So, I have taken the plunge.
I haven't really seen a cause to knit my own socks. I don't wear socks that often and I don't have a thing for cute socks, so I just never saw a need. However, while shopping at the Loopy Ewe a couple of weeks ago, I had purchased enough this year to make the Loopy Groupy minimum and I got a free skein of sock yarn. So I went to Hobby Lobby to pick up a cheap set of needles and while there they had some sock yarn 50% off, so I grabbed some.
All of that to say I have started my first pair of socks. And that I plan to do at least a couple of pairs of socks. I have settled on a very simple pattern of k3p1 just so I can get the hang of making heels, turning the work for the shift from leg to foot and doing toes. I have some other much cuter patterns that I want to try, too, but I figured I would start simple so that if, and when, I do mess up those new pieces that I haven't ever tried before, the sock will still, hopefully, look ok.
I know that socks are the staple item to knit for some knitters out there. It isn't so much that I have had anything against making them, but I do insist on making items that I am going to wear. I know some people who have made tens of shawls but they never wear shawls. Though I understand the fun of making something like that, I just can't bring myself to make lots of something and spend hours of time making things that I or someone I know is not likely to ever use. However, the new job has me on my feet for 10+ hours a day, and come winter time I understand that it can get rather cold in our building. So, aside from the yarn being on sale or free for these, I also think that I might have cause to use them this coming winter. The pair that I am starting with is a variegated super wash wool with some polyamid, hopefully meaning that I can wash these when they are finished without a problem. I will take a picture as soon as I get a couple more rows done so that you can see the color. I only have two rows finished at this point, so you can't really see much coloring yet. I will get working on it!
Showing posts with label yarn. Show all posts
Showing posts with label yarn. Show all posts
Friday, September 20, 2013
Wednesday, May 22, 2013
Knit night!
So, I have to tell you about the knitting group that I have. They are all fabulous, wonderful ladies and I haven't been able to see them since January because I had school on knitting night. It should have been a crime! Alas. Tomorrow will be my first night back since that, yay!
When I run into snags I can always go to them and ask for help and someone is always willing to show me or help me. I admit, I got super lucky with accidentally finding this group. I was about to head down to my dads, an hour and a half away from me, and I stopped into this store one Thursday evening around 5. A couple of ladies were knitting on a couch there, and there were other chairs. I asked if I could sit down and I was told absolutely. I pulled out some stuff that I had been working on - at this point I had only been knitting for 2 or 3 weeks. I had read about some people who were yarn snobs and who had big problems with others using acrylic yarn. So, though I am not usually a nervous person, I nervously asked if it was going to be a problem for me to use acrylic yarn. I said that I had purchased it and my needles at the thrift store, but I didn't want to be shunned. Rather than that the most fabulous woman got up and said oh here, have these and she gave me about 7 skeins of yarn - cotton, wool, some acrylics, etc. She had apparently won them (correct me if I am wrong, my dear) and she very sweetly and graciously told me to use them well.
Since that point I became a regular at the shop on Thursday nights. I have gotten lots of help on things that I wasn't sure how to do - knitting in the round, puff stitches, and the like. I have to say that, aside from the fact that I was quickly obsessed with knitting and crocheting, these ladies have kept me interested and seeing their fun projects and their skill is really inspiring. They told me how some of the things that I had done, even prior to joining, were well beyond what most beginners do. Needless to say that was a nice ego boost. I didn't know that some of the things I had done were hard because I had taught myself through online videos and so I didn't know what was supposed to be hard or not.
There are certainly still many, MANY things that I haven't tried or that I don't do well. I am still scared of socks and the flap thingie or whatever. I haven't yet tried any blouses or sweaters in large part because shifting from the main body of the piece to an arm worries me. Anything that has that type of shift from knitting in one direction to another scares me. I have only just begun to use decorative yarn overs for the baby blanket I am slowly working on. So far they have turned out really well and the blanket is going to be super cute when I finish it. Though I have a fingerless glove made I have not yet pulled out the knitted in waste yarn to start making the finger gusset. I have also not mastered the skills of changing yarn colors or skeins with non-wool yarns, though I kind of make due. There are other techniques I want to try that I just haven't found a pattern to use them on. But, all of these things will come with time, I know. I try to focus on one new skill at a time, become comfortable with it, and then move on to something else. I am sure that by the end of this baby blanket I will be fine with knitting yarn overs and the particular decrease that this blanket calls for.
