Finally a pair of socks! I dont't know why, but the second sock takes allways so much time. There was knot in the coloured wool and at first I thought there will be a different order of colours (because I alwasys try to have 2 identical socks). Anyway, the socks are very coloured, so I decided to knit along.
With tomatoheel and heel flap as toe:
The fitting of the tomatoheel is better then the heel flap. But my favourite is and will be the heel with an extra heel flap.
I think you know how to continue: 2 rows self-coloured yarn and 2 rows single-coloured yarn in change, altogether 28 rows Knit 1, purl 1 Knit 3, purl 1 Knit 5, purl 1 Knit 3, purl 1 Knit 3, purl 1 Knit 8 rows Now the heel beginns. I've knitted the tomato heel, which is convenient due to the stripes. The different parts are knitted in different colours:
I've knitted the foot in stripes without purl stitches, thereby it doesn't hurt if you wear shoes. You can also knit a different heel or a longer leg, if you want to. In conclusion I knitted a heel flaps for the toe and sewed together the opening:
Today the pattern continues: One row knit stitches with the single-coloured yarn,
then 2 rows self-patterned wool and 2 rows single coloured wool in turn,
altogether 20 rows with the following pattern:
9 rows stocking stitches, 1 row purl stitches,
3 rows stocking stitches, 1 row purl stitches,
3 rows stocking stitches, 1 row purl stitches,
2 rows stocking stitches
Due to the changing wool in everey 2nd row, you don't have to chop the thread which you don't need at the moment. You can put it up on the inside and cross it in every round with the thread you knit with.
Recently I've started a new pullover. For its yarn I looked everywhere! Barely I'd started, I couldn't find the pattern again. When I lended the appropriate book and made a copy, I discovered a mistake and had to undo a big part. And that was just the beginning of a series of mishaps until I stopped the pullover enervated. Now my question: does it happen to you, too, that you can't finish a project by no means?
Lot of thanks to "Praagelmam" for today's question!
Of course I have such projects. Or another problem: I don't have any more yarn due to wrong calculating.
Sometimes I have the problem to knit the second sock. The first is finished really fast, but the second... Just once I abandoned a jacket for my husband. I exactly followed the pattern with the stated needle size, knitted with the original yarn. It was a birthday present. But unfortunately it got far too big. My darling could have wraped it two times. That was the last time, I started knitting without doing a gauge.
I undid the complete jacket (of course I had already sewed up) and I knitted a gauge. But no matter how hard I tried, I never got the stated size, even though when I took a different needle size.
Since then this wool rests, still wounded in balls, on the attic. My husband got a different jacket. Another model, another wool.
- 1 single-coloured ball - 1 self-patterned ball with a corresponding colour.
Cast on the nessecary stitch count with the multi-coloured wool. I first took a circular knitting needle. You have to knit 6 rows in garter stitches:
Now chop the multi-coloured yarn and take the single-coloured ball. Knit 4 stitches in rib pattern (knit one purl one or knit two purl two). As from now we do circular knitting. Then turn your knitting work on th left needle full around (backwards) and knit in rib pattern again.
Once more knit 4 stitches in rib pattern, turn full around the knitting work on the left needle (backwards), knit 4 stitches, and so on until the end. Then knit 10 rows in rib pattern:
The jacket is growing. Finally the back part is finished:
At the moment I'm knitting the left front. Now I'm getting faster because I've internalised the pattern.
I've washed and cocked it, but be careful: that doesn't mean to get it as big as possible. This time I recognized again that one should define the measurements exactly. Wet knitting work stretches endless... And I'd like to knit a jacket for my daughter, not a monster ;-)
The last woollen hat is knitted, the first gloves are already lost. And now? Which projects do you want to start for the warm season? Thank you to "Tee & Kekse" for todays question! First I'd like to end some unfinished knitting work. - Anna's traditional jacket, I'll show you some progress soon - Buttercup is waiting for its finishing:
And there will be a new sock-spring-KAL, of which more later. And afterwards? I'm not sure about it. But that's okay, otherwise I'd have still more unfinished works.
