Tag: knitting

Discovering double knitting

On By CarynIn Craft

Since I finished the brioche cowl, I decided to try the next project in the Modern Daily Knitting Brioche Field Guide. It was a long honey comb scarf, but I wasn’t sure I wanted another scarf (we are in Texas) so set out to learn the stitch pattern with scrap yarn to see if I liked it.

I don’t.

About 2” into the test I decidedly did not like the emerging fabric. The pattern is interesting, but the fabric is flat with almost no depth. I was hoping to make a bag, but did not think the thin holey knit would do well. So now what? In perusing Pinterest double knit items caught my eye. Double knit also uses two colors of yarn, as does brioche, and produces a double-sided fabric, as does brioche, so I gave that a go.

I like it. Especially after I rigged up a wire ring to hold the two strands of yarn on my finger, but slightly apart.

Double knitting ring made from 20 gauge brass wire

The resulting fabric from double knit is also thick and has a nice feel. I think it will do quite well in many applications, so I shall tuck it into my bag of tricks. The cotton test knit shall go into the dish cloth drawer.

Test knit, honey comb brioche on the bottom, double knit tests above

Finished brioche cowl

On By CarynIn Craft

Done! I have finished my first knit along! It took me 15 days to complete (working in fits and starts), and I have learned a new knitting technique. The finished cowl is nice and squishy and quite appropriate for its intended use. The stitching is easier than I anticipated once I learned to recognize the brioche stitches versus regular stitches. The Field Guide 21 from Modern Daily Knitting is a good resource.

Folded brioche cowl to show both sides

Skeins and yarn cakes

On By CarynIn Craft
Yarn cake (left) versus skein (right)

I bought some beautifully dyed yarn from a hand dyer. In the dying process, the yarn is left in skein form, which is basically a large circle secured in several places with twists of yarn. To store the skein it is twisted and one end tucked into the other. The skein form is beautiful, and shows off the dye, but is not friendly for direct use. It must first be wound into a ball or cake to be nice for crochet or knitting. You can have one person hold the skein open on their hands, and hand wind a ball, if you have someone with extra patience. Or a swift does the job of holding the skein open, and there are many types. I have an umbrella swift (named thus because it opens like an umbrella). I also have a ball winder (sometimes called a new wool winder), that has a rotating handle and makes center-pull yarn cakes. The sound of the Swift and ball winder turning makes a nice swoosh and clickty clack I find soothing.

Brioche

On By CarynIn Craft

Surprisingly, this post is not about bread. Brioche is also a style of knitting; it is often used with two colors of yarn to beautiful effect. The technique first caught my eye when I was scrolling Pinterest (rabbit holes!!) Then Modern Daily Knitting collaborated with Nancy Marchant (brioche guru) on a new Field Guide with four beginner brioche patterns. I couldn’t resist. Today starts a new MDK knit-along for the first pattern in the book. This is my first attempt at a knit-along, so we’ll see how it goes!

Learning brioche knitting

I’m sure no one else is counting, but I’m acutely aware that I am now in the middle of three knitting projects. Hm.

Update on Grandma’s blanket

On By CarynIn Craft

I’m still working on my Grandma’s last unfinished project. I’ve been knitting along on the main body of the blanket and I had a chilling thought. What if I don’t have enough yarn to do the border? I have an idea of how long she intended it to be, but what if I’m wrong? What if I’m missing a skein or two? Yikes! Deep breath. I’ll just make the borders now, while I have plenty of yarn.

Grandma’s blanket with one border side complete

The top and bottom border strip are a fixed length, so I’m starting with those. For the side borders, I will knit them as long as I think the blanket should be, but not finish the taper, rather I’ll put the stitches on a stitch holder, and if I need to rip out, I can do so. Then I can go back and put 90% of the rest of the yarn into the central field. When almost all the yarn is gone, I can finish the side tapers and sew it all together. I don’t need to save yarn for the tassels called for in the pattern (I don’t like tassels, they just get tangled), so I just need to save enough to piece it all together. I have a plan.