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abt1950
Permanent Resident
3019 Posts |
 Posted - 07/14/2006 : 7:00:19 PM
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ARRRRRGGGGGHHHHH!!!!!!!
Note: this comment is being made after several attempts to learn grafting while finishing a Mobius scarf out of Lion Brand Moonlight Mohair.
Anne
Knit long and prosper |
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Atavistic
Permanent Resident
6604 Posts |
Posted - 07/14/2006 : 7:06:35 PM
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The best book I've found for Kitchener are in The Knitter's Guide to Finishing...or something like that.
If I had the book, I'd reword and send the directions, but the book's packed up at home.
Really, when you get GOOD directions, it IS easy.
Amanda Takes Off... and
Amanda Knits
Only you can decide how tongue in cheek I am. |
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RoseByAny
Permanent Resident
USA
12598 Posts |
Posted - 07/14/2006 : 7:10:11 PM
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I find myself singing when I do it.
My advice is to knit two 100 stitch wide strips that don't matter and kitchner til the cows come home.
"Choose your friends by their character and your socks by their color. Choosing your socks by their character makes no sense, and choosing your friends by their color is unthinkable."
http://RoseByAny.BlogSpot.Com |
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Milinda
Permanent Resident
USA
3816 Posts |
Posted - 07/14/2006 : 7:50:21 PM
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Amanda dictated the directions she uses to me over the phone and I admit I have to have my notes in front of me and no interruptions but I like it and the way it looks.
Amie's suggestion is a good one to get you used to the rhythm of it. |
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abt1950
Permanent Resident
3019 Posts |
Posted - 07/14/2006 : 8:04:13 PM
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Thanks all. The theory isn't so hard--I've got Annie Modesitt in front of me and have also looked at an online video. Knit-purl-purl-knit. I'm not a singer, but I've been chanting up a storm.
The problem is the yarn. Moonlight Mohair is a lovely yarn & my favorite Lion Brand yarn. It's fluffy, a little sparkly, and very soft and light. However, it's a bee-hotch to graft. Two strands, one fuzzy, loosely strung together. Very slippery on the needles. I can't tell you how many times the needles have fallen out.
I'm halfway done and the operative word remains ARGHHH, although at a slightly lower volume.
Anne
Knit long and prosper |
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RoseByAny
Permanent Resident
USA
12598 Posts |
Posted - 07/14/2006 : 8:07:01 PM
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What are you making that calls for kitchner with that yarn? If it's really a nightmare, might you be able to do a 3-needle bind off?
"Choose your friends by their character and your socks by their color. Choosing your socks by their character makes no sense, and choosing your friends by their color is unthinkable."
http://RoseByAny.BlogSpot.Com |
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abt1950
Permanent Resident
3019 Posts |
Posted - 07/14/2006 : 8:11:54 PM
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A mobius scarf made the old-fashioned way. I have to join the two ends. A plain old seam wouldn't be appropriate. Besides, I keep telling myself with gritted teeth, it's a learning experience. I taught myself provisional cast on when I started it.
Anne
Knit long and prosper |
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Just 1 More Row
Chatty Knitter
USA
207 Posts |
Posted - 07/15/2006 : 05:56:27 AM
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Just think what you can accomplish when you get this done! Nothing will be too hard.
Laura
Wait 1 more minute while I finish this row. |
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Sharyn
Gabber Extraordinaire
USA
418 Posts |
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abt1950
Permanent Resident
3019 Posts |
Posted - 07/15/2006 : 08:55:35 AM
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Sharyn, that is a good video. Thanks. I'm mostly a book-taught knitter, so actually seeing how someone does it is a breath of fresh air. The internet makes things so much easier sometimes.
My UFO became an FO around midnight. There are a few irregularities in the grafting, but the yarn is forgiving. I was able to weave in the ends in a way that covers the worst of it.
This was just a basic gaugeless Mobius scarf in garter stitch done on big needles. I wanted something that would show off the yarn and not curl. I used size 10 needles, which for me makes a very loose fabric. (I usually have to go down 2 sizes to get gauge).
I've been knitting off and on for several decades and have done stuff far more challenging than this. It's funny the gaps we have in our knitting skills.
Thanks to all.
