I started two different pair of socks with baby ull...then made an executive decision. I'm siding with Purly on this one...it is just a little too scratchy for socks. Maybe it softens up with a soaking in eucalan...I didn't wait around to find out. Mittens. Baby Ull is great for mittens.
So after a little reading about Komi knitting, (similar to fairisle, I guess. Komi knitting is Russian and the geometric design was the attraction for me.) I started on a mitten.
I cast on a couple times, deciding that the Old Norwegian Cast-On suited the cuff the best. Then on with the corrugated ribbed cuff. Simple so far. Now the exciting part...the pattern.
I am just loving this! My tension seems pretty good. I think it's because of the fingering weight and the size 1 needle. It seems easier to keep an even tension on the floats in this fine knit.
Have you visited Oliphaunt Knits? I think I found Lisa's blog when I was knitting Ene's scarf. She has inspired me to try fairisle knitting. It was on her blog that I first observed steeking. Knitting and scissors just scare me! Check out the gorgeous Komi hat she knit!
I have made one very interesting observation. Throwing a curve at my love of magic loop. It is so difficult to float in magic loop. The edge stitches are pulled to tight. I don't know if there is a way to correct this...but I think I may have to pick up the dread double pointed needles. We have been apart for some time. I must learn to love them again if I want to be a successful "colourful" knitter.
8 comments:
I have been knitting stranded colorwork mittens with Magic Loop and have encountered the same problem. The only "fix" I have been able to come up with (other than to really drape that float across the join) is to be sure and catch the nonworking yarn at that last stitch before changing needles. Does that make sense? That helps somewhat.
I fear that I would just have more tight joins if I switched to dpns. :)
Also, I meant to say -- lucky you finding that Starmore book at your library! My library's knitting book selection is pretty lame. I may have to see about an interlibrary loan.
Wow, I'm impressed!
You know, I still need to learn about the different benefits of different kinds of cast-ons. Up til now, I've always used long-tail...and cable cast-on once.
When I do stranding with socks on 2 circs, I have the same problem -- the sts at the point between the 2 ndls are either too tight or too loose. I found that flipping the sock inside out helps. This means that you are knitting on the side of the tube that is away from you, not towards you. Then the stranded yarn goes around the outside of the tube, instead of the inside and has some built-in slack.
Sorry if that explanation was confusing. I recently saw a good picture of this online somewhere, but I can't seem to find it.
I love the pattern on the mitten. Is it from that Marvelous Mittens book?
Baby ull scratchy? I've never thought so and I'm pretty sensitive to wool. Your colorwork is gorgeous anyway.
Very lovely color knitting. Looks like quite a challenge and the end result well worth the effort.
I just started a komi pattern yesterday from Mostly Mittens! i'll hopefully post pictures soon. i'll be spying around over here to take other peoples advice too! thanks!
Very nice mittens. I love that pattern. You should check out the Latvian Mitten book, it's got some fabulous patterns.
I'm working on a stranded sock, and I'm wondering if DPNs would be better for color as well. The joins are just really wonky. At least addi makes DPNs, so I think I'll try those.
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