Thanks, Wendy, for the nice comments about the free mini-purse pattern. In response: Do your own thing! Be creative! Consider the pattern a starting point. I am already working on a very different version of the bag which I will share in a day or so. It is a Victorian lace spin on the same bag (for a wedding).
May 9, 2006
May 7, 2006
From Sally — Tales from the Salt Mines
I work one day a week in a yarn store, sometimes more if they need me. I do it for fun, for the contact with other knitters, and for the discount. Ahem. One of my favorite things to do is to help a knitter solve a problem. Some are easy, some are hard, and some demand to be shared.
Earlier this week, I helped a very sweet elderly woman who was trying to knit a top down raglan cardigan for her granddaughter. One reason she had apparently chosen the pattern was that she wanted to do something a bit different and learn something. She had done the collar and started the sets of increases for the raglan shaping, but she wasn’t sure she was on the right track. Something looked “off.” The first thing I noticed (my vision is not what it used to be, but still) was that she had used ring markers to indicate where the increases should go. Unfortunately, she had knitted them into the sweater. They were embedded into the base of the collar and would not be removable without cutting them or unraveling all of her knitting. Unraveling is what we did because, without the markers, she had been guesstimating where to do the increases. Instead of four straight lines radiating out like spokes, she had a spiral thing going on.
I helped her unravel back to the markers. Then I picked the stitches back up, went over the directions, and watched her knit several rows to ensure she understood how to do the increases and slip the markers so that they would not longer be a decorative addition to the sweater. The underlying problem was that she hadn’t understood the true purpose of the markers or the construction of the sweater. Once I explained what the directions meant and how that created the sweater shaping, it all made sense to her. It goes back to my earlier blogs on mindful knitting.
From Susan — The Voters Speak
Re: Sally’s Icarus Shawl. We heard from Wendy that she opted for the Kidsilk Haze in green for a gorgeous shawl she made. The green is indeed fabulous, but the knitters at Friday’s knitting group liked the grey (it is actually more of a smoky, taupy, lavenderish color) because of the sheen. It looked pearlescent. ALL the colors are absolutely stunning, any of them would be fabulous, Sally’s stash yielded several options without even a drive to the store — so therein was her dilemma. She’ll post a picture soon, so hopefully the full beauty of the color can be seen.
I was talking to some knitting friends and one mentioned that the Aubrey Cap (Simply Shetland 2) is still her favorite hat and that she made several for gifts this Christmas.  I, too, love the hat (if I do say so myself) and have made at least a dozen for different stores in the Twin Cities and even a couple for myself. When Gregory at Simply Shetland asked me to design a hat (in addition to the Rosemary Pullover), I of course said yes. I had never knitted a hat in my life! It is true. Even though I have been knitting for decades, there are certain things I have never made. Up until very recently, I had never made socks and I have only knitted giant felted mittens (not real ones for wearing).Â
So, the first thing I needed to find was a generic “how to make a hat” pattern! I used Nancy Lindberg’s pattern to get the architecture of the hat. Gregory had a very specific style in mind — a cabled watchman’s cap. I made the hat he requested and then designed the Aubrey Cap in addition. They preferred the Aubrey Cap and the rest is history.Â
This cap is knitted up in Cascade 220, Color #I-have-no-idea. The shetland yarn used in the book is a bit scratchy. I’ve knitted this up in various yarns successfully. My knitting group teases me about changing every pattern I ever use, including my own. I did indeed make some improvements to this pattern that are on the Knitting Tips page.
Please also note that the Beaded Mini-Purse pattern has been added under a new category: Free Patterns. The formatting is a bit odd, but hey — it’s free!
Â
May 6, 2006
From Sally — The Icarus Shawl
The Summer 2006 issue of Interweave Knits, just out in the past few days, has a beautiful shawl pattern designed by Miriam Felton. And, as I keep saying, I’m quite taken by shawls lately. She knit the Icarus Shawl in Suri Elegance, a very fine Alpaca. I decided that it would look beautiful in Rowan’s Kidsilk Haze. I had enough of four different colors in my stash to make it; therein started hours of indecision. Here is a photograph of the back of the shawl (scanned from the magazine).
The four colors I was debating over were a pale green, a deep chocolate brown, a grey with lavender undertones, and a deep rose.
I love the deep rose, which is less fuschia than it looks here, but kept worrying it was too bright. My husband and some of my online friends preferred the pale green. Susan’s knitting group all went for the grey.
I started knitting with the green and then finally switched to the grey. It’s beautiful, but then again I think it would be beautiful in any of these colors. Opinions welcome. I may knit more than one!
May 4, 2006
From Susan — Ballerina Update
It feels like I haven’t done much on my Hanne Falkenberg Ballerina (color #13) — I’ve just been kind of chipping away at it slowly but surely. Here is the updated progress report. I’m almost to the side “seam.” I have probably 10 ridges and then I’ll start the right sleeve. It is such slow knitting. You’re on very small needles and doing nothing but garter.  I did haul it with me to work today and actually got to knit on my lunch break. I have not been able to knit at work for awhile — and I need that down time to regroup!Â
Here is a detail shot of the back right shoulder shaping:
It is all short rows all of the time. The technique is the yarnover short row — a Hanne trademark. They work pretty well for the way it is designed, though not as well when working the short rows from the top down, as I do with my sleeve variation and for the center back gusset of the Mermaid Jacket. I’ll show pictures of my sleeve detail when I get to that point.
