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Mizufusion posted:That pillow and quilt look super amazing. I wish I had the time and patience for something like that, or enough sock yarn. Maybe I can start something similar with the stash of tapestry wool I bought last year from the thrift store.. Incidentally, I only have enough sock yarn because I kept collecting it for the sock yarn blanket that I am still less than 20% through... ugh. Someday...
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Feb 8, 2012 19:02
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Wandering Knitter posted:... Huh. I wonder is that spinnable? Will it draft at all? That pillow is amazing!
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Feb 8, 2012 22:34
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Scooty Puff Jr. posted:I just finished my beekeeper's throw pillow! Eee, I love it! It looks so squishy and comfy. I don't have the pattern yet, but I'm curious...how many are in a full sized quilt?
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Feb 9, 2012 03:24
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TastesLikeChicken posted:Huh. I wonder is that spinnable? Will it draft at all? It is and it does. It's kind of like the single ply Lamb's Pride Bulky. You have to be a little patient with it, but you totally can spin from it. 
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Feb 9, 2012 07:04
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FelicityGS posted:It is and it does. It's kind of like the single ply Lamb's Pride Bulky. You have to be a little patient with it, but you totally can spin from it. Now I'm really annoyed I can't find any in my area! And such pretty colors, too. 
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Feb 9, 2012 07:09
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Bob Shadycharacter posted:Eee, I love it! It looks so squishy and comfy. According to the pattern it's 102 for a 2 by 2 foot quilt, and 384 for a 3 x 4 foot quilt.
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Feb 9, 2012 07:55
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Wandering Knitter posted:Now I'm really annoyed I can't find any in my area! And such pretty colors, too. I think I've seen that at my local Michaels stores. If you want I can take a look and see about sending you some. Scooty Puff Jr. posted:According to the pattern it's 102 for a 2 by 2 foot quilt, and 384 for a 3 x 4 foot quilt. ..That's a lot of goddamn squares. I was just thinking of making a scarf based on the pattern, but it would take me a few lifetimes to finish it.
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Feb 9, 2012 12:57
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I’ve been meaning to put together a little tutorial on salvaging yarn from thrift-store sweaters. I love love love knitting, but it’s an expensive hobby unless you’re buying Red Heart acrylic (barf forever). And if you’re utilitarian and thrifty, it hardly makes sense to buy $70 worth of yarn to knit your own wool sweater when you can get one at target for $20. Enter salvaged yarn! Knitting your own is actually cheaper now. Pros - It’s cheap! You can get a sweater’s worth of really good yarn for a few dollars, sometimes even cashmere. For example, I got a gorgeous, luminous, soft-as-a-cloud silk/angora blend for $1.50 today, enough to make a vest or a generous scarf, or scarf/hat set. I also got an XXL men’s sweater in 100% merino wool (two-ply) for $3, enough to make a women’s sweater or even a tunic, or about a million socks. - You get a preview of the yarn’s behavior; how it hangs, whether it pills, how stretchy it is, how the color looks. If you’ve ever bought a super nice-feeling yarn only to have it feel less-than-nice when knitted up, or had a navy-blue yarn somehow knit up to look black, you know the value of this. - If you’re cheap like me, your options for buying virgin yarn are limited to the stuff that isn’t sustainably or humanely harvested. If you can’t afford to buy the good stuff, salvaged yarn is a better option. - A lot of the sweaters you salvage are truly ugly garments. They’re misshapen or really unstylish, and nobody in their right mind will buy that thing. It might be made of some really nice yarn, and you have the opportunity to give it new life. - It’s pretty easy, and it’s fun. Cons - It sometimes takes time and patience, especially for lighter-weight yarns. - Your choices are limited. So is your quantity for any specific yarn (you can’t go back for more if you run out). - The yarn has rested in sweater form for a while, and probably went through a few washings, so it’ll be much more crinkled than what you see when you frog your own projects. You might need to relax the yarn. - The yarn in