A Cool and Shady Haven

by **Daff** » Fri Oct 27, 2006 4:19 pm

I've recently taken my needles up again, can any one tell me how to change 4ply patterns to DK? :please:

I'm only doing baby's clothes at the moment but my poor old fingers can't cope with the finer needles

by **doreen** » Sat Oct 28, 2006 10:05 pm

Daff, I do a lot of knitting in winter and make my own patterns.

I don't know what *DK* is.

If you want to change your pattern or needles then you should knit a sample.
Cast on 20 stitches and knit 20 rows.
From the measurements of the sample you should then be able to calculate the size of your garment.

by **Lacemaker** » Sat Oct 28, 2006 10:48 pm

DK is double knitting, Doreen or roughly 8-ply.

by **doreen** » Sat Oct 28, 2006 11:11 pm

8-ply, that must be very thick when knitted.
If thick needles are used and a good quality of wool then it would be alright for a making a jacket for a year old child.
As I said it is easy to work out how many stitches you need if you knit a sample.
I can't help you very much as I don't know what things are called in English.
I knit with only one needle.
We call them °Round needles° and they have a point at both ends.
They are so comfortable to use.

by **doreen** » Sat Oct 28, 2006 11:24 pm

Daff, I just looked in to GOOGLE and gave in "knitting baby clothes"

There are lots of patterns for babies, knitted with a size 6 needle, (that is for me a size 4) so not so fine.
The patterns are well written and easy to follow.
I think that would solve your problem. :now:

by **Daff** » Mon Oct 30, 2006 6:58 pm

Thanks Doreen and Lacemaker

My niece has sent me some patterns for baby clothes she would like me to make, she doesn't knit herself, they are all knitted in 4 ply and I wanted to know if I could convert them to Double Knit. I will try as you suggested Doreen and do some tension squares.

For 4 ply it is suggested using 3 1/4mm needle (USA 3/ old UK 10)
DK is 4mm (USA 6/ old UK

by **Maywalk** » Mon Oct 30, 2006 8:06 pm

Daff this might help you sort the needle sizes out.
Personally I think if you are going to try and use 4-ply yarn and knit it on bigger pins it could go very baggy after the first wash.
I have done knitting all my married life and I can only speak from experience.
Plus the fact I was Quality Control for many years for a textile firm dealing with M&S. B.H.S. Littlewoods and many more well known names.

When Doreen talks about a round needle we know it as a circular one. Saves a lot of sewing up of seams. :mrgreen:

by **Daff** » Mon Oct 30, 2006 10:52 pm

Thanks Maisie
I wasn't intending on using 4 ply wool at all, just the design and knitting that in DK with appropriate needles. I'll have a go with tension squares as Doreen suggested, at least I'll have some pretty squares to make dolly blankets with the samples.

by **doreen** » Tue Oct 31, 2006 10:52 am

Daff, dolly blankets what a lovely idea.

I only knit in winter and last winter I started using up all my bits of wool.
It was fun thinking what I could make.
I knitted gloves to use when working in the garden.
Then handbags which I lined so they didn't stretch.

Maywalk thanks for the Knitting Needle tables. I have never knitted in English.
Didn't have time then :sunglasses:

by **Miriam** » Wed Nov 01, 2006 12:22 pm

4 plys can be a very fine yarn as well... I've just re=instituted my interest in crochet.
Looking at all the new type of yarns in the stores these days is over-whelming.
Living in Fla. I don't use wool at all, but there are so many other types available.

Charts also so for the difference in hooks US & UK....
Just bought a pattern from a UK designer and even the directions are different.. SC and DC...etc. mean differently in each country.

Doreen, yes there are lighted crochet hooks on the mkt. now as well as knitting needles.
Interesting.

I joined a "list" group of crocheters to re-awaken my understanding of crochet...which is helping very much.

Miriam

by **Maywalk** » Wed Nov 01, 2006 12:46 pm

This might help with the crocheting hook sizes Miriam.

by **Miriam** » Thu Nov 02, 2006 1:50 pm

Thanks, Maywalk.... have that in my files already.

The designer's could do more for mutual understanding if they wrote their directions up in a clearer fashion for each country.

The Crochet list I'm in has ladies from all over the world, who hit bumps trying to understand the different directions.

At least needlepoint is simpler...in that aspect.

I did start an afghan for my daughter for Xmas.... found the requested hook not to my liking for the yarn I had chosen so just went to the next size hook and it suits me better. That was easy enough.
Miriam

by **dita** » Thu Jan 10, 2008 1:42 pm

This is a coat I knitted for Fabienne for Christmas

by **Maywalk** » Thu Jan 10, 2008 3:41 pm

That is lovely Dita. I bet it looks cute on her.
Do you do a lot of knitting?
I was asked at the beginning of this week to knit a premature baby coat. I have done one set and now doing another one. The person who wants them is over a team of midwives from what I can gather and very often they have a baby born that has nothing to wear because the mothers and families have bought the normal size for the baby. She likes some very small garments in hand just in case.
She is coming to visit her m-i-l this weekend so I am hoping to get three little coats, hats and bootees done for her to take back.

Thinking about it my son was just 4lbs born and nothing I had fitted the poor little devil. He was lost in the hats and matinee coats as they were then. My sister -in -law made a couple of dolls sets for him.

by **dita** » Thu Jan 10, 2008 4:18 pm

Got it on twice, Oh! well, tuff. Cannot be good at everything :roflmao:

I used to do alot of knitting, infact too much I can absorb myself in it, nowaday's do other things which take up time, computer, learning to play my organ, Mental Health stuff. knitting gets put in cupboard. Guess having a new Grandaughter made me a bit broody. FOR KNITTING not Babies :hide:

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