Let's Knit Magazine - Your knitting, your style

Hi,

I started knitting last year, and am gradually getting braver with my projects.

At the moment, I’m working on Caraway (a lets knit pattern). It’s going quite well, although it took me a little while to get the hang of the stitch!

For my next project, I’d like to make the Chinese Charm Bag featured in the Stich n Bitch book (a christmas pressie!) - but am having trouble finding the wool. The pattern says Noro Gemstones but cannot find this anywhere!

Can anyone suggest an alternative? Any tips on substituting wool?

Thanks
Rachael

Rachaels - 16 July 2008 02:13 PM

Hi,

For my next project, I’d like to make the Chinese Charm Bag featured in the Stich n Bitch book (a christmas pressie!) - but am having trouble finding the wool. The pattern says Noro Gemstones but cannot find this anywhere!

Can anyone suggest an alternative? Any tips on substituting wool?

Thanks
Rachael

Hello and welcome to the madness Rachael!  I’ve just looked up Noro Gemstones on Ravelry:

Weight Super Bulky (5-6 wpi) That’s Super Chunky in English
Yardage 41 yards (37 meters)
Unit weight 50 grams (1.76 ounces)
Gauge 12.0 = 4 inches
Needle size US 11 / 8.0 mm
Fibers 57% Rayon, 21% Nylon, 7% Acrylic, 5% Cashmere
Texture Plied with multi color

http://www.kempswoolshop.com/wool_specials.aspx has Sirdar Bigga which is Super Chunky, which is 50% Wool, and 50% Acrylic and down to £1.20 per ball on the specials.

I hope that helps with tracking down a sub.

hello Rachael, nice to meet you and look forward to seeing whta you come up with!

Welcome Rachael.

I hope we get to see your projects??? Have fun on the forum and any other questions feel free to ask, there is always someone about with an answer.

missroyalcake - 16 July 2008 03:51 PM

Rachaels - 16 July 2008 02:13 PM

Hi,

For my next project, I’d like to make the Chinese Charm Bag featured in the Stich n Bitch book (a christmas pressie!) - but am having trouble finding the wool. The pattern says Noro Gemstones but cannot find this anywhere!

Can anyone suggest an alternative? Any tips on substituting wool?

Thanks
Rachael

Hello and welcome to the madness Rachael!  I’ve just looked up Noro Gemstones on Ravelry:

Weight Super Bulky (5-6 wpi) That’s Super Chunky in English
Yardage 41 yards (37 meters)
Unit weight 50 grams (1.76 ounces)
Gauge 12.0 = 4 inches
Needle size US 11 / 8.0 mm
Fibers 57% Rayon, 21% Nylon, 7% Acrylic, 5% Cashmere
Texture Plied with multi color

http://www.kempswoolshop.com/wool_specials.aspx has Sirdar Bigga which is Super Chunky, which is 50% Wool, and 50% Acrylic and down to £1.20 per ball on the specials.

I hope that helps with tracking down a sub.

THANKS from me too, I have just ordered some Bigga Wool to knit daughter a cropped cardi, she wanted one a while ago but the wool was so expensive we gave it a miss, at that price I can do it for birthday (august) or Xmas, probably more like Xmas x Janet

Thanks guys! I have signed up for ravelry - but still waiting for the invite - am v. excited to get in there!:-)

Will be getting some Sirdar - its such a good price too. Sometimes the price of the wool can put me of a project.

Rachael

Oh yesss - we all know that feeling well don’t we!!

Just to say I bought the wool from Kemps Wool Shop last night - and couldn’t resist picking up another bargain aswell. Too much temptation!

Another duestion: the pattern for the chinese charm bag says to use 6mm round needles. The wool band (Sirdar Bigga) suggests 15mm! What do I do?

Hi, use the needles the pattern states and try a tension square first. The ball band suggestion is just a suggestion. Using the smaller needles will make a much denser/thicker fabric which is what is probably needed for the bag.

Thanks Nicky - there is still so much to learn!

Something that we never stop doing I’m still learning after 30 years.

Thanks for the tips here on wool everyone and welcome Rachael! I think a lot of the time the price of the wool used in a pattern puts me off a bit as it is usually very expensive especially when you need loads of it, so you need to substitute anyway, also living in italy i need to substitute anyway. Tension squares are a must i’ve found to make sure something is going to work ok also the advice of a nice lady in a wool shop has proved priceless on more than one occasion....