New Knitting Thread (And spinning) (And crochet too I guess)

[yelley]

yesh, i'm yelley on ravelry too ^_^

[Trillian]

Yelley, thanks for letting me know about the free pattern!  I looked it up and that is definitely going to be my next project.  I am pretty stoked about it actually. 

P.S. I love all of the stuff that you have posted.  Cedric is so cute! 

This is really just more of a general question for all of you:
My knitting experience has been rather limited as far as deviation away from scarves, hats, basic sweater, etc.  I didn't have anyone to show me and my lack of focus made it to where it took me twice as long to figure out how to do things than it should have.  I have only recently discovered the wonderful world of free online patterns, so I was wondering: Are there any online knitting communities that are particularly rad? 

[yelley]

www.ravelry.com

go put your name on the waiting list and you should get an invite in a couple of weeks or so.

www.craftster.org

there is a knitting board on the forums there that is great; lots of helpful people and everyone is nice.

[Trillian]

Thank you much!  I just wait listed myself.  I can see this as being a rather torturous wait though.  I am too impatient! 

Also, I bought the yarn for my pinwheel sweater!  More to come, I am sure.

[ojzovasbus]

ALLY. Where is my mudkip scarf?? ;n;

[peonyandocean]

Does anyone know a good tutorial for getting started with dpns? I'm trying to start http://www.knitty.com/issuespring07/PATTdashing.html and it's...it's not going well AT ALL. I've frogged the first few rounds 10x the past two days and I'm on the verge of giving up.

[yelley]

i would recommend going to knittinghelp.com and watching the videos there about knitting with dpns. there are some videos on youtube that might help too.

[Ally]

Let me finish this cardigan and not fail school and then I will buy yarn and make up a pattern.

[ojzovasbus]

Let me finish this cardigan and not fail school and then I will buy yarn and make up a pattern.

WOO YAY
ps Like my signature?? 8D

[captain zoe]

I've been trying to learn to knit off and on for about 2 years now; I'd pick up like 2 steps at a time and then get distracted for ample amounts of time.  Anyway I finally learned enough to put out something productive; so I'm working on a straight knit stitch (haven't tried purl stitch yet) scarf.  I'm pretty pleased with it so far.  Will post pics when I finish it. 

[yelley]

i knit and felted a bag. it is the french market bag from knitty. it turned out better than i expected.

[peonyandocean]

felted bag!!

It's so pretty! It came out very well. I love the green you used.

[Trillian]

yelley, I aspire to be you as a knitter.  I feel like I am floundering and it makes my brain spin.  I did get my invite to ravelry today though, so I was very excited!  I think I squealed in glee, I can't really say as I was distracted with knitting things.  Thanks for the recommendation.   

[SomeOtherGuy]

you should aspire to be a knitter like edith... she is much better at it than i am.

be my ravelry friend... my name on there is yelley too.

edit: oops... i'm under my boyfriend's account. this is yelley... obviously...

[Trillian]

I have not had the pleasure of becoming acquainted with Edith.  Just the same, I love the work you have posted.  I aspire to be like all knitters that are so fantastic, currently I feel clumsy with it.  And you have been added.

[bauhausmaus]

Oh, I'll be staying at my uncle's in Dublin for most of the time.

There's a Dublin in California? I hail from Dublin, Ireland and incidentally this is my first QC forum post. Hello! *waves* Apart from loving QC I am currently trying to knit - I want to knit this http://www.knitty.com/ISSUEwinter06/PATTbinary.html but I'm baffled at the 'knit-speak'

[Linds]

There are a lot of knitting "dictionaries" out there, including on the internet, so if you type whatever abbreviation you're looking for or just "knitting terms" in your search engine of choice, you should be able to find what you're looking for. Or you could just ask us. ^_^

Also, looking at your pattern, they have a link to the abbreviations on that website listed under Pattern Notes. Good luck with your scarf, because that one is pretty fun looking.

[Edith]

Wow, I just logged on here for the first time in ...well, in a while, and saw that Jason said I was a good knitter. Then I realized it was Yelley, not Jason.

But, anyway, yeah, I'm Edith. And I knit a lot. But I'd like to have yelley's crochet skilz. Because have you seen this?!

[Linds]

Ahh! CUTE!

[Bibliophile]

That is the cutest thing! Great, now I guess I have to learn how to crochet or something. Thanks a lot. 

