I finished my Teddy Bear Baby Blanket this morning! I am very pleased with the finished project. The blanket measures 36 inches by 40 inches. The seed stitch border really sets off the reverse stockinette stitch teddy bear pattern.
Teddy Bear Baby Blanket Finished!
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Cast On MethodsCast On Methods
This is the first post about Cast Ons. There have been several books written about different cast on methods as well as many chapters in general knitting references and YouTube videos. What I know now as a long time, more experienced knitter is that there a lots and lots of different ways to accomplish the task of putting the first stitches on your needles so that you can begin to knit. But when I first started knitting, I only knew one way to cast on. That’s because, as I believe is the case for most beginners, I was only taught one way to cast on. And I suspect that my knitting teacher taught me that cast on because it was the method that she knew.
While visiting my older sister, I learned to knit from a woman who sold yarn kits and gave knitting lessons in her apartment. So, my first knitting project was a slipper pattern kit that came with the yarn, a set of needles and an easy beginner level pattern. I think I had maybe two lessons from her and I was off to knit on my own. My teacher taught me the “Knitted Cast On” method. I used this method for a long time before discovering another cast on method – the “Backwards Loop (or E-wrap)” cast on.
The first time I encountered the notion that there were other ways to cast on was when I was knitting my very first sweater and I ran into an issue and needed some help with my project. Now, I lived in a very small town and there weren’t many people who knew how to knit. My mother located a neighbor who did and was willing to help me, so I went over to her house with my sweater. The neighbor did help me get my problem fixed – but what I remember most clearly about this session was what she said about my cast on: “Oh, you cast on wrong.”
My 11 year old self didn’t comment on that statement, but I was doing a slow burn because “I DID Cast on the right way.” I had used the knitted cast on that I knew. A lot of time passed between this incident and my learning that there are many ways to accomplish the same thing in knitting. And – I am still learning different ways to cast on!
So, in this series of posts about cast ons, I will discuss the cast ons that I currently know how to do and when and with what projects I use them. Since it was the first one I learned, I’m starting with the Knitted Cast On.
The knitted cast on is an easy cast on to learn as a beginner. Essentially, you create your first stitch on your needle by making a slip knot, placing it on the needle and start the cast on by knitting a stitch through the loop using your other needle. Once you have the stitch on the right hand needle, you slip it back onto the left hand needle and tighten it up a little, then knit into that stitch and repeat the process until you have the desired number of stitches.
Where I use this cast on:
- When I want a fairly firm , yet somewhat stretchy edge: project like scarves, some shawls, blankets
- Casting on for underarm stitches or thumb gussets in gloves or mittens
Here’s a YouTube video on this cast on: Knitting Help – Knitted Cast On
Next Post: e-Wrap (Backwards Loop) and Cable Cast On Methods
In honor of EZ’s Brithday: Baby Surprise Jacket KALIn honor of EZ’s Brithday: Baby Surprise Jacket KAL
Elizabeth Zimmerman’s 100th birthday was August 9. One of our expert knitters in the Nebraska Knit & Crochet Guild (NKCG) started a knit-a-long (KAL) of the “Baby Surprise Jacket” in honor of EZ’s birthday. I had never done this baby sweater pattern, so I joined in the KAL.
It turned into on of those obsession driven projects. You know the ones — where you become so intrigued by how the pattern is unfolding that you simply.cannot.put.it.down. Yup, your fingers just itch to knit and your brain refuses to think about anything else — especially mundane things like laundry, cooking and other housework. That’s what this little project became.
You see, the BSJ is knit entirely of garter stitch and involves a series of increases, decreases and center double decreases to make your knitting go at right angles. It is knit in a single piece — and the fascinating thing is that it turns into a sweater without the normal sweater type shaping that you usually do. As I knit this project, I kept marveling at the ingenuity of the designer — how in the heck had she figured this out? It’s a combination of understanding geometry and the shaping required for a baby sweater — and EZ was someone who took theoretical concepts like right angles and turned them into pragmatic knitted garments. Perhaps a few pictures will help.
When you finish knitting the pattern — you end up with an oddly shaped piece of garter stitch fabric that looks like this:
As you can see, I knit this with two different yarns to create stripes. Now, when you fold the edges together, this striped fabric turns into this:
A jacket. That’s the surprise — it actually turns into a little sweater jacket with nifty right angle striping on the front and horizontal striping on the back. And — there are only two seams to sew! Just two — the sleeves at the top. The button band is done as part of the bottom of the knitted piece, so you just add buttons and you are finished. (I’m still looking for buttons, so I don’t have a photo of the finished jacket.)
Now, the written pattern is somewhat confusing at first. There are several resources available to help sort out the sketchy instructions given in both the Knitter’s Almanac and Knitting Workshop. However, the biggest question I had was “if I knit this at a gauge of 6 stitches per inch, what size is my jacket?” EZ just tells you it will fit an infant if you knit at that gauge and if you knit it at a gauge of 5 stitches per inch, you will get a bigger jacket that will fit a larger child about 1 year old. This is this question that seems to cause knitters the most problems.
I knit this BSJ using Dale of Norway Baby Ull, which is a fingering weight wool yarn and my gauge was 6 spi. The jacket measures 15.25 inches across the chest, just at the point where the underarm is. Looking at a standard body measurements chart for baby sizes, This jacket is a 0-3 months size.
