Author Archive
Knitting needles - Metal vs. Bamboo: some tips and ideas
This would be a good time to share some thoughts and experiences I've had with using these two different types of knitting needles, with the idea that maybe it will help others to avoid some problems.
Some background: I've been knitting, off and on, since the 1960's, dropped it for a long time, but with the inspiration of all that is available on the internet, I picked it up with enthusiasm 3 years ago, when I began knitting socks. At the time I only had metal needles, and it was a struggle to learn how to use double-pointed needles (dpn, for short), because they kept slipping out of the stitches as I worked them around the sock body. Somewhere I learned about bamboo needles, and took a chance on using them instead. Eventually they became my favorites for almost all of my knitting, however they did have drawbacks; the tension was looser, the stitch didn't slide off the needle as easily as it was being formed the same way it did with metal, and the work was slower because of it. So I thought I would again try metal, specifically the somewhat newer, slicker needles available now. So below these are some of the things I've found out about using the different needles.
1. As mentioned above, the gauge/tension of the stitches was quite a bit different comparing metal to bamboo. I started a shawl with fingering-weight yarn and size 3 metal circular needle with a very slick needle surface. My stitches were close together and small. After several inches I switched to a bamboo circular of the same size, and after a few inches of using the bamboo needles, the stitches were loose and larger. It isn't very noticeable, but it surprised me that there would be that much difference in stitch size with the same size needle. Once again this illustrates the importance of gauge and making a test swatch with knitting.
2. Muscle/joint pain: In a previous blog I wrote about knitting toe-up socks, with the peacock blue/turquise socks. With those socks I used metal needles throughout, used the same number of stitches as for socks I had previously knitted, but when finished they were smaller than socks made with the bamboos. But I also had quite a bit of wrist and finger pain, and swollen joints all the way up into my shoulders, so much so that I was limited to the amount of time that I could work on the socks. I didn't connect the pain to using the metal needles, until I started working on the shawl mentioned in #1. When I worked on it with the metal needles, everything hurt; when I switched to the bamboos, the pain went away, and knitting was fun again.
3. Eye fatique: the light glinting on the slick metal surface of the metal needles really tired out my eyes and after an hour or two of knitting, I would have to set it down to get my eyes to rest and re-focus. The bamboo needles didn't give me problems like this.
Now some tips on the care and feeding of bamboo needles.
1. When I first got my bamboo needles they seemed dry to the touch, like raw, unfinished wood feels. So, thinking along the lines of keeping wood furniture waxed and polished to preserve it, I began experimenting with one set of needles, trying various waxes and oils on the needles to see what it would do to them:
a. cold cream - I know it sounds weird, but basic cold cream is a mixture of oil, beeswax and water; I smoothed this into the bamboo needle, let it dry and then rubbed it with paper toweling, cotton rags and waxed paper to see what it would do. It worked very well, and it was right at hand, so I grabbed it to try.
b. olive oil - worked okay and didn't leave an oily residue, but cold cream worked better.
c. mayonnaise - this worked good too, but not as handy as the cold cream
d. candle wax - didn't do much.
My bamboo needles now have a nice polished feel to them, which helps in moving the yarn along on the needle as it is worked. I feel that the oils and waxes also helped to keep the bamboo flexible and stronger than they would otherwise be in their original state as dry and unpolished. The natural oils from the wool yarn also help in keeping the needles polished.
I hope these tips help with enjoying knitting. They have for me.
Enjoy!
Edey
Knitting needles - Metal vs. Bamboo: some tips and ideas
This would be a good time to share some thoughts and experiences I've had with using these two different types of knitting needles, with the idea that maybe it will help others to avoid some problems.
Some background: I've been knitting, off and on, since the 1960's, dropped it for a long time, but with the inspiration of all that is available on the internet, I picked it up with enthusiasm 3 years ago, when I began knitting socks. At the time I only had metal needles, and it was a struggle to learn how to use double-pointed needles (dpn, for short), because they kept slipping out of the stitches as I worked them around the sock body. Somewhere I learned about bamboo needles, and took a chance on using them instead. Eventually they became my favorites for almost all of my knitting, however they did have drawbacks; the tension was looser, the stitch didn't slide off the needle as easily as it was being formed the same way it did with metal, and the work was slower because of it. So I thought I would again try metal, specifically the somewhat newer, slicker needles available now. So below these are some of the things I've found out about using the different needles.
