Creative styler asked:


I dont know how to read knitting pattern they seem to be so complicated. Please give me some tutoral, and thank you so much for reading.

BARNEY

Vendetta asked:


i am dieing for some knitting patterns. but not just any patterns, patterns from all of you on yahoo. any good ideas? im fairly advanced so send me any skill level!

AUGUST

Knit Picks asked:


Alpaca

Hailing from South America, the alpaca belongs to the camelid family that also includes camels, llamas, guanacos and vicunas. They are a docile breed whose fleece spins into luxurious yarns. More than three quarters of the world’s alpaca population resides in Peru.1 In centuries past, the alpaca was an incredibly valuable animal, even more so than precious gems! Clothing created with alpaca was restricted for use by royalty. The alpaca has been domesticated and is treated as one of Peru’s national treasures. England has the double decker bus, the U.S. has Mt. Rushmore, and Peru has their alpacas. What a diverse definition of treasure!

Alpaca fleece is a “protein fiber”. This doesn’t mean knitting with it will make you stronger, it merely indicates that the fiber comes from an animal- namely, the alpaca. Alpaca fiber is strong, warm, and comfortable. Each fiber is hollow which makes it incredibly lightweight. Even the most delicate alpaca garments are warm for this reason. Perhaps alpaca’s greatest feature is that it can be worn next to the skin comfortably. The explanation for this is the behavior of the scales on the exterior of the fiber itself. They all lie flat in the same direction, making for a smooth surface. Less expensive than cashmere and with the strength of mohair, alpaca is highly desirable and functional. As with most natural fibers, alpaca needs to be handled with care when it comes to water exposure. Be sure to read and heed the washing instructions on your yarn or sweater.

While there are 2 breeds of alpaca, Huacaya and Suri, the former makes up a whopping 95% of the population.2 Differences between the two are numerous and as you may have guessed from the percentages, the Suri is harder to come by. Suri qualities include fleece that grows downward like human hair in wavy or curly locks with a silky texture. Huacaya fleece is coarser and grows straight outwards, at a right angle to the skin of the alpaca.

When alpaca fiber is processed, it is evaluated and sorted into one of several categories based on its micron count (in layman’s terms: the softness quotient). Micron count is a technical measurement determined by studying a sample of alpaca fleece and calculating the average diameter of the shaft of each fiber. Baby alpaca might have a micron count in the high teens whereas superfine alpaca would fall in the mid-twenties. The lower the number, the finer the fiber. *Please note that baby alpaca is a classification group, meaning it doesn’t always come from young alpacas. It merely refers to any fibers from an alpaca’s fleece that fall within said micron count. While fibers become coarser as an alpaca ages, it is possible for older alpacas to continue to produce fibers that fall in the baby alpaca micron count range.

If all of this jargon confuses you, then you might relate better to the methods used by Peruvian women who hand sort all of the fibers and determine their classification based on how they actually feel.3 The finest and softest feeling fibers are tagged as baby alpaca, and so on for fine and superfine yarns. Fiber from various parts of the animal can have different feels.

SMOOTH OPERATOR

Knitted garments made of alpaca have some interesting properties. You should know that alpaca yarn is pretty stubborn when it comes to elasticity. It’s not that it won’t give, it actually has a tendency to be too generous. If you knit dense stitches and patterns or hang heavy embellishments on it, it will become distorted with no hopes of regaining its youthful figure. This is due to the aforementioned smoothness of the fibers. Since the scales lie flat in the same direction, the plies or strands of an alpaca yarn slide past each other instead of clinging and gravity can take its toll on the fabric. Gravity, as we know, can sometimes cause an undesirable elongating effect. So make those 100% alpaca projects light and airy, or use a blend for greater resilience and elasticity.

Speaking of which, all blends happen for a reason. There are ways to make alpaca yarn work for every project and that is by blending it with complimentary fibers. Blended yarns are not created arbitrarily. Wool, for instance, is a highly crimped fiber and therefore offers some elasticity. Since alpaca fibers contain only shallow waves, mixing in some wool makes an otherwise unyielding yarn a little more forgiving. Suri Dream is a hand knitting yarn innovation exclusive to Knit Picks. Imagine wearing a mohair sweater that wasn’t scratchy. Having trouble? By combining the super soft feel of Suri alpaca with a touch of wool and winding it around a strong nylon core, we have created an elegant alternative to mohair that causes zero discomfort. Sounds like a real dream to me!

Sources:

1“A Shaggy Business” The Economist. Vol. 377, Issue 8455, p. 38. 12/3/2005.

