Welcome to I’ll Knit (& Spin!) If I want To! I asked y’all to send in some of your questions (from everything from fiber arts, to designing and on!) so I could put together a little video for y’all every Friday doing my best to answer your questions!
1. Hello! I love watching your podcast, and it's been really helpful since I started knitting this year. I want to knit your Shifty pattern, and it calls for a sport weight yarn. I have some lovely fingering/sock weight yarn that I want to use for it, so I'm wondering if I should go a size up! Normally I wouldn't worry too much about going up a size, but your notes mention that testers found that no ease works best (your notes are very lovely and helpful, especially for a newer knitter). I would normally knit the size 2 (34.5in bust) for this pattern, but should I make it the size 3 (38in) since my yarn is lighter?
2. At what point does knitting become small circumference knitting? I was thinking about this as I swatched in the round, doing the cheat swatching in the round. I know I knit tighter in small circumference and was wondering how large a swatch would I need to do to avoid “small circumference.” Thoughts?
3. Hi Andrea! Thanks as always for doing this podcast, it is a highlight of my week! My question for you is about socks. I consider myself a confident intermediate knitter and have knit many sweaters, hats, and shawls over the past 5 years since I started knitting, but have never tackled socks. My LYS is offering a sock class in the new year featuring your DRK EveryDay socks, and I am on the fence about signing up. While I really enjoy the classroom setting, I am wondering if I can get by teaching myself the pattern and saving some money. However, if there are some foundational skills that are important & unique to socks, I will spring for the class. Thank you for your advice!!
4. Hi Andrea, I'm a beginner spinner and was kindly gifted two braids of Malabrigo Nube fiber for Christmas. The two braids are in different colourways but have some similar tones, and I think I could combine them in some way. I also have fiber in solid colours that would pair nicely with the colours in the two varigated Malabrigo braids. How would you suggest spinning these braids, and what project could I use the finished yarns in? I think I've heard you discuss combo spinning before, but I'd also love to hear how you pair/choose colours and organise your fiber before spinning to avoid muddiness and to let each colour shine! I'd also love to hear any pattern recommendations for the yarn I hope to make, I'm especially interested in shawls but would love to hear your thoughts!
5. I’ve been watching your videos for a while and it was you who got me into spinning almost two whole years ago! THANK YOU. It has taken me this long to finally cast onto my needles with my Handspun. I do find that when I’m perusing my Handspun stash, I can’t seem to allow myself to use two skeins of different fibre content in the same project. Would you do that? A skein of Cormo and a skein of Rambo? Once the project is knitted and washed, would the yarns react/bloom differently and look weird?
Furthermore, I want to combo spin certain braids of hand dyed fibre in my stash but again, they are not the same fibre content. Would you ply two singles of different wool contents?
6. Hi Andrea! I'm in the market for a new loom and am so curious about what type you have. I have a rigid heddle but table and floor looms are calling my name! Also my new supported spindle arrived today. Any tips? I have previously only used a drop spindle. I can't wait for the thread and maple carrying case. I'm going to join you in doing a year of learning 😀