Now this sizing issue really bugged me — so I had to figure out the sizing for different gauges and correlate them to actual baby sizes. (Yes, I am a geek.) After studying the pattern, I discovered that the chest measurement is at the point in the pattern where you are knitting 90 stitches. (90 divided by 6 equals 15). So, using this point of reference, I have calculated roughly what the corresponding size will be if the BSJ is knitted at gauges of 5.5 spi, 5 spi, & 4.5 spi. I put this into a table to help others who might be bugged by this question:
| Gauge | Chest Measurement | Size |
| 6 spi | 15-16 in. | 0-3 mos |
| 5.5 spi | 16-17 in. | 3-6 mos |
| 5 spi | 18 in. | 12 mos. |
| 4.5 spi | 20 in | 18 mos. |
References:
Pattern: Ez’s instructions for the Baby Surprise Jacket can be found in Knitter’s Almanac
Row Counter: A handy tool for keeping track while knitting the BSJ can be found here: http://www.box.net/shared/eugvsfb3lt
Video: There is a six-part video series on the BSJ, here is the link to the First Episode.
Ravelry Knitters — there is also a Rav Group for the BSJ.
Selecting Needles Part 2: Needle Tips and Different lengths for Different Techniques and TasksSelecting Needles Part 2: Needle Tips and Different lengths for Different Techniques and Tasks
In my last post on knitting needles, I discussed the various options for needle materials and types of needles. Today, I will go over needle tips and cable lengths for circular needles.
Needle Tips:
Needle tips vary in both length and sharpness. The sharpness of your needle tip can be an important factor in how your knitted stitches turn out. For instance, it is easier to do knit lace patterns where you are doing increases and decrease with a needle tip that is fairly sharp. A sharp point is helpful when you are attempting to insert your needle into two or more stitches to make a decrease. Sharp points also work well for knitting cables. If you are using a yarn that tends to split when being knit, a blunter needle tip may be a better option than a very sharp one.
Now, if you are a knitter that uses your finger to push the left needle tip while transferring a stitch to the right needle – you probably won’t enjoy knitting with very sharp pointed needles. (Your finger will get quite sore as you knit. So, if you decide to use a needle with a sharp tip, you may need to alter your technique to avoid this problem.) The sharpness of knitting needle tips varies from brand to brand. In my experience, my Knit Picks needles have a sharp tip, while my Addi needles are less sharp. Likewise, the sharpness of needle tips can vary with different needle materials. I find my new Hiya Hiya interchangeable tips to be sharper than my Knit Picks needles. I have also purchased a few ChiaGoo needles and they have sharp tips. I actually poked a hole in my index finger while knitting with the ChiaGoo’s.
Needle and Cable Lengths:
The length of a circular knitting needle is measured from tip to tip – and includes both the needle and the cable. This is true of fixed and interchangeable needles. Most fixed circular needles have tips that are about 5 inches long. Interchangeable needle tips can be purchased in lengths from 2 ¾ inches to 5 inches. The matching cables come in lengths that result in the total length of the needle – i.e., if you buy a 24-inch cable for a 2 ¾ inch tip, the cable is actually 18.5 inches – but when you attach the needle tips the total length will be 24 inches. The length of the needle tips is a matter of preference, and you may need to try different lengths to determine what works best for you.
For general purpose knitting, a 24-inch circular needle will usually handle enough stitches for a project. I have several 24-inch cables in my collection and use them frequently. Shorter length needles work better for projects like hats, mittens, and socks. I use 16-inch circulars to knit hats most of the time. Some knitters love using 9-inch circulars for knitting socks – but I have not tried them.
Longer cables are good for projects with a large number of stitches (100+)– like shawls and large size sweaters. Longer cables are also needed when using the Magic Loop method for small diameter knitting. When using Magic Loop, I use either a 40-inch or a 60-inch cable. You can purchase cables for longer lengths from 30 inches to 60 inches.
If you prefer to use the Two Circular Needle method for small diameter knitting, 24-inch circulars work well. Some knitters like to use one needle that is longer than the other when using this method as it helps them know which needle to use for each side of the knitted item. Again, it is a matter of personal preference.
DPN’s and new options
I have a few DPN’s but I rarely use them. This is a matter of preference. Some knitters are devoted DPN users and don’t like to use magic loop or two circulars for small diameter knitting. Technically, circular knitting needles are double pointed needles. But I usually think of DPN’s as a set of double pointed, straight needles with either 4 or 5 needles. The information above regarding materials and sharpness of tips apply to DPNs also.
New options for DPNs are now available. These needles have a short flexible cable in the middle. They are used in the same manner as straight DPN’s. These include:
Hiya Hiya Flyers https://hiyahiyanorthamerica.shptron.com/p/8-0-us-2mm-bamboo-hiyahiya-flyers-pack-of-3?pp=8
Addi Flex Flips https://www.jimmybeanswool.com/secure-html/productExtraImages/80000/83483Large_5e89.jpg
I hope you found this information helpful. If you did please give this post a “Like”.
I absolutely LOVE that blanket!
Love your Teddy Bear pattern. Can I possibly have a copy of your pattern to knit for my son? Thank you. God Bless.
I adapted the pattern I found on Knitting on the Net — here’s the link to the pattern: Teddy Bear Baby Blanket. I used a different weight yarn with a different gauge than what is called for in the pattern and then just worked out the number of blocks and rows I needed to make the size I wanted.
What circular needle size and length did you use? Also, where did you find the peaches and cream yarn? I went to Michael’s and couldn’t find it. I love the modifications you made to the original pattern! Gonna try and duplicate yours.
I used US 7 (4.50 mm) needles – standard 24 inch length. I ordered the Peaches & Cream yarn directly from Elmore Pisgah Yarn Company — they’re great to work with. Happy Knitting!