Wicked long entry about yarn and knitting etc.
Come, my lovelies. Gather 'round, as we're going to talk about knitting.
Whenever I post pictures of my latest project(s), I always get a bunch of notes either asking questions or bemoaning the fact that the noteleavers don't know how to knit, but wish they could. Let me tell you right now that knitting is easy - so easy, in fact, that anyone can do it. Honestly. Don't get all impressed with me, because even my knowledge of the world of knitting is extremely limited and my skills only mediocre. No joke.
I learned to knit back when I was very wee, and plugged away at it for a while before giving it up. I just recently picked it back up a couple of years ago, and since then I've just practiced, practiced, practiced. I do have a few tips I can impart based on my own knowlege, however.
(Please keep in mind that I may not be 100% correct in everything I say, so please take with a grain of salt.)
1. Treat yourself to high-quality yarn and needles.
Sure, it might seem like it would be smarter and more cost-effective to start with something cheap just to get the hang of it, then graduate to something better later, but honestly, who has the time to knit something that they're not going to want anyway? I started off with cheapass acrylic yarn and cheapie bamboo needles. BIG MISTAKE. It was so hard to slide that craptastic yarn over the needles that my stitches were horrendously tight, my hands got cramped up, and the tip of my right index finger was red and blistered from pushing the needle back through stitches. At some point I wised up and got some aluminum needles, which worked a lot better with acrylic yarn, but it still wasn't smooth.
After working on a number of pieces I came to the realization that if I was going to spend the time and effort, I'd much rather be working with yarn I actually liked. That, and having the right needle makes all the difference. I picked up my first skein of Brown Sheep worsted and immediately felt the difference. I chucked the bamboo needles because they sucked, and became an aluminum convert. Recently I was pointed toward birch needles, which I have found to be even better - they have *just* enough grab to hold the yarn, but smooth enough to let it slide evenly while working. The needles themselves warm up as you use them and feel wonderful in the hand.
At the time I discovered birch needles, I was trying to use Noro Silk Garden on aluminum needles. That was a disaster - the aluminum needles were so slick that I was constantly dropping stitches off of them. I was working on the entrelac scarf that I'm nearly finished with, I've put a bunch of pictures up already, so had multiple squares on the needle at the same time. Dropping any of them was terribly complicated to handle. The birch needles grab the silk/wool blend just enough that I don't have to worry about losing my work while turning it.
There are also some really nice metal needles made by Addi Turbo, and I have a few of those, too...they're great for smaller yarns such as those for baby items or socks. Some people prefer them for all projects. The idea is to find the needle that works best for you, depending on the material you're using. I can definitely say that plastic needles aren't worth it, I have never liked working with those.
Now, on to yarn. Let me be blunt: Don't use cheap acrylic yarn. Sure, there are lots of synthetic yarns out there that are perfectly nice. I'm talking about the HomeTrends/Red Heart variety. Yes, they're cheap. That's exactly it. You get what you pay for. Last year I made Katie a scarf out of Red Heart Light & Lofty which worked up fast, looked nice, and was very warm. I recently saw that scarf after one season of normal use and it looked like a matted mangy dog. I'm so embarrassed. Sure, it was only $3 a skein, and now I know why. Those rough, squeaky, craptastic yarns are only going to result in a rough, squeaky, craptastic product, so please, please do not waste your time.
As an aside - when I went to craft shows this year, I saw many grannies selling mittens and hats and scarves and all that good granny stuff. Not a single solitary item was made with natural fiber, it looked like tables and tables of Red Heart all around. It made me so sad, because all of those items signified hours and hours of hard work, only to be made with something sub-par. Perhaps this makes me a yarn snob, but I don't know. Why bother if you're not going to do it right? My mother was able to find 100% acrylic yarns for kidlet's sweaters that turned out to be very soft and lovely, so it just goes to show that not all yarn is created equal. Spend the extra couple of bucks and get something nice. You'll thank yourself for it. Why not practice on something you'll actually ENJOY later?
2. Get a good book.
Since many of us are self-taught, or are not able to get access to experienced knitters to help us, or even if we are, inevitably we'll run into a problem at 1am that we need to puzzle out before going to bed. Having a good book, or multiple books, makes this process much less painless. Not to mention, I find that I learn best by tackling and figuring out a problem myself.
Whatever books you choose, make sure they have good diagrams. Look at them carefully and be sure that you can tell what the descriptions are talking about in the pictures. Also, look for books that maybe have a few basic patterns that don't take horrendously complicated materials, so you can get some satisfaction out of actually completing something. It's also important to have a book that can help you figure out things like yardage, content, gauge, needle sizes, yarn weight, etc., for making substitutions in patterns.
I have a few recommendations that I'll list at the end of this entry. Personally, I have a number of knitting books, and I find that each one has something explained a particular way that's better than the others or a method that the others don't have. Being a book collector, I enjoy having my little library.
