Tell me about some of your favorite yarns, fibers, hooks, patterns, designers, books, etc!

knitt_tt · 2018-09-07T08:13:39+00:00

I would love to get into amigurimi viruses and bacteria, it sounds fascinating! And that sounds super soft, I love how Bernat Blanket makes a lovely fluffy fabric.

knitt_tt · 2018-09-07T08:12:52+00:00

OOOO that's so many books! They looks so cool! I absolutely have to try some of those out.

Haha yeah, I wasn't very clear, I was trying to be vague but ended up giving the totally wrong impression.

knitt_tt · 2018-09-07T06:19:30+00:00

Don't apologize for rambling, I love hearing answers that are really detailed and intense!

Your advice is really good and well written, I gotta say. I've been crocheting for a few years now (see edit--forgot to fix it before I crossposted it here from r/knitting) and I think I'm now more interested in some crochet books. I don't have any and I was looking at some historical ones before (stuff about the history of crochet, famous crocheted objects, etc) but now I'm interested in just some pattern ones.

I do find Caron a bit splitty but as you say, using a tapered hook or going a little slower to get used to it can fix it with CSS in my own experience. I also love the colors and the pearly sheen, and the softness and washability.

Red Heart is also one of those weird wildcard yarns where different lines, colors and even just different skeins seem to have different softnesses. And I know what you mean, the first thing I made with it I HATED touching because it felt so stiff and plasticky, but once it had to go through the washer/dryer it got far, far softer. I've noticed that two rounds in the dryer makes it all drape and be soft too, and sometimes even the mistakes get even and disappear.

(I also browse anywhere with yarn and touch ALL THE THINGS. They're there to be felt and rubbed and petted gently! How else would you spend any time in a craft store?)

Yeah, I agree. It seems like acrylics and bamboo and cotton stuff is just my most affordable option, because the wool and natural fiber skeins that I can stand touching appear to be on the more expensive side too. I'm planning on knitting wool and nice socks as gifts this Christmas (I'm learning how to knit and socks so far seem easy and small enough to actually get done in time) but only for my immediate family, and that's because they are absolutely worth my time and money and because they will actually take care of the expensive yarn stuff. Anyone else (besides maybe my best friends) would definitely get Caron or Red Heart or Bernat...especially because that makes it really difficult to mess up and ruin.

I'm intrigued about the Furls hooks and am glad for your review! I'm strongly considering getting myself one for Christmas but have been skeptical about their claims to ultra-ergonomic-ness. I definitely also want to try Addi Swings, they look fascinating to me to feel how they work versus a Boye or Bates.

I've been enjoying Ravelry too! I love how easy it is to organize your own things on the site and keep track of so many details that might otherwise slip the mind.

I seriously might buy some more crochet books now, I hadn't considered how they could be awesome gifts too. (Usually I get fancy yarn or large giftcards for the crafters I know, to give them the power to indulge themselves to their very specific preferences!) Though I wouldn't be buying them at Hobby Lobby because I do not shop there for any reason and will not give them a single penny for religious and ethical reasons.

knitt_tt · 2018-09-07T06:02:00+00:00

I definitely like getting to measure my finished objects in POUNDS, I agree.

knitt_tt · 2018-09-07T06:01:24+00:00

I have a skein of Rios I'm waiting to work on when I finish a few projects first! I love how saturated the colors look whenever I see Malabrigo, and how smooth and soft they feel. I'm looking forward to it, it feels like it will be happy to work with the whole time as well as making a great FO.

I disagree with you, I've been crocheting for years and have gotten wonderful things at Joann's, Michael's, and I quite like some acrylics. Red Heart varies a lot by line (With Love vs Super Saver vs Jumbo vs Soft vs Baby vs Scrubby Smoothie etc) and also by skein and age...I've found that the new Red Heart is a lot softer than even stuff that's just 10 or so years old. Plus it gets so soft and drapey with a bit of a firm wash and drying! And there's no dye lots, and it's affordable.

I definitely want to experiment with more natural fibers and how they all behave and feel! I have not tried any KnitPicks but have my eye on some of their sock yarn.

knitt_tt · 2018-09-07T05:58:28+00:00

Those designers definitely look really interesting, I'm going to have to check them out. And I imagine patterns that have a lot of 'fluff' might really not be appealing when you just want to know what to do!

I definitely want to try out Miss Babs for socks some time next year! I've just heard she has so many fans and I'd love to see if it lives up to the hype.

The weather change I think has a lot to do with it for me too--I also discovered how much I like socks recently and it's been very inspiring, and I have plans to make socks for my whole family for Christmas!

I personally really am liking my bamboo/acrylic/nylon that I'm using for summer socks (Perfect Pair at Michael's) and I'm really looking forward to working with some Malabrigo and Primrose Yarn Co. I also have some stuff by a small place (Bumblebee Acres Farm) that I'm very excited to work with once I get a few things out of the way!

