Simply Knitting - UK (2019-09)

ASK THE EXPERTS

Subscribe at http://www.theyarnloop.com/simply-knitting 71

LOSTABOUTLABELS

Q

I’mrelativelynewtoknittingand

everypatternsuggestsI refer

totheyarnlabelforvariousbitsof

information,doI reallyneedto read

allofthistoknitmyhat?

JessicaWebster,Devizes

Theballbandisthepieceofpaperyou

findwrappedaroundyouryarnorskein

tokeepit neatandtidy.It alsoincludes

lotsofimportantinformationbecause

it’swherethemanufacturersputallthe

detailsknittersneedtoknowaboutthe

yarn.Forexample,therecommended

needlesizes,thetension,weightand

length,thecompositionandthedyelot

number,tonamejusta few.It’salways

a goodideatokeepyourballbandsto

referbacktowhenyouwasha garment,

orincaseyoudecideto knit the same

pattern again.Jen

WASHINGMYWORK

Q

I ampetrifiedofwashingmy

lovelycardigan,whichhasbeen

madefromanexpensiveyarn.Doyou

haveanytipsonwashinggarments?

Jen,viaemail

It’salwaysa bitnervewrackingwhen

youwasha handknitforthefirsttime.

Lookcarefullyatthewashing

instructionsontheballbandandif you

arestillfeelingnervouscontactthe

companyyouboughttheyarn from and

ask for advice.Debbie

NAMETHATNEEDLE

Q

I’vebeena keenknitterforfiftyyears

andamquitesetinmyways.I am

usedtocallingknittingneedles‘8s’and

‘10s’andsoon.PleasetellmehowI can

adapttocallingmyneedles‘4mm’ and

‘3mm’instead?

MarionWalsh,Cheshire

Myphilosophyisneversaynever!If you

wouldfindit easiertolearnneedlesizes

inmillimetresthentherearedefinitely

waysthiscanbedone.Themostobvious

methodwouldberepetition!I keepa

needleconversionlistinmyknittingbag,

onetuckedinmycircularneedlescase

andoneinmypurse.Alongsidemyneedle

gauge(whichgoeswithmeeverywhere)

theseconstantremindersmakeit somuch

easiertoconvertquicklyinmyhead.It goes

withoutsayingthatfavouritesizeswillbe

rememberedmorereadily,butI’msure

you’ll get faster as time goes on.Sophie

LOOKINGFORLUXURY

Q

I’maftera 4plywoolyarnthat

knitsupquitequicklyandisnice

andsoftagainsttheskin.Anyideas?

StaceyHill,Aberdeen

Mynewyarn,Toast,ismadeof65%

wool,10%cashmereand25%polyamide

andit’swonderfullysoftagainsttheskin.

Thestitchdefinitionisreallyimpressive,

creatinga luxuryfabric.Debbie

A touchofcashmere

adds a luxurious feel

Whenchoosingyarnsforyour

garmentstryandmatchthemup

withthetexturesinthefabric.

Variegatedyarnsoftenlookbestin

plainstockingstitch,sothatthe

coloursareshownoff,whereas

plain-colouredyarnsmake

greatcables,laceand

slip-stitch patterns.

Did you

know...?

DebbieBlisspatterns,booksandyarns

are available fromwww.loveknitting.com

DEBBIE

BLISS...

YOU ASKED

A needleconversion

chartisa handywayto

convert your needles

Theballbandcontainsuseful

and important information

GETTINGINTOPOSITION

Q

I’vebeenlookingatotherknittersandI canseethattheyareholdingtheirneedles

completelydierentlytome.AmI doingsomethingwrong?A Bailey,USA

Therearetwomainwaystoholdyourneedles:theKnifeMethodandthePenMethod,

buttherereallyisnorightorwrongway.Theideaisthatyouholdyourneedlesthemost

comfortablewayforyou.Asyoubecomemoreskilledyourhandpositionmaychangetosuit

thespeedyouknitat.Takea lookatthediagramsbelowtogiveyoua goodideaof the two

most common options and choose one that best fits your knitting style.Jen