In each of the new skills that I learn there are plenty of mistakes. But as soon as I realize what I was doing wrong I can generally figure out what is wrong and how to fix it. I generally don't bother going and fixing it, for a number of reasons (in the baby blanket I am worried about the yarn overs getting lost and the decreases being too difficult to get back together) but I usually figure it out after only a few rows and then the rest of the piece is just fine. My anal side really doesn't like the mistakes, but I am learning to accept them and, because I do learn and I don't make that same mistake again, I just accept that that is part of hand knitting.
So, even with my OCD tendencies I can accept the fact that I am a beginning knitter, that I will and do make mistakes because I then learn from those mistakes and I don't make them again. And I really like that. It keeps my brain functioning without having to read 3 entire books in a week, ha!
When I run into snags I can always go to them and ask for help and someone is always willing to show me or help me. I admit, I got super lucky with accidentally finding this group. I was about to head down to my dads, an hour and a half away from me, and I stopped into this store one Thursday evening around 5. A couple of ladies were knitting on a couch there, and there were other chairs. I asked if I could sit down and I was told absolutely. I pulled out some stuff that I had been working on - at this point I had only been knitting for 2 or 3 weeks. I had read about some people who were yarn snobs and who had big problems with others using acrylic yarn. So, though I am not usually a nervous person, I nervously asked if it was going to be a problem for me to use acrylic yarn. I said that I had purchased it and my needles at the thrift store, but I didn't want to be shunned. Rather than that the most fabulous woman got up and said oh here, have these and she gave me about 7 skeins of yarn - cotton, wool, some acrylics, etc. She had apparently won them (correct me if I am wrong, my dear) and she very sweetly and graciously told me to use them well.
Since that point I became a regular at the shop on Thursday nights. I have gotten lots of help on things that I wasn't sure how to do - knitting in the round, puff stitches, and the like. I have to say that, aside from the fact that I was quickly obsessed with knitting and crocheting, these ladies have kept me interested and seeing their fun projects and their skill is really inspiring. They told me how some of the things that I had done, even prior to joining, were well beyond what most beginners do. Needless to say that was a nice ego boost. I didn't know that some of the things I had done were hard because I had taught myself through online videos and so I didn't know what was supposed to be hard or not.
There are certainly still many, MANY things that I haven't tried or that I don't do well. I am still scared of socks and the flap thingie or whatever. I haven't yet tried any blouses or sweaters in large part because shifting from the main body of the piece to an arm worries me. Anything that has that type of shift from knitting in one direction to another scares me. I have only just begun to use decorative yarn overs for the baby blanket I am slowly working on. So far they have turned out really well and the blanket is going to be super cute when I finish it. Though I have a fingerless glove made I have not yet pulled out the knitted in waste yarn to start making the finger gusset. I have also not mastered the skills of changing yarn colors or skeins with non-wool yarns, though I kind of make due. There are other techniques I want to try that I just haven't found a pattern to use them on. But, all of these things will come with time, I know. I try to focus on one new skill at a time, become comfortable with it, and then move on to something else. I am sure that by the end of this baby blanket I will be fine with knitting yarn overs and the particular decrease that this blanket calls for.
In each of the new skills that I learn there are plenty of mistakes. But as soon as I realize what I was doing wrong I can generally figure out what is wrong and how to fix it. I generally don't bother going and fixing it, for a number of reasons (in the baby blanket I am worried about the yarn overs getting lost and the decreases being too difficult to get back together) but I usually figure it out after only a few rows and then the rest of the piece is just fine. My anal side really doesn't like the mistakes, but I am learning to accept them and, because I do learn and I don't make that same mistake again, I just accept that that is part of hand knitting.
So, even with my OCD tendencies I can accept the fact that I am a beginning knitter, that I will and do make mistakes because I then learn from those mistakes and I don't make them again. And I really like that. It keeps my brain functioning without having to read 3 entire books in a week, ha!
