Support thread 2 - new blankets

[tribpot]

This is a continuation of our thread supporting MNers creating blanket squares for Woolly Hugs. All are welcome and I'm hoping to post a link soon to a collection of our fave patterns, pics and links to keep them all in one place. In the meantime, this new thread will allow phone-based MNers like RedRosie to return from Special Phone Exile where she goes whenever the thread has too many messages on.

This is a thread of peace where knitters and crocheters, donors and crafters are all equally welcome.

I think it's where you pull the knitting off the needles, unravel the wool and start again.

It's a ... boat you say, Glaikit. Is it a submarine?

bobkate, welcome - remember to say to your store "not the baby cashmerino", they will know what you mean. And yes, not size 4 needles. 4mm will do the job. Most people start with a pair of good old metal Ponys because they are widely available. Metal needles can be a bit slippy but they are perfectly adequate for the job. Bamboo is also very popular, indeed Pony do some of these too (I'm deliberately linking to different sites, as I don't have experience of any of them in particular).

I'd take a pair of whatever your local yarn shop has in stock, but you are looking for some relatively short 4 mms to get you going, say 25-30cm in length. Bamboo preferred to metal if they have them. Wood is great but pricier.

Frogging is when you rip back you knitting, rip it rip it! Geddit?

If you are going to order online, then black sheep you already know about, and I've used Tribpots favourite mca directand they are really good, fast delivery and reasonable price wise.

YouTube is your friend too for tutorial videos. Anything else you need just ask on here and someone not me will be able to help!

It's a pony?? I thought it was a giraffe!

Trib, it is a boat, I've even done Chinese waves at the bottom to look like the sea. Maybe I'll just stick to other peoples patterns at least then I can blame them when they go wrong!!

Oh and I have the metal pony ones, which are fine. I could do with a longer pair now though.

Yes, I like the waves, Glaikit. And maybe the boat is like a coracle, explaining its peculiarly round shape??

I've inherited my mum's knitting needles so I have a gazillion pairs (and loops) of all different sizes and lengths :)

rip it rip it!!! love it! I've done lots of frogging it then . I can collect! Yay! I've also asked her to dig me out some 4mm needles but if not I'll get some of the pony ones I think to start me off.

I dont know why the bottom is round like that, might be to do with the wave going into purl. To make it more boat like i could stitch on some port holes in a darker green.

Dh suggested it is a rear view of a boat. I've stuffed a ball of wool down his throat thanked hi for his suggestion.

Hello all. Am in the US this week for work so no knitting for me. 11 hour flight would be perfect for knitting but I suspect it would cause more than a few problems at Security.

Have signed up for the new Matildawormwood blanket. These sad stories just keep coming .

Will get knitting when I'm home at the weekend. I've ordered some green wool and some valium as part of my plan to tackle The Tree.

Hope the foot's on the mend Trib? Welcome to the fold bobkate

You are right there Babs, I had a crochet hook taken at Heathrow security. Twas sad.

Morning everyone

Off to answer PMs, and then off to work this morning. Back at lunchtime, so will catch up then.

Morning

Nice onion Boat, Fizzog.

Morning all.

Hi bobkate - like Glaikit I was you in January. Unlike Glaikit I'm still not very good at it - efforts on profile including the Feb/March blankets (how are they going Knotty?) And the recent blankets for Mrs Y and Greengoose.

Its very sad that these are needed. But the blanket community are lovely. And Trib can sort out any problem you have - knitting, philosophy, geography, IT, general logistics ... She's fab. As are Knotty n Pitsey (everyone else spells her name wrong by the way) and Pidj and all the other crafters on the threads ...

Am welling up!

Let me know if you want a poem anyone ...?

Oh and bobkate - I prefer the bamboo needles. A tiny bit less slippy for beginners and warmer in the hand ... I was looking at rosewood lately, lovely, but expensive.

I feel obliged to tell bobkate that calling Pistey Pitsey is a trend Rosie has tried and failed to get off the ground over many months.

Barbara - apparently bamboo needles, possibly a circular, is the best hope of evading security. My ds is insistent we are going to visit my brother in Shanghai so I will be testing this theory out myself at some point. I will not be testing out my theory that 'carrying large quantities of horse-strength pain killers is the best way to get put in prison upon arrival' by leaving DH at home. Anyway, the foot is okay but not great, and it's being put through its paces today with a return trip to Jorvik .

Awww Glaikit loving the serious face on your wee man!!

Since everyone else has been honest, my first thought was that it was an apple . But I'm really, really impressed with you doing your own pattern from scratch - in my head that's the stage I want to get to where I can call myself a 'proper' knitter. Not sure it'll ever happen to be honest, as I struggle to translate from picture to pattern and vice versa. Maybe one day?

Calling Pitsey Pitsey is simply truth.

:o

Morning all,

just a quick question, has anyone done a stripy square knitted on the diagonal, or like a diamond shape if that makes sense? I have some green left over from the other blankets and thought it might be an interesting square if I did cream and green stripes, but not sure how best to do it?

DS has been doing his best to gum up my current square in progress this morning, just to add that personal touch to it , I will remember to wash them thoroughly before posting!

Do you mean the "cast on one, increase each row til you get to 6"" method, Jack? I had a couple like that early on and they were beautiful - knock yourself out :o

Each square is an individual expression of condolence, it's what makes the whole blanket so fabulous.

Yup, I guess I just need to increase at each end then until the two sides of the triangle are 6" and then decrease?

An excellent way to go, highly recommended by people who can actually knit :)

Jack, interestingly this diagonal increases right in the middle. I hesitate to mention this one as it's bloody old brioche again, but in this one (if you ignore the main stitch) the increase is one stitch in from each end. And this rather sweet bee mainly increases with a yarn over at the stitch 1 in from the start and end, makes a nice border around the edge.

Hello! Here again after less-than-idyllic week on Isle Of Wight.
Nice enough to get away, but DH & DD pretty disappointed not to get any beach weather...in fact we wore coats all week and had the heating on!

Glad you got the squares ok - I'm sewing in the ends on one for M's blanket and will make another.

When I bought the yarn I also took advantage of a sale on Big Softie for a cardi for me to make for myself in the autumn.
With the weather as it is maybe I should just do it now!!

PS:: severely tempted by gorgeous wooden crochet hooks. Maybe an investment for future flights ??

turned wood hook

Thell, you should have said, I'd have waved at your ferry! :o

Can you take wooden hooks on planes? I'm off to Latvia with the youth club in the summer and would love to use the time productively! when not supervising drunk teens