The Lion, the witch and the stash cupboard

2010-12-04T19:32:00.001-08:00

to make everyone's life easier i'm cross posting the patterns to Ravelry, including those for sale!

http://www.ravelry.com/people/seraphimgrace
this is me!

super quick and easy scarf

2010-12-04T19:19:00.001-08:00

I've been busy with other things and knitting human things
they take forever, but everyone around me is having babies....

I just threw together a scarf pattern as part of my christmas boxes

pictures to follow

1 pair 15mm needles (if you've not got 15mm just use the largest you have, seriously it doesn't make that much difference, this is a pattern that the looser the knit the softer the scarf but after 15mm it goes a bit silly) tension is not important
200g of chunky yarn (worsted or aran weight)

Cast on 30 stitches
R1 knit
R2 Knit (the whole pattern is in garter stitch)
continue until you notice you're running out of yarn, (if you want a longer scarf tie on a second ball and keep going,) bind off!

I made this in just over 1 movie (how to train your dragon which is great to knit to) and am now considering making them for everyone
with just one ball of yarn it is about three foot long and about 12" wide, more than enough to form a nice head wrap AS well as go around the neck and cross over -
as i made this for a gift I'm going to have to make one for myself.

Update

2010-03-20T10:23:00.000-07:00

I've been fighting with the fair isle lately and made a huge error which means i need to rip back about an inch
I'd never made a top in the round before so it didn't occur to me it went flat at the vee, go figure

so in bad temper i've been doing human knitting
i made a pair of slippers and a bag

genuinely nothing complicated, the bag took 1 day and the slippers 1 day each
mind you my arms ache now but lookit I made something

baby rattle

2010-02-08T09:46:00.001-08:00

Because I've been working on larger projects and was feeling down that none of them were even close to being finished I kinda lost the rag
I wanted something quick and easy and when Let's Knit arrived on my doorstep this morning with two balls of neon yarn and some quick easy projects to make with them I dived right in

To whit I made a baby rattle
why, because it was the least offensive really, they were all bright yellow or green socks or vile bonnets and this at least seemed practical for yarn that wasn't very nice to wash (imagine giving baby projects for hand wash only yarn!)

Sure it's not the most fabulous thing I've ever done, but it does rattle and waggle and do what it's meant to, and in nice wool it might even some day be attractive

I just wonder and perhaps it's rhetorical should we use hard to launder yarn for projects that are going to get a lot of wear or bite the bullet and use the horrible squeaky stuff that can go in the tumbledrier, questions, questions...

Fabulous fair isle

2010-01-07T16:58:00.001-08:00

Obviously I was a wild child, I tried making a pair of socks and it was boring, I couldn't do it
so I frogged them
and decided I know I'll make a lace weight fair isle on 1.75mm dpns in the round with Steeking.
it's turning out lovely, no really, all 12 rows of it so far, but it's so delicate that I'm terrified I'm going to ruin it
it's going to take an age
and there's not enough of it to take a photo yet, it's less than an inch long. I'm going to have to make Belle a white blouse and grey skirt to go with, or maybe grey pants, definitely grey
I'm using baby pink, rose and pale grey as the base. I'll show photos when there's more

Baby Blanket Free Yo-Sd sized pattern

2010-01-05T05:53:00.000-08:00

This pattern is for a hooded blanket with pockets to keep your little one warm

It's an absolute beginner pattern, there is no fancy shaping or tricks, in fact if you can k2tog you've got this sorted

It is knit on 4mm needles with any fuzzy DK yarn. Baby wool is ideal. It has no guage but the trick is to get a yarn with no stitch definition. I used Sirdar Snuggly Bubbly.

Cast on 1 stitch
Rows 1- 6 knit into front and back of first st, k to end of row (7 st at end of row 6)
Row 7-39 k3 m1 k to end of row (40 stitches at end of row 39)
row 40-41 Cast on 12 stitches for pockets, k to end of row (64)
row 42-47 K
row 48-49 BO 12 stitches at beginning of row (40)
row 50-61 k2 k2tog k to end of row (28)

shape hood
this is a square hood
row 62 k2tog across row (14 st)
row 63 knit into front and back of each stitch giving 28 st in total
row 64, to make the hood dense k1 s1 to end
repeat until hood measures 4" long
Bind off.

