Knit Madness

Mitered squares and polymer clay and new obsessions, oh my!

2010-01-07T16:46:00.009-05:00

I am not sure why I signed up the Jane Slicer-Smith's kick-off session for Stitches East. I'd looked at the cover of her new book, Swing, Swagger, Drape, and I didn't think it would have things that would interest me. But I am a sucker for signing up for sessions and classes, and I wanted to make the most of my first Stitches event, so sign up I did. Well, I now have this designer to blame for two new obsessions (and believe me, I don't need any more). She mentioned during her talk that there is a small section in the book on making your own buttons, and it is easy. That was the innocuous start of the first obsession. And after she was done speaking, audience members were welcome to try on the many garments from the book that had been brought along. That was a lot of fun, with strangers helping each other and passing comment on how various items looked. I've never thought much of mitered squares--they seem too busy looking for me, and tend to remind me of granny squares, which I really don't like. But Jane Slicer-Smith has some very sophisticated looking ones in her book's projects. And the fit and drape of the CoCo Vee capelet from the book was just lovely, so I had to make it. I was delighted to find that mine fits just as nicely as the model garment for the book! Knitting the squares was addictive, and I worked almost exclusively on this project till it was done, which is very rare for me.

So, more about the new obsessions. My husband will tell you I never do new things that interest me by halves. So when I learned about the polymer clay buttons (I'd never heard of polymer clay before looking up the button directions in Swing, Swagger, Drape), I went out and bought virtually every tool I'll ever need for making polymer clay projects, as well as lots of blocks of clay. Oh yes, and about 15 books on the subject. (Well, in my defense, I can say that almost all of them were remainder books, and much cheaper than cover price. Ummm, but that wasn't true of all the other supplies...) I am intrigued at all the wonderful things that can be made from clay, but also a bit intimidated, since I don't consider myself particularly artistic. But it is so much fun! I've made a bookmark, buttons, beads, and pendants. I have a long way to go, but just found a cool site called ClayLessons, and have worked through two of the free lessons, and bought a few of the others. One of the lessons, on creating a snowflake cane, wasn't very successful for me, but I was able to reuse the clay to make interesting blue and white beads. So while I really really really don't need another hobby, this one has taken hold and I don't see my interest letting up anytime soon. Thanks, Jane!

As for the mitered squares, being the book person that I am, I had to get Iris Schreirer's Modular Knits and a couple of Vivian Hoxbro's, and some yarn to make a few of the potholders in Domino Knitting. I also love one of the felted bags in Knit to Be Square, so that is on the list, too. And you know the cover of Swing, Swagger, Drape, with the mitered swing jacket? I've changed my mind. I need to make it, too.

Sorry, I have to go. Mitered squares and polymer clay are calling.

Yarn disappointment in Bermuda

2009-06-18T08:15:00.004-04:00

Last week my husband and I took a cruise to Bermuda--my very first cruise! Of course, I was looking forward to checking out the yarn stores there--would they be filled with Rowan products? Or perhaps other, more elusive, British brands? I'd done my homework--the Internet helped me locate two yarn shops in St. George, though I couldn't find any in Hamilton.

On our leisurely way down to Bermuda (it is interesting how it takes twice as long to get there as to get back :-) ) I spent some time knitting, though not as much as I expected. After all, there was all that food and all those shows competing for my time! In Hamilton, I inquired at the city's information booth about a yarn shop, and was directed to the yarn section at a local department store. I was so excited, walking towards it, seeing so many skeins of yarn on display. Imagine the letdown, though, when I realized it was all Caron, Red Heart, and Lion Brand! I thought I'd arrived at my local Michael's! Ah well, there were still the two stores in St. George. When we got to this charming little town last Friday, I hunted them up. One carried all sorts of craft supplies, but the yarn selection was very similar to what I'd found in Hamilton. And the second shop, quite a nice space, mostly stocked Patons yarns! I did find some cute point protectors in the shape of a hat and mitten, and a nearby store had some pretty handmade coin purses, so I bought one to hold stitch markers. And had to make do with that!

I was surprised at how small Bermuda was. We took two tours (one a glass bottom boat, the other a horse-drawn carriage ride), and both tour guides provided lots of fascinating information. One was stronger on flora and fauna, the other on history, so they complimented each other well. The Bermuda and US dollars are fixed at the same rate, and are interchangeable, which made it very easy--no need to exchange money. We were told prices there are high (virtually everything has to be delivered to the island), and we found that particularly true for lunches--each one cost almost $50 for two, just at regular restaurants--nothing fancy. Luckily, the food was very good.

My husband and I hunt out bookstores wherever we go, and we did find several stores with new books, and one with used books. It was fun to see both books from the US and the UK, but again, prices were pretty high. We found several books at the used bookstore, and other than my few knitting-related items, that was the extent of our purchases. No fancy jewelry store visits for us (how many jewelry stores can one small island hold?!?!?!).

Just before we left, I finished my Textured Circle Shrug by Stefanie Japel, and I can't wait to wear it this fall. The yarn--Frog Tree Merino Melange--is to die for. I mentioned it to Liz, owner of my LYS, The Spinning Room, and am hoping she might decide to stock it. I'd love to make more projects out of it.

Raffle Prize!

2009-05-09T15:03:00.006-04:00

Last night, Liz Cassidy, owner of The Spinning Room in Altamont (NY), had a fashion show-and-tell, which was lots of fun. There were about 25-30 people, and everyone brought along one or more items that they were particularly proud of. There were some lovely sweaters and felted bags and shawls and more. Liz also had a wonderful selection of raffle prizes, many of which were donated by vendors. It looked like there were going to be prizes enough for almost everyone there, which was exciting. But names were called, and more names were called, and still more called, and I wondered if I might be one of the few who wouldn't end up with a prize.

Then Liz selected a fabulous prize to be the next one up--20 skeins of Debbie Bliss Cashmerino Aran in a lovely russet color, and the Winter Essentials pattern book. Oooooh, did this look good! And then wonderful Nancy actually did draw my name!! (We'd been taking turns pulling names.) I am afraid I screamed and generally had something of a fit. So now I just need to decide what to make with it! I found three patterns in the book that I really like, but unfortunately, they are for other yarns. So I'll be trawling through Ravelry to find a good pattern. Was it ever my lucky night!

Earlier this week I finished my Acer cardigan, and I love, love, love it. It was a great pattern--and there was NO seaming! Since I'd sewn the buttons on and woven in most of the ends before I had finished knitting, I think it took about 5 minutes of post-knitting work to finish it off. I made it out of Beaverslide Worsted, which is 90% wool and 10% mohair. It was nice to knit with, but even better is how it feels once washed--soft and almost slightly fulled--it is hard to describe. I wore it last night over a short-sleeved sweater, and it did not scratch! I'm afraid I've sent off for the color card for this yarn, I think I am addicted to it! When I went looking for buttons, I found some really pretty, slightly old-fashioned looking, ones at JoAnn. I was a little shocked to see they were $5.00 per card of two, but nothing else seemed remotely right once I'd

found these. I am really glad I didn't scrimp, because I think they are perfect.

In preparation for my Knit One Below class at the Spinning Room next month, I started the Curves and Columns vest today, but not 30 minutes after I did, I found out about Lion Brand's KAL for Stefanie Japel's Textured Circle Shrug. And last night, Karin was wearing a lovely sweater, Rhinebeck from A Fine Fleece. It really didn't call to me when I was picking out patterns from the book, but it is lovely in person. So I was all set to start it as soon as I finished the vest. Now I feel a bit overwhelmed. I wonder if there is any chance of playing hookey all week from work?!?!

Recent knitting and Lucy Neatby classes

2009-04-04T12:54:00.010-04:00

Last night I finally finished the first Egyptian mitten. I am not sure why I am not enjoying knitting these as much as other stranded mittens. I think it may partly be because of the scratchy Jamieson's Spindrift yarn. I am sure these mittens will hold up very well, but working with it isn't as much a pleasure as using softer yarns. I'm taking a short break, but should certainly have the second one done before the cold weather sets in again! Seeing the first one done is motivating, as I do like the way the motif looks.