Thursday Knitting Group was quite fun tonight. I did not get home until 9pm. Woo hoo — wild social life!
Â
May 3, 2006
From Sally — Going Nowhere Fast
It’s been a hectic week. I feel as if I’ve spent every spare moment in the car, which is not conducive to knitting (assuming one wants to arrive at a destination in one piece.) With so little time to concentrate on my knitting, I’ve just been working on random socks, a sleeve here and there, and my dayflower shawl.
This weekend is the Maryland Sheep & Wool Festival. I’m not going this year for the first time in years. Usually, I drive out to the Howard County Fairgrounds on Friday and enter some piece of knitting, and then go out on Sunday to look at the sheep, finger (and buy) the yarn, and find out if I’ve won any ribbons. (I’ve had very good luck.) But I have SO much yarn in my stash and so much going on between my daughter’s birthday and my son’s end-of-school activities that I just don’t think I’ll make it this year.
For anyone in the Washington/Baltimore area who hasn’t ever gone, it is definitely worth the trip. It makes a nice family outing. There are sheep dog trials, good fair food, beautiful yarn (as well as spinning and knitting supplies), and lots of sheep and rabbits. The parking and admission is free and the weather this weekend is supposed to be great.
Hmmm. Maybe I’ll have to find a few hours on Sunday . . .
May 2, 2006
From Susan — I lied, sort of…..
I said I would never fix up old sweaters again, but today I did. A woman at a work retreat today was fidgeting endlessly with the sleeve of her sweater trying to work in a loose end. I, of course, had the perfect tool and fixed it during break. I found many holes at that point — in fact, the collar was about to come off completely and the shoulder seam was non-existent. So, I brought it home and fixed her up. A favor doesn’t count, does it? I don’t believe so, because a) I offered, and 2) I will not accept payment.  No knitting of any import and no new project yet. I would like to get the short row heel done on my Mock Croc Sock — if I do, a picture will follow.
April 30, 2006
From Susan — Yarnover Hangover
The 20th Annual Yarnover event was yesterday. Yarnover is a one-day workshop and vendor market sponsored by the Minnesota Knitters Guild. It was wonderful. The organizers invited knitting notables from “around the globe” to speak and teach: Lucy Neatby, Candace Eisner Strick, Annie Modesitt, to name a few. It is fantastic to be a part of the community of knitters.Â
I taught an all-day workshop called “A Few of My Favorite Things…from A to Z.” It included my favorite tips, techniques, and stories and hit every letter of the alphabet at least once — usually more. The students were great — very enthusiastic and receptive. I asked them to share their own tips or favorite projects as well, and they did not disappoint. Mary, from Thursdays at Four, showed us the most gorgeous knitted, beaded scarf you’ve ever seen; Barb brought in two of the fabulous Christmas stockings she has made for each family member; Marcy shared her tip about using store-bought tags to keep track of key information on swatches (yarn and knitting needles used, gauge, etc.). I always learn something and hope everyone had as much fun as I.
After the workshop, the MKG committee took the instructors out to dinner.  I got to debrief about the day and have a great meal — thank you, MKG!!
My knitting has suffered due to lack of time, but I did wear my Scoop du Jour to knitting group last Thursday and did receive the official seal of approval!   So there, a fait accompli!
I am now in a state that is rare for me. I am kind of out of knitting projects. I have Ballerina to work on, but it is too cumbersome to take everywhere. I have a sock on the needles, but I am not terribly fond of sock knitting. I could take out my Elsebeth Lavold “Margery” (see picture) and do the sleeves, but I’m not really in the mood.  That leaves one option: start a new project. I’ll have to check my stash for hopefuls and get something going.Â
April 27, 2006
From Susan — My Knitting Peeps
As hoped, my knitting group did let me take a picture tonight. As you can see, we are a happy and fun-loving bunch. We meet every Thursday at Panera’s and knit, talk and eat — all my favorite things.Â
From left to right: Deb, Emily, Diane (hiding behind Emily), Rosemary, Pat, Mary, Idonis and Linda.  There are more that show up on a regular basis — Ellie and Deirdre arrived after the picture. Some have been knitting for decades and others for months. But we all share our love for this past-time.
From Susan — Naked No More
I bought buttons, and they are now on my sweater — this may be temporary, though. I am rarely thrilled about the buttons I end up with and usually threaten to buy different ones. However, I have never actually changed buttons once they make it onto a sweater. By then I have moved on and don’t really care any more!
I’ll bring this to my knitting group tonight and get the approval I crave and then move on! My knitting group gets me through the week. They are more than just people I knit with — I really like their company. If I can get them to let me take a picture, I’ll post it.