Fold over hood and sew at sides

fold pockets along the side of the blanket (or if you prefer fold over to make paws on the blanket) and stitch in place

weave in ends!
embroider as desired.

On a pale horse

2009-12-31T06:49:00.000-08:00

I am assured that all knitters have the occasional nemesis, a pattern that for some reason, no matter how they try, they just can;t get right, or if they do, they run out of yarn and have to frog it anyway.

Mine is called Horace the Horse aka Binky
he was a free pattern
http://www.vintage-knitting-patterns.com/support-files/ezine/ezine105-creeper.pdf
that a pregnant friend of mine asked if I could make for her
the pattern was originally in a magazine pull out and had been "converted" for modern readers
the horse looked like cthulhu's pet, and so he was frogged. Because it was a vintage pattern I went looking for the original

I have tried 4 times to knit this accursed creature! and last night, whilst watching list programs on channel 4 I finished one side and it was right (something that never happens) so goddammit I picked up the yarn to cast on the second side
and there was no way I had enough yarn left. It had been eaten by the yarn eating monsters that live in my stash bucket. I was using a soft off white, and I had white, and there was only one thing to do
the angry goblin dance of IFRICKINGKNEWITIHATETHISPATTERN and pick up a ball of white DK from the same manufacturer and hope that the unborn child will not notice

I am NOT doing this pattern again
the thing is, when it works it's so easy. When it doesn't look like the elder gods could use him for atrip down to the shops (his front legs were coming out of his back)
I'm going to finish it in the white and embroider patches on him so no one will ever know!
If at first you don't succeed, redefine success

Knitting Commissions

2009-12-27T14:20:00.000-08:00

I've been asked to re open my commission list
now all patterns are available for sale (or should be soon enough) on Lulu but this is for those of you who cannot knit or simply don't want to.

I am offering 5 commission slots, this is because I don't want to overwhelm myself and have someone waiting for ages for their item

the prices go as follows.

70cm - plain £25 + yarn (you choose) and shipping
SD - plain £20 + yarn (you choose) and shipping
MSD - plain £15 + yarn (you choose) and shipping
yo-sd - plain £10 + yarn (you choose) and shipping

for intarsia or heavy cables there will be an added cost but it will be agreed before the commission is accepted.
For example this kind of complicated fair isle
http://images4.ravelrycache.com/uploads/seraphimgrace/17555552/picture058_square.jpg will cost more than a single cable down the front. No pattern will cost more than £35 + yarn and shipping.

if the pattern is very simple you may recieve a reduction but you will be informed of this in the early stages of accepting the commission. Ie the grail sweater uses very little yarn and takes half an hour so it will cost £10.

All shipping is fixed in the UK at £1.50 and £2 international.

the yarn you will be given the weight and a list of websites where YOU choose colour and texture, ie you want plain double knit acrylic it'll cost a lot less than an expensive hand dyed cashmere at the same weight.
You will also be told if it will take 1 or 2 balls (I've never needed more).

I am taking 5 commissions at present
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.

if you have a human sized pattern you wish to have made for your doll and you have the pattern this can be arranged. If you would like one of the simpler sweaters in a complicated pattern this can be done.

To order simply tell me which pattern you'd want in which size with a reply and I'll take it from there, the gallery will be available here..... http://s11.photobucket.com/albums/a191/seraphim_grace/knitwear/

how to knit, basically,

2009-12-26T07:34:00.000-08:00

this is the advice i gave to a non knitter about how to knit - I'll do this better another time with diagrams and things, but for now....

I was like the anti knitter for a long time, I couldn't get it, no matter who tried to teach me and then another knitter explained it in terms I could get behind and from then on it was easy

you have to remember you're not adjusting fabric, you're making it, and you're doing this not by weaving, which is one over one under, but my making loops, then you feed the loops through the ones, that's what the needles are for, to open up the loops
you can make two basic stitches, if the loop is facing you it's a purl stitch and if it's away from you it's a knit stitch

now comes the tricky bit
the story of a particularly cunning fox
in through the rabbit hole, around the big tree, out through the rabbit hole and off goes she
what they dont' tell you is that the fox knocks on the back door.