Wollschaf wants to know: I'm excited and surprised, how many things are knitted in a very short time. My question is: Is it all knitted by hand or do some of you also knit with the machine? Wherefrom do you get good patterns for machine knitting? What are the advantages and disadvantages of both kinds of knitting? Or should a hand knitter better not knit with a machine? I'm looking forward to your answers!Lot of thanks to Anja for today's question! I'm knitting as well by hand as with machines. There are things, that can't be knitted by hand and there are things, that can't be knitted by machine, I think. For sock-knitting without any pattern, I prefer the machine, also for scarfes... Therefore parts, that are knitted in stocking stitches or in rib pattern in the main and which are often monotonous to knit by hand. Of course you can knit patterns with the machine, it depends on the machines facilities: Knitting into the centre of the stitch, Norwegian patterns, skip stitches and much more.
There aren't many new (german) patterns for machine knitting. Sometimes there are some reprints. The disadvantage of most patterns is, that they relate to a particular machine, mostly Brother. Every company had its own lables for techniques and switches. So if you want to knit with your own machine (which is another then the machine in the pattern) you have to guess some of the notations to implement the pattern. What a pity!
Again I wasn't able to resist and so I bought a few things: Books about art knitting
A few impressions:
Indeed I'm not a fan of doilies and most of the time we don't have a tablecloth. They are getting dirty so fast and I don't like the plastic ones. But I really like this beautiful doilies.
Wollschaf is asking: From the archive from 03.05.2005: Let us assume: You are in a foreign city, and you don't know the place, for a visit or for holidays, but you sadly forgot to take your knitting work with you. What would you do?
It depends on the circumstances. When I'm on the way for a short time only (let's say 2 days), I can do without knitting. When I stay any longer, I have to become acquainted with the place and I'm sure, I would find a shop, where I can buy sock wool and needles at least.
I wouldn't start a big project, but you can always need socks, which I know by heart so I don't need a list. But when I'd discover a great handwork shop, which has a wool in its assortment, that I always wanted to have, it also might be a bigger project... When I'm traveling, I only can knit in a train. It's impossible for me to knit in the car or bus.
The pattern for the shawl Pavone is here.
The package with filodilana material with a free pattern is available in cashmere, wool-cashmere-silk and merino.
It is perfect for starting with knitting a laceshawl due to the catchy pattern. You can put in pearls ad libitum.
It is very easy adjustable in size, depending on your preference.
"Many of my good friends are pregnant at the moment. And what is more obvious for a knitting- and crochet-fan then welcome the babies with a fluffy soft present? Certainly it is getting boring in the long run, knitting masses of little socks and little shoes. Therefore I am on the look-out for recent suggestions. Regardless of whether clothes, toys or cover, what are your favourite knitting- and crochet-things for babies?"
Based on the question I recognize that I am a generation older...
The last years I didn't knit anything for babies, because there was no need. But one of the next things I want to try, is a baby surprise jacket. I will knit it for a doll. I don't really need this jacket, but I am interested in the technics.
For my own children I knitted a devil cup, because it warms the forehead. A baby allways needs a hat, wool for the winter, cotton for the summer. Most of the heat is lost by the head.
Little jackets are usefull everytime and more practical then a pullover. Pullovers shall let open on the shoulder. Here is a little jacket - a version with an easy pattern and a woolen cap (knit stitches):
The following jacket has an easy pattern out of knit and purl stitches (unfortunately it is not very clear recognizable, but the picture is so idyllic :-) )
(Both patterns have been in a baby magazine from Burda in the early 90s)
Gloves are knitted as fast as socks. You don't have to knit a thumb, it is okay if you knit a "little bag".
A patchwork quilt is also very practical: as play rug, for the buggy, as duvet etc.
Which material you chose, depends on the mother. I mostly took new wool and washed things by hand. The clothes are very small, so they are washed quickly and they do not need lot of space to dry.
By the risk, that everything is washed at 90° C with a normal detergent in the washing machine, I would take cotton. For cotton it is okay. New wool would getting smaller and felt with this treatment.
As well in real as in virtual life there exist many discussions about washing wool the right way. On the ball bands are always advices (anyway in Germany) whether the wool has to be washed by hand. But you can also go wrong, starting with washing agent through mechanic strain, ending with a matted knitting work.
