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    Thursday, November 10, 2005

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    Christina

    For ribbing, I just use a cable cast-on. Also, for that sampler pack of roving that you are turning into sock yarn, what about the fancy-pants socks seen in page 16 of this mag?-> http://www.menknit.net/mag/MK1.pdf

    wendy

    I like a tubular cast-on, same as for K1P1 ribbing. BUT in the first regular row, you right-twist every second pair of sts - so you wind up with K2P2. Clear as mud? - K1 to get started then *K second st, P 1st st, slip both off needle, P1, K1. Repeat from * around, ending with P1.

     Lee Ann

    The llama down I did ended up knitting up at about six stitches to the inch and wants to be on size 2s. It's definitely comfier at a thinner weight. I love it :-)

    Tubular 2 by 2 caston, as just explained by Wendy, is really beautiful. I've done that with the black ribbed sweater that won't die. Love it.

    Gayle

    Another vote for the tubular cast-on! I just learned how to do it a few months ago, and it's like magic. I've started using it for all edges - cast-on & cast-off.
    I'm watching your spinning with GREAT interest, and taking heart from how your spinning obviously becomes better each day. I finally am jumping off the cliff & trying to learn to spin. I bought fiber at VTS&W (probably something totally unsuitable for beginners, but I really liked the colors), made myself a spindle, and am actually making YARN! It's godawful crappy bumpy yarn, and the thick&thin look isn't going to go away (I firmly believe that the thick & thin will balance each other in the plying, even though reality says that's not going to happen) but it's MY yarn and I like it! I'm hoping I end up with enough to make mitts or maybe a hat (or part of a hat, anyway)
    So exciting....

    Cara

    Where am I? Cassie? Is that you? Spinning AND socks. NORMA? OH NORMA? What have they done with you?!?

    Beautiful yarn you convert you.

    k

    Some call it the Vortex. Some call it the Black Hole. Some call it the Dark Side. Many have fallen to the siren song of spinning. But then you end up with all that yarn that you really should do something with, so you knit.
    I love the way that Portland looks. Couldn't you just hang it somewhere?

    Carole

    I think cable cast on works great for stretch but I've been curious about the tubular cast on, too. I'm hoping you'll try that out and blog about it. Ya know, be a guinea pig for me. So how's the ribby cardi? Hmmmm?

    JoVE

    I think there is more detail about that 2x2 tubular cast on on Bonne Marie's blog (www.chicknits.com, did I need to say?). You can also do a K1P1 version of the cable cast on (put the needle in where the yarn is coming out) and I don't know if you could do it as K2P2 as well. I've not tried.

    very nice yarn. I find Corriedale pretty easy to spin too. I might need to order some more...

    Rachel H

    I'm no help with the cast on, but very impressed with all the spinning!

    Kathy

    Your spinning is looking SO fabulous. And making this non-spinner interested.

    Kim

    You've become a spinner, sweetpea!! Isn't it great? The center-pull method can drive me nuts when it all twists up. I've wound up with more than one messy bunch of knots.

    Thanks for the well-wishes for Joe--the fun just keeps on rollin'! ;)

    Ruth

    Oh, yeah. Tubular cast-on is the only way to go. I resisted it strenuously at first (I called it some names. I'm not proud of that.), but now I use it all the time.

    The fleece I bought is still in my stash closet, waiting for me to finish some gifts so that I can play with it. You make me want to get going. Nice looking yarn, there.

    Elizabeth D

    Norma, if you're resisting the tubular cast on, it's possible to use a long-tail cast on in knit and purl. Cast on 2 as if to knit, then 2 as if to purl -- there are pictures on the Web, but the only thing that worked for me was glaring at the yarn and figuring it out for myself. It is discreet and elegant. . .

    Stalker Angie

    Ok, what ya do is work from the toe up. With a D hook, Ch2. In 2nd Ch from hook, sc 6 times but do not join. Mark your beginning stitch and 2 sc in each st around, but do not join. (12 sc). In next sc, ......

    Huh?? Oh sorry. Knitting. hehe :P

    Your spinning is gorgeous, Norma Dear. I really am impressed.

    JoVE

    Clicking through to Laura's blog does not enlighten re. zuzzies. Can you? And perhaps you could say what is worse about zuzzies than either splicing or weaving in of ends that would be necessary if you break the yarn.

    June

    Tubular cast on.

    For the llama down, the finer the fiber diameter, the thinner the singles ought to be. If you want thicker yarn, it is wiser to have more plies than thicker singles.

    Your spinning is improving in leaps and bounds. You should be very pleased!

    Cathy

    It's a dern good thing I didn't know you 30 yrs ago when I was learning to spin or I would have been frustrated with my first attempts and would have been the one inventing the "N" word (NORma!!!) I am impressed and looking forward to whatever you make. Tho, Angie - toe up crocheted socks? (scuse me... I gotta go chat with Angie)

    Isela

    Try a tubular cast on, I have read wonderful things about it, haven't ventured down that aisle yet, still stuck on the cable cast-on. I love your spinning post today. I am just learning to spin and it inspires me reading about your spinning sucesses :).

