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You may already have an issue, too. Sometimes mine get sore if i knit long stretches, but not after one row. Compression gloves help me in that instance. Are you a thrower? Perhaps you need to learn to pick (continental) since it's less repetitive movement. Is it like sore, sharp, in your wrist, fingers?
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Aug 2, 2013 17:55
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You might also be knitting very tightly? It might be worth seeing how hard you're holding things. Also, no, not a bad cousin. I actually usually end up doing little booties and hats I can sew up instead of blankets.
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Aug 2, 2013 18:07
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Seriously, it's supposed to be fun. It's a hobby. Stop torturing yourself.
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Aug 2, 2013 18:16
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Pile of Kittens posted:Seriously, it's supposed to be fun. It's a hobby. Stop torturing yourself. This right here. I have awful carpal tunnel, and while I'm glad to make things for other people, if it's killing me, I just scrap it. I don't do circulars because of the way the knitting hangs - it just DESTROYS my wrists. Compression gloves help, larger/different material needles can help, too. But don't kill yourself over it!
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Aug 2, 2013 18:25
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Baby present making time again! Only...there's 4 babies in there. FOUR! What do you make for 4 babies? Accessories?
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Aug 2, 2013 18:30
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wtftastic posted:Any advice on finishing a project from hell? I'm making a basket weave baby blanket using baby weight yarn on a set of size 6 circular needles. Its supposed to be a 2 skein project but I just started the second skein, the baby is here and my hands hurt so bad after even one row. Is there anything I can do to make it easier on my hands? Would I be the world's worst cousin if I just said "gently caress it" and made it a small blanket? Are you using metal needles? If so, try switching to bamboo or other wood needles, they can be nicer on your hands and wrists.
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Aug 2, 2013 18:32
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Bob Shadycharacter posted:Maybe try switching needles? I don't mean the size, but the actual needle for a different brand maybe. I was knitting a sweater once and it hurt my wrists like crazy until I bought a different brand needle. Bizarre, really. I just bought the cheapest metal ones they had in the store because they were the only ones with the right length (I think its ~24 inches). I'd love to see if I could get a bamboo set as knitting on wooden needles seems easier for me. zamiel posted:You may already have an issue, too. Sometimes mine get sore if i knit long stretches, but not after one row. Compression gloves help me in that instance. Are you a thrower? Perhaps you need to learn to pick (continental) since it's less repetitive movement. Is it like sore, sharp, in your wrist, fingers? Its possible that I do have some issues, but I really hope not as I do a lot of fine motor control related work on a daily basis. I think I use a modified version of continental knitting, and the worst parts for me on this pattern are purls so maybe it has to do with how I purl. Most of the ache is in my fingers, but if I power through it, it moves to my wrist. I admit I am probably knitting pretty tightly since the gauge is supposed to be fairly small, and I think I've probably made it a little too big already. Here is a sample of what the blanket (in progress) looks like:  . Its the first large work I've ever done, all my previous knitting has been scarves. EDIT: Thanks a bunch for the support and tips- I know its supposed to be fun, but I've felt so guilty about how long its been taking I guess I lost perspective on it. I think from now on its wooden needles only for me.
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Aug 2, 2013 18:33
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HeatherChandler posted:Baby present making time again! Only...there's 4 babies in there. FOUR! What do you make for 4 babies? Accessories? Holy crap, four babies?! My go-to baby present is hats. I love making the ones in this pattern: http://grosblog.wordpress.com/2007/05/16/sweet-baby-cap/ They are fast, fun to knit, and fit very well in my experience. Edit: here's the Ravelry page: http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/norwegian-sweet-baby-cap---djevellue bilabial trill fucked around with this message at 18:40 on Aug 2, 2013 |
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Aug 2, 2013 18:36
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HeatherChandler posted:Baby present making time again! Only...there's 4 babies in there. FOUR! What do you make for 4 babies? Accessories? Make some goddamn slings to hold that poor woman's feet up while you feed her grapes and ice cream. FOUR BABIES. (For actual advice, maybe hats in different colors, booties are always fun and cute, matching sweaters for the "look, four of the same outfit" pictures, or the same sweater in different combinations of the same colors)
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Aug 2, 2013 18:50
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Ahaha, if I knew someone having FOUR BABIES I would just put my needles down and back away very slowly, giggling in a sort of maniacal way. I recently met two babies (well, a two year old and a one year old). For the two year old, I made a little stuffed dragon:  Free pattern and really cute! It's called Tarragon the Gentle Dragon. Then for my absolutely criminally adorable nephew, who lives in Europe so I didn't get to meet him till he was one:  This pattern is called Vera, and is not free but I highly recommend it - it's very detailed and really doesn't take long to make and there is barely any sewing up. Also it is completely adorable.  (Not as adorable as Henry though) I'm also making a scarf, my first project using double knitting. It is very cool! It's called Vice Versa. Yarn is my own handspun and I am darned proud of this project so far. 
