Archive of Thread: Deciding on pattern and tension for my hat knit along Back

2 years ago
So, I played with my tension and garter bar today. 

I think using the garter bar and flipping the fabric from purl facing me to knitting periodically will make a nice hat. I like this. The photos below are not like what I will be doing, I only used 40 stitches here and was just playing with my garter bar, then I decides to check it out and see if I want that for my hat, I do. So, I did the decreases at the top to see how that would look with the garter bar flip. I think I will call it a Garter Bar Flip Hat!




I took the above photo with a little curve as would be in a head to see what the garter changes would look like, curved. That above photo with the slight curve states, in white that the CT and MT are 5. It should be the CT is 3 and the MT is 5.

The top on the real hat will not be as airy, there were not many stitches up there because I started with 40 stitches and did the decrease rows as many times as I would in my real hat, which would have started with more stitches. There would be more stitches gathered in the real hat.

At the hem, I like the 2 narrow sections, well 3 narrow section, purl facing, knit facing and then flipped back to purl facing. That is what I will do for the "hem", more like just a bottom, will not be sewn like a hem. I might add another flip for 3 rows, and then flip back and start the carriage and mast tension at 5.

I will not have a long a section before flipping as you see in this test run. It is springy, kind of neat. I think my granddaughters will like this, and I will make one for myself. Maybe I will change colors with each flip. 

Anyway, this will be my hat pattern.

Also, in a post elsewhere, I mentioned I had issues with the garter bar at tension 3. I was just doing one little thing wrong, but I have it figured out now and the tension 3 works with my garter bar.

2 years ago
Yea! Kudos!

I'm so happy to see the progress you are making!

Thanks for sharing your journey!

Sue

2 years ago
Great idea Cynthia!  Lots of different options come to mind-- different colored strips and different row counts before turning.  Thanks for sharing.

2 years ago
Thanks Sue and Cheri. I am considering changing colors the row before and after flipping. I am also varying the flip length. I am thinking, though, not more than 3 or 4 rows per flip to eliminate the long stretches of non-flip. The hats are not very long, and I want at least. 3-4 flips for the tighter tension for the hem area, and no more than 4-5 rows per flip for the hat body, because of that, I will need more planning than I had thought, which will be better for learning. The girls' hats will definitely not have more than 5 rows.

Here is my planning thinking, hopefully this will help others plan a hat they are not actually following a set of instructions for the patterning with.

1. Make my gauge. Since I know I do not want more than 3-5 rows for the knit facing sections, I need to swatch and see. I think that I want wider "mountains" than "valleys" because they will curl from bottom, out around and then back to the hat body (the best I could describe it - see photos in first post), then the valley starts. A consideration I have to examine. Therefore, I need to make samples with different rows and use the garter bar flip configurations. Planning ✔�.

2. Do I want dark yarn valleys or mountains? I visualize both ways. The samples will let me know. I can do each sample with row counts for flipping both ways as far as color changes goes to make sure. For the girls, since I am making 2, I can do it both ways. I can decide on mine after I see the girls' hats, possibly. This planning is more for visual than stitch count, etc. Planning, but maybe not so much because I will be making it both ways, but I want to use planning for this part to practice examining and deciding.

3. The decreases at the top will be EON, but, do I want to fill the empty needles by moving stitches to those newly created empty needles, or just knit across with, sort of, mock rib hem by leaving the EON decreased needles out of work? Right now, because of the little hat pictured above, I think I will take the time to move the needles over to fill the empty needles created by doing the EON decreases. Why? it was hard to stitch the seam with the mock rib form of EON decrease. I did leave 2 end to stitches alone at both ends when doing the EON decrease to give myself the two stitches at each end for seaming, but I still did not like it, so the test above tells me to take the time to move stitches to fill the empty needles. For my other hats, it was fine. I think the mountains and valleys made a difference for me because I already had the mountains and valleys to deal with when stitching. Baby steps in advancing techniques, but I might try it in a sample that is wider than the 40 stitches and give it another shot. It is quicker to just leave those needles empty and out of work than to move the stitches over to fill the empty needles. Thought process that needs to be determined before the end of the hat. 

4. There was one other thing I needed to put here, for my benefit and maybe others, but I can't remember. 

5. I will make matching scarves. The edges shouldn't curl because of the flipping. Therefore, I will not have to make a double width and sew the long side seam.

I am going to try to make good notes, keep the samples with the notes, and if I have enough yarn, make a sample to keep with the notes, and a printed copy of the instructions. I think this will be useful in the furture, could be useful for a sweater, also.  

So, I was originally thinking a freeform hat pattern, but this hat will allow me to do extensive planning, and give me a workout with my garter bars and the needle cover set that came with the set.

I hope this helps others think about their planning. It may be a hat, no armholes, no necklines, etc, but planning is needed, and a good way to learn and practice planning.

2 years ago
Amen, Cynthia!

I'm so happy  that you are discovering this and ensuring your future successes!

Sue

2 years ago
Holy Cow, I think Cynthia is the poster girl for KIN !!!!
Susan

2 years ago
Cynthia,  i love your creativity.  Wish you much fun and beautiful hats😊

2 years ago
Cynthia you put me to shame.  I have never got to grips with a garter bar.  I had one when I was knitting about 40 years ago and never got the hang of it then.  Some years after I took up machine knitting again I decided I really should learn to use one and I bought one.  It's probably only been out of its box 2 or 3 times.  I am currently knitting a Lucky Cloche with my garter carriage to make handling the garter stitch and reverse stockinet easier.

What I really need to do is to make myself sit down and practice, practice, practice with the garter bar.  You have set me such a good example and I will endeavour to follow in your footsteps.

Jenny

2 years ago
@Jenny M Benson 
One suggestion.  Use the smallest segment of the garter bar set first. 

Although it's possible, turning 200 stitches in one go is a real challenge!😄  

But practice does help .. you can do it!

2 years ago

Yep, I had problems with the extension. I am right handed and had conteol of that end. The other end was always off, even though I could have sworn I had it straight , 

Sue, is it possible to do a garter bar sew along?

2 years ago
What would you like to see?  I'm afraid this is just a matter of "just do it" and practice.  

Would you like suggestions of ways to use a g-bar?

Are you using the original style of garter bars or the Kris Krafter style?

2 years ago

I was thinking ways to use it, and suggestions on how to attach the long one so it catches all the needles. I also have issues with split stitches and have to go down the needle bed fixing them. 

I am using the original with hills and valleys to snatch up the stitches with the needle hooks. 

I think more people would be encouraged to use theres if there was some kind of knit along? I thinks someone mentioned this a while ago, also.

Just a thought. I have watched the videos. �

2 years ago
Practice is what you need. Try small pieces (sockcuffs,  a hat,  etc, )  then go bigger when you manage it. Be careful when going big. 200 nedles are always a challenge.
Good luck