Pickup Memorial weekend knits
I was a knitting fool this weekend. and it has all been to reinforce my need to learn how to pickup stitches. I didn't even realize it till I started thinking about my projects. But yeah for my subconscious!
I finished this Basic Modular Dishcloth on Friday night (I also can't wait to try the Nubbins Nouveau Dishcloth). It was a real learning experience for me. I've never had to pickup stitches before, so that's why all the seams don't look that great. But I plan on doing another one, because I love the way it came out. I really like the colors, it's Sugar n' Cream Cool Breeze Ombre which I think is my favorite variegated color scheme.
I also made this guy for Shell's son. I think he's going to love it. But I have to say, I don't know if I didn't read the pattern correctly or what, but first she didn't suggest a needle size, but I though I read somewhere to use US 4. OMG it was so hard to get started, I must have ripped it about 4 times. I have never started with such few stitches in the round on double pointed needles (medal no less so very slick!) and I just kept getting the whole thing all twisted or just dropped stitches so rip-it rip-it, rip-it start again. Also, because I used such small needles I had to modify the pattern. I eventually started adding a knit row between the increases (which I think if I had done earlier I wouldn't have had to increase the number of total increases from 60 to 72.
I used Bernat Cottontots for the shell and I used Sugar n' Cream Light Blue for the head, feet and tail. I really wanted to use a green, but I couldn't find any at my local Joanns or Michaels
(didn't make it out to my local yarn shop or Hobby Lobby before starting) But I think he looks adorable!
And then I started on a bag, I know what am I thinking, not making something that is related to soap? Bad Maria! :)
I started a "Summertime Fun" handbag out of Butterfly mercerized cotton. (It's from Greece, I was so excited when I saw it at my LYS I don't really know why, just because I'm a little Greek girl I guess!)
Again with the pickup stitches! Between my tight cast on, tight knitting and the fact that the yarn doesn't have much built in 'air' it's was really impossible for me to pickup my cast on stitches. But once I did, I couldn't really knit them. So I rip-it and started again, this time I left a knitting needle in row one and finished knitting the bottom. It was a little annoying to knit the rest of the rows with it in there, but not too bad. Then when I had to pickup those CO stitches I pulled out the needle and picking up those stitches was MUCH easier! now I'm just working on the body of the bag. I think it will be cute once done.
I finished this Basic Modular Dishcloth on Friday night (I also can't wait to try the Nubbins Nouveau Dishcloth). It was a real learning experience for me. I've never had to pickup stitches before, so that's why all the seams don't look that great. But I plan on doing another one, because I love the way it came out. I really like the colors, it's Sugar n' Cream Cool Breeze Ombre which I think is my favorite variegated color scheme.
I also made this guy for Shell's son. I think he's going to love it. But I have to say, I don't know if I didn't read the pattern correctly or what, but first she didn't suggest a needle size, but I though I read somewhere to use US 4. OMG it was so hard to get started, I must have ripped it about 4 times. I have never started with such few stitches in the round on double pointed needles (medal no less so very slick!) and I just kept getting the whole thing all twisted or just dropped stitches so rip-it rip-it, rip-it start again. Also, because I used such small needles I had to modify the pattern. I eventually started adding a knit row between the increases (which I think if I had done earlier I wouldn't have had to increase the number of total increases from 60 to 72.
I used Bernat Cottontots for the shell and I used Sugar n' Cream Light Blue for the head, feet and tail. I really wanted to use a green, but I couldn't find any at my local Joanns or Michaels
(didn't make it out to my local yarn shop or Hobby Lobby before starting) But I think he looks adorable!
And then I started on a bag, I know what am I thinking, not making something that is related to soap? Bad Maria! :)
I started a "Summertime Fun" handbag out of Butterfly mercerized cotton. (It's from Greece, I was so excited when I saw it at my LYS I don't really know why, just because I'm a little Greek girl I guess!)
Again with the pickup stitches! Between my tight cast on, tight knitting and the fact that the yarn doesn't have much built in 'air' it's was really impossible for me to pickup my cast on stitches. But once I did, I couldn't really knit them. So I rip-it and started again, this time I left a knitting needle in row one and finished knitting the bottom. It was a little annoying to knit the rest of the rows with it in there, but not too bad. Then when I had to pickup those CO stitches I pulled out the needle and picking up those stitches was MUCH easier! now I'm just working on the body of the bag. I think it will be cute once done.
What I have found is that if you cast on really tight go up a size or two needle that is called for. So if the pattern uses a size 6 than go to a size 7 or 8 needle to cast on.
ReplyDeleteI do this when I cast off as i am tight for the cast off and loose ont he cast on.