a used sweater may be worn and hence more prone to breaking. - Some yarn types are not really possible to unravel; mohair in particular is a bitch, as is boucle and so on. Choosing your source item When you go “yarn shopping” at the thrift store, you need to look for certain things and avoid others. - Look for large garments. Remember that you won’t be able to make a sweater of similar size from a source sweater you buy. I usually go to the plus-size and men’s sections first. Of course, smaller sweaters yield enough yarn for accessories and sleeveless garments. - Avoid stripes, fair isle, and intarsia. You don’t want a bunch of short lengths of yarn! There are, however, exceptions; I once bought a striped sweater and unraveled it keeping the color stripes intact. Super easy striped and felted scarves followed, and the colors were nicely coordinated. Aran and cables are usually fine, though bobbles are kind of annoying. - Avoid ornamentation and excessive features. Pockets, button plackets, some types of collars, etc will make your job harder. Sequins and beads might be okay, depending on how they’re attached. Watch out for logos that are embroidered right onto the sweater. - Avoid super-fuzzy yarns and boucle, unless you know what you’re doing. Also, lighter colors are easier to work with, and yarns with good stitch definition (like cotton) are also easier. - Commercial garment construction is different from hand-made. There are two main types of seams you will see; chain-stitched (good) and serged (bad). Turn the garment inside out and inspect the seams; serged seams are done up with thread and actually cut the knitted fabric along the edge. Unless you want hundreds of 3-foot lengths of yarn, don’t bother. Shoulder seams are often serged regardless of the other seams; this is ok, because you’re only losing a little bit of yarn, but it is a little more work to deal with. Basically, inspect all the seams to figure out if you can undo them, or if you’re willing to cut off certain sections, before you buy that super awesome cashmere blend. Also, make sure the neckhole and armholes aren’t steeked, though this is pretty rare. - Make sure the sweater hasn’t felted. Very slight felting is usually ok, but you want to make sure you can undo the stitches. Also, very hairy yarns will be really difficult to unravel and I wouldn’t even go there. It will drive you insane. Very delicate yarn (e.g. featherweight 100% cashmere) will tear if you try to unravel it. - On cardigans, pay attention to the way the button-holes are done; if they’re on a separate button band, it doesn’t really matter (you might have to lose the entire band), but if they’re in the panel itself, you want to make sure that they weren’t made but cutting the yarn and sewing around the button-hole. If it’s done this way, you’ll only have a continuous yarn from the spaces between the buttonholes, and the rest will be useless, or just very short lengths. Sometimes button and neck bands (and armbands and waistbands) are done up in a lighter weight of yarn, make sure you’re ok with that, too. - Check for holes and tears in the panels. It isn’t the end of the world, but it will mean a break in the yarn, so decide if you’re comfortable with that. - Pick a yarn weight you’re comfortable with. Unraveling thrift-store sweaters is an excellent way to get loads of excellent sock-weight yarn for very little money, but its more work than something worsted or bulky. - For your first few times, I recommend choosing a bulkier pullover with simple construction and no neck-piece (so it just has four panels; front, back, and sleeves). Raglan types are easier. Okay, I have my source sweater You will need a seam ripper and small scissors. Sometimes, you won’t need them, but usually, you do. What you're going to do is take the sweater apart into separate panels first, and then unravel the panels one-by-one. - Wash and dry the sweater if it’s smelly or grimy. If you don’t wash it, shake it out real good. - Remove the tags. They’re usually sewn on with thread. Save the tag that lists the fiber content! You can also save the tag with care instructions, if you feel like it. Remove any buttons. Make sure to pick out all the bits of thread. - Measure the gauge and write it down. Machine-knit gauge is obviously different from hand-knit, but it’s still useful information. Do at least 4” x 4” (or 10cm). I keep the fiber content tag and a slip of paper with the “original gauge” and any sample gauges I knit up later (with needle size) in a large plastic ziplock along with the yarn. - The order of operations for undoing pullover seams is generally; neck seam (if it has a turtleneck or neckband), entire side seam (sleeve-armpit-side), sleeve-to-body seam, shoulder seam. But you don’t have to do it