Afghans

[Melissa_W Moderator]

I can't tell you how much I HATE (hate, hate) when a pattern gives the gauge in stockinette, but really the garment is made of a very intricate pattern stitch. I know that I knit very differently when I'm doing "plain" knitting (for me I knit tighter) vs. "fancy" knitting (much looser since I have to cross cables, make bobbles, etc). You'd think they could give the gauge in both. harumph.

If I'm making an item that comes in sizes (and the pattern is more complicated) I usually make it for the size larger than what I think I need. Then it usually turns out fine.

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cseelman wrote:

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donyskiw wrote:
Oh, how disappointing! If you knit a swatch beforehand, it should have been only two inches shy and you should have been able to block that out. Can you wear it unbuttoned?

I made a dress and a top (sewn, not knitted) earlier this winter without paying attention to the finished measurement sizes printed on the pattern versus my own measurements. I just assumed that I was still wearing a Butterick dress marked semi-fitted and made this one with the same sizes in the same places (I basically started at 12 at the top and graduated to 16 toward the bottom). When I finished it to the point where I would measure up for the hem and put it on, it was too tight. I looked at myself wearing it in the mirror and went through all of the options: crash diet? one of those shaper slips and control top pantyhose? Nothing was going to work to save this dress. I went back to the fabric store and bought more fabric and recut it out in size 18. Luckily, I was making it in cheap $1.50 a yard cotton broadcloth before I cut into the suitweight silk from my fabric stash!

Denise

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I did knit a swatch beforehand, but it was in stockinette stitch not the pattern stitch. The pattern gave the gauge based on stockinette. So, I thought I was on target :-(

I too looked in the mirror and went through all of the options - and crash diet was on the top of the list - but the most unlikely to happen. I'm losing weight, but it's slow and steady that wins that race! I'm glad that your dress worked out. You are sooo smart to work with the cheaper cloth before going for broke!!

Thanks!

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[cseelman]

That is great advice! If I had gone with the larger size I would have been fine - live and learn!!

Message Edited by cseelman on 03-26-200709:40 AM

[cseelman]

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donyskiw wrote:
I've only made one. I used a Lion Brand pattern. It was on the inside of a label of their yarn. It was a scalloped design that wasn't that hard to knit. I used a more expensive brand of 80% acrylic/20% wool than Lion Brand to knit it up.

Denise

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I've decided to knit my afghan in a feather-and-fan pattern. I'm using DK weight yarn and size 8 needles with 222 stitches across. I am going to use a border of garter stitch to help prevent the "rolling" of stockinette. It's a simple pattern of Knit 1 Row, Purl 1 row, 3rd row is: K3, *K2Tog 3 times, (K1, YO) 6 times, K2Tog 3 Times* repeat from * to * until last 3 stitches, K3. I am purling the last row to make the pattern smoother. Most feather-and-fan patterns I've seen have you knit the last row.

I'll let you know how it works out.

Message Edited by cseelman on 03-26-200709:48 AM

[donyskiw]

They do that a lot, too. And the Vogue knitting book we discussed last month has pictures of three different patterns knit with the same yarn and the same number of rows and stitches and all three squares are different sizes. So unfair.

Denise

[donyskiw]

The knitting together and yarn over is what causes the wavy pattern. It's really fun to see it happen. You knit the last row in order to secure everything so you can bind it off. It sound like it will be lovely. And no fitting problems with afghans!

Denise

[cseelman]

Yes, I don't care how small it is--as long as it fits nover my feet!!!

[lisadinpa]

Sock making and lace, my two favorite addictions... er, projects.

In all my years of knitting, I had never made a sock until the self-patterning yarn became available. Now I'm hooked. My mom thought I was wasting time until I have her a pair, and she is hooked as well (on wearing them, not on knitting. She has bad arthritis.)

I have made so many pairs that I needed to find something to make with the "leftovers", as I don't need the entire 50 grams to make a sock. I have sent items to Afghans4afghans and their current request is for sweaters. Aha! Elizabeth Zimmerman's Baby Surprise sweater using doubled sock yarn! I had a lot of military surplus olive green sock wool (I specialize in finding yarn in strange places!), so I used one strand of that with a strand of the self-patterning yarn. As one "color" ran out, I added another at random. The nature of the pattern makes the resulting stripes symmetrical! (See my craft pix at www.picturetrail.com ID=lisadinpa) I have more and will be making more sweaters like this!

Currently, I'm working on Bev Galeska's "Falling Leaf Lace Shawl" from Fiber Trends in some green/gold tweedy yarn that is very similar to Jamieson. It's a little "crispy" and will need a soak in fabric softener or hair conditioner, but it's quite pretty, if I do say so myself!

