[Masha Richart]

I have been knitting 11 years, since well before I started sewing. Funny that you mentioned Brooklyn Tweed, as one of my two current WIPs is his Alberta Vest, for my husband. It is steeked, something I have never done before, and I knit it to the steering stage and then, scared, out it aside. That was about two years ago … I should pick it back up sometime!

[Linda]

Deb, I’ll be glad to help if I can. For knitting socks- when I started I just bought some sock yarn from Opal and the pattern was on the back of the label. Nothing fancy, just plain old socks. I knitted about 8 pairs like this before I felt I knew what I was doing. None of them fitted because I had not learnt how to adjust to fit different foot sizes. I then moved on to Cat Bordhi as I found her book when I visited my daughter in Nova Scotia. I learnt a lot and now my socks fit people properly and I can do patterns involving lacework, colour work etc. So don’t get downhearted, just start with simplest pattern and practice A LOT. I use mostly two circular needles which I prefer to Magic Loop technique. I also knit with dpns occasionally, just to keep my hand in. Lots of free patterns on Ravelry too. PS socks need to be knitted at a very tight gauge (depending on yarn, of course) and I knit loosely, so I use very small needles.

[Deb]

Linda, what size and length of circular needles do you recommend to use with a sock weight yarn. The DNP’s are driving me crazy! I’ve got an easy pattern, it’s just the needles that are problematic.

[thesimpson5]

I used Cal Patch’s videos on Creativebug to learn to crochet, and I’m “hooked” too! It’s so fun! Since then, I’ve bought a couple classes on Craftsy and have started making crochet hats and amigurami too. I highly recommend Stacey Trock’s classes. I am also trying to learn to knit via Creativebug and Craftsy classes. I like it, and love all the fabulous pattern choices for knitting, but I’m not as fast of a learner with knitting as I was with crochet. Definitely Continental style has been easier for me, at least for the knit stitch. Ravelry has been hugely inspiring and I love their search database. I’d love to knit a sweater! Any recommendations for a beginner pattern for both child and adult?

[Sarvi]

@kmac0107 Kim, thank you, good to know about those Addi needles.

@knitting1 Linda, ooh, Rowan makes such wonderful yarns. I would loooooove a peek at your yarn and book stashes, care to share a photo? Funny, I never thought to photograph my yarn stash.

What do you think, folks, shall we make a Ladies’ Auxiliary Craft Group on flickr?

@katybellabug , what an utterly clever idea to include the luminous fiber to make the hat light up! I must remember that for my father, an avid cyclist.

@needlewoman , that’s a very fine looking B-for-Banksia.

@mynorth Deb funny you mention weaving — I got (myself) a loom for Christmas and it was a wonderful thing to do with my 5 year old. She quickly got the hang of it and was weaving by herself. Frankly hers looked about as good as mine, once I explained what she should be looking for with the selvedge. I have not had much better luck with socks than you. I’ve made four or five pairs and given them away to very happy people with feet bigger or smaller than mine, but haven’t found my stitch count/needle size/yarn combo that gives me Goldilocks socks just yet. I have a few books by Cat Bordhi that I am hoping will help. Oh and @knitting1 I see you mention Cat Bordhi, I have high hopes she’ll help me get the fit I want!

@roundtheworldgirl I haven’t tried steeking yet either but I’d imagine Brooklyn Tweed yarn (are you using their yarn? or only their pattern?) would be quite good for it, not slippery.

@thesimpson5 can you have a look for any of Ann Budd’s books on knitting basics at your local library? They’re not flashy, but they’re good solid basics. Sweaters are not especially difficult to knit, either as tubes or as flat pieces you sew together. The primary difficulty in all knitting is getting and keeping gauge. Once you do that, you’ve done the hardest part.

That said, I am still learning new cast-ons, new buttonholes, new increases and decreases. It’s a hobby that never gets dull.

[needlewoman]

Thank you Sarvi; for a wonderful sock knitter, check out grosel20 in the O+S Flickr group.

[Sarvi]

I will, thank you!

