Fine Yarn, Big Needles?

Talula Fairie · 09-20-2006, 02:21 AM

So, I was going to knit some legwarmers in a super airy gauge. But like...I just can't do it. I can't knit with size 11 needles using what I think is a sport weight yarn (reccomended needle size is 7, gauge is 21 st =4", it's Classic Elite Yarns Inca Alpaca). It's oh-kay, I will just knit these babies on size 8 needles I guess (and it will take forever *stab*), but I was just curious, how DOES one knit an airy gauge without their knitting turnring into a rat's nest? Is it my bad tension striking again? Or something else I'm doing wrong?

Also, I am still getting messy stitches on the edges...and slipping the first stitch seems to make it worse (I fail to see how it would help???).

Ingrid · 09-20-2006, 07:56 AM

Knitting with needles much larger than the yarn calls for does make an airy fabric. This is really how lace gets created. The problem is, it can look very messy until you block it when it's done. You might want to make a swatch and then block it to see how it's going to look when it's truly finished.

Talula Fairie · 09-20-2006, 12:47 PM

OH! So it may not look as bad as I think it's going to look? Hmmm.

Ingrid · 09-20-2006, 02:45 PM

I remember reading Elizabeth Zimmerman saying that lace knitting looks like a mass of spider web until you block it.

Talula Fairie · 09-20-2006, 02:49 PM

I did a swatch, blocked it, and now it looks fine.

That is so true about the spiderwebs. I was like :O This looks terrible!

shore--alpaca · 09-20-2006, 05:52 PM

I dunno. I've done it a few times (like that lacey look). I just hold the yarn loosely?