Anne
Knit long and prosper |
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WendyB
Permanent Resident
3262 Posts |
Posted - 07/15/2006 : 10:47:56 AM
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| Every time I have to do Kitchener stitching, I take out Nancie Wiseman's book, The Knitter's Book of Finishing Techniques (somewhere around P. 51) and follow along. |
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Rho
Permanent Resident
1570 Posts |
Posted - 07/15/2006 : 3:19:26 PM
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OK - that video helped me a LOT -- I bookmarked it so when I get to the toe of this sock I can look at it just before doing it.
thanks
rho
http://rhosknittingwoes.blogspot.com/
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mrspeel
Warming Up
50 Posts |
Posted - 07/15/2006 : 3:57:15 PM
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Another helpful site for socks is http://www.cometosilver.com/socks. Her instructions/pictures are very good and has helped me so much when I was first learning socks (even though I was taking a class). Yes, I did get help from my knitting teacher, but don't think she would like to be bothered late at night! |
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llinn
honorary angel
USA
1650 Posts |
Posted - 07/16/2006 : 12:24:56 AM
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Believe it or not, most yarns will not run down to the bottom the instant they come off the needles.
Mohair especially, because it is so hairy tends to just sort of sit there.
I found that teaching my girls to graft was actually easier if I TOOK THE NEEDLES OUT.
Breath, now, breath. No project ever fell apart into strands of unrelated yarn.
If you are timid, take a strongly colored piece of waste yarn and thread it through the row below the needles. This makes a stopping point so nothing can ravel more than 1 row.
Now pull the needles out. lay the yarn over a sleever board or onto a towel, which gives a little friction so the knitting doesn't go sliding around.
In yhour head, number the stitches on the bottom piece from 1 to whatever starting at the right edge. Then number the stitches on the top piece n' same way.
Now you use your needle and thread and come into 1 from behind on the right go up and out over the top over the bottom (as it faces you) of 1'down into the stitch then turn left and go under the side of 1'and 2' then jump back out and over the bottom then back down into 1, dive down into the stitch turn left and go under the side of 1 and 2 them jump back up and continue
It actually makes it easy to see where the stitch should form and makes it easy to match the gauge of the knitted piece.
I don't know if they're still online but somebody back in the early 90's was doing knitted kline bottles. I though that was hysterical.
Lin |
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Luann
Permanent Resident
USA
2610 Posts |
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abt1950
Permanent Resident
3019 Posts |
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dschmidt
Permanent Resident
3920 Posts |
Posted - 07/16/2006 : 11:28:30 AM
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Wow, that is an accomplishment -- Kitchener using mohair! I'm glad it finally submitted to taming.
Donna in VA |
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Dottie Mae
Chatty Knitter
USA
155 Posts |
Posted - 07/18/2006 : 6:01:28 PM
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| When I teach sock grafting with kitchener, I always start the teaching with a huge example, size 13 needles and bulky yarn. You need to see kitchener big and understand the concept before you try it teeny. (The stitches do fall out on size 1 needles.) I demonstrate the grafting with a contrasting thread. When it is finished, it looks like a knitted row. Try it big first. That worked for me. |
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knitloon
Gabber Extraordinaire
524 Posts |
Posted - 07/19/2006 : 07:05:30 AM
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Could you use a different yarn in a matching color? Also, I'm so glad that others need to pull out written directions to do it. Now, I'm a reasonably intelligent woman, in fact, I'm quite a bit above average. But, every time I need to graft something, I have to return to my Knitter's Handbook (is that what it's called? You know, the small spiral book that everyone sells), and read the directions as I do it.
View my projects at:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/knitloon/ |
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abt1950
Permanent Resident
3019 Posts |
Posted - 07/19/2006 : 1:41:08 PM
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I'll probably still need to pull out the references the next time I graft, but at least I can do it now. Over the years, I tried doing it several times when patterns called for it and just gave up. Never again--I'm Kitchener empowered!
Anne
Knit long and prosper |
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kdcrowley
Permanent Resident
USA
4773 Posts |
Posted - 07/19/2006 : 3:02:45 PM
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the thing for me was realizing that you go through each stitch twice....it seems basic, but until then, we are all lost!
Mistress Kelley of the Hellacious Sockknitting
Going to He** for buying sock yarn during Lent, but at least my feet won't be cold.
http://ceallachknits.blogspot.com
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