in that order. - The order of operations for a cardigan is generally: button-band seams, neck-band seam, and then as pullover. - Chain-stitch seams are easy to undo, and after some experimentation, you’ll probably figure out how to pull them out in seconds and in a continuous strand, and even save the seaming yarn. - There are other seam types, and if you’re having trouble finding the seam yarn, pulling the panels apart gently will sometimes help you. Do your experimentation nearer to the cast-on and cast-offs, so if you accidentally snip the panel yarn, you won’t cause a break smack in the middle of it. Sometimes, you’ll have to undo part of the seam stitch by stitch, particularly in the armpit. - Once you have your panels, find the cast off edge and undo it. The cast-off edge can be a little difficult to undo because it might be more worn than the rest of the sweater. The cast off edge is almost always nearer to the top of the sweater (the neck), since the vast majority of sweaters are knit bottom-up. - Unravel the panel into a pile of yarn ramen. This is just like frogging, but you might have to be a little more careful, especially for thinner yarns. If the yarn breaks, you can either tie it back on, or just wind up the yarn you have already and continue. Sometimes, one of the plies will break; in these cases, I prefer to carefully rejoin the torn ply and continue, but you may prefer to break the whole yarn. Matter of taste. - (optional) The yarn will be crinkled. With many yarns, they will relax after being wound (even loosely), but other yarns will need to be relaxed with water. Wind your yarn into a circular hank and tie it with a different yarn in three or more places, so you have a loop. Make sure you make the ends obvious so you can find them later. Wet the hank with cold water; do not agitate! As soon as the yarn is soaked, remove it, gently wring it as much as possible, and hang it on a doorknob, with a weight in the loop. When it’s dry, carefully wind it into a ball. - When winding, make sure to not do it too tightly, or the yarn will lose its elasticity. Unless you have a ball-winder (lucky), the best way is to insert two or three fingers between the ball and the yarn you’re winding onto it, to provide some space for the yarn to relax into. I like to store my yarns in a gallon-size ziplock along with the fiber content tag and gauge notes. You might find that commercial yarns make better garments than the yarn you buy at a craft store, since the former is designed for garments, while the latter is usually designed for crafters. There’s still no replacing a really sweet hand-spun yarn from a local sheep farm, but that’s a rare treat for me due to financial constraints. Meanwhile, I can provide my loved ones with handknitted items made of excellent yarn for very little monetary input (and knitted gifts should be about the time and effort spent, in my opinion, not the yarn cost). Hopefully this disgusting wall of text will be useful to somebody. If anyone has any tips and tricks to add, that would be awesome. Edit: I just want to add that I think supporting your independent LYS and wool farms is important, and if you can, you should. Double Edit: Also, I think unravelling hand-knit sweaters made by strangers, even ugly ones (the sweaters, not the strangers), is a minor sin. It just seems disrespectful to the craft, though other people might feel differently. Vulvarine fucked around with this message at 13:34 on Feb 10, 2012 |
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Feb 9, 2012 16:03
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Mizufusion posted:I think I've seen that at my local Michaels stores. If you want I can take a look and see about sending you some. I know, the blanket was a way bigger project than I was prepared for, but I love the fluffy hexipuffs. Definitely glad I went with a pillow.
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Feb 9, 2012 18:36
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Thank you Mizufusion, but I'm broke and probably shouldn't be buying yarn of any type at the moment.  Also in college talking apart sweaters was pretty much my go-to for getting tons of cheap yarn. The best part was that even the ugliest, scratchiest wool sweaters could simply be felted and turned onto handbags/blankets/whatever easily.
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Feb 9, 2012 18:41
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I tried unraveling some sweaters I got in a big garage sale bag of clothes once, and it was awful. It looked like a relatively simple garment with a decent thread weight, but it just did not want to unravel and I gave up after one sleeve. Poor sweater. Next time I'll be sure to get something I can actually work with.. 
