The Crafters' Circle [ Edited ]

[BookClubEditor]

Picture this: there is a blizzard raging outside, but you're in a warm cabin in the mountains with a roaring fire, seated in the most comfortable chair you can imagine with a beautiful home-made afghan draped over your lap, surrounded by all of your fellow crafters. We have our current projects with us, and we're all working away. (Disclaimer: as the seasons change, the "picture this" section will be updated to lake cottages and ocean shores. So, take heart!)

And as we work we talk. We talk about our current project. We talk about what we want to work on next. We talk about incredible yarns that have come out for summer or the latest fabrics. We talk about Aunt Jane's beautiful cable sweater knitted with the most luxurious yarn. We talk about that sweater that may never be finished because it's just too difficult. We talk about all of the Christmas and birthday presents we want to make this year!

Let's start this thread by talking about what we are working on now (you can work on more than one project at a time). Give us all of the details -- the pattern specifics (a link to your pattern if it's online would be great), the yarn, needle, and fabric specifics, what you like about the project, what is driving you nuts about the project, and whether or not you are treading where you have not treaded before.

Reply to this thread and give us all of the juicy details!

For those of you who need a project to work on, there are some great knitting ones listed in 100 Knitting Projects, One Skein Wonders, and Stitch'n Bitch.

There are also some incredible free patterns online.

Message Edited by Barbara on 03-15-2007 08:53 AM

[katknit]

I've been cranking out socks, adapting patterns to fit my own feet, mostly from Knit Socks by Betsy McCarthy. I use the magic loop method and have been experimenting with different sizes of yarns and needles. For the past month I've worn only handmade socks.

Also I'm into short rows and felting.

[cseelman]

I go through so many changes in body temperature (you know--those "power surges" that you experience when you're over 50!) that I don't know if I could wear wool socks. But, I'm going to have to give sock-making a try. They would make nice Christmas presents! I'm sure they are very warm.

Here's information on the magic loop method.

And there is an interesting article on Knitty.com on short row knitting.

[caroline88]

This is a great website! I -just being my ordinary, curious self- scrolled down to see what else was on the page and found a great instruction video on double knitting too.

Thanks, Carol!

Caroline

[cseelman]

My second current project (I am a recovering "project-starte-but-not-finisher, so I try to keep myself to no more than two projects at a time ;-} is a felted bag. I am knitting in stockinette with size 15 circular needles and double strands of Mauch Chunky (boy is this project going fast!!). Anyway, the pattern calls for an M1 on some of the beginning rows to increase the bag size as I work up the pattern. Well, come to find out, I was using the "decorative M1" (not knowing that there was a seemingly infinite number of M1's) and I now have small holes in the bag where the M1's were knitted.

My question: do I need to rip and start over or will the felting bind the stitches together so that I don't need to worry about the holes?

Any advise is appreciated!

[cseelman]

Winter is winding down - at least on the calendar :-( Does anyone have projects that they plan on working on during the summer months?

I know I want to try sock-making and lace. I also was thinking of some felted flowers. Don't have too much information on making them yet. I plan on "hooking" (sorry, couldn't help myself!) up with a former co-worker who is quite the knitter and felter. I'll report back on any insights she may give me.

[katknit]

Well, if the holes are bigger than about 1/4 inch, I would weave in a bit of yarn in the back to fill them in. If not, the felting should take care of it, depending on how much the particular yarn shrinks.

[cseelman]

Thanks KatKnit! I'm continuing on with the project and will take it as is to our next class. And, if I need to, I'll weave in some yarn.

[katknit]

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cseelman wrote:
Thanks KatKnit! I'm continuing on with the project and will take it as is to our next class. And, if I need to, I'll weave in some yarn.

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Hope you'll let us know how it comes out! I'm sure it will be beautiful!

[donyskiw]

I just plan on continuing on the ones I'm working on. The skirt I have can be worn in the summer. I also would like to finish the shawl since I'll be vacationing in the town where I bought the yarn and would like to buy more. I like to finish projects off before I buy more yarn.

Denise

[cseelman]

Tell me about the shawl pattern you're using and where did you buy your yarn. You never know who might be vacationing in the same spot. My motto - you can never know about too many yarn shops! (Not really a motto. I just made it up :-0)

[donyskiw]

I'm using a diamond rib pattern and knitting it in stripes: off-white, fuschia, orange, and purple. The yarn is alpaca and I bought four skeins (one of each color) from a yarn shop in La Veta, Colorado, last March. I didn't know what I was going to do with the yarn and they didn't have a lot in any individual color. So, I sort of made up this project to show off the pattern I'm knitting. I'm using size six needles because I happened to have that size in bamboo. I'm thinking that the yarn would make nice scarves with the same size needles so I hope to get more this summer when I go back there for an oil painting workshop in August.

Denise

[cseelman]

I love the colors! Is the diamond rib pattern in the Vogue Knitting Book? I was wondering if it was the same as the Diagonal cross rib pictured on page 126.

[donyskiw]

It's from the calendar with a pattern for every day of the year. It's May 4th or so. I'll have to look at the Vogue book (it's not here with me) and see if it's the same).

Denise

[cseelman]

I'm thinking of making an afghan for my next project. Any body have good recommendations for patterns and yarn?

[donyskiw]

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

[cseelman]

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katknit wrote:
Well, if the holes are bigger than about 1/4 inch, I would weave in a bit of yarn in the back to fill them in. If not, the felting should take care of it, depending on how much the particular yarn shrinks.

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I took your advise and wove in yarn. The felted bag came out great!

[cseelman]

Hi Denise,

Thanks for the tip. I think now that my next project will be another sweater. I finished up the sweater I was working on and it's too small :-( and I did some blocking to stretch it some. The problem is that the pattern is a checkerboard pattern and it just knits tighter (here's information on my pattern.) It should have been only two inches shy of my measurements, but it came out much smaller than that. I'm pretty discouraged, but I've got to get back at it. I think I'll take an intermediate sweater making class at my local yarn shop.

Anyone have tips about sizing and how pattern work may influence it?

[donyskiw]

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

[cseelman]

---

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!