Hello, lace-knitting-world?
It's Marissa.
Is there a good reason why nobody mentioned the necessity of casting on lace scarves with a larger sized needle?
Because this looks like crap:
Now, maybe it would have blocked out (says she who has never blocked).
And maybe whoever ends up with this would never have known the difference.
But. (You know where this is going. I know you do.)
I frogged it. Riiiiiiiip-ped it right to the first slip knot.
That was midnight.
At 3am, I was right back where I'd left off:
Sigh. Is it me, or does it look the same?
Awesome. There's another three hours of my life wasted.
So what's the short answer here, folks? Tight Yarn-overs? Smaller needles?
(That's fingering wt sock yarn, there, on straight eight's.)
I'm just not feelin' the love.
you might not be happy with the yarn and needle combo but the stitching looks right on You are doing Branching Out, right, the yarn might not be drapey enough for the effect you want with lace I always go down a needle size because I knit loose. So if they say 8 I use a 7 If it says 4 I go to 3 and BLOCKING does help alot!
ReplyDeleteI've learned that lace will look like the dog's breakfast until you block it, no matter what. I say go with it, and learn to block. (Stainless steel welding rods work great for blocking wires 3/16 or less diameter). Make sure to bind off with a larger needle too.
ReplyDeleteOh! by the way, I love the new photo in your header.
ReplyDeleteI learned this lesson on socks knitted from the top down. It does little good to simply cast on with a larger needle, you must also work the first row on the larger needle.
ReplyDeleteYour second picture looks much better. Trust me, blocking does wonders. I'm amazed everytime I block something.
Today I'm ordering some Lace Blocking Wires from Knit Picks. I've never had any to use but I think they may make life with lace easier when blocking time comes.
I always cast on over a larger needle.
ReplyDeleteOr sometimes over two needles.
The bottom one looks different to me...more defined if you know what I mean? What's it going to be?
ReplyDeleteKeep going! I absolute love blocking lace, because it makes a blog look amazing!
ReplyDeleteThe answer is -- spacing the stitches when you cast on! It's not as much how tight they are on the needle as it is how close they are together on the needle. Larger needles doesn't help much.
ReplyDeleteMeanwhile, I hope you'll join us at Seasons of Lace (seasonsoflace.com)
If you are a tight knitter, purl loosely.
ReplyDeleteUltimately, blocking will help you. Blocking is magical. Blocking is the voodoo to the hoodoo.