Stitchboard Admin message #2
Re: ADDING ONTO 10 STITCH
January 11, 2016 at 4:10:29 AM  (in response to Silvertiger message #1)
 
Silvertiger,

I haven't worked 10 stitch blankets before, but I've added on to bound off knitting many times.    The easiest way I've found is to pick up and knit stitches from the area where you'd like to add.  As for the number of stitches, that would depend on several things: how large the area is where you'd like to add the stitches; if you're stitching on the bound-off side, how many stitches are there; how much you'll have to increase or decrease to get to the number/measurements you'd like; if you're using a different yarn for that new area, is it the same weight as the bound-off knitting, or is it lighter or bulkier?

For instance, if you were picking up 30 stitches in a lighter yarn, instead of 20, you may want to mathematically work it out that you can get the extra 10 stitches in spots where you might not normally pick up stitches in a matching weight of yarn.

Most importantly when you're working a project such as this, be sure to make swatches of all of your fibers.  I understand...swatching is about as interesting as watching paint dry; however, it will save you a lot of pain and trouble when you need to change fibers or numbers of stitches, where you'll be able to calculate any changes you need to make. 

Hope that helps!    If I'm misunderstanding your question, please let me know. 

---

Stitchboard Admin message #4
Re: ADDING ONTO 10 STITCH
January 12, 2016 at 1:11:56 AM  (in response to Silvertiger message #3)
 
Silvertiger,

I'm so glad, and thank you for letting me know that it works for you! 

When I first tried picking up and knitting it was so daunting...after trying, I couldn't believe how easy it actually was (but don't tell anyone, so they'll think you've done something truly outstanding ).

---

Stitchboard Admin message #6
Re: ADDING ONTO 10 STITCH
January 13, 2016 at 7:14:02 AM  (in response to Silvertiger message #5)
 
Silvertiger,

That's outstanding how you went from loom knitting to hand knitting in such a short time!    Do you have a preference?  Is one easier than the other, or are both the same to you now?

I did some loom knitting many years ago.  I had a loom that made Barbie dresses.  LOL, really, all it did was turn out tubes, but it was nice to have a way to make doll dresses!  Anyway, I finally learned knitting with needles some years after that.  Now I can't get back into the looming!    Ha ha, maybe it's time to make some doll dresses. 

---

Stitchboard Admin message #8
Re: ADDING ONTO 10 STITCH
January 15, 2016 at 2:31:54 AM  (in response to Silvertiger message #7)
 
Silvertiger,

Oh, yes, this was an item that was made for the purpose of making Barbie (and other) doll clothes!  It was called the Apple Pie Knitter.  It was basically the same principle as a spool knitter, except instead of the more popular knitting knobbies that only worked on about 4 stitches to make something similar to I-cord, you would make wider tubes that would be the right size for Barbie!  This is the box:
http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_3dxbasZiE78/SJfnCkmzGXI/AAAAAAAACG4/j4xBoIpHHqQ/s1600-h/000applepieknittera+%28Large%29.jpg

I remember making something similar to the yellow/green dress in the lower right hand corner.  To make the "armholes," they included a cone-shaped item, perhaps made of cork (don't remember much about that one), and you would stretch out the stitches with it to make armholes.

Aha, here's a page with other pics, plus a better picture of the loom itself and the cone-shaped thing...maybe it's made of wood?  I can't tell.
https://www.vintagetoys.com/toys/classified/1379

There was also a "machine," similar to the machines they make today for children...plastic, turn a handle, crank out a knitted tube.  It doesn't say it's for Barbie clothes, but they do have instructions for making yo-yos.  I own one...found it at a garage sale, priced at $2.

I agree about scarves and panels in flat knitting.  I don't remember how thick the loom pieces turned out...why do you think it's thicker?  It just seemed like an awful lot of trouble to make something that way than to simply knit by hand.

LOL, you have the same approach I do!    I sometimes jump in and try things...mixed results, though...most of the time I have to slow down and try something smaller.  Hee hee, really brings me down to earth to realize I can't just do it all! 

As for double pointed needles, the biggest thing to watch out for is not to twist the join.  It can be done on purpose...but that's another story.    For making a hat it is certainly unsuitable.

Also, there are many tutorials to help you with various things, such as the join having a gap (called a "ladder") when done the traditional way.  Whenever I cast on for something in the round, I search for the instructions to make the join without a ladder.  There's a way to do it, and I can never remember without looking it up, sigh, but it's something I always do, because otherwise, the join looks terrible.

Here's a site showing how to do it with circular needles, the same as double points for this technique...meh, six of one, half a dozen of the other, a join is a join:
http://www.tata-tatao.to/knit/closeup/e-twocircular.html
This one is called "Casting On (Cross-Over-Join method)."  As long as you use a technique like this, your joins will never gap! 

The nice thing is today there are plenty of great tutorials to do just about anything you want.  I just finished knitting a bird for my friend's birthday.  I got to a part with instructions for something called a "W&T" (Wrap & Turn, which is for short rows) and just about lost my mind, as the bird was small and I was working on double pointed needles (not my favorite).  It was so hard to work so tiny with fussy, fiddly W&Ts.  Finally, I searched for an alternative to W&T, and there were several different techniques.  I found the one that I could understand the best...it was a dream! 

So if you find there's something you're really not understanding or really not liking, remember, there may be alternatives.  Probably not for everything, but certainly for a lot of things! 

Anyway, if you'd like to post about your progress with the hat or anything else, I'd love to read it!   It's just as exciting to live vicariously through other people's knitting projects as it is to enjoy doing the actual work...LOL, and it's sometimes far less stressful! 

---

Stitchboard Admin message #10
Re: ADDING ONTO 10 STITCH
January 18, 2016 at 4:58:30 AM  (in response to Silvertiger message #9)
 
Silvertiger,

Hmm, that doesn't sound like you did anything wrong.  I'm guessing the designer didn't properly figure the adult size of the pattern.  I've had that kind of thing happen, and it's frustrating. 

So what do you plan to do...will you rip it out, or give it away to someone else?

Hope you can figure out your new computer soon. 

---

Stitchboard Admin message #12
Re: ADDING ONTO 10 STITCH
January 27, 2016 at 2:07:29 AM  (in response to Silvertiger message #11)
 
Silvertiger,

Not bad at all!    Glad it's useful for someone, and it sounds like your nephew really does love it...so good job! 

---