3. Don't get frustrated.
It's so easy to get frustrated and quit. Don't! Figure out what is frustrating you and make changes if necessary. When I found I was pulling all of my stitches so tightly that I could barely get my needle into them, I realized that I had to loosen up. I got nicer yarn, slipperier needles, and consciously told myself to be loose until I could get my gauge under control. Once I did that, it was a matter of time before I was knitting much more relaxed and not having any trouble. Don't get annoyed and let it stop you, just take a break and then get back to it.
4. Keep it simple (and free).
Pick something easy to start with, like a scarf or a potholder. You can find a whole ton of free patterns online that can get you started. Choose something that calls for worsted weight yarn and a stanadard size needle, anything from 7-9 is pretty easy to handle for the beginner. Don't try to start with anything complicated as you'll only overwhelm yourself.
5. Learn to read yarn labels, specifically yarn weight and gauge.
I can't stress this enough. It was somewhat confusing for me at first, I think because I have a hard time grasping that sort of concept being non-mathematically inclined, but once I figured out weight and gauge it made my life SO much easier. On the side of a skein of yarn you'll see a bunch of information, all of it important. Content, first of all, which is pretty self-explanatory, washing instructions, also self-explanatory, then some stuff that might include symbols like a pair of needles crossed and a square with arrows in it, and a bunch of info about yardage and weight. This is crucial to understand so you don't end up not having enough of a certain color or knit the wrong size.
In front of me right now I have a skein of Treliske Organic Merino, so I'll use that as an example.
Let's look at the front of the label:
Here you see the name of the yarn, and in this case, that it's an 8-ply yarn. Knowing the number of plys isn't necessarily important, though it can give you an idea of how pilly the resulting fabric is likely to be. A 100% wool yarn with plies tends to be more pilly than a 100% wool yarn that's only one ply. This skein is 50g. Depending on the weight of the yarn, some patterns will call for yardage, while others will call for so much yarn based on weight. The assumption is that at a particular gauge, a yarn will have the same weight/yardage ratio.
Now let's look at one side:
This tells you what it's made out of, and blends will give you a percentage ratio (e.g. "20% mohair, 80% merino wool"). The number you see printed sideways is what's called the dye lot, in this case it's 18825. Each lot of yarn that's dyed is assigned a number and you can be reasonably assured that all yarn from the same lot will match. This is especially important with colored yarns. When you need more than one skein of a particular color, make sure you get all of your skeins from the same dye lot or you might see variations in shade or hue in your finished project. For some projects this won't matter, but for most it will.
Last but not least, the stuff that confused me the most:
First, let's start with the crossed needles. This is a symbol that tells you what the "standard" size needle is for use with this particular yarn. It also tells you the needle to use to get the listed gauge (which I will talk about next). This yarn calls for a US size 4 needle, or a UK size 6 MM. Unless I'm mistaken, and I did some research in my books and online to verify, but that UK needle size seems wrong. A UK size 6 needle doesn't exist, and a 6 mm needle is actually a US size 10. Anyone able to shed some light on this for me? In any case, it has the US size needle which is all I'm concerned with, and you who use the metric system can always convert the US size to UK.
**EDIT: Ah ha! I got the following note:
The label on the merina says US size 6 needles, which are 4.0 mm. :)
Durr, just like me to only read left-to-right. Thanks for the correction!
The gauge is denoted by the square. Some yarns have it listed differently and I'll find an example to show you. In this example, however, it reads that for a 10cm x 10cm square of stockinette stitch (knit one row, purl one row; your classic "sweater" fabric) will contain approximately 28 rows and 20 stitches on size 4 knitting needles. Many US patterns dictate gauge in swatches that are 4 inches wide, so you'll have to do some quick math to estimate that 2 stitches per centimeter equals approximately 5-6 stitches per inch (as 1 inch = 2.54 centimeters), or 20-21 stitches per 4" swatch.
Confused yet? :) The bottom line is, if you're making something that requires gauge (such as a garment that's not a scarf), you'll need to know how many stitches per inch your yarn makes. This is dependent on the yarn, the needle, and you, but I'll get to that later. Think "stitches per inch" and you'll be fine.
Beneath that is the length of the skein, which in this case is 101 meters or 110 yards. Many patterns call for X number of yards of yarn, so it's important to know that you have enough.
Washing instructions under that, these are written out so it's easy to understand.
Now, I'm going to show you a couple of other yarn labels, because depending on the manufacturer and the country in which the yarn is produced, labels can look very different.
This is the yarn from which I am making the entrelac scarf that I've been working on entirely too long now:
Unless you read Japanese, all you can tell from this label is the name and that it's made in Japan. And their website address, if you'd like to go and ogle more of their yarn online (yum).
Looking at the back of the label, however, is a whole different story.
As you can see, there's a lot of stuff to figure out. We'll start at the top.
