You have a lot of yarn in your stash! Maybe you don’t have the label. A simple burn test will tell you what type of fiber you have. While this is not an actual scientific experiment, you can learn quite a bit about the fiber with this test.
Watch the video to get an idea of the burning properties of man made fibers, animal fibers and plant fibers.
The only true way of telling whether a 100% wool yarn is superwash or not is to knit up a small sample and wash it in hot water to see if it felts. The burn test is the same for both of them.
So! There it IS! My unscientific experiment to help you find out what kind of yarn you have!! Now… KnitYourselfHappy!!
My post in October 2017, seen here, invited you to follow along on my journey to design and knit a custom sweater for my brother, Bob. I am happy to report that all is going well, thanks to a bit of time off recently.
To make sure the sweater fits the way he likes, I measured one of his favorite sweatshirts.
This video shows you the key areas to measure.
Make sure you knit the swatch in the stitch pattern that you intend to use on the garment:
I cast on using 2 skeins of yarn for 238 sts:
joined in the round:
and worked a K2, P2 rib for 1.5″.
I’m not that fond of working K2, P2 rib for a long time.
I mentioned this to one of my sisters. It seems to take forever.
It can be a bummer. It is a necessary part.
She commented, “Just like puberty.” Exactly.
I chose a three-over-three left crossing cable and off-set
the cable twist every 12 rows for the front body.
The back of the sweater is stockinette stitch.
So now I am on my merry way. The following pictures show the progress
through the first skein:
The second skein:
And the third skein:
So there it is so far! Next time I post about this sweater,
I love this time of year when the air is crisp in the morning and the sunlight is gentle. Knitters may feel in the mood to start creating items for cooler weather. Decorations for fall are some of my favorite things to knit.
Check out these darling pumpkins. You can make them with any weight yarn, but because I think they are so cute, I had to make them tiny! I used various fingering weight yarns and size 3 and 4 double point needles.
And the Summer Squash looks just like the real thing!
As if I couldn’t get enough, I had to make the Zucchini.
For me, knitting the tiny items is instant gratification. Each one I finish is my favorite!
But… some people like to make super chunky items for instant gratification. So, I decided to knit The October Vest by Karen Clements on Ravelry. How is that for cozy warmth to toss on with a pair of jeans? I used four skeins of Loopy Mango Merino 5 in Midnight and size 19 needles.
And last but not least, every year I have to make another Pumpkin Hat! This one was made with Berroco Vintage Worsted in the most beautiful orange you have ever seen.
Such an important place in your life; and your local yarn store needs you!
You may have heard of “Small Business Saturday,” or the “Shop Small” movement, wherein we consumers are encouraged to visit and buy from local businesses. The short summary is that shopping in small local businesses not only fosters a local economy, but offers a sense of community. While this is often advertised as an antithesis to big chains, your local yarn store can benefit too!
Here is why you should support your local yarn store by purchasing goods and services through them.
Usually, your yarn store is owned by a small business entrepreneur, someone we grow to know, rely upon for advice, and upon whom we depend. That could be the only reason to buy products, but wait, there’s more!
A typical yarn store is a warm, welcoming environment for knitters to browse through yarn, needles, and accessories. It offers the knitter the chance to see colors in person, browse new publications, and best of all: TOUCH all of the beautiful, sumptuous yarns! Your store also has completed knitted items on display! This offers first-hand inspiration: you can look at completed items, try them on, or even enjoy them for their whimsical value! Most of the time, the items have been knit by someone in the store for you to experience. Another great benefit to shopping small at the local yarn store is other knitters –more inspiration! More ways to connect with some great humans!
So how does this all happen?
Well, the local yarn store does not magically run itself! (Which conjures some wonderfully imaginative ideas!) Nope, your local yarn store is managed by that dearly beloved entrepreneur we thought of earlier.
If you didn’t have a store owner that is willing to stock the shelves with available yarn, how could you check out a yarn in person? How could you touch it and experience its wonderfulness? Think about it. To make this happen, the owner has to pay cash up-front to have stock on hand for you. Next, she wants to sell the stock so she can:
Buy more yarn, needles and tools for you to enjoy and explore.
Keep paying the rent for the cute little nook where you knit in your class.
Pay the electric bill so you can see the yarn, keep warm in the cold winter months, and cool when it is hot. (Because we die-hard knitters know that the knitting never ceases!)
Pay employees to help you. After all, the owner can’t be there all the time!
Now, of course, your store cannot purchase every yarn in the universe. But there is probably a similar yarn in the store for your project.
So with the shop small mentality in mind, I personally encourage you support your local yarn store! Your patronage keeps the business running, keeps your friends coming back to class, and keeps your talented teachers and knowledgeable staff employed. I could start a soapbox about never ever using your local yarn store to peruse items, then going home only to order the items online because it is “cheaper.” That, my friends, is detrimental to your local store, and sadly equivalent to stealing valuable business and resources from the local store you call home. You know what I mean. (Steps down off soapbox…)
So, think of your local yarn store whenever you sit down with your beautiful yarn and needles, visit your local store soon and remember to KnitYourselfHappy!
There are many ways we can improve our knitting enjoyment when we have just a quick minute to pick up our project. These five tips are designed to help us have more fun and success every time we get the chance to knit.
Tips for Knitting Success
Write it down.
One of the most frustrating things for me as a knitter is having to figure out where I am in my project every time I pick it up. What a drag. I would rather be clicking away with my needles than struggling with the pattern. Taking notes while knitting allows us to be able to pick up any UFO (unfinished object) and quickly find our place. This can save precious time when it comes to grabbing a minute while in a waiting room or other opportunities to get our needles moving. (Notice, I said waiting is an opportunity!)
