It's been a while since we had a knitalong. Does anyone fancy one? Any ideas for a pattern?

Branching Out from Knitty might be an idea. Any takers? Any other suggestions? I vote for something relatively small, like a scarf or a hat or similar, but apart from that I'm happy (as long as it's not too expensive) :) .

:D Branching out!

Haha! Well, if thats what you decide, i've got 2 on the go!

Branching out would be good, I've already got yarn I could use. But surely if Jules has 2 on the go she needs a challenge all of her own..

...But surely if Jules has 2 on the go she needs a challenge all of her own..
Nothing to stop us having more than one knitalong on the go at once, if people don't fancy Branching Out (if that's the pattern we go for). Some might even like to do both :o :lol: .

For a *relative* newbie, who likes to bite off more than she can chew, would this be a good challenge as my first lace project?

For a *relative* newbie, who likes to bite off more than she can chew, would this be a good challenge as my first lace project?
I think it makes an excellent first lace project. Here's the pattern (http://knitty.com/ISSUEspring05/PATTbranchingout.html). It's described by the designer as suitable for those who want to make a start on 'branching out' from the basics and on to lace knitting.

It's quite a small pattern repeat, and it's fairly easy to memorise after a few repeats. There are enough different stitches to keep it interesting though.

I found it useful to use different coloured pencils to colour in the different symbols on the chart; it made it easier to follow.

I have got other stuff on the go too. Just not all knitting. Have a look on my blog (http://madstitcher.wordpress.com/)

I think it makes an excellent first lace project. Here's the pattern (http://knitty.com/ISSUEspring05/PATTbranchingout.html). It's described by the designer as suitable for those who want to make a start on 'branching out' from the basics and on to lace knitting.

It's quite a small pattern repeat, and it's fairly easy to memorise after a few repeats. There are enough different stitches to keep it interesting though.

I found it useful to use different coloured pencils to colour in the different symbols on the chart; it made it easier to follow.

Looks good. Im in :thumbsup:

If you change pattern idea then depending on what it is, i'll be in then too.

I would like to suggest a shawl pattern, the only one I've got is Swallowtail Shawl from Interweave Knits Fall 2006.

I'll have to look and see if i've got the mag. What yarn does it use?

I would like to suggest a shawl pattern, the only one I've got is Swallowtail Shawl from Interweave Knits Fall 2006.
I have that magazine, and it is a gorgeous pattern.

My other suggestion is the Lake Park Hat (http://marniemaclean.com/patterns/lakepark/lphat.html) pattern I found the other day.

I'll have to look and see if i've got the mag. What yarn does it use?
I'd have to double-check, but I think it uses a lace-weight alpaca. I think most nice lace-weight yarns would be suitable though

Found the mag, it says Alpaca Lace. I do like it too, and i prefer that to a hat, I don't wear hats...

I've found the yarn the mag uses here (http://yarnforward.com/uk/mistialpaca.html). Has anyone used the website before?

I might be tempted to start 'Branching Out' ;)

(I have given up on it completely in Kidsilk Haze, but i do like the pattern so i'd use a different yarn)

I've found the yarn the mag uses here (http://yarnforward.com/uk/mistialpaca.html). Has anyone used the website before?
I haven't used it before, though I have come across it. I remember I was going to order from there and then discovered that they're based in Canada and that the shipping cost is £15.

From the site:
If you purchase any product other than books and patterns, even if you purchase books and patterns as well, we ship by courier. Delivery usually takes less than a week. The shipping charge is £15.00 regardless of the size of the order.

I thought it was £5 at first, but apparently that's only for books and patterns when the order is below £20. It's quite a confusing site. Took me a while to realise that they weren't based in the UK.

Ah right, yes. I'm not paying £15 for delviery of just one ball of yarn!

Ah right, yes. I'm not paying £15 for delviery of just one ball of yarn!
This (http://www.woollyworkshop.co.uk/acatalog/Jaggerspun_Zephyr.html) is a nice lace-weight yarn, thought it's 50:50 silk and merino, not alpaca. It's quite a reasonable price too.

Ooh, that looks a nice yarn Hecate, Lots of colours I fancy too!

Ah right, yes. I'm not paying £15 for delviery of just one ball of yarn!

I bet you could get a great substitute yarn from Jill, at The Wool Baa.... save you a fortune!

I bought a cone of Zephyr for something like £30 so if you are willing to buy a pound at a time you can get it for half that price. If anyone wants a bit to see what it looks like if you send me a stamped self addressed envelope I'll send you some (pm me for my address)

I bet you could get a great substitute yarn from Jill, at The Wool Baa.... save you a fortune!
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What yarn is everybody using for Branching out? Do you know, I think I'm going to give it a go, I haven't taken part in a knitalong before. Any suggestions for yarn Littleblue? Or, anbody come to that???? :help:

There is a seller on ebay that specialises in Alpaca, can't for the life of me remember the name but i'll have a look later and see if I can find it.

One thing I will say is if you haven't used Alpaca before, maybe nip into john lewis or something and have a good rub first lol, as quite a few people I know have itchy/allergic reactions to it (it makes my eyes itch awfully).

