Advice on sewing and knitting

[Mathmo]

(Wasn't sure whether to post this in Creativity or Advice, but decided on Creativity in the end)
I've been thinking - partly inspired by looking at lilly's blog, DWH's costumes and watching sewing tutorials on youtube! - about trying to do more knitting and sewing after we move. I'm not sure if I should focus on one or the other to start off with, or go for both ... wondering if anyone has any opinions/suggestions.

I would class myself as an advanced beginner. E.g. I would be able to knit most things by following a chart/pattern, but still need to look lots of stuff up. And similarly for sewing, I did it for about 2 1/2 years in school, can follow a pattern, am happy using a sewing machine, have made a few garments, but still need to look lots of things up.

Thoughts about knitting:
- I have lots of knitting needles - straight/circular/dpns - from MrM's Mum's old collection and charity shops plus some I've bought for various projects
- I don't have much in the way of yarn so that would be an expense; the odd bits I do have are all different weights. Maybe in future I should only use DK or only use aran or something so that the leftovers would be more useful!
- things can take ages to make (though I suppose that makes it less expensive per hour of hobby) - I don't much like the super-fast super-chunky projects
- I'm worried about knitting garments for fear they won't fit properly (I have knitted a jumper that fits me OK, but before that there were a couple of attempts at other projects that ended up being way too big despite every effort to get it right)
- ... but I would really, really love to one day knit myself cardigans/jumpers.
- it's portable, which is useful
- I'd quite like to knit some socks, which I've never done - I guess that could be a fairly easy/not too expensive one-off project?
- there is a wool shop in the town we're moving to (so within walking distance)

Thoughts about sewing:
- I'm tempted to get a basic/mini sewing machine (like this one, which is £49 http://www.johnlewis.com/302379/Product.aspx). At the moment I've done the odd bit of sewing borrowing either my Mum's sewing machine or MrM's Mum's, but as we'll be moving I won't have regular access to either of those. Also I think a small machine might be more likely to get used as it'll be easier to store / move around.
- I've got a fair bit of cotton that could be used for quilting - some bits of fabric I bought because I really liked them, some bits left over from other projects, and a couple of skirts that I don't quite like and I might either turn into something else or alter so they're better skirts. I'd need to buy lots of thread.
- I've got some other bits like dressmaking scissors/pinking shears, rotary cutter/mat/ruler, pins, etc. (I've been thinking for a few years that I'd like to get into quilting at some point, so I've got a few of these as Christmas gifts etc, as well as having pins and things for making small repairs to clothes by hand).
- a small machine would be useful for altering clothing, which would come in handy as I have a skirt that needs re-lining that I've not done anything about and in future I'm looking to buy more clothing second-hand, so the ability to alter things would be really useful (I know I can do things by hand but I tend to not get round to it)
- projects can be completed much more quickly
- sewing probably has more likelihood of being useful for making inexpensive-to-me presents in future (like the zippered pouches Spacefem makes!) which will be useful as our budget will be rather tight
- there are at least 2 fabric shops within 15 mins drive of where we'll be living, though none within walking distance so far as I can make out.

Any thoughts, either short term or long term?

(Edited to fix a sentence I left unfinished by mistake)

[lillerina]

Thoughts on knitting - yes, everything takes ages. Depending on what kind of yarn is used, what kind of pattern etc, you can spend hundreds of hours on a knitting project easily (this is particularly true if you get obsessed with putting beads on all your lace and cable knitting or if you like using finer yarns).

Socks are great with being so portable - expect to pay somewhere between 5 and 10 pounds for sock yarn for a pair of ladies socks. I recommend looking for something with roughly 75% wool and 25% nylon for the best strength to stretch ratio, something like the Regia 4-fadig, or Wendy Roam. There are heaps of sock patterns online, but I'd really recommend getting hold of Knitting Rules by the Yarn Harlot (Stephanie Pearl-McPhee) and reading that, using her good basic sock pattern. She goes into why everything is structured how it is as well as telling you what to do.

In the UK, DK weight is pretty much standard weight yarn. You can get everything from cobweb weight up to super bulky, but I'd say DK weight is the most ubiquitous.