First, we see the name of the yarn. The brand is Noro, but this type is Silk Garden. Noro makes a ton of varietes of yarn. Under that, we see the color number and the dye lot. Noro's yarns are often stripey and variegated, but it's still important to get the same dye lot for a project. Since it's hard to tell one color from another on sight, the color number comes into play. This is color 211 and the dye lot is A.
Under Quality we can see the content of the yarn. This yarn contains 45% silk, 45% kid mohair, and 10% lamb's wool. There's something written in Japanese above it that has different percentages, and I'm assuming that they just lump mohair and lamb's wool into the same descriptor.
Moving on, under Standard state we have information on weight, length, number of stitches per inch, and needle size. This is where powers of conversion (or carrying a handy chart with you) come into play. Most yarns are weighed in grams, so 50 grams is pretty standard. However, we in the States are used to calculating things by yardage so it'll be necessary to know how many yards 100 meters comes out to be (if we use the Treliske as comparison, it's about 110 yards).
Below that, the notation "8 ~ 10" stands for the number of stitches, I think. Again, I'm not sure. I'm also not sure if it means between 8 and 10 stitches per 10 centimeters, or 4 inches, or what. The variation in this number is due to the variation in yarn widths - this type of yarn has thicker and thinner sections as part of its makeup. This gauge is for 4.5 - 5.1mm needles, which translates to US size 7 or 8. The scarf I'm making is on US size 8 needles, and I average 5 stitches per inch. Then again, it might be denoting the US needle size as 8 ~ 10, and the size in mm under that, though they're not converted exactly. If anyone knows for sure, please educate me. All I need to know is that it appears to be close to a worsted weight yarn (more on that later) and that I'll use a size 7 needle. Most patterns calling for Noro yarns denote yardage, anyway.
Under all that are the washing instructions, which are little symbols in this case. THe first one, the beaker with the X through it, I have NO idea what that means. Maybe that it's not chemically treated? Beats me. The next one, the circle with the wave through it, denotes washing temperature, but since it's in Japanese I once again have no idea. However since it's a wool yarn, I'd assume that you'd only want to hand wash in cool to lukewarm water. The next one, an F with a circle around it, denotes that it is acceptable to dry clean with flourocarbon or petroleum-based solvents only. The next one states under it in English "Prohibit Bleach" so that's self-explanatory. As are the other three, "Iron on low degree", the single dash mark in the iron means cool iron (there can be between one and three dots or dashes for cool, warm, and hot, or an X through it for yarn that cannot be pressed at all). The P with the circle means that it can be dry cleaned with perchlorethylene or flourocarbon or petroleum-based solvents only, making the F symbol sort of unnecessary. The last says "Do not tumble dry". Never put woolen items in the dryer, or you'll run the risk of shirinking or felting them. Unless you're making a felted item, in which case go to town!
Then there are the yarn labels that make you fly by the seat of your pants:
Here you have brand, name, some codes, and some info.
C:30, DL: 9/13/05-1 stands for color #30, and the dye lot is denoted by date and a number, here 9/30/05, lot 1.
Under that you're told the number of yards, which is 215, the approximate weight of 3.5 ounces, and note that this yarn has a lot more yardage in relation to weight as it's a very fluffy and light yarn. It then tells you that you should expect to get 4.5 stitches per inch, and that the yarn is a worsted weight. There are places you can find yarn weights and their approximate sizes, either online or in a book. The only thing this label doesn't tell you is what needle size is used to achieve the listed gauge. In looking on malabrigo's website, however, they do list this yarn's gauge at "Gauge: 4.5 stitches per inch, Needle size 7-9". There you go.
Last but not least, you have content and their url.
This yarn label leaves a lot to be interpreted, but after working with yarn long enough you'll get to know what you're doing. Being a fluffy 100% wool yarn, I know that this should only be hand-washed and laid flat to dry as it would shrink very quickly if subjected to hot water and/or a dryer and/or an iron. Most wool yarns should optimally be hand-washed and laid flat to dry, blocking the item slightly so it dries in the right shape.
So, you got all that? I realize it's confusing at first, but if you make it a habit to read up on gauge and get to know your needles it'll become clearer for you.
Cast on and bind off using two needles.
Most people have the tendency to cast on rather tightly, and this can result in a very tight first row. That means your scarf will have one teeny weeny end that gets bigger as you go, or your glove won't fit right at the cuff, or a myriad of other problems. This can easily be remedied by using both of your needles while casting on (or, if you desire, just use a larger size needle for casting on, e.g. if you're knitting with size 7 needles, cast on using a 9 or 10). The same thing when you bind off - use two needles or a larger needle to be sure you don't pull the last stitches too tight. You'll save yourself a lot of heartache with this simple tip.
7. Knit a swatch before each project.
I mentioned earlier that gauge also depends on your personal knitting technique. If you pull your yarn tightly, your gauge will be smaller than that of someone who pulls their yarn loosely. This is why it is essential when making anything sized (such as a garment) that you knit a swatch so you know what your personal gauge is. Two people knitting with the same yarn on the same size needles could have totally different sized swatches, or, one person could even have different gauges, especially if working on different projects simultaneously that use varied materials.
