| Archive for Downsizer For an ethical approach to consumption |
| gil |
How to decide what size knitting needlesIf your wool doesn't come from a shop with a band telling you what needle gauge to use, how do you decide ?I've got some North Ronaldsay wool, which I was told would be OK to knit an Aran sweater with. And there were Aran sweaters in the shop made from same wool. But what size needles to use ? I've been experimenting using various sizes from 7mm down to 5.5mm [so far] . Haven't a clue. How much give should there be in knitting ? e.g. stocking stitch |
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| Sally |
Most patterns give a tension.
They tell you how many stitches in a 10cm x 10cm square. So you knit a test patch. And see how you are doing - then change up a size to get fewer stitches or down a size to get more. And keep knitting until you are about right. That's assuming you are knitting to a pattern of course! |
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| toggle |
firstly, work out how many wraps per inch (WPI)
wrap the yarn round a ruler, count the loops. http://www.fibergypsy.com/common/yarnsize.shtml compare your WPI to the chart. that should give you a starting point. swatch, feel the fabric you've just knitted and compare it to jumpers you have worn, you're not knitting lace, but you don't want to knit something that will stand up on ti's own. the tighter your knitting, the more warm and waterproof your fabric will be, but there is a limit at which it won't be wearable. you will probably be about right with 5mm needles, if you ahve an aran weight (similar to worsted on the chart) yarn |
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| gil |
Well I have a pattern, but I think it may be wrong regarding what size needles. For an Aran 'tweed' yarn, but it suggests using 6mm and 8mm needles. And i think the test square measurements would be right, but the stitches would be 'loose'
I think my 7mm sample is far too big stitchsize-wise, so 8mm would be even worse. Other sites I've looked at for suggestions what needles to use for Aran wools are saying 3.75mm to 5,5mm. That's quite a spread, from 3.75 to 8mm Help ! Eek ! |
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| toggle |
what does the pattern say for stitches/rows per 10cm? how do your swatches compare to that? | ||
| gil |
I've just noticed that the pattern says to double up the yarn when knitting, which explains the larger needle size. So my existing swatches are meaningless.
Start again..... |
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| gil |
Hmmm
Whwn measuring a tension square, do you count in the first, casting on, row, which in my case is very big. Or do you measure the 'normal' rows ? My revised double-yarned 'square' is fine widthwise, but too short. Also, I wonder whetgher I'd have enough length of yarn if I double up ? Is merino [the wool the yarn in the pattern is made of] much lighter in weight than normal wool, or summat ? |
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| JohnB |
I haven't done any knitting since I was about 6, so I'm not an expert, but you're talking about knitting for wimps here  . Try some serious knitting. Here's a video.
I know Rachel, she produces some amazing stuff, and her ideas are really taking off. |
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| alice |
You make the actual square bigger, say 15cms square, then measure your 10cms square inside that. |
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| gil |
Thank you, that's very useful info 
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| Midland Spinner |
A good starting point is to choose needles which are roughly the same diameter as the yarn. (Try posting the end of yarn through the holes of a needle gauge to find a similar size) then do a tension square to see whether the fabric is suitable for what you want.
'Aran' yarn is often worked with size 7 (4.5mm) needles. |
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| lottie |
That is sooo useful ---THANKS 
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| ninat |
Once you are happy with the way your tension squre looks and feels you can always go on to the DROPS website and do a search under stitches per inch- it will bring up a nice selection of things to try.
I bought some wool from Texere which is advertised as a chunky but knits up best at 4 st per inch. I found a lovely cardi pattern for it. http://www.garnstudio.com/lang/en/kategori_oversikt.php |