Sunday, January 28, 2007

Seeking HELP - needle conversion/tension

I have been searching through all my links and paper bits but cannot find something that I know is out there. I SEEK a knitting needle / knitting machine tension conversion chart for standard and mid-gauge.

For example, if the pattern calls for a size 6(US) needle, about a 4.25 mm in English sizes depending on brand, will this fit on my standard gauge knitting machine? If so, what number on the tension dial do I start my swatching? Is there an approximate conversion. And what number on the mid-gauge?

Also, I wonder if the two machines can be correlated. For example, what number on the mid-gauge is a number 9 on the standard? Is there a way to calculate this? Do I add so much for every notch on the tension dial or something?

Please, if you know any part of these answers, please comment here. If this doesn't exist yet, we can keep a repository of the conversion numbers here. So to all machine knitters, this is a call for help and info.

Sunday, January 07, 2007

Elizabeth Zimmermann mystery shawl

This is from Knitter's #58, Spring 2000, "Remembering Elizabeth". What I'd like to know is if anyone recognizes this shawl. Does it appear in any of her books or pamphlets? Any idea about it's shape - rectangular or curved? I seek any info you might have on it's structure.

If I had to guess about materials, I would assume we are looking at a double strand of Shetland jumper weight yarn in a garter structure. Somewhere around a #4 or 5 needles perhaps. She was diminutive so I could be wrong about the gauge.

Friday, January 05, 2007

Noro Kureyon part 3

This is the Kureyon I have been examining, #102. I measured my skein roughly using a fingertip to chest measure and then I would tie off to hold that spot. My length is approx 30" and I list by lengths in the order I found the colors.

So, 9 = 9*30=270" or 22.5 ft or 7.5 yds.

Kureyon is listed as having 109 yards per 50 g skein according to Yarndex. My rough measurement got me 94.6 yards, so I must have varied a bit in my fingertip to chest measurement, but not much.

If I use color alone as a criterion, I would try reproducing the feltable Kureyon with a feltable Romney. Elemental Affects has a great selection of color blends that would lend itself well to this application. They have the half mixed colors that make the wonderful transitions you see in this yarn.

orange 9
hot pink 9
light pink 9
magenta 9
orangey pink 10
orange yellow 9
peachy pink 9
lavender 9.5
blue/green/lavender/orange 7
salmon 8
orange 9
blue 10
blue pink 6
end of skein.

There was a knot at the beginning of the blue/green/lavender/orange mixed section, probably foreshortening that section.