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Help with this knitting pattern

cookiepa
15 years ago

Hi..I found this pattern for a knit scarf and you use two different size needles. I'm confused. You don't have to slip the stitches from one size to another do you? or do you CO knit with small and just switch back and forth between the two needles. I hope I'm clear. I appreciate your help.

Here is a link that might be useful: Scarf pattern

Comments (9)

  • Vickey__MN
    15 years ago

    I've done this, (and I say this term when ever I'm in doubt of directions) "follow directions exactly". Cast on the stitches onto the smaller needle, knit one row, IT DOES NOT SAY TO SLIP TO A NEW NEEDLE, SO DON'T...knit the next row with the bigger needle. it can be a bit hard to do, especially if the size is really different. I found I only really needed one of each needle after the initial round.

    Vickey-MN

  • cookiepa
    Original Author
    15 years ago

    Thanks so much for your response. I was leaning towards what you have explained but I just wasn't sure. I don't want to go out and buy size 35 needles, so I'm going to use two sizes that I have. It should be fun to see how it works out. Again, thanks!

  • love2knit
    15 years ago

    Just remember, if you're using different size needles from what's recommended, that the pattern comes from the large difference in size between the 2 needles. So use your largest needle and then go smaller, to maybe a 7 or 8 instead of the 9 that's recommended for the smaller needle. Whew, this is a long explanation for something I thought would be simple to say - LOL

  • bayareafrancy
    15 years ago

    I've never tried on of these patterns before. Isn't it very difficult to get the bigger needle into the stitches on the smaller needle? Sometimes, when I pull too tightly, it is hard for me to knit with the same size needle! Do you just have to be especially mindful that your tension is loose?

    (I didn't know size 35 needles existed!)

    :-)

    Francy

  • Janey - formerly jane2
    15 years ago

    I read another version of this pattern earlier today. Don't have it in front of me right now however.
    They were calling for size 15 OR size 35 for the larger needle.
    The size difference between the regular sized needle used to knit with the yarn (worsted weight in their case) and the larger needle is enough to give the lacy look with "only" a size 15.

    Jane2 here (Janey on kniting blogs)

  • donner
    15 years ago

    Do you use both of one size to knit a row then use the other size, or do you use just one of each size for every row? I'm confused.

  • Lindsey_CA
    15 years ago

    You use one each of two different size needles.

    The size of the needle basically only matters for the needle that receives the stitches. Let's say you're right handed. So, the empty needle in your right hand receives stitches from the needle in your left hand. (With me so far?)

    You have stitches on the left hand needle, which is a size 9. You have an empty size 35 needle in your right hand. So, when you are knitting the next row onto the right hand's size 35 needle, you will be creating a large stitch. When you get to the end of the row, you "switch needles" so that the size 35 needle with all of the stitches will be in your left hand, and the empty size 9 needle will be in your right hand. You then knit onto the smaller right hand needle. Those stitches will be smaller, because they will only be the size of that (smaller) needle. When you get to the end of this second row, you again swap the needles from right hand to left hand, and vice versa.

    It's the large stitch/small stitch that creates the particular lacy pattern of this scarf.

    HOWEVER --- you need to do this at the beginning and at the end of the scarf.... You should, of course, have a pair of each size needle. You need to use BOTH size 9 needles at the beginning. You will cast on using the size 9 and knit the first row onto the other size 9 needle. Then, you put down the empty size 9 needle and pick up one size 35 needle and knit the second row onto it. Knit the 3rd row onto the size 9 needle, etc., as I described above.

    Then, when you get to the desired length, you will need to be at a point where you will knit the next row (which will be the last row) onto the size 9 needle. Then use both size 9 needles again, to bind off loosely.

  • donner
    15 years ago

    Lindsey, good directions that helps.

  • tami_ohio
    15 years ago

    It will also help when using the larger needle to knit the sts off of the smaller needle, to remember to put just the tip of the needle into the stitch when you knit it, so you don't have to fight with getting the needle into the stitch, and you won't stretch the stitch. I think I have a version of this pattern for a baby blanket someplace. It sure sounds familiar.

    Tami

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