Tuesday, July 04, 2006
Log Cabin w/o the b/o???
Please forgive me if this has been mentioned or asked before. I read all the posts before I *ever* dreamed I'd be trying log cabin myself....
so I started a sampler log cabin, thinking I'd make it into a dish cloth when done. While picking up stitches from the purl bumps is nice and easy, I quickly tired of picking up stitches from the bound-off edges (and I had hurt fingers!). Sooooo.... I wondered why I had to bind off at all. Why couldn't I just move the stitches to a stitch holder until I needed them, and then could pick them up off the stitch holder and go from there.
So I did it. It quickly got too big for a stitch holder, so I used a DPN with needle tips on each end. I figured if I went beyond a washcloth to a blanket, I could use an "extra" circular needle to hold the edges until I need them...
(and the changing of the colors is SOOOOO much smoother!)
I'll edit this to post a picture when I can take it and upload it w/o waking the 3 YO...
bfmomma
ADDED:
I didn't think of holding it on needles till the last round, so don't look at the others to see how it worked ;) lol... I suck at picking up stitches! And this may be the UGLIEST log cabin in the history of log cabins--I used each color of cotton that I owned once and quit when I was done. lol...
so I started a sampler log cabin, thinking I'd make it into a dish cloth when done. While picking up stitches from the purl bumps is nice and easy, I quickly tired of picking up stitches from the bound-off edges (and I had hurt fingers!). Sooooo.... I wondered why I had to bind off at all. Why couldn't I just move the stitches to a stitch holder until I needed them, and then could pick them up off the stitch holder and go from there.
So I did it. It quickly got too big for a stitch holder, so I used a DPN with needle tips on each end. I figured if I went beyond a washcloth to a blanket, I could use an "extra" circular needle to hold the edges until I need them...
(and the changing of the colors is SOOOOO much smoother!)
I'll edit this to post a picture when I can take it and upload it w/o waking the 3 YO...
bfmomma
ADDED:
I didn't think of holding it on needles till the last round, so don't look at the others to see how it worked ;) lol... I suck at picking up stitches! And this may be the UGLIEST log cabin in the history of log cabins--I used each color of cotton that I owned once and quit when I was done. lol...
# posted by bfmomma @ 8:44 PM 
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Interesting idea! I hate picking up stitches using my knitting needle - too slippery - so I have been using a small crochet hook. But I might try your method for the next blanket.
bfmomma, i have been thinking about that the whole time i've been working on my blanket! i started with the bo/pick up method so i didn't want to change mid-blanket, but i'm so glad to hear it looks nice! good thinking!!!
knitmoose, I don't follow... You are correct that I ended up with all four sides on needles (either being held or being knit upon....) and that was a bit awkward, but (for me!) easier than having to bind off and then pick up again. I cut the yarn after each side was done, so I only had to deal with extra needles--not extra needles and yarn. I think using the circular needles (or waste yarn as rebecca mentioned) would make it less bulky, too...
Anyway, if any of you try it, I'd love to hear your opinions!
Anyway, if any of you try it, I'd love to hear your opinions!
I also found that slipping the first stitch purlwise n every row makes the whole process a lot easier. It looks great either way.
I too got tired of binding off every log just to have to pick up more stitches. I took some fairly detailed pictures and put them up on my blog here: http://abiknits.blogspot.com/2006/05/i-unvented-something.html
I've been taking a break from log cabinning for about a month now - but will get back to my off-center version soon.
Abi
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I've been taking a break from log cabinning for about a month now - but will get back to my off-center version soon.
Abi
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