Knit a swatch using the needles and yarn called for in the pattern, usually 20 stitches wide and at least 20 rows long to get a good idea. Look at your pattern to see how many stitches per inch it calls for (there's that mantra again, "Stitches per inch"), and then use a measuring tape in one of the center rows of your swatch. If you match perfectly, good for you! If you don't (as many of us don't), adjust your needle size up or down to get the desired gauge. Maybe you knit really loose and need a smaller needle, or you pull your stitches tight and need a larger needle. Ideally you should knit another swatch and measure again until you get the right gauge. Me, I'm not that exacting...I guesstimate and move on from there. When you're just starting out, though, your gauge might be all over the place until you practice enough to find your happy medium, so try to be as careful as possible until you know your own technique.
8. Have fun!
This is most important. Knit things that make you happy. If you don't like a yarn, or needle, or halfway through a project you decide you hate what you're making, change something! You can always unravel something you've made and re-use the yarn later. It sucks to lose your hard work, but it sucks more to work even harder and hate the result.
Here is a list of books and websites I like to use for my own knitting pleasure:
Books
1. Donna Kooler's Encyclopedia of Knitting: This book is great for reading up on needle sizes, yarn labels, yarn weights, and a bunch of basic techniques. There are also a variety of patterns from basic to advanced to try out. The entrelac scarf I'm making is from this book. A great overall reference book.
2. Stitch N' Bitch and Stitch N' Bitch Nation: I like these books because they explain things in a casual, easily-understood language that's great for the beginning knitter. They also have a bunch of cute, fun, easy projects to get started on.
These three books are the ones I probably refer to the most and would recommend to those starting out.
Websites
1. Lion Brand Yarns: This website has a wealth of free patterns for knitting and crocheting. Some of them are butt-ugly, but there are enough nice and easy ones to make it worthwhile. They also send out a newsletter that often contains handy tips.
2. Knitty: This is a great website. Every quarter they have an online e-zine full of reader-submitted patterns, and you can find a variety of fun projects to work on from easy to difficult. They also have a good reference section as well as a message board where you can go to ask questions of other knitters. A great resource.
3. Google: How else can I say this? If you want free patterns, Google it. You can find damned near anything with Google and this is my first stop when I want to make a certain something or have a question.
Yarns
1. Brown Sheep Lamb's Pride Worsted: This is a great yarn to get started with, and a great all-around worsted weight for just about any project. It's a smooth one-ply that's easy to work with and slightly stiff so it holds up great while trying to get technique down. Highly recommend it.
2. malabrigo Merino Wool: My newest favorite, this yarn works up so easily and quickly that I think it would be perfect for beginners. At $10-$12 for 215 yards, also a reasonable price for this beautiful yarn.
Needles
1. Brittany: Birch knitting needles and crochet hooks. I know I've been raving about them incessantly lately, but only because they are that nice. I can get them from $7-$9 at my local yarn store. Very easy to work with and worth every penny.
2. Addi Turbo: A fast needle that I prefer for small gauge yarn. Nice and smooth and clickety click fast.
I think that should be enough to get folks started who have been sitting on the fence - let me know if you have questions.
Actually, I was thinking tonight about starting a knit-along with interested OD folks...what I'd do is put together packages containing a set of Brittany needles ($7), a skein of malabrigo ($10.50), and a very simple pattern (free). Then we'd all knit it up together! Does that sound like something you might be interested in? If so, leave me a note with your email address and I'll get in touch with you with more details.
In other news, I saw some cute ornaments the other day at a craft fair that looked insanely easy to make, plus they use up cloth scraps and mismatched yet interesting buttons that one is loathe to get rid of. I, of course, immediately thought of Joy and her jars of hoarded buttons. This might be a good way to use some up in a manner that they'll be preserved. I know my mom has boxes of buttons that were HER mother's stashed away at her house somewhere, too.
It's simple - a small piece of cloth sewn into a star or tree shape, stuffed, and then buttons are tacked on using embroidery thread. The result is fluffy quilty-looking very country kitchy ornaments. I want to make a whole bunch to give as gifts. After seeing them, I went to the car and jotted down this quick sketch so I wouldn't forget:
Pretty self explanatory.
Last but not least, I wanted to share the progress I've made on the malabrigo scarf in just a few hours. It really works up fast-fast-fast and so far I'm loving it!
Also, I wanted to show you how far I've gotten on that entrelac scarf...after my mom died I put it down for a time, and recently only have had spare moments to work on it. I really want to get it done so I can use it this winter, though, so I've started picking away at it again. What you see there are the remains of skein #3, just one more to go after this. As you can tell, this thing is HUGE. It's more a shawl than a scarf, and I am so looking forward to wrapping myself up in it.
Okay, that's all the yarn porn for now. Go take a cold shower.
