Archives for January 2004
Friday, January 30, 2004
I cast on for my 2×2 rib hat, but of course I forgot to block my gauge swatch first. So I may be making another swatch, depending on how it turns out. Another part of being a beginner. :\ What I’m slightly confused about is that my pattern says required needles are 14″ straight needles. But it says cast on 108 sts loosely. When I cast on 108 sts, it is so squashed, I can barely fit them all on the needle. I’m thinking I need to get circular needles and use them instead of the straight needles. So my question to everyone is this: What’s your standard for needles? Is there a certain # of stitches you follow…say if the pattern say over that # you use circular instead of straight? Did that question make any sense to anyone anyway? LOL!
Oh well, I’m blocking my swatch tonight, then we’ll see if I was able to get gauge. This will be my first attempt at gauge really, since what I’ve done so far pretty much didn’t need to be gauged. But I definitely think I’ll be going out tonight or tomorrow to get circular needles. I’ve only got US10 and I think I will need 8 or 9 for this project.
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Tuesday, January 27, 2004
I decided to try my hand at the Shape It! Scarf in The Knit Stitch. Not a major project but it gives me a chance to work on knitting a cast on stitch, which is a problem for me. My first row keeps coming out to loose, so this scarf is the perfect way to practice. I can also get familiar working with circular needles. Of course, it may come out looking all wacky and I may end up ripping it once I’m done. But I figure it’s easier to practice with a goal in mind rather than just knitting endlessly for no reason.
I’m also practicing my ribbing, which isn’t coming out too bad for the first try. :) I think it’s too bunchy but who knows. It might improve as I continue to work on it and get more practice. Maybe I’ll post a pic for opinions, maybe.
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Sunday, January 25, 2004
Nope, didn’t like how the scarf was coming out. So I ripped it up. I plan on starting it another time, when I’m feeling more comfortable with my work. I was having some trouble with the yarn, maybe me or maybe being new was part of it. But it’s gone for now and the yarn is put away for a later attempt. I’m moving well on my practice swatch. I started doing the stockinette stitch last night and it’s coming out very nice. So today I attempted to practice increasing and decreasing, but I’m stuck. Not quite sure how to do an increase on the purl side. I guess I need to look at it again. Once I get those, I plan to work on ribbing and binding off. Then I have a beginner hat that I want to try.
Here’s a newbie question: What do you do with your gauge swatch once you get gauge? Mark it with the gauge and yarn and needle size for future reference? Also, does the yardage requirement include enough to do the gauge swatch? I would think so, but I just want to ask anyway. These may sound like idiot questions, but I gotta learn somehow and I don’t really have anyone nearby to ask.
I signed up for the meetup, and hopefully I’ll be able to catch one soon. Not sure how well it is doing in my town, but hopefully it will give me a chance to meet some other knitters that can give me some pointers when I need it.
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Friday, January 23, 2004
I’ve been reading that if you have yarn on a skein, it’s better to roll it into a ball to keep it from tangling. Well, I was doing okay with my first bunch of yarn. On a skein and it was fine. The yarn I’m using now is “Lion Brand”:http://www.lionbrand.com Homespun and as I knit it kept getting so twisted it would start to kink. Well, I tried to roll it into a ball, but I guess I didn’t so so well, since I’d already started knitting with the other end and it still kinks up so much that every few rows I’m having to straighten it out. So far I haven’t had that problem with my other yarn. Can anyone help? What can I do to fix this mess?
I keep saying I’ll get pictures and I will. Hopefully tonight. Since it’s Friday, I can stay up late and I’ll get the photos posted of my progress on the homespun scarf. I’m also planning to start a practice swatch so I can practice stockinette and ribbing this weekend. Hopefully that will go well and I can start on the hat and scarf in that book which is completely ribbed. With these two projects, I’ll get plenty of practice in. I’ve already feel I’m getting better and not quite so clumsy. :)
I just couldn’t help myself. While at lunch, I picked up “The Purl Stitch”:http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1893762149/raynesbooks, book 2 of the Knitting Experience. I know. I need to do some of the projects in _The Knit Stitch_ first, and I will. I have plans to do the leg warmers and the Einstien coat, but I love the patterns in this book so much. It has twice as many good projects as the first book. Can you tell I’m excited about this knitting stuff?
Earlier while on break, I started my practice swatch. I’m using “Red Heart”:http://www.coatsandclark.com/find_a_product/knitting_crochet/E300/html/e300.htm yarn to start out with (since it’s cheap) on size US8 needles. I’m having trouble with my first row. It always looks so sloppy and uneven compared to the rest of the swatch. Once I get the first row done, I can get going and my stitches pretty much come out even, but I just can’t seem to work the first row as easily. I’m pretty sure that I’m casting on too tight, which I’ve heard is a beginner hump. I’m working on it, but ripping and starting over to get that first row right won’t ever get me anywhere. LOL! Oh well, I’ll get it eventually. I’m just ready to move on to bigger and better things, of course, but I’ve only been knitting for a few days. I know I have to give it some time.
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Friday, January 23, 2004
I told you I’d post my progress on my scarf. Well, here it is. It’s my first knitting project. I think it looks pretty decent for my first project. I’ve also made some headway on my practice swatch. As I mentioned before, I’m using a different yarn, where you can really see the stitches. The first row is very sloppy and loose. The rest, I’m pleased to say, looks like it is supposed to. I’m actually proud. With the scarf, since I can’t really see the stitches, I’m not sure how well I’m doing. With my practice swatch, I can see how I’m doing and it’s pretty good, except for the first row. :\
I discovered a yarn shop in town and went to take a look this morning. I love it. They have several of the yarns that are used in The Knit Stitch. I got a pair of circular needles for the legwarmers I want to do. Of course I still have to get the yarn. The lady at the shop said that if I needed help, to just come back and she’d help me at no charge. I may have to go back next week, so she can give me some tips on how to get the first row to look better.
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