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Aug 2, 2013 19:36
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Bob Shadycharacter posted:Ahaha, if I knew someone having FOUR BABIES I would just put my needles down and back away very slowly, giggling in a sort of maniacal way. Those toys are adorable and that yarn is GORGEOUS!
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Aug 2, 2013 21:24
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Bob Shadycharacter posted:double knitting I keep telling myself I'm finally going to learn to do this, then I... just don't. Or I try, it kills my hands, and I give up. I totally dig that yarn, though.
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Aug 2, 2013 21:26
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Pile of Kittens posted:Seriously, it's supposed to be fun. It's a hobby. Stop torturing yourself. Brain, read this and absorb it. I got my first migraine in many many months and juust realised that the trigger has to be the fact that I just started knitting again after a break since early last winter. I was also working on a pattern where I had to concentrate on individual stitches instead of my usual brainless rib stitch-type projects. The day after the migraine I started working on the same drat project because, hey, it's fun and I want to finish it!  I think I need to get new glasses. And maybe a new brain.
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Aug 2, 2013 21:29
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That's why I always keep a brainless garter-stitch project next to my 'real' project. One's for 'fun', and the other is the one that actually helps me relax. 
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Aug 3, 2013 15:26
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For a while my friend and I had "drunk projects" so we could work on something simple when we've had too much wine. Unfortunately they didn't last long because neither of us were really thrilled with what we were working on, but it was fun for a while.
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Aug 4, 2013 04:32
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We finally got to do part two of our beginner knitting class on Saturday, so I got to learn how to finish my projects (binding off, weaving in the ends, etc.). Here is my first completed knitting project, a simple cotton washcloth in garter stitch. It's nothing fancy, and there are plenty of mistakes, but I was just proud to get something finished.
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Aug 12, 2013 13:20
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Also, here is my second completed project, an alpaca pot holder. We just learned how to do purl stitch, so there are some pretty random knit and purl patterns thrown in. Also some arbitrary rows of stockinette (or my poor attempt at stockinette, at least) thrown in there for no particular reason other than just to let me practice the technique and for s&g's.
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Aug 12, 2013 13:24
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laertes22 posted:Also, here is my second completed project, an alpaca pot holder. We just learned how to do purl stitch, so there are some pretty random knit and purl patterns thrown in. Also some arbitrary rows of stockinette (or my poor attempt at stockinette, at least) thrown in there for no particular reason other than just to let me practice the technique and for s&g's. Those are both great! That pot holder looks so dang soft.
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Aug 12, 2013 16:50
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My mom gave me some really fuzzy yarn she says is for felting, but I forget what it's called. I have never felted a thing (because I have only been knitting for 2 weeks or so). I got a kickass deal on my first needles. $25 for 15 pairs of Stitchberry needles. Very happy with them so far. Not happy: my first "real" project, a ribbed scarf, has a knot in the middle of a transition from one ribbing design (k3 p3 across the row, 39 stitches wide) to another slightly more complex design edged with seed stitching. Anyone have any tips for figuring out my own patterns, or should I just chart them up in Excel to see what the designs will sort of look like?
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Aug 12, 2013 20:54
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While the teacher was finishing up my beginner knitting class on Saturday, he mentioned something about soaking your newly completed project in water and pinning it (or pinning it and then lightly spraying it with water) as a means of making last minute adjustments or straightening out stitches. He was definitely not talking about felting, as he went through great length to tell us how to prevent felting while doing this. Do most people do this when they complete a project, or do you just start using it? Is this normal/necessary? Also, I don't know if this thread is strictly for knitting (resisting the urge to make a Bob's Burgers "Strictly for my knittahs" reference), but has anyone found a really good beginner video on crochetting? I have looked on youtube and ravelry, and I just can't seem to get it down. And all the vids I've seen either skip steps, go to fast, or make it hard to see what they are doing. If you know of a good beginner crochet video or series, please do share it. 
