Knitting with fine cotton

I'm working on a christening gown using Coats Opera size 20 cotton on 2 mm
needles.

Though I'm usually a tight knitter, I'm finding I need to give the working
yarn (thread, really, I guess) a little tug after each stitch to keep my
tension even and stitches tidy. Not only is this slowing me down
considerably, but I'm finding my hands are getting tired fairly quickly.

Anyone have any suggestions to make this faster and less painful?

Thanks.

Amber

I had the same problem when I worked with very fine cotton thread. I tried
smaller needles but it really didn't help. I'm afraid the only thing you
can do is to give it a tug as you've been doing.

I swore I would never make anything like that again, but it did come out
really beautiful.

Lucille


"Amber" wrote in message ...
I'm working on a christening gown using Coats Opera size 20 cotton on 2 mm
needles.

Though I'm usually a tight knitter, I'm finding I need to give the
working
yarn (thread, really, I guess) a little tug after each stitch to keep my
tension even and stitches tidy. Not only is this slowing me down
considerably, but I'm finding my hands are getting tired fairly quickly.

Anyone have any suggestions to make this faster and less painful?

Thanks.

Amber

"Amber" wrote in message ...
I'm working on a christening gown using Coats Opera size 20 cotton on 2 mm
needles.

Though I'm usually a tight knitter, I'm finding I need to give the
working
yarn (thread, really, I guess) a little tug after each stitch to keep my
tension even and stitches tidy. Not only is this slowing me down
considerably, but I'm finding my hands are getting tired fairly quickly.

Anyone have any suggestions to make this faster and less painful?

Thanks.

Amber

My only suggestion would be to wrap it around a/the/finger (or another
finger) one more time to give you more tension on the lead-in. Just off the
top of my head as I haven't worked with thread in knitting yet.

JJMolvik

I had the same problem than came up with this idea , i put my thread
higher than me , took a plastic meshed net with big holes threaded the
cotton through and hung it over my chair ,, somehow coming from above
, No tension ,,,, helped it , you might try if it works for you.
mirjam
On Thu, 29 Jan 2004 18:11:10 -0500, "Lucille"
wrote:

I had the same problem when I worked with very fine cotton thread. I tried
smaller needles but it really didn't help. I'm afraid the only thing you
can do is to give it a tug as you've been doing.

I swore I would never make anything like that again, but it did come out
really beautiful.

Lucille


"Amber" wrote in message ...
I'm working on a christening gown using Coats Opera size 20 cotton on 2 mm
needles.

Though I'm usually a tight knitter, I'm finding I need to give the
working
yarn (thread, really, I guess) a little tug after each stitch to keep my
tension even and stitches tidy. Not only is this slowing me down
considerably, but I'm finding my hands are getting tired fairly quickly.

Anyone have any suggestions to make this faster and less painful?

Thanks.

Amber

Amber wrote:
Though I'm usually a tight knitter, I'm finding I need to give the working
yarn (thread, really, I guess) a little tug after each stitch to keep my
tension even and stitches tidy. Not only is this slowing me down
considerably, but I'm finding my hands are getting tired fairly quickly.

Anyone have any suggestions to make this faster and less painful?


Hi Amber

How is your gauge? I just wondered whether you could try working on either 1
or two smaller needles. Apart from that, are you anchoring the yarn around
your fingers- i anchor around my ring fingers and find it helps considerably.
Good luck.

Regards
Sarah

Hi Mirjam,
What a good idea -- I'm going to experiment with hanging the thread over the
back of the chair and see if it makes a difference. I think it will and
can't wait to try.
Lucille

"Mirjam Bruck-Cohen" wrote in message
...
I had the same problem than came up with this idea , i put my thread
higher than me , took a plastic meshed net with big holes threaded the
cotton through and hung it over my chair ,, somehow coming from above
, No tension ,,,, helped it , you might try if it works for you.
mirjam

Just out of curiosity, what was it that you made?

Amber

"Lucille" wrote in message
...
I had the same problem when I worked with very fine cotton thread. I
tried
smaller needles but it really didn't help. I'm afraid the only thing you
can do is to give it a tug as you've been doing.

I swore I would never make anything like that again, but it did come out
really beautiful.

Lucille


"Amber" wrote in message
...
I'm working on a christening gown using Coats Opera size 20 cotton on 2
mm
needles.

Though I'm usually a tight knitter, I'm finding I need to give the
working
yarn (thread, really, I guess) a little tug after each stitch to keep my
tension even and stitches tidy. Not only is this slowing me down
considerably, but I'm finding my hands are getting tired fairly quickly.

Anyone have any suggestions to make this faster and less painful?

Thanks.

Amber

AHA! This works! This should speed things up considerably -- one less
movement, since I don't have to tug on the working thread. Funny how the
obvious is so often missed by the one having the problem . . . Thanks so
much.

Amber

"JJMolvik" wrote in message
...

My only suggestion would be to wrap it around a/the/finger (or another
finger) one more time to give you more tension on the lead-in. Just off
the
top of my head as I haven't worked with thread in knitting yet.

JJMolvik

Hi Sarah Grace,

The gauge was good, provided that I gave that little tug! I don't have
anything smaller on hand than 2mm (U.S. 0, U.K. 14) -- I think smaller than
that is probably only available from places that deal in lace knitting
supplies, or at least not very widely available.

I was using my normal (wool) knitting technique -- over the middle finger,
over the little finger, under the rest. As you (and JJMolvik) point out, I
have much greater control now, after wrapping the thread around the middle
finger, instead of just over it.

So, this is going much more quickly now -- thanks so much for your help.

Amber


"Sarah Grace" wrote in message
...

How is your gauge? I just wondered whether you could try working on
either 1
or two smaller needles. Apart from that, are you anchoring the yarn
around
your fingers- i anchor around my ring fingers and find it helps
considerably.
Good luck.

Regards
Sarah

A little lace dress for my little girl. It was lovely, with a full skirt
and puffy sleeves and was worn with a taffeta slip underneath. This was
back in the days when little girls wore that kind of frilly dress for a very
special occasion; in that case it was a wedding. Fortunately the dresses at
that time were short enough to have a little girl's panties sticking out and
were worn with socks and patent leather mary jane shoes.
Lucille


"Amber" wrote in message ...
Just out of curiosity, what was it that you made?

Amber

"Lucille" wrote in message
...
I had the same problem when I worked with very fine cotton thread. I
tried
smaller needles but it really didn't help. I'm afraid the only thing
you
can do is to give it a tug as you've been doing.

I swore I would never make anything like that again, but it did come out
really beautiful.

Lucille


"Amber" wrote in message
...
I'm working on a christening gown using Coats Opera size 20 cotton on
2
mm
needles.

Though I'm usually a tight knitter, I'm finding I need to give the
working
yarn (thread, really, I guess) a little tug after each stitch to keep
my
tension even and stitches tidy. Not only is this slowing me down
considerably, but I'm finding my hands are getting tired fairly
quickly.

Anyone have any suggestions to make this faster and less painful?

Thanks.

Amber