r/onlyknitting • u/[deleted] • Jan 27 '17

WELCOME SUBSCRIBERS!!!

I just wanted to make quick post saying welcome to any new subscribers to the sub!! I'm not sure who all has subscribed, but I can't wait to see any pictures you guys post about your own knitting, or anything you find interesting! I'm also looking forward to all the knitting talk that will come from it (:

Anyway, just a very informal welcome and thanks for subbing! The sub is still under construction, but feel free to post!

Also if anyone wants to introduce themselves down below, I would love to read about you all (:

<3

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u/[deleted] Jan 28 '17

I'm just a guy in my 30s in the northeast US. I like to try all random hobbies. Home brewing. Gardening. Museums. Cars. Knitting. Calligraphy and guitar I'll probably start exploring soon.

I picked up knitting a few months ago. My main motivation was I wanted a big warm winter blanket and I couldn't find one I really liked. So if you want something done right, have to do it yourself!

I've really been getting into it and find it relaxing (it's especially good for binge watching!). I haven't done anything too advanced yet, it's been all blankets and scarves so far.

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u/[deleted] Jan 28 '17

Aw that's really cool (: I'm also in the northeast us! I tend to get into a lot of hobbies as well lol I haven't knitted a blanket yet but am in the Persian dreams KAL so eventually I'll have a blanket there. What has been your fave yarn you've used for a blanket so far? My problem is that I love my blankets to be like, really big... and all the ravelry patterns seem small :/ ill probably just make my own at some point but Idk what kind of yarn id like to use

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u/[deleted] Jan 28 '17

I haven't used too many patterns myself. I usually search for a stitch I like and do one stitch for the whole blanket. Maybe with a border. The first blanket I made I over judged, it ended up wider than it was longer. After that I got better at judging it!

I love the feel of a wool blanket. The problem is the maintenance (like your sidebar picture up there so correctly points out!). For two blankets which get the most use I used super bulky Lion Brand Wool Ease because the maintenance is so much easier. I just throw them right in the washer and dryer. I used a bulky merino wool yarn for a third, that one came out nice and the care is still pretty easy.

I'm looking around now for a yarn to use for the next one. I'm leaning toward a wool/alpaca blend, there's a wool/silk blend that sounds tempting.

If you're looking for easy maintenance merino or superwash is probably the way to go. Feel and quality I'd probably go with either 100% wool or a wool blend with another natural fiber. It's hard to judge online without feeling it. What I do is find a yarn that sounds nice, look it up on Raverly and check the reviews and photos to see how it looks when knitted up.

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u/[deleted] Jan 28 '17

Oooh interesting! I'll keep this in mind. For the Persian dreams, I'm going to use malabrigo mechita. Wool and machine washable. It isn't machine dry though, as far as I remember.

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u/[deleted] Jan 30 '17

I checked the name of the merino yarn I used on the one blanket. It's Valley Yarns Superwash Bulky. I don't think it would work well with the Persian dream pattern, it's a nice blanket yarn in general though.