Just before this, I was on a hat kick--two for a hat exchange, and one, the Hurricane hat, for me. I saw one done in a lovely light blue/light green/turquoise Poems colorway, and just had to have one for myself! The pattern was a delight to knit, perfect for listening to a book on tape, as nothing very complex was going on. It knit up very quickly. Since the Poems is less heavy than the called-for Malabrigo, I knit the ribbing on 92 stitches, rather than 80, then dropped to 91 for the body of the hat (rather than 81). My only other modification was to shorten the body of the hat by 1/2".

The stranded hat is one of the ones I made for the swap (the other hasn't been received yet, so it is under wraps). My exchange partner made me a lovely lace hat out of Artful Yarns Jazz, in a colorway I just love! She also sent along three wonderful handmade soaps. What a great first swap experience!

On Wednesday I took two classes with Lucy Neatby at Webs--one on buttonholes and one called Hallelujah Grafting. They were great classes, and nice and small, so we got lots of personalized attention. I've been longing to take a class with Lucy since I started watching some of her DVDs, and was not disappointed at all. She is a fabulous teacher, and an amazing knitter. I broke down and bought another of her DVDs (Finesse Your Knitting 2) and put in an order for the first Finesse DVD. Because the classes were small, and we actually got through everything she wanted to teach us, she spent a little time showing us how to do the Swallow Stitch that is found on her Fiesta patterns. It looks really amazing, and isn't hard. So I just bought her Fiesta Mittens pattern off Patternfish, and hope to start soon (though there is that second Egyptian mitten waiting...)

My knitting books are absolutely overflowing all their allotted spaces. I would love to go through them and find even just 10 that I could put up for sale. But what strength of purpose that will take! What if the pattern I just have to have someday is in one of those books? Are there any words of wisdom you can share on this rather frightening undertaking?

Can't Get Enough of "Knit One Below" by Elise Duvekot

2009-03-15T16:21:00.007-04:00

After finishing the Inside Outside scarf (see previous post), I decided I just had to make the Bottoms Up! felted bag. This entailed a quick evening run to my LYS (11 miles away) before they closed to get some needles I needed. I got back, and sat down, ready to plunge forward. Instead, all I did was mutter not-so-nice words for the next two hours. Part of the problem was trying to manipulate 4 large dpns with just 8 stitches total on them. I also wasn't sure I really should be trying to knit below into the cast on--the directions sure seemed to be saying that, but my knitting kept falling apart. I posted a message of desperation on the Ravelry group for this book, and a very nice woman responded, who said she would start a second bag to try to figure out what was happening to me. How incredibly kind! She assured me you do knit into the cast on, and mentioned using 2 circular needles. Though I'd not tried that method of circular knitting before, anything would be worth a try to get me out of my agony. After about 20 more minutes the next evening, I finally got it (or got it enough!). It is going well now, though I am about to run out of the navy yarn. Webs can't ship quickly enough for me!

The lovely woman who helped me is a designer herself--I can't wait to start her Mitered Striped Felted Bag for my mom. Her spring-like colors motivated me to get some bright ones myself.

Her wonderful help makes me think of pre-Ravelry days. I wasn't knitting for too long before Ravelry came along, but I do remember desperate runs to the LYS, even phone calls for more basic questions. Or I could ask one of several people at work, and I've done my share of that. But if the LYS was closed, or I was not at work, I was pretty much out of luck. Ravelry may not be the greatest thing since sliced bread--it is the greatest thing including sliced bread!

Oh, and in the package from Webs will be half the yarn I need for the lovely Chanel-like jacket in the book. I have the gray in Jaeger Matchmaker DK, so I've ordered the black in Schachenmayr Extra Merino, which is a nicely priced closeout. I hope they will work well together. I also have yarn for a vest from the book, and socks, and a hat.... Can you tell I am becoming addicted?

Back to an old project

2009-02-15T11:30:00.004-05:00

I had started the Inside-Outside Scarf from Elise Duvekot's Knit One Below (also available for free at Knitting Universe) back in December, but other projects intervened, and it was sitting, neglected, in the bottom of the basket next to my chair. Friday night I pulled it out as an alternative to the lovely Egyptian mittens, which are seeming to take forever. I've really been enjoying working on the scarf this weekend. I'm using Wisdom Yarn's Poems, which has long, long color stretches. Rather than mix two different colorways, I'm playing it conservative with just one.

After purling some of the rows, I wondered if my usual knitting backwards technique (to avoid rows of purling) would work. And of course it does! It just took a second to see what was happening on the front side of the work when I started to purl one below, and I was set. So the project is going much more quickly now (no constant stops to adjust the tension). I think it is much more difficult to make a mistake doing it this way. I can see right away if my color columns are lining up or not, since the front of the work is always facing me.

Unfortunately, I've been wearing a very warm red coat most of this winter (not much choice, considering our weather), and this doesn't go at all! But if it starts to warm up a bit and I can wear one of my black coats, it should look good.

I've just started a hat, influenced by a number of sources but of my own overall design, and I think that is coming along well. But I'll get a bit further before I take a picture and write about it.

Classes and yarn stores

2008-12-28T15:10:00.003-05:00

I am so excited--I just listened to episode 110 of the Ready Set Knits podcast from Webs, and found out that Lucy Neatby will be teaching there this spring. I've long wanted to take one of her classes, so I dashed off to the computer, to find out exactly what she would be teaching (though, to be honest, she probably could have been teaching bricklaying and I would have signed up). She's teaching a full day class on circular knitting and steeking, and two half-day classes, one on buttonholes and one on grafting (called "Hallelujah Grafting"). I know, from Lucy's DVDs (I am the proud owner of 7 of them), that I can learn even from what would seem to be basic lessons. Indeed, in her recent interview on the Knit Picks podcast (#77), she makes this very same point. I've only steeked one garment, but I have done lots of circular knitting. I've also done a fair number of button holes, but I'm not sure I've ever been completely happy with them. As for grafting, I thought I was severely Kitchener stitch-challenged until, in a class with Joan Schrouder this past July at TKGA, I found out that left-handed people can start the grafting on the left! Eureka! I can now graft. But I haven't done much of it, so of course there is a ton for me to learn. So I ended up signing up for the two half-day classes. I am just keeping my fingers crossed that there won't be a massive snow storm to keep me from getting to Webs on April 1--given the date, I am almost expecting this to happen! And since my route takes me over the Berkshire Mountains...

Speaking of classes, I am working on the Ski Lodge Scoop vest from Twelve Months of Knitting, and the shoulders are worked with traditional stair-step bind-offs. In a class taught by Margaret Fisher, we were taught the use of short rows for shoulders, and I thought I'd give it a try. I've just finished the back, and it looks fine. We'll see when I get to doing the three needle bind-off on the shoulders (another benefit of the short rows--live stitches so I can do this). I normally never give myself deadlines for projects, but since Ravelry prompted me when I put this in my queue, I entered Dec. 31. So I am working hard on it to get it done.

On the day after Christmas, my husband and I took a day trip, aiming for used bookstores, yarn stores, and a favorite restaurant. One of the yarn shops was new to me, Needleworks in Greenwich, NY. It is housed in a lovely space, and was filled with delights. I saw a yarn from Norway that I'm not familiar with, what seemed to be an older yarn from Reynolds, and there was quite a variety of nice yarns from Rowan, Jo Sharp, Dale, and others. I picked up three colors of a Brown Sheep yarn that I'd never seen before, Lanaloft sports weight. It is to make the pretty stranded Inga hat. Luckily, my husband had scored a number of purchases in the first bookstore, so he was happy to sit and read while I browsed. And browsed. And browsed.

Other than working hard on the vest, I finished up the Faux Fair Isle Fairy Socks from Nicky Epstien's Knitting on Top of the World.

Gotta run--my vest is calling!

Amanda is finished!

2008-12-16T09:06:00.009-05:00

I've been working on the Amanda cardigan, on and off, since September, and I am delighted that it is now finished. The pattern is from A Fine Fleece by Lisa Lloyd, and it is just the first of several patterns I plan to make from the book. I used Louet Riverstone worsted in a rather sharp yellow green color (officially called Willow) that has not received the approval of my husband, but it is a nice change from the colors of most of my cardigans, and I think it will look good with jeans and black pants. When Webs first put Riverstone on sale, I went a bit crazy buying colors, so this is now the second sweater I've made of it. It seems to soften a good bit once washed, though I don't know if I'd wear it next to my skin.

One of the projects that kept me from the cardigan during part of the intervening months was a pair of cat mittens that absolutely captivated me! The pattern is very well written, though a knit and purl row seems to be reversed. The designer, Jorid Linvik, included red vertical grid lines in the chart that I'd not seen before, but that were a wonderful help in keeping my place. I made these out of Knit Picks Palette, in Garnet Heather and Tan. These will definitely be entered into the Altamont Fair this summer!

Right now I am working on a pair of Fair Isle socks from Nicky Epstein's Knitting on Top of the World. This book fascinates me--there are some lovely patterns, but also quite a few that are way beyond anything I'd consider wearing! The back of the Fair Isle capelet is gorgeous, but have you seen the front? Oh my! (If you haven't seen it, check out page 103 in the book.) The Tyorolean Leg Warmers are stunning! Not that I've ever worn leg warmers, but this would be the pair to start with. Anyway, back to the socks. They are made out of K1P2 Soxx Appeal, a lovely stretchy yarn, and I am hopeful they will fit! This is the first pair of socks I've made in some time, and I am quite enjoying it (well, I am only on the first sock, let's see what I say when I get to the second!). This picture is from a few days ago (I am now well along into the foot), but gives an idea.

What a find! Selbu gloves?

2008-10-30T13:38:00.006-04:00

I walked into the local consignment/resale shop recently, hoping to find something that would catch my eye. And better yet, something I actually need. I've found a few things at this rather nice store over time--including a lovely quilted bedspread and some old knitting pattern booklets, not to mention a couple of sweaters from LL Bean. Sometimes they have yarn, but usually not of a very good quality. This time, they had quite a garish selection of eyelash yarn. But what did I care that the yarn was disappointing? Look what I found:

The tag was marked "late 19th century Swedish gloves." Swedish? And were they really that old? When I inquired, the owner said that the person selling them had said they were, and that the family had come to the US many years ago and settled in Kansas. They do feel very old. They are in pretty good condition. There is one hole, a few inexpert mending attempts, and some discoloration, particularly on the fingers, which you can see in the photo. (I wonder if it would be safe to gently wash them in one of my wool wash products?) But how fabulous a find!

I question the Swedish designation. I've read Selbuvotter by Terri Shea, and they sure look Norwegian to me. In fact, her Annemor #4 mittens have a very similar dog design on them. This pair has what looks like the number 8 under the dog's chin--I wonder what that signifies?

I thought it quite a coincidence that the only pair of gloves I've made using a pattern from Selbuvotter (Annemore #8) are green and cream--the same colors. And the patterning on the thumb and palms aren't that different from this old pair. The glove I made is on the right below.

It is intriguing to wonder where this old pair of gloves has been--it seems to be a very well traveled pair. And I am tickled pink with my find!

Twist Collective Trunk Show/Patterns by Robin Melanson

2008-10-17T18:48:00.004-04:00

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...

Olympic Challenge Project Finished!

2008-08-26T18:21:00.003-04:00

I am not sure who is more pleased that my gloves are finished, my husband or I. I was so intent on finishing them in time that I was impossible to live with. But they are done, and I feel free! I think I did a pretty good job on them, but there are some, well, let's call them design elements. Like a few fingers without a column of plain white stitches on one edge on the palm side. However, there is a genuine design element on each thumb--a pretty band of alternating green and white stitches that carries up a similar design from the thumb gussets.

So what am I knitting now? A plain beret, all in stockinette stitch, made out of bulky yarn. It is for a class I hope to teach at The Spinning Room the weekend after Labor Day. At first there were no sign-ups, but now that two people are enrolled, I'd better have the hat ready. This is something of a trial balloon--a series of classes, all knitting hats, to teach a variety of skills. The first is to teach knitting in the round and decreases (it is the Rollin' Beret on the linked page), the second teaches cables (I love making this hat), and the third stranded knitting . I hope the classes all get enough sign-ups to run!

Knitting Olympics

2008-08-18T15:53:00.004-04:00

My LYS, The Spinning Room, has a Knitting Olympics challenge on. Start during the opening ceremony, finish by the end of the Olympics. I like challenges. So I thought I would give it a try. The first project I picked was a cardigan. That's a challenge, yes? To get done during the time allotted. So I ran it by a friend (you know who you are!). She was dismissive. Very dismissive. Said the cardigan was rather small. And the yarn was big. Who was I trying to kid? Ok, back to the drawing board, a bit sad, because I'd really like to knit this cardigan, and having a deadline hanging over my head would be perfect. Well, how about stranded mittens? I've done a couple of pairs, but with worsted weight yarn. And one of the pairs was really simple. How about if I challenged myself by using fingering weight yarn and a complex pattern. I hate using tiny needles. This would be a challenge, indeed. Friend with high standards thought perhaps, but making stranded gloves with tiny yarn would be a better challenge. So guess what I am making?!?! And pulling my hair out over? Yup, you got it, gloves with fingering weight yarn and tiny needles. Here's the first one. This is Annemor #8 from the Selbuvotter book. The second one only has half of the pinkie done. It probably wasn't a bright idea to leave most of the fingers and both thumbs to the end, but on Saturday I needed something less challenging to knit than fingers, for some knitting with friends, and succumbed to starting the second hand.

Actually, I shouldn't be blogging, I have to get back to knitting fingers! There is less than a week before the Olympics end, and I am not sure if the fingers are going to drive me insane before then. There is a pretty good chance they will.

But before I go--you may want to know what my friend with high standards is knitting for the Olympic challenge. Or can you guess? NOTHING!!! (But I'm not really mad--she keeps me on my toes.)

TKGA Show in Manchester, NH

2008-07-31T15:45:00.005-04:00

I've been terribly negligent in writing to this blog, I guess I have to chalk it up to summer laziness. It isn't that I haven't been knitting, or dreaming about yarn, or buying yarn...

Last week I attended The Knitting Guild Association (TKGA) show in Manchester, NH. I took an all-day and a half-day class, and learned an incredible amount. Knifty Knitted Kneckline Knowhow was taught by Joan Schrouder, who seems to know everything there is to know about sweater knitting, and more! She brought some fabulous sample garments to illustrate lots of different techniques, and I was impressed to find out that she knitted one of the garments in Poems of Color about Bohus knitting. We had made rather extensive swatches to work on in class, to try out a square neckline, a v-neck, and a shawl collor. We learned Kitchener (well, those of us who didn't already know it, and she demystified it for me, who is left-handed) and short rows (for the shawl collor) and I-cord edgings, and a fair amount more. The next day, I took Advanced Finishing with Margaret Fisher, who is one of the most organized knitting teachers I've ever learned under. We learned the tubular cast-on and bind-off, short rows for shoulder shaping, cutting your knitting to lengthen or shorten it (scary at first, but not at the end) and some other techniques that I did know, such as duplicate stitch.

The pace of these classes is so quick that having a chance to breathe and relax during the few things I already knew was much appreciated. I hope to attend more classes by both of these instructors, and I recommend them to you if you get a chance to learn from them.

Several of the vendors I had hoped to see at the Market at the show weren't there--I had heard from a couple that sales last year were less than hoped for. But there were some new ones, too, and plenty to look at.

I used my trips to and from NH to splurge a bit. On the way out, I stopped at Green Mountain Spinnery and Harrisville Design, as I did last year. I hadn't really planned to buy anything at the former, but saw some of their store models for the Stained Glass Hat, and had to buy the pattern. And since their Mountain Mohair yarn is so lovely and shimmery, I treated myself to three colors for the hat--I am afraid the other colors will have to be represented by more mundane yarns. The store samples were absolutely inspired in their color choices--and unfortunately, none of them are given on the pattern (not that those aren't pretty). So I hastily took notes and will see what I come up with. My very first stranded knitting project was their Painted Hat, and I felt like I'd just entered a fascinating new world, so I am looking forward to making this more complex hat.

At Harrisville, I found quite a few things, but the one definite on my shopping list was a skein of New England Shetland for the crochet border for my new sweater. The lace weight yarn called for in the pattern just wasn't showing up enough, but this seems to do the trick. This pattern is from Shear Spirit, and was a pleasure to knit up in Louet Riverstone (currently on sale at Webs).

Speaking of Webs, that is where I stopped on the way home, and I am quite proud that I only spent 75 minutes in the store. However, as readers will know, this is enough time to do serious damage to the budget. I came with a longish shopping list, including yarn for Loppem in Norah Gaughan's new pattern book (collection 3). And guess what--they had a sample of this and several other items right there. So I tried it on--and found it doesn't really look too good on me. But I'd far rather learn this with a garment someone else made, rather than one I made! So I tried on Eastlake, my second choice from the book, and loved it. So there were 11 skeins of Inca Gold in my shopping cart, amongst other things!

Currently on the needles: the Cozy V-Neck sweater from Stefanie Japel's Fitted Knits, in RYC Soft Tweed.

A Yarn Mystery and Travels in Search of Yarn

2008-06-14T13:40:00.004-04:00

Earlier this year, I visited Amazing Threads, a yarn shop in Kingston NY. I was very impressed by some skeins of yarn that they labeled "Amazing Threads Special," with the yarn content, amount, washing directions, gauge and needle size. All the skeins had this store label. The price was great, $3 a skein. In fact, I wrote about this yarn and store visit back on January 13, and the mitts I was making. Imagine my surprise when I was in a Jo-Ann store in Glens Falls yesterday and I found the exact same yarn--Moda Dea's Cartwheel! Or at least, so I thought. I had to buy a skein to check. Guess what? Same thick and thin texture, same distinctive colorway, same amount of yarn, same fiber composition. In fact, it seems to indeed be the same yarn! I wonder what the story is behind this? Perhaps the mill created more yarn than Moda Dea wanted? Or...?

On this same trip, I had a chance to visit a new yarn store, Yarn Angel on Glen Street. Very nice proprietor, a good selection of yarns (many Berroco), and I had a sneak peak at some of the new fall yarns. It seems many of the new pattern books are on back order, but I look forward to seeing them. Actually, previews of the patterns are on the Berroco site. I'm not much of a self-striping yarn fan, but several of the new patterns for Geode and Jasper are calling to me.

Last weekend, a friend and I headed south to visit some yarn shops on the east side of the Hudson. We started at the jam-packed Flying Fingers in Tarrytown, where we each found sample sweaters that called--strongly--to us. Strongly enough that we couldn't leave the store without buying the necessary yarn. Mine is Karabella's Travelling Cables Cardigan. The picture on the pattern doesn't look extraordinary, but the knit garment on does! I treated myself to Aurora 8 in a gold color--something very new for me. I've heard wonderful things about knitting with this yarn. Then we went on to Yarn Central in Hopewell Junction, which has a number of European pattern books and yarns, as well as books and yarns that are more commonly seen. I couldn't leave without scooping up some of the half-price Dale Falk skeins for colorwork. Our last stop was Country Wool outside of Hudson, where we bought several of Claudia's hat and scarf patterns, and a bit more yarn. What a lovely day's excursion!

Doorways to Enjoyment, Part II

2008-06-08T14:00:00.002-04:00

Sorry to keep you waiting for the second two doorways. I wonder if you found the first two an interesting way to think about the books you gravitate to.

The third doorway leads to books that focus on setting. There are not as many books in this category, but if you are a fan of historical fiction, many of those books fall into this doorway, as they make a setting distant in time seem real. Fantasy novels also fall into this doorway for many readers. Books that situate the reader in a distant location in the present also qualify. Some works that fit here include the Tony Hillerman mysteries, Colleen McCullough's Master of Rome series, Donna Leon's Venetian-set mysteries, A Tree Grows in Brooklyn, and E. Annie Proulx's The Shipping News. When someone talks about a setting doorway book, they often talk about how real the place was for them.

Books in the language doorway comprise the smallest category. These are the books that often win the major awards, and are described as "well written." Many readers fell this type of book moves slowly. Authors whose books fall into this category include Edith Wharton, William Trevor, Wallace Stegner, Michael Cunningham and Joan Didion.

I would love to hear if these categories resonate with you. Personally, I tend to look for books that focus on setting (all those historical novels I read!) and story (I'm a big mystery fan). I do read my share of the language-doorway books, but character isn't a category I tend to search out. Right now I am reading The Little Book by Selden Edwards, which I'd place in "setting." It is set partially in 1897, partially in the second half of the 20th century. The early period action occurs in Vienna, which is vividly brought to life. The next book I plan to pick up is a historical fantasy by Mercedes Lackey--another setting book!

Doorways to Enjoyment

2008-05-27T22:25:00.003-04:00

Today I'm not going to talk about knitting, or perhaps only tangentially. Last week I had the opportunity to hear Nancy Pearl, of Book Lust fame, speak. I'd heard her a few years ago, when she spoke at a lunch for library friends and staff at my university. I don't remember exactly what her topic was, though I know she spoke about reading when she was growing up, and some of her favorite books, and such. I have a very warm and cozy feeling thinking back on that talk. This time, she had a more directed focus--she was speaking about reader's advisory for adult services librarians. Reader's advisory happens in public libraries, mostly. I work at a university library. I don't get chances to suggest books to readers, or only once in a blue moon. But I was determined to hear her speak again, and once again, it was ever so enjoyable.

Thank you for staying with me this far. I know lots of knitters are readers. Many of us listen to books when we knit. So I hope what I can report from Nancy's session will be of interest. She suggested a very different way to go about suggesting books to readers, a way that you might find illuminating when you think about the kinds of books you tend to gravitate towards. She used a framework of "doorways." She talked about four doorways into which books, both fiction and non-fiction, fit. But first, she had us each list five of our favorite books, so that we could later go back and see which doorways attract us. Perhaps you might want to do this, too?

The doorways she enumerated were:

1. Books with story as the attraction. She mentioned that this is the largest category of books. Many mysteries fit into this category, as do lots of children's books. Dialogue is big in these books, and they tend to be books we think of as page-turners. A number of these books may have a second big doorway. Authors who fit into this category for most readers (some readers may be attracted by other qualities of books in any of these categories, so they aren't hard and fast): John Grisham, Jeffrey Archer, Patricia Cornwell, Clive Cussler, Stephen King. The DaVinci Code fits into this category.

2. The second doorway, and the next biggest, is character. The characters in these books change and develop internally. One good way to find these books is through their titles, which often are the names of characters or describe characters. Think The Time Traveller's Wife, Fortune's Daughter and others by Alice Hoffman, books by Anne Tyler, Richard Russo and Kaye Gibbons.

I am afraid I have to leave you hanging for the moment--it is getting late. I'll detail the other two doorways next time. In the meantime, if you are an avid reader, you might want to think about other authors or books that fit into these two categories. And check your list of favorite books--do they fit into these two categories? Or are your categories yet to come?

Very impressed with Louisa Harding, plus a report on another class

2008-04-29T18:31:00.004-04:00

Some may have noticed that Louisa Harding commented on my last blog post, following up on my comments about her workshop. She was interested in what fueled my dissatisfaction with it, and I wrote back to her and explained a bit more. One of my big concerns was that I thought the workshop would discuss more about combining yarns more generally, not just experimenting with some from her line. She then responded with a very nice message that discussed yarn combinations and substitutions, and also recommended The Knitters Guide to Combining Yarns by Kathleen and Nick Greco. I am very impressed by her wish to be helpful. I know my reaction to a negative comment about a class would have been very different, and much less of a credit to me! Thank you, Louisa!