what knitting is is a series of interlocked loops - think chain mail (it's made the same way the only difference is that those circles are complete where in knitting it's one great thread)
so you have two edges (these are called the posts) one going up the front of the needle and one going down the back, to go in the back door with the fox you go in behind the first loop on the front of the needle. (in through the bunny hole)
To do this you push the needle through, then taking the loose yarn you make a wrap around the needle (around the big tree)
now carefully pull the new loop you've just made through the old loop (out through the bunny hole) and push the old loop off the needle. (and off goes she)
that's a stitch.
to do a purl you go in through the back of the needle.
if you see the abbreviation tbl you then go in through the front door.

to cast on you just don't pull the old stitch off, you put it back on the needle
to cast off you just pull the last stitch you completed over the new one

but for the first couple of rows I can assure you you'll be sat going "in through the bunny hole, around the big tree, out through the bunny hole and off goes she" with every stitch
it does help

Free Pattern - Basic beret for 9-10 heads

2009-12-23T14:34:00.000-08:00

Easy sd beret pattern

you will need
2.75mm needles
7mm needles
and dk wool (1 ball makes lots of hats)

Using size 12 needles, cast on 56st using the cable cast-on method
Work in k1, p1 rib for four rows
Change to size 2 needles and work in stocking stitch for eight rows
Row 13: Change to size 12 needles. K2 (m1, k2) to end. 83st
p one row
k3, (k2 tog k2) six times, k2 tog, k4, (k2 tog, k2) six times, k2tog, k4, (k2 tog, k2) five times. 64 st
p one row
k2 tog to end. 32 st
p one row
k2 tog to end. 16 st
p one row
k2 tog to end. Draw thread back through remaining eight sts on needle. Stitch seam together using mattress stitch

Free Pattern - Basic Boat neck sweater for SD sizes

2009-12-23T14:33:00.001-08:00

This was knit on 2mm and sirdar blur http://www.angelyarns.com/sirdar/knit.php/yarn/325

this is a super simple pattern where the wool forms the pattern

Front and back
CO 50
60 rows knit in stockingette (there is no rib on this pattern)
for next 10 rows decrease 1 stitch at beginning of each row by knitting 2 stitches together
10 more rows BO

it has a very square neck, this is a boat neck

3/4 sleeves
CO30
Work 60 rows
decrease each row by one stitch at beginning by knitting 2 together until 3 stitches remain on needle - BO

for half length sleeves
decrease each row by 2 stitches at beginning
this shortens the curve but not the vast majority of the sleeve.

for full length sleeves add another 30 rows

Free Pattern - Basic Crewneck sweater for MSD sizes

2009-12-23T14:32:00.001-08:00

This is done on fingering weight wool on 2.75 mm needles or UK size 12s

shorthand WIP - work in pattern
apparently every time i put 8 in brackets i end up with harry potter, so harry potter means 8 stitches remaining

Front
CO 28
1-8 K1 P1
9-43 Stockingette stitch

44a WIP 12 BO3 slip rest to holder
45a BO2 WIP (10)
46a WIP
47a BO2 wIP (8)
48a WIP BO

44b BO 3 WIP (12)
45b BO 2 WIP (10)
46b WIP
47b BO2 WIP (8)
48b WIP BO

back
CO 28
1-8 k1 p1
9-46 stockingette
46a bo4 wip 10 slip to holder
47a bo2 wip (8)
48a WIP BO

46b BO4 WIP 10
47b WIP BO2
48b WIP BO

sleeves x2
CO24
1-40 stockingette reducing at row 5, 15, 25, 35 thus s1 k1 psso wip till 2 remain k2tog
at the end of 40 you should have 14 stitches
40-45 k1 p1 BO

Free Pattern - Basic Crewneck sweater for SD sizes

2009-12-23T14:31:00.000-08:00

this is a simple pattern you can use for anything with a little tweaking

ideally this will be with a uk size 12/2.75 needle and cotton bergere wool (fingering weight)

Front
CO 42
1-10 K1 p1
11-54 stockingette stitch
55a work in pattern for 19 st, slip rest to holder
turn
56a BO3 work cross (16 st)
57a work in pattern
58a BO2 work across (14 st)
59 work across
60 work across BO
55b BO4 work in pattern (19)
56b work in pattern
57b BO3 work across (16)
58b work across
59b BO2 work across (14)
60b work across BO

Back
CO 42
1-10 K1 p1
11-58 stockingette stitch
59 work across 14, BO 14, work across 14
60 BO

Sleeves (x2)
CO 34
1-10 K1 p1 ribbing
11-58 stockingette decreasing on rows 15, 25, 35, 45, 55
as so s1 k1 psso work across till 2 stitches remaining k2tog

collar
pick up 28 stitches
k1 p1 for 5 rows (10 if you want to fold it back)

you might want to use a hook and eye to fasten the collar rather than stitch it shut if you think your doll has an overlarge head, it's designed for 9-10 but if your knitting comes out small....