[Linda]

Firstly, don’t underestimate the value of knitting a tension square! Most knitters dislike knitting tension squares, rather like most sewers dislike sewing a toile! But if you want your socks/garment to end up looking like the designer intended, then you’re going to have to bite the bullet and do it. Begin knitting with the needle size you think will work (you may know already that you knit tightly or loosely) and check your gauge on the tension square. Adjust by using either smaller or larger needles. You need to match the gauge suggested by the designer NOT the gauge on the ball band of the yarn. Socks are normally knit tightly, for durability. Use larger needles if you want to get fewer stitches, use smaller needles if you want to get more stitches. Knit square again until your tension is correct. The most common gauge in sock patterns is 8 stitches per inch. So use whatever size needles you need to get this gauge. I habitually knit on at least two sizes smaller needles as I knit very loosely. It really doesn’t matter what size needles you end up with as long as you match the designers tension on the pattern. I knit most of my socks on size 2.25 mm which is US size 1 needles, but that is because I knit so loosely.

Needle choices- you can go several ways:
Magic Loop- using one circular needle that is about 40cm long to give you enough cable on the needle to be able to have a big loop.

Two circular needles (my personal choice) of the same size and length. I taught myself this method by reading Cat Bordhi “Socks Soar on Two Circular Needles” and recommend any of her books! She talks you through the method so it is less confusing. I found it easier to just pick up some needles and start, rather than just looking at the instructions.

Dpns- double pointed needles. You have a set of five or six short needles, pointed at both ends, and all the same size and length. I quite like these but some knitters struggle with them. It a bit fiddly until you get a few rows knitted.

I use metal needles mostly because I like the slide-y ness and can knit quicker. Wooden needles are good when I’m using slippery yarns as they provide some grip. It’s a personal choice.

For knitting with two circular needles I use cables that are 24″ long, remembering that this measurement includes the needle tips as well.

Pick sock yarn with some nylon in it as socks will wear less.

• This reply was modified 10 years ago by Linda. Reason: spelling
• This reply was modified 10 years ago by Linda. Reason: typo

[Sarvi]

Fantastic tips, thank you so much! I think I was mixing up Magic Loop and 2 circs, it sounds as though the 2 circs method would work well for me. I had lots of straight needles when I first started knitting but now they feel so heavy and unwieldy. I am pretty comfortable on DPNs but can see how 2 circs would be really useful. I think Cat Bordhi might be a genius. Her books are so exciting, like cheat codes to knitting. I must check out the one you recommend.

[Linda]

Oh good, glad it was helpful. The book I mentioned is a thin little volume as she self published, I believe. But packed full of good stuff. I then bought more of her books to be able to understand fit. A lot like sewing to fit, isn’t it?!

Perhaps we could have a forum for non sewing related crafts, including cooking, if Liesl didn’t mind, of course. I bet that between us all we have loads of skills to share.

I would post a photo of socks I am knitting if I could just remember how! Does it have yo go on Flickr, is that how it happens? I’m sure someone told me this before…

[Linda]

Here they are- hopefully.

[Cat75]

Robin
I will have to look into that book.
I finished the embroidered edging on my pillowcase. I think it’s pretty but it definitely has some quirks.

Linda
Thanks for trying to help with my issue. I think changing crochet hook size helps with making sure gauge is correct also (as with knitting). I should have measured as I went along to make sure I wasn’t getting too off, but I didn’t. I think I enjoy making blankets more for crochet anyway and sewing for apparel.

[Sarvi]

@knitting1, you have the technique right, but your original photo is a bigger file than the fora can handle. Can you shrink it a bit? I use Picasa (which is a free download) to resize photos. Alternatively, you could upload the photo to flickr or another service and just post a link to the photo there. Looking forward to seeing it!

We do have a great thread on cooking and recipes:

What's for Tea Today, Mum? A cooking thread.

I’ve added “A cooking thread” to the title to make it a little easier to find.

Looking forward to seeing you there!

[Sarvi]

Hello! I made a group for us, please join and we can start some new threads.

[Linda]

I’d like to join please,Sarvi. Thank you for undertaking this for us.how do I join?