Re: Knitting again

Finishing is the part I dislike, I am very poor at it and it is when a fatal error can occur and all the rest of the work is down the drain. I remember making a lovely circular pillow from Classic Stitches (they had put out the transfer) in crewel. A circular pillow with one straight side somehow never looks good lol

I did another circular crewel pillow for my bed, this time I paid someone to make it and she even made it a box pillow as well. I also take goldwork pieces to an excellent framer in town, she does a perfect stretching job that I know I would never do as nicely.

On Jan 1, 12:30=A0pm, bungadora wrote: I would not want to

Which you can do on circulars. I'm working a Kaffe Fassett on circulars, I know.

You prefer straight needles, that's fine, but I don't really see that there's actually an advantage to one over the other. It's really a matter of personal preference and of what one is used to rather than of some objective criteria.

Elizabeth

Elizabeth

My preference - because that is what I first learned on - is 14" straight needles, with the right hand needle tucked firmly under my right armpit, leaving my right hand free just to manipulate the yarn. And, yes, I am perfectly happy with Boye or Susan Bates aluminum needles in the larger sizes and steel in the tiny ones - tried bamboo once and hated them. When I am traveling, I transfer my work to a circular needle so that if I want to knit on the plane I can do so without risking jabbing the person next to me in the ribs.

Oh, of course, I cannot remember back that far but as I learned to knit as a little girl in England, I imagine I was using 10" straights back then.

Olwyn Mary in New Orleans.

Addi Turbo circulars come in 2mm and there's also Inox brand that comes in 2mm and smaller in a whole range of lengths.

I bought quite a few of them over the years to have on hand for large lace knitting projects. I got some from Beggar's Lace in Denver, via snail mail, but I'm not sure if they're in business any longer.

One place I've found to get the smaller sized Inox in the oddball lengths is an online store in the UK. With the pound-dollar exchange what it is now, it makes them an extra good deal. Their shipping prices are reasonable too.

Of course you can, but I personally wouldn't want to.

=A0I'm working a Kaffe Fassett on

Yes it is personal preference, I agree. I'm curious what would be considered as an example of objective criteria in any craft though. Anything anyone says here is mostly based on their personal experience, and an interpretation of what has worked best for them personally. You can refer to a website, or a video, but their recommendations are not necessarily objective either. It's craft, and like art, its value as both an activity and a product is heavily dependent on subjective, not objective values. Even Pat and Jim's recommendation re curvature by knitting into the back of the stitch (thank you two, I shall try that, never heard of that before) is subjective. To them is seems it curves less which is really a subjective judgement. They don't make that recommendation because they've taken micromeasurements on each stitch. Or at least I don't think so. Jim might.

Dora

Do they allow circular needles on a plane?

I once almost had an embroidery needle confiscated.

Thanks Nyssa. Now I have an excuse to visit the LYS that carries ADDIs. For all my quibbling re using circulars as singles I want to use them on my 'travelling project'. Fewer needles to lose I figures. Dora

They're probably easier to find now than they've been in a while -- lots of people knit socks using the Magic Loop method which uses a long circular needle.

I've been very happy with the needles I've gotten from KnitPicks: .

jenn

-- Jenn Ridley : snipped-for-privacy@gmail.com WIP: Poppies (Art-Stitch), two knitted tops, Oriental Butterfly Most recently Finished: Floral Sampler, Insect Sampler

I've taken them on. It's part of why I like them. One is far less likely to disturb seatmates on a bus, plane, or train with circular needles.

Elizabeth

I take my very short, bamboo sock needles on 'planes. I think it is because not being metal, they don't show on the detectors. I have an addressed envelope with me that will take them, in case it doesn't work. I make no attempt to conceal them, they are right there in the bottom of the laptop bag, wouldn't be a challenge to see them.

That is another stupid thing about airport security. Worry about the needles but if one wound the wool into say 12 inch lengths a couple of times and surprised somebody from behind with that around their throats, not nice, the perfect garrotte.

There is no way to be safe, life's a chance, travelling is a chance, accept that and stop bugging us all to hell and back.

Ahhh... but can you kill the pilot with them? Joke!!!! Seriously... I couldn't believe it when I had to rid myslef of my x-stitch needle!

Catherine

My elder daughter was en route to Dallas not long after 9/11 and she and four other women were siphoned off from the line at the gate. They were told they were 'showing' on the security scanners and it likely was their underwire bras. If such was the case, two choices. Remove bras and put in the bags supplied and bras would be returned to them when the journey was over, no bras, no fly.

What seemed odd to us at the time was that the bras would fly with them but it seems that if you dismantle an underwire quite a nasty piece of wire emerges. She coughed up her bra and flew (she was on business) but of the five, only three did.

Coming back from Norfolk, VA, before 9/11, I once kept setting off the alarm. Finally turned out it was the hairpins holding my bun in place!!!!!

Olwyn Mary in New Orleans.

I have a steel plate in my arm, which set off the alarm. But that only happened once... not sure why it isn't still happening, as it's still in there. (Had to be strip searched on that occasion!)

Catherine

I'm with you - the finishing often becomes a prorcrastination thing, a decision of what to do, exactly- or the $$ if it's going out for framing.

Ellice

I spent part of yesterday finding wall space for some newly finished pieces. Since I'm so prolific and frugal, I do most of the finishing myself. What struck me was how staid, merely plooped into a frame with no ribbons to simulate matting, some of my recent finishes were.

For recently completed needlework diva, Plan A was to use an ornately carved frame that has been in a closet for years. I spent most of last week running from store to store looking for the perfect mats. Nothing felt right so plan B went into effect -- mount the stitching on an appropriately sized backing, add some kind of corded or beaded edging and then plop that on to stretcher bars, stretched canvas or cheap frame covered with fabric to make a big tile. First two fabrics weren't perfect so back out I went; this time, I was smart enough to bring the diva with me so I could see how she'd look next to the possibilities. I found something almost immediately ...

will take pictures for y'all to ooh and aah over

Nice to hear from you, Nyssa.

ellice

I think there were Jahn's all over the LI & part of NJ area. We went to them when I was a kid.

Speaking of all this food memories - we were watching "Death to Smoochie" - a Robin Williams/Edward Norton film today while doing some stuff in the kitchen. There is a scene where Edward Norton is in Nathan's with the female lead - early in the film. You can see all the overhead menus, and in one cut....on the menu under a couple of other things....FROG LEGS! I just burst out laughing - and then had to explain. The movie is a few years old

- pretty funny, actually. And yes, they were at Nathan's Coney Island.

Ellice

Yes - my former boss was down to his BVDs by El Al. And he held a US Top Secret clearance and had Israeli brass waiting on him. But his "itch issues" must of flagged some item on a checklist. (poor guy seemed to have permanent jock itch)