1. As mentioned above, the gauge/tension of the stitches was quite a bit different comparing metal to bamboo. I started a shawl with fingering-weight yarn and size 3 metal circular needle with a very slick needle surface. My stitches were close together and small. After several inches I switched to a bamboo circular of the same size, and after a few inches of using the bamboo needles, the stitches were loose and larger. It isn't very noticeable, but it surprised me that there would be that much difference in stitch size with the same size needle. Once again this illustrates the importance of gauge and making a test swatch with knitting.
2. Muscle/joint pain: In a previous blog I wrote about knitting toe-up socks, with the peacock blue/turquise socks. With those socks I used metal needles throughout, used the same number of stitches as for socks I had previously knitted, but when finished they were smaller than socks made with the bamboos. But I also had quite a bit of wrist and finger pain, and swollen joints all the way up into my shoulders, so much so that I was limited to the amount of time that I could work on the socks. I didn't connect the pain to using the metal needles, until I started working on the shawl mentioned in #1. When I worked on it with the metal needles, everything hurt; when I switched to the bamboos, the pain went away, and knitting was fun again.
3. Eye fatique: the light glinting on the slick metal surface of the metal needles really tired out my eyes and after an hour or two of knitting, I would have to set it down to get my eyes to rest and re-focus. The bamboo needles didn't give me problems like this.
Now some tips on the care and feeding of bamboo needles.
1. When I first got my bamboo needles they seemed dry to the touch, like raw, unfinished wood feels. So, thinking along the lines of keeping wood furniture waxed and polished to preserve it, I began experimenting with one set of needles, trying various waxes and oils on the needles to see what it would do to them:
a. cold cream - I know it sounds weird, but basic cold cream is a mixture of oil, beeswax and water; I smoothed this into the bamboo needle, let it dry and then rubbed it with paper toweling, cotton rags and waxed paper to see what it would do. It worked very well, and it was right at hand, so I grabbed it to try.
b. olive oil - worked okay and didn't leave an oily residue, but cold cream worked better.
c. mayonnaise - this worked good too, but not as handy as the cold cream
d. candle wax - didn't do much.
My bamboo needles now have a nice polished feel to them, which helps in moving the yarn along on the needle as it is worked. I feel that the oils and waxes also helped to keep the bamboo flexible and stronger than they would otherwise be in their original state as dry and unpolished. The natural oils from the wool yarn also help in keeping the needles polished.
I hope these tips help with enjoying knitting. They have for me.
Enjoy!
Edey
Finding Corrections For Errors in Books
Have you ever worked on a project in a craft book or a pattern in a needlework book, and no matter how diligently you followed the instructions it just didn't work out right? There is a good chance that the instructions had an error, making it impossible to finish the project as described. But all is not hopeless.
I've found that with many recently published books that you can go to the website of the publisher or author, and look for "errata" under the name of the book and you will find corrections to the pattern or instructions. Learning about this has been a tremendous help for me; even though I'm still trying to master my hobbies, I do know enough about needlework to be able to spot a problem when I've worked through it more than once and it still doesn't come out correctly. Then I know there is good chance of there being an error in the instructions.
So next time if you get frustrated with a project, don't automatically think that it is your lack of skill or understanding of what you are doing, it could be a print error in the instructions. Do some research into the source of your instructions and see if you can find a correction - or Errata!
Enjoy, Edey
January Star Ornament for 2010
Well, it seems it's not letting me upload the picture, as it says the picture is too big for the blog post, even though I've downsized the picture. HHMMMMMMM! I'll keep trying. Edey
Christmas Ornament Challenge #1 - January Star
Here is the first ornament for 2010. The picture will immediately follow in the next post. The picture was too big to include it here.
These 2 star ornaments are made with cotton fabric and stuffed with polyester stuffing. The patterns
can be found anywhere on the internet that offers free patterns for pieced stars for quilting, or look in quilting books at the library. Be sure to add seam allowances of 1/4 inch to each pattern piece. You will need to make a front and back star for each ornament.
First sew 3 adjacent diamonds together, matching the center points, then 3 more. Sew those 2 halfs together thru the middle - again matching center points. Repeat this process for the back half. Sew both halves together with right sides facing each other, leaving an opening for turning the star to the right side. Stuff tightly, making sure to get the points well stuffed. Sew the opening shut. The hanging loop can be a crocheted chain, piece of string, piece of fishing line, or a pretty ribbon.
The patterns for these ornaments were originally found in the December 1978 issue of Better Homes and Gardens magazine.
If you have any questions, please ask. Enjoy!
Edey
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