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First adventures of knitting in the round

Written on April 2, 2010 at 1:20 pm
Filed under: Knitting with tags: ,

Knitting in the round (with both circular knitting needles and double pointed needles [DPNs]) is something that I’ve recently (sort of) mastered. I lamented about my inability to ‘get’ the whole circular knitting thing and a Twitter/Flickr friend (irulethegalaxy) helped me out by explaining the basics to me (and was a lot more patient than my sister ever was when explaining it to me!).

My first attempt at knitting in the round was done with double pointed needles. I found it difficult at the beginning because after spreading out my stitches onto three needles, I was left with 6 different pointed ends constantly poking into my fingers or the palms of my hands. But eventually, I did “get” it and ended up with a short, stubby little tube.

My tension was off, there were little visible ‘ladders’ so I could see exactly where the stitches changed from each needle, but it was okay, because I could knit with DPNs!

For my second attempt at knitting the round, I grabbed a pair of circular knitting needles (8mm) for this lovely ball of super bulky weight yarn. The one thing I love about chunky knits is that it works up relatively quickly because everything’s a lot bigger in width, height and overall thickness.

It’s a lot different with crocheting in joined rounds (joined rounds, unless you’ve got the world’s best tension, results in having a noticeable ‘seam’ where you joined the rounds) but it’s quite similar to crochet in the round (no seam, spirals up), which I’m most familiar with. I’m a lot more comfortable with freestyling my own designs in crochet, so unless there’s no shaping involved, chances are that I’ll be reaching for a crochet hook instead of knitting needles for making amigurumis, but I do love the fact that I know how to knit in the round for both DPNs and circulars!

Current projects list (update!)

Written on November 27, 2009 at 11:11 pm
Filed under: Crafting with tags: , , ,

In progress…
Gryffindor House Scarf (knit)
Been working on it for year plus, all the knitting is done! Made in 100% acrylic (Red Heart Super Saver and Bernat Satin) and I just need to tuck in all the ends, since I’m incredibly lazy and dislike tucking in ends on things. Intended recipient: myself (again).

Stolen Pi Stole (crochet)
Worked on it on and off since August, still on-going though. I still have 10 more balls of yarn left for this (using the very much retired Moda Dea Dream yarn in Leaf Green), so I still have approximately 10 more numbers to add to my Stolen Pi Stole (original pattern). Intended recipient: myself.

In planning…
Goomba Amigurumi (crochet)
Not started (yet!), but I do have all the colours I need for it. Intended recipient: unmentioned.

Garter Stitch Elongated Stitch Scarf (knit)
Not started yet, light cream in colour (delicious!), 6 balls in total to work into the scarf. Intended recipient: unknown (but not myself, too many scarves for my neck).

Blythe-sized Cardigan (knit)
Not started yet, still need to find the colour of sock yarn that I’d like for the project (likely to be self-striping yarn). Intended recipients: the dolls.

Valentine Slouch Hat (crochet)
Not started yet, planning to be a dark pink. Unsure of when I’ll get a chance to make this one. Intended recipient: unknown.

Super Mario Piranha Plant Scarf (crochet)
Not started yet, still need to buy the yarn for it, but it should be a fairly quick project, looking at the pattern. Intended recipient: unmentioned.

I think I need another neck or five…

Written on April 4, 2009 at 11:59 pm
Filed under: Project Planning with tags: , ,

Last night, I stopped knitting right before I took that photo. I had 10 sets of yellow stripes. Now I’ve just stopped knitting for tonight and I have 12. I’m definitely going to get this scarf done soon! It’s way longer than I am tall now and I can no longer hold it up and not have it just touching the floor anymore. I can’t wait for it to be done! I’ll have to take a photo of it next to my Slytherin scarf. I’m pretty sure the Gryffindor

I have come to the conclusion that I own a lot of scarves. I have… 2 that were made for me by my sister (the Slytherin scarf and a pink and black one that has a matching hat), 2 that I’ve had since I was little (one’s baby/toddler sized, the other is small-child sized), 1 loopy boa that I received as a birthday gift from when I was in elementary school and 1 that I received as a gift in grade… 11, I believe.

Now, that’s already 6 scarves. And they’re all different lengths, colours and styles. Plus the one that I’m working on right now is scarf #7. I already have two coat hangers full of scarves in my closet, I’m going to have to start hanger #3 after the Gryffindor scarf is completed.

Plus… I have plans for more scarves.

My really soft and fun-to-pet Red Heart Whirly? At least one skein is destined to become a mobius strip scarf (crocheted, not knit). I bought four. Realistically, it’ll take at most two skeins. And not even the full two skeins.

I have 5 skeins of Moda Dea’s Dream in this light green… It was purchased with the intention of making this really nice filet crochet lace scarf/stole… But I guess if I can call it a stole, it doesn’t really count as a scarf, right?

And then there’s all that Bernat Satin that my sister and I have somehow accumulated (I really have no clue how we end up with it all…). I’m going to be making (at least I plan on it) a rainbow scarf. We already have red, orange, yellow, green and white in Bernat Satin. I’d just need a blue and purple and then I’d be set… The white is for clouds at the ends.

3 more scarves (… 2 if I can count one as a stole and not a scarf!). Which brings my scarf count up to 10 (… or 9).

And all this means the following: I either need to:

  • Stop making scarves and make something else (… I already plan on making mittens! And lots of amigurumis!)
  • Somehow grow a few more necks! That way I can wear more than one scarf at a time.
  • Donate a bunch to a charity (… Probably not the ones that have been given to me as gifts, as that would be rude.)
  • Start finding a lot of friends who have really cold necks (… in spring?).
  • Start making more scarves, learn more stitch patterns (for both crochet and knit) and gift them all for Christmas (… I do have nearly 9 months).
  • Go to a store, buy enough yarn for a sweater and start doing the most complicated sweater I can possibly ever make in my life (… or not?)