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Sarah
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| Posted: March 03 2007 at 9:47am | IP Logged
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I'm at a point in my knitting career  where I want to make something for this baby due in June. But my skill level is very beginner.
A baby blanket? Can you make a baby blanket without knitting in the round? Won't your blanket just be as long as your needles? How would you make it 36" if your needles aren't that long? This is probably such a dumb question. 
Booties look impossible. I can't wait until I get good enough to make some.
I know, I need to get some of the recommended books people have been telling me.
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Six boys ages 16, 14, 11, 7, 5, 2 and one girl age 9
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Mary G
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| Posted: March 03 2007 at 2:34pm | IP Logged
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Sarah,
First, sit down and take a deep breath  !
OK, yes you can knit a baby blanket on straight needles, doing all knit st. You can do it one of two ways -- do strips and sew (or weave) the strips together -- very easy. Or do big squares of different colors (but all the same type of yarn and size).
If you go with circular needles -- just use them like you use straight needles -- the cable that joins the two needles can holds TONS of stitches if you want to knit just one big square....
Clear as mud ?
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MaryG
3 boys (22, 12, 8)2 girls (20, 11)
my website that combines my schooling, hand-knits work, writing and everything else in one spot!
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chicken lady
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| Posted: March 03 2007 at 3:31pm | IP Logged
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Sarah, don't be afraid of circular needles, I love them! When you get the hang of them you will figure out ways to knit on them all the time. Mary gave great ideas for the blanket, blankets are super easy, have fun, experiment and splurge if you can on the best yarn you can afford. The yarn you pick makes a HUGE difference on the finished product!
They also sell flexible needles that I like for heaveir items like shawls and blankets!
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theogles
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| Posted: March 03 2007 at 5:13pm | IP Logged
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May I suggest, before you jump in with a blanket, that you find a very SIMPLE baby hat knitting pattern. There are tons of them out there and you can probably find a free pattern on the web.
Here are my reasons for suggesting a hat - much smaller project therefore, you finish much quicker, you can see progress, since this sounds like your first project you won't have to undo as much if you make a mistake
My first project was a baby hat and I'm so very glad I started with that. I don't think I would be knitting today if I had tried to tackle a big project out of the gate. In fact, I went from a baby hat to a plus-size sweater and that just about did me in  I actually went back and did another baby hat just to make me feel better....
Good luck with your project!
Therese
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Sarah
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| Posted: March 04 2007 at 8:25pm | IP Logged
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Thanks everyone. This is all helpful advice. 
Its funny because I have been just sitting there on the couch with my needles, holding them looking at them, and wanting to make something. 
I made a couple swatches that I'm going to use as dishrags, but being pregnant has made me feel like I want to make something for baby.
Thanks again.
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Mary G
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| Posted: March 04 2007 at 9:24pm | IP Logged
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Sarah wrote:
I made a couple swatches that I'm going to use as dishrags, but being pregnant has made me feel like I want to make something for baby.
Thanks again. |
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Dear Sarah, You can also use those swatches to make little bags to carry things in (sew two together and put a drawstring through) or as "pockets on the baby blanket, or as squares to create a baby bunting or little jacket for the tyke? You can use swatches for so much -- just think "geometry class"!
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MaryG
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Sarah
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| Posted: March 06 2007 at 9:01am | IP Logged
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Great idea Mary. How do you sew them together? Do you use the same yarn? Do you whipstitch? Don't worry if you don't have time to answer, I'm sure I could just look it up!
Thanks for the advice!
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Mary G
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| Posted: March 06 2007 at 9:12am | IP Logged
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Sarah -- I always have time to answer knitting questions !
You can either crochet them together, whip stitch them, or "mattress stitch" them together (which makes an almost invisible join. One of the knitting blogs I often check was just talking about this....she's knitted a 9-patch log cabin boy's baby blanket and is trying to decide how to put it together....ihere's the blog entry. Now she could put the blocks together with an obvious seam in a totally different color (black would be awesome, IMHO) and then do a couple of rows of crochet around the outside in the same yarn.....
The world is your oyster (or your knitting bag ) and just have fun ... there are thousands of ways of doing anything knitted so have fun and play with it... and of course, post pictures when you're done....
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Karen T
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| Posted: March 10 2007 at 11:22pm | IP Logged
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And even if you don't have some of the knitting books you want yet, just google for any type of pattern you're looking for and there are bound to be tons of free ones online. Baby patterns are esp. plentiful b/c lots of people make things for charities.
And don't be intimidated by booties; they aren't that hard and there are some patterns that are even done flat and seamed rather than knitting in the round.
Here are some sites to get you started:
Baby's first sweater
Knitting on the Net
Bev's country cottage
Knitting Help.com (by the way, this one of the best sites for learning how to knit, or learning new stitches, etc - she has great online videos)
Karen T
p.s. the library usually has lots of knitting books, many of them how-to beginner books with baby patterns
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4Real Forums : Our Lady's Loom, Larder, and Laundry
Topic: Want to Knit for Baby
