Afghan knitting - needle size help

amclark19 · 07-24-2011, 07:49 PM

Hi, I'm fairly new to knitting and am trying to plan my first afghan. I have gotten the Lion Brand Homespun yarn and want to knit with two strands of this together as one. I have circular needles in size 15, 17 and 19. I did up some swatches and find that the knitting on size 19's is much too loose for what I like.

What I am wondering is... are there guidelines out there somewhere regarding what size needle to use when knitting with two strands of bulky yarn? I want the blanket to be warm for sitting on the couch, but not too heavy/hot so that it won't get used. I guess I'm having a hard time judging what a whole blanket will look like based on a 4x4 square. Any tips are appreciated!

knitcindy · 07-25-2011, 03:42 AM

I don't think there are any "official" guidelines like that anywhere. It sounds like you're doing the right thing though by making different swatches and seeing which one you like the best. I made a lap afghan last Christmas using 2 strands of Homespun and I used a size 17 needle for it.

It all depends on how close together you want the stitches to be. You could try making your samples a little larger, just to get a better idea of what an afghan would look like, but other than that, it looks like you're on the right track!!!!!

hth, knitcindy

Jan in CA · 07-25-2011, 05:01 AM

Two strands of homespun?! That's gonna be a thick blanket! It's not the easiest yarn to knit with for anyone much less a beginner, but it should be very soft.

There are not guidelines or rules. You use the needle size that works for you. It's a bulky yarn so the 17's will probably be fine. Try a swatch with those and see if you like the fabric. If not try again with another size.

Are you using circular needles? You won't be able to make a blanket on straight needles..

crazykntter83 · 07-25-2011, 06:10 AM

Originally Posted by Jan in CA

Are you using circular needles? You won't be able to make a blanket on straight needles..

Actually you can. Not to be disagreeable or anything like that. But, I knit my one and only knit blanket on size 10 straight needles. It turned out to be kind of a lapghan really. It gets heavy after a while, and I wouldn't recommend it, but it can be done!

Jan in CA · 07-25-2011, 06:28 AM

Were you using doubled bulky yarn? Not going to get many stitches on straight needles with that!

knitcindy · 07-25-2011, 12:28 PM

I agree with Jan on this one. Unless you've got REALLY loooooong straight needles, it would be very hard to keep all those stitches on there!!

Then again, I've used those size 50 Speed Stix from Lion Brand with 4 strands of Homespun!! But that was no picnic either. The stitches kept falling off the other end while I was knitting!

Hope you find something that works for you!!!
knitcindy

amclark19 · 07-26-2011, 01:31 AM

Yes, doing it on circular needles... 90cm long.

Thanks for all of your tips... I liked my swatch done on the size 15's. I'm still perfecting my tension so it seems to be a bit looser, but not too loose. I found that the size 17's would be too loose - to the point where fingers and toes will poke through (The blanket is for my boyfriend and this would really annoy him :P )

Thanks again

crazykntter83 · 07-26-2011, 02:41 PM

lol Jan, you're right. It was just some red heart super saver yarn. But they fit on there!