The secret to knitting garments that fit? You might not like this, but it's knitting a big gauge swatch and washing and drying it in the same way that you'll wash and dry the finished garment. This usually means hanging it to dry, as well, because the weight of the garment once finished will affect the row gauge which will then affect the stitch gauge. Make your gauge swatch at least 6 inches by 6 inches. Ideally, do a gauge swatch in the middle of another knitting session so that you're knitting as normally as possible. Accept that gauge swatches lie, but they're still the most useful tool in creating garments which fit. Another tool is to do top-down seamless pullovers and cardigans, which you can try on as you go. Really, though, knit a swatch. Invest the time to begin with and get a better result.

Also, join ravelry and make use of the people there as resources. Seeing other people's interpretations of a pattern can often help as a jumping off point for your own, and frequently people have helpful notes on their project pages. See if your soon-to-be-local yarn shop has a ravelry group - they may also have a regular knit night where you can get feedback from people who will tell you if you're twisting your stitches or hold your hand while you cut a steek.

I love both sewing and knitting. I make my own skirts, cardigans, project bags, etc. Sewing is a lot quicker than knitting generally, but they produce such different results that I don't really compare them.

My top knitting resource recommendations would be Knitting Rules by Stephanie Pearl-McPhee for accessories and Little Red in the City by Ysolda Teague for sweaters and lots of helpful notes on swatching and sweater fit. As a bonus, all the knitting patterns in Little Red are photographed on thin and fat models, so you can see how they've been modified to flatter different body shapes.

[Mathmo]

Thanks for such a comprehensive reply! That's super-helpful.

I will definitely go for that book when I decide to start knitting socks .

The secret to knitting garments that fit? You might not like this, but it's knitting a big gauge swatch and washing and drying it in the same way that you'll wash and dry the finished garment. This usually means hanging it to dry, as well, because the weight of the garment once finished will affect the row gauge which will then affect the stitch gauge. Make your gauge swatch at least 6 inches by 6 inches. Ideally, do a gauge swatch in the middle of another knitting session so that you're knitting as normally as possible. Accept that gauge swatches lie, but they're still the most useful tool in creating garments which fit. Another tool is to do top-down seamless pullovers and cardigans, which you can try on as you go. Really, though, knit a swatch. Invest the time to begin with and get a better result.

Indeed ... at the point where I pluck up enough courage to attempt a garment again, I will definitely, definitely swatch. I think my main problems with the 2 attempts I had that didn't work were really to do with using artificial/novelty yarns (I think I decided to use them because the yarns were gifts) - I'm pretty sure I swatched for those as well but I think the swatches lied. The jumper I've made that's turned out okay is 100% wool, and one that I was able to try on when it was in progress as well as swatching, both of which helped an awful lot (I found a jumper at a charity shop that could be unravelled, so only paid about £3 for the wool, as I didn't want to risk lots of money!).

Good point about meetings at the yarn shop - I've checked their website and they have a sort of drop in and chat every second Sunday afternoon. That could be a good way to meet people. I'm kind of looking forward to having a local yarn shop, but also kind of intimidated. There used to be a shop near where I live now that sold lots of wool but it seemed to be nearly all acrylic, which was a bit off-putting. What kind of fibre content do you look for in (not-intended-for-socks) yarn?

As a bonus, all the knitting patterns in Little Red are photographed on thin and fat models, so you can see how they've been modified to flatter different body shapes.

Genius! That sounds really, really helpful.

[DWH]

My thoughts on sewing:

1. The sewing machine you choose is super important. If you get a bad machine that is frustrating to use, you'll probably end up using it less. This doesn't mean buying an expensive or complicated machine, mind. My sewing machine is actually really great for most things- it's a 1976 Sears Kenmore sewing machine, it's made of all metal parts, it only does four stitches but it can stitch through gorram anything, and it will probably survive the apocalypse. It was my mom's sewing machine when she was in college, and when I started making costumes in college she passed it on to me.

The problem, really, with smaller machines is that they will break more easily. I don't know how the quality is on the John Lewis machine you linked- reviewers seem pretty pleased, but I'll say it's a starter machine at best. Long term, it's better to invest in a vintage sewing machine. They're tanks, but they will last for the rest of your life if you maintain it properly. You can cruise eBay for vintage sewing machines that cost about the same as the machine you linked. I'd say something from the 70's is your best bet, since that's from the era before sewing machines started being manufactured in plastic.