What yarn is everybody using for Branching out? Do you know, I think I'm going to give it a go, ...
Jules has started two Branching Outs using Rowan Tapestry (there's a link to a picture of one of them on the other thread), and that's the yarn I'm going to be using too. Jules has said she might go for that yarn as well.

Seeing as i haven't a clue about substituting yarn i'm gonna go with Rowan Tapestry too :D I'm really gonna have to go into town and look at some though as on different website the colours look very different! eg.1 (http://www.knitrowan.com/html/yarns_results_new.asp?groupcode=102&guage=null&weight=null&spec=null) eg.2 (http://www.laughinghens.com/knitting-wool-yarn.asp?yarnid=438) I like 175 Moorland a lot on the knitrowan page but it doesn't look as nice on the laughing hens site. I like 172 Pot Pourri too so i'd imagine mine will be one of those.

It would make a good Mothers Day present but i'm not sure if i'd be able to do it in time...

Rooty, my Tapestry is Whirlpool, and the colour is a lot more true to life on the Laughing Hens site than on the Rowan site. The Rowan site makes the colours look almost exclusively grey, when really they're several rather nice shades of blue with some darker blue/grey colours.

Not sure about the colour accuracy of the others though, so I'd definitely recommend giving the yarn a bit of a fondle in Coles or somewhere.

When is Mothers Day? The pattern does knit up quite quickly once you get into it.

I think there's enough interest in Branching Out to start a knitalong for that pattern, so I'll start another thread for it :) .

If anyone fancies something else (or fancies a knitalong for the shawl suggested by Turra), keep the suggestions coming and we could run two at the same time.

Interesting...it's strange how they can look completely different on different websites.

If the laughing hens site gives a truer representation of colour than the Rowan site for the others i may have to go with 172 Pot Pourri or 176 Whirlpool....guess i'm making a trip to John Lewis this week!

I think Mothers Day is the 18th March....so it could be done! :)

They didn't have a lot left in John Lewis on Friday when I went. Just the black and white one I got ages ago and a purpley one i think:gag:

Interesting...it's strange how they can look completely different on different websites.

If the laughing hens site gives a truer representation of colour than the Rowan site for the others i may have to go with 172 Pot Pourri or 176 Whirlpool....guess i'm making a trip to John Lewis this week!

I think Mothers Day is the 18th March....so it could be done! :)

Pot Pourri is a nice one - Ive got it already but its earmarked for a different scarf. Hmm Need to think of some yarn as it would indeed make a good mothers day present.

Can I ask whether we could consider the Bayerische socks (http://www.eunnyjang.com/knit/2006/09/bayerische_sock_part_ii.html) for a future knitalong as I remember loads of us liking the look of those:D

...Can I ask whether we could consider the Bayerische socks (http://www.eunnyjang.com/knit/2006/09/bayerische_sock_part_ii.html) for a future knitalong as I remember loads of us liking the look of those:D
Absolutely! I was only thinking last night about having a sock knitalong, and I do love that pattern. Idea very definitely seconded by me :) .

Thirded by me!

Me too! i love those socks but i'd be abit scared of going it alone :hihi: so a sock knitalong at some point would be great!

I started a pair (Bayerische) and frogged them. I love the look but not the knitting of them so I'll just watch you from over here and cheer you on. The twisted stitches looked lovely but were Not Fun for me.

I started a pair (Bayerische) and frogged them. I love the look but not the knitting of them so I'll just watch you from over here and cheer you on. The twisted stitches looked lovely but were Not Fun for me.
Oh no! Don't scare me off them before I start :lol: .

I started a pair (Bayerische) and frogged them. I love the look but not the knitting of them so I'll just watch you from over here and cheer you on. The twisted stitches looked lovely but were Not Fun for me.

What did you find hard about twisted stitches - never tried before you see? I noticed from your blog that you opted not to do twisted rib on your Rogue - does the facing sit OK not using twisted .... and why twist anyway:D

I didn't do the twisted facing on Rogue because I just didn't like it. It's a design feature and it wasn't to my taste. Plain stockinette sits just fine and it is a traditional facing treatment so I wasn't taking many risks there! I did the cuff and about two inches of the pattern on the Bayerische socks before I ripped it. There's nothing tricky about twisting stitches but I couldn't get anything like a rhythm going and it was just tedious. I knit for fun and it wasn't fun for me.

They do look good though, I can't ever see me finishing two of them that's all.

They didn't have a lot left in John Lewis on Friday when I went. Just the black and white one I got ages ago and a purpley one i think:gag:

Oh No! :( I missed this post last time i looked. Hopefully they'll have abit more variety when i go in...

I've looked at the patterns for Tapestry on the laughing hens site to get an idea of how it knits up and the colours, and i think i want to go with 'antique' now...but we'll see :)

I didn't do the twisted facing on Rogue because I just didn't like it. It's a design feature and it wasn't to my taste. Plain stockinette sits just fine and it is a traditional facing treatment so I wasn't taking many risks there! I did the cuff and about two inches of the pattern on the Bayerische socks before I ripped it. There's nothing tricky about twisting stitches but I couldn't get anything like a rhythm going and it was just tedious. I knit for fun and it wasn't fun for me.

They do look good though, I can't ever see me finishing two of them that's all.

Thanks everso:D I wondered why on Rogue that she had the facings with twisted stitches when you shouldnt be able to see them once its done!