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My sister-in-law is going to have another baby in either April or May and I wanted to make a stuffed animal as a gift for the future boy or girl. I used to crochet but gave it up a long time ago, and have been interested in knitting though never tried. How hard is it to make a stuffed toy with knitting, and would it be more durable than one made by crocheting? I am a quick learner, but honestly, how advanced is a project like that going to be for someone with no experience?
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Jan 9, 2008 06:26
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| # ¿ May 2, 2024 22:43 |
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I found some knitting needles on a dumpster dive so I thought I'd teach myself to knit on Monday. It took an embarrassing five hours to get a 10x3 sample of knits and purls done before I felt confident enough to tackle a real project. The one I chose to do is a drop-knit scarf pattern that I found on Ravelry. It's going surprisingly well despite some tension issues, but I'm afraid that the pattern will look like poo poo, or at least like a very lumpy scarf, in the end. See, I didn't know what blocking was until I read through the thread here and now I'm re-thinking the use of my Paton's Decor in a 75/25 acrylic/wool. Blocking won't really help the acrylic yarns much, right? I was hoping that the scarf would stretch a bit to hold the wavy shapes better. Anyway, here's a picture to show my progress. I already messed up in one spot where I missed knitting a full row while watching Venture Brothers. I also had to unravel half a row at one point when I lost my count. Having the tv on while trying to knit is not a good idea. 
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Jul 24, 2008 08:28
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Thanks! Ravelry pattern is here and all the different projects are here. The type and color of yarn really seems to make a difference in how the waves pop. I'll see if it blocks out at all when I'm finished, and maybe try again later in the year with some alpaca or silk blend so the gift recipient thinks I'm all fancy and awesome.
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Jul 24, 2008 17:36
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Pile of Kittens posted:Hmmm, are you sure those needles are the same size? It may be foreshortening, but the different colors also make me suspicious. Yep. Both are also stamped with "7" and I double checked the diameters before starting. I found a 6, 10 and ...6.5 or something. I think there were two of everything at some point but I only rummage so much through other peoples things  I think they were tossed because both are slightly bent, or at least not completely straight.
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Jul 25, 2008 01:22
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Midnight Sun posted:I've knitted this scarf for a swap in the Newer Knitters group on Ravelry: That looks great! What yarn did you use? I've nearly finished mine(hopefully I'll get it done before Christmas) but I don't think blocking will do anything to make the design stand out any better.
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Oct 13, 2008 17:00
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Yeah, that's the problem I'm having with it(aside from actually sitting down to knit). I'm giving the current wip as a gift to someone who wanted it, and I would like to make one for myself if I can ever find a yarn I'm happy with.
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Oct 14, 2008 02:33
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Part of Everything posted:I envy you knitters. I am knitting impaired. I'd still say I'm in the learning phase since my work has been remedial at best, but once in a while I pick a pattern that looks lovely and impossible, and that forces me to learn new stitches. I started out watching some "how to" videos on youtube and knittinghelp.com. Another great resource was Lion's website that offers many step-by-step illustrations for each technique. The combination of these two resources are what get me through my projects. I've gotten back into crochet now, and learned how to knit in August. The personal pride is the best part, because everyone thinks it's so hard to do. The secret is that it isn't very hard at all if you don't psyche yourself out and expect great results on the first try
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Nov 12, 2008 18:06
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Wandering Knitter posted:I did it. Did you take any pictures of all that hard work? I'm interested to see what they look like.
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Dec 25, 2008 16:26
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Do any of you knitters have carpal tunnel? I'm wondering, have you any tricks for working through the pain? Lately I can only knit for about ten minutes, then I have to rest for another 10-15. The scarf I needed for Christmas didn't get done on time because of it 
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Dec 29, 2008 08:14
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Finally finished! This scarf ended up being nearly 6 feet in length, and still wasn't long enough for my tastes. But, I ran out of yarn. It took 6 months to do, little by little, but for my first venture into kitting it turned out quite well. And, my boyfriends mother loved it. That's all I really hoped for. 
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Jan 4, 2009 19:48
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Ozma posted:Honestly, I never did figure out a solution. It completely sucks because I just don't knit much other than really quick projects these days. I think you honestly just have to take lots of breaks and just keep a timer nearby so you don't get too wrapped up. Yeah, it does suck. I can crochet all night but for some reason I can't knit for too long unless I'm having a good day. I think it might just be a case of holding the needles wrong, but I can't find a way to hold them other than what's comfortable, which kills the wrists.
