It takes me about a week to make one soaker. My dh makes fund of me because I'm always knitting when we watch tv, but I find tv boring if I'm not doing something else. We don't watch much tv. I haven't timed it, but I'd say it takes me about 8 hours to do one. I know Holy Sheep! customer orders are for 6 hours of knitting, but they're probably faster at it than I am. I do it in small spurts so it would be pretty hard to figure out exactly how long it takes me.
I have the F&F pattern but haven't used it. I started with the LTK pattern. I've also bought the Holy Sheep! pattern. I now do my own hybrid of the LTK and HS soakers. I don't like doing the same thing row after row, and in those terms the LTK is the most fun. I've picked up more ideas for fit from the HS pattern that I've incorporated into the LTK pattern. The F&F pattern is probably the most straightforward of them all. I don't like the looks of their soakers, but since you do, I'd say it's a perfect pattern to start on.
The biggest factor I've found when it comes to speed is your gauge. I was using size 6 needles and getting about 6 stitches per inche. I changed to size 7 on the last soaker and boy did it knit up fast! I get about 5.5 stitches per inch with a size 7. I think HS gauge is 5 stitches per inch so that would go even faster, though the yarn I use may is a lighter worsted yarn so I would have to find a bit heavier yarn to be happy with the results. I just use yarn from my local yarn shop.
Happy knitting!
I have the F&F pattern but haven't used it. I started with the LTK pattern. I've also bought the Holy Sheep! pattern. I now do my own hybrid of the LTK and HS soakers. I don't like doing the same thing row after row, and in those terms the LTK is the most fun. I've picked up more ideas for fit from the HS pattern that I've incorporated into the LTK pattern. The F&F pattern is probably the most straightforward of them all. I don't like the looks of their soakers, but since you do, I'd say it's a perfect pattern to start on.
The biggest factor I've found when it comes to speed is your gauge. I was using size 6 needles and getting about 6 stitches per inche. I changed to size 7 on the last soaker and boy did it knit up fast! I get about 5.5 stitches per inch with a size 7. I think HS gauge is 5 stitches per inch so that would go even faster, though the yarn I use may is a lighter worsted yarn so I would have to find a bit heavier yarn to be happy with the results. I just use yarn from my local yarn shop.
Happy knitting!