Consider this scenario: There I am, joyfully knitting away on a baby blanket. The phone rings. A friend has found a fabulous pattern for a summer sweater and I need to look it up on Ravelry NOW! Then, I get to go to my local yarn store, buy some yarn and start a new project. The baby blanket can wait for a day or two. I know exactly where I am in the 24 row lace pattern. (Of course I do!) Two weeks, or 3 months or 4 years go by before I find that blanket at the bottom of my bin of unfinished knitting projects. OK, you see my point. Write it. Write everything.
Some details that come to mind immediately when I think of things to get down on paper are:
Name of the yarn. The label is long gone. Now what? I don’t know the fiber, the washing instructions or the suggested needle size or gauge. I can go to my notes and check. It is helpful to save a label, tie a piece of the yarn to it and tape it to the notes.
Needle size, gauge that I got and the stitch pattern I used to get that gauge. For instance, “Size 8 needle, 4.5 stitches per inch in seed stitch.”
Notes about the pattern. What is the name of the pattern and where did it come from? Is it from a book I own or from Ravelry?
What size am I making? Not all patterns are created equal for size and gauge. Never ever simply assume you are making a “medium”.
Photocopy personal patterns so you can write notes on them.
This is a key point in many ways. When you have a second copy for yourself, you don’t have to mess up your original copy when you write notes all over it!
Working directly from a book, magazine or booklet means flipping the pages constantly. You can make the pattern darker or enlarge it for easier reading. Using a tablet or phone is not recommended for ease of use; one needs to scribble. You may want to use the same pattern again. Starting with a fresh copy is so much better.
A word here about copying patterns. Never copy a pattern for someone else that is for sale. You are taking money from the designer every time you do this, and it is a violation of copyright law. Stealing is wrong.
Have your own equipment.
I have decided to make a baby hat. I don’t own a size 6 16″ circular needle. I call my friend, drive 17 miles over to her house to borrow it. “Do you need a stitch marker?”, she asks. Of course I do. So the cycle begins. You borrowed a needle. 14 hats later, you are still using that same needle. Your friend is too embarrassed to call you to get it back because now she wants to make a hat. “I don’t think I borrowed a needle from you! I am sure I would have returned it by now!” Whether it is a needle, markers, scissors, needle gauge, etc, you need to have the proper items with you to knit. I even have an extra set of these items in a container to take out to my patio. In the middle of a difficult cable crossing I don’t want to have to get up and find a cable needle. Be self sufficient and get your supplies together.
Make your gauge swatch in several different needle sizes. Keep the swatch for reference.
Make a tag and put it on your swatch. Needle size, yarn, gauge, etc. If I remember, I put knots in the ends of the swatch for the needle size I am using. 8 knots= Size 8 needle. Keep the swatch forever. No, you are not “wasting” yarn. This is the best use of your yarn! Put all of your swatches in a container together. If you need that little bit of extra yarn at the very end of your project, you have it. What if the knitted item needs a repair in a few years? You have the yarn. Labeled. Good job.
Write it down.
Wait. What? I thought this was the first tip up above! Yes, yes it was. It is also the last tip. You can see how this is a topic that is very close to my knitting heart. What row am I on, what piece of the sweater is this, what on earth is this garment? “I know I will remember everything about this project when I put it down for just a minute…” (or a week, or 2 months or three years…)
Supplies for knitting:
Blunt tip tapestry needle
Round stitch markers
Plastic safety pin style markers
Tape measure
Needle gauge sizer
Scissors
Crochet hook
Pencil or pen
Paper or notebook
Okay, now you have subscribed, saved, bookmarked, etc. As a fun bonus, see how to make a pom pom!
I know quite a number of knitters. Most knitters revel in having so much yarn, they probably won’t be able to use it all in their lifetime. Some people really worry about how much yarn they have. “Am I a hoarder?”, “Is there something wrong with me?”, “What if someone finds out how much yarn I have?”, “What would (insert person here) think if they knew?”
In my world, you can never have too much yarn. One of my mottos is “When in doubt, buy more yarn.” Why not? I am sure there are other things that take up a lot more room than yarn. There are far more things in life to feel guilty about than that poor bag of yarn that you HAD to have because it was a gorgeous color, soft as a kitten, and you couldn’t stop yourself. Even if you don’t have a project for said yarn yet, does the mere thought of that yarn make you happy? Go on, go look at it now. Of COURSE you still love it. Why worry about what you will make of it and when? Maybe you are looking for the perfect project. Maybe you are “saving” it. Whatever the reason, you need to get over your yarn guilt now. Just knowing that you have that yarn should make you excited to knit. Continue reading ““To Stash or Not to Stash…””→
You can make them with any weight yarn, but because I think they are so cute, I had to make them tiny! I used various fingering weight yarns and size 3 and 4 double point needles.
Usually, your yarn store is owned by a small business entrepreneur, someone we grow to know, rely upon for advice, and upon whom we depend. That could be the only reason to buy products, but wait, there’s more!
It is helpful to save a label, tie a piece of the yarn to it and tape it to the notes.
Needle size, yarn, gauge, etc. If I remember, I put knots in the ends of the swatch for the needle size I am using. 8 knots= Size 8 needle. Keep the swatch forever. No, you are not “wasting” yarn. This is the best use of your yarn! Put all of your swatches in a container together. If you need that little bit of extra yarn at the very end of your project, you have it. What if the knitted item needs a repair in a few years? You have the yarn. Labeled. Good job.