I’m just starting out with knitting and just learned how to pearl, which for me wasn’t easy. Anyway, since I can’t afford to get yarn from online, unless it’s cheap and affordable, I go to Wal-Mart and get the only type they carry(Red Heart: Super Saver). I was wondering what are some great sites for affordable yarn so someone on a budget?
Since I asked my yarn question now I’m gonna ask my question about the comfort pillow I’m going to make. I fear I don’t have enough of the Earth and Sky yarn to make the whole project, so I got a multi-colored red yarn just to mix it up bit. Here’s my question. When I run out of the Earth and Sky yarn, how do I continue with the other yarn?
I hope this hasn’t been asked before because I looked.
You probably aren’t going to get any cheaper than Red Heart. It’s acrylic therefore cheap. But you can get some nice wool blends from other craft stores such as Michaels or Joann’s (each of those company’s publish 40% off coupons if you sign up for their mailing lists) So you can get a little higher quality than Red Heart.
As for joining a new color or a new ball when you run out of yarn, just look at the video from this site:
Cool. That did help me. I went to this site called Wool of Andes and found some yarn that was a lot cheaper than Red Heart. But they don’t have a very wide selection of multi-colored yarn and that is what I like about Red Heart.
Sorry about the misspelling. Not use to how knitting terms are spelled yet.
And did you know that it was originally called a ‘pearl’ stitch because the bumps look like little pearls? Take a look at some vintage patterns sometime…
Threadspinner, you must have gone to Knit picks site (see their ad at the top of the page). Their super cheap worsted is named Wool of the Andes. Use the RH for this project, it’ll be just fine. Then later you’ll find a project that you can use other yarn for.
www.knitpicks.com is also a great online source. They have a wide variety of different yarns and colors. (Their interchangeable needles are an incredible deal for what you get, size 4-size 11 all for about $60 for the entire set, and the are really great quality)
Ok. That is a little bit confusing, but I think I know what your talking about. I was wondering though. I usually hold the needle with the knitted yarn in my left hand, so the side that is facing away from me is the outside or inside?
I have another question and it’s about the long tail cast on technique. When I get my loops do I pull them tight or snug? Also, the pattern calls for 84 cast on stitches, how do I know how much is enough tail to have to get that many?
When you are knitting, the wrong side and right side alternate facing you (as you finish a row you turn it around right? So now the opposite side is facing you)
Again, the RIGHT SIDE is the side that will show when you are finished, for Stockinette Stitch the right side is the side where you see all the “V’s”. There are some stitch patterns that are reversible (because the look exactly the same on both sides) such as garter and seed stitch. And you have to just choose a side and designate it as the right side (safety pin the side or mark it in some way) so that you can keep track.
The reason why a pattern says: “With RIGHT SIDE facing K1, P3”…or whatever the instructions are) Is because they want to make sure you are performing that action on a certain side (in this instance the RS) Sometimes after you finish a long set of instructions, they begin the next set of instructions indicating what side you should be working on for the next row to make sure that you did everything else correctly. If you are about to start the next set of instructions and you are on a WRONG SIDE row, then you know you’ve done something wrong.
The best way to estimate how much yarn you need for long tail cast on is you need is to cast on 10 stitches, then unravel those stitches, and measure how much yarn it took to cast on 10 stitches, then you can better visually estimate how much. It’s never the same, it depends how thick your yarn is and what needles size you’re using. But for worsted weight yarn on a size 8 needle I usually figure about an inch per cast on stitch.
Right side and Wrong side aren’t the same as left and right side (or edges) of your work. The RS usually has the pattern, like the Vs in stockinette, or where you do the cable crosses in cables. The WS is the inside of the item, it will be worn next to the skin. If it’s a reversible pattern like knit all rows (garter st) or in ribbing then you decide which looks better and mark it as the Right side.
It’s better to keep the loops loose enough that you can slide the needle back and forth through the sts and not have to push it. Another way to estimate how much yarn to leave for the tail, is twice the width of the item plus 6 inches. So if you’re making something about 20" wide, then measure out 46" inches. You may have some left over but better than being 3" too short, and you can use the tail to start the seam.
