Your Queries

Is there something you want to know about your knitting?

Lynn can’t guarantee that her advice will work as she’s not there to supervise, but the answers have been tried and tested by other knitters.

This email came from California - if you are a producer and would be interested in contacting Annelle, Contact Us and we will forward your details to her.

Hello from California, I have a knit shop in Mendocino, Calif. We are a tourist destination, as well as being a community of great knitters and fiber artists. I am planning to expand the store to include handknitted, or machine knitted traditional Scottish and Irish sweaters, hats, and other accessories. Would your company have any of these items for wholesale buyers, or do you know of any suppliers in your area that I might contact. I love Scotland and Ireland and would love to have an excuse to return on business to see your island. Thanks for your attention. Annelle, Mendocino Yarn Shop

Lynn says

Hi Annelle - it was a pleasure to hear from you as I have fond connections to Mendocino. I spent part of my honeymoon there in 1965 and have twice taught at the art centre in the textile programme, last time as Artist-in-Residence in 1990. I’ve also had a group visit me here which Lolli Jacobsen organised and I’m in touch with Vicki Fraser too.

I put you on my mailing list originally at the suggestion of my good friend Kathleen Cameron, so it’s a small world!!

As far as knitwear goes I have two contacts for you. I don’t do any production any more, only the website patterns, but for information about knitters in Scotland you can write to

Pamela Conacher, Hi-Arts Crafts Co-ordinator in Inverness

email address pamela@hi-arts.co.uk

and in Ireland there is a knitwear factory on Inis Maan in the Aran Islands. The contact there is Ruairi Blacan and his email is inis@inishmeain.com

So good luck with those.

Meanwhile I hope you will pass on our subscription information for the Arran Knitting Company Website to your customers to keep up the connections.

It would be lovely to meet you here or there sometime soon. There’s a part of me that will always be a “California” girl.

I am looking for someone to knit five cushion covers in a simple cable knit design. Is this something that you would be interested in? JF

Lynn says

If this is something you would be interested in, send us an email via Contact Us and we’ll pass your details along… .

If I knit with Aran wool but want to use a chunky wool pattern do I knit a bigger size then so it comes up smaller? JP

Lynn says

You will definitely have to add stitches to your pattern if your use Aran wool instead of chunky.

If you click here to The Arran Measurement System this should help you calculate the number of stitches you need to use your chunky pattern.

If you need any further help, please do not hesitate to get in touch.

I am trying to teach my neighbour how to knit - she is quite elderly. EM

Lynn Says

The best thing to do is to start with a scarf or something very simple that grows quickly. That way you can avoid frustration!

You will find some simple scarves on our FREE PATTERNS page and some additional tips on

LEARNING TO KNIT
and
FEATURED STITCHES AND TECHNIQUES

Hope this helps, but do get in touch if I can be of any further assistance.

I knitted a sweater for my daughter-in-law a few months ago in stocking stitch with a K1, P1 rib at the bottom in Aran weight wool.

The sweater has gone baggy because the rib has stretched too much. Is there anything I can do to fix it? Anne R

Lynn Says

You have to be brave and patient, but this works (you’ll need enough matching wool to knit a new rib.

Don’t be tempted to try and shrink the sweater. That will have disastrous consequences - ie, it will ruin the whole garment. I know this from early personal experience (sigh)..

1) Rip out the seam that holds the front & back rib together.

2) Cut the rib off back & front, 3 rows below the stocking stitch.

3) CAREFULLY unravel the rib back to the bottom of the stocking stitch - a messy but rewarding task!

4) Pick up the stitches at the bottom of the sweater. For Aran weight wool, knit 2 stitches together every 8 stitches evenly across the row. This will help to reshape the sweater.

I have knitted an arran coat for my friend and it is finished but when she put it on the sleeves are about 3 inches too long it is a lot of work to unpick it as i would have to unravel the collar to get to the sleeves- is there any other way to do it instead of undoing the whole lot of knitting? EB

Lynn Says

1) Make sure you have enough yarn to reknit a new rib for each sleeve….

2) CAREFULLY measure and mark with contrasting yarn where you want the sleeve pattern to end and the new rib to begin.

3) Unpick the sleeve seam to just above the thread marker. You can sew that up again later.

4) Take a deep breath and cut across the sleeve, 6 or 7 rows down from the marker (BETWEEN the marker and the rib).

5) CAREFULLY unpick from the cut edge to the point on the sleeve where you want the new rib to begin. (This will be tricky and require patience, but will save you having to rip out the entire collar).

6) Pick up all the pattern stitches across the row.

Use a smaller size needle than you used to knit the sleeve to make it easier. Transfer them on to the right size needle to reknit the rib.

You may want to knit a pattern row to make sure the stitches aren’t twisted and to make a smooth transition between old and new.

7) If you increased from the number of rib stitches to the pattern on the original sleeve, then decrease evenly across the next row to shape the bottom of the sleeve.

8) Reknit the rib to the desired length and cast off.

9) Stitch the sleeve seam together again as previously.

10) RELAX and then tackle the other sleeve the same way.

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Do the cables and patterns mean anything when put together on sweaters? GC

Lynn Says

Traditionally the cables and patterns had a meaning, often with individual interpretation. It is said that certain combinations were used by families to be able to recognise their loved ones in case of disaster at sea.

When I designed the Arran Sweater, I chose patterns which represented our island - the cables for the sea, the V shapes for the mountains and the other cables for the stag horns which are plentiful in the mountains.

The Arran Sweater pattern is available on our Knitting Patterns page.

Can you tell me if Baby Alpaca means the same as Baby Wool?

Is it Alpaca which is suitable for knitting for babies? TA

Lynn Says

Baby Alpaca means that it comes from a young alpaca. It is actually suitable for knitting for babies because it is so soft.
You could use it for example to knit the Baby Blanket on our Free Knitting Patterns page

I knitted an Arran sweater for my husband about 25 years ago, my granddaughter now wants one.

The new patterns are just too complicated for me now (Denim Sport Aran). Do you know where I can get an old copy? MJY

Lynn Says

Denim Sport Aran is produced by Sirdar. If you email enquiries@sirdar.co.uk they have an archive of old patterns and may have the one you’re looking for.

Our Arran Pattern The Arran Sweater is suitable for Sirdar Denim Sport Aran - our pattern is simple compared to other Arans. We’ll be happy to advise you on adapting it for your granddaughter’s size.

Where can I find a pattern for Bramble Stitch?

Lynn Says

If you look on our page Featured Stitches and Techniques there are illustrated instructions for Bramble Stitch and instructions for other basic stitches.

Do you have a pattern for gloves with an Arran Cable?

Lynn Says

Not yet, but we’re working on producing one soon. We’ll be in touch when it’s finished.

I am having difficulty finding an authentic-type yarn for an aran sweater here in the US. Can you recommend a particular yarn? - Laura S.

Lynn Says
Hi Laura - sorry it took so long to get back to you. I’ve been off island at a family wedding - slowly recovering!!

One Planet Yarn and Fiber &
Fleece Artist
both have Aran weight wool & wool/mixtures which match our gauge of 4 sts per inch on 5 mm needles.

“I would like a free pattern to help me create my own designs… “ F. (Germany)

Lynn Says

Try using the instructions that come with our Arran Measurement System

The easiest design to start with is four rectangles, Back, Front and 2 Sleeves. As you gain experience you can experiment with other possibilities.

“Do you know where I can find instructions for knitting seams together?”

Lynn Says

If you look here under
Featured Stitches and Techniques there are illustrated instructions for knitting seams together.