Free Pattern- Steinbeck

2009-12-23T14:27:00.001-08:00

This pattern was called Steinbeck because it went against the best laid plans of mice and men (me!) it was meant to be all drapey and pretty and chunky and no, but turned out super cute regardless.

This is a super easy pattern done in DK wool on uk size 13 needles (2.25mm)
but the good news is that tension doesn't really matter, the ribbing pulls it tight so there is a lot of leeway
Back
CO50
row 1 k2 p2 to end
row 2 p2 k2 to end
work in pattern until desired length (you choose)
bind off

left front
CO30
row 1 k2 p2 to end
row 2 p2 k2 to end
work in pattern to match back
bind off

right front
CO20
row 1 k2 p2 to end
row 2 p2 k2 to end
work in pattern to match back
bind off

sleeves (work 2)

CO34 work in k2 p2 rib
decrease work every 5th row until row 25 by (24 stitches remain)
s1 k1 psso wip till 2 stitches remain, k2tog (p2tog if pattern suggests)
25-28 work in pattern
Bind off

stitch together making sure to leave open at neck
this gives an asymmetric pattern (that was meant to be all droopy and shawl necked like one of my own!)
add notions to finish

to avoid pooling like i got with the variegated yarn (I learned this AFTER I finished) take two balls of the wool and knit 2 rows in ball a and two rows in ball b
this is a problem with small works but i got 2 patterns out of one ball of wool with some left over so 2 balls equals four sweaters.... not so bad.

Martin Storey's Decken

2009-12-23T14:13:00.000-08:00

I made this sweater following a shop bought pattern called Decken by Martin Storey (which to be fair I found in a knitting magazine called The Knitter issue 13)

it looked like it should be easy to convert so I thought quick and easy doll knit, I had been making human mittens in (un)fair isle and wanted an easy thing to do.

and Vedra can never have enough knitwear.

i have the pattern in front of me, it asked for 15mm needles and 2 strands of chunky wool tweeded.
So I put my math hat on and said 2 strands of dk and 5mm knit a bit tightly, afterall I was making it in 1/3 scale which usually means 1/3 the size.

I knit about two inches and it was easily the length of my forearm. Hmmm, I thought, perhaps this is a bit big. Now I knit very tightly so I dreaded to think what this would be like in human size.

I shrank the needles down to 4.5mm and knit a bit following the pattern.
Still huge

4mm and 2 different matching colours of DK which was a nightmare.
And still too big

I went in bad temper to a pair of "good old 3.25mm" and one strand of DK

that's when i discovered the pattern for the lace was wrong. I recognised the pattern because it's the same one I used for the "Grail Shrug" which is very easy and works over a four row repeat. I checked the pattern several times it only had two. So I amended the pattern, went back to the hem and started AGAIN.

To be fair to this pattern it knit up very quickly so it was hardly any time at all before I reached the first cable twist. It went in a dream. I began to get suspicious. Cables never go in right at first, they lie in wait to fall off your cable needles when you're not paying attention at the really good bit of the film you're watching at the same time.

The pattern was wrong again. This time instead of having shortened the lace repeat it had substituted C6B with C6F which looks like a very simple and pedantic thing to get your panties in a wad over but meant instead of cabling to the back so the twist went BEHIND the fabric it came to the FRONT. This meant instead of a knot I had diagonal stripes.

There were names called, I ended up frogging it AGAIN.

After that it took next to no time. Once the kinks in the pattern were worked out it went together like a dream. I know, however, that if the pattern had been right it would have been my knitting that fell apart. No item goes together the first time. However to be fair to Mr Storey the shaping worked fine. It was just the detailing that didn't.