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Aug 13, 2013 13:33
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It's called "blocking", and it's standard practice. While it's not strictly necessary, it will even out your stitches and allow you to reshape your project, and I recommend that you try it and see what a huge difference it can make; it can take your project from looking homemade to store-bought precision.
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Aug 13, 2013 13:47
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On the subject of blocking, is wet blocking (soaking it in water and then pinning it up to dry) ever really necessary, or will spray blocking do the job for most things? I am scared of accidentally felting my first real scarf 
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Aug 13, 2013 14:13
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You can spray block. The thing is you need the project to get actually wet all the way through, so put it on some towels and go home. I use spray blocking for alpaca lace, since alpaca gets weaker when wet and I don't want to gently caress up a project after months on it.
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Aug 13, 2013 14:54
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Bertrand Hustle posted:On the subject of blocking, is wet blocking (soaking it in water and then pinning it up to dry) ever really necessary, or will spray blocking do the job for most things? You have to actually work pretty hard to felt most things! As long as you're not throwing it in the washing machine or beating it clean on a washboard or something, you'll be fine. Blocking is a whole thing, it's really dependent on the project, stitch pattern, fit, and so on. For a lot of scarves, it's not like fit is important so I might not bother to block it. On the other hand, if it's lace you ALWAYS block it because it looks like an egg crate until you do. If you're really nervous knit a little swatch with the leftovers and block that first.
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Aug 13, 2013 15:53
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Bob Shadycharacter posted:You have to actually work pretty hard to felt most things! This is true. Seriously - I felt in my washing machine, and sometimes that isn't good enough. It takes a lot of agitation to get some things to felt. I rarely/never block, but it's because I mostly knit toys, not lacework or really anything decorative. I did block a pair of mittens recently, though, and I can vouch that it really can make a huge difference!
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Aug 13, 2013 16:06
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I'm running out of yarn for a shawl I'm making. I handspun the yarn, so it's pretty much impossible to get more. I have a lifeline at the edging, but not at the repeat below it. My choices are thus: 1) Rip out to the repeat below where I started the edging, start the edging there, see if I have enough them. Likely leaves me with leftover yarn, but the entire shawl will match. Leaning toward this, even if the ripping out would be a nightmarish pain in the rear end. 2) Rip out the edging, make more yarn, pretend I meant that all along. I still have the roving I used for half the plies, so I can make more yarn that will roughly match, though it will go from multi-coloured and gray yarn to just plain gray. 3) Go until I run out of yarn, spin more and just switch in the middle of the edging. Pretend I meant to do that all along. Less time consuming than doing the entire edging in gray, but matches less. I was hoping to have this done by the end of the month. GUESS NOT. (in theory option one would get it done by the end of the month if I hurried, but I'd have to pick it right now)
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Aug 14, 2013 18:03
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Could you dye another piece of roving to match the multicolored and ply with the gray? Or card in another color? I think our poor spinning thread finally died. 
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Aug 14, 2013 18:31
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In theory I could dye something, but I'd have to get some plain silk roving first and then work out the colour sequence and at that point it's just too much effort. And of course I've lost the roving label, so I don't even remember where it came from. The spinning thread is technically still alive on the third page, but it's pretty close to being archived. Quick, think of something to say!
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Aug 14, 2013 19:51
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Is it that 80/20 Merino/silk? I know the LYS here in town sells it under the Woodbridge label. I picked some up last weekend and dyed it today. I asked the owner if it was local and he said he sourced it from Louet.
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Aug 14, 2013 21:00
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100% silk. It came in a thing of three ounces, looped together and then wrapped around. It was fairly narrow roving, though it seemed a bit thick to be technically pencil roving. It was dyed in a rainbow of colours, from dark blue to pink. It's one of those things where I'd know it instantly if I saw it, I just can't describe it in a super helpful way.
