When is knitting with crochet thread worth the effort?

Knitting with crochet thread is definitely a challenge.

Maybe that’s the reason it’s called crochet thread or crochet cotton.

I’m using two strands of #10 thread, and stockinette stitch.  I like how the two colors of thread make their own pattern, even though it doesn’t show up well in this picture..

Even so, my progress has been slower than I’d like.

I’m trying to decide if it’s the size of the thread … the small circular knitting needles … or because the thread doesn’t “give” like yarn. Or maybe it’s a combination of more than one.

Right now, I just can’t figure it out.

What I do know is I seem to be finding excuses — maybe any excuse — to avoid knitting this project.

First it was one thing, then another.  And when I find myself looking for chores to do instead of knitting … well, I know there’s something not quite right.

The project started off okay. Here it is on May 1:

And now it’s probably about half finished:

It’s definitely at the, “Do I want to continue with this or just rip it out and start over?” stage.  And, I can’t decide.

Somehow the prospect of knitting this project has become, well w-o-r-k. 

My general rule of knitting is: it should be fun … or at least enjoyable.  In all truthfulness, I do like the softness of the knitted fabric. It has a nice thickness to it, and just might make the whole project worthwhile.

So, instead of ripping out my hard work, I’ll take a page from Scarlett O’Hara … and think about it tomorrow.

After all, it is only knitting …

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Free knit bag pattern

Earlier this year, I knit a bag.

It’s made of hand spun wool, which I dyed with Kool-Aid.  Two packages of black cherry, and one of orange. The original color was grayish brown. Or was it brownish gray?

The bag is knit on circular needles, because I decided to minimize the number of seams.  It has one seam at the bottom.  And even that one I closed without sewing.

How?

Well, more on that later.

The pattern is actually fairly simple. I used a combination of garter stitch and stockinette stitch. Stockinette because, well it’s easy on circular needles.  You just knit every stitch.  And garter, because I wanted a flat not rolled top and a thicker bottom.

The bag ends when it does because, well I was tired of knitting garter stitch on circular needles. Hey, I thought it’s as good an excuse as any!

Garter stitch makes a nice sturdy bottom, don’t you agree?

When I made the bag, I wasn’t sure if I’d use it for a purse or a bag.  I decided to line it because, well pens and knitting needles tend to poke through the knitted fabric.  And after I finished it, I decided I like it for my knitting.

So, now I have a knitted knitting bag.

The instructions, including how I closed the bottom and my suggestions for places you could customize it are all in the pattern.

The pattern is free. You can get it by as my thank you for signing up for a subscription to this blog, The Knitting Yarn. The sign-up box is in the upper right sidebar.

Just look for this e-Book:

Here’s another view:

Or two …

Stockinette stitch: basic knitting stitch patterns

When most folks think of “plain knitting” they usually mean stockinette stitch.

Because it’s smooth, and looks like the same stitch on the right side, it’s often thought by non-knitters to be the first stitch knitters learn.  Usually garter stitch is practiced first, because garter stitch uses only the knit stitch.  That is, every stitch is knit (no purl stitches). Its ridges often make it seem more complex.

On two needles, stockinette stitch is a row of knit stitches followed by a row of purl.  For circular knitting, whether using a circular needle … two circulars … or three or more double-pointed needles stockinette stitch is knitting every stitch in every row. Circular knitting though is more advanced than knitting with two needles.  So, even though stockinette can be knit every stitch, it’s not the way most knitters learn stockinette.

Unlike garter stitch, stockinette stitch has a tendency to curl. So borders, whether of garter stitch or ribbing are more common to help flatten the finished article.  And depending upon the yarn, blocking can help, too.

Stockinette stitch can be the first step towards more complex patterns.  For example, knitting with more than one color of yarn.  Whether Fair Isle, or some other pattern.

Looks complex, doesn’t it? This pattern uses only two colors.  It was fun to knit. And yes, I did follow a chart for it.  Well, sort of.  I actually changed the pattern from the original.

Here’s a more complex Fair Isle pattern from the ‘net:

I like to think of cable stitches as another variation of stockinette.

While they look complex, if you look closely you’ll see stockinette stitch, and reverse stockinette stitch in the pattern.  Reverse stockinette:  all purled stitches, found on the wrong side of stockinette stitch.

My latest project is stockinette stitch on circular needles.

Knit with two strands of crochet cotton, I like the variegated effect.

What are you knitting?