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8/1/2004 5:57:40 PM
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benne
Posts 19258
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I have to tell you, this poncho thingy is not the most pleasurable knitting experience I`ve ever had. It was fun at first, my first fly by the seat of my pants topdown experience and I was using reasonably sized needles. I started with 10.5 gradually increasing needle size every few rows until I got to the 17`s. Well, they were still okay but I am now up 2 sizes to 36`s. And it is awkward as all get out knitting 2 strands of Sonata on needles that size. It`s the big hole effect DGD wants but it is just clunky to knit. I should be done with this tonight thank goodness. That is unless I get so wrapped up in the Discovery Channel Christopher Columbus and his DNA program that I stop knitting. lol I think she may need another poncho out of the Outback Wool or needles of a civil size. The books and magazines are all showing beginner knitters using huge needles and I personally think they are a heck of a lot harder to use than smaller needles. I understand it`s with big yarn but I still think it`s just not as much fun. I love the Colinette Point 5 yarn except I just don`t love using the huge needles and I really, really don`t like the chunky look and holes that form on the sleeve seams and where stitches are picked up, etc. Oh well, that`s my vent of the day! lol
Benne
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8/1/2004 6:22:53 PM
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bets
Posts 18976
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Well-
I`m with you! I HATE anything over an 11. When I first learned how to knit, big knits were the rage, but even then I struggled with those big needles. I suppose you can knit really quickly-at least THAT`s the premise, but I always feel like I`m stabbing at stuff. I think people should learn on 7s or 9s. Big enought to go quickly, small enough to manipulate.
Just go for and be BOLD, Bolderella!
b
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8/1/2004 7:11:22 PM
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Jamie
Posts 3462
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Hey Benne, Good luck on completing the project. I have knit with 17`s but don`t like it a bit. I bought a pair of 19`s but won`t use them. How can you control anything above 17 or 19? Hurry up and finish before you loose your love of knitting! All the best, Jamie
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8/1/2004 7:27:45 PM
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Guest
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In my wild and enthusiastic knitting youth - that is, about ten years ago when I really started to knit again - I decided to knit everyone in my family a sweater for Christmas. I adapted a pattern from FCEK Probably the first issue), bought a ton of Red Heart supersaver, a pair of size 19 needles, and set off on my adventure.
I actually finished one of these beauties for myself and two as gifts, and I have two as gifts still on needles. The one I gave my brother is the one he washes by hand and dries flat, like cashmere. I eventually had to shorten the sleeves because it was really loosely knit and the cuffs were not tight to begin with, but that was several years ago and I think he is still wearing it - but I have never finished the other two. I unintentionally short-rowed on the back of one, and there is a hole large enough for Rappy the kitten to waltz right in, but did not discover it until I had done something I didn`t care to undo, maybe the side seams, and the last I am not quite sure...
I don`t remember if my hands hurt at the time, but it really is a pain trying not to have huge holes and lumps where they were not intended - like at sleeves.
If I were doing this again I would triple rather than double the Supersaver, I think. I had not really planned, however, on doing it again...
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8/1/2004 7:37:38 PM
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Les
Posts 4243
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That`s hilarious, Theresa! I think we will all recognise your brother if we pass him on the street wearing the supersaver sweater!!!
p.s. what colour was it?
Les
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8/1/2004 8:52:01 PM
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Guest
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It was a multi-colored yarn - white with burgundy, navy and hunter. Doubled, it did not pool or pattern the way those yarns can.
I polish my manicure every time I think about that sweater. I have two brothers - one looks like something off the cover of GQ, and the other spent most of his life looking like something off the cover of Rolling Stone. It is the GQ brother, the one who has had his suits custom made when he could, because he has a size 42 shoulder area and a 28 inch waist, the one who loves nice clothes, who loves this sweater!
If nothing else, that shows how unnecesarily hard on ourselves we often are as knitters. Because we know just how amazing a cashmere sweater, hand knit in a complicated stitch pattern and hand-dyed yarn to boot can be, we don`t realize that compared to what most people are ever going to buy in the store - even most people like this brother of mine - most of what we make is really breathtaking. We say it to each other, but we forget to say it to ourselves.
T
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8/1/2004 9:07:20 PM
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knitnut
Posts 52
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hi Benne -
is there any way to use thinner needles and wrap the yarn several times to get the large stitch effect?
then you might get the issue of some stitches threatening to fall off the needles, but at least you`ll be working with dowels rather than turkey basters!
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8/2/2004 6:51:25 AM
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Les
Posts 4243
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It sounds like your GQ brother has passed the test and is now worthy of you knitting him something new and wonderful out of something in the Peruvian collection!! If he handwashes - he`s worthy!
Les
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8/2/2004 8:34:56 AM
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benne
Posts 19258
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Knitnut, wish I`d thought of the wrap solution, it would have been worth a try. This is really pretty miserable but so she may get a short poncho! lol
T, I agree with Les,your brother might be ready to move up to some classy wool. He has proven himself worthy. ;-}
Jamie, I will finish this but I won`t make another one for ANYONE. It is enough to put me off knitting. I`m longing for some knitting on anything smaller than a 13. :-}
Benne
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8/2/2004 12:13:30 PM
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ecasey
Posts 2668
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I hate big needles too B - anything over 11 I`m really uncomfortable with. I have those annoying small hands, as well. Size 7 is my favourite to work with, by far.
Eileen.
--
"We are all in the gutter, but some of us are looking at the STARS!" (Oscar Wilde)
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8/2/2004 10:58:45 PM
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benne
Posts 19258
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These darn big needles make my hands ache and it is more like manipulating giant paintbrushes or something. It bears no resemblance to knitting in my opinion. But I`m almost done, so then I can go back to my faves, anything under a 10.
Benne
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