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Sewers, Crafters - need your advice .
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<blockquote data-quote="trinityroyal" data-source="post: 610862" data-attributes="member: 3907"><p>Sharon, how exciting! Knitting and crocheting are my FAVOURITE hobby.</p><p></p><p><strong>Tutorials:</strong></p><p>Depending on your learning style, there are tons of resources out there that can help you learn without taking a class. Here's a sample:</p><p><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G9hv44QwQ-A" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G9hv44QwQ-A</a></p><p></p><p>This video has great camera work, and really demonstrates the techniques clearly. However, the presenter's voice is a bit annoying and the cheesy background music (chick-a chick-a bow wow, etc.) was driving me a bit crazy. Just do a Google search on "youtube knitting tutorial" and you will find lots and lots of items. Go through until you find a presenter that suits you. Many of them are quite good.</p><p></p><p>There are also lots of great books available, and online patterns, knitting forums, etc. A great one is Ravelry.com.</p><p></p><p><strong>Project:</strong></p><p>For a first project I would recommend something small and manageable, that doesn't have too much complex design involved, such as a scarf. Why?</p><p>1. It's a consistent width so there are no increases or decreases.</p><p>2. The rows are short, so the work progresses quickly.</p><p>3. Winter is coming, so when you finish your project you can wear it right away.</p><p></p><p><strong>Needles and yarn:</strong></p><p>It's probably best to start with materials that are easy to work with, that give you good yarn control. Here are a few things to think about when you're choosing your supplies.</p><p>1. <strong>Gauge </strong>-- this refers to the number of stitches per inch, both horizontally and vertically. Most patterns identify a gauge. It's very helpful to do a test swatch to determine whether your knitting tension (how loose or tight your stitches are) matches the pattern gauge. The thicker the yarn, the fewer stitches per inch.</p><p></p><p>For a first project, I would recommend a thick yarn, such as a "chunky" or "bulky" weight. Usually listed as #5 or #6 on the skein of wool. Check the label for numbers, since the labels are not always used consistently. Thicker yarns work up quickly, and they make for a nice warm fabric.</p><p></p><p>2. <strong>Needle size </strong>-- choose a needle size that's appropriate for the thickness of your yarn. If you're working with bulky yarn, for example, you'll need a 6.0 mm or 6.5 mm (or 7.0 or 8.0, or even 9.0), depending on how loose or tight you want your stitches to be. Usually the label on the skein provides some guidance as to the needle sizes that work best. Size numbers can be confusing. The number doesn't necessarily translate to the needle thickness, and UK sizes are different from U.S. ones. Look for sizes in millimetres (mm), which actually tell you the thickness of the needle.</p><p></p><p>3. <strong>Needle type </strong>-- needles are usually made of acrylic, metal or bamboo. Acrylic and bamboo are slower moving, but give you more yarn control. Metal needles are slippery and offer less control, but the work moves much more quickly. Go by preference. As a beginner, acrylic or bamboo might be less frustrating as you're less likely to drop stitches etc. My preference is metal, because I don't like my needles to slow my pace of work (I knit very quickly).</p><p></p><p>4. <strong>Fibre type </strong>-- as in: wool, cotton, acrylic, silk, bamboo or some blend. For a first project, I would suggest a nice, basic wool. Wool is lovely to work with, and the nap helps bind your stitches together which again makes it less likely that you'll drop stitches. A more slippery yarn like silk or cotton can take some getting used to. The most important thing is to pick a fibre that suits your project. Is it stretchy, will it maintain it's shape, etc. This is worth a chat with the staff at a yarn shop. Some online distributors I really like are Tanis Fibre Arts and Expression Fibre Arts. Both are artisans who hand spin and dye their yarn collections. And they are beautiful.</p><p></p><p>That's all I can think of off the top of my head. Hope it helps.</p><p>Trinity</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="trinityroyal, post: 610862, member: 3907"] Sharon, how exciting! Knitting and crocheting are my FAVOURITE hobby. [B]Tutorials:[/B] Depending on your learning style, there are tons of resources out there that can help you learn without taking a class. Here's a sample: [url]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G9hv44QwQ-A[/url] This video has great camera work, and really demonstrates the techniques clearly. However, the presenter's voice is a bit annoying and the cheesy background music (chick-a chick-a bow wow, etc.) was driving me a bit crazy. Just do a Google search on "youtube knitting tutorial" and you will find lots and lots of items. Go through until you find a presenter that suits you. Many of them are quite good. There are also lots of great books available, and online patterns, knitting forums, etc. A great one is Ravelry.com. [B]Project:[/B] For a first project I would recommend something small and manageable, that doesn't have too much complex design involved, such as a scarf. Why? 1. It's a consistent width so there are no increases or decreases. 2. The rows are short, so the work progresses quickly. 3. Winter is coming, so when you finish your project you can wear it right away. [B]Needles and yarn:[/B] It's probably best to start with materials that are easy to work with, that give you good yarn control. Here are a few things to think about when you're choosing your supplies. 1. [B]Gauge [/B]-- this refers to the number of stitches per inch, both horizontally and vertically. Most patterns identify a gauge. It's very helpful to do a test swatch to determine whether your knitting tension (how loose or tight your stitches are) matches the pattern gauge. The thicker the yarn, the fewer stitches per inch. For a first project, I would recommend a thick yarn, such as a "chunky" or "bulky" weight. Usually listed as #5 or #6 on the skein of wool. Check the label for numbers, since the labels are not always used consistently. Thicker yarns work up quickly, and they make for a nice warm fabric. 2. [B]Needle size [/B]-- choose a needle size that's appropriate for the thickness of your yarn. If you're working with bulky yarn, for example, you'll need a 6.0 mm or 6.5 mm (or 7.0 or 8.0, or even 9.0), depending on how loose or tight you want your stitches to be. Usually the label on the skein provides some guidance as to the needle sizes that work best. Size numbers can be confusing. The number doesn't necessarily translate to the needle thickness, and UK sizes are different from U.S. ones. Look for sizes in millimetres (mm), which actually tell you the thickness of the needle. 3. [B]Needle type [/B]-- needles are usually made of acrylic, metal or bamboo. Acrylic and bamboo are slower moving, but give you more yarn control. Metal needles are slippery and offer less control, but the work moves much more quickly. Go by preference. As a beginner, acrylic or bamboo might be less frustrating as you're less likely to drop stitches etc. My preference is metal, because I don't like my needles to slow my pace of work (I knit very quickly). 4. [B]Fibre type [/B]-- as in: wool, cotton, acrylic, silk, bamboo or some blend. For a first project, I would suggest a nice, basic wool. Wool is lovely to work with, and the nap helps bind your stitches together which again makes it less likely that you'll drop stitches. A more slippery yarn like silk or cotton can take some getting used to. The most important thing is to pick a fibre that suits your project. Is it stretchy, will it maintain it's shape, etc. This is worth a chat with the staff at a yarn shop. Some online distributors I really like are Tanis Fibre Arts and Expression Fibre Arts. Both are artisans who hand spin and dye their yarn collections. And they are beautiful. That's all I can think of off the top of my head. Hope it helps. Trinity [/QUOTE]
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