(Hehehe...only 2558 characters left.)
Whenever I post pictures of my latest project(s), I always get a bunch of notes either asking questions or bemoaning the fact that the noteleavers don't know how to knit, but wish they could. Let me tell you right now that knitting is easy - so easy, in fact, that anyone can do it. Honestly. Don't get all impressed with me, because even my knowledge of the world of knitting is extremely limited and my skills only mediocre. No joke.
I learned to knit back when I was very wee, and plugged away at it for a while before giving it up. I just recently picked it back up a couple of years ago, and since then I've just practiced, practiced, practiced. I do have a few tips I can impart based on my own knowlege, however.
(Please keep in mind that I may not be 100% correct in everything I say, so please take with a grain of salt.)
1. Treat yourself to high-quality yarn and needles.
Sure, it might seem like it would be smarter and more cost-effective to start with something cheap just to get the hang of it, then graduate to something better later, but honestly, who has the time to knit something that they're not going to want anyway? I started off with cheapass acrylic yarn and cheapie bamboo needles. BIG MISTAKE. It was so hard to slide that craptastic yarn over the needles that my stitches were horrendously tight, my hands got cramped up, and the tip of my right index finger was red and blistered from pushing the needle back through stitches. At some point I wised up and got some aluminum needles, which worked a lot better with acrylic yarn, but it still wasn't smooth.
After working on a number of pieces I came to the realization that if I was going to spend the time and effort, I'd much rather be working with yarn I actually liked. That, and having the right needle makes all the difference. I picked up my first skein of Brown Sheep worsted and immediately felt the difference. I chucked the bamboo needles because they sucked, and became an aluminum convert. Recently I was pointed toward birch needles, which I have found to be even better - they have *just* enough grab to hold the yarn, but smooth enough to let it slide evenly while working. The needles themselves warm up as you use them and feel wonderful in the hand.
At the time I discovered birch needles, I was trying to use Noro Silk Garden on aluminum needles. That was a disaster - the aluminum needles were so slick that I was constantly dropping stitches off of them. I was working on the entrelac scarf that I'm nearly finished with, I've put a bunch of pictures up already, so had multiple squares on the needle at the same time. Dropping any of them was terribly complicated to handle. The birch needles grab the silk/wool blend just enough that I don't have to worry about losing my work while turning it.
There are also some really nice metal needles made by Addi Turbo, and I have a few of those, too...they're great for smaller yarns such as those for baby items or socks. Some people prefer them for all projects. The idea is to find the needle that works best for you, depending on the material you're using. I can definitely say that plastic needles aren't worth it, I have never liked working with those.
Now, on to yarn. Let me be blunt: Don't use cheap acrylic yarn. Sure, there are lots of synthetic yarns out there that are perfectly nice. I'm talking about the HomeTrends/Red Heart variety. Yes, they're cheap. That's exactly it. You get what you pay for. Last year I made Katie a scarf out of Red Heart Light & Lofty which worked up fast, looked nice, and was very warm. I recently saw that scarf after one season of normal use and it looked like a matted mangy dog. I'm so embarrassed. Sure, it was only $3 a skein, and now I know why. Those rough, squeaky, craptastic yarns are only going to result in a rough, squeaky, craptastic product, so please, please do not waste your time.
As an aside - when I went to craft shows this year, I saw many grannies selling mittens and hats and scarves and all that good granny stuff. Not a single solitary item was made with natural fiber, it looked like tables and tables of Red Heart all around. It made me so sad, because all of those items signified hours and hours of hard work, only to be made with something sub-par. Perhaps this makes me a yarn snob, but I don't know. Why bother if you're not going to do it right? My mother was able to find 100% acrylic yarns for kidlet's sweaters that turned out to be very soft and lovely, so it just goes to show that not all yarn is created equal. Spend the extra couple of bucks and get something nice. You'll thank yourself for it. Why not practice on something you'll actually ENJOY later?
2. Get a good book.
Since many of us are self-taught, or are not able to get access to experienced knitters to help us, or even if we are, inevitably we'll run into a problem at 1am that we need to puzzle out before going to bed. Having a good book, or multiple books, makes this process much less painless. Not to mention, I find that I learn best by tackling and figuring out a problem myself.
Whatever books you choose, make sure they have good diagrams. Look at them carefully and be sure that you can tell what the descriptions are talking about in the pictures. Also, look for books that maybe have a few basic patterns that don't take horrendously complicated materials, so you can get some satisfaction out of actually completing something. It's also important to have a book that can help you figure out things like yardage, content, gauge, needle sizes, yarn weight, etc., for making substitutions in patterns.
I have a few recommendations that I'll list at the end of this entry. Personally, I have a number of knitting books, and I find that each one has something explained a particular way that's better than the others or a method that the others don't have. Being a book collector, I enjoy having my little library.