Invaluable links

2009-12-23T10:01:00.000-08:00

This post I think will be constantly added to
the idea is to have a one stop shop for everything you need
needles, yarn, miniature needles, patterns
now I am based in the UK so it might seem that there is a bias but it's to do with ease of getting them
and if you have a suggestion to make - make it and i'll gladly add it

Hiya Hiya needles
these are wonderful and go down to 1mm or 000us
http://www.knitncaboodle.co.uk/acatalog/Hiya_Hiya_Double_Pointed_Needles_15cm.html
http://www.hiyahiyanorthamerica.com/
the tiny ones are only available in steel however.

http://www.littletrimmings.com/
this is a site for dollhouse enthusiasts but I'm not complaining, it's wonderful for really tiny details and sells small needles individually, but also tiny crochet hooks and tiny yarn in hanks of 5g which is great for 1/12 scale but plan ahead if you buy yarn for them, you will probably need 4 or 5 hanks.

http://www.shetlandwoolbrokers.co.uk
I cannot speak more highly of this site, cheap lace weight yarn and the needles to work it. Originally designed for fair isle and shetland lace shawls I'm not one to look a gift horse in the mouth, their 2ply jumper weight is just thinner than usual 4ply and knits up a dream. It is also real wool so it's nice to work with for a fraction of the price of usual laceweights.

http://www.knitpicks.com/knitting.cfm
If you can't get it at knitpicks the chances are it's not available, however with that comes it's own problems, the amount of choice is overwhelming and unlike your yarn store you can't feel the hanks to find out whether they're suitable. If in doubt ASK, but they do list their yarns by weight.

Patterns
http://www.dollswestdesigns.com/
Dollswest has a wonderful page with a range of both free and commercial patterns, however these might be a touch daunting for the beginner

http://www.danielbingham.com/
although these aren't specifically for ABJDs a lot of his patterns are easily converted. There are
some free patterns available here.

my commercially available patterns are available here
http://www.lulu.com/content/brochure/grail-shrug-for-abjd-sized-dolls-knitting-pattern/7269932
but my free ones here
http://cadacusfall.livejournal.com/

human sized patterns

www.knitty.com

www.knittingpatterncentral.com

So you want to be a knitter - part 3

2009-12-23T09:59:00.000-08:00

Needles

Unlike yarn the idea is that you buy your needles once and that's it, you'll never need to buy them again. In reality you will lose one needle at some point so I always buy duplicates.

Rather than going into the yarn store and spending a fortune for those first few pairs it is an idea to go on an online auction site and pick up someone's old collection, it's cheap and will give you a great selection to work with. The most common needles in any one's collection range between 2.75cm to 5mm, you will get circular needles and dpns for a fraction of the price, and then it's just a matter of getting the needles of different sizes as you need them.

Craft magazines will give away free needles, often in a size that is completely impractical, but don't underestimate it as a source.

Thrift shops often have old bundles of needles that you can pick up for next to nothing.

Keep your eyes open. You will still have to go trawling the internet for miniature needles but the human sized ones, they're easy to get. If someone asks you what you want for a gift suggest needle bundles from stores. Needles can cost absurd amounts of money and as you become more adept you'll want to work on the expensive ones simply because they feel nicer in your hand, and you can have them made to measure now, but there is no point in spending a fortune on something you might never really use, and the really expensive needles often don't come in miniature.

No matter how you try there is no way to not work on sizes smaller than 2mm, especially for the smaller dolls, this means you have to purchase miniature needles. Reassuringly they rarely cost more than their human sized counterparts, they're just better at hiding.

Online auction sites can be a good resource but also places that sell items for doll houses, an online search for doll knitting will bring up a wealth of places, and don't be afraid to ask other abjd owners where they got theirs. Personally I use Hiya Hiya needles because they're easy to get and go down to 1mm width in their circular needles. If you can't get them online as your yarn store to order them for you, but as a rule, don't frighten yourself with them until you think you're ready, until you're comfortable, because once you go miniature you'll never go back for two reasons, one- human patterns take forever and far too much yarn, and two- 3mm will start to feel like knitting with broom handles and just as clumsy.

Needles have different sizes in different countries, this means that a 2.75mm needle might be a size 12 in the uk but a size 2 in the US. This means that accidents will happen because a UK size 2 is 7mm.

It is not necessary to learn the numbers and what they mean, I work in mm because it's easier and universal but this is a needle conversion chart which includes miniatures.

