Twist Collective Trunk Show/Patterns by Robin Melanson

Last night a friend and I had the opportunity to go see Kate Gilbert, who'd brought a Twist Collective trunk show to Trumpet Hill yarns in Colonie (Albany), New York. She was delightful, and obviously very enthusiastic about Twist and the quality of the patterns that are being offered. Not only did Kate bring a selection of garments from the fall patterns, but some from the winter batch! This was quite a treat, getting to see them before they are made available on the site. She asked us not to post any pictures on blogs, etc., but since I didn't have my camera along, that is a moot point. I think I've found at least a couple of patterns from the winter selection that I'd like to buy--stranded items both. But I won't say any more than that. It turns out Kate's grandmother doesn't live at all far from the store, so perhaps she'll come again?

I don't know if this is just a quirk of the items Kate brought along, but sweaters and socks seemed to predominate--for both fall and winter. I've recently made two items designed by Robin Melanson, the Negative Space mitts from Knitting New Mittens and Gloves, and the fingerless stranded mitts she designed for Classic Elite. I've liked both patterns, so I am pretty sure I'll be getting her winter item from Twist. There is an interesting interview with Robin Melanson here. She mentions the Negative Space mitts a couple of times during the interview. I picked these because there were several techniques that were either new to me, or things I've not done much. They have a provisional cast-on, and since I'd just happened to watch a Lucy Neatby DVD, Knitting Essentials 2, a couple of days before, in which she explains a crochet cast-on technique around a knitting needle, I felt ok in that regard. Robin suggests crocheting a chain and then knitting into the loops, something I've not been very successful with in the past. The method Lucy demonstrated was much easier for me, particularly with mitt two, when I didn't switch the places of the first and last stitches for knitting in the round (it makes it much harder to unravel the chain if you do this!). The mitts also had an I-cord bind-off and applied I-cord. The mitts were a lot of fun to knit, and a great learning experience.

My friend and I went to another LYS, Wool 'n Word in West Sand Lake, in the afternoon. I've only been there a couple of times now, but the selections of yarns are most interesting. This time I bought some Jamieson's Spindrift for some stranded mittens, an orphan ball of Galway worsted for stranding projects, and a pretty moebius scarf pattern. I was hoping to be good, since the New York Sheep & Wool Festival is tomorrow in Rhinebeck, but no such luck. (Don't even ask about the yarn I bought at Trumpet Hill, or the box that came from KnitPicks today!)

Well, I expect I'll be reporting on all the tempations I succumbed to at Rhinebeck soon...