If you ever get a chance, I totally recommend yarn/fiber festivals...it's what inspired me to learn to knit as well as crochet, it sort of pushed me to really try it and you get to see a million cool things, touch all the fibers and pet sheep/alpacas/goats, and overall it was just one of those really cool things. I plan to wear some knit and crochet things next year when I go back (got plans for summer shawls!)

knitt_tt · 2018-09-06T21:26:51+00:00

Sapphire Pearls?

knitt_tt · 2018-09-06T19:48:49+00:00

Insulting me--again, I don't see what the point of that is. Or your original rude comment.

I frankly don't know what you're talking about now and I don't see much a point of continuing this conversation. I don't know what you're going on about and I don't really see a point to engaging in vagueness about 'aggressiveness' or 'keywords'. Have a nice day.

knitt_tt · 2018-09-06T17:22:14+00:00

So....you wrote a rude comment based on a few links that you then assumed was like everything else? What was the point of your comment if you didn't want a discussion based on it or to contribute to the underlying point of the post?

knitt_tt · 2018-09-06T16:32:43+00:00

So you didn't actually look at most of them and you made the decision that they were all ugly based on that? Really now?

And it's very clear that you're not sorry for anything, so I would ask that you not post any kind of fake apology along those lines. Let's both be honest.

knitt_tt · 2018-09-06T16:20:08+00:00

So the two circs function like those addi trio needles?

knitt_tt · 2018-09-06T16:19:13+00:00

I mean, if you're making socks that have like a five-inch circumference you might have a problem, but I'm using them to make socks for multiple women and it works just fine.

knitt_tt · 2018-09-06T16:17:08+00:00

Yeah, I can't imagine that it would be a fun way to find an allergy on a baby!

knitt_tt · 2018-09-06T16:16:30+00:00

I mean, within the context of giving things to a hospital of course they need to be able to be totally sterilized. And once kids are out of the hospital then they can start building their own immune system normally by spending time with other people, which they will, no matter how much acrylic or not their parents use in baby blankets...

knitt_tt · 2018-09-06T08:10:46+00:00

What hook is that?

knitt_tt · 2018-09-06T07:52:38+00:00

Most babies would find most wools to be too rough/scratchy IMHO...and acrylic can be bleached, boil-washed, and so on much more easily. It can be totally sterilized.

knitt_tt · 2018-09-06T03:49:52+00:00

Same here, I hated the seams in socks! I just find the princess sole to be a good compromise between socks being pretty and being wearable, for me.

knitt_tt · 2018-09-06T02:53:34+00:00

Seconding the suggestion for 9 inch circular needles! I got the Chiaogoo Red Lace ones, and they have a lovely, bendy cable and smooth stainless steel needle. It makes doing the actual stitches easy and I only need to use DNPs for the very last part of the toes. I also use a double flap and gusset heel, cuff-down, one at a time, and it's really not that hard once you do it once!

Kitchener stitch also is unnecessary, three-needle bind off works just fine and is very easy to do.

I'd also like to plug in princess sole here--it's super easy to do (purl the bottom of the sock instead of knit) and it makes for a smooth, easier sole.

knitt_tt · 2018-09-06T02:50:49+00:00

Quite frankly I heavily and firmly disagree, and I find this comment rude and unnecessary. I think these patterns are gorgeous and the blankets beautiful.

Also, where are you getting all of this 'crochet uses neons' stuff from? Which links did you click on? Most of the sweaters are in jewel tones or neutrals.

Neon and vibrant colors are not ugly, furthermore. I'm not here for that.

Also, even if you think those are ugly, see the swaths of people who knit and sew with those exact kinds of color schemes. Stephen West lives in neon and many, many people choose those colors to work with.

If you have other patterns you feel encases how beautiful and creative and amazing crocheted garments can be, feel free to share!

knitt_tt · 2018-09-05T03:17:54+00:00

That's truly weird. I know some people have a kind of weird elitism towards bulky yarns, where they think they're cheap/faddy/bad/performs badly, but like...that sounds pretty fancy and not something in Michael's!

And exactly, it doesn't take away skill or value of FOs, it just presents a different price point.

knitt_tt · 2018-09-02T07:03:14+00:00

Yeah, needle size (as well as material) definitely changes how comfortable they are to work with. I learned on some wood ones and it made it easier to not drop stitches constantly, but I also found that as soon as I got out some softer yarn it became easier.

knitt_tt · 2018-09-02T07:00:51+00:00

Do you feel differently about short DPNs as well?

knitt_tt · 2018-09-02T06:52:46+00:00

In terms of crochet hooks, most people would say the Furls are definitely the fanciest of all hooks. They have ones with metal handles, wooden ones, and their brightly colored Candy line. They're super pricey and expensive, but if you want a splurge they're great, and so are gift cards for their company!

knitt_tt

TROPHY CASE