Always A Beginner

#1

This is my very FIRST blog. Thought this would be good time to start a blog because I’ve just begun my very 1st project totally in the round. I’ve only knitted about 6 or 7 rounds so far. The pattern is the Angel Baby dress found in the Knitting In the Round book. It’s for my granddaughter and I’m hoping to complete it by June 14 which will be her 6th birthday.

After several weeks of searching for a yarn similar to the one used for the pattern in the book, I’ve settled on Lion Brand Baby Soft Twinkle and Bernat Baby Lash yarns.The book pattern used Plymouth Dreambaby Kokonut DK, but that has been discontinued. Besides, I didn’t want to spend quite that much money for the yarn since this is my 1st in the round project. In the process of attempting to select a yarn of similar gauge and fiber content, I’ve discovered a discrepancy in the pattern. The pattern in the book indicates a gauge of 20 stitches = 4" with #6 needles. However, the Plymouth Dreambaby DK yarn shows a gauge of 22 stitches = 4". In any case, because the yarn I’ve chosen isn’t textured my FO won’t be quite the same.

The 1st couple of rounds were rather difficult to work…moving the yarn from the left needle to the right needle. My fingers were getting pretty sore. Fortunately, I had a package of Thimble=It which contains 64 reuseable little stick on pads. I had bought them to try with my Boye Needlemaster needles, but for this project I was using Susan Bates Silvalume needles which usually are very comfortable to use. Must say, the Thimble-Its are a true life saver!

Guess that’s all for now. Gotta manicure my nails before getting back to my knitting. Can’t put off the manicure any longer…the nails are just tooo long.

#2

Welcome to blog land!! :waving: :waving: :waving:

#3

Welcome to blogdom! I have up ‘doing’ my nails a long time ago–I couldn’t stand to wait while they dried so I could pick up my knitting. :rollseyes:

#4

I don’t put polish on. Just clip and file. Even that takes more time than I like, but can’t pick anything up when they get too long. Also, can’t make a fist. Have dental work to be done tomorrow and wanted to be sure I CAN make a fist if necessary.

Got to do a little knitting after my nail chore. Got to start on the 1st baby lash section. Apparently, the baby lash comes thru more fully on the purl rows.

This project has a few of FIRSTs for me:

1st Blog anywhere

1st project totally in the round

1st experience with textured/furry type yarn.

#5

This was just too funny. When I started clipping my fingernails night before last, my yorkie Peppper went outside at the sound of the clipping. Apparently, it was too cold out there. So he decided to hide behind pillows on the sofa. Wish I could have gotten a photo of him peeking over the pillow in front of him, but knew he would move if I got up to get my camera. He reminds me of a small child thinking he’s hiding and can’t be seen. :lol:

Yes, I knitted the sweater he’s wearing.

#6

:heart: Pepper is just too cute! I love Yorkies. I have a golden retriever and it’s funny how certain things make them run and hide. Mine is not fond of the vacuum or thunder. Especially thunder. The vacuum must hurt her ears and the thunder just scares her. The only place she will sit still when it’s thundering is my dd bed.

Great sweater he’s wearing too!

#7

Looks like I will have to rip out and start over. The stockinette section of my Angel Baby dress is curling pretty badly so I think I should redo from the beginning instead of waiting until it is nearly finished only to see that it is STILL curling. Think I’ll start off with a purl round. Hope that will help. I think pattern instructions should include recommendations on dealing with the curling problem. They should know best how to deal with this. Seems that the designers don’t really want other knitters to produce finished items as good as their own.

Too bad because the knitting is going very well. I’m pleased that working with the baby lash yarn is easier than I expected. It’s soooo soft!

#8

HEY! this was supposed to go in my personal blog, Always a Beginner.

#9

Looks like I will have to rip out and start over. The stockinette section of my Angel Baby dress is curling pretty badly so I think I should redo from the beginning instead of waiting until it is nearly finished only to see that it is STILL curling. Think I’ll start off with a purl round. Hope that will help. I think pattern instructions should include recommendations on dealing with the curling problem. They should know best how to deal with this. Seems that the designers don’t really want other knitters to produce finished items as good as their own.

Too bad because the knitting is going very well. I’m pleased that working with the baby lash yarn is easier than I expected. It’s soooo soft!

#10

I merged them for ya…I think you may have accidentally clicked “new topic” instead of “reply”. :thumbsup:

:heart: :heart: :heart: PEPPER! :heart: :heart: :heart:

#11

Thanks :lol: Thanks for the merge. I’ll get the hang of this yet!

#12

I think I’m going to do a practice swatch to see which technique will get rid of the curling stockinette stitching. Have thought about simply doing single crochet along the hem since that is the instruction for finishing the arm holes. Guess I’ll try that 1st. Saw a sweater in a knitting book at Books-A-Million while I was out today. Several rows of seed stitch were used at the bottom of the sweater and at the neckline.

#13

Check out THIS THREAD about your stockinette…

#14

Thanks, Kelly.

I had checked out that thread first thing. There seemed to be quite a bit of discussion about it. The primary advice was to use a border of garter or seed stitch. Still want to try the single crochet since it will match the arm hole finishing. The sweater I saw in the knitting book at Books-A-Million was stockinette stitch except for the borders of seed stitch which DID look nice.

#15

I tried some single crochet stitcheson a swatch of stockineete stitch and it did flatten the curl. So have decided NOT to rip back and start again.

Been tied up with taxes today, so am eager to relax and return to knitting. Only have about 1 or 2 more rounds to do with the baby lash. Then will be returning to the main color until I get to the neck area. Fortunately the cord on my circular needle has finally become uncoiled. I had soaked in very hot water for 15 minutes or so, but it still wanted to coil after being stored for a couple of weeks.

#16

Glad that worked out for ya!!

And, it helps to hold the needle straight while you are soaking. And dont twist them up again for storage. Ingrid has a cool thingy for storing circulars!

#17

This is what I use for my circs and it’s great!

#18

I may need 2 of these. I’m accumulating quite a collection of circulars. Of course, it wouldn’t be much help for the Needlemaster set,
:lol:

#19

One of these holds a LOT of circs, trust me! Here’s a picture of mine from the summer, NOT containing all my needles at the time, and not including the ones I’ve gotten since.

#20

I like the way they all curve toward the front…its like a HUG. :heart:

:oops: