03/20/2020
FIX IT FRIDAY - Flexibility
So with all of us hunkered down , many of us are drawing from our stash to knit. At times we may not have exactly the weight of yarn we need. So it’s time to get creative .
These tools help - a wraps per inch, needle sizer and gauge ruler.
1. Swatch out a yarn. If close, go up or down in your needle size. Sometimes this is easy if you are close to the needed gauge or gauge is not important. . But remember, a smaller needle produces a tighter fabric; bigger needle will make the knit fabric looser.
2. What if you have sock or DK yarns and need worsted or bulky? Think about combining two yarns, knitting them as one. This is where the wraps per inch helps. Wrap a bulky you may have to see how many wraps per inch, then test yarn combinations of your thinner yarns to get a close equivalent. Swatch with different needles til you get the look and gauge you want.
3. If gauge isn’t critical, then swatch out a few combos of
needles with various stash yarns to see what you like.
Here is one thing I knit with stash - a Joseph’s Scarf of many Colors
Start with a 30” or longer circular needle in a size 11 or 13. Starting with a firm, worsted to bulky yarn, I cast on anywhere from 100-120 sts. Leave a 6” length, cut off.
Take another yarn, any size weight, color or texture. Leaving a 6” tail, tie it on end of the row you just knit. (Fringe getting formed).
Knit across. Again leaving a 6” length, cut and tie onto tail of the previous tow.
New row, repeat as last row. Continue with lots of yarns of different sizes,weights, textures, etc, creating a fringe as you go on each end. When it’s as wide as you want, BO loosely, trim fringe evenly. Viola - colorful stash, non- stressful knitting.
Stay well, my friends.
