Support thread for 3girlies' blanket

[tribpot]

Following on from our previous support thread please check in here if there's any help, particularly (but not exclusively) knitting help, you need for the squares for 3girlies, who sadly lost her beloved 6-year-old dd Flora recently.

The details of the blanket project are here and it directs you to the Crafting Guide on Woolly Hugs, with specific sections for crocheters and knitters. I am still maintaining the original document mostly because I haven't got around to separating out the stuff that's already on Woolly Hugs now from the newer suggestions we've had in the last few weeks. So please, by all means do send me suggestions for new patterns or ideas.

For those of you on Ravelry and participating in the Ravellenic games, I think squares could be entered under a number of categories such as balance beads, doubleknit boxing, lace longjump among possibly some others.

[NeitherShreddedNorSmug]

Belated happy birthday soremummy

[soremummy]

Thank you NeitherShreddedNorSmug. I think I need an Olympic name change. Something like goingforthegoldmedalinbreakingcubixs ?

[BarbaraWoodlouseGoesForGold]

Another set soremummy? What are you doing with them? Digging the garden?

Belated Happy Birthday from me too.

Not much knitting got done this week. Will post what I have for tomorrow's deadline then looking for something new for 3girlies' blanket. I do like the lace-type patterns. Very pleased with the snowdrop lace I just did.

Hope all are well.

[tribpot]

Puddlejumper - they are needles that aren't round (or rather cylindrical) but cubic instead, I hope you can sort of see from this pic.

They really are great but we think the 4mms are probably just too weak to be usable. I don't think Knitpro have properly designed the metal jacket that the needle fits into and so it creates a point of stress where the wood meets the metal. Some people seem to have got on fine with them, but there have been quite a few reports on t'internet of them snapping (and soremummy's now snapped 3 in a fortnight, I think). Always in the same place.

[RatherBeOnThePiste]

Evening

Joyful that teeny this isn't the one I followed, but its the same flower, it is American terms, so her single is a double, and her double is our treble, it seems quite clear. It was the first thing I successfully crocheted, so really isn't difficult

I am just about to try this one here I rate Catherine Hirst, and she uses UK terms in this.

Have a go?!

I also don't know what a cubic is, but I know they are making soremummy sad.

[soremummy]

They are really nice needle tips you screw a cord onto them they are interchangeable tips shaped a bit like a pencil as in square not round and lovely sharp points on the end of them butmtheyndont like me lol,I'm truly jinxed with them but love them these

[soremummy]

True I've snapped 3 now But this time t was one I was holding in left hand whilst casting off usually it's when it's in my right hand. Hubbie said its the way I hold them a what would he know

[tribpot]

I wonder if the straight/double pointed needles, or even the fixed length ones might be a bit stronger, soremummy. (Not that I would suggest you waste any more money on experimenting!). Although the fixed length ones seem identical to the interchangeable ones (except you can't take the tips off and put new ones on, obviously) the design is weaker because of the join.

[tribpot]

What they do differently, btw, is really help to even out your tension. They truly are well worth a go - preferably with someone else's and when you're heavily insured, though

[soremummy]

Swapping to iPad so I can see screen lol iPhone too small to type on I'm not to sad about them any more pistey although colour of the sad face was about the same as the air was in my house when I flung them in temper especially as my stitches dropped off needle and I was casting off . Calm knitting only tonight when aid can eventually settle on a pattern. At least I got one square done last night

[soremummy]

Problem I've got is I hate long needles that's why I liked the cubics. I try knit whenever possible with a 6 inch needle I've done many a baby cardigan with these 6 inch metal ones

[soremummy]

Aghn i need technology lessons dd been on iPad and predictive text on it again it's my pet hate off to browse some more patterns otherwise it moss stitch seed stitch garter stitch and stocking stitch squares well that would another 4 done but I like a challenge.

[tribpot]

soremummy, there are loads of other kinds of circular needles you can try - either with interchangeable tips or fixed ones. The Knitpro wood ones (not cubic) really are great, or the metal ones (Nova?) or acrylic as well. Plus Pony do some vey basic metal ones and some bamboo too. So don't despair at your cubic experience, it needn't put you off circular needles completely!

Turn off predictive text.

[soremummy]

Thanks tribpot

[PurplePidjin]

Puddle, US is UK minus one...

Our DC = their SC
Our TC = their DC
Ch = ch and the numbers are the same

Have you tried charts? Some people find that easier :)

[soremummy]

Ok that makes (no sense to me). I have to admit I did spend last 2 hrs on you tube trying to do crochet but I don't get it. I'm ok if someone is beside me showing me well I did about 5 rounds of a granny square poor pistey had to bail me out I will one day master it cos it beats breaking all those needles I really have my heart set on doing a flower in the middle of a square I think I'm far to ambitious and that's what is holding me back

[soremummy]

Even my dd got her brother to go halves and put £50 in a card with a note for my birthday saying "this is for either a crochet workshop or a finishing techniques one but you sort of finish things ok so choice is yours mum i didn't book it just in case but use it wisely though you know what you want ". She's 19 going on 49 lol Although im not too sure about the "you sort of finish things ok " though!

[tribpot]

Your dd is a highly perceptive young lady, soremummy Very well put.

As you know, I think the finishing techniques course is FANTASTIC but given you really want to nail crochet, and I don't think craftynclothy can move in with you for six months, why not go for that one now and finishing techniques after Xmas, maybe?

[soremummy]

Good idea at least that way they wont be stuck for Xmas. Poor dd has rand bre about 4 times this week was fonna get vouchers then gonna book ve on a course but she's indecisive lol so left it to me

[soremummy]

I really shouldn't use iPhone in bed with no glasses on! Sorry for typos I'm off to bed night all x

[Somersaults]

I am just beginning to crochet so if I'm going to do a basic crochet square how many chain stitches will I need to start off with at the very beginning? Not a granny square, just a crochet/double crochet square. Thank you :)

[NeitherShreddedNorSmug]

pistey - thanks for the flower link. I will have a go later.

I didn't realise until I watched the video that I crochet left handed .