2Quiggle, Charlotte. “Alpaca: An Ancient Luxury” Interweave Knits. Fall 2000.

3Lavan, Cindy. “Evaluating Alpaca Fleece” AlpacaNation – Alpaca Industry’s Central Marketplace. June 2002. http://www.alpacanation.com/articles/AlpacaFuture_Oct02.asp



DENNIS

jo asked:


ssell

In this article we cover in very basic terms the different kinds of yarns that most knitters would use & the reasons for choosing one over another.

Background……….

Yarn is a string composed of interlocked fibers used in the production of textiles, crocheting, sewing and knitting.

There are many different fibers that can form a knitting yarn. Cotton is the most popular natural fiber and wool is the most common animal fiber. However, other types of animal fibers are used too, like angora, cashmere and the latest trend in knitting yarns - the alpaca knitting yarn. The alpaca fibers that form a knitting yarn are notable for their strength, which is significantly higher than that in wool fibers, for their softness and, moreover, the alpaca fiber comes in an impressive range of natural colors from white, beige, light brown, dark brown, to black.

Blending for quality ………..

However, it had been demonstrated that by blending alpaca fiber with wool, we obtain a yarn of a higher quality. When it comes to the knitting yarn composed solely of sheep’s wool, we talk of two categories of wool used in knitting yarn: worsted and woolen.

The yarn that results from worsted wool is smooth and firm, whereas the one that results from woolens is fuzzier and not so strong

Other Types ……….

. As for the natural fibers, silk and linen are also used for knitting yarn. Knitting yarn can be also made of synthetic materials, chiefly acrylic. There are all acrylic yarns or acrylic blended with wool. Nylon is another synthetic fiber used in a small quantity in the yarn designed for use in socks as an example.

There are many different types of knitting yarns you can find obviously according to quality and price. You want. For example, you can find usual yarns like cotton and wool and then luxury yarns like super merino, pure silk, possum worsted, Hana silk, baby alpaca, zephyr (50% Chinese Tussah Silk and 50% fine Merino wool)

What you need to know before choosing…………

You need to know the properties of your knitting yarn because they affect the look and the feel of the garment. Your first point of call & where you can find out a lots of information is by looking at the label, such as the fiber content, weight, type of the knitting yarn, and its suitability for the project you have in mind and naturally how many meters of knitting yarn you have and washing instructions.

In most instances however the pattern from which you’ll be knitting will identify and/or suggest the best material with which to knit the item. It is also advisable to buy a little more knitting yarn than the pattern requires.

About Yarn Weight ……………….

Yarn weight is the thickness of the knitting yarn. You will see there is a vast range going from very fine weight or baby weight and chunky yarns as well.

What does it mean?

Yarn weights are separated into different categories, six categories actually. There is: 1-first a baby, fingering, sock category, which is super fine

2- the second category is is called baby, sport category and is fine yarn weight;

3- the DK, light, worsted category which is light,

4-the afghan, aran, worsted category,

5- the chunky, craft and rug category and the fifth,

6- super bulky yarn weight which can be bulky and roving.

In the UK yarn is labeled in ply. A ply is a single strand of yarn. Lace weight, or 2-ply/3-ply is a very fine yarn used for lacy garments. Scarves and baby clothes.

Fingering knitting yarn or 4-ply is used for baby clothes but also for adult clothes.

From Around the World

Sport weight or DK 8-ply in Australia it is a very popular type of yarn because not only it comes in different colors, but it also comes in a range of different effects, such as heather, blushed, tweed and more; Aran, worsted or triple, 12-ply in Australia is generally used for heavily texture garments; chunky or bulky, 14-ply in Australia is a heavy yarn used to make large sweaters and jackets. This last category is called in America super-bulky.

WILFREDO

? Peace Out ? asked:


They can be either regular knitting or knitting with hands. Preferably fun and experimental knits. If not, any good knitting books? Thanks!

ARMAND

Maddy Cranley asked:


In these tough economic times, the new buzzword is definitely “save”. Banks and financial institutions want to save your money for you, towns and cities want you to save your garbage in recycling containers, the environmental movement wants you to save the rain forest along with the spotted owl, and store discounts promise to save you money at the checkout line.  

Knitters are well-known as experienced savers, actively stalking yarn and constantly scouting around for new colors and textures. Once the game is bagged, they furtively store it in the nooks and crannies of their homes, much like squirrels hide nuts for a coming winter.  Sometimes, it is forgotten as to where these stashes have been hidden. Coming across a misplaced cache of yarn can be a welcome surprise, only to open the bag or box, look at the contents, wistfully mutter “maybe not yet”, and put it back where it was found.

