# OT - good knitting forum for beginner?



## dixiedragon (Dec 5, 2016)

Took a knitting class this weekend at the John Campbell Folk School in NC - HIGHLY recommend this place for crafty folks! I get so much out of SMF that I want to joining a knitting forum. Any suggestions?


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## BattleGnome (Dec 5, 2016)

Ravelry.com

Nearly 5 million members can't be wrong 

The forums, pattern database, yarn database, and other randomness is expansive. The devoted programmer often responds to threads if there are issues and there's a master list of features for people to vote on for the next upgrades. That's not counting the zillion and one features to track your own projects. 

(Can you tell it's one of my favorite sites)


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## cmzaha (Dec 5, 2016)

I crochet but I love Ravelry


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## dixiedragon (Dec 5, 2016)

signed up! It is a big place!

Can you recommend a very basic pattern for a soap bag? I just learned cast on, knit, purl, cast off. And how to fix a dropped stitch.


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## amd (Dec 5, 2016)

My sister crocheted a soap bag for me at Thanksgiving. I love it for soap scraps, but I wouldn't recommend it for a full bar. Mine doesn't dry out completely in-between showers (most days I am the only person who showers in the downstairs bathroom) - I've tried hanging it and placing it on a wire rack for draining, but still wet and the soap is mushy. If I ever get finished with my soap scraps I'll be conducting more experimenting with getting the bag dry - including having my sister try different yarns. Although being a non-yarn educated person, I wouldn't even know where to start with that endeavor.

[side note: am I the only person who has five years worth of soap scraps saved in muslin bags??]


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## mrsserena (Dec 5, 2016)

http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/soap-sock

You'll need a set of size 6 double pointed needles.   I use Lily Sugar 'n Cream yarn for these.

ETA: if you want one that dries out, I like Red Heart scrubby yarn.   But I don't think I could knit with it, I crochet those.


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## dixiedragon (Dec 5, 2016)

From here and from some Googling, I think soap bags are supposed to be 100% cotton. I am thinking that a loose weave, plus some form of tassel to wick off moisture, might help?


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## earlene (Dec 5, 2016)

I had some very fine mesh soap bags I bought on Amazon once, that I think actually dry out between uses. They're small and don't hold much, plus the netting-type mesh is very thin.  I've given most of them away (new) with soap as gifts.  But anything thicker than that always stays too wet for my taste.  I had a soap bag made of hemp fabric, but the stitching was such poor quality, it came apart after a couple of uses.  I didn't bother to fix it.  I have not tried any hand knitted or crocheted soap bags, so cannot attest to their drying out ability.  

I do use wool-felted soap, and the wool dries out between uses far better than the very-thick-double-or-triple-layer mesh soap bags I bought at WalMart.  I thought that was quite interesting.  So I believe fine wool (like for socks) would be perfect for knitted or crocheted soap bags.  Of course some people are allergic to wool.


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## dixiedragon (Dec 5, 2016)

mrsserena said:


> http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/soap-sock
> 
> You'll need a set of size 6 double pointed needles. I use Lily Sugar 'n Cream yarn for these.
> 
> ETA: if you want one that dries out, I like Red Heart scrubby yarn. But I don't think I could knit with it, I crochet those.


 
That looks really good!


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## BattleGnome (Dec 5, 2016)

dixiedragon said:


> From here and from some Googling, I think soap bags are supposed to be 100% cotton. I am thinking that a loose weave, plus some form of tassel to wick off moisture, might help?



I've never really gotten cotton washcloths to dry between uses no matter the environment I've used them in. Cotton just absorbs too much in my opinion but it might also have a bit to do with gauge. I hate working with cotton so I keep putting off the testing I was planning with different percentages of cotton yarn.


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## Misschief (Dec 5, 2016)

dixiedragon said:


> signed up! It is a big place!
> 
> Can you recommend a very basic pattern for a soap bag? I just learned cast on, knit, purl, cast off. And how to fix a dropped stitch.



We even have a soap forum on Ravelry... why not join us?

http://www.ravelry.com/groups/handmade-soapmakers


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## dixiedragon (Dec 6, 2016)

Really?! Thanks!


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## Misschief (Dec 6, 2016)

You are welcome.... in more ways than one.


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