Friday, May 3, 2013
Can I buy yarn yet?
So, in a couple of weeks I am graduating with my master's degree. I have one 20 page paper left to write and I have about 100 final essays to grade. And then I am done. Needless to say, I am super excited.
I have applied for a couple of different jobs out at Interweave - I think it would be amazingly fun and very exciting! I unfortunately haven't heard back from either position, though I think I meet all of the desired qualifications to a T. I will keep my eye open on more job openings down there, though. It would be a blast!
I am hoping that as I, hopefully, find a grownup job that I will also be able to afford more fun and exciting yarns! At work yesterday I was playing around on Ravelry, of course, and found a couple of very ambitious dress patterns that I wanted to try. The yarn for one is discontinued so I was trying to look around for other options. They are, of course, more expensive than I can afford now, but it would be fun to make these dresses sometime in the future when I can afford them.
I had a post much earlier on about not being a yarn snob. That is still true. I will happily knit with acrylic or a variety of other man-made yarns. I happen to love some of my professional made nylon and rayon items. So why wouldn't I use that in my knitting? However, when I am able to afford other types of yarn, the slightly more expensive items, I have no objection to using those for items that I am willing to spend more money on. So, hopefully something will come through and I will have a job that allows me some money for fun things. I can only hope, keep your fingers crossed for me!
I have finished the first fingerless glove of a pair that I started well before Christmas. I am not a huge fan of working on DPNs, which is why it has taken me so incredibly long to finish just the first glove. However, I am now moving onto a second pair, without finishing the first pair, so that when my niece visits in June I can give her a pair I promised. I am making this pair with some yarn I "spurged" on, some DK Cascade superwash. My niece asked for a pair in red, so I come some pretty deep red yarn for this pair of gloves. I think they will look super cute.
Other than that I have just been working on a second draft stopper so that I can use that needle for another project I want to get done. So just knitting along for now. I had some friends ask me last night to teach them to crochet, so I will have to figure out something to teach them with. I know of a flower that uses just about every basic stitch their is. So perhaps that!
I have applied for a couple of different jobs out at Interweave - I think it would be amazingly fun and very exciting! I unfortunately haven't heard back from either position, though I think I meet all of the desired qualifications to a T. I will keep my eye open on more job openings down there, though. It would be a blast!
I am hoping that as I, hopefully, find a grownup job that I will also be able to afford more fun and exciting yarns! At work yesterday I was playing around on Ravelry, of course, and found a couple of very ambitious dress patterns that I wanted to try. The yarn for one is discontinued so I was trying to look around for other options. They are, of course, more expensive than I can afford now, but it would be fun to make these dresses sometime in the future when I can afford them.
I had a post much earlier on about not being a yarn snob. That is still true. I will happily knit with acrylic or a variety of other man-made yarns. I happen to love some of my professional made nylon and rayon items. So why wouldn't I use that in my knitting? However, when I am able to afford other types of yarn, the slightly more expensive items, I have no objection to using those for items that I am willing to spend more money on. So, hopefully something will come through and I will have a job that allows me some money for fun things. I can only hope, keep your fingers crossed for me!
I have finished the first fingerless glove of a pair that I started well before Christmas. I am not a huge fan of working on DPNs, which is why it has taken me so incredibly long to finish just the first glove. However, I am now moving onto a second pair, without finishing the first pair, so that when my niece visits in June I can give her a pair I promised. I am making this pair with some yarn I "spurged" on, some DK Cascade superwash. My niece asked for a pair in red, so I come some pretty deep red yarn for this pair of gloves. I think they will look super cute.
Other than that I have just been working on a second draft stopper so that I can use that needle for another project I want to get done. So just knitting along for now. I had some friends ask me last night to teach them to crochet, so I will have to figure out something to teach them with. I know of a flower that uses just about every basic stitch their is. So perhaps that!
Saturday, April 27, 2013
Blankets to keep me warm
Well, I finally got some pictures of the two throw blankets that I made in January or February!