This past Sunday I took a 6-hour Norwegian Mittens class with Beth Brown-Reinsel at Webs. Yes, this was the day of the Yarn Harlot's visit there, and the store was a madhouse most of the day. (Those of us in the class dashed out when they all went off to the theater and did our shopping then.) I had heard the Beth's classes are very good and well worth seeking out, and I have to concur. There were just 6 of us in class, so she was able to give us lots of individual attention when needed. I have now learned the Nor wegian Purl technique, which I think will be extremely helpful to me as a Continental knitter (whenever possible I just knit back backwards and try to avoid purling altogether). My tension goes all wonky with regular purling. We also learned how to carry both strands of yarn in one hand (the left, in my case) when doing stranded work, and I have fallen in love with the simplicity of it. Once I get my technique honed, I think I'll be much faster. She also shared some other really helpful information, including dominant yarn in stranded knitting, and showed us how to recognize it knitting in a variety of different styles. My first mitten from the class is just half done and desperately needs blocking to look attractive, so I'll hold off putting up a picture.

I finished the Taconic V-Neck Pullover yesterday, with about 3 yards of yarn to spare. The sleeves are very wide, and in looking at the small picture on the pattern (yoo-hoo Webs, could you include larger pictures both on your website and on the patterns themselves?), I see this is the way it is designed. I don't think I really like this look, but the sweater is ultra-comfy and I love the way the body portion looks (I added some waist shaping to the back), so on the whole I am quite pleased.

Louisa Harding Workshop and Musings about Podcasts

2008-04-19T20:38:00.004-04:00

Today was the second workshop I'd signed up for at Colorful Stitches in Lenox. Louisa Harding had planned a session to show us how various yarns, all from her line, work together. The pattern was a simple one for a bag with fringe. While it was fun to pick out the needed five little balls of yarn, there really wasn't much teaching going on, just an opportunity to see how your creation and those of others worked out. Louisa did spend some time telling us about how she came to be where she is today, and talked a tiny bit about women's fashions. I am afraid I was terribly disappointed, as the workshop and the materials weren't inexpensive. The bag isn't one I'd ever use (and I can't think who amongst my friends might), and I wonder if I'll even finish it. It was a pleasant enough few hours, but nothing near as charged as the session with Kristin Nicholas two weeks ago. I actually had dithered about signing up, seeing what the bag looked like, but hoped there would be lots more practical information about combining yarns. I also did want to have the chance to meet her, and that I did. I wonder how others who attended felt?

I usually listen to podcasts while knitting, and lately I've noticed that most of my favorite ones are by guys (or blokes, as David Reidy would say). I really wonder why this is? Sticks and String is one of my absolute favorites, and I am really glad that there are many for me to catch up on. I also really enjoyed the two episodes of YKnit that I've listened to in the last few days , and also like It's a Purl, Man. The others I listen to regularly at Ready, Set, Knit (can't miss those early announcements of sale yarns at Webs!), hosted by the husband and wife store owners, Cast-On and KnitPicks, the latter two hosted by women. But considering that men make up a fairly small percentage of knitters, it seems interesting they make up at least half of my favorites. I find that I like a fair amount of a podcast to focus beyond the host. Interviews are great, I enjoy book, yarn, and product reviews, and music is a nice interlude. I think most of these podcasts seem more professionally produced than others I've tried, and that makes a difference to me--as does a fairly good sense on the part of the host of what he or she will be saying before he or she says it! I expect, though, that other listeners might prefer all the things I don't like. I'll keep trying out podcasts that are new to me, and hope to find a few others that I'd like to keep listening to.

OTN: The Taconic Pullover sleeves are about 3/4 done. Sleeves are usually just so boring! And I've become really excited once again about the Tassled Fez from a pattern by Chalene Schurch. I guess it took a while for the stranding overload from the Philosopher's Wool cardigan to wear off!

Colorful Finished Objects

2008-04-16T21:51:00.003-04:00

Today I finished up the last of the embroidery on the Sunny Flower Fez, a pattern by Kristin Nichols from Folk Style. I used the same colors as for the Fingerless Flower Gloves from Kristin Knits. I'd originally bought four colors of Valley Yarns Berkshire, but realized my gauge would be really off with this heavier-weight yarn. I like the cheerfulness of these items, though the colors might not be completely me. But then again, I tend to select safer color combinations that might not have the same pizazz or energy as these items do. By the time I was halfway done with all the lazy daisies on the hat, I was feeling pretty comfortable doing them!

Now I am back to working on the sleeves of my Taconic Pullover. I love the color of the yarn, but it seems very muted after these other projects!

I just read a fun book called One Night @ the Call Center by Chetan Bhagat, set in India. It follows the experiences of a group of young people (and one older man) who all work together in a unit at the call center. One of the women spends a fair amount of time knitting a scarf for her mother-in-law--a MIL who really doesn't deserve this kindness. The knitting is just a small element of the book, set amongst job angst and relationship troubles and boss troubles. And, oh yes, a phone call from God.

Fabulous Workshop!

2008-04-05T19:59:00.005-04:00

Today I took a three-hour workshop with Kristin Nicholas at Colorful Stitches in Lenox, MA. We all brought along a knitted swatch, and proceeded to learn all sorts of fabulous ways to decorate it with duplicate stitch and embroidery. But first Kristin showed us lots of her projects, many of them from her most recent book, Kristin Knits, showing us how the overstitching changed the nature of the items. She also suggested some great ideas, such as decorating a plain store-bought sweater with the stitches we would be learning. Her enthusiasm and energy were catching, and throughout the afternoon I heard nothing from the participants but the most excited praise and exclamations that we could actually do these things! It was so very empowering, and ever so much fun. Afterwards, she presented a slide show on how she works with color and how she gets her inspiration. She encouraged us to open our eyes and see color combinations in everything around us. She sees them not only in such expected places as flowers against their leaves and the sunflowers in a field, but in the rusting old trucks in her neighbor's yard! The slides were great, and I highly recommend her blog if you'd like to see examples of her photography.

I'd decided to knit the fingerless flower gloves from her book, but the colors just weren't me. So I picked out four other colors of her Julia yarn, but thought perhaps I might take the opportunity to run them by her. I'd tried to balance light and dark colors, but watching her evaluate them together was really educational, and while two of my colors stayed in the mix, she suggested a few better possibilities to substitute for the remaining two. She then sketched out the mitt with colors indicated to help me remember. How very nice of her!

If you ever get the opportunity to take one of her workshops, or see her slide show, don't pass it up!

Seem to be hooked on Rowan Big Wool

2008-03-05T22:55:00.007-05:00

I don't think I'd even heard of Rowan Big Wool four or so months ago. That was before I bought the new pattern book by Kim Hargreaves, Heartfelt: The Dark House Collection. I loved the look of Cherish, found the recommended Big Wool on sale during a trip to Webs, and that was that. Using my Denise size 17 needles was a bit clumsy, getting stitches from the thin cable to the thick needle, but I expect that would be a problem regardless of the brand of needles. I loved how quickly the project knitted up! Almost instant gratification. And I really like the finished project. Then a friend lent me her New Shapes pattern book by Rowan, and the Vanilla Scarf is really calling out to me. In the meantime, some Big Wool Fusion and the Fantine pattern from French Girl showed up in my order from Jimmy Beans. And now today, in browsing around Ravelry, I found a couple of lovely examples of Tess knit by nancykane. I think it is most interesting that when I saw this in the Heartfelt book, I had no interest whatsoever in it. Now, in comparing it to Nancy's versions, I think it must be the light color used in the pattern book that turned me off. I seem to think this needs to be a rich dark color, as hers are. This is an interesting aspect of Ravelry, being able to see multiple versions of a project, and perhaps revise one's opinions about the pattern.

Knit-In at Barnes & Noble

2008-02-25T19:42:00.002-05:00

My friend Karen and I went to a knit-in at the local Barnes & Nobles yesterday. It was organized by 5 of the yarn shops in the area. We had no idea what to expect. We were told to bring chairs and that their would be great door prizes. Well, the door prize gift baskets did look wonderful, but unfortunately we didn't get to have any first hand experience with them (i.e., we didn't win!). The store was mobbed with knitters, spinners, crocheters, and maybe other fiber artists, though those are the only crafts I saw. There were groups spread out throughout the store, some smallish (we were in a group of about 9 lovely women--and it turned out 4 of us were librarians, most of the others were teachers. I've noticed this at knit nights at my LYS, too--lots of women in these two professions. I wonder if I might do some sort of study of this seeming link between knitting and careers?), others much, much larger. I am glad we ended up in such a friendly group, though it could well be all the groups were friendly! I felt a bit sorry for muggles who were actually trying to buy books, as some sections were completely blocked by our groups.