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Feb 10, 2012 05:08
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One of the first sweaters I tried unravelling was a mess. It had this weird kangaroo pocket, which was attached oddly and I couldn't figure it out, and then I attempted unravelling from the cast-on instead of the cast-off, which is deceptive, because it unravels fine for the entirety of the row, but once you get to the selvedge, it's suddenly tangled and weird. I think I also tried to unravel it before taking it apart fully. I ended up throwing the whole sorry thing away. Now, though, I can usually do a worsted-weight sweater in under half an hour, and sport-weight in under an hour. Usually while watching a movie. Rip rip rip. It's even more relaxing than knitting.
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Feb 10, 2012 13:44
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I did two sweaters once, a brick colored merino one that came sort of slightly untwisted so I didn't really know what to do with it, and a super super scratchy white thing that I was going to felt. But, in typical me fashion, I never actually got to the washing and unkinking part so. That was like five years ago too. I think they're in the basement.
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Feb 10, 2012 16:27
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I have major indecisiveness when it comes to color picking. I'd like to make this: http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/paper-dolls I thought I could sneak in a golden yellow that I generally look terrible in as the small accents against the grays/blues/purples I look great in. I'm very fair, very pink. Here are the two combos I'm toying with, any suggestions? Darkest color is for the body, I don't trust my fitting skills to the unforgiving nature of light sweaters.   I know that Turmeric color is more bright irl.
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Feb 11, 2012 23:21
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HeatherChandler posted:I have major indecisiveness when it comes to color picking. I'd like to make this: I'm a big fan of the purple one, and if you are more pink pale then purple probably looks great against your skin.
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Feb 12, 2012 12:41
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If you look bad in too much yellow, don't use it for the bits next to your face. I presume you were thinking of using yellow or turmeric for the mini bits/stripes under the "dolls", and the "dolls" themselves would be done in the lighter grey. Anyway, I think that grey goes better with any shade of yellow than purple does, but it's a little more hard to tell what a tiny bit would look like when all the colours are in the same amount there.
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Feb 12, 2012 22:22
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HeatherChandler posted:I have major indecisiveness when it comes to color picking. I love the second combo myself...so pretty! I love that sweater, but I still don't think I'm ready for a sweater on size 4s (which would probably be 2s for me because I knit so drat loosely). Speaking of sweaters, I finished my project out of the tosh vintage I got. *drooool* I love it so much, I've worn it pretty much every day since it finished blocking. I'll have to take pictures when I get a chance.
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Feb 12, 2012 22:23
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I have decided that it is time to bite the bullet and learn to knit two at a time. I can feel my enthusiasm for knitting Vivian waning as I get along, and I just got to the point where I put the body on hold and knit the sleeves. If I don't do them at the same time I'll never finish this hoodie. I just worry about the yarn tangling up 
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Feb 12, 2012 22:44
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FelicityGS posted:I have decided that it is time to bite the bullet and learn to knit two at a time. I can feel my enthusiasm for knitting Vivian waning as I get along, and I just got to the point where I put the body on hold and knit the sleeves. If I don't do them at the same time I'll never finish this hoodie. The tangling gets to be a bitch, but I've found once the sleeves get a few inches long, you can stuff the balls into the sleeves and keep them separate that way. Even doing the sleeves two at a time, I ended up putting the damned thing down for nine months. Once I actually finished it, though, it was totally worth it and I wear it all the freaking time!
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Feb 13, 2012 00:12
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Jollity Farm posted:If you look bad in too much yellow, don't use it for the bits next to your face. I presume you were thinking of using yellow or turmeric for the mini bits/stripes under the "dolls", and the "dolls" themselves would be done in the lighter grey. Anyway, I think that grey goes better with any shade of yellow than purple does, but it's a little more hard to tell what a tiny bit would look like when all the colours are in the same amount there. Oooh that's a really good point about placement, I hadn't even thought about that. I just ordered the grey because I think I'm in love with that color purple for something else, and the yellow + purple was reminding me of LSU. I think I'll swatch the corrugated ribbing as well as the yoke and hold them up to my neck before making any final decisions. I can always retool it. I'm really jealous of creamy skinned brunette types who can wear mustard and chartreuse. I want clothes made of all the terrible colors of my grandparents mid-century modern furniture.
