Helpful hints: A swatch in time saves your mind.
Fri 25th Aug 2006
If I use a different yarn to the one the pattern suggests will the final size of the project be different?
When substituting yarn it is always best to stick with a yarn of the same tension or guage (see yarn weight and tension guide). Each pattern contains information about the ‘tension’ or ‘gauge’ of the knitting that is required to achieve the final measurements. This information can also be found on the lable of most yarns. Even when you are using the yarn recommended by the pattern you may find that the end size is different to the one the pattern indicates if you are knitting to a different tension. All patterns will tell you to CHECK YOUR TENSION by knitting a swatch before you begin the main project. This is particularly important if you are using a different yarn. If you find that your tension is too tight or loose (more or less stitches/inch than the tension guide recommends) this is usually easy to fix by simply going up or down a needle size.
If you don’t check your tension and your project ends up the wrong size then the knitting police will be alerted and will ship you off to knitter’s prison. No amnesty.
Helpful hints: Calculating yarn amounts.
Fri 25th Aug 2006
I want to knit with a different yarn to the one the pattern recommends. How do I know how much yarn I will need?
If you are buying a different yarn from the one your pattern uses always compare the yarn length per ball (meters or yards per ball) and not only the yarn weight per ball. Yarns vary extensively in terms of their fibre content, so you will find that there are more metres in a ball of a light-weight fibre yarn, such as mohair, then there are in a ball of a heavy-weight fibre yarn, such as cotton. Remember, if you are buying yarn on holiday or a yarn that you may not be able to find again later it is always best to slightly over estimate the amount that you will need.
Helpful hints: Yarn Weight and Tension Guide
Fri 25th Aug 2006
UK (US) Yarn Weight Equivalents and Tension Guide
(needle size is only a guide, some patterns may call for larger or smaller needles to achieve the desired tension)
1 ply, 2 ply (lace), 8 or more stitches per inch, 2-2.25 mm needles
4 ply/ (fingering), 6-8 st per inch, 2.5-3.25 mm needles
Double Knitting (sport ), 5.25 – 6 st. per inch, 3.5 – 4 mm needles
Aran (worsted ), 4 – 5 st per inch, 4.5-5.5 mm needles
Chunky , 3 – 3.75 st per inch, 6-8 mm needles
Bulky, 1.5- 2.75 st per inch, 9-15 mm needles
Helpful hints: Needle size conversion chart
Fri 25th Aug 2006
Metric (mm) US UK/CANADIAN
2.00 0 14
2.25 1 13
2.75 2 12
3.0 - 11
3.25 3 10
3.50 4 -
3.75 5 9
4.00 6 8
4.50 7 7
5.00 8 6
5.50 9 5
6.00 10 4
6.50 10 1/2 3
7.00 - 2
7.50 - 1
8.00 11 0
9.00 13 00
10.00 15 000
12.00 17 -
16.00 19 -
19.00 35 -
25.00 50 -
Free Shipping for UK customers!
Thu 24th Aug 2006
There are no shipping charges on orders over £60! This offer applys to purchases shipped within the UK only.
Offer applies to purchases totalling £60 or more, not including deductions made by 'knitting point' loyalty vouchers or gift certificates.
August Newsletter
Tue 22nd Aug 2006
Welcome to the grand opening of the k1 Yarns Online Knitting Boutique! Thank you for your patience over the past few weeks while we have been putting the finishing touches on the new shop.
I hope that you will have fun browsing through the new shop! You will now be able to purchase all of the products that we carry in our Glasgow shop online. Furthermore, you will be able to check to see what is new as soon as it is available. Whilst we still hope to see you at our Glasgow shop, we hope that you will now enjoy the flexibility of being able to shop with us any time of the day or night, 365 days a year wherever you may be!
And.. our UK customers can enjoy free shipping on all orders over £60 (see shipping for details!
k1 Yarns Online Knitting Boutique also offers 'Knitting Points'. You will collect Knitting Points every time you shop online and once you have collected 10 points you will recieve a £10 voucher towards your next online purchase (terms and conditions apply).
Before I get on to the new yarns I want to mention a charity event that we are organizing through our local meetup group, Big Knit Out. Members of Big Knit Out will be knitting pairs of highly fashionable fingerless mits to be sold at our favouite West End fashion market, the Miso Funky Market, on Oct. 21. Miso Funky is donating a stall to Big Knit Out and all of the proceeds from the sale will go to NSPCC. Please visit our Big Knit Out page for more information. Even if you can't make it to Big Knit Out we would still be grateful for your help with this special event!
In store this month we have a new range of colours in Jamieson's 'Shetland Heather', a 100% wool Aran weight yarn in beautiful autumn colours. This yarn is perfect for felting projects!
We have also started to recieve new colours for our ever popular Noro Iro and Noro Silk Garden yarns. And, the new autumn colours for Orkney Angora's St. Magnus yarn have already started to fly out of the shop!
Colinette goes from strength to strength this season with 2 new yarns and 3 new books! The already hot selling Parisienne is the finest mohair yarn I've seen (1-ply). It comes in a beautiful range of subtle hand-dyed colours, and as I write this we have almost sold out of our first order, but never fear, more is on the way! Another season favourite is the new Tao, 100% silk 4 ply yarn. It glistens and glows and is perfect for all of your winter accessories!
Anyone who has been into our Glasgow shop will know that I am a BIG fan of knitting magazines. Well, the new season promises a host of goodies in this department as well! Already in store are the new issues of Interweave Knits and Knitscene. Knitscene, a sister publication to Interweave Knits, is only published once a year so this really is a treat. Stay tuned for a steady stream of new magazines on the forefront!
And it's still August! This is only the beginning of what's in store for you in the next few months.
Everything new will be listed here so keep checking back!
Kath
Big Knit Out for Charity
Tue 22nd Aug 2006
National Knitting Week Event!
Members of Big Knit Out, the West End’s regular knitting meetup group are invited to knit a pair of fingerless mittens for charity. The pattern uses any DK weight yarn and it is great for using up left over bits from other projects. All of the mittens will be on sale at the Oct. 21 Miso Funky Market, Hillhead Library, Byres Rd. Glasgow G12. All proceeds of the sale will go to the NSPCC.
Go to our Big Knit Out page for more details...
k1 Yarns Knitting Points
Tue 22nd Aug 2006
Shop at k1 Yarns Online Knitting Boutique and recieve a knitting point for every £10 you spend. Following the completion of your purchase you will recieve an e-mail telling you how many points that you have earned. Once you have earned 10 points you will recieve an e-mail voucher entitling you to £10 off you next purchase! That's it! Easy.
Start collecting your knitting points today!