Serious knitters love to caress skeins of yarn, testing the softness of its hand, poring over sample cards while envisioning how this yarn and no other could knit up into that dreamy raglan-sleeved pullover with the funnel neck. The germinating ideas, though always creative, are likely too ambitious and are reined in by the constraints of available knitting time. Alas, if enough time passes between purchase and cast on, it is often forgotten why that particular yarn was purchased in the first place. Much like a financial portfolio, a yarn stash can always benefit from a scheduled review and be put to good knitting use before it suffers a devaluation in texture or color.    

It seems odd but even something seemingly quite basic as yarn can start to look dated.  Former trendy yarns such as chenille and fur textures, once popular, move over on the needles to make room for yarn types presently on the drawing boards of spinners and manufacturers. Even the most keen-eyed knitter is unaware of what is coming in future trends as new production techniques and methods are always in the wings. It is more than certain that innovative textures and yarn varieties will emerge and take their place on store shelves.    

Of course, color can definitely date a yarn and a particular color combination can look somewhat old-fashioned within a few years, no matter how carefully it was chosen. Yarn manufacturers take great pains in “composing” their sample cards. By placing one color near a compatible hue or within groups of colors displaying the same intensity or brightness, they hope to optimize the overall visual appeal of the yarn. At this moment, color councils, who dictate color trends to the fashion industry, are hard at work choosing what colors will be fashionable two to three years from now. There is more to the popularity of certain colors than simple whim and chance. Knitting stashes can become unwitting fashion victims to these trends.  

Knitted garment styles are constantly changing as well. If a particular yarn was purchased to enhance a garment style, the chosen design may have lost its appeal with the passage of time. Classic styles knit with basic yarns can help to alleviate this particular stash dilemma. It is always hard to believe that a current trend will ever go out of fashion but it is only with hindsight that we see the subtle changes and shifts in our tastes and choices. Certainly some elements may become classics but be warned not to save your yarn for too long in order to make a fashion statement. 

At the rate stashers buy yarn, one might think that they have an inside track or knowledge of a hot tip in regard to an impending yarn shortage. Stashes that are saved for too long and are not turned over may require a re-evaluation of their potential. Investment of the stash for the long term would have to be done with the hope that perhaps the fashion cycles will bring these yarns back into vogue. Don’t forget to protect an investment with moth and pest repellents, review the yarn portfolio often, and increase the turnover rate of the stash. If nothing else, promise yourself that you will save plenty of time for knitting this year.    

 

  

 

 



BRYCE

Muna wa Wanjiru asked:


Entrelac knitting is a very interesting type of knitting. In this type of knitting beautiful textured diamond patterns are created. The knitted fiber made with Entrelac knitting just looks like basket woven strips of knitted fabric. In this pattern basically there are interlocked pieces are connected which have different orientations. This Entrelac knitting is really a fun and resulting fabric of just look very pretty.

Entrelac knitting can be done on both circular and flat. In circular Entrelac knitting is turned after full round of squares and next set is knitted in opposite direction. There are many other techniques are there for getting textured fabric but Entrelac knitting allows you have multicolored knitted fabric. And even Entrelac knitting is used to have multicolored patterns. You can have many different colors for single pattern but to keep it simple try to use minimum color because as number of colors increase complexity of this Entrelac knitting increases.

For making Entrelac pattern you only require knit stitch and purl stitch and you must have ability to knit or purl two stitches together. You can even use garter stitch or stokineete stitch.

First thing you have to knit first base triangle, cast on seven stitches then starting with purl stitch continue till 14 rows with stokineete stitches. Then for second block, use another color cast 7 stitches on another needle then repeat seven times for next row knit 7 stitches, after this row for next row 6 purl stitches and purl 7th stitch together with adjacent stitch of first block.

Then third block, across upper edge of first block pick up 7 stitches and then continue with yarn from second block, knit purl stitches for 1st row. And with stokineete stitch knit till next 14 rows.

For next block , use different colors again cast on 7 stitches repeat the 7 purl stitches and after that knit 6 stitches and after that 2 stitches together repeat this procedure for 7 times. Keep yarn as it is, don’t break it. .

For 7th block pick seven loops along the left edge of block two onto left hand needle continue with yarn from fifth block and then knit stokineete stitch for total 15 blocks. And for last seventh block repeat the procedure of second block. And repeat this whole procedure for creating some specific patterns.

Amazing thing about Entrelac knitting is that row of knitting contain many small rows inside the blocks. If you wish to have square edges then Entrelac knitting is done with triangles. It is knitted same as squares but with decrease and increase of stitches.



WINSTON