big bad baby blanket question

[samstress]

i've decided to knit the "big bad baby blanket" from stitch 'n bitch (p. 187 for those with the book). i'm pretty new to knitting, but this seems like something i can do. just a couple questions. it says to hold two strands of yarn throughout the project. i understand what this means, just wondering if there's anything to be careful of when doing this. also, what does this do, just make it thicker? finally, i've never knit on circular needles. anything i should know? TIA

[CalaRei]

Well, I like that pattern a lot.

First off, good news! You're really not knitting in the round, you're just using the circular need as convenience and treating it like a set of straights. However, because you'll be flipping your needles around a lot, it'll be tough to keep it from tangling with your balls of yarn. Try to get into a rhythm and always switch needles in a different direction every other time. (Clockwise one way, ccw the other.) I find this helps in avoiding twisting up the two strands of yarn. If you'd switch the same every time, it'd just be like going in a circle over and over and over, and then your strands twist up. Lol.

I usually don't like knitting with two held together, so the next one I make will be with dk weight or just worsted. I love that gauge isn't terribly essential for baby blankets.

Good luck! I'm sure it'll be beautiful. What colors/yarns have you chosen?

[mamadaisy]

I also made this blanket for my second son. (I learned to knit between the birth of my two boys.) I was a newbie knitter. If you can knit and purl, you can make that blanket (and will likely get bored doing it and will also likely improve your knitting significantly as it is a lot of knitting. You can totally do it!

As I was completely new to knitting and things like gauge were entirely Greek to me, I knit it with two strands of light worsted weight held together. My resulting blanket is hefty to say the least. It is a great heavy weight wool blanket that comes in handy as a stroller blanket in the winter (even now when my guys is 3). If I had it to do again with the knowledge I have now, I would knit it with a single strand of worsted weight on size 8s (or whatever needle you need to get the fabric you want).

This blanket was my first big project and I was so proud of it. I felt like I was a "real" knitter after completing it.

Go for it! Come back and share pictures!

[samstress]

thanks for the tips. i really don't want to mess this up (seeing what i spent on the yarn). here's what i chose...

http://www.yarnzilla.com/product_inf...oducts_id=3217

i'll definitely be back to share photos (if/when i finish )

[joshs_girl]

that's a beautiful yarn!!

[mamadaisy]

Ooooh, that is beautiful!!! I love KPPM! I have never [yet] knit with it. Such a wonderful gift to yourself and the babe.

You will likely want to knit it as the pattern states with two strands held together because otherwise KPPM is a fingering weight yarn. In order to get a worsted weight you will need to hold two strands together. Does that make sense?

It will be soooo pretty! Have fun!

[samstress]

Originally Posted by mamadaisy

Ooooh, that is beautiful!!! I love KPPM! I have never [yet] knit with it. Such a wonderful gift to yourself and the babe.

You will likely want to knit it as the pattern states with two strands held together because otherwise KPPM is a fingering weight yarn. In order to get a worsted weight you will need to hold two strands together. Does that make sense?

It will be soooo pretty! Have fun!

it does make sense. not sure how much fun i'll be having, but thanks

[janaya]

you'll get into a rhythm, don't worry!