My group was located near the mall entrance, with a massive window right behind us. Lots of people stopped to see what we were up to, particularly because we had a woman spinning on a wheel in our group. It was great to see all the interest. The woman who taught me to knit a couple of years ago stopped by, and I was able to show her the fair isle sweater I finished lately. I was glad to have the opportunity to thank her for changing my life, which really isn't an exaggeration at all.

I wonder if the yarn stores and B & N will do it again? I also wonder if the store got lots of complaints by the book buyers.

OTN: I finished the back of the Taconic Sweater, and have just started the front. I understand that the smaller sizes aren't able to follow the chart completely, because there aren't enough stitches. To me, that seems to be sloppy pattern writing, but perhaps it is more common than I realize? I also finally started knitting some Brooks Farm yarn--Mas Acero, in an incredibly simple shawl pattern--perfect knitting while watching the PBS Jane Austen offerings every Sunday night. I have several other skeins of Brooks Farm yarn around, but they are buried deep in my stash. The colors are lovely, I shouldn't have waited so long.

Back to normal knitting!

2008-02-20T19:31:00.007-05:00

I finished up the fair isle cardigan early this month, and I am ever so happy to have it out of my hair! I feel like I can relax a bit now with my knitting, towards the end things were getting somewhat tense with it. There are a few areas I am not completely happy with: the button bands, despite close checking of gauge to know how many stitches to pick up, droop a bit. As does the ribbing at the top of the pockets (note to self: find black elastic thread and take care of this). Also, the neck is shaped something along the lines of a boat neck. I know I picked up stitches in the range recommended, so I don't know what the heck happened with it. But let's just call it a design element. Unfortunately, my office at work hovers around the 80 degree mark, so I've only had the chance to wear it once since I finished it. This weekend I'll be going with a friend to a knit-in at the local Barnes & Noble, so that might be a good time to feature it. Here's a picture of it when it was being blocked.

Those of us who joined the skein of the month club from Webs got our first shipment toward the end of January--lovely yarn from Sheep Shop, and a very pretty pattern, too (see Jan. 27 post). Well, it turned out my skein was the skein from hell. Terrifically tangled and matted to boot. After approximately 5 hours spent trying to untangle it (my husband even volunteered to help, when he saw me in deep frustration mode, and a friend did the last part for me, in trade for my doing tassles for a hat for her), it was done, but the yarn was a bit the worse for wear in parts. Still, I am enjoying knitting it--it is very soft. Said friend suggested contacting the yarn company, which I did. They say they've never heard of this happening before, but kindly offered to send me a replacement skein--WOUND! (I don't think they trust me to do it myself, but that's ok.) The end of February is creeping up on us, I guess we'll be getting our next skein and pattern soon.

Other recent projects include a version of the Robin's Egg Blue hat, which was a lovely, soothing knit and a pretty shrug, Cherish, from Kim Hargreave's book Heartfelt worked in Rowan Big Wool.

Additional pictures

2008-01-27T19:30:00.001-05:00

Well, I managed to trick my camera and get the latest pictures out. The purple neck band lining is evident here, as well as the area cut away from the neck. The third picture shows the two lines of stitches from the inside that will be joined with the outside stitches to encase the cut area. I used light blue on the outside, light turquoise on the inside, just for a bit of fun.

The Never-ending Fair Isle Cardigan

2008-01-27T18:45:00.000-05:00

I CAN NOT wait for this project to be done. I have spent 4 of the last 4 weekend days working on it almost full time. Yes, knitting a body tube without having to worry about purling while doing colorwork is a great idea. Not so great is the machine stitching and picking up stitches. These two activities make the actual steeking look easy and carefree. I am indebted to all the posts at Luna-Knits as she went through the process--I
know mine will be much better for learning about encasing the cut areas so that the mess doesn't show, and reading about how to keep the button band edges from curling, as well as other advice. I found the encasing directions a bit late for the sleeves, but that is ok, as that area really doesn't show. But I lined my neckband (with a new color, just for a little oomph, though my camera doesn't seem to want to disgorge the picture of it), as she describes, and now I am knitting the rows that will encase the front steeked edges. I am a nervous wreck (well, I've been a nervous wreck most of the time over these four days), but the latest cause is my worry that I haven't picked up the right number of stitches, and the button bands won't lay flat. My row and stitch gauges were the same, so I I picked up in every row. We'll see. More pictures to come when my camera decides it is willing to share them.

I passionately long for some uncomplicated, but still interesting, knitting projects for the next few weeks. I feel like I've been challenged enough for now. My goal is to finish it by the end of January. There's a chance... (I think my husband hopes for this, too. He has said he's a bit tired of coming second to a cardigan!)

On a cheerier note, I received my first shipment from the Webs/Storey Publishing Skein of the Month Club. I am impressed. It is Sheep Number Three from Sheep Shop Yarn, and a pretty pattern for a scarf. A friend wonders how well the pattern details will show in the variegated colorways--I guess we'll find out! (Once I get to my post-cardigan life...)

Changed Store or Changed Knowledge?

2008-01-13T22:44:00.000-05:00

Several months after I started knitting, I visited A mazing Threads, a yarn shop in Lake Katrine, NY (near Kingston). It isn't a very large store, but I was really impressed by the unusual yarns and the lovely sample items and the patterns they had available. When I had a chance this weekend to finally get there for a second time, almost two years later, I couldn't wait. However, this time I wasn't overwhelmed by what was available. Lots of Plymouth yarn, and Alchemy Yarns of Transformation, and some others. (They also had a box of a beautiful plum/copper/brown yarn, labeled "Amazing Threads Special," which I couldn't resist (only $3 for 77 yards!) and which is already being made up into fingerless mitts.) There were very nice people working yesterday, but overall, I felt a twinge of disappointment. I'd had such fabulous memories of my first trip. But after thinking about it for a time, I realized the store and its stock probably hasn't changed all that much. What has changed is how much I know about yarns, and how many more yarns I've worked with since I was an absolute novice. I will cherish that memory of my first trip, and instead of being disappointed about the second, I will celebrate how much I've learned and how much I've gotten from this wonderful craft in the last 21 or so months.

New Year challenges and a new book that caught my eye

2008-01-07T19:03:00.000-05:00

I hate New Year's resolutions such as losing weight or eating fewer desserts or that kind of thing. I am sure this is because I know I have no intention of doing such things. But I am happy to try to find a couple of knitting challenges that might fit as resolutions. I wonder if it is fair to put one on my list that I mastered in the last week, before I firmed up my resolutions? I am pretty proud of it, since while I was still learning, I wasn't a very happy camper, and I think my husband would have been pleased to move out for a few days. To explain: As I mentioned in my last post, I went to the Webs book launch for Melissa Morgan-Oakes's book 2-at-a-time Socks in mid December. I was thinking of getting the book, but wasn't completely decided. It was, however, a great excuse to go to Webs! Well, you know I won the kit and bought the book. I was off from work last week, and thought this might be a good time to concentrate on learning this technique, rather than starting some evening when I come home from work ultra-tired. The first day I worked on it, it didn't go well. I was misinterpreting what to do with the needle after finishing the first half of the first sock, and what should have been K1P1 ribbing turned into two knits in a row, moving from the last stitch of the first half of sock 1 to the first stitch of the second half. I contacted Melissa, who suggested just doing some stockinette practice rounds. Something clicked when I tried this, but then it took another couple of sessions to get the hang of moving the socks and/or cord around and not getting totally tangled up. But as is said in My Fair Lady, "she's got it, I think she's got it"! I am still working on the practice toddler socks, but feel much less clutzy now. I am actually a fan of double-pointed needles, but I do suffer from second sock syndrome, so I think I'll try knitting a pair of adult socks this way next.