Of course, if you just want something small, then by all means start with the plastic machine, but in my humble opinion it's worth the tank-like nature of the older sewing machines for the sheer awesome they bring. I lugged that thing to college and back, and across the country when I moved, so I feel your pain.

2. As for the kinds of projects to tackle, that's really up to you. I know the most about garment construction, so that's where most of my advice and resources lie. If you want a great beginner's sewing book for making really cute dresses, I recommend the Colette Sewing Handbook. I adore Colette in general- they have a great blog, community forums full of nice people, and make adorable vintage-inspired patterns. Another site I enjoy, and has some great beginners' tips, and is much more local to you, is Tilly and the Buttons. Tilly's site is great, and she has a lot of UK-based resources. The online sewing community is actually huge, and I know a bunch of people are more quilt and craft oriented than garment oriented, but making your own clothing is actually tremendously satisfying.

I've also found that garment sewing has helped my own budget- I find myself now asking "Could I make that myself?" If the answer is yes, oftentimes I'll leave a garment on the shelf. I also now know what constitutes good construction, so when I see something with shoddy construction in a store, I leave it be, even if it looks cute on the outside. I've personally made a commitment to make more of my own clothes, which hasn't resulted in an overflow of wearable garments (I make a lot of costumes, what can I say?), but it has reduced my shopping volume. Which is nice. I still have a closet full of clothes, but they're clothes I like, and increasingly of clothes I made myself.

So, those are my thoughts. I hope that's coherent and helpful!

[spacefem]

I have no opinion on the sewing machine, mine is a kenmore that I got as a graduation gift after college and it was maybe $150? definitely not top-of-the-line, but it's gotten me this far.

the problem with sewing is the SPACE. I mean, you get out the machine, it's a "get out the machine" weekend... unless you have a space you can just leave your stuff spread out everywhere, and then you're in heaven. that's when I started on etsy and everything, was when I got my sewing room, I could just leave things out and if I had 10 minutes to sew, I'd sew. Before that it was like "Well I've got ten minutes of free time but half of that would be over by the time I drag out the machine..."

anyway. I like it because it's a hobby that can be done cheaply, you can even reclaim materials, and you don't need that much thread... black, white, a few in betweens. half the time nobody will see your thread anyway. and I love little projects... pouches, bags, coasters, pillow covers, pajama pants (take my advice, if you want to make some clothes only get the "easy to sew" patterns, everything else is a lot more work for not-a-lot more style).

[DWH]

True story on the space. I've been sewing a lot more since I set up a sewing table in my living room. It helps that my roommate sews, too, so it's a shared space. My fabric stash has also been growing, so it's a challenge to keep it all organized.

I would sort of disagree on only choosing easy-to-sew patterns (at least in the long term- they're great starter projects), but I'm unreliable because one of my earliest sewing projects was hand-stitching a Padme costume when I was in college. For my part, I find that the details are what really make a piece, and of course they're also what take the time. I just find satisfaction in executing complexity successfully. Also, most of it's easier than the Velvet Beast, so there's that, too.

[lillerina]

I make up most of my own sewn garment patterns. I picked up the basics of sewing from my Mum, but I do stuff like taking a pattern off of a skirt or pair of pyjama trousers that I already own and using that. For tops or trousers that aren't pyjamas I'd probably get a pattern, but for skirts and pjams I just do it.

Fibre content for knitting really depends on the purpose of the garment. I'm a snob who prefers natural fibres, and I don't like fluffy or textured yarns that much, and I really like handpainted fibre, so filter what I say through the snob lens. It's helpful to know the properties of fibres - cotton is cool and doesn't stretch very much, bamboo/viscose is similar to cotton but with a much silkier hand, wool is warm but make sure to find out if it's superwash or not, linen is stronger when wet than when dry, but this isn't the case for most other fibres. Superwash wool can be prone to growing when wet, and non-superwash will felt if it's handled wrong when wet. Wool also has the property that it warms even as it's drying off, so it's excellent for wet weather. You can put lanolin on wool garments to make them waterproof, too. Silk is around four times warmer than wool, and alpaca is warmer than silk. If you're moving somewhere very cold, silk and alpaca are pretty good bets, though wool will be good too. Acrylic won't give you much stretch or warmth. Bamboo is hyperallergenic which makes it good for babies where skin allergies may run in the family. It's frequently blended with a little wool or cotton but it is possible to get pure bamboo yarn.

