January 02, 2005
Two questions!
1- Does anyone still have that link where you could write in a knitting sequence and it would produce a neat chart to follow!?
2- What is superwash wool, what are the good and bag things about it? I know it means you can wash it but I feel like most don't like it, why?
My hand still hurts alot from stabbing it with a dpn, so the socks are coming along slowly. Everyones sick so sprits are low,we are just hanging low trying to recuperate from the sickies.
hugs,
Posted by Jo at January 2, 2005 09:07 AM
I think Superwash just means you can throw it into the washing machine. I, personally, have nothing against it -- especially when knitting for toddlers. Can't imagine making something for my 3-year-old nephew that isn't machine washable (his mum wouldn't appreciate it either!).
and I'm curious about the answer to question 1 too... :)
About superwash wool : I've knitted with it quite a bit and it seems to be too... relaxed... somehow. I knitted a Ribby Cardie with Mission Falls 1824 Wool and am very disappointed with the way it sags. I've also knit a cap in superwash wool that would fit a giant troll due to the way it's stretched out. Bleh.
I like Superwash wool but I hate that most wool I find is superwash. I needed yarn for a felted bag a few months ago and my LYS had lots of wool but most of it was superwash so I couldn't use it for felting.
One of the major reasons superwash wool can really suck, apart from the stretching that Theresa mentioned, is that the stuff that is used to treat the wool can make it feel...heu...squeaky. It can feel a bit like the yarn has a microscopic layer of styrofoam on it, which, for me, defeats the purpose of having lovely soft wool. For kids, yes, they're going to stretch the heck out of their stuff anyway and wool is warmer than acrylic and breathes better, so superwash is a good option for the little people. But I've been majorly unhappy with the superwash stuff I've used for myself.
Also, like Caroline mentioned, superwash does not felt (if you've ever seen some of the sweaters my husband has decided can go in the washer and dryer, you have witnessed the miracle of felting... :-( ) So if you actually want something to felt, don't use superwash...it's been spouse-proofed, i.e., engineered to avoid that felting process in the laundry.
Feel better soon, chickie...
I've had good and bad experiences with Superwash. As a mother of three, I can appreciate the wool's tolerance to washing, but it is true that it never seems to "hang" as nicely as regular wool. That said, there are tremendous differences between different brands of Superwash wools, so look (and feel) around.
About the computer program, I haven't found one, but I've had pretty good luck using Excel to create my own grids.
Jo, is this the site you had in mind for charting?
http://sweaterproject.org/cables.html