Yarnover 2010 is shaping up to be a stellar event!!
August 18, 2009
August 14, 2009
From Sally — Hats Off
It’s August in Washington, the month when all knitters’ thoughts turn to hats. What?
For some reason, I’ve been in the mood to knit hats lately. I’ve been working on several — picking them up and then putting them down next to all of my other unfinished projects. Today, however, I finally finished one.
I had the idea of using some of the yarn for my unfinished Kauni Damask sweater (which I still hope to get back to once I decide what I want to do at the neck) to knit a fair isle hat. There is a Selbuvotter mittern pattern I’ve always liked, so I adapted the pattern for a tam. I narrowed and lengthened the main design, removed a few design elements (which made it look like an angry face if you glanced at it wrong), and hoped for the best.
I’m fairly pleased. It’s the first hat I’ve designed and it actually fits. Now, the next problem was how to photograph it. There is something about the color changes that makes the hat look best when you can see most or all of the pattern. (That may be due to the color combination near the ribbing, which is the combination I like the best. That’s why I started with it, but I should perhaps have saved it for the crown. Live and learn. I ain’t reknitting it.)
The other photography issue is the need for a model. I don’t have a Lucy equivalent for hats. The only potential model in the house is my seventeen-year-old son. He refused the job for some reason. Hmmmmm. Not sure it would look too great on my golden retriever. Ther was only one other possibility. Someone quiet, cooperative, and unable to run fast.
So there you have it in all its glory.
August 7, 2009
From Susan — Is It Good News or Bad News?
Do any of you remember this Vogue Knitting cover?
It is notable for its glaring mistake. I bring this up not to diss the designer, because it is a lovely and beautifully knit design. However, it does illustrate that we are all fallible. At the time, none of us could believe that no one caught the mistake before it got to the cover. Not the knitter, the editor, the photographer, the proofer, the layout artist…no one.
Still can’t find the mistake? Click here.
The magazine is 7 years old — why not let a sleeping booboo lie?? Last night at my knitting group, someone asked me to hold up the project I’m working on. Mary gasped, “There’s a mistake, right in the middle.” She then proceeded to apologize for ten minutes for finding the mistake. Mary, it is MY mistake, not yours!! And I was very grateful that she found it! Do I want to end up like the cover of Vogue (like you’ll ever have something on the cover of Vogue, Bubba!) and have my mistake hanging out there for all to see, or would I rather find out now and fix it?
I rushed home and fixed it…case closed. And thanks, Mary!!
August 2, 2009
From Susan — Teaching and Learning
Even though I don’t make a lot of $$ teaching knitting classes, I really love to do it. I am, by title, an educator in my “real” job, but to be honest, I feel more like one in my knitting classes.
Yesterday and today I am teaching a series of short classes on basic finishing techniques at my LYS. I really enjoy these classes because they take you right to the heart of knitting and what I enjoy about knitting: honing your skills, learning from others, and connecting with knitters. Yesterday’s crew included some of my favorite people, so it was fun.
One of the things I say in all of my classes is that I am sharing MY way of doing things and if they took the same class from someone else, they would probably hear something different…maybe even completely contradictory. By taking classes from different people, you gather tools for your own personal knitting toolkit. You may take one thing from person A, another from B, and another from C. Lessons learned that feel right to you and work for you. I try not to be dictatorial: “You have to do this in this exact way, or else!” I don’t approach my own knitting that way so why would I impose it on others — and the policing of everyone else’s knitting would be exhausting!
Yesterday we were discussing some technique, and one of the knitters said, “[insert very famous name here] said she never does that.” So we discussed the pros and cons and why she might do it one way and I choose to do it another. Like I said, we all have our own approach to things.
So back I go today to immerse myself in dialogue about knitting, technique, and learning from all of those around me. Another good day!!
July 31, 2009
From Sally — Christmas in July
I’ve been suffering a bit from the knitting malaise mixed with indecision and confusion. Some days I can’t think of one thing I’d like to work on. Other days, I have so many projects I want to start that I can’t choose among them. So, I decided to work on some Christmas knitting. That gives me a deadline, but the deadline is so comfortably off in the distance that I won’t feel guilty putting it aside when true inspiration strikes.
First up? A sweater for my daughter (who has been temporarily banned from reading this blog so that I could have something to post about). Nora, if you are reading, stop. Now. Thank you.
The project I selected for Nora is Vivian designed by Ysolda Teague and available through the Twist Collective website. It’s a fitted, heavily cabled hoodie.
It looks like something she’d wear, although the sizing has been the big issue for me. She’s small and she likes her clothes to be fairly close fitting. Moreover, I was using a finer gauge yarn than the pattern called for. Therefore, I decreased the size of the peplum-type bottom by taking out a few strategic stitches and plan to knit the size 34 above the peplum. I want it to end up being closer to the size 32 (giving me some negative ease), and I think this will work with the gauge differential. Otherwise, blocking will be our friend.
Other than those size-related issues, the only changes I’m making is that I have reversed the twist on a few of the cables to make the knitting more mindless for me. I’ve seen a few Ravelry posts indicating that I might need to adjust the size of the hood, but that’s not something I am going to worry about yet. What I like about this design is that the waist shaping is integrated into the flow of the cables. I also like that the yoke is knit in one piece.
I am using Berocco’s Vintage Wool, which is a washable wool containing some acrylic. That is so atypical for me; I’m pretty much a natural fibers knitter. But this yarn is very soft against the skin and I loved the color. It knits like wool (except for the inability to splice the way I usually do), but she won’t have to be as careful with it in washing. I’m happy thus far with my choice. I haven’t made all that much progress, but then again — it’s only July.