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Aug 15, 2013 01:27
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laertes22 posted:While the teacher was finishing up my beginner knitting class on Saturday, he mentioned something about soaking your newly completed project in water and pinning it (or pinning it and then lightly spraying it with water) as a means of making last minute adjustments or straightening out stitches. He was definitely not talking about felting, as he went through great length to tell us how to prevent felting while doing this. Like Bob said, it's also absolutely necessary for lace. For example, I just finished a shawl that looked like this pre-blocking:  and this during blocking: (it will look pretty much the same after it's dry and the pins are out)  Lesson: blocking is magical, always do it. laertes22 posted:Also, I don't know if this thread is strictly for knitting (resisting the urge to make a Bob's Burgers "Strictly for my knittahs" reference), but has anyone found a really good beginner video on crochetting? I have looked on youtube and ravelry, and I just can't seem to get it down. And all the vids I've seen either skip steps, go to fast, or make it hard to see what they are doing. If you know of a good beginner crochet video or series, please do share it. Edit: apparently there's nothing that my kitten likes more than pulling the needles out of my blocking and putting them in a little pile. I stepped out for FIVE MINUTES, and came back to him sitting right beside a pin pile, looking like a smug little rear end in a top hat. snail goat fucked around with this message at 23:57 on Aug 15, 2013 |
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Aug 15, 2013 22:25
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MarsDragon posted:100% silk. It came in a thing of three ounces, looped together and then wrapped around. It was fairly narrow roving, though it seemed a bit thick to be technically pencil roving. It was dyed in a rainbow of colours, from dark blue to pink. I swear I have some of this same stuff, which I know I bought at WEBS, but I also lost the label. 100% silk.  Can't even find it on their website, and I really don't feel like driving 2.5 hours just to lost half a paycheck...
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Aug 16, 2013 18:37
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Is it this stuff by chance? Bob's looks similar to the hummingbird there, and that's a 100% silk that Webs sells.
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Aug 16, 2013 19:31
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That...might be it! The colors look similar and Bob's stuff definitely looks like how it was when I bought it. I'm not sure I see the exact colorway on the site, but Amethyst might be close enough. Of course, I find this out just as I decided to just rip back... Now I have to decide all over again. Thanks, Felicity! If nothing else, I love me some nicely dyed silk.
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Aug 16, 2013 19:43
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I hadn't knit or crochet in a really long time, but recently decided to get back into it and just finished this purse today http://www.ravelry.com/projects/Zratha/grannys-no-square it was a great project to get me back in the swing of things, and I am already planning out my next project. I had somehow never heard of Ravelry and am currently exploring the heck out of it.
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Aug 16, 2013 20:56
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FelicityGS posted:Is it this stuff by chance? Bob's looks similar to the hummingbird there, and that's a 100% silk that Webs sells. That's totally it! I remember hummingbird now! Thank you!
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Aug 16, 2013 22:02
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What's your suggestion for a website to grid stuff out for knitting projects? I have a simple washcloth idea in my mind where you make the pattern with the purls and a decorative border, but I've tried a couple of sites and don't like the results. Can't put in the stitches across cuz it's usually for cross stitch stuff. I'd prefer where I can upload the photo and it spits out a grid cuz I have a photo of the logo. I'm really suckin at Google lately apparently. edit: boyfriend found KnitPro works like a charm. sorry I wasted space! zamiel fucked around with this message at 07:31 on Aug 17, 2013 |
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Aug 17, 2013 02:31
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Waddley Hasselhoff posted:I block almost everything because I like the way it evens out stitches and makes the end result much cleaner. Thanks so much for the vid! I was sitting around this weekend watching WWE and trying to figure out crochet (for some weird reason I really enjoy watching professional wrestling and knitting/crochetting at the same time). Something just clicked, and I somehow figured out how to crochet. I basically did a couple of swatches just to make sure I got it, so I am hoping to try a cloth or granny square next. I also began my first "big" knitting project. I am making a cowl (actually a scarf with the ends sewn together since I can't knit in the round yet) for my Betrothed. Hoping I can finish it before winter, so that she can actually use it.
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Aug 19, 2013 16:52
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zamiel posted:What's your suggestion for a website to grid stuff out for knitting projects? I have a simple washcloth idea in my mind where you make the pattern with the purls and a decorative border, but I've tried a couple of sites and don't like the results. Can't put in the stitches across cuz it's usually for cross stitch stuff. I'd prefer where I can upload the photo and it spits out a grid cuz I have a photo of the logo. I'm really suckin at Google lately apparently. It's not exactly the same thing, but according to a post I saw on imgur (I know  ), somebody's grandma discovered that Excel (or a similar spreadsheet program) is great for doing knitting patterns. Just make your columns really narrow. I ended up using it when I decided I was gonna learn how to do cables, and it's great.
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Aug 19, 2013 17:19
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Excel is fine, but you've gotta remember that stitches are not square. They're taller than they are wide. Figure out your specific ratio before you start charting, or colorwork will look hella distorted. IIRC, there's a crochet megathread somewhere in this forum, too.
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Aug 19, 2013 18:44
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i like nice words