METRIC SIZES(mm)	US SIZES	UK/CANADIAN
0.5	5x0 (00000)
1	4x0 (0000)
1.25	3x0 (000)
1.5	2x0 (00)
2	0	14
2.25	1	13
2.75	2	12
3	-	11
3.25	3	10
3.5	4	-
3.75	5	9
4	6	8
4.5	7	7
5	8	6

So you want to be a knitter - part 2

2009-12-23T09:56:00.000-08:00

Yarn

For your first shopping expedition I would highly recommend that you give the large hobby stores a miss. There is a perfectly good reason for this, and later I'd recommend you go, but the first time you get there you will be enabled and you won't know what you need, and there is no one to ask. There are racks upon racks of beautiful yarn begging to be picked up and squeezed, shelves of knitting books that might as well be written in a foreign language and these things that you know must be important or they wouldn't be there but you have no idea what they are or what you use them for.

So you panic and go into a shopping frenzy and buy lots of things because you must need them right, and that yarn is so soft, but how many balls do you need? You don't know so you buy lots and lots. Experienced knitters have the same problem with yarn but they at least know to avoid the notions and books.

In your local yarn store it's different, first of all it gives you the sense of being like a club that you're not part of and everyone knows the rules but you, but there is always someone to ask for help.

On your first foray into the sanctum sanctorum of local knitters you will be both flummoxed and tempted. One wall is covered in needles all in different sizes and materials and the rest is little cubby holes full of yarn. There is usually a table with folders on it and the lighting isn't quite as bright as you're used to to keep the yarn from fading. In mine there is a table with gadgets and gizmos and swifts and looms and other things that make me go ooh, ahh, I mustn't.

There are often knitting starter packs for children arranged brightly on the desk, next to the pin cushions, tape measures and ribbon bundles. Most of them will have someone behind the counter working on their own knitting. Sometimes these shops are slightly more expensive than their chain counterparts but they are full of knitters who know what they're doing and are more than happy to help if you just ask.

Often they will have little items tacked up next to the cubby hole with the wool so you can see it knit up, something that the counter lady is working on, and if they haven't got it in stock they can order it. They will also know the location of any knitting circles in the area, and once they get used to you being part of their club, which is just a matter of knitting believe it or not, they will often think of you when they order yarn, so they'll recommend it to you.

It is the nature of knitters to acquire yarn, and you will acquire it. Before you know it you will have a bag/cupboard/suitcase full of unopened skeins of yarn just begging you do to something with them as soon as you have the right pattern. The joy of scale knitting as opposed to human sized is you can get away with using one skein not twenty. This means it's not that expensive, there is nothing to stop you spending £20 on one skein because it's beautiful and using it for a scarf because it's not too expensive to consider.

Also don't neglect the remnant bin- you don't need five or six balls of one colour so you can pick up some great yarns for a fraction of the price. You will end up with the yarn equivalent of King Solomon's mines, I only recommend leaving the Hobby chain for a while because you don't need to go rooting around in Aladdin's cave just yet.

Just because you're knitting in scale doesn't mean that there are any sizes of wool that you can't use, you just need to use them cleverly.

For most patterns to create a tight gauge and doll sized amount of detail I use 4ply and 2mm needles, because this is my comfort yarn I know the sizes and this allows me to chart very detailed works without arduous trial and error. Other knitters I know prefer lace weight and 1.5mm. Again it's personal preference.

However because it's easier to purchase I would recommend starting with 2mm and 4ply wool. These can be purchased over the counter without having to order things in and are available in a wide selection of colours. I prefer bamboo needles but it's up to you.

Trust your eye, if something about the yarn seems off and you don't know what it is, leave it. If the notions you're purchasing don't seem quite right, don't buy them.

With practice you can go into a yarn store and pick ten skeins of different yarns off the racks barely looking and they will all be perfect sized, and will knit up a dream. With practice. Until you get to that stage do not hesitate to bring your doll into the store and explain what you're doing. Get them to help, it's what they're paid for and it's a challenge to them. They will have suggestions that are unique to them, I hear something new every time I ask, and don't hesitate to try things. Knitting isn't like dressmaking, if you make a mistake you can just rip it back and there's no waste.

Yarn, especially hand dyed yarn, will behave differently as soon as it's washed, therefore if possible, wash it before you start to knit, put it in a sink of hot water and wool soap and swish it around. This will allow the yarn to change as it will when you wash it and also take any excess dye out of it and stop it staining your doll.

