Hooray, my first craft post! I've made lots of armwarmers over the past year but only just got a digital camera. They've Knitty's Voodoo, and I love them, though they're for a friend. Hope the felt holds!

Good morning crafters...

I just got a gift certificate to YarnMarket.com and am deliriously happy...but not sure what to get. See, I want to make the Ribby Cardi, but the pattern (before you buy it), just says Aran-weight yarn. I know I'll do a gauge swatch, but would love some suggestions on what yarn to buy. What did you use for yours?

www.yarnmarket.com

PS - This will be my first sweater. What do you think of the Ribby Cardi as a first sweater?

I'm eager to start Rosebud from Knitty (yay free patterns!) but it calls for 9-11 balls of Rowan Wool Cotton -- about $10 a skein! I might be willing to pay that much when I'm better, but this would be my first sweater and that would be quite a pricey botch if it turned out that way...

Any ideas on subsitutions? I would just go with a worsted weight or any fiber but it looks like the gauge is not quite there...

Hey there! I'd like to start a thread about what yarn people have used to substitute for pricey stuff (Lion Brand instead of Debbie "Whole Paycheck" Bliss, for example)...ideas? Would love to hear what you've done and how it's worked. Lots of stuff on Knitty calls for pricey yarn and I don't know where to start looking for subs...

Thanks for any and all advice.

Hi there,

I love the hat Hermione wears in HP: PoA and want to get one done before the movie opens (in a week! yay!). I have the red Cascade 220, I have the pattern, but the problem is: I can't find circular size 7s anywhere. (Apparently there's a "national needle shortage" says my LYS.)

I have size 8 circs, and have a big (23") head anyway...do you think it would work? I know people will tell me to check my gauge but I don't understand (newbie knitter) how to check gauge in anything with cables, bobbles, etc.

Advice?

Hey there crafties ladies and gents...

I'm going to my LYS tonight to return 2 small skeins of Mission Falls 1824 wool, one in Spruce color and one in Earth...unless I can think of something to do with them. I've thought about hats and armwarmers, maybe, and would definitely want something to make use of the expensive superwash option (i.e. I don't want to make these into cat toys)...

Suggestions, as always, are much appreciated. Happy knitting!

Newbie poster here...thanks for any and all advice

I learned how to knit a few months ago and have done Sophie bags, Marsupial totes, and an Irish Hiking Scarf. At a craft fair, I picked up the most gorgeous blue/purple mohair, about 250yds, but I have NO idea what to do with it. I know it won't go far, and I don't want anything complicated (like lace) b/c mohair is near impossible to frog, or so I've heard...

Suggestions?
Happy knitting