In Borders yesterday, I found a new book that really caught my attention: Knit Tricks by Rebecca Wat. The garments, which run the gamut from scarves to vests to shrugs to sweaters, are all made out of rectangles, but a number of them use really interesting wrapping techniques. The author is very interested in origami, and that shows in some of these designs. There are 3 or 4 I'd like to make right away, but of course there doesn't seem to be anything appropriate in my stash. I think there is another trip to a yarn store in my near future!

Besides the socks, I have just started working on a short sweater, Cherish, by Kim Hagreaves from Heartfelt, and my Celtic Cardigan and Fair Isle Sweater continue to languish (though I did finish enough of the Celtic Cardigan to wear it as the Celtic Vest for the time being). The multidirectional scarf in Noro Aurora is moving along. However, my second knitting resolution is to finish the Fair Isle Sweater and do the steaking! It would be nice to wear it this winter, and there aren't many inches left on the body (the sleeves are both done, one is below). Wish me luck!

Expensive Trip to Webs

2007-12-16T14:35:00.001-05:00

A friend and I went to Webs in Northampton yesterday. It was her first time there, and I wanted to go to the book launch for 2-at-a-Time Socks by Melissa Morgan-Oates. We spent close to 4 hours there (it was a really good thing they had some very nice refreshments for the book launch!), but we were really delighted with the multitude of yarns we picked out. We each had some projects we wanted to find yarn for, and we came away with everything we needed. That was something of a shock in itself. Our find of the day was a new sale item, Zenith by Di.Ve', which is a supersoft superwash worsted-weight merino. Between us, we got enough for one sweater(Erin in the new book Heartfelt by Kim Hargreaves), two hats, two scarves, and a pair of cabled mitts! And I may be forgetting something. We also bought other yarns for lots of other projects! If you have never been to Webs, it is well worth the trip if it is a manageable distance for you.

There was a drawing for prizes connected to the book launch, and I couldn't believe it when I heard my name being called. I won Addi Turbos 40" size 4 needles, two skeins of Valley Yarns Superwash, and a package of stitch markers. These are all the supplies needed to knit the pair of sample socks that start of the book. I'd been uncertain as to whether I'd actually buy the book, but of course I then had to, so I could try the sample socks out. I think it will be fun. I tend to suffer from Second Sock Syndrome, so I'd love to learn this way of kntting two socks at once on one long circular needle. Webs and Melissa offer an extra pattern to those who buy the book at Webs, an incentive not to go to Amazon for this title!

Today is miserable--snow earlier (and due again later), sleet, ice pellets, high winds expected--a perfect day to stay in and knit. So I'd best get back to exactly that. I am working on a couple of small felted bowls for a friend for the holiday. Good thing they don't take long to knit!

Hooked on Ravelry

2007-12-11T17:27:00.001-05:00

Well, I have joined all of those who spend much of their free time (when not knitting or crocheting, of course) on Ravelry. I am amazed at how many ideas I've been getting for future projects, and I love checking out various yarns and how they have worked up. It is a fabulous resource center. I traded some yarn, and made the acquaintance of a very nice, very talented woman in New Hampshire. We'd hoped to meet this Sunday at the book launch at Webs, but it looks like the weather is conspiring against that.

I've been trying to finish up a lot of UFOs, and have been successful with two scarves. Both were started months ago, and at this point, I am not sure who will be getting them, so there wasn't a lot of impetus to finish them up. I found that although I loved the intense colors of the Brown Sheep Handpaint yarn I used in this entrelac scarf, I am not really a big fan of mohair (sudden discovery), and this yarn is 70% mohair.

I've started and finished a few smaller projects, although I really should be working on my Fair Isle cardigan. I have promised myself the knitting will be done by the end of the year, but I'd better scoot to make that happen! The steeking that will follow has me hyperventilating, even though I know it won't be that bad. I've made two Fidgets, both out of Moda Dea Tweedle Dee, and love the yarn (even though it is 80% acrylic) and the pattern. Also a couple of presents for friends, and since they haven't gotten them yet, I won't say anything about them here.

Like everyone else, I'm very impressed by the large number of patterns in the current issue of Knitty that I'd like to start working on. The Quant headband (entrelac) may be the first one I start with. I wonder what your favorite is from this batch of patterns? And are you now spending all your time on Ravelry, too?

Some recent projects

2007-11-22T13:29:00.000-05:00

I've been laid a bit low with a bad cough and some sort of bug, which has given me some time to getting some knitting projects done (since I wasn't doing much of anything else).

I finished the Haiku sweater for our granddaughter, and enjoyed the sideways knitting, which I've done before in a vest and a cardigan for me. I had originally wanted to knit a pullover, with the body one color, the arms another, and with some added embroidery. But the gauge wasn't right for the pattern I had in mind, so I found this one, which is very adaptable for different yarns and gauges. I made this in Vanna's Choice, and I have to say I don't like acrylic yarns. Or maybe it was just this acrylic yarn. It seemed quite splitty. But I am sure the baby's mother will want to machine wash the sweater.

I also did a quick hat pattern, from the November 9 page of this year's Knitters calendar, designed by Christa Giles. I couldn't resist the textures, so I made it knowing it isn't the kind of hat I (or anyone else I know) would wear. And when I finished it and tried it on, I realized I was right--I won't wear it! But maybe it will find a home some day. Speaking of splitty yarns, the Lambs Pride Superwash I used for this certainly was.

I finally tacked the fingers for my step-daughter's Composed Mitts, and I think that will work fine. They didn't turn out exactly the same size--I hope she won't be too observant!

And now I am back to working on a lace scarf in Baby Alpaca Brush that I started last winter. I am not a big fan of lace knitting, I guess, but I am determined to finish this project. The yarn is lovely to work with. The other project I am determined to finish is my Fair Isle sweater, the sleeves are done and at least a third of the body is as well. Maybe I'll take it along to the Black Friday knit-in tomorrow at my local yarn shop. Of course, I also had to divert my energies and start another project--a felted bag from a pattern by Paton's, using their SWS. What lovely yarn to knit with! But on the days I was feeling worst, this basic knitting (with only a few slipped stitches every other round) was about all I could handle.

I've bought a sewing machine, and have been busy reacquainting myself with using one--the last time I did I was in high school and taking home ec classes! However, I remember lots of the concepts and terms--my mom was a fabulous seamstress, and was always making my clothes when I was younger--a lot must have brushed off on me. She doesn't sew much anymore, but I am so happy I'll be able to ask her questions as I get going with this. I'd like to make some items from some recycled sweaters I've felted--that was the whole impetus for getting the machine, though I've just bought a new book called Sew Everything Workshop by Diana Rupp that is getting me a bit excited about making a few other projects, too.

I've been getting more and more sucked into Ravelry. I think it is fabulous how I can see other people's work on the projects I am making, or considering making. I was checking on SWS yarn, to figure out other uses for it, and was blown away by how nicely it comes out in entrelac scarves. So of course, I had to go out and get three skeins of Naturally Plum. Not that I had had any intention of making another entrelac scarf now... Maybe I'll try Lucy Neatby's garter stitch entrelac scarf pattern, which doesn't have the side triangles. That would be different. I guess I'll head over to Ravelry now and see what other people's look like!

Happy Thanksgiving to all who celebrate it.

Starting the gift knitting

2007-11-06T18:53:00.000-05:00

I am caught up in working on holiday and other presents, it seems. Lots of accessories that aren't taking too long to knit, with one exception. The quicker items were the Wave Hand Warmers (from One Skein Wonders) in turquoise Berkshire from Valley Yarns (took just one day!), the Ruffled Neckwarmer from the Tweed Four book from Classic Elite, knit in red Suri Merino (you don't want to know what happened to the first version, knit in Knit Picks Elegance, let me just say that it won't be adorning anyone's neck), the hat from the Oct. 14 post, and the Maine Morning Mitts from Clara Parkes's new book. All enjoyable projects. I am also close to done with the Composed Mitts from IK, the longer term project. They've mostly been done for a week or ten days, but I have yet to tack between the fingers, as I mentioned in my last post. However, progress has been made: there are now pins where I need to tack them. This probably won't take more than 15 minutes, I just have to sit down to do it.

