The Knitting Freedom Blog
How to Substitute Yarn
What do you do when a knitting pattern states a specific yarn and you want to use another? Sometimes the designer will give details of yarn options and suggest alternatives, other times they provide the yarn weight according to the Craft Yarn Council's Yarn Standards .
When this information isn't supplied it's simply the case of piecing together clues. Most patterns will give gauge, which is the number of stitches and rows over given measurement. Patterns are also likely to provide the weight and yardage / metres of yarn used.
Swatch Gauge
Before undertaking a big project using a substitute yarn it is important to make a test swatch. This will confirm gauge. While this is often regarded as being a nuisance, it can help to save wasting time and money (sometimes a lot of time and a lot of money) by knitting something that is going to turn out the wrong size. Swatching also allows you to see how your chosen yarn looks when it is washed and blocked.
How to Substitute Yarn - Further Reading
Here are some more articles and useful links about how to substitute yarn. Don't forget to check out the Learning Center.
- How to Substitute Yarn - lots of information from Indigirl
- Yarn Substitution - tips and advice from Knitty
- Yarn FAQ - interesting questions and answers about yarn and yarn substitution from Annie's Attic
Ms Stitch - 8 July, 2010
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Good Knitting Projects for Beginners Part 2
So, what types of projects are good for beginner knitters...?
We recently discussed what makes a good knitting project for beginners. Here are some types of projects that are perfect for beginner knitters.
- Neckwarmers and cowls – scarfs used to be the knitting project of choice for beginner knitters. Scarfs are an ideal choice as they typically involve no shaping and the pattern can easily be remembered. However there is one key drawback with scarves and that is the fact that they can be loooonnnngggg – and therefore sometimes a tad boring and monotonous. Neckwarmers have grown in popularity over recent years and these are perfect beginner knitting projects.
- Wristwarmers – wristwarmers are another good knitting project for beginners. They are knitted tubes with holes for the thumbs. Some wristwarmer patterns are knitted in the round on four needles and these are probably not ideal for beginners. The best wristwarmer patterns for beginners are those that are knitted flat and sewn together at the end of the project.
- Bags – while some bag projects incorporate a lot of shaping or pattern into the design, many are very straightforward to make. A small purse can often be created from two simple squares or oblongs.
- Bookmarks – bookmarks are another excellent beginners knitting project. These can often knitted in just a few hours which is ideal for beginner knitters looking for instant gratification. Bookmarks are also great for beginner knitters who want to learn new stitches or techniques and they are a great way to build up a skill base before moving onto more complex projects.
Ms Stitch - 17 March, 2010
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Good Knitting Projects for Beginners
What makes a good knitting pattern for beginners...?
Many beginner knitters get put off knitting because their first knitting project is either too complex or too basic. While a beginner knitter is not going to want to undertake a large and complicated project to start with, neither are they going to want a project that feels like it is simply endless rows of the same stitch! Here are some tips for finding good projects for beginner knitters:
- Quick Knit – small and quick-to-knit projects are ideal for beginners. These are a great way for beginners to build up their skills and confidence without the massive time – and money – investment required by larger projects. One or two small quick-knit projects give a new knitter instant-ish gratification before moving on to bigger or more complicated projects.
- Not Boring – many beginner knitters get put off knitting because their first project is uninspiring and boring. A garter stitch scarf that entails miles of garter stitch may be a good relaxing project for more experienced knitters, however to a beginner it can be deathly dull and monotonous. There are many relatively small and interesting knitting projects that are ideal for beginners.
- Yarns – there are some wonderful yarns available, however not all yarns are suitable for beginner projects. It is best for beginners to avoid very fluffy yarns or eyelash yarns. These can be difficult to work with as it is difficult to see the stitches. There are plenty of lovely yarns available that are great for beginners. Self striping or handpainted yarns, for instance, are a great way to introduce a change of color without changing yarn – although these can be a little more expensive to purchase.
Happily there are lots of good knitting projects for beginner knitters available and we'll be posting more information here over the next day or so.
Don't forget to check out our Learn to Knit section for a wide range of free tutorials about all aspects of learning to knit.
Ms Stitch - 15 March, 2010
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Welcome to Knitting Freedom!
Welcome to Knitting Freedom! This is the new site that is dedicated to all things related to knitting. We are finding and publishing links to great free knitting patterns and tutorials.
We've just launched the site and are excited with how it looks. We'll continue adding to this in the future and hope to build a useful and informative knitting resource!
Do take a look around the site and let us know what you think. If you have a knitting pattern on your website or blog, or know of some elsewhere that you think we should include, then please let us know via the Contact Us page.
We look forward to hearing from you!Ms Stitch - 14 March, 2010
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