Monday, November 1, 2010

Big Yarn - Small Yarn

Okay, so I bitched about knitting socks with sock yarn on size 2 needles. I even tried them on size 1 needles but just didn't have the stomach for it. But as I've written before, as knitters, we sometimes have to knit things we hate for people we love. And my friend Faye is going to get this pair of socks (almost finished) knitted with more love than merino.



And while I was still in sock mode, I took a stroll through the aisles of Stitches East this past weekend.

Sock yarn seemed to be the theme of the show. Booth after booth of it. One of the most beautiful was this light mossy green merino blend from Holiday Yarns. Talk about tiny yarn - 8 sts per inch on size 1 needles. I may just blend it with a skein of natu
ral beige yak yarn I picked up at Himalayan Trail's booth. Together, I'll probably get 4 or 5 sts per inch which will make this a perfect cardigan weight.

Then just when you're sure you're about to start knitting dental floss on toothpicks, this comes at you from left field.

No, it's not the velvet ropes they were using to hold back the crowd of rowdy knitters at the Hartford Convention Center. It's 100% polyester yarn that was bring given away at the Universal Yarn booth. Not sure exactly if I need a knitted bath mat or bathrobe belt, but it's sure soft. Even the dog didn't mind it used as a leash (he's a 65 pound collie, btw).

So we go from one extreme to the other. And somewhere in the middle I think I might just find a new sweater for this winter.


4 comments:

  1. Hi, Just want to say I love your book Knits Men Want and I am currently knitting the Baseball Jersey. I am a bit confused about how the saddle shaping is done as the left and right saddle sleeve shaping do not seem to match and I have not been able to fined any errata for it. Perhaps you could direct me. Thanks.
    Crystal

    ReplyDelete
  2. Crystal... please tell me exactly what's confusing to you and I'll do my best to clarify.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Hi again,
    Sorry, I should have provided more info.

    Page 88: Right sleeve:Shape saddle Dec row K1, k2tog, knit to end. REPEAT DECREASE ROW EVERY ROW
    Left sleeve: Shape saddle Knit to last 3 sts, ssk,k1. REPEAT DECREASE ROW EVERY OTHER ROW.

    From the comments I have read about this pattern on Ravelry ( hard to pick up enough stitches for neck) I think the instruction for the left sleeve is correct, which would also correspond with the schematic but I just want to be sure.
    also on Page 88:Work even until saddle measures -inches ending with a RS row ( I think this should be WS row). Just being picky but new knitters may find this confusing.
    Thanks for your assistance.
    Crystal

    ReplyDelete
  4. Crystal
    One sleeve has the decreases at the beginning of the rows and the other has it at the end of the rows and that makes for mirror imaging when the sleeves are done. If you need more help, please send me a private email at brucew@bruceandmark.com

    ReplyDelete

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