Knitting yarn so fine!

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I was in Seattle last week and I had a wonderful evening with my knitting group there. I’ve missed them so much! We were talking about our current projects and it turned out that almost all of us were knitting with either sport-weight or DK-weight yarn.

What a difference! The dress on the left was knitted with bulky yarn at 3 stitches per inch; the dress on the right was knitted with a fine yarn at 7 stitches per inch.

I’ve come to the conclusion that the knits I like best are knit on size 5 or 6 needles; they’re the ones I wear most often. My group agrees with me—they like how the smaller-gauge knitting projects drape and flatter.

Don’t get me wrong, I love a bulky sweater vest for the winter, in fact I’ve about worn out my Heather Hoodie! But I do think that smaller gauge sweaters are more flattering to my rather round figure. Check out the photo at left: Even Barbie looks better in a small-gauge dress!

One of the problems with knitting fine-gauge yarn is that it can take a long time! My smaller-gauge projects are always worth it, but I have to keep reminding myself of that as I’m knitting.

The authors of my favorite fine-yarn knitting book, Knit So Fine, have come up with a list of ways to keep knitting without losing your steam!

Staying Motivated

Of all the reasons knitters give for not using fine yarns, we most commonly hear that they don’t want to spend so much time on a single project. We live in a world of instant gratification, and even knitters have grown accustomed to projects that are “quick-knits” or that can be finished in a weekend. While there are some projects that knit up quickly in fine yarn, the fact of the matter is that most projects are going to take, well, a while. If you’re afraid you’ll poop out before your sweater is finished, try some of these tricks to keep yourself knitting:

• Alternate a fine-gauge knitting project with a quick-knit one. Whipping out some caps or scarves will help satisfy your need for accomplishment.
• Take time to knit at least a few rows every day. Whether you use knitting as time for quiet relaxation or while listening to music or watching your favorite TV show, allow time to enjoy it daily.
• When knitting large pieces, such as sweater fronts or backs, measure your progress every few days, not every few hours. It takes time to make progress with fine yarn, and you may only depress yourself if you find that you’ve added a mere half-inch since you last measured.
• Join a knit-along or write a blog about your sweater progress.
• Set small goals such as finishing a cuff or working two inches instead of always looking to when the project will be finished. Try writing these goals on a piece of paper and crossing them off as they’re accomplished.
• Find a knitting buddy and arrange times to get together to knit and encourage each other.
• Treat yourself to a small pleasure when you reach particular milestones-and ice cream cone when you finish the sleeve, a new CD when the front and back are done, or a ball of sock yarn when you’re ready to block.

—from Knit So Fine

Drapey Silk Top from Knit So Fine

Knitting a whole garment with sportweight yarn may seem daunting, so I suggest you get started with a small project, such as a tee or a vest.

I love the Drapey Silk Top by Carol Sulcoski. It’s in Knit So Fine, and it provides all that’s great about small-gauge knitting. It’s a beautifulfabric, it’s flattering, and it’s multi-seasonal. The loose crossover fronts accentuate the luxurious drape while the twisted rib edging hugs the waist. You can dress it up or down all throughout the year.

Start knitting fine with Knit So Fine! I know you’ll love it as much as I do.

Cheers,