Cathy's notes and suggestions for making Knitted Knockers ---------------------------------------------------------- * Size C (max st/ndl: 34) in KnitPicks Shine Sport weighed 29g, which is more than half of the skein; barely got an A (max: 28) from the rest. * Actually I find that once stuffed, the stitch counts given in the pattern run quite large, so I now subtract 2 from all of the sizes to compensate. And I *can* get two 32-st C's from one skein. * For magic loop, use 3 sections (w/ extra loop) instead of bunching 2/3 of sts onto one side. A 40" circ works for this but 47" is more comfortable. * Use short wooden dpns for CO, then switch after a few rounds if desired. With practice it's also possible to CO directly with the circ. * Longtail CO works fine; I start with a plain, untwisted loop instead of a slipknot as the first CO st. * If not making i-cord, pretend you did (i.e. don't turn work after CO). * Do the initial kfb from each of the 3 st onto a separate dpn (=> 2 st/ndl), keeping work flat on lap or table to avoid twisting. * If "m1" is awkward, replace with "yo", then on next round 9-twist it before knitting (sl kwise, ret to left ndl, k through front leg). Then yo for this round's increase. (Note that this might make the knocker slightly larger, and may be why I need to reduce the number of sts/rnds.) * I also replace rnd 1 with (k1, yo, k1) for consistency with later rnds. * Beware of splitting sts after slipping knitwise (also in ssk), due to loosened yarn twist. * After a round or two, place a marker to remember which is the first section. * Check st counts often, as it's very easy to miss an inc or dec. Adding st markers helps avoid re-counting the same sts repeatedly. * On the first purl round, continue to 9-twist the previous yos. * Combined knitting (mirror-picking purls) works fine here, if you prefer that. * If k2togs are too tight, you can substitute (k1, ret, pnso, ret), but this tends to turn out slightly less tidy. * Also hold next ndl close to avoid pulling on end sts during inc or dec. * A toggle marker (two different, interlocked stitch markers) is handy for tracking single-dec vs. double-dec rounds; place it about 1/3 of the way into the last section to avoid later decreases. * Cut ending tail at about 10" for drawstring. * Tie little loops of contrasting yarn or crochet cotton around the drawstring where it goes around the 3 corners, for use as "handles" when opening it. * No need to weave in starting tail.