What a knitting throng we were on Tuesday! Lots of good tips and ideas for us all…
Helen was making the most wonderful shawl (Fiber Trends - Shoalwater Shawl pattern: left) out of beautiful aqua coloured wool (Lorna's lace wool (Helen's Lace in Seaside: right).
There’s a knot in the wool that might hinder Helen's speedy progress but she tells me that there’s a way to make square-topped balls from a hank (see below): this might not help future knot-situations but the wacky wool shape will more than make up for it.
Furthermore, Helen's introduced me to the Denise needles. Merits are: (1) a range of sizes between 3.75-10 mm (extra long cords and large mm needles are available separately); (2) makes circular and/or straight needles; (3) variable lengths from 17” to 58” so they’re suitable for small and large projects; (4) stitch holders included; (5) compact 7” x 8.5” case for easy organization; (6) airline safe and travel friendly; (7) guaranteed for life; and (8) you can buy the whole set for ~£25…
Because you can leave your project on the cords, you can attach the needles to a new cord, knit merrily and return to the old work as and when. Wish I’d heard about these earlier – I have about a squillion 4mm needles because I’m always half-way through projects (and so rarely reaching that happy completion point!).
Would you like square balls of wool (left) and a way to have your thumb back to hold your teacup whilst untangling that hank? If, like Helen and me, you like wood-crafted thingimibobs, centre-pull balls and are fed up of having a digit stuck in a ball of wool until the damn thing's fully wound, then this is the gadget of the day: a Nøstepinde (below). You can purchase them here and get the full instructions here! And, the best thing, you can build a wool-wall with these bricks!
Mari was still battling with her hat…and me with my scarf…mine’s a bit of a cheat really…it looks pretty complicated but it’s just 3 stockinette rows and 1 lace-knit row (Lace Scarf pattern from Debbie Bliss Pure Silk).
Betsan suggested Sian try the 'Simply Knitting' magazine's latest tip for her rainbow hat: insert knitting needle under the first loop of the stitches all along the row below the error. Be sure that you're staying in the same row as you work horizontally across. The loop will be the right half of the stitch on a knit side... The row that you've inserted the needle into will be the one you'll start knitting on after you unravel the yarn. To unravel just remove the working needle, take a deep breath, close your eyes and pull. Ingenious!
But the pièce de résistance has to be Peter’s wonderful innovation: tubular knitting on TWO double-pointed needles. And, not only that, it was knitted in intarsia too! Peter was working quite quietly and happily creating what, for all intents and purposes, looked like a thick stockinette square until he turned it inside out and produced: a seamless pouch! With much gasping and clapping from us...wonderful!
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