July 25, 2009
From Susan — Out of Hiding
I am peeping out from my front door to say HI and share a small-scale FO that took a long time to finish. I have been off work all week and so you would think I would have gotten a lot done — au contraire, mes amies!! I have spent most of my week driving! Just random driving back and forth, from here to there, taking people hither and yon.
I did finish my Swirl Scarf. I absolutely love the scarf and love the yarn I used 🙂 . It goes very well with my winter coat, and I’ll use it a lot in this harsh climate of ours:
Pattern: Swirl Shawl, from Jojoland — I made the scarf instead of the shawl
Yarn: Acero in three colors (one skein of each), by Brooks Farms (420 yds/100 gms, 60% Superwash Wool, 20% silk, 20% viscose
Needles: US 5 dpns
Finished Size: 9″ by 63″
Pros and Cons:
Overall Grade: A-
The pattern: as mentioned in a previous post, I thought there was something amiss with the pattern, so I made a minor change in the hexes. However, I did end up with a more angular motif because I played up the hexagonal aspect rather than rounding it out. There is a lot of knitting involved with this project and it is very putsy, but I did weave in my ends along the way and blocked it as I went along, too. After every set of three swirls, I steamed the three just completed. It made it easier to pick up the next set of hexes. No sewing together at the end!
The yarn: gorgeous yarn; great to work with; love it, love it, love it! (Tell us what you really think!).
The scarf: I love this scarf and will use it a lot!
As for the blog, Sally and I are doing some secret knitting and may not have as much to write about in the coming weeks. We will keep you posted!! 😉
July 23, 2009
From Susan — Still on Staycation!
Not much going on here in the northland! But, I feel a little brave. Tuesday night at ~7 pm as I was just heading out the door for the evening, my younger daughter asked if we would host a pasta party for her soccer team after their game the following afternoon. Hmmm. Many questions came to mind: how many girls would be coming; would the parents be included; how much food would I need; who would shovel clean the house; how do you keep pasta hot for a crowd???? Etc. I do not do a lot of parties at my house, so entertaining is always a dilemma. But, I thought about it and asked myself: do you want to be the mom who says no or the mom whos says yes?? So, I said YES!!
And of course it went off without a hitch! I had enough food for 50…though only 9 girls attended. They all seemed to have fun, and it wasn’t all that much work.
Next time, I won’t need to be brave!!!
PS — The girl hiding in the picture is my little hostess!
July 17, 2009
From Susan — Summer Time
It may BE summer in Minnesota, but it sure doesn’t feel like it! It is in the 50’s today!! Hubby needed a coat to take out the dog this morning…brrrrr.
I am taking the next week off, so will hang out and lead a life of leisure for the next few days. Yay! 
I went to see the new Harry Potter movie last night and LOVED it!! Did any of you catch the knitting reference? I about leapt out of my chair!
Sally and I are doing some stealth knitting, and I am plugging away on my Swirl Scarf.
Scarves are boring to post about — they look the same, just longer! There are now 14 strips completed as opposed to the 5 shown above. I’ll end up with 19 or 22 at the end. That’s all for now 🙂 !
July 12, 2009
From Susan — Bedecked and Bejewelled Am I
Look at the pretty markers sent to me by a very sweet and generous reader:
Prissy (aka Merry Gay) sent these to me after seeing my little chain markers. She makes these for fun, and shared them with me. They are too pretty for knitting and beg to be worn as earrings! 🙂
I have also been laboring on my Lacy Cardigan…stick a fork in it, thank goodness!
Lacy Cardigan by Ann E. Smith for Blue Sky Alpacas
Yarn: Sublime Aran (11 skeins), Color #15 Clipper, Needles US 8 and US 6; crocheted edging
The color is very true in these pictures
Pro’s and Con’s of this project:
The yarn: soft as butter but unforgiving in stitch quality; not spliceable
The pattern: very nicely written; easy, quick knit (16 days); not seen everywhere so it seems more unique; unavailable (?)
The buttons: cheapies from my stash — a replacement may be necessary!!
The edging: got me to learn how to crochet
The fit: perfect; sleeves are just the way I like them with a little flare over the hand
Modifications: very few; I decided I did not want to waste any brain power so resisted the urge to go overboard on mods
Overall grade: B- to C+ (marked down for stitch quality — part me, part the yarn…the picture doesn’t show how uneven some areas are)
Will I wear it? All the time! It is soft, fits perfectly and is a good color to go with my summer clothes. All in all, I am happy I made it so I could remove the curse of this yarn (a dozen false starts!!). A finished object! Yay!! 🙂
July 9, 2009
From Sally — Slow Moving River
I’ve been working on my River Run Shawl, but progress has slowed considerably. One reason is that my elbow has been bothering me for some reason so I’m not doing much knitting (or gardening or bicycling or . . . .). The other reason is that I’ve finished the body of the shawl and moved on to the edging, where progress seems glacial.
This is a knitted-on edging that uses up the live stitches of the shawl. It takes two rows to bind off one live stitch and each row has about thirty stitches. Throw in the beads (the edging will use about 850 beads) and you can understand why it’s slow. (Thank goodness I only have 424 stitches in total to get rid of, but that’s still over 800 rows.)
As is the case with most lace before it’s blocked, my shawl isn’t very photogenic. It’s also tricky to get any accurate shots of the color. The sheen of both the yarn and the beads seems to disappear. Here are some not great shots to give you an idea. The shawl looks distressingly tiny in these photos, but I’m hoping it will block out to the appropriate size.
Here’s how much (or little) of the border I’ve managed to finish:
The requisite artsy shot to try to show the yarn and beads in detail:
I know. Not very exciting. Well, then, how about this? Inspired by my sister, I knit my very first dishrag.
My husband was horrified when I picked it up and started cleaning with it. He couldn’t believe I’d do that to a piece of hand knitting.
