What size do I knit?

[energysaving]

You can always turn it up (keeps your ears warmer).

I know what you mean about the sewing up. I've got rolls of blanket knitted (basically as wide as I can get on my needles) and keep putting off the sewing bit. So I currently have three very, very warm scarves.

Some of the posts reminded me of the time my mum taught me to crotchet.
(I think I was 7) What was supposed to be a little mat (because it's important to have fetching orange mats on your dressing table - well, it was in 1975).

Actually ended up as a (very tightly fitting) beret for my Sindy.

Haven't crotcheted since!

Sarah

[Millymollymandy]

It already has a turn up - and it's annoyed me cos the pattern is slightly wrong in that with the turn up, the wrong side of the cast on stitches is on show. Not that there's a vast difference and nobody is going to notice anyway.

But it means I've got to do my seam on the 'wrong' side where the turn up is, hence another reason for putting off the sewing up.

As for crocheting, you did better than me cos I never learnt beyond doing a long chain and I can't even remember how to do that now!

[snapdragon]

I've finished it, just need to sew it up (oh how I hate that bit). ....

Well done I hate sewing up too, which is why I started using circular and double pointed needles, I specially love the knit-in-one neck-down sweater, it has no sewing up at all

[Millymollymandy]

Snapdragon do you buy patterns specifically for knitting like that or are you extremely clever and adapt them? I hate circular needles as they're always twisted up and feel so short and stubby, but I guess it's what you are used to.

Well the hat is finished and it was a bit too long for me, so hubby has it now, and he's given me back my old bobble hat which he 'nicked' off me, which was a bit tight on him and that fits me better, so we're all happy.

Didn't take too long to knit the hat so I can always do another one for me when my online order comes through and I have some shorter needles!

This cold freezing weather has been a really great excuse to sit and knit, now I'm going to have to get off my butt and start doing some urgent jobs outside like pruning the apples!

[crowsashes]

This cold freezing weather has been a really great excuse to sit and knit, now I'm going to have to get off my butt and start doing some urgent jobs outside like pruning the apples!

thats pretty much what ive been doing and now the snow has cleared i have to get out in the garden!

you can find free circular knitting patterns online. im still trying to figure out the best ways to do it ( i could only knit and purl a few months back!)

http://www.knitty.com/archiveHEADS.php theres loads of hat patterns, some circular. there is also this really cool short row pattern (its not that difficult) that if is a lot easier and requires minimal stitching.

[snapdragon]

Millymollymandy - not clever, more idle with patience not a natural knitter, crochet is easier for my hands, I tend to start and then see where it leads. With hats I start with six or eight stitches and just keep increasing between the needles until it seems big enough for the 'crown' then knit straight or pattern until it gets long enoughIsh.
I rarely buy patterns, most of those in the stash are from magazines or websites.
I have some of those twisted up circulars too - what a pain they are,(Ieven tried cooking them in hot water to iron out the kinks but it didn't seem to work) but also have some nice quiet wood ones which haven't twisted at all

[Millymollymandy]

That kind of makes more sense doing the hat from the top down increasing as you go so you can knit the right length. Hubby's now saying the hat is about 1/2" too long even for his big head - I can see me doing hats over and over again until I perfect them.... Gawd one of these days I'll start looking at sock and glove patterns, now they must be complicated!

I have spent hours looking at websites and patterns and yarn etc on the internet until my eyes went all funny - it's all so different from when I last knitted properly (I mean regularly!) which was from the mid 70s through to early 90s.

I had better not get bored of it again as I have a huge order online for wool for 3 jumpers/cardis - big thick wool ones for the next time we have a really cold spell! I won't want to knit them in summer.