    Aarlene

    Wow, those must have been 'spinning flies' the other day cause you sure have gotten the spinning bug!
    For casting on I like the cast on in pattern at http://morcatknits.typepad.com/cast_on_workshop/ at the MEMs LYSH

    erin

    I am in shock as well. Did NORMA just post that she couldn't wait to use her HANDSPUN for SOCKS?! I have to sit down...

    Carrie

    Disclaimer: I know nothing about spinning or plying.
    That being said, is there a way to un-ply the Portland and then ply the Old Portland with the New Portland after you receive it and spin it, so one hank looks the same as the other?

    Libby

    I have no idea what cast-on to use. I only know the long tail...maybe I should listen more often when y'all do tutorials?

    rams

    And what, pray, is wrong with straight-ahead long tail cast on? Simple, flexible, elegant. Hrrumph.

    And as to center-pull ball plying, Norma, think rudeness, then gynecology. First you flip 'em off and impale the ball on your central digit, with your thumb braking the outer ply as it feeds off; then as the center space gets bigger you slide in more and more fingers, (reminiscent of Nora Ephron saying that in her days of youthful fooling around "there was too much sticking in of fingers and not enough fooling around with the outsides.") This leaves your right hand to monitor the twist and take-in.

    It's these little mnemonics (took five minutes to spell that) which help so much...

    TracyKM

    I do a cable cast on, but alternate how the needle goes in, for a K1P1 rib, but I can't get it to work for a K2P2 rib. Sure would like to though!

    Bethany

    Your spinning is lovely.

    I don't know how to do the tubular cast-on. I'm curious now, though! I like the cable cast on for socks and hats, so it would work for mittens. It's stretchy and looks the same on both sides.

    Jenn

    Your spinning looks great, Cousin, and I love that pink!

    Childe

    Try the Twisted German cast on - Meg Swanson has an article about it (I have no idea where it is now) and she teaches it in classes) -

    I found it with Google -

    Cassie

    Norma? You can stop whenever you want to. Right?

    Helen

    Your spinning is fantastic! :)

    Jan

    No cast-on suggestions (in fact, I'm back now to read the comments. Good question.) but must say your spinning is really looking wonderful! Must get back to my spindle practice. You're an inspiration, m'dear!

    Jae

    I've never tried a tubular cast on, but I like the cable cast on. I've done a K1 P1 cable cast on and it blended nicely with the main rib knitting. No obvious cast on edge.

    Sue

    Very nice yarn! Isn't Corriedale great?

    Sara*

    I am never going to be able to look at someone plying the same way again, much thanks to Rams.

    Wow. That is so crazy that I would love to see a picture of it!

    Laurie

    I have nothing to add about cast ons. But alas, Rams is right on for the plying.

    Janet

    Can't find it anywhere in your archives. I'm sure I just completely missed it but what kind of wheel did you get? Just curious. p.s. love your posts!

    Marcia

    Having just finished the MOST AWESOME spinning for sock knitting with Nancy Bush and Judith MacKenzie, I can pass along a few things about making socks with handspun yarn. First, you need to spin short draw. Period. Second, you need to do three-ply, which is now my ply of choice. I know, I know. It takes longer, but it's so much nicer looking, longer wearing, all that. Judith says...it must be so! Wish you, and about a dozen others, could have made the trip. Margene is a doll, as is Anne, and I met Susan, too. All send hugs. SOAR Market was unbelievable....how much trouble can you get into with only 26 vendors? Try two huge crates of fiber, Forsyth mini combs (Judith says..), all kinds of goodies from Woodchuck, tons of stuff from Toni at The Fold, Mother MacKenzie's Dye Kit, and, oh, yeah....a Patrick Green carder, and bags of stuff I can't even remember. Damn good thing we came in a truck.

    Marcia

    Having just finished the MOST AWESOME spinning for sock knitting with Nancy Bush and Judith MacKenzie, I can pass along a few things about making socks with handspun yarn. First, you need to spin short draw. Period. Second, you need to do three-ply, which is now my ply of choice. I know, I know. It takes longer, but it's so much nicer looking, longer wearing, all that. Judith says...it must be so! Wish you, and about a dozen others, could have made the trip. Margene is a doll, as is Anne, and I met Susan, too. All send hugs. SOAR Market was unbelievable....how much trouble can you get into with only 26 vendors? Try two huge crates of fiber, Forsyth mini combs (Judith says..), all kinds of goodies from Woodchuck, tons of stuff from Toni at The Fold, Mother MacKenzie's Dye Kit, and, oh, yeah....a Patrick Green carder, and bags of stuff I can't even remember. Damn good thing we came in a truck.

    Marcia

    Oops...sorry about that. I still can't manage the laptop!

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