More cotton questions?

soolina · 04-02-2005, 11:16 PM

I just bought a bunch of all cotton yarn. I hope I haven't committed a major messup by doing this. I love cotton fabric lots better than the acrylic sweaters (store-bought) I have. Cotton doesn't itch!

However I've read all sorts of cotton knitting horror stories on the web. Is it really horrible to knit with all cotton yarn? Do knitted items really sag? Should I knit tightly as some sites have suggested? Should I just give it all up and cry?

Soolina :rollseyes:

midnightskyfibers · 04-03-2005, 05:12 AM

nope and nope. it jsut gets stretched out more quickly than wool. I jsut finished a minisweater (boobholder) in Henry's attic organci cotton and its fine. Hendrys attic organci cotton is a very softy spun cotton, so its whay i would really expect to stretch, but no probs thus far. Just remember that cotton acts diff then wool, so cables and ribbing will not how the stretch that a wool garmet will have. that being said, i LOVE cotton!

soolina · 04-04-2005, 12:41 AM

Originally Posted by midnightskyfibers

nope and nope. it jsut gets stretched out more quickly than wool.

Thanks for the information about its stretchiness.

However I'm still wondering how I actually knit with it. I tend to knit loosely, and I like this way of knitting. The stitches glide easily along the needles, and it's very quick to pick up these stitches and knit. However I've read that knitting with cotton yarn should be done tightly. Is that so? if so, how tight? Or should I just knit with my regular knitting tension?

I'm pretty new on this site, so this subject may have been discussed before. If so I apologize for rehashing old stuff. And thanks for any info you or anyone can provide.

Soolina

KellyK · 04-04-2005, 01:54 AM

Im thinkin you should knit a few rows with your regular tension and see how it does. BE BRAVE! I find every new yard is a bit different and you kinda figure it out as you go along.

I am knitting swatches to figure out what st I want to use to knit a big cotton bathrug...Im doubling up some big fat cotton yarn. I have only heard that cotton yarn "blooms" when you wash it. I think that means it puffs up a bit. SO, if that is true (anyone?) then, maybe knitting a bit loose is a good idea.

soolina · 04-04-2005, 04:23 AM

Originally Posted by KellyK

Im thinkin you should knit a few rows with your regular tension and see how it does. BE BRAVE! I find every new yard is a bit different and you kinda figure it out as you go along.

Thanks so much KellyK. You've given me more confidence.

All of my knitting experience has been with the ubiquitous acrylic type yarns, which is stretchy as one knits. OTOH, cotton is not. However I've been dying to try cotton knitting, for I like cotton as a fabric so much. I was searching for "rules", which I thought more experienced knitters knew and I didn't.

From your message, there are no rules! Just listen to what the yarn tells me as I knit. I only hope I can understand its language.

I shall try to be brave.

KellyK · 04-04-2005, 05:45 AM

Originally Posted by soolina

I shall try to be brave.

EKG!!!!!!!!!!!!! I think she needs your horse!!!!!!!!

Sara · 04-04-2005, 02:51 PM

I found that my enjoyment of cotton yarn is dependent on the needle I use. Plastic needle? Bad! I felt like it took forever. Metal needle? Pretty smooth. You should try a swatch on different types of needle to see which is comfy for you. Everybody's preferences differ.

soolina · 04-05-2005, 05:14 AM

Since I am trying to be brave, I shall add that I am looking forward to attempting the cotton knitting with or without EKG's horse.

I have never tried plastic needles. So far I prefer the Clover Bamboo ones, though there are many other kinds I have not tried. I did read that bamboo needles are good to use when knitting cotton.

If anyone else has any all cotton knitting tips, I'd really appreciate them.

The yarn is not here yet for I ordered it Saturday on the internet. I'll let you know what happens when it gets here. Thanks for the advice.

yellowness · 04-05-2005, 07:18 AM

One thing about the glory of knitting... if you've been told to knit more tightly, and that just isn't your style, try smaller needles than you would otherwise use, by at least a size or two. This will tighten up your fabric, but still allow you to knit with a more or less regular tension.

Case in point: I tend to knit my socks with one type of yarn, because I love it; Lyon Brand Fishermans Wool. The reccomended needle size is 9. I knit on size *3* needles. This gives me a much denser stitch, better for soxes. The stitches do naturally want to be tighter than I normally knit, but without my changing my knitting style. It happens all on it's own.

So, if you find that tighter/denser is better, try smaller needles instead of tighter sitches.

Oh, and I've used cotton for kitchen things and LOVE IT. I had a pot-holder-less house hold (say that ten times fast...) for the longest time until I was in a grump and cranked out some pot-holdery goodness because I was temporarily fed up with all my projects. Took a second to get used to then BLAMMO! beautiful yellow cotton pot holders.

Couldn't have done it without cotton!

soolina · 04-05-2005, 08:23 PM

Originally Posted by yellowness

One thing about the glory of knitting... if you've been told to knit more tightly, and that just isn't your style, try smaller needles than you would otherwise use, by at least a size or two. This will tighten up your fabric, but still allow you to knit with a more or less regular tension.

Couldn't have done it without cotton!

Yellowness, your tip makes perfect sense. I'll try it. Thanks.