So, that aside, what do I look for in fibre content while knitting? First I almost always look for a smooth plied yarn, because singles yarn (where the yarn is just one twisted rope of fibre rather than several twisted back together, think of Sirdar's Big Softee or Rowan's Cocoon) pills more easily than plied yarn and I want my garments to last. Then I look at what kind of garment I'm making and if I have a pattern in mind already I look at the weight of yarn. Current or recent projects include a hat for Meppi in Artesano Aran, an alpaca/wool blend which I chose for the warmth and softness, chose the yarn to match the pattern; a pair of gloves for me in Old Maiden Aunt merino/silk 4 ply which I chose for the warmth of the silk and the delicious colour, chose the pattern to match the yarn; a pair of baby bootees in the shape of duck feet knitted in Patons Fairytale Dreamtime 4 ply (pure wool) which I chose because it was in my stash and the right colour and weight and a friend needed a baby gift, chose the yarn to match the pattern. I don't like to use hairy, boucle or particularly fluffy yarns and I almost never use anything heavier than an aran. My normal knitting is sock weight yarn, usually either socks or shawls or some other accessory which will take 100g of sock yarn to finish. If you have a pattern in mind, you can go into your local yarn shop and say "I'm looking for some DK weight for a baby cardigan" or "I'm looking for some chunky for a hat" and an assistant should be able to help you out. Make sure you look at the yardage and not just how many balls of yarn something takes, if you're substituting yarn, and match the gauge given on the ballband as closely as you can. Some yarn shops divide their yarns into summer and winter yarns - summer yarns are cotton, linen, bamboo, most acrylics; winter yarns are wool, silk, alpaca, qiviut, cashmere and most animal fibres. There are many yarns which will combine these - wool/cotton blends, for example, or silk/bamboo blends. These make great transitional garments or winter garments for those in milder climes than coastal Scotland.

Sorry for all the rambling. I hope this is helpful.

ETA: Also, when choosing yarn, having chosen the weight and knowing the purpose of the finished garment, I touch it a lot, running it between my fingers and smooshing and feeling it. I must look odd in the shop, but it's important to have yarn that you like working with physically. I find acrylic quite squeaky and I tend to stick to yarn which is at least 70% natural fibres to offset this. Acrylic is cheaper, but the finished result is more to my taste with natural fibres, and since I don't really spend in many other areas this is expense which I justify to myself.

[Mathmo]

Thanks all. I knew this was the right place to ask

DWH - I can definitely see your point about the machine, but I think that at this stage something starter-y that I will actually use and can easily store will be useful (potentially planning to get something bigger and sturdier in a year or two). What appeals to me about the John Lewis machine is that it's small, but looks to be significantly more sturdy than other cheap machines (e.g. http://direct.hobbycraft.co.uk/products ... 341706.htm).

Part of the reason I don't sew at the moment is that MrM's Mum's machine is big and heavy and the whole effort of getting it out makes the idea even more daunting (and even more like "right! Now it's out I must do LOTS of things ALL AT ONCE even though I don't want to because who knows when I'll make it this far again!"). Also, after a few months of training at work, I might be in a situation where I'm sent to a client site somewhere in the UK Mon-Fri for work, and I think a small machine wouldn't be too much hassle to bring with me so I could sew on weekday evenings when away from home (I'd be staying in a flat arranged by the company). I'm thinking maybe I could make a quilt top, and then when it comes to time for actually quilting and sewing everything together I could go and visit my parents for the weekend to use their sewing machine.

On the space issue, I think I need to think small! Which is another reason why quilting appeals - a quilt is big, but can be mostly worked on one square at a time. And socks would be really good too.

Okay. I think I have a plan of action: push thoughts about sewing to the back of my mind for a few weeks (because by then I'll work out whether I actually want to buy a sewing machine or whether it's one of those ideas that seem neat for a few days and then fade away). Ask for Knitting Rules (and possibly the Colette Sewing book) for my birthday next month, since I'm sure I'll enjoy reading them and have been asked what I want for my birthday but have few ideas so far ... plan to go in to the knitting shop after we've moved and say "I want to knit some socks, what do you have?". That will get me talking to the shop assistants which will be useful and could spark an invitation to their Sunday afternoon things (I'm sure one can just show up, but meeting new people in a new place is intimidating, so an invite would be nice!).

Thanks again everybody I will have to come back and post after I've actually made something.