So you want to be a knitter - part 1

2009-12-23T09:47:00.000-08:00

Building your equipment

Unlike sewing and dressmaking it is impossible to have a box of cure alls, it would make life much easier. There is a reason for this and it's very simple. Knitting is a form of weaving, unlike sewing you are making the fabric, and you are doing this by manipulating looped knots via the needles, therefore the yarn and the needles will affect the size of the fabric, ie just changing the needles down a size will drastically reduce the size of your knitting.

So, again unlike sewing, you don't just have a pair of scissors, though you'll need those, a pin cushion, a box of spare pins, some sewing needles and a thimble, and all the rest is detailing. With knitting everything changes.

There are some things that you will need but you don't necessarily have to go out and spend a fortune on them, in fact until you are truly addicted to the craft I don't recommend it. When you are learning to knit it might not take, you might not like it, these are the simple facts of life, and if you've just spent $50 on a set of birch needles with silver thread through them that are the wrong size for what you're doing you're more likely to hate it.

So where to begin.

All you need is a pair of needles and a ball of yarn. For your first projects until you get the hang of the basics the size of these doesn't matter at all. To prove this point the first project in this book is a very simple scarf that can be used for any purpose you want to put a scarf to. As heartbreaking as it might be to want to start with that super complicated striped lace wonderwork of a cardigan you have to start with simple things and they don't get simpler than scarves, or as wonderfully complex either.

There are things I would recommend as essential but they are not necessarily expensive.

A tote bag.

The reason for this is simple, it gives you some place to keep your knitting projects away from small hands, cat paws, dust, spilt tea... any of the usual things. With miniature knitting because it's small you don't necessarily need a big one either, an old handbag will do fine, just somewhere to stash your wool and your works in progress. You might want to buy yourself an elaborate and beautiful silk knitting bag, they are available, but you don't need to, any old cloth or leather bag will do. The only reason I don't recommend a good old fashioned paper or plastic bag is that the needles poke through them and they don't last very long.

Scissors

These live in your tote bag, and unlike sewing or embroidery where you pretty much have to mortgage your house for a good pair- with knitting it doesn't really matter, because all you're doing is trimming ends, so anything that cuts will do, whether they are cheap paper scissors from the local supermarket or the expensive thread cutters from the haberdashers. I use thread cutters, but mostly because they have a ribbon around them so I can hang them from my neck and not lose them.

Tape measure

A ruler will do, but a tape measure is much more flexible and allows you to measure both your work and your doll.

Paper and pencil

Prepare to make notes, lots and lots of notes, whether it's scribbling down measurements or doodling a stitch. Attach the pencil to the pad, otherwise you will lose it. A length of yarn taped to the pencil will allow you to hang the pencil around your neck, or stick it to the pad.

A needle gauge

This is an inexpensive item available from any yarn stockist, it is a small square of plastic with holes in it for measuring the size of needles. Not all needles come with a handy sizing bead, like double pointeds or circulars for example, this piece of plastic means you just stick the needle in the hole until you get the right size.

A packet of darning needles

This should probably read several packets because darning needles are used to sew the fabric pieces together and will get lost. No matter how careful you are with them they will get lost. Reassuringly they come in packs of two usually and aren't very expensive. As your work scales down you will switch to cross stitch needles as they have a smaller width and a large eye, these come in packs of six. The gold plating is a carry over from cross stitching where the same needle is worn thin with use, the gold stops the metal tarnishing and staining the fabric. It is not necessarily as indulgent as it looks.

A small crochet hook

Ideally this will be the smallest crochet hook in the shop, but we're not using it for crochet. The purpose of this is to pick up dropped stitches, it's much easier, and for beading.

A bottle of moisturiser.

This is because dry skin catches on the knitting and isn't very nice, it's scratchy, and easily fixed. It doesn't have to be expensive, but quickly absorbed and non greasy work best because you don't want it staining your work.

There are other things I would highly recommend but aren't essential.

A pencil tin.

This is fantastic for keeping notions and fiddly things like stitch markers, end protectors, safety pins, and other miscellaneous small things in. I also keep my stitch holders and cable needles in mine because they fit. It stops them getting lost at the bottom of your bag.

A knitting roll

This is a fabric needle holder that rolls up nice and small, and allows you to carry lots of needles around comfortably. There is no reason not to make this yourself.

A big jar

You won't always carry your needles around and they will accumulate, in fact before you know it you will have many pairs, and they need somewhere to live. An old large jar is ideal for this, it supports the needles and allows you to choose them from the ends.