I made both from the same pattern - they each require the use of very large needles (size 50) and stitches are made holding 4 strands of thick yarn, rather than a single strand as you normally hold for a stitch. They stretch a lot, which I actually really like. They are stretchy because they are in stockinette stitch, and they shrink or stretch depending on how you put them down. They are heavy in terms of weight and they are warm, but they don't get me too hot, which I really like. When I pull one over me the weight of the blanket on itself ends up forming around me really nicely. I enjoy them a lot!
Because I had to hold 4 strands of yarn together I decided to mix the colors up. I couldn't decide if I wanted a pink or a green or a purple blanket, so I mixed and matched and made a second blanket! This way I have a blanket for my couch and one for my big chair and I don't have to move it back and forth, haha!
The pattern called for the short edges to be given fringe. But, a) I don't like much fringe and b) this yarn doesn't seem like it would be good for fringe. Instead I stopped before I completely ran out of yarn and I did two single crochet rows around the edges. This helps them to lay flatter because stockinette stitch will always curl in on itself, especially on a flat piece - it is just the nature of the stitch. So this helps with the curl problem. Plus, it gives me a spot to grab on to to pull under me when I am snuggling down. On each corner rather than just doing one stitch I did three to get all the way around without making it pinch or pull.
These are by far my largest projects in terms of finished size. However, they went pretty quick because, as I said, I used 50mm needles to make them. I keep meaning to get a post up here about needles and hooks and the various sizes, I need to get on that!
I made both from the same pattern - they each require the use of very large needles (size 50) and stitches are made holding 4 strands of thick yarn, rather than a single strand as you normally hold for a stitch. They stretch a lot, which I actually really like. They are stretchy because they are in stockinette stitch, and they shrink or stretch depending on how you put them down. They are heavy in terms of weight and they are warm, but they don't get me too hot, which I really like. When I pull one over me the weight of the blanket on itself ends up forming around me really nicely. I enjoy them a lot!
I know that I have mentioned stockinette stitch on here before, but this is a pretty good example of it. In stockinette all of the "V" shaped stitches are on one side of the item. So especially in the purple one above you can see each of the little "v" stitches. On the other side of stockinette you see little bumps or ridges. I know it is kind of difficult to tell in the pictures below, but one side you can see the "v" shapes and the other side you can see the bumps. The "v" side is considered the right side of a work (though depending on how you want something to look this doesn't mean that it has to be on the outside). Naturally, the other side is the wrong side.
The pattern called for the short edges to be given fringe. But, a) I don't like much fringe and b) this yarn doesn't seem like it would be good for fringe. Instead I stopped before I completely ran out of yarn and I did two single crochet rows around the edges. This helps them to lay flatter because stockinette stitch will always curl in on itself, especially on a flat piece - it is just the nature of the stitch. So this helps with the curl problem. Plus, it gives me a spot to grab on to to pull under me when I am snuggling down. On each corner rather than just doing one stitch I did three to get all the way around without making it pinch or pull.
These are by far my largest projects in terms of finished size. However, they went pretty quick because, as I said, I used 50mm needles to make them. I keep meaning to get a post up here about needles and hooks and the various sizes, I need to get on that!
Sunday, April 21, 2013
Starting out
Well, I still have a number of projects in the works, but nothing that I have taken pictures of yet, so we'll just have a picture-free day today, I suppose!
Aside from the things I have mentioned in earlier posts about why I love knitting and crocheting (read here: I love my needle arts). I think I also like experimenting with a large variety of yarns. I don't know if I have mentioned it before, but I am a graduate student, which means I am insanely poor. Most of the yarn that I have purchased has come from thrift stores. All of my collection of straight needles, some of my circular needles, and almost all of my crochet hooks have all come from various thrift stores in town. Now, I am extremely lucky to live in a college town that has AMAZING thrift stores! So I admit that I have gotten super lucky in finding as much as I have. I have also brought home probably 25 skeins of 100% wool, some of it worsted and some DK, that were all about $2 a piece at the thrift store. I have gotten baby yarn, I have gotten 1lb skeins of yarn, and I have purchased some sweaters that I then took apart for the yarn because I loved the color. I admit to having entirely too much yarn. I justify it to myself by buying it at the thrift store, though! Granted, some of what I have gotten there is less than fabulous, but most is at least worth the price I pay for it. If it hadn't been for the thrift stores around here there is no way that I could knit and crochet nearly as much as I do.
