Knitting with Thread
During the last couple of weeks, I've been a bit at loose ends over what to do for my next project. It was partly a problem of having too many ideas, but the fact that it's spring was also an issue. It was time to get the garden ready and plant the veggies. But since it's mostly garden maintenance now, I've been trying again to settle on a project.
I thought of making another knit craft bag, but it's taking me longer than I thought to test and match cables. In my search for a vine- or leaf-like stitch, I came across this lovely pattern from the late 1800s on Ravelry that can be used as a bookmark (although technically the directions are in a free ebook, on page 55) . It's made with very thin yarn, or crochet thread, although I'm sure it would also look charming in thicker yarn as a lacy panel in a scarf or something similar.
Over the winter, I decided to try tatting, so I happened to have a spool (ball?) of crochet thread already. And on Wednesday night there was a storm that knocked out both the power and internet connections. By Friday there was still no internet, and I admit I was running out of things to do (almost all of my knitting patterns are stored online. . . that's going to change very soon). So I made a trip to JoAnn's for some size 00 knitting needles.
The size 00s come in a pack from Susan Bates which includes 5 needles each of 4 different sizes (sizes 000, 00, 0, and 1). If you use a coupon, you can get it for about $5 or $6. The project comments on Ravelry recommended size 00 needles. But I ended up using size 0 needles to get a more lacy look. Size 1s might work as well for even more lace.
The pattern tells you how many stitches to cast on, but knitting with thread for the first time turned out to be harder than I thought, and I had some trouble casting on. It felt like trying to knit a spider web with common pins! The tiny needles are definitely more flexible than I'm used to, and the thread seems harder to tension. I used a regular knit cast on, but a cable cast on would probably work well if you have a very small crochet hook.
After five failed attempts at actually knitting the pattern, and at least three huge knots that couldn't be unraveled, it got easier, and I got more used to the delicate feel of both the thread and needles. Four or five pattern repeats later, it looked like this:
I thought of making another knit craft bag, but it's taking me longer than I thought to test and match cables. In my search for a vine- or leaf-like stitch, I came across this lovely pattern from the late 1800s on Ravelry that can be used as a bookmark (although technically the directions are in a free ebook, on page 55) . It's made with very thin yarn, or crochet thread, although I'm sure it would also look charming in thicker yarn as a lacy panel in a scarf or something similar.
Over the winter, I decided to try tatting, so I happened to have a spool (ball?) of crochet thread already. And on Wednesday night there was a storm that knocked out both the power and internet connections. By Friday there was still no internet, and I admit I was running out of things to do (almost all of my knitting patterns are stored online. . . that's going to change very soon). So I made a trip to JoAnn's for some size 00 knitting needles.
The size 00s come in a pack from Susan Bates which includes 5 needles each of 4 different sizes (sizes 000, 00, 0, and 1). If you use a coupon, you can get it for about $5 or $6. The project comments on Ravelry recommended size 00 needles. But I ended up using size 0 needles to get a more lacy look. Size 1s might work as well for even more lace.
The pattern tells you how many stitches to cast on, but knitting with thread for the first time turned out to be harder than I thought, and I had some trouble casting on. It felt like trying to knit a spider web with common pins! The tiny needles are definitely more flexible than I'm used to, and the thread seems harder to tension. I used a regular knit cast on, but a cable cast on would probably work well if you have a very small crochet hook.
After five failed attempts at actually knitting the pattern, and at least three huge knots that couldn't be unraveled, it got easier, and I got more used to the delicate feel of both the thread and needles. Four or five pattern repeats later, it looked like this:
I haven't finished it yet, but blocking it out should show off more of the lace aspect of it. And as a quick note, the M1s in the pattern should be worked as YOs.
So, will I be making these lacy bookmarks all the time for everyone I know? Probably not. It's a little rough on the eyes at times. Tatting with thread is easier for me in terms of eyestrain (there are some very pretty tatted bookmark patterns out there as well!). But it's a fun knitting experiment, and definitely worth a try. Who knows when you'll run into a project that really needs some knitted lace, or a person for whom it would be the perfect gift? :)
Until next time, happy knitting! May your spring/early summer projects, whether sewing, gardening, knitting, or something else entirely, go well!
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