A bag of elastic bands

This just allows you to keep your needles in pairs, you will need lots more than you have pairs because you'll lose them, they'll degrade and the dog will try to eat them when you drop them.

With needles and yarn I'll deal later simply because it is pretty much a specialist subject.

There are knitting objects that you will need at some point. I highly recommend buying these as they are necessary otherwise they can be very expensive and you'll hardly ever use them.

Stitch holders

These are like giant nappy pins to hold your work in situ when you need to separate a piece off to work on a different bit. I.e., if you're knitting an all in one sweater and are isolating off the sleeves. These can prove godsends but alternately if you can't find one in scale, a piece of scrap wool fed through with a darning needle and tied into a bow will work just as well. Alternatively a nappy or kilt pin will do the same job much more cheaply, and in fact work better for pockets because they're not in the way as much, especially with scale knitting.

Stitch markers

These are small notions, usually a few beads strung on a metal loop, that allow you to mark your place, ie if you have a four panel repeat on 80 stitch you would place markers every twenty stitches which allows you to just work with 20 and restart the pattern with each new panel. It's just a reminder. These can be very expensive and will fall out of your work no matter how careful you are. However you can use a piece of scrap wool or a safety pin to mark your place simply by tying a loop around the end.

End protectors

These come in two groups, for circular and straight, and for double pointed needles. The first type are like pencil toppers for the needle, they go on the point of the needle and stops your knitting falling off when you store it. They can easily be replaced by a pair of elastic bands, one for straights simply because you leave your knitting on one needle for straights, and two for circulars. The other ones are more complicated, they are two plastic caps held together by a length of elastic, this is often decorated. These close over both ends of all the double pointed needles (dpns) and hold the knitting in place as one thick wand of needles instead of the triangle or square you were working with. Again if you want to use them and don't want to pay for them elastic bands work just as well.

Cable needles

As a rule you can never have too many cable needles, patterns will suggest that you use a cable needle the same size that you're knitting with, this isn't necessary because you're not really knitting with it. A cable needle allows you to change the order of stitches to create a twist. Like darning needles they will get lost no matter how careful you are because they're little and you'll put them down and then the next thing you know it's gone. I use 2mm ones but there is nothing to stop you getting other sizes. I have a miniature cable needle and it's simply too small. Some cable needles are straight and look like a short dpn, and some have a kink in the middle. Both do the same job, it is just personal preference.

One technique I have learned is that if I am shopping and see a knitting magazine with a free gift that will be useful I will purchase the magazine, this allows you to acquire these items cheaply and often the magazine can be as interesting with different techniques and tips and even suggestions of what to make. This can be a great source for needles, knitting rolls and other things like that. Also don't be afraid to make it known to other knitters that you'll take their oddments off their hands, just because they can't make something with half a ball of yarn doesn't mean that you can't.

Welcome to Yarnia

2009-12-23T08:59:00.000-08:00

There are lots of reasons I started this blog, and I'd love to start with Mr Tumnus' scarf, but mostly it's to do with practicality.

I am a knitter! We don't have support groups but knitting circles and we're all enablers, that is a terrible problem. We go gushy over yarn and often can brandish a set of dpns like weapons. I have seen knitting circles that advertised themselves "Want to quit [smoking] learn to knit" and it's a calming soothing past time that eventually reaps rewards in the details of sweaters and socks that you don't really want.

But knitting is an adventure, every time you think you have it mastered you discover something new and terrifying and it can be overwhelming.

I have an ABJD problem, (they're too expensive and I love them, that's the problem) and so being unwilling to pay as much in shipping as for clothes I learned to make them myself and that included knitting. I was a as and when bad knitter, I knitted badly as and when, but I learned and found that strangely analytical mind and math talent translated wonderfully when someone explained knitting to me logically.

So this blog is to create a one stop shop for resources, links, free patterns, show off for sale patterns (by myself and other knitters) to whine about the joys of techniques as they appear, and how to cheat. How to convert patterns to scale, how to "read" an outfit to see how it goes together and all in scale for your own dolls.

Knitting is not cost effective, you cannot sell an item for what it's worth in manpower and materials, a sweater that took ten hours will not sell for minimum wage plus yarn costs, so it is rare to see them for sale. Which is fine, it means you make your own. Every hand knit piece is one of a kind. And one of the massive advantages of doll knitting, you mostly only need to buy one ball of yarn.