So, back to cool yarn. As I said, I have gotten baby yarn at the thrift store as well as 100% wool. I have gotten cotton/wool blends, cotton, DK, worsted, lots of crochet thread, thick gauge yarn, too. A good portion of it has been acrylic, but, as I have said before, that doesn't bother me. I have found places to use it that I think it has worked wonderfully. Just last week I found a bag of a huge variety of beads - from seed beads up to larger than the size of a green pea. They are in all different colors, some of the larger ones have painted decoration on them. In any case, I am really excited about them and I can't wait to add some of them to various things I make! The huge variety of yarn that I get this way (sometimes something I want is bagged with something I normally wouldn't pick up) leads me to try projects that I might not otherwise think of. Pompom yarn, various types of variegated yarn, crochet thread, this baby blanket that I started the other day and lots of other stuff. It is just a bag of excitement waiting for me to figure out what I am going to do with it!
The other place I shop for yarn (when I don't have a 50% off coupon for Joann's or Michael's) is Craigslist. I am looking at about 15 skeins of a wool blend yarn in some really nice colors for $10. This is usually a hit or miss spot - either someone has nothing that I want (when it is advertised) or they have lots of yarn because they are giving up a craft.
Basically I am just a patient person when I am waiting for yarn. I managed to hit it big at the thrift stores when I first started (I don't think many people think to go there for knitting needles, crochet hooks, and yarn,) and now I have a large enough stash to keep myself occupied until I find something else I think I can't live without. I'm sure this is money that would be better spent elsewhere, but I love it. It is a great way for me to relax, I can do it while reading for class or watching TV and it makes me feel much more productive. Plus, now I am having fun trying to find ways to reduce my stash some because it has gotten a bit out of control. So I am getting lots of really fun things made, and it is fabulous!
Aside from the things I have mentioned in earlier posts about why I love knitting and crocheting (read here: I love my needle arts). I think I also like experimenting with a large variety of yarns. I don't know if I have mentioned it before, but I am a graduate student, which means I am insanely poor. Most of the yarn that I have purchased has come from thrift stores. All of my collection of straight needles, some of my circular needles, and almost all of my crochet hooks have all come from various thrift stores in town. Now, I am extremely lucky to live in a college town that has AMAZING thrift stores! So I admit that I have gotten super lucky in finding as much as I have. I have also brought home probably 25 skeins of 100% wool, some of it worsted and some DK, that were all about $2 a piece at the thrift store. I have gotten baby yarn, I have gotten 1lb skeins of yarn, and I have purchased some sweaters that I then took apart for the yarn because I loved the color. I admit to having entirely too much yarn. I justify it to myself by buying it at the thrift store, though! Granted, some of what I have gotten there is less than fabulous, but most is at least worth the price I pay for it. If it hadn't been for the thrift stores around here there is no way that I could knit and crochet nearly as much as I do.
So, back to cool yarn. As I said, I have gotten baby yarn at the thrift store as well as 100% wool. I have gotten cotton/wool blends, cotton, DK, worsted, lots of crochet thread, thick gauge yarn, too. A good portion of it has been acrylic, but, as I have said before, that doesn't bother me. I have found places to use it that I think it has worked wonderfully. Just last week I found a bag of a huge variety of beads - from seed beads up to larger than the size of a green pea. They are in all different colors, some of the larger ones have painted decoration on them. In any case, I am really excited about them and I can't wait to add some of them to various things I make! The huge variety of yarn that I get this way (sometimes something I want is bagged with something I normally wouldn't pick up) leads me to try projects that I might not otherwise think of. Pompom yarn, various types of variegated yarn, crochet thread, this baby blanket that I started the other day and lots of other stuff. It is just a bag of excitement waiting for me to figure out what I am going to do with it!
The other place I shop for yarn (when I don't have a 50% off coupon for Joann's or Michael's) is Craigslist. I am looking at about 15 skeins of a wool blend yarn in some really nice colors for $10. This is usually a hit or miss spot - either someone has nothing that I want (when it is advertised) or they have lots of yarn because they are giving up a craft.