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Jan 5, 2009 06:21
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I wanted to buy a set of Harmony straight needles from KnitPicks, but sadly they're more than the Options set. Would it be better for me to just buy the options then in case I ever need circulars? I haven't quite advanced past using just the three sized needles I have, and would like to branch out into trying new projects.
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Jan 14, 2009 17:47
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DownloadTHIS posted:Correct me if I'm wrong, as I'm still pretty new, but you'll probably be fine with the Options set. They can be used as flexible straight needles, if you really insist on straight, and pretty much everything you can do on straight needles you can work on circs. When working flat on circulars, it works pretty much exactly the same. Thanks for the advice. I've never used circulars yet so they're kind of in the "oooh scary" category. But I'd like to try cables soon, and socks. I've set a goal to make a cardigan, or at least start on one, by the end of this year.
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Jan 14, 2009 20:55
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Aardvarklet posted:In case anyone's interested, there's a seller on Etsy who's got a bunch of Debbie Bliss Baby Cashmerino for sale at the ridiculous price of $3. My LYS carries it for about $9. Eight skeins and the shipping is still only a dollar. Thanks for the heads up!
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May 20, 2009 04:51
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madlilnerd posted:How many of you buy your yarn from independent retailers and Etsy stores? If I'm confident that I will not screw up the project, I buy from smaller independent shops because I love the unique fibers. But, right now the bulk of my yarn is from JoAnns. I love the LYS near me, but the last time I made a purchase it was for to skeins and cost nearly $40. I'm not saying that I don't love the hand-dyed alpaca, but it's less satisfying to walk out with two skeins for the price of 12 alpaca-blend from JoAnns.
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May 24, 2009 20:12
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I'm in need of a remedy for tight/sore wrists whilst knitting. Some nights aren't as bad as others, but I've been on a marathon run of knitting up some rectangles to donate to theHandmade Afghan Project. Only a few more to go by Thursday before I start on some Christmas projects! I've seen some thin gloves at JoAnn's like these, but has anyone tried them or can anyone confirm that they actually help?
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Oct 27, 2009 18:52
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madlilnerd posted:Get a powerball. They relieve tension in your hands, wrists and lower arm and can help build small muscles that improve grip and just generally help out with tasks of a dexterous nature. Thanks, I'm gonna pick one up this weekend. Ten years of data entry ruined me, so like you I want to do my crafty stuff, typing and video games and usually just push through the pain. I'd rather play with a ball than wear silly old lady knitting gloves just yet!
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Oct 28, 2009 20:11
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Hobo Camp posted:I'm teaching myself to knit. First project was a stocking cap: Oh god I want one of those too, but I'm still afraid to knit with more than one color yarn. How hard was the green and white cap to make?
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Nov 10, 2009 22:30
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Oh my God that does look easy. I'm just such a clumsy knitter when it comes to new stuff. I'm still trying to get purling down, but it's a real bitch. I'm working on a scarf now that is half purling, so by the time I finish I should be a pro.
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Nov 11, 2009 07:14
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I'm up for a swap. I have yarn that I bought just because it was pretty or a great deal...and now I don't know what to do with it.
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Jan 5, 2010 23:55
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Wandering Knitter posted:I find listening (not watching) movies or shows I've seen a hundred times helps put me in the trance. This works best for me, as well as listening to podcasts. I tend to get easily frustrated with projects because I'm a perfectionist. If I notice my tension is off or I'm just not happy with the pattern I'll frog it and go on to something new. Needless to say I've not completed anything in ages. I am looking to venture into cables though. Is there a decent pattern anyone can suggest for somebody who's never done cables before? I've been looking through ravelry but nothing has caught my eye yet.
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Jan 21, 2010 10:01
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Captain Stinkybutt posted:http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/cross-stitch-scarf-2 I've tried starting this pattern three times and I always screw something up and give up on it. I'm afraid to try again because it's so drat frustrating.
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Feb 14, 2010 21:03
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My first time knitting anything other than a scarf!  I've been asked to knit up some slippers for my cousin who has tiny tiny feet. I'm trying this pattern from ravelry, which is my first foray into using dpn's. Bit clumsy, but I succeeded, sort of. I only made one so far and it looks more like an elf shoe than a rounded toe slipper. I followed the pattern exactly and did my best to maintain uniform tension but it just looks weird to me. Aside from looking elfish, I'm not really sure how large a size 5.5 is. The finished slipper is sitting on a 4x6 photo for reference. There is some stretch since I used both wool and cotton yarn, but short of stealing a shoe from Target, how do I figure it out? I looked online for a template but all I found was a chart for sock knitting that said a women's size 5 is 8.7". I think I'm just bad at google So basically, I need to know three things: 1. If you are a size 5-6, how long and wide is your foot? 2. How can I create a more rounded shape for the toe like the pattern photos? 3. Are there any other free patterns for easy Mary-Jane style slippers that I should look into?
