JWo

For someone who doesn’t usually knit and doesn’t consider herself a knitter, I have embarked on a project I hope to finish rather fast. Time will tell. But I have always wanted to have a knitted baby dress so I am making one for Chloe. I actually signed up to ravelry and that has inspired me to knit also. There is this beautiful dress I’d love to…[Read more]

That’s such a fun and pretty yarn!

Sarvi is right- I should have mentioned that. You should always block a tension square and THEN count stitches and rows. Row count is often harder to achieve to match the required gauge, so if you can’t get the row tension then go with whichever gauge gives you the correct stitch count. From your post it sounds like you know how to block, but if…[Read more]

Oh, and I always take my swatch and measure in 3 different manners: 1: Unblocked
2: Steam Blocked
3: Washed/Dried (however I plan to care for it)

I always cast on 50 stitches and do 5 garter stitches on each end, and a few garter rows to begin with. When I cast off, it keeps my swatch from curling. Especially in Stockinette. I recently learned the value in swatching…usually I don’t mind, as I knit stuff for DD so if it’s bigger, well she can wear it longer or next season. But this…[Read more]

Did I mention math is one of the things wrong with knitting? Too much math.

Don’t get me wrong, I’ve been knitting for years, just a lot less once the kids got bigger. Because sewing is more practical, useful and faster too. I mean, people just don’t wear hand knits. Even when it all works out perfectly, I never end up wanting to wear…[Read more]

Did I mention math is one of the things wrong with knitting? Too much math.

Don’t get me wrong, I’ve been knitting for years, just a lot less once the kids got bigger. Because sewing is more practical, useful and faster too. I mean, people just don’t wear hand knits. Even when it all works out perfectly, I never end up wanting to wear…[Read more]

Linda is spot on. The only thing I would add is that some yarns are inherently very firm and some grow/bloom in counterintuitive way so also block your swatch. Even a half or a third of a stitch off (in width — row gauge is better handled in inches, I think) can add up so much more quickly than it seems it should.

Thanks Linda! This is helpful. I usually do a smaller swatch (varies in width, but probably closer to 4 inches in length) and then count stitches for an inch and multiply. It sounds like that may not be the most accurate way of doing thing. 🙂 I am entirely self taught (via internet and a stitch book that I have) so I am often guessing and doing…[Read more]

For best results, make your swatch about 6″ square. This allows you to measure out a 4″ square to count your rows and stitches more effectively. The reason for not just making a 4″ square swatch is that the edges will be uneven, making it difficult to count precisely. Even being a few stitches out can affect the finished size of your garment. For…[Read more]

Sarvi- how big of a swatch do you make? Thanks to all of your lovely BT inspiration, I am about to start a Brooklyn Tweed project(Bernice Pullover)and I am a little nervous! I want it to go well! I have been swatching and blocking my swatches lately, but I never make them very big.

yes, I just saw a pattern on knitty.com and when I read the designer works behind the scenes at Brooklyn tweed, I added it to the “safe” list. I do like Ann Budd, her sweater books have been extremely useful. But I don’t do sweaters any more. Her sock book is very good too, but I despite everyone’s warnings about how addictive they are, I only did…[Read more]

Ha! EZ is definitely … well, perhaps an acquired taste. Ok, then maybe the freeform style is not for you. Brooklyn Tweed is more than just Jared Flood, a lot of other people design for them as well. Another designer you might like who writes in a very detailed stitch-by-stitch style is … I forget her actual name, she goes by 6.5stitches on…[Read more]

I used to knit a lot. But sewing is so much faster. I never really learned the faster method of throwing the yarn so I never got fast at it.

I’ve thought of knitting recently too, though, as I’d love to make my son a sweater. I made a sweater for my now-15 year old when she was 2 and she wore it for 3 years! She loved that thing. I used a yarn…[Read more]

oh how I hate Elizabeth Zimmerman! I waded through the February baby sweater and it was such a horrible ordeal I can’t even think about it. However, the damn thing was cute once I finally got it done. I simply can’t stand how vague and unspecific she is. Her instructions are horrific.

Good to know about Brooklyn Tweed. I was eyeing up a few of…[Read more]

Ooh, Sarvi, I love Cat Bordhi too- got her sock books, the woman is a genius! I learnt to knit socks on circulars from one of her books. Socks are one of my favourite things to knit.

Ooh, Sarvi, I love Cat Bordhi too- got her sock books, the woman is a genius! I learnt to knit socks on circulars from one of her book.socks ate one of my favourite things to knit.

With shawls, I am finding that I am not an agressive enough blocker So they come out smaller.

As for hats—2 very l9vely patterns that were quick knits—windshief, & Beeswax(cables). beeswax looks so complex. But the patternis SO intuitive.

And sometimes you just have to out the needles down and walk away for a bit. Thdre is nothing…[Read more]