Basically I am just a patient person when I am waiting for yarn. I managed to hit it big at the thrift stores when I first started (I don't think many people think to go there for knitting needles, crochet hooks, and yarn,) and now I have a large enough stash to keep myself occupied until I find something else I think I can't live without. I'm sure this is money that would be better spent elsewhere, but I love it. It is a great way for me to relax, I can do it while reading for class or watching TV and it makes me feel much more productive. Plus, now I am having fun trying to find ways to reduce my stash some because it has gotten a bit out of control. So I am getting lots of really fun things made, and it is fabulous!
Friday, April 19, 2013
My amazing model
This was my very first knit hat. It stretches quite a bit, so its really nice for babies who grow so stinking fast!
These were my little girl's Easter gifts! Clearly she makes them look better than they were made, but she can't be blamed for that! This first one is a shell stitch crochet hat with a super simple flower that I made for the contrast. I think it turned out pretty well.
So, she is admittedly not in to hats right now and enjoys taking them off at the first chance she gets. The fact that her mom got a picture in three of her hats is really quite impressive! I love this pattern and I am currently in the middle of making a second version of this hat. It is simple, easy to work up, and keeps sun out of baby's eyes and off the tender head. It also provides just a touch of shade for small shoulders when necessary.
Wednesday, April 17, 2013
A little of everything
Sorry I didn't get a post up yesterday. I decided to begin the baby blanket anyway. I have picked out my pattern and I have done a single row of the border, nothing too fancy.
I also finished another baby hat yesterday and cast one one to work on in class tomorrow. I also made a couple of facial cleansing pads and started on another cute baby hat. I wont be giving this hat to my niece, she isn't in to hats right now. I don't know, some things I save in the hope that, eventually, I might have a kiddo or two of my own. I would like to have things for said kiddo. Or kiddos. So sometimes I make things and just stash them away in the hopes that I will have a child one day that can wear them. If nothing else, I can always save them and pull them out when I need a gift, right?
I am also prepping myself to make super cute things for children that my brother hopes to adopt. I know nothing about them yet, but I am so excited! I told my brother he has to let me know as soon as he does ages and genders of the kiddos who will be his so that I can work on quickly becoming the favorite aunt! Hooray! Hahahah.
So, the storm that I knitted up last week has finally showed up. Unfortunately my university doesn't seem to think that heavy snowfall, on top of ice and 12" of previous snow is reason enough to close. So, here I am, wasting some time at work. They are going to have to send us home, even the major road in town was collecting snow when I came in. Of course, I paid for parking today, which annoys me. But I couldn't justify staying home and losing another day's worth of pay. So, we'll see how early they close, and until then I will sit here and dread the drive home.
These are the beginning of the knit bag that I am going to felt. I have this color finished on this bag, and I have started with the second color. I don't have a picture of the crochet bag yet, I will get twin pictures up here when I can.
I also finished another baby hat yesterday and cast one one to work on in class tomorrow. I also made a couple of facial cleansing pads and started on another cute baby hat. I wont be giving this hat to my niece, she isn't in to hats right now. I don't know, some things I save in the hope that, eventually, I might have a kiddo or two of my own. I would like to have things for said kiddo. Or kiddos. So sometimes I make things and just stash them away in the hopes that I will have a child one day that can wear them. If nothing else, I can always save them and pull them out when I need a gift, right?
I am also prepping myself to make super cute things for children that my brother hopes to adopt. I know nothing about them yet, but I am so excited! I told my brother he has to let me know as soon as he does ages and genders of the kiddos who will be his so that I can work on quickly becoming the favorite aunt! Hooray! Hahahah.
So, the storm that I knitted up last week has finally showed up. Unfortunately my university doesn't seem to think that heavy snowfall, on top of ice and 12" of previous snow is reason enough to close. So, here I am, wasting some time at work. They are going to have to send us home, even the major road in town was collecting snow when I came in. Of course, I paid for parking today, which annoys me. But I couldn't justify staying home and losing another day's worth of pay. So, we'll see how early they close, and until then I will sit here and dread the drive home.
