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.

Podd, get something washable! Maybe see if they have any Superwash wool. If the wool shop is any good, they should be able to advise you. Don't be afraid to ask, most woolly people love being able to chat about yarn.

Podd - I think Glaikit's done the windmill bag in 100% cotton, which is also very good value. Think 100% cotton DK (that's a 100g not a 50g ball).

However, if you going to want it to be relatively hardwearing but also washable frequently go with something with an artificial fibre in it too. I love Cotton Twist.

In terms of yarn thickness, you can do it in any yarn you like although mostly commonly it's done in a thick worsted, so something like our Aran or Chunky. Again in the cotton there's Wendy's cotton chunky but you might not find this in the shop so easily.

The pattern looks lovely done in three single colours and then a mix for the fourth side, so I'd be tempted just to buy something you fancy that's good and washable

I am smiling at the thought of Purple Granny being on Springwatch

Sounds lovely Podd - good luck with your project [fourleafedclover]

Have replied to PMs,back at lunchtime, catch up then

Didn't put the yellow in as the parcel was already sealed but I can send it on to someone? Or keep it for the future?

BTW, I just found the little note that should be in the parcel that says the squares are all for MrsY's blanket.

Here's my windmill bag! ta dah I used patrons 100% cotton dk and 4mm needles. You will need double pointed needles for the icord bind off.

I got some knitting donelast night watching house. About half a square I'll get the rest done today.

Very nice Glaikit - although you have scared me with the double pointed needle bit [hmmm]. I do plan on doing the 3 colours and 1 stripy trib, we shall see how I manage...

I live in the sticks, so there is only one rubbish and one slightly less rubbish wool shop to chose from in a 8 mile radius. I settled on Baby DK, although it is 100% acrylic. Is that going to be a problem? Have I -buggered- messed it up at the first hurdle?

Don't be scared! If I can do it anyone can. I hadn't knitted before March this year. David Chambers lucky cuvette (I'm trying out the voice recognition on my iPad that was meant to say guru Trib will keep you right ) no knitting and mning for me!!

I've done one panel of a windmill bag in a cotton DK. icord bind off is uber cool. Unfortunately I can't proceed any further as I've lost my crochet hook so can't pick up and knit.

In the meantime, I have nearly mastered bee stitch for square #3.

sorry, I mean at David Chambers lucky cuvette

Just realised I messed up both my shortcuts above making me look like an MN novice when I'm not I promise

Barbara - you don't need a crochet hook to pick up and knit! You can use a knitting needle, I'll see if I can find some pics.

Meanwhile, I thought I'd see what my little fairisle design looked like.

Barbara I didn't use a hook to pick up, that may be wrong but it worked out ok.. The slipped stitch at the start of each row makes picking them up easy peasy just with a needle.

The marvellous Emma King (who did my finishing techniques course recently, she is my alive knitting guru as opposed to my all-time one, Her Zimmerness) advocates not slipping the first stitch because it makes it harder to do the 'pick up 3, miss 1' technique for picking up stitches to make a neat button band (or whatever) without being enslaved to an exact number of stitches dictated by the pattern. Not that that massively matters with the windmill bag.

Anyway, this is the best tutorial I've found so far but I will take some photos tonight as well (read the bit on picking up along the side of the fabric). You basically: hold the fabric with the right side facing you, turned at 90 degrees so you're looking at the side edge of the work at the top. Stick the knitting needle through the first hole at the right hand end of the top. Loop the wool over the needle and then draw it through. Repeat.

Key thing is to the right hole to start with. You want to be one whole stitch in from the edge - if you pull it apart you should see a ladder of horizontal stitches (they're horizontal if you're holding the fabric the right way up if you see what mean, not at 90 degrees). You want to knit into the first 3 of them, then miss one, then 3 again, etc, til you get to the top, then knit into the top one.

However, for the windmill bag, slipping the first stitch should definitely make it easy peasy to pick up as Glaikit says.

Hello Woollies

Afternoon Piste

I took a break from my work so that I could star my bag. I may be becoming obsessed.

That's interesting trib-I was taught to slip stitch one by my mum but stopped doing it...well because I'm awkward . But good to know there's a proper reason. Doing Norwegian fir again and for some reason I've done it wrong twice like last time! Persevering though! Well done to the warm weather woolly workers

Mole - my mum does it too (slip the first stitch). The amazing Emma says to knit the first and last stitches and I can totally see why now. It makes it much easier to see exactly what you're doing - whether for mattress stitch or pick up and knit or whatever. Emma rooolz.

I had a blast at Norwegian fir and couldn't get on with it either, it's going on the list of Essential Challenges to be completed.

Afternoon all, hope it's glorious where you all are too.

My mum and nan were over today, and last time I saw my nan knitting I noticed she holds the needles in a completely different way to I do. So, while my mum was kindly sewing up the top I knitted DD, oooh, at least three months ago , I asked them both to show me their holds (which are the same).

Cannot do it for love nor money! But then I checked my book and apparently I do a standard 'English' right-hand hold and they do.... god knows what. Although they look a lot bit faster.

Impressed my mum with my cable cast-on though, ha ha! She'd never seen it before (she's a bit of a veteran knitter). I did ask her to teach me to crochet but she says she can't really remember, which is a shame...

Third square comfortably in progress, feeling happier now.

Phew! I'm puggled today! Just braved asda but I forgot the schools finish at lunchtime on a Friday so it was hoaching!! All packed away so I'm out the back with the iPad some cloudy lemonade and my knitting. Ds has some melon and ice cubes to amuse himself with. I think we will dine alfresco tonight too just incise it doesn't last.

Minnie, I think your mum and nan must be continental knitters - ooh la la. Did they hold the yarn in their left hands and sort of hook it over the right hand needle from above ? I've actually just persuaded my local yarn shop to run a course on this but the trouble is now I want to learn from YouTube :) I have a couple more two-colour squares to do and it's meant to be great for this as you can hold the main colour in one hand and the contrast colour in the other, and not be constantly picking up and putting down.

Glaikit - my friends in your neck of the woods have been driven from their house by a plague of honey bees in chimneys and walls I'd set fires all around your house just to be on the safe side

No - I did look at that pic, but it seems they have a style all their own!
They hold the left needle normally, but the right one sort of balances on the thumb (before they start, this needle is almost held like a pen between thumb and index finger).
Then, with the yarn wound round their middle and ring fingers, they don't drop the right needle, they wind the yarn round the end of the needle with the middle finger. Index kind of bobs in the air at this point, but thumb remains underneath.
It looks rather professional, but bonkers. Next time I see them I'll take a quick video and upload!

Evening all

More thank yous on our threads, all is going well in the Woolly World of Wool.

Minniebar - that sounds like the way that my mum used to knit. I've only occasionally managed to do it myself - funnily enough, when I'm doing an Icelandic pattern with two or three colours, occasionally I find myself doing it my accident with one of the colours!

How about like ? Seems to be called something like Irish Cottage knitting or lever style.

Ooh, Trib, that's how I knit!!