and met Uma Thurman, which was a bit odd). I've not seen either here in the UK, but then I haven't looked that hard - I think tamum is an expert on knitting shops here, well, an expert on knitting in general really.

I'm trying to only have two projects on the go at a time.

There is meant to be a new knitting shop in Islington this summer. Called loop.

[NotQuiteCockney]

Oh, Purl Soho is here . I think tamum has had good experiences ordering online with them. The new shop in Islington is ... hmm, can't find it now. At any rate, it opens in June.

(I'm off to Canada in August, where they make Koigu. I can't imagine how much yarn I'll come back with ...)

[franke]

I usually weave in ends like you said, in a straight line through the bumpy bits of the rev. st.st. I tie off by pulling the yarn through itself (with the needle) to make a little knot.

I have a wooden chest FULL of yarn - various unfinshed projects from the lste 80s - Kaffe Fasset type stuff. I think I might just start knitting squares to make a blanket now.

[weesaidie]

I have two half knitted things at the moment, it is terrible! One only needs making up but I seem to be in a bit of a lazy phase at the moment!

I am always tempted to buy wool but I try not too! I have far too much as it is!

I don't know about weaving in, making up is a pain in the arse in my opinion and am pretty bad at it!

[NotQuiteCockney]

Aargh.

My baby blanket thing has gone horribly wrong.

I was looking at it this evening, and noticed one of the stitches looked ... wrong. Twisty? Something.

So I got to that column, and dropped the stitch. I got to the bad bit, fixed all the way back to the present, and looked at the bad bit again. There was a loop of yarn, and the wrongness had moved to the right. Ok, obviously I hadn't got the correct stitch. So I dropped that stitch, went back, used the crochet hook ...

Then the wrongness had moved further right. I don't know what the loop of yarn is. I do know I can't keep undoing 100 stitches and crocheting them back up, particularly as it doesn't seem to be helping! What have I done? Do I need to undo everything back to there?

[NotQuiteCockney]

Nobody with any ideas? I really don't want to back up to the error, not least because it's at least a few balls ago! I don't think it's just a bit of extra yarn there, I've tried moving it about, and it doesn't seem to want to move.

I'm too tired to sort this out I guess, might have another go tomorrow if I get some sleep tonight. Any ideas or tips welcome.

[Lonelymum]

NQC no disrespect here but it is utterly impossible (for me anyway!) to understand your description! But don't take offence at that as I am not an expert knitter (just a part-time amateur if you get my meaning) Someone else might be able to help.

If I were in your situation and if I couldn't think of anyone more expert than me (like my mother or MIL) who could help, I would try taking the knitting into a craft shop and see if anyone working there could help you put it right. Hope you get it sorted.

[NotQuiteCockney]

You're right, my description is crap. Unfortunately, I have no idea what's going on there ... I'll look at it tomorrow, I guess, and see if I can sort it out then. Or maybe later today if I get some bloody sleep. DS2 seems to have gone off the idea of sleeping at night, with disastrous results for nearly the whole household.

[tamum]

Helloooo

1. Hell no, I have loads of yarn I have bought because I like the look of it. It's called a stash, and I was greatly relieved to discover from blogs and so on that most people do it! You can get hemp here incidentally, from House of Hemp .
   
   
2. Yes, go under the bumps. Doesn't make much difference if it's straight or not IMO. Jane Crowfoot's book of finishing techniques is excellent for this kind of stuff.
   
   
3. Rarely more than two. If I'm doing something long and boring (with denim yarn for example) I will often stop and do a shawl or something.
   
   As for the blanket I don't honestly think anyone would be able to help without seeing it. I agree that going to a shop might be the best bet. Sorry.

[merglemergle]

Well I've bought some hemp. And yes it is weird. It is like that cheap plasticy twine-rope stuff, except it cost me 10 pounds. Does it soften in the wash, does anyone know? Or will ds have to have a rope hat?

It could be quite funky though.

[teeavee]

if not, you could always smoke it......

[merglemergle]

{grin] @ teeavee

dych chi'n siarad Cymraeg btw? (hope that makes sense?)

[merglemergle]

even

[teeavee]

yndw - a ti?

[merglemergle]

saesnes-ond dw i'n dysgu Cymraeg-yn araf...(dw i'n byw yng Nghaerdydd).

just wondered cos of your name.

[teeavee]

da iawn ti!! pob lwc gyda'r gwersi Cymraeg

• good for you

[mandyc66]

i Knitted loads formy second but got bored..if anyone found my projects they would have thoght I had babies with 1 arm!!! never got round to second sleeve!!!

found a good pattern once to knit all in one!!

[mandyc66]

your blanket..... if you keep going back it might keep going to the right till it falls of the end!!!!