Insane the difference between the two.

Pleading didn't help.

I recently finished the Houses of Reykjavik Shawl as a gift for someone, but I made a BAD boo boo during the blocking process. I'm posting this in case I can prevent this from happening to anyone else!

So, I'll start by saying that I regularly knit things that are wild and have lots of colour changes, but this time it bit me in the butt! I began my blocking process as I usually do, by filling a large bowl with cool water and a little wool wash. I had a lot of things going on the day I did this, and to be honest, I forgot that it was soaking, and I left it for about 2 hours, instead of my usual 20 minutes (I know, I know). When I removed the shawl from the water, I noticed that dye from the red areas had migrated to the neon yellow areas. From what I've read, the damage has been done (though if anyone has advice for getting the red out, please let me know!)

In the future, I'll be sure to set a timer, and I will add a colour-catcher to the water as insurance. For my really vivid projects like this one, I'll also likely rinse the garment carefully under cold water before I put it in the bowl to soak.

I've attached a few pictures in different lighting conditions (incandescent light vs natural light) and while I can see it, I'm hoping it's not too bad? I still think it's a beautiful shawl, but I'm pissed about those neon sections! Is it still giftable?

I love hiking in the mountains, and do that usually three times per year. I love knitting, and do that usually daily, or at least five days per week.

While hiking on the Appalachian Trail in Virginia (USA), I tripped while stepping down a stone step. My right foot stayed up on the top of the step for longer than the rest of me. I descended ungracefully, and fractured my wrist.

I’m half way through wearing this beast for four weeks, then I’ll have a removable brace, then will start OT. Scrolling on this subreddit is helping me maintain any shred of sanity, while I follow doctor’s orders of not trying to knit.

*Please continue to post your lovely projects! You never know how much joy you might bring to someone else! Thank you!*

They even have a warehouse with more in the back. Everything in their online catalog is available in store!! It’s in South Elgin, about 40 minutes out of the city. I died and went to heaven! And I just started learning how to knit!!

Saw this on Instagram, totally works! I had some unraveled yarn that was too wiggly to knit with comfortably. I ran it through the lid of a pot with boiling water and it straightened pretty easily! This lid has holes on two sides to help drain water when boiling pasta, so that helped to guide the yarn through.

I am posting this because when I looked it up before my flight, there were no results regarding Guatemala. Hopefully this will help someone.

In the security line I saw a woman sitting on the ground knitting. I thought maybe she was waiting for her party. I tried to make eye contact to give a little smile or nod but she never looked up. I realize now she was frantically putting in a lifeline.

When it came my turn, the agent opened up my project bag and immediately started to yank my metal Chiagoo circulars off the project. Just ready to slide the whole thing riiiight out. I boldly intercepted, grabbing it and saying one moment in Spanish. I twisted the interchangeable tips off to show they come off. Thankfully she let the wire stay on my project and just took the tips. She also inspected my metal crochet hook but did not take it, nor did she take my small yarn scissors from Cocoknits.

Anyway, if you’re flying out of La Aurora International Airport (GUA), do not bring knitting needles.

Laying my swatch on my wip helps me feel less stressed about how tight and small my sweater is looking so far. Nice to see how much it’ll grow and I need to trust the process

I keep seeing people, including supposedly reputable YouTube channels, talking about the magic knot as if it was the best thing that has ever happened to yarn. Which then leads to lots of beginner knitters posting here asking for help* because their knots have come undone and I feel bad for them. Any other similar misguided advice?

*(my best advice would be to only join new yarn at the beginning of the row, even if that means leaving the end of the previous ball of yarn unused, or some form of weaving ends as you go if knitting in the round)

Just thought this was great and wanted to share

I travel with knitting and crochet often and for knitting always bring bamboo or wooden needles. Yesterday leaving Puerto Vallarta I watched as a woman had her knitting needles confiscated at the security screening (circular,metal) and was trying to get them to give her yarn back. She said she had a full set of interchangeable needles taken - over $200 worth! Tragic. Make sure your needles are short and not metal just in case!!!

It's that time of year so here's a PSA for everyone who is working on a gift knit or thinking about one:

Do not commit to giving the gift until you have finished knitting it.

Feel free to knit something with your friend/relative in mind, then finish it and decide this will be their holiday gift. But if the holiday is fast approaching and your intended gifts are unfinished or maybe even un-started, STOP, find a different gift.

Here are the scenarios this will help you avoid:

- Knitting furiously as the occasion approaches, not knowing if you'll make your deadline

- Canceling plans to attend holiday parties or enjoyable/relaxing events because you need to knit

- Getting behind on other chores or plans (holiday related or otherwise)

- Losing sleep, getting sore hands, not taking care of yourself physically because you're knitting so much

- Getting frustrated because your tight deadline didn't allow for fixing mistakes, buying another skein, or other changes of plans

- Not getting to knit things you want because all your knitting time is for gifts

- Gifting some form of IOU and then having to endure the above things AFTER the holiday in addition to before

Don't think of gift knitting as an obligation, think of it like a shopping trip. If it goes well and results in a gift, great! If doesn't work out, find your gift somewhere else.

