I was feeling a bit under the weather this morning. I didn't feel like working on CPH nor did I feel like sewing. The sun decided to take a break today and hide behind the clouds. I decided to have some fun and learn something new about knitting. I have two new small knitting projects that I want to complete by the end of the year and they involve knitting in the round. I've been busy knitting garments that I've pushed these projects further down my list. Plus, I didn't know how to knit in the round.
So, I started with my DPNs. Gwen, a fellow sewist/blogger, gave me one of her techniques for joining in the round. It was a slow start, but I managed to figure out how to knit in the round with DPNs. I guess knitting a ribbing (K1,P1) wasn't a great pattern to start with. I should have started with just the knit stitch...it would have gone faster. Anyway, here's the result of my first attempt:
After patting myself on the back for this small feat, I came up with another brilliant idea: try the magic loop method. I have heard this was an easier way to knit in the round. I grabbed my instructions, my 47" #9 circulars and CO 40 stitches and away I went. Here's the results of this method:
Now, I feel like I can tackle any knitting project. Stay tuned to see what I'm up to.
4 comments:
I like knitting with DPN's. Well, my Alpine is history. I seamed it up incorrectly and when I was taking out the stitches, I took them out down what I thought was the seam on the sleeve and it is destroyed. Also, I did the same in a couple of other places. Oh well, it was a learning experience, though.
Wow. I can't believe that you pump out incredible cabled/lacy cardigans like a crazy cardi machine, but have never knit in the round. Boggles the mind. However, you can now be sucked into the addicting world of hats and mittens. I personally LOVE magic loop and have given up on DPNs full stop. BUT, they can be tricky if you have a hat (you need a super super super long cable), so if you are looking for yet ANOTHER in the round trick to add to your arsenal, try using two circulars. I like to use two circs for hats until the decreases are small enough to magic loop em. Also, if you have two differnt circs (same size needle, but maybe one metal and one wood) it helps you keep track of which round you're on.
xx
Rachel...sorry to hear about your Alpine. I held my breath when I had to take out my seams because I had reversed my front left and front right. It's really hard to "see" the seam stitches versus a knitted stitch. Don't give up!
Leeshie...knitting in the round will enable me to tackle a lot more different projects. I can see that now. Just from the short "test" projects, I prefer the magic loop method and it feels like I'm knitting faster versus fumbling with the DPNs. Thanks for the heads up on another technique...knitting on two circs. I'm off to do some research!
Good to see you picked up another trick :) I do prefer magic loop myself, but I haven't really given DPNs a good go, i'd like to try knitting a sock on both and test it that way. Although Leeshie's suggestion of two circulars sounds intriguing too...
I hope your 'under the weather' feeling doesn't last much longer :)
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