3. Don't get frustrated.
It's so easy to get frustrated and quit. Don't! Figure out what is frustrating you and make changes if necessary. When I found I was pulling all of my stitches so tightly that I could barely get my needle into them, I realized that I had to loosen up. I got nicer yarn, slipperier needles, and consciously told myself to be loose until I could get my gauge under control. Once I did that, it was a matter of time before I was knitting much more relaxed and not having any trouble. Don't get annoyed and let it stop you, just take a break and then get back to it.
4. Keep it simple (and free).
Pick something easy to start with, like a scarf or a potholder. You can find a whole ton of free patterns online that can get you started. Choose something that calls for worsted weight yarn and a stanadard size needle, anything from 7-9 is pretty easy to handle for the beginner. Don't try to start with anything complicated as you'll only overwhelm yourself.
5. Learn to read yarn labels, specifically yarn weight and gauge.
I can't stress this enough. It was somewhat confusing for me at first, I think because I have a hard time grasping that sort of concept being non-mathematically inclined, but once I figured out weight and gauge it made my life SO much easier. On the side of a skein of yarn you'll see a bunch of information, all of it important. Content, first of all, which is pretty self-explanatory, washing instructions, also self-explanatory, then some stuff that might include symbols like a pair of needles crossed and a square with arrows in it, and a bunch of info about yardage and weight. This is crucial to understand so you don't end up not having enough of a certain color or knit the wrong size.
In front of me right now I have a skein of Treliske Organic Merino, so I'll use that as an example.
Let's look at the front of the label:
Here you see the name of the yarn, and in this case, that it's an 8-ply yarn. Knowing the number of plys isn't necessarily important, though it can give you an idea of how pilly the resulting fabric is likely to be. A 100% wool yarn with plies tends to be more pilly than a 100% wool yarn that's only one ply. This skein is 50g. Depending on the weight of the yarn, some patterns will call for yardage, while others will call for so much yarn based on weight. The assumption is that at a particular gauge, a yarn will have the same weight/yardage ratio.
Now let's look at one side:
This tells you what it's made out of, and blends will give you a percentage ratio (e.g. "20% mohair, 80% merino wool"). The number you see printed sideways is what's called the dye lot, in this case it's 18825. Each lot of yarn that's dyed is assigned a number and you can be reasonably assured that all yarn from the same lot will match. This is especially important with colored yarns. When you need more than one skein of a particular color, make sure you get all of your skeins from the same dye lot or you might see variations in shade or hue in your finished project. For some projects this won't matter, but for most it will.
Last but not least, the stuff that confused me the most:
First, let's start with the crossed needles. This is a symbol that tells you what the "standard" size needle is for use with this particular yarn. It also tells you the needle to use to get the listed gauge (which I will talk about next). This yarn calls for a US size 4 needle, or a UK size 6 MM. Unless I'm mistaken, and I did some research in my books and online to verify, but that UK needle size seems wrong. A UK size 6 needle doesn't exist, and a 6 mm needle is actually a US size 10. Anyone able to shed some light on this for me? In any case, it has the US size needle which is all I'm concerned with, and you who use the metric system can always convert the US size to UK.
**EDIT: Ah ha! I got the following note:
The label on the merina says US size 6 needles, which are 4.0 mm. :)
Durr, just like me to only read left-to-right. Thanks for the correction!
The gauge is denoted by the square. Some yarns have it listed differently and I'll find an example to show you. In this example, however, it reads that for a 10cm x 10cm square of stockinette stitch (knit one row, purl one row; your classic "sweater" fabric) will contain approximately 28 rows and 20 stitches on size 4 knitting needles. Many US patterns dictate gauge in swatches that are 4 inches wide, so you'll have to do some quick math to estimate that 2 stitches per centimeter equals approximately 5-6 stitches per inch (as 1 inch = 2.54 centimeters), or 20-21 stitches per 4" swatch.
Confused yet? :) The bottom line is, if you're making something that requires gauge (such as a garment that's not a scarf), you'll need to know how many stitches per inch your yarn makes. This is dependent on the yarn, the needle, and you, but I'll get to that later. Think "stitches per inch" and you'll be fine.
Beneath that is the length of the skein, which in this case is 101 meters or 110 yards. Many patterns call for X number of yards of yarn, so it's important to know that you have enough.
Washing instructions under that, these are written out so it's easy to understand.
Now, I'm going to show you a couple of other yarn labels, because depending on the manufacturer and the country in which the yarn is produced, labels can look very different.
This is the yarn from which I am making the entrelac scarf that I've been working on entirely too long now:
Unless you read Japanese, all you can tell from this label is the name and that it's made in Japan. And their website address, if you'd like to go and ogle more of their yarn online (yum).
Looking at the back of the label, however, is a whole different story.
As you can see, there's a lot of stuff to figure out. We'll start at the top.
First, we see the name of the yarn. The brand is Noro, but this type is Silk Garden. Noro makes a ton of varietes of yarn. Under that, we see the color number and the dye lot. Noro's yarns are often stripey and variegated, but it's still important to get the same dye lot for a project. Since it's hard to tell one color from another on sight, the color number comes into play. This is color 211 and the dye lot is A.
