Stitchers' Forum
Andrea Thompson
Moderator
Hi,
My friend has got a Golden Hands pattern and is trying to work out how many balls of wool she needs to get. The problem is the pattern says how many balls but not the weight of the balls they were using.
Does anyone know how heavy the golden hands wool was, or is there a standard ball size for wool?
Thanks
Jean Strange
Member
Hi Andrea
I vaguely remember a Golden Hands part works thing. It depends how long ago the pattern was printed. Up to about 1970/80's wool came in ounces. Then in 25g or 50g balls. It will also depend on what type of wool e.g. 4 ply or double knit or what ever. I don't think Golden Hands had a standard wool they used. Any other clues you could give me I might be able to have a bit more of an idea. I used to be considered quite a dab hand at knitting but do not do much now. The size of the needles used would give me an idea of whether it is 4 ply or double knit etc.
Jean
Tinouche24
Member
Have you thought about googling it. Most things can be found on the net with a bit of searching.
Brigitte Gant
Member
I have the whole series of Golden Hands stored in my shed. Whenever I look through them, the fashion cracks me up. Did we really wear stuff like that in the 70th?
Elsa H
Member
I also had the whole series many years ago, and remember writing to them on the very subject of how much wool to buy as the particular pattern only said a certain number of balls, no weight or ply specified. I received a dismissive letter back, totally disregarding the fact that THEY were in the wrong and suggesting that I would simply need to buy more balls if the yarn was only available in smaller quantities. Totally useless! I think I ended up working out the ply from the tension square details, and went to my local yarn shop. They would always take back unused balls of wool, provided they were brought back in good time. I'm talking yonks ago, does such a place still exist? The book collection eventually ended up at Oxfam.
However, to add insult to injury, I bought a shawl pattern from a certain well known auction website, and it turned out to be a photocopy from the collection (this time with appropriate yarn details) - you live and learn. Brigitte, you might be sitting on a goldmine.
Brigitte Gant
Member
If the volumes would raise enough to have the downstairs bathroom done, I would auction the books off tomorrow.
Andrea Thompson
Moderator
My friend said it was a crochet pattern rather than a knitting pattern but the consensus seems to be that golden hands were always vague about the ball sizes.
I just tried to find her email to me now, but I seem to have misplaced it. I'm sure she said something else too... oh well. I'll dig it out again.
Thank you so much for all your help. :-)
Andrea Thompson
Moderator
I knew there was something else, I found her message. The wool was Sirdar Double Knit.
I think that brand is still going now.
Barbara Stone
Member
My patchwork & Quilting teacher told me that her mother bought her every copy of Golden Hands, which she still has, and says she still finds them extremely helpful even today. So even though the fashion might crack you up Brigite, hang on to them if you can and you might find things in them that you find useful. And yes, Sirdar Double knit is still available, (if you've got a wool shop near you).
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