Working in new skeins

#1

Hi everyone,

I’ve historically only knit with solid wool yarns, and so when I’ve reached the end of one skein I have felted the next skein to the first. I prefer this method to knitting two strands together and then sewing in the ends. However, as a relatively new knitter who lacks the project experience to know when to adopt which method I’m seeking advice. Presently I am knitting a multidirectional diagonal scarf, and the pattern can be found here http://douma.net/Karen/knitting/Accessory-Scarves/Multidirectional_Diagonal_Scarf.htm. I’m using a self-striping yarn that is made of wool: http://www.nashuaknits.com/yarns/yarn_woolystripes.html. Here is an idea of the look I’m trying to achieve: http://virginiawool.prettyposies.com/archives/cat_multidirectional_diagonal_scarf.html

How do you suggest working in the new skein on this scarf? Do you suggest felting on scarves? I was planning on switching the skein at a part of the scarf where it appears as if it is the next triangular section, so I was thinking attempting to knit two strands together and sew them in on this type of a scarf might be difficult.

Thank you all so much!

Kelly

#2

I usually knot all my joins, and arrange them so they don’t show, but I don’t see why you couldn’t felt the ends together.

#3

Thanks, Sue! I’m actually really new to felting after only discovering it a month ago on a tutorial and I was really excited because I feel like I’m terrible with sewing in loose ends. But when you felt the ends does that stand up over time? I have to imagine it would or people wouldn’t do it, but I just wanted to make sure it wouldn’t at some point unravel.

#4

Hi Kelly,

I’ve recently learned to do the Russian Join, another way to join the yarn where you don’t have to sew in ends. I like it better than the felting, because I get paranoid that I haven’t felted enough and my ends will pull apart later. You might want to give it a try.

How to do a Russian Join

#5

I can’t answer you on the felted ends as I seldom use wool so have never done that. Or done them incorrectly so they came apart the next row. The Russian join seems like it would be a good one to use too.