[Trillian]

yeah seriously.  I guess I am going to have to pick that up as well.  There is no time...aah!

[Linds]

From here! I made that one for my cat as a little birthday/V Day toy. (It's got catnip on the inside.) Really quick, easy things to make and give away! I probably should have posted this before Valentine's Day, but they're good for anything, me thinks.

[Alex C]

...Wow, you guys are all waaaay better at this than I am. Then again, I kinda approach knitting as a pure zen thing the few times I play around with it and haven't really branched out beyond scarves I whip up for my sister; I only kind of learned the basics from being bored out of my skull while volunteering at nursing homes when I was younger (which was funny, 'cuz a bunch of the old men laughed at me) and later as something to do with my grandmother when I visit her.

[yelley]

alex... hon... with that handle and avatar, and then with that post about knitting... you aren't really doing much to secure your position as a male poster on these boards.

wheeeeeeeeeeee boys who knit yay.

[Linds]

Indeed!

[Alex C]

One could probably make the argument I haven't done much to secure myself a position as a male anywhere, although the handle's as much due to running jokes about it from my brother as much as it is about my actual knitting practices (I really don't knit very often anymore). Knitting sure beats Bridge though; if I learned anything at that nursing home it's that I suck at Bridge.

[yelley]

i crocheted an octopus.

be in awe of its cuteness.

[Alex C]

That makes me want to figure out how to crochet an elder god.

[Linds]

SO CUTE!

[lady_bugged]

Alright knitters...
i'm new to knitting... sort of. i've been taught every winter for about 6 years... i've finally sort of caught on to it properly... and i discovered websites like knitty that made me actually want to start knitting stuff...

i'm about to attempt knitting in the round for the first time... hopefully to make a pair of leg warmers. i was going to cheat and knit a straight block and then stitch up the back but my mum told me i should try the circular needles...

my plan is ribbed at the top and bottom and moss stitch for the rest... i have 3.75 circular needles... i've heard suggested 100st for that size... good idea, bad idea? i really have no idea... any suggestions?

[Linds]

Well, the best way to measure anything is to make a square of a set amount of stitches and rows. Then take the size of that, figure out how it will fit your leg and go from there. (Like 25 sts and 12 rows, take the height and width and translate it to the circumference and length of your leg warmers.)

Or do what I do and just start going at it and if it's too big or small, frog it and adjust the number of sts accordingly.

[Ladybug]

100st sounds too much, but then again, I'm also a novice. However, I'm knitting a sock atm (hopefully it'll turn into two, but I'm getting tired of it..), and the needles are 2,5mm and the yarn is fairly thin, and I used 64st from the top. So 100 sounds a lot, but then again, the socks are pretty tight, but my calves are also huge, so it still sounds like a lot. I've knitted a ribbed beanie that used 104st, though that was on 5mm needles.

I don't think this is helping at all, and I might be totally wrong :/ I'd probably look for a pattern online, and at least use it for size reference, though I guess it also depends on what yarn you're using.

[yelley]

your number of cast on stitches will depend on the thickness of your yarn and your gauge. also, i would think for leg warmers you would use DPNs... or either 2 circs or magic loop.

[JaneBriefcase]

Because... I don't feel like digging up the old one.

Just finished my Noro scarf! These colors aren't really true; it is actually more muted and beautiful and there is a lot more blue than pink. Also my body looks fatskinny, thanksss myspace angles.



I am starting my first sweater soon (knock on wood)! Share your creations, please. Also ask for advice! We have many great knitters on these forums!

That's a beautiful scarf.  Noro yarns just...do things that other yarns do not.  Which Noro yarn did you use?


Also, I can't believe I missed the knitting thread.  I need to find knitters near me so I'm not a lonely knitter anymore.  I taught my boyfriend how to knit recently, and discovered the addi needles.  I will soon get over my fear of sweaters and start knitting things other than fingerless gloves and scarves and socks soon enough.

Anyone have a good straight up glove pattern?  I need to find a good pattern to learn fingers with. 

[Jeans]

That makes me want to figure out how to crochet an elder god.

Maybe this will help you? I'd do it myself but I've tried and failed at everything yarn-related except wearing the socks and mitts my grandmother knits for me, so I'll let someone else do it.

[Linds]

I saw that! I really wish they would have just posted the pattern.

