Knit for Brains dot Net

Posts Tagged ‘yarn’

Sometimes when you’ve been knitting a lot you get to a point were you just don’t want to do it, but you’ve got three or six or nine projects sitting around and all that time and money invested, and you know you enjoy knitting. So why can’t you knit now and what can you do about it?

Well, sometimes we just need a break. You need something different for a while. Really, your brain and psyche and spirit do need variety. Yes, some people can knit until the cows come home, but remember everyone is different. You know about how people with different Read the rest of this entry »

Yes,  I own some Wool-ease, which is mostly acrylic. I don’t really like it. I bought it when I was new to knitting. It will be okay for some projects, but I really prefer natural fiber, and my real preference is naturally dyed or naturally colored fiber.

So I have some yarn that I balled with my ball winder and now I’ve forgotten if it is all wool or not. I found on the web you can test a scrap by putting some of the yarn in a cup with some undiluted bleach overnight and if it is all wool there will be pretty much nothing solid left.

There is a faster burn test if you just need to knit now. Visit this link to read about it.

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In my previous post about recycling yarn I stated that I didn’t like the process of hunting for the source sweater at a thrift shop, and I’m sticking with that opinion. You will not find me giving but a cursory glance at the sweaters there when I’m there for something else. It’s just too much effort for too little result. I have better things to do with that time.

I did however realize that recycling a new sweater from some inexpensive shop such as Ross or Marshalls is a great option. I was there shopping for the holidays last month and was lured to the men’s sweater rack. One thing I was confident of was that I would not be disappointed by finding a great sweater that had been ruined by washing and felting/fulling. While there were not a lot of colors and fibers that I wanted I did find one that is perfect.

A lot of nice yarn for just $20. Maybe I'll make a scarf and socks.

It’s a gray sweater in what I believe is Read the rest of this entry »

Well, my laziness about my knitting projects and supplies has come to a head. I don’t have much yarn my any standards. After all, I’ve only been knitting for a few months, but I never really got a good set up to keep my yarn and now I’ve had enough of the mess and have finally got it managed. I’ve been the sort that had a bag of yarn or stuff from the store and just used that to store the supplies in. The bags and balls of yarn were all over the place, mostly all over the dining table and surrounding area. Here’s what it looked like.

A little blurry, a lot messy.

I’d wanted a cabinet of some sort to keep it all in but Read the rest of this entry »

(Be sure to see part 2 of this topic at this link)

Well, I made a trip to our local Savers Thrift Department store to look for decent wool sweaters from which to recycle the yarn. I thought this would be a great, economical way to obtain several skeins worth of yarn for just about $6. In general, I do believe recycling yarn can be a worthwhile endeavor, but I don’t think it’s for me. The reality of the hunt is not worth the result, which today resulted in more awareness than wool.

First thing I did was examine the 20 feet of men’s sweaters. Feeling along the edges of them for something that might be wool, as well as looking for sweaters that are mostly a solid color I discovered a few things about Read the rest of this entry »

What to buy? Everything? No. As fun as it is to buy new toys it’s best to learn some things first. I’ve found from my first explorations that there are ideal collections of needles for knitting. You will read that some yarn is more slippery so it is better to use bamboo with that kind, and other yarns are better on metal or other slick needles. Here’s my discoveries as I learned to knit.

At first I started with a set of aluminum needles from Walmart and the written instructions. I found it very frustrating trying to control the yarn on the slippery metal needles but that may have been, and most likely was, due to my choice of knitting method and lack of proper application. I almost quit a few times because of how slippery it was, and as I mentioned before, I came to feel like I needed to be an octopus to knit.

It was recommended in various places that bamboo is better for the beginner, but in my opinion maybe not. Bamboo does give you more control but it can also get a bit frustrating. One thing is that the points are duller, sometimes too dull, depending on the brand, and that can make it a bit harder to catch the yarn and pull your loops through your loops. If you are handy you can sharpen the tips a bit – be sure you keep a good taper. I haven’t tried this yet, but will soon.

Point Sharpness Varies. Top to bottom and all size 8 US: Clover bamboo, cheap bamboo, aluminum, Options Nickel-plated.

Another thing is that you may not like the lack of slipperiness with the yarns you will tend to use. It’s best to reserve bamboo for slippery yarns. If you want to have some around, you may not want to have them be your only set. Try some first, then buy more if you like them. Go to a real yarn store and learn about the yarns that will be better on bamboo and decide if you will ever really want to use it. Alternately, you may want to buy the bamboo and then make the slicker with polishing or even clear coating. (If you intend to clear coat with something like urethane or whatever, be aware some bamboo has been waxed and that can interfere with extra coatings.)