Under Quality we can see the content of the yarn. This yarn contains 45% silk, 45% kid mohair, and 10% lamb's wool. There's something written in Japanese above it that has different percentages, and I'm assuming that they just lump mohair and lamb's wool into the same descriptor.
Moving on, under Standard state we have information on weight, length, number of stitches per inch, and needle size. This is where powers of conversion (or carrying a handy chart with you) come into play. Most yarns are weighed in grams, so 50 grams is pretty standard. However, we in the States are used to calculating things by yardage so it'll be necessary to know how many yards 100 meters comes out to be (if we use the Treliske as comparison, it's about 110 yards).
Below that, the notation "8 ~ 10" stands for the number of stitches, I think. Again, I'm not sure. I'm also not sure if it means between 8 and 10 stitches per 10 centimeters, or 4 inches, or what. The variation in this number is due to the variation in yarn widths - this type of yarn has thicker and thinner sections as part of its makeup. This gauge is for 4.5 - 5.1mm needles, which translates to US size 7 or 8. The scarf I'm making is on US size 8 needles, and I average 5 stitches per inch. Then again, it might be denoting the US needle size as 8 ~ 10, and the size in mm under that, though they're not converted exactly. If anyone knows for sure, please educate me. All I need to know is that it appears to be close to a worsted weight yarn (more on that later) and that I'll use a size 7 needle. Most patterns calling for Noro yarns denote yardage, anyway.
Under all that are the washing instructions, which are little symbols in this case. THe first one, the beaker with the X through it, I have NO idea what that means. Maybe that it's not chemically treated? Beats me. The next one, the circle with the wave through it, denotes washing temperature, but since it's in Japanese I once again have no idea. However since it's a wool yarn, I'd assume that you'd only want to hand wash in cool to lukewarm water. The next one, an F with a circle around it, denotes that it is acceptable to dry clean with flourocarbon or petroleum-based solvents only. The next one states under it in English "Prohibit Bleach" so that's self-explanatory. As are the other three, "Iron on low degree", the single dash mark in the iron means cool iron (there can be between one and three dots or dashes for cool, warm, and hot, or an X through it for yarn that cannot be pressed at all). The P with the circle means that it can be dry cleaned with perchlorethylene or flourocarbon or petroleum-based solvents only, making the F symbol sort of unnecessary. The last says "Do not tumble dry". Never put woolen items in the dryer, or you'll run the risk of shirinking or felting them. Unless you're making a felted item, in which case go to town!
Then there are the yarn labels that make you fly by the seat of your pants:
Here you have brand, name, some codes, and some info.
C:30, DL: 9/13/05-1 stands for color #30, and the dye lot is denoted by date and a number, here 9/30/05, lot 1.
Under that you're told the number of yards, which is 215, the approximate weight of 3.5 ounces, and note that this yarn has a lot more yardage in relation to weight as it's a very fluffy and light yarn. It then tells you that you should expect to get 4.5 stitches per inch, and that the yarn is a worsted weight. There are places you can find yarn weights and their approximate sizes, either online or in a book. The only thing this label doesn't tell you is what needle size is used to achieve the listed gauge. In looking on malabrigo's website, however, they do list this yarn's gauge at "Gauge: 4.5 stitches per inch, Needle size 7-9". There you go.
Last but not least, you have content and their url.
This yarn label leaves a lot to be interpreted, but after working with yarn long enough you'll get to know what you're doing. Being a fluffy 100% wool yarn, I know that this should only be hand-washed and laid flat to dry as it would shrink very quickly if subjected to hot water and/or a dryer and/or an iron. Most wool yarns should optimally be hand-washed and laid flat to dry, blocking the item slightly so it dries in the right shape.
So, you got all that? I realize it's confusing at first, but if you make it a habit to read up on gauge and get to know your needles it'll become clearer for you.
Cast on and bind off using two needles.
Most people have the tendency to cast on rather tightly, and this can result in a very tight first row. That means your scarf will have one teeny weeny end that gets bigger as you go, or your glove won't fit right at the cuff, or a myriad of other problems. This can easily be remedied by using both of your needles while casting on (or, if you desire, just use a larger size needle for casting on, e.g. if you're knitting with size 7 needles, cast on using a 9 or 10). The same thing when you bind off - use two needles or a larger needle to be sure you don't pull the last stitches too tight. You'll save yourself a lot of heartache with this simple tip.
7. Knit a swatch before each project.
I mentioned earlier that gauge also depends on your personal knitting technique. If you pull your yarn tightly, your gauge will be smaller than that of someone who pulls their yarn loosely. This is why it is essential when making anything sized (such as a garment) that you knit a swatch so you know what your personal gauge is. Two people knitting with the same yarn on the same size needles could have totally different sized swatches, or, one person could even have different gauges, especially if working on different projects simultaneously that use varied materials.
