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Post by astrid on Nov 19, 2017 1:20:54 GMT
This seems to be a long shot because no one has posted here in quite some time but here goes. I would like to knit my daughter a pair of fingerless mittens/gloves so that she can wear them while playing her violin. They need to be thin so that she can move her hands freely and they need to be made of natural fibre. I would really like to use alpaca but have never used it before. Would this work for what I would like to use it for? Does it need to be blended with something else, like wool?
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Post by mzgarden on Nov 19, 2017 2:44:32 GMT
My thought would be to go with a sock yarn - usually a blend of wool and nylon. The nylon gives flexibility and ensures you have some 'snap back.' The same way you'd want a sock cuff to stretch out and snap back. Lion Brand has one called Sock-Ease but there are others as well.
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Post by Maura on Nov 19, 2017 4:10:25 GMT
I think alpaca would be too warm. Sock yarn is "fingering weight". You can get fingering weight without the nylon and not spun as tight. This is what I would use.
For give, you can use rib, moss st (a seed stitch), or even garter stitch in part of the mitt. This way, it will fit snugly but comfortably. If you are casting on at the wrist, use the Italian tubular cast on. For binding off, I would use the Kitchener bind off, also called the Zimmerman sewn cast off.
And, of course, we are expecting pictures.
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Post by Deleted on Nov 19, 2017 4:20:25 GMT
Does it need to be blended with something else, like wool? Hi Astrid - alpaca would be delightfully soft and light. It's a lovely fibre. For a bit of extra durability, you might like to consider blending it with a very fine merino wool, especially if the alpaca fleece doesn't have a lot of crimp in it.
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Post by Callie on Nov 23, 2017 21:59:11 GMT
This seems to be a long shot because no one has posted here in quite some time but here goes. I would like to knit my daughter a pair of fingerless mittens/gloves so that she can wear them while playing her violin. They need to be thin so that she can move her hands freely and they need to be made of natural fibre. I would really like to use alpaca but have never used it before. Would this work for what I would like to use it for? Does it need to be blended with something else, like wool? Plain alpaca can stretch but not snap back into shape. Not all alpaca since some have more crimp now. If you use alpaca yarn, test it to see if it will go back into shape first. I love my fingerless gloves. Any weight yarn will give you soft and flexible as long as you use the appropriate needle size for it. Small needles will give you a tighter fabric that would wear well, but I still they'd be fine for violin playing - make the part over the fingers longer or shorter. and use a rib stitch so they will stretch as she plays. Nylon in the yarn will give you a longer lasting mitt. Super wash wool will give you washability. l There are also wool x acrylic blends that are quite nice. I love fingerless mitts with color stranding. They are much warmer with the double layer of yarn.
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Post by astrid on Nov 27, 2017 2:16:07 GMT
Thank you for all the information and tips! Now I have some knowledge when I go to the yarn store. And when I get them finished, pictures. 😊
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Post by mzgarden on Nov 27, 2017 11:32:13 GMT
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Post by Use Less on Nov 27, 2017 13:11:12 GMT
A friend bought me some fingerless white gloves years ago made of a very fine mixed-fiber yarn. I taught violin on the unheated stage in a school building. Sometimes it was in the 50's in there during winter I could sort of make my bow hand work with a glove on, but as fine as the glove were, it got in the way of fingering. Wristlets might help.
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