Beforehand: Wool (animal fibre) doesn't have to be washed every day. Most time it is enough to air the clothes and brush them out, because bacteria which are at fault for bad smell can't survive.
Wool consists of (animal)hairs from sheeps, goats (Mohair, Cashmere), alpaca or rabbits (Angora) and is often mixed with synthetic fibre or cotton.
You should always use a special wool washing agent for washing wool. All other washing agents contain enzymes, which attack the wool fibre. The purpose of enzymes is to split proteins and the wool fibre is lagerly made of proteins. I take an ordinary hair shampoo, that I also take for myself.
In the washing machine I take a special setting for washing wool (which has every machine, look into the instructions for use) and I just wash wool, which is suitable for "superwash". Unfortunately this wool loses many positive features of the wool fibre. For sockwool, this equipment is justified I think, due to the high load (quite the contrary to any other pieces of clothes).
With the aid of a video I want to show you, how to wash wool by hand the right way. Don't worry, it is very easy, but you should consider a few things absolutely.
(Unfortunately it exists only in German, but you can also see a few things)
This week Wollschaf is asking: One day we all started knitting. By choice or we had to at school. Do you remember how it was? What causes most troubles? When did it catch you? Thank you to Michaela for today's question! My mother showed me how to knit before I started school. I remember an increasing number of stitches and a broadering knitting work... At school I learned a lot of new things from my needlework teacher. Not only beginning a knitting work and knit and purl stitches, I also learned knitting with 5 needles. After primary school handwork lessons were over for me, because I went to a school, where I was in the first class where girls were admitted. I started with knitting for my dolls. At the age of 13 I knitted my first long scarf: Knitted in garter stitches and about 2 meters with fringers, at that time it was modern. The first bigger needlework was a traditional jacket that I knitted together with my mom. I knitted the back and one sleeve. My mother the front and the second sleeve. So "I" finished the jacket very quickly and I was so proud about my first "real" project. In the 80s lot of people knitted at school or university. It wasn't really welcomed and of course it aggravated making notes a lot. My grandmother showed me how to knit socks. I never really stopped knitting. For me, afterwards for my husband and for my kids. At the end of the 90s I bought a used Singer knitting machine and knitted almost exclucivley socks. Three years ago, a Silverreed superfine-knitter came in addition. The family always needs knitted clothes, things are damaged from time to time.
Since last year I'd like to knit a traditional jacket for my daughter. I already knitted a gauge with different pattern and different kinds of cuffs.
I'm knitting with filo di lana Australien Merino Klassik, pure new wool. A wonderful fluffy material, which finally should be a traditional jacket. Liesl Fanderl's books inspired me for the pattern. The books contain a magnificent collection of pattern for al level of difficulty. For my own design, I changed the pattern a bit. The beginning has been made, the cuff for the back part is finished:
The cuff is knitted double. Now the pattern with crossed stitches begins. I'm writing down what I'm knitting, there will be pattern.
filo di lana cashmere: an extra fine lace yarn from Italy, that I can twist for you 1 ply, 2 ply, 3 ply or 4 ply. The 1 ply wools yarn length is 1400m/100g!
The woolen hat is knitted from the top. Due to this kind of knitting you can try and check every time whether the cap fits. The pattern repeat has 20 stitches. In the video, it is knitted 5 times. But you can also knit the pattern 4 times if you don't need so many stitches.
I've started with 10 stitches, knit one, yarn over, knit one, yarn over... until you have finished the row.
Then knit one, knit one through back of loop, knit one, knit one through back of loop... Now you have 20 stitches.
Again, knit one, yarn over, knit one... until you have finished the row.
Then knit one, knit one through back of loop, knit one, knit one through back of loop... Now you have 40 stitches.
Now take the stitch marker:
Knit 8, yarn over, stitch marker, continue until you have reached the end of the row.
Then knit 8, knit one through back of loop, knit 8, knit one through back of loop... When you have finished, you should have 45 stitches
Now:
Knit 9, yarn over, stitch marker, knit 9, yarn over, stitch marker... Now you have 50 stitches.
Go on until you have 60 stitches. Then continue with a 3.5mm double point needle set until you have 100 stitches.