[Alex C]

I will enlist my grandmother and conquer that mountain.

[Drill King]

I recently had my chemistry teacher trying to teach me to crochet. He's really amazing at it, however I find it really bothers my knuckles.

Would knitting be any easier? And for you crocheters our there, any websites that will help me get beyond the first few rows of a scarf lol.

[Linds]

I found crocheting, what little I have done, was overall easier on my hands. But if you hold the needles correctly, it shouldn't too much, but as it's working with your hands, your hands will cramp or ache if you do it for long periods of time.

[Caiphana]

I have awful hands. My grip is terrible. I can't open very many things. Child caps give me issues.

I find knitting easier than crocheting. I knit... well, in a very bastardized style, and I think it really helps my hands. Generally, when knitting, the loops are on the left needle in such a way that you knit into the front loop (and you purl into the back). I twist my stitches so that I knit into the back loop and purl into the front. It comes out looking exactly the same, and I have to pay attention to patterns that say SSK (because I actually have to K2tog to get the same effect and such) but.. that probably makes no sense to you.

Knitting's easier on my hands than crocheting. There. I also found it much easier to learn than crocheting. I hate crocheting, and I've been doing it since I was little.

However, when I bother to try and knit "properly," with my loops on the needle "correctly," it really fuxes my joints up. I have no idea why.

Oh, when I was teaching myself entrelac, I taught myself to knit backwards. Best thing evar. I need to take pictures.

[Ladybug]

Question for those of you more experienced than me; when at the end of a sock/mitten/whatever, where it says you should pull the yarn through the remaining stitches, what do you use to get the yarn through them? Because I cannot for the life of me get it through, and the only alternative I can think of is a large sewing needle, but I don't know where to get needles large enough for the yarn..

(I finished one sock (minus the yarn-through-7-stiches-part)! I might never finish the second one, but I will try, because it would be awesome to have socks I've made myself. And I will post pictures of the one sock some time, because I'm sorta proud of having finished it and figuring out how to make the heel and stuff.)

[Linds]

I use a tapestry needle, if that's what it's called. It's a large eyed, somewhat blunt needle. I also use it to weave in ends, too.

Also, clarify what I said about crocheting being easier on my hands, I forgot to mention most of what I have done involved a size Q hook, which is 15mm. (In other words, rather big.) Lately I've been knitting mostly on US size 6-8 needles, which are considerably smaller and therefore make me cramp up more. This may have something to do with it!

[Ladybug]

Thanks! They had a big needle at the yarn store, so I finished the sock today.



It fits perfectly! The knitting is sort of odd some places, and it's way tighter some places than others, but overall, I'm quite pleased. I might even make the second one. The yarn is kinda cool looking, but it's thin and I can't seem to find a good tightness, but I'll try again.

[yelley]

i knit a squid. yaaaaaay squid.

[Emaline]

Dear yelley,


So, whats your favorite kind of cake? I figure I should ask, so I know what kind to get for our wedding.

[yelley]

dear emaline,

i don't much care for cake. but i will eat it on special occasions, such as our wedding. i prefer white cake. or ice cream cake. especially the kind from coldstone that is made with cake batter flavored ice cream. brilliant! for when you want cake that tastes like cake but isn't actually cake. best idea ever.

<3, yelley

[Linds]

I am enjoying the crocheted aquatic creatures. I need to improve my crochet skills...

[Purl]

Yay, more knitters! I have a pretty unhealthy love of knitting (hence the name).

I have also been meaning to take up crochet again, and I was wondering if anyone has used the book "The Happy Hooker"? I loved "Stitch and Bitch", so I thought that this might be a good starting point.

[JaneBriefcase]

Yelley!  I've been checking out your ravelry projects---very very awesome.  I absolutely love that crocheted fat-bottomed bag, it's beautiful.  Note to self--learn to crochet.

I keep wanting to put more pictures up of my knits, but I ran out of allowable space on Flickr for the month. 

[Trillian]

I haven't been able to knit for the past month as I was moving across country, getting settled, etc.  But yesterday I finally threw up my hands and said, "I need to get to a yarn store...right now".  So I started on http://wineandneedles.blogspot.com/2004/12/wrist-warmer-pattern.html these wrist warmers.  I live in Idaho so it will be relatively chilly outside for the next month or so, so they aren't completely obsolete yet!  I am just excited to be knitting again.  It was a sort of relief.