I don't know if you can see it here, but that is snow in the upper left hand corner, I have dusted the snow off the 2" of ice that was on my windshield
I swear, I am not complaining about the snow. We desperately need it! Plus, this is much gentler on the high-intensity burn areas that we have from our huge fire last year than rain would be. I would still prefer to be at home knitting and crocheting, though!
Sunday, April 14, 2013
Baby hats
Well, because I am temporarily taking a break from making baby hats until I finish a project or two for myself, I thought I would go ahead and show you the three that I have made so far.
Nothing too fancy, but they are nice and cute and simple. They have a fair amount of stretch to them so that they will fit a wide variety of babies and will hopefully last a couple of months. I have not gotten my consistency down completely, but it is mostly in size that that is happening, and I know it is happening because I am just not paying very close attention. I don't think it's a huge deal at this point that the tails on top or the height of the beanie are exactly the same from one hat to the next. These are all made from different brands and types of yarn, but I haven't decided if I have a favorite yet or not.
What I love about this pattern is how I have been able to work on it during class. I figure even if I don't work on it the rest of the week, if I work on them during my 3 hour class I can almost get a complete one done a week. I don't finish the hat off or get it onto DPNs (double point needles) until after class since that takes a tiny bit of thought. But once I have the body done during class it doesn't take long at all to finish the hat off. So, I will probably keep working that way, it is going well so far!
Thursday, April 4, 2013
Not a yarn snob!
Well, I called Children's Hospital in Denver yesterday to double check and make sure that the website I saw was correct which said they needed hats for kids. I asked if they took hand knit items, and the lady said no. All items that go into Children's have to go through their laundry system. That makes sense, they are sick kiddos. She said that knitted items, though, don't make it through the wash. That makes no sense to me.
My only guess as to the reason for that is that people were probably sending in wool items assuming that they would be warmer for the kids. That is true. However, wool can't be washed in hot water or in a washing machine except on a very gentle cycle. Wool is a natural fiber that has little hooks at the end of each fiber. The fibers of wool get weakened when wet and the hooks grab together when agitated too much. That causes a process called felting - it is what happens when you put that fabulous sweater in the wash and it shrinks. It shrinks because it has felted together. In some cases you want an item to felt together. For instance, I made a draft stopper for my door that I felted. It makes it less penetrable and stiffer. It is not so great for clothing items, unless you create the item specifically for that process. My guess is that people were sending in wool items and they were shrinking in the wash and, as a result, Children's has decided just not to accept any of them.
In the world of yarnies there are definite yarn snobs. Some people refuse to knit with acrylic or any other man-made fiber. I heard one woman argue that because soldiers in the Middle East are given wool because of its flame-resistant properties rather than acrylic that melts at high temperatures that to put a child in acrylic was child abuse. I didn't say anything because there is no rationalizing with some people. The melting point of acrylic is very high. It can be slightly melted at lower temperatures, which is why you don't want to iron acrylic items. But the fact is is that if the acrylic in a baby's clothing was hot enough to melt onto the skin of the baby, the child is already dead. Melted plastic yarn would be the least of their worries.
I, on the other hand, think that there is a use for all yarns. I knit mostly in acrylic, in part because it is significantly cheaper to buy. It also doesn't need special care - if a baby throws up on it, or soils it, it can be washed without a second thought. I don't know about mothers of young children that you know, but the ones I know don't have time to be hand washing poop out of all of the items of a baby's wardrobe. And if the baby's you know are like the ones I know, sometimes they even get it into their hair and hats. So yes, I typically use acrylic or rayon or other man-made fiber. Also, I use acrylic for blankets that I don't need to be exceedingly warm. I like being snug and warm but I don't like my blankets to make me hot, either.
Certainly there are times that wool and cotton and other fibers are very useful. Both are great for items for adults who are able to pay attention to how items need to be washed. They are also good for when you need something to be really warm. There are what are called "superwash" wool out there that are washable. Overall I hear that they are really good, though I have read from some people that they have had trouble with it. But those skeins (the rolled up amount that is purchasable) are generally $8 a piece. Compare that to a similar amount of acrylic yarn that I can get on sale for $2. If I need more than one skein for a project it adds up really quickly, and I currently can't afford that. But I also just don't see the need in the projects that I am making. I do think there are times and places to use more specialty wool. Especially in felting projects. But I don't feel bad for using man-made yarns for most of my items so far.
Cotton has its benefits when you need a more breathable item. I just made a hat out of cotton for my niece (I will post pictures later). But cotton doesn't have any stretch to it. So either it is made the perfect size or it gets out of shape. I do use this for cleaning items - washcloths, a cover for my swiffer, facial cleaning pads, etc. I need the absorbency of cotton for those items and the fact that they don't stretch is not a problem.
So, I am no yarn snob. I think there is a place and a time for each. When I post items on here I will do my best to include yarn information. However, I do sometimes get my yarn from the thrift store and so I don't have much information to go on - I will give my best guesses, though.
My only guess as to the reason for that is that people were probably sending in wool items assuming that they would be warmer for the kids. That is true. However, wool can't be washed in hot water or in a washing machine except on a very gentle cycle. Wool is a natural fiber that has little hooks at the end of each fiber. The fibers of wool get weakened when wet and the hooks grab together when agitated too much. That causes a process called felting - it is what happens when you put that fabulous sweater in the wash and it shrinks. It shrinks because it has felted together. In some cases you want an item to felt together. For instance, I made a draft stopper for my door that I felted. It makes it less penetrable and stiffer. It is not so great for clothing items, unless you create the item specifically for that process. My guess is that people were sending in wool items and they were shrinking in the wash and, as a result, Children's has decided just not to accept any of them.
In the world of yarnies there are definite yarn snobs. Some people refuse to knit with acrylic or any other man-made fiber. I heard one woman argue that because soldiers in the Middle East are given wool because of its flame-resistant properties rather than acrylic that melts at high temperatures that to put a child in acrylic was child abuse. I didn't say anything because there is no rationalizing with some people. The melting point of acrylic is very high. It can be slightly melted at lower temperatures, which is why you don't want to iron acrylic items. But the fact is is that if the acrylic in a baby's clothing was hot enough to melt onto the skin of the baby, the child is already dead. Melted plastic yarn would be the least of their worries.
I, on the other hand, think that there is a use for all yarns. I knit mostly in acrylic, in part because it is significantly cheaper to buy. It also doesn't need special care - if a baby throws up on it, or soils it, it can be washed without a second thought. I don't know about mothers of young children that you know, but the ones I know don't have time to be hand washing poop out of all of the items of a baby's wardrobe. And if the baby's you know are like the ones I know, sometimes they even get it into their hair and hats. So yes, I typically use acrylic or rayon or other man-made fiber. Also, I use acrylic for blankets that I don't need to be exceedingly warm. I like being snug and warm but I don't like my blankets to make me hot, either.
Certainly there are times that wool and cotton and other fibers are very useful. Both are great for items for adults who are able to pay attention to how items need to be washed. They are also good for when you need something to be really warm. There are what are called "superwash" wool out there that are washable. Overall I hear that they are really good, though I have read from some people that they have had trouble with it. But those skeins (the rolled up amount that is purchasable) are generally $8 a piece. Compare that to a similar amount of acrylic yarn that I can get on sale for $2. If I need more than one skein for a project it adds up really quickly, and I currently can't afford that. But I also just don't see the need in the projects that I am making. I do think there are times and places to use more specialty wool. Especially in felting projects. But I don't feel bad for using man-made yarns for most of my items so far.
Cotton has its benefits when you need a more breathable item. I just made a hat out of cotton for my niece (I will post pictures later). But cotton doesn't have any stretch to it. So either it is made the perfect size or it gets out of shape. I do use this for cleaning items - washcloths, a cover for my swiffer, facial cleaning pads, etc. I need the absorbency of cotton for those items and the fact that they don't stretch is not a problem.
So, I am no yarn snob. I think there is a place and a time for each. When I post items on here I will do my best to include yarn information. However, I do sometimes get my yarn from the thrift store and so I don't have much information to go on - I will give my best guesses, though.
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