Knit a swatch using the needles and yarn called for in the pattern, usually 20 stitches wide and at least 20 rows long to get a good idea. Look at your pattern to see how many stitches per inch it calls for (there's that mantra again, "Stitches per inch"), and then use a measuring tape in one of the center rows of your swatch. If you match perfectly, good for you! If you don't (as many of us don't), adjust your needle size up or down to get the desired gauge. Maybe you knit really loose and need a smaller needle, or you pull your stitches tight and need a larger needle. Ideally you should knit another swatch and measure again until you get the right gauge. Me, I'm not that exacting...I guesstimate and move on from there. When you're just starting out, though, your gauge might be all over the place until you practice enough to find your happy medium, so try to be as careful as possible until you know your own technique.
8. Have fun!
This is most important. Knit things that make you happy. If you don't like a yarn, or needle, or halfway through a project you decide you hate what you're making, change something! You can always unravel something you've made and re-use the yarn later. It sucks to lose your hard work, but it sucks more to work even harder and hate the result.
Here is a list of books and websites I like to use for my own knitting pleasure:
Books
1. Donna Kooler's Encyclopedia of Knitting: This book is great for reading up on needle sizes, yarn labels, yarn weights, and a bunch of basic techniques. There are also a variety of patterns from basic to advanced to try out. The entrelac scarf I'm making is from this book. A great overall reference book.
2. Stitch N' Bitch and Stitch N' Bitch Nation: I like these books because they explain things in a casual, easily-understood language that's great for the beginning knitter. They also have a bunch of cute, fun, easy projects to get started on.
These three books are the ones I probably refer to the most and would recommend to those starting out.
Websites
1. Lion Brand Yarns: This website has a wealth of free patterns for knitting and crocheting. Some of them are butt-ugly, but there are enough nice and easy ones to make it worthwhile. They also send out a newsletter that often contains handy tips.
2. Knitty: This is a great website. Every quarter they have an online e-zine full of reader-submitted patterns, and you can find a variety of fun projects to work on from easy to difficult. They also have a good reference section as well as a message board where you can go to ask questions of other knitters. A great resource.
3. Google: How else can I say this? If you want free patterns, Google it. You can find damned near anything with Google and this is my first stop when I want to make a certain something or have a question.
Yarns
1. Brown Sheep Lamb's Pride Worsted: This is a great yarn to get started with, and a great all-around worsted weight for just about any project. It's a smooth one-ply that's easy to work with and slightly stiff so it holds up great while trying to get technique down. Highly recommend it.
2. malabrigo Merino Wool: My newest favorite, this yarn works up so easily and quickly that I think it would be perfect for beginners. At $10-$12 for 215 yards, also a reasonable price for this beautiful yarn.
Needles
1. Brittany: Birch knitting needles and crochet hooks. I know I've been raving about them incessantly lately, but only because they are that nice. I can get them from $7-$9 at my local yarn store. Very easy to work with and worth every penny.
2. Addi Turbo: A fast needle that I prefer for small gauge yarn. Nice and smooth and clickety click fast.
I think that should be enough to get folks started who have been sitting on the fence - let me know if you have questions.
Actually, I was thinking tonight about starting a knit-along with interested OD folks...what I'd do is put together packages containing a set of Brittany needles ($7), a skein of malabrigo ($10.50), and a very simple pattern (free). Then we'd all knit it up together! Does that sound like something you might be interested in? If so, leave me a note with your email address and I'll get in touch with you with more details.
In other news, I saw some cute ornaments the other day at a craft fair that looked insanely easy to make, plus they use up cloth scraps and mismatched yet interesting buttons that one is loathe to get rid of. I, of course, immediately thought of Joy and her jars of hoarded buttons. This might be a good way to use some up in a manner that they'll be preserved. I know my mom has boxes of buttons that were HER mother's stashed away at her house somewhere, too.
It's simple - a small piece of cloth sewn into a star or tree shape, stuffed, and then buttons are tacked on using embroidery thread. The result is fluffy quilty-looking very country kitchy ornaments. I want to make a whole bunch to give as gifts. After seeing them, I went to the car and jotted down this quick sketch so I wouldn't forget:
Pretty self explanatory.
Last but not least, I wanted to share the progress I've made on the malabrigo scarf in just a few hours. It really works up fast-fast-fast and so far I'm loving it!
Also, I wanted to show you how far I've gotten on that entrelac scarf...after my mom died I put it down for a time, and recently only have had spare moments to work on it. I really want to get it done so I can use it this winter, though, so I've started picking away at it again. What you see there are the remains of skein #3, just one more to go after this. As you can tell, this thing is HUGE. It's more a shawl than a scarf, and I am so looking forward to wrapping myself up in it.
Okay, that's all the yarn porn for now. Go take a cold shower.
(Hehehe...only 2558 characters left.)
posted by Jen at
12:01 PM
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