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Mar 13, 2010 06:27
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Yeah, I wear either a 10.5 or 11 depending on brand. I did actually find that chart earlier but it seemed odd to me that the difference between a 5 and a 10 is only two inches.
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Mar 13, 2010 18:30
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What do you do when your favorite LYS switches gears? My favorite is discounting most of the yarn, books and needles this month to get rid of supplies and won't be doing open knitting or knitting classes anymore. I can understand why the owner doesn't want to associate with knitting anymore, but it's sad. The only other highly rated shop is about a half hour away
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Jul 2, 2010 05:59
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Wandering Knitter posted:If it's getting rid of the yarn/books/needles then what the hell is it turning into? The owner wants to start loom weaving and spinning again apparently. I know that there will be some stock of yarn, but nothing like what she has now. At least I'll get some deals on supplies that I need.
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Jul 2, 2010 09:17
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I'd really love to spin, but I need to scale back on some other hobbies first. My apartment hasn't any room left for storing supplies.
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Jul 2, 2010 19:11
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madlilnerd posted:
I love it! Comfy sweaters are just the best thing in autumn and winter. I want to knit sweaters so badly but I get bored easily with such large projects.
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Jul 13, 2010 22:22
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PROJECT COMPLETION dingdingding
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Roflex posted:That ball on the right is the last existing sample of that color...IN THE WORLD. I know this will sound stupid, but have you looked on Flickr for images of stash yarns? I was contacted last summer by a woman who wanted to pay any price for a particular yarn to finish a project, and wondered if I had any left. I had three full skeins that I was looking to offload for months, so it was a win-win. If the other options above happen to fail you, give it a shot.
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Sep 10, 2010 03:23
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Bob Shadycharacter posted:Oh no! I have no advice really since this has never happened to me but oh my god, that is awful. I hang up cedar blocks in closets and put cedar rounds or balls into drawers and storage containers. They do need to be refreshed every year or so, but better than the little buggers eating your favorite woolies. I'm in need of a decent men's scarf pattern. I looked through ravelry but there aren't too many(free patterns) that caught my interest other than this one because it doesn't appear to be too bulky. I'd love any suggestions if you've got 'em.
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Sep 28, 2010 01:59
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I wish my boyfriend would let me knit hims stuff, but I think he's embarrassed by my "grandma crafts".
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Sep 28, 2010 02:36
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That cable scarf is lovely, but I'm just so clumsy and slow with cables. I think I'm going to try the Cerus scarf since it looks like I can whip it up faster than the first one I linked. I just need to pick up some longer needles since my only pair is half the recommended length. I might try the other one for my brother since I'll have right up until Christmas to try and finish.
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Sep 28, 2010 08:48
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Wandering Knitter posted:There were a few years where every knitting book was "COOL EXTREME HIP HOP KNITS FOR GRRRRRLS!". So many terrible arm band patterns and "hip" hats. Now it seems to have mellowed out. When I mentioned an interest in knitting I had to turn away crap like "punk knitting"(I forget the name) because it was so not what I wanted to make. I'm in my 30's dammit. I wasn't even into that stuff when I was 15.
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Nov 17, 2010 04:40
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I do, just not in reference to my - or any - knitting.
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Nov 17, 2010 06:48
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Ma_NiC posted:http://forums.somethingawful.com/showthread.php?threadid=3361437 Usually when I buy yarns to make items for other people I buy cheap but soft yarns from these two places. Last week I bought three skeins of some loops & threads yarn(really hate working with the stuff but it's soft) for 50% off, plus I had a coupon for 20% off the total purchase. Now I realize I should have gotten a few more skeins of sale yarns for additional gifts, but that's ok. More money for my "fancy yarn" fund.
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Nov 27, 2010 02:32
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Argh! If your US6 was metal I'd trade you something for it. It's the last single I have that needs a match.
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Jan 27, 2011 07:27
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| # ¿ May 2, 2024 22:43 |
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Bob Shadycharacter posted:Not to mention they seem to think that you can whip out a pair of socks in about an hour or something. People who don't knit are ignorant of the amount of time to complete a project. My mom is one of those people. She's still laying a guilt trip on me for not finishing two scarves in the span of a week. Like I have nothing else to do but knit all day.
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Dec 6, 2011 08:27
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