On my current exercise, which is the sweater sampler from The Sweater Workshop book, I started with a set of 16 inch bamboo circulars and didn’t like the friction of the needle so I used the 0000 super fine steel wool to polish them and I like the new surface better. It has some bite but the yarn slides better. This may be a good middle ground for you, and I will give any bamboo units I buy the same treatment.

Super Fine steel wool, marked 0000, is for polishing. It will remove any clear coat on the bamboo.

One reason to get bamboo is that you can get a set of fifteen sizes for about $25 on amazon.com and elsewhere. This is a great buy, and handy if you feel like having everything you need available in case you need to change needle size to adjust your gauge result for a project. Then you don’t have to run out trying to find what you want. If you don’t like the points you can, again, sharpen them.

By the way, sharpening should not be attempted with a blade. You will want a powered sander disk or belt. Ideally, I would use a stationary belt sander to get an even and quick taper, then fix the point the way you like it. Finish with 00 (double zero) steel wool and then 0000 superfine steel wool for your final shine – or whatever process it takes to get it smooth. If you have a buffing wheel you could use that but don’t use any compound.

BUT, as you will read below, you may find it more economical to get something like the Options wood or nickel circulars as they can be dual purpose, instead of spending money on a set of bamboo you may have to labor over to sharpen or polish if you aren’t totally satisfied with them. There are  other brands of interchangeable circular needles. I chose the Options based on a very positive review and I’m very happy with them. Read on.

I liked bamboo at first but now that I have learned to control the yarn I don’t feel much need for its lack of slipperiness. When I got my new set of Options Nickel-plated interchangeable circulars – which you can use as “straight” needles by capping the cable with the “button” end that comes with it – I fell in love with the slickness. It’s like knitting on glass. Very sexy.

About controlling the yarn; at first I tried to learn regular continental and then English knitting but had trouble. I was very pleased with I found Portuguese knitting as yarn control is totally handled by the yarn around the neck or around a pin on your left shoulder. Then I discovered Eastern European knitting and I really like both the speed and yarn handing. I use both, depending on the project. I find Portuguese knitting is a bit better for bulky yarns – or maybe I just need more practice.

So on to the rest of the needle commentary. I mentioned my nice nickel Options set. I got them from knitpicks.com, the manufacturer and seemingly the only source. They were under $60 for the set, which comes with pairs of points for sized 4 through 11 and two pairs of cables to make two 20 and two 34 inch circulars. They come in a handy-sized bag to protect them from the cat and keep various parts and tools together.

Options Interchangeable come in a handy bag to keep everything together.

Like I said, you can cap the two cables and make each point into a one-ended knitting needle that is about 15 inches long. Or you can put both points on one cable and just turn your work like you normally would without joining to knit in the round. Voilá, you have a nice set of “straight” metal knitting needles as well as a set of metal circular needles. I’m going to use these for a flat scarf that is project #2 coming up, and also for a sweater that will be knit in the round. You can also get longer cables and also points up to size US 15, all purchased separately for a reasonable price. And of course if you prefer a bit more friction you can try the wooden version, which is rather colorful as well. I haven’t tried them so I can’t testify to what they are like but I’ve heard people like them plenty.

A single Options tip set up for use as a single pointed "straight" needle.

So, that handles all your circular and straight needle needs. What about smaller sizes? Usually this is for things like fine lace and socks. I don’t know a thing about lace, so you will want to read elsewhere for that. Socks are what got me into knitting – no, I haven’t started a set yet but I bought all I need – so I will address that part.

What I bought for socks is based on a middle of the road approach. Those pointy double pointed needles (dpns) look kind of scary, like massaging a hedgehog, so for starters I’m going to try the magic loop method, which recommends a 40 inch circular needle. I got Addi Turbo needles in nickel plate  #2 US, as well as a 47 inch one in case I decide to knit two socks at once on separate needles, and some people suggest having the circular needles of differing lengths so you can tell them apart in case that is ever a challenge. That would depend on your pattern and where you are in it.

Socks and sweater sleeves and sometimes sweater collars and parts of hats and other stuff are often done on dpns. You can use circulars on these parts but at some lengths the cable may become an obstacle to wrestle with. Usually the pattern will suggest a 16 inch circular, which is pretty tight but not really hard to work with. I don’t own any in metal yet. They are pretty expensive, like 15.00 and up. You can also get metal in 12 inches. I bought a set of bamboo at 16 inches for $25 off amazon but as I said, I have to polish them with the 0000 steel wool to be happy with the feel of the bamboo on the yarn I’m using.