[katknit]

I know just what you mean. I've been on a tear making socks with the magic loop method for several months now. I use my own basic template and vary things with different patterns on the cuff and different yarns. Some of my sox can be seen on the following link. I'll check your link out too.
click here

[jewells68]

Doesn't look like there's much activity here, maybe everyone's moved off to another thread.
Currently OTN: atypicallyknit.com POA-style Gryffindor house scarf; Mason Dixon Knitting Baby Genius Burp cloth (gift); 1X1 ribbed tube (fits my arm) with one set of trapped bars (Book Ravenclaw colors) (haven't decided what it will be yet, possibly my first try at fingerless gloves or more probably will turn it into an armband to which I button my mp3 player, or wrist-warmers). I think that's it. And I've been avidly checking out knitting books from the library to decide which ones are keepers that I'll need to purchase.
I just finished my very first pair of socks, taught myself using this online tutorial: http://www.cometosilver.com/socks/SockClass_Start.htm and want to do her other tutorial soon for 2 toe-up socks on one long circ using magic loop. http://www.cometosilver.com/socks/2mlsocks_start.htm
Her tutorial was so easy to follow, every step is spelled out and has a photo to demonstrate. Great for a first-time sock-knitter like me.
Probably going to buy Sensational Knitted Socks, and possibly More Sensational Knitted Socks, currently perusing those from the library, and they read well, seem fairly easy to follow, and I love all the sock patterns. I can tell I am well on my way to becoming a sock-knitting addict.

[Melissa_W Moderator]

Welcome Jewells

This isn't a very hopping group, just more of a place to toss around ideas, ask if anyone's used/heard of a book or pattern, etc. I'm also trying to learn to knit socks!

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jewells68 wrote:
Doesn't look like there's much activity here, maybe everyone's moved off to another thread.
Currently OTN: atypicallyknit.com POA-style Gryffindor house scarf; Mason Dixon Knitting Baby Genius Burp cloth (gift); 1X1 ribbed tube (fits my arm) with one set of trapped bars (Book Ravenclaw colors) (haven't decided what it will be yet, possibly my first try at fingerless gloves or more probably will turn it into an armband to which I button my mp3 player, or wrist-warmers). I think that's it. And I've been avidly checking out knitting books from the library to decide which ones are keepers that I'll need to purchase.
I just finished my very first pair of socks, taught myself using this online tutorial: http://www.cometosilver.com/socks/SockClass_Start.htm and want to do her other tutorial soon for 2 toe-up socks on one long circ using magic loop. http://www.cometosilver.com/socks/2mlsocks_start.htm
Her tutorial was so easy to follow, every step is spelled out and has a photo to demonstrate. Great for a first-time sock-knitter like me.
Probably going to buy Sensational Knitted Socks, and possibly More Sensational Knitted Socks, currently perusing those from the library, and they read well, seem fairly easy to follow, and I love all the sock patterns. I can tell I am well on my way to becoming a sock-knitting addict.

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[jewells68]

Thanks for the welcome! I highly recommend that sock tutorial I posted. It really breaks it down with no abbreviations and with pictures of EVERY step. It's designed specifically for someone who has never knit a sock. Thanks to that tutorial I just took my very first finished pair out of the the dryer after washing and drying them. They held up great! (I actually used some worsted weight crochet cotton so it was easy to see all the stitches). Now I'm realy to use that real sock yarn I bought a while back...
Oh, and last night I frogged my Gryffindor scarf and started over with way less stitches. I was knitting it for my 10yo daughter and it would have been huge. I almost cut the # of stitches in half and I can still get around the circ with no prob, so I think the # of stitches in the patter was for a longer circ.

www.jewells68.livejournal.com

[nhbooklover]

I don't know if you've been on the site yet or not, but you might want to check out www.knittingpatterncentral.com they have a lot of great, different, patterns and the best part is that they're all free! It's usually where I go to get patterns for anything from baby blankets to hats and mittens to whatever else you can think of.

[chana56]

That used to be where I got all my patterns.....until Ravelry.   These days I spend a ridiculous amount of time there looking at patterns and adding things to my queue.  I still go back to knitting pattern central sometimes for ideas.  There are just too many things to knit!!! 

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nhbooklover wrote:
I don't know if you've been on the site yet or not, but you might want to check out www.knittingpatterncentral.com they have a lot of great, different, patterns and the best part is that they're all free! It's usually where I go to get patterns for anything from baby blankets to hats and mittens to whatever else you can think of.

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