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Feb 13, 2012 01:00
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Pucklynn posted:The tangling gets to be a bitch, but I've found once the sleeves get a few inches long, you can stuff the balls into the sleeves and keep them separate that way. Even doing the sleeves two at a time, I ended up putting the damned thing down for nine months. Once I actually finished it, though, it was totally worth it and I wear it all the freaking time! Oh sweet. I didn't even think of that. Thanks for the tip!
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Feb 13, 2012 04:15
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No worries.  Just make sure you post pics when it's finally finished!
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Feb 13, 2012 17:51
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Cat scarves! I'm going to have to remember the green/black pattern. It would make a pretty dapper scarf for a human gent--not that I have enough left of that particular green, by a long shot. So many 3/4 skeins of yarn sitting around.
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Feb 18, 2012 15:37
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Fire In The Disco posted:Oh, I love it! I don't think I'd ever have the patience to make an entire Beekeeper's Quilt, but this, this might be doable... My thought as well! There's a chance I'll actually complete enough puffs for a pillow...
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Feb 19, 2012 05:29
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I learned this weekend that I cannot follow a cable pattern after half a glass of wine - I can apparently cable perfectly but not remember which pattern row I'm on. They're all going the wrong ways. I can, however, do perfect moss stitch and stocking stitch while totally smashed. More importantly - I just bought the Vivian pattern (I'm so so in love with it) - does anyone have some reccomendations of different yarn to make it from? I'm in NZ and doubt I have a chance of finding the recommended one. I've been searching around for alternatives online and now I have a whole lot of beautiful beautiful yarn I want to buy for many many projects, but I have to just focus on saving for one project at a time. Looking at laceweight is driving me nuts though - the balls are so long for the weight!
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Feb 20, 2012 02:02
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Avalinka posted:I learned this weekend that I cannot follow a cable pattern after half a glass of wine - I can apparently cable perfectly but not remember which pattern row I'm on. They're all going the wrong ways. I can, however, do perfect moss stitch and stocking stitch while totally smashed. I'd recommend something bulky that gives you gauge. If you can find a silk/wool blend, that would work, but a 100% wool would too. I'm actually knitting one right now in SMC Silk Wool, which is pretty perfect for the job. I know that particular brand is pretty international (they are based in Germany I believe), so you might be able to find it there. Also, join the lace side. Lace is so much fun and the yarn just goes on forever. 
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Feb 20, 2012 02:20
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Let's say your favorite worsted workhorse yarn (soft but not luxury, comes in a million gorgeous colors) is on sale for 40% off. How many sweaters' worth do you buy? 
Anne Whateley fucked around with this message at 04:01 on Feb 20, 2012 |
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Feb 20, 2012 03:59
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i like nice words
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I'd buy as many as I could justify projects for (and had money for. Which at the moment, sadly, is none.) But today the sale bin at Spotlight was 50% off, so I got a few balls of a couple of yarns to make hats. Then my husband told me he doesn't need another hat. He has one plain black hat I made him. I guess I should be glad he likes it? But now he misses out on the first yarn I've ever had with cashmere in it. No more buying yarn until I have enough money for the Vivian. I think 10-ply will give me the right gauge, or I'll just have a look at what's around that uses 5mm needles. And something that isn't itchy - I'm partly allergic to wool, which means I can only handle merino or soft baby wool. Part silk or alpaca would be awesome. And I love knitting lacy things, but until I started reading this thread it had never occurred to me to make a shawl. I've just made fancy baby bonnets and cardigans. And a couple of awesome self-invented circular blankets (that aren't that awesome compared to some of the amazing things on Ravelry). I don't know how I'd never realised that you get way more yarn per weight if it's thin.
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Feb 20, 2012 04:28
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Anne Whateley posted:Let's say your favorite worsted workhorse yarn (soft but not luxury, comes in a million gorgeous colors) is on sale for 40% off. How many sweaters' worth do you buy? As many as you can afford. I'm jealous.
