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Mohair driving me to nutso land! Help?!

Warren's picture
Tue, 2006-08-22 12:23 — Warren

Hey guys, I sometimes forget that I'm not all alone and you all have VERY GOOD suggestions.  I thought I'd see what you all had to say before I made a trip to my LYS.

I am knitting trying to make an orangutan for one of my nephews.  It's done on US #3's, and a DK-weight mohair yarn.  I already altered the pattern instructions slightly to be able to knit in the round on DPNs.  It's just plain and simple stockinette stitch.  I've already ripped out 60 rows I had done back & forth because I was dropping so many stitches and creating YO's on the purl rows.  Doing it in the round has been a bit better, but I've dropped stitches again and I'm really not having any fun and it's not calming to me as knitting usually is.  I keep splitting the yarn, can't see it, etc.  ARGH!

Some things I've thought about trying: go to smaller needles yet, go to bigger needles (will be lacy, but maybe I can dye the stuffing?), add another yarn to give the thing more weight.

Suggestions? 

‹ Is anyone still Clogging? knit in space? ›
Wed, 2006-08-23 05:49 — MovinOn

Well, my advice isn't nearly

Well, my advice isn't nearly as creative as the others . . .

 Ditch the yarn.  If you can't see it, then accept that and move on.  You're going for a hairy look and "YAHOO"!  ("You Always Have Other Options")  Go get some eyelash "carry-along" yarn and do it out of that.  Mohair is not for the faint of heart OR for the blind.  It's a difficult fibre for the spinner and the knitter - yields great rewards but is problematic.  Frogging is a nightmare (I always keep a pair of embroidery scissors around my neck for the inevitable times I have to go to the Frog Pond) and you absolutely cannot suck Chardonnay whilst knitting Goat fur.  Where's the fun in that?

If it's not making you smile and tingle with ineffable Joy, ditch it.  Life's just too short for cranky yarn.Frown

Put me in Lars' corner as one who would love to see this pattern, however . . .

HTH!

~Mike in Tampa (who has started the Kimono Shawl - - in lieu of the dreaded VLS!  See?  I take my own advice . . . . sometimes.  HA!)

~Der Gefährliche Schal-Stricker

Yahoo Id: stickywarp2001

First Time = A Mistake

2nd Time = A Mistake

3rd Time = A Pattern!

 

Tue, 2006-08-22 15:30 — Bill
Bill's picture

can you double the mohair

can you double the mohair yarn...or add a matching yarn for bulk? ...you could dye coton or wool stuffing...but not the poly...it would only tint...and be a real pain to dye... ...you could unravel bulky yarn for stuffing... at least for the outer stuffing...with a blob of poly inside... Bill

Tue, 2006-08-22 14:18 — boyforpele13
boyforpele13's picture

freezing mohair before

freezing mohair before knitting with it is a great trick, just until the little hairs stiffen a bit.  also, if you need to correct a mistake, freeze it first.  good luck!

Tue, 2006-08-22 18:08 — Jeff1201PA
Jeff1201PA's picture

I saw that on Knitty

I saw that on Knitty Gritty!  If Vickie Howell says it, it is true.Innocent

Longtime faggot, first time knitter.
Tue, 2006-08-22 12:28 — MMario
MMario's picture

Maybe try a different

Maybe try a different composition needle? I know the bamboo circs I have grab onto mohair the way I grab chocolate.

MMario - I don't live in the 21st Century - but I play a character who does.