Topic: Who knits then???

[Georgie]

I think you check the tension by knitting a square in stocking stitch that's bigger than 10 cm square, then mark a row, count 10 cm then mark that row, and then do the same for columns.  That way you'll know whether you nit tightly or loosely.  If you have too many to the 10 cm you knit tightly, therefore need larger needles to get the right tension, if you have too few you knit loosely and would need smaller needles.  Or knit a larger or smaller size.

I'm just off for a lie down.   ;D

G x

[Georgie]

Georgie, Pearsons do sell wool, I think it on the top floor, poked away in a corner.  They used to have cheap double knitting wool as I used to buy it when I had a phase of knitting soft toys.  Charity shops sometimes sell it.  Was the one in Lancaster Road so full of wool you couldn't get in and the woman could never find anything. Not surprised it closed down.

Oh right, I'll have a look tomorrow.  Er, are we using 'wool' or the synthetic stuff btw?

IIRC the shop was quite large and on the corner of Browning Road (?) and the woman was very helpful.  I don't think they made a lot of money as there was hardly ever anyone in there which was a shame really because they could always be relied upon for embroidery silks, buttons etc which my daughter used to need for various school projects. 

G x

[Jeannine]

Basic acrylic double knitting yarn  worked on a  4mm  needle  (old UK 8 or US 6)  tensions at 22 stitches x 34  rows will give you a 10cm (4 inch) square.This is worked on stocking stitch.

Some of the fancier yarns with silk, pure wool and cotton blended in can be slightly different but are expensive too.

Basic acrylic is cheap, colourful and washes well, if wool is mixed in when the blankie is washed it might shrink and the blankie will  be puckered in the places where the wool is. Better to stick to regular acrylics and double knitting.

It can be found in most places Woolies, Boyes, Wilkinsons, anywhere really that seels yarn.

An 6 inch square makes a good size for a patchwork blankie in basic stocking stitch, so  33 stitches and 50  rows should give you that.

If you knit tight use a size bigger needle and if you knit loose knit a size smaller, this way the squares should be more or less the same whoever makes them.

4 ply needs to be 28 stitches x 36 rows on  3.25 needle old UK10, US 3) will give you 4 inches but the square will be a lighter weight than in DK.

Hope this helps.

 XX Jeannine

[Emagggie]

Well that serpently helps me  ;D
Thanks Jeannine.

[littlebabybird]

ok, seems like there are a few of us.

soooo, what size squares?
could have done one by now

is it ok to do a patern or a fancy yarn as long as i can get the size the same?

lbb

[Georgie]

How about doing this ?
.
http://brilliantbritain.blogspot.com/2008/11/help-knit-worlds-biggest-tea-cosy.html

Flighty that looks like a worth while cause to me but perhaps it's best posted in a separate thread so that it doesn't get mixed up with this one?

G x

[flowerofshona2007]

Im not a great knitter but a group of us knit for 'Bonnie Babies' charity that knits for premaure babies and the sad fact that babies die and the mums need to hold their babies to say good bye, the hats ect are so small and so fast to knit and take very little wool.
Have a look and please if you can knit give a hand its a lovely thing to do for familys at a tough time  :)

http://www.bonniebabies.co.uk/

[littlebabybird]

Hi flowerofshona2007
that sounds like a lovely idea,
i think that star would realy like to do a blanket first though
maybe when the people who havent knitted for the last 20 years start again
they will rediscover it and go on to making other things

lbb

[star]

At the moment I will pause on doing this until the New Year. But watch this space.......thanks for the interest to those who have posted ;)

[Carol]

I can knit but no needles or wool in house but can buy it somewhere!!!  Put my name down.  The look on OHs face when he sees me knitting will be priceless.

C   ;D

[shirlton]

I would be very pkeased to do some knitting for you.  Just give me the instructions love.

[shirlton]

I can't even spell god help me with the bluddy knittin

[Flighty]

Georgie I've just seen your comment!
Now I know that there's lots of knitters here I'll do that.
Thanks! xx

[luckydog]

Count me in aswell.  Have loads of odd balls  :o  which need using up.

[tricia]

A couple of tips for those of you who haven't knitted for years.

When casting on insert the needle between the two last cast on stitches. This gives a very neat and firm bottom edge to the knitting.

Start each plain row with one purl stitch and each purl row with one plain stitch. This gives a good edge for joining two pieces of knitting together.

hth

Tricia

[Emagggie]

Duly noted Tricia,thanks. Going for a ferret in the attic now, got a bag of wool the size of England in there.(well a large M&S bag at least ;D) All I need now is something worth watching on the tele.

[Borlotti]

Cast on, then knit the next row knitting into the back of the stitch.  My mum taught me.  Gives an even edge. I think we are going to get a lot of different size squares, unless we check the wool, needles and what tension we knit at.  Sounds a bit too complicated for me.  Next door does lovely, lovely crochet rugs but even though mum taught me still can't do it.

[valmarg]

Crochet is much easier Borlotti, you've only got one stitch to drop. ;D

valmarg

[Borlotti]

Well, now it gets dark early and the allotment can look after itself for a while I will learn to crochet. I can do a plain row but not much else.  So used to having two needles not one hook.  I love some of the crochet work and people who can do it make it look so easy.

[manicscousers]

my mum used to crochet lace, never got off wool myself, mind you, I used to make all the babies boottees and jackets  ;D