So for such applications it may be a good idea to get some dpns just in case.  Recommendations I’ve found are to use bamboo or wood as they are less likely to slip out of your stitches, especially if you make a sudden move, like to free up your yarn supply. I don’t like the thought of trying to put stitches back on a needle so I’m going to get a set of bamboo. They come in various lengths so you will want to get a set that will suit your most likely projects. The set I found with five pieces is $20 now on amazon.com. I will probably get a set that are 8 inches long. Better too long than too short.

Another note on dpns: they come in sets of 4 and 5 and sometimes 6. You knit with all but one in loops and knit onto the empty one. You may prefer to own a set of 5 so you can have all your stitches split between front and back, especially for socks and if you are working with an even number of stitches, or if your stitches are divisible by three you can divide them on three needles and knit with the fourth.

So, here’s the summary:

I got my Options in nickel because I like the slickness and can use them as circulars or straights.

I found bamboo frustrating due to non-sharp tips and also higher friction before buffing with steel wool, and don’t think I will have much need for the friction for the yarn I’m likely to use. If you discover you want to use slippery yarns then get a set of bamboo straights for $25 off amazon.com or better yet, maybe a set of the wood Options Interchangeable Circulars which can be, again, be used as circulars or straights.

If you are nervous about knitting on slippery metal, get some expert help on yarn control and look into Eastern European or Portuguese knitting. And practice. You get better.

I bought 40 inch and a 47 inch #2 US Addi Turbos for socks for when I get around to that. Again, I like the metal.

I am ordering a set of 8 inch bamboo dpns for other uses in case I need them, again, so the needles will be less likely to slip out of my work.

I hope all this is of use to you. Nothing like the voice of a little experience, and that’s what I have – a voice and a little experience. If you have anything to add please leave a comment.

And here’s Max’s latest picture as official Knitty Kitty:

"Yarn makes a nice pillow. Wa-wa!"

I know that’s backwards, but I couldn’t resist.

I got my ball winder from knitpics.com the other day and it’s pretty cool. Very affordable at just 19.99. I didn’t have any skeins I wanted to ball up yet so I turned its fury on a scarf I crocheted back in May before I decided to get into knitting. It was the bulky Wool-ease in a sort of oatmeal color. The scarf didn’t excite me, just done in alternating rows of dc done in the back loop. It had an interesting accordion like texture but seeing it was 105 degrees outside I was not too attached to it. I decided to canibalize it for a cossack hat and so threw it to the hungry ball winder.

The top of the winder has a sort of notch to hold the start of the yarn but it’s not cut right for a bulky yarn. Once I got it started it made short work of the scarf. I held it to the floor with a foot and just wound away. The ball winder is designed to put more distance between the turns of the yarn than I would have thought. As you can see in the picture it’s not closely wound. So the ball was bigger than perhaps necessary, and being bulky yarn it turned into a ball that was a little too large for the winder to finish.

It was crochet; it had to be destroyed.

.

So now I have a very cool ball of yarn to turn “reinyarnate” into a hat. (Read about technique below…)

Proof of Reinyarnation

There is a bit of a technique to using a ball winder. One thing I find is that if I don’t control the incoming yarn it will flop about a lot and the ball will be kind of loose and larger when done. So what I do is take a small piece of fabric and hold it loosely around the strand of yarn so that it keeps a very mild tension on the line. This produces a somewhat smaller ball and deters the yarn from tangling in the wire yarn guide.

Another thing I do is put the source skein or ball in a shoebox or paper bag on the floor. Backing up a bit: I clamp my ball winder to the back of a chair and put the source yarn on the floor below it. So with the source in a bag or box it won’t travel all over the room.

And sometimes I will put the source on a vertical paper towel holder if I can get the rod through the ball/skein easily. This helps more with oblong skeins you buy at craft stores as when they are being unwound they can flop about a lot in the bag or box. Don’t expect them to actually turn on the towel holder, and at a certain point you will have to deal with the last bit of yarn flopping about oddly anyway.

I find the ball winder very handy, and use it to rewind balls for projects that I’m restarting, or when I’m done with part of a ball, as the ball becomes squishy when you pull from the center and it’s nice to put it back in good order for storage or further use. And you can in many cases, of course, rewind and rip out at the same time, straight back to the ball.