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Feb 20, 2012 04:28
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I don't mind buying more than I can knit right away -- it's a good sale, I'll use it all eventually, and it's not like yarn has an expiration date. I'm a slow knitter, but I've been doing it for years so it's not like I'll suddenly lose all interest. And I know the price of raw materials is going up, so better to buy now rather than later; I'm just not sure how much. My boyfriend says I should literally buy $1000 worth, but uhhh that's pretty nuts. (I don't think he knows how much that would be.) http://berroco.com/shade_cards/vintage_sh.html
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Feb 20, 2012 05:13
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FelicityGS posted:As many as you can afford. I'm jealous. This is the correct answer.
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Feb 20, 2012 05:18
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I personally love the thrill of the chase, once I finally have the perfect yarn I then need ANOTHER COMPLETELY DIFFERENT PERFECT YARN. This is why we have one less room in our house <.< Also, back me up on this... if your boyfriend comes to give you a kiss in the middle of picking up a dropped stitch, is it acceptable to threaten decapitation? I think it is.. I mean, knitting was here first so he needs to adapt.
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Feb 20, 2012 13:08
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I don't know about threatening decapitation but it is certainly acceptable to bring out your most blood-chilling passive-aggressive sigh and glare and sort of hunch your shoulders away. At least, that's what I do when anyone tries to do engage me in anything when I have dropped stitches. I may just be a horrible person.
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Feb 20, 2012 13:50
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Maybe I'm just fortunate or radiate irritated vibes when I drop a stitch* but my SO doesn't try to hug or kiss me when I am working on getting one. *I also swear like a sailor when it happens, so I suppose everyone in the room has fair warning
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Feb 20, 2012 14:04
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So I went to Finland and bought some yarn over Christmas. Now, two months later I'm taking a good look at it. It's completely unlabeled so all I really knew was that it was wool. After a couple months I decided to take a serious look at it. It looks like Istex Plötulopi in white, except there's more of it. I weighed it and got 157 g, which making some assumptive calculations gives me about 470 meters. I was thinking of making it into a lacy shell or cardigan when I bought it, but now I'm not so sure the yarn would stand up. Does anyone have any ideas for patterns that would work with this yarn and fit within about 470 meters?
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Feb 20, 2012 20:32
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MarsDragon posted:So I went to Finland and bought some yarn over Christmas. Now, two months later I'm taking a good look at it. It's completely unlabeled so all I really knew was that it was wool. After a couple months I decided to take a serious look at it. It looks like Istex Plötulopi in white, except there's more of it. I weighed it and got 157 g, which making some assumptive calculations gives me about 470 meters. I want that yarn, I love that type of yarn. I would make some sort of cowl. Is it all white? Try dying it and doing a colour work cozy cowl and maybe some mitts or even just some feet slippers of snuggly warmth.
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Feb 20, 2012 22:10
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Hey, I have a newbish question for y'all. Is there any way to straighten bamboo needles that have gotten curvy? I have one pair in particular, a 12" no. 4 pair of bamboo needles that have gotten kind of bowed. I doubt it's really a problem (though it probably shows that I'm gripping them too hard or something) but...do people worry about that? Have a way to fix it?
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Feb 21, 2012 00:15
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It's just use, for the most part. I have a set of double pointed bamboos that are entirely bowed, and I don't hold needles particularly tightly and I only knit one pair of socks on them. It's one of those properties that make me kind of not like bamboo.
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Feb 21, 2012 01:17
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I hate knitting with bamboo, but I think that's mostly because I'm a tight knitter and need my needles to be slick enough to let the stitches slide around. Bamboo drives me insane. Metal circulars FOR LYFE.
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Feb 21, 2012 01:20
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Fire In The Disco posted:I hate knitting with bamboo, but I think that's mostly because I'm a tight knitter and need my needles to be slick enough to let the stitches slide around. Bamboo drives me insane. Metal circulars FOR LYFE. Same here. I hate bamboo.
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Feb 21, 2012 01:23
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