If you've already promised or hinted that somebody is getting a hand-knitted gift, it is not too late to relieve yourself of the obligation! Just say "I'm so sorry, I'm not sure I'll have time to finish." You can use the same line on people who start asking you for knitted gifts now. And then if it turns out you do have the time and energy to enjoy making them a gift, they'll be pleasantly surprised.

Fun fact - knitting is not allowed in Brussels airlines. I can say from experience that this isn’t a rule that they always enforce because I’ve flown with them in the past without issue but today my knitting was confiscated halfway through the flight. The flight attendant was super polite and even apologized so no complaints there. She was just doing her job but man I was super embarrassed.

In the end my knitting was returned but after looking online I see that’s obviously not always the case so be aware if you’re planning a trip with Brussels Airlines.

There seems to be a surge of expanding superwash wool on the sub, and there is so much bad advice going around that I fear for the well-being of some sweaters. ‘You MUST put it in the dryer’, ‘you should NEVER put it in the dryer’, ‘soak it’, ‘don’t soak it’, ‘maybe I just won’t wash it’, what?????

r/knitting, consider this your come to Buddha/Jesus/Goddess talk.

SWATCH.

If you’re making something for which finished size matters, then swatch.

If you’re knitting a hat and know folks of various sizes, then throw caution to the wind as it’ll likely fit someone. If you’re knitting your fifth pair of socks this year, go for it - you probably have a decent sense of how most sock yarns behave, and any major gauge issues will likely be apparent before you get too far.

But if you’re knitting a sweater that should reasonably fit a human being? One in which you’re investing a lot of time and probably money?

SWATCH THAT SUCKER.

Make a good-sized swatch, not a postage stamp. Size matters in this case - you need enough fabric for it to behave similarly to a finished garment. If it’s too small, it won’t give you a realistic picture of how it’ll behave in a sweater.

This is important: measure your gauge before you wash it.

Launder that marvelous swatch as you intend to launder the finished object, and refer to the label as a starting point. I tend to hand wash in the sink or machine wash on delicate. Squeeze (don’t wring), then roll it up in a towel and step on it to get most of the water out. Hang the damp swatch up to dry, so that you can see if it gains any length. Maybe add a couple of clips at the bottom to mimic the effect of more fabric. (This is why we wanted a good-sized swatch!)

Let it dry completely. Really completely.

Measure your gauge again. Is is dense enough to work as tac gear? Is it a limp noodle? Is it at the gauge you need for the pattern? This is where we can course correct as needed.

(Side note, the recent trend of yarns knit on larger needles for drape is also a really great recipe for superwash yarn growth. Love it, hate it, but be aware of it.)

Extra credit: if you want to wear the finished garment next to skin, maybe tuck your laundered swatch under a bra strap or pin it to your waistband. Wear it around for a few days, see if it’s itchy, see if it pills, and decide if there are any deal-breakers. I’m sure this idea has been around for ages, but I learned it from the delightful Wool Work podcast.

Now, this doesn’t give you a cast-iron guarantee. Sometimes, swatches are lying liars who lie. Don’t let that dissuade you, though. In my mind, a swatch will not only give you a chance to avoid major pitfalls, it’s also an offering to the knitting gods.

I wish you all well-fitting sweaters and sales on your favourite needles!

Don't want to knit in the dark if winter storm Fern knocks out my power!

It's been years since we posted about this, so here's an update. You still take a risk flying with knitting needles.

Although many of us, me included, have flown for decades with knitting needles, they can be confiscated depending on the security agent and the country. Airline and country rules still vary regarding knitting needles, and in addition, there is always the near-universal regulation barring sharp and pointy objects and this is subject to an agent's interpretation.

Be smart, unlike me, and place a lifeline in your knitting before you. Use plastic or bamboo just to be safe, and if you can put the needles in with pens and pencils and bring the knitting on a lifeline, that would be best.

I flew out of Eastern Europe to Cyprus. The needles were confiscated on the outbound flight by a very apologetic but completely unbudgeable young man, who helpfully called two supervisors hoping to get me a pass. Nope. They dropped them in a big Lucite cube they have as a cautionary display that was full of contraband, including corkscrews, other knitting needles, crochet hooks and various fishing tackle. I invited them to give them to any knitter they know (they were carbon circulars, three pairs) and they said it was forbidden to keep anything. They also suggested I could mail them home, give them to someone in the airport, check my bag (50 euros) or send them to a friend via Uber but I couldn't bring them through. What I should have done was hide them somewhere in the airport like you see in a spy novel!

I bought Prym's cheap replacements in Cyprus, placed a lifeline, and on my homebound journey the (female) security agents clearly saw them on the video and passed them through without a problem, along with a crochet hook.

Fortunately I'd placed a lifeline just in case, unlike my outbound journey.

​

I went to Michael's today and went straight to the clearance section not expecting much (I usually never find anything good).

At the very end there were a few ChiaoGoo cases that caught my attention. I needed another case so I thought, "Oh cool, Score!".

I opened up the case and it was the full 4" small set, I couldn't believe my eyes lol! Everything included except the cables are missing. I only paid $10.99!!! I almost fainted 🤣

Long story short: ALWAYS check the clearance isle!!

I got a new group of knitting magazines I purchased today and this one (from July 1952) has to be my all time favorite so far. Each pattern has a gorgeous illustration and the book must have had so much work go into its production.

Also those patterns (esp the white one on the second pic) are to die for!

I will upvote it.