I am about to start the Haiku sweater. I found it when I realized I wasn't going to make gauge on the sweater I had picked out. This one is great, because you can work it to any gauge with the formulas given. It reminds me of an Elizabeth Zimmermann pattern, with all the garter stitch. There is also some box stitch thrown in for visual interest. I plan to make the body in one color, the sleeves in another. I hope that will look nice.

The November - January Cast On arrived today, and I found several patterns I like. I often don't in this magazine, so I was quite pleased. (Their educational articles are really helpful, which keeps me reading it.) The Sassy Side Button Sweater (#28 in the preview picture) is calling to me, and I'll be surprised if I don't cast on for it soon. I have some purple heather Encore that should work well. It will be fun to pick out the decorative buttons.

Day after NY Sheep & Wool Festival at Rhinebeck

2007-10-21T19:27:00.000-04:00

A friend and I went to the New York Sheep & Wool Festival yesterday, and had a marvelous time. I am also totally amazed that I only came home with one skein of yarn, but more on that in a moment. Jana and I hadn't been at the festival more than about 10 minutes when we happened upon the booth of The Fenwick Collection, and immediately fell for their Pacific Jacket. The jacket is made of felted alpaca and wool, and should be nicely warm (however, with the weather in the northeast this fall, I wonder if we will ever have the chance to wear warm things?). The lines of this jacket are very elegant. Jana bought black, and I bought what is, for me, a very unusual color: a muted red (what they call "tomato bisque"). I did not think that it was a good sign that we were spending so much money so quickly. From there, we walked a few steps to the Brooks Farm booth, and because it was early, we were actually able to move amongst their displays. I remember last year, when it was almost impossible to do just that. I wasn't planning to buy any yarn here, lovely as it is, as I haven't yet knitted up the two skeins I bought last year. But Jana drew my attention to a knitted shawl they were displaying, and showed me some yarn she thought would be perfect with my new jacket. Uh oh, this was not turning out well for my pocketbook. But she was perfectly right, this reddish/purplish skein of Acero will look great, once I knit it up. It should be a fast project, as it is done with size 17 needles.

The one category of stuff I was looking for was needle felting supplies. I haven't actually done any of this, but I am intrigued by their use as embellishments, say on a knitted and felted bag. (I have no aspirations to create pumpkins, creatures, or people.) It seems that felting, both needle felting and wet felting, are IN, IN, IN. Supplies and books were everywhere. We saw some lovely wet-felted bags and even some nice scarves. I bought a bit of fiber and roving and a few extra needles, but didn't go overboard.

The Festival didn't seem quite as crowded as on the Saturday of last year. The weather was perfect, though a bit warm for people to wear their warmer handknits. I saw a lot of vests, as well as summer tops. I was delighted to get some compliments on my Fleece Artist vest. The Spinning Room, our local yarn store, seemed to be doing very well selling Avoca throws and scarves from Ireland.

I was delighted to see the Philosopher's Wool booth, which is a good reminder to finish up the cardigan I am working on from them. Both sleeves are done, as is about 1/3 of the body. But it has just been too warm to work on it till now.

The highlight of the day? Could that be when we tried the deep-fried pickles? Well, maybe not!

Last week I finished up some fingerless mitts made out of Noro Kureyon for a friend, and today I did 20 rows on the second of the Composed Mitts. I was feeling a bit upset with the first one, because the increasing done for the thumb made them far too wide for the hand. I figured I'd have to rip out 30 or so rows and redo the pattern. Luckily, Jana figured out that they could be tacked between each finger, and that would nicely take up the slack. This was all I needed to regain my enthusiasm and start with the second one.

Pictures of Entrelac Clutch

2007-10-15T09:13:00.000-04:00

Here is both the front and the back of the entrelac clutch. I really enjoyed this project. It took one skein of Boku, and one button.

Learning new things

2007-10-14T19:45:00.000-04:00

In working on a couple of projects this weekend, I've had a chance to expand my skills. The entrelac pouch that I knit up for a class I'm co-teaching in November required that I learn the brioche stitch. I really enjoyed this, once I found a tutorial on the web that explained how to knit into the stitch below. The whole back of the little bag uses this stitch, and it looks quite nice. The seams of the bag had to be slip stitched, something else new. And it required a single crochet edging along the top, which I had done once, about a year ago. Luckily, when I was working on this today at The Spinning Room, both Joan and Nancy, good crocheters, were there to give me a hand. The bag is being blocked at the moment--I'll post pictures soon.

Today I started a pair of fingerless mitts (the free Maine Morning Mitts pattern from Clara Parkes), and decided, after listing to one of the Knit Picks podcasts in which Kelley extols the magic loop method, to learn this myself. A friend's mother had given me the booklet by Bev Galeskas, and I had a long cord that works with my Denise needles. It really isn't hard at all, and I am hoping it will keep me from having the ladders I sometimes get with my dpns.

I've ordered Clara's book The Knitter's Book of Yarn, and Amazon says it will be here by Thursday (as it isn't being published until Tuesday). I am really looking forward to it, and if anything catches my eye, I hope to find a suitable yarn Saturday when I am at the New York Sheep & Wool Festival.

I finished this hat, a birthday gift for a friend, last week. It's made from a skein of Lamb's Pride Bulky that I got at 30% off. I really love this pattern.

Current projects and dye lot miracle

2007-10-08T09:42:00.000-04:00

I spent time earlier in the weekend weaving in ends on my arm snuggies and sewing on buttons to hold back the lapels of the new ribwarmer vest (note to self: knit the collar option if I make more of these, it looks much nicer than the inexpertly sewn down neck tab on this one. Thank goodness my hair is long enough to hide it). I think the buttons I picked are too similar to the yarn, but none others called to me as I was trying to choose them. After finishing these two up, I rather ran out of steam. I don't have too much left to do on a cabled hat for a friend's birthday next month, I should be able to finish that today. I also started a couple of projects: the Two-Toned Triangle bag from the new Bag Style and an entrelac clutch. The latter is the project for a class I'll be co-teaching next month, and I'm trying to find a yarn that works well for it--one that is sold by the store where I'll be teaching. I think Boku will work, though it really isn't my favorite yarn.

On Saturday, my husband and I were in a small town about an hour north of here--we were on our way to a wedding and went up early so we could go to a nice used bookstore in Hudson Falls we haven't been to in years. I found a yarn store just up the road, Knit Wit Kreations, which I've never been to. The owner was very friendly and welcoming. While it was a bit hard to see what they had, as there was a big knit-in going on, I did find the 2 skeins of yarn I needed to have enough to make the Bluebell Boatneck Sweater in Fitted Knits. Exact same dye lot as the 3 I had bought at a sale locally over a year ago. That sure made my day!

Recent activities

2007-10-01T09:55:00.000-04:00

The last couple of weekends I've been travelling--Ogunquit, Maine with some knitting friends (and we stayed in a fabulous old house that even had servants' quarters right by the beach!) and then Boston (with a side trip to Northampton on the way home) with my husband. All the riding in the car allowed lots of knitting time, and my second rib warmer vest is just about done. On the Maine trip, I started these Arm Snuggies from the November 2007 issue of Creative Knitting. I just wove in the ends on the first one this morning, and I am really pleased with the way it turned out. It is knit in Navy, Burgundy, and Burnt Orange colors of Elsebeth Lavold's Baby Llama. The yarn is super soft, and lovely to work with. I converted the pattern to knitting in the round (why sew a seam if there's no need?). The medium seemed to have a glitch in the polka dot-like pattern that appears twice on each snuggy, so I winged it and am much happier with the section near the top than the earlier one. I also recharted the pattern with the crosses to get it to work out right. This is the first time I have used a charted pattern that had beginning and end sections, with a separate repeated center section, and that threw a curve ball near the beginning of the project. So I feel a real sense of accomplishment getting the first one done. The second should be easy!

While I didn't find any yarn at the two shops I stopped in at in Boston (I was amazed to find an extremely helpful sales clerk at Windsor Button near the Common--the last time I was there, the help was pretty rude), I did much better at Webs on our way home. I bought the new Williamstown yarn in teal for the pattern on the back of the current catalog. The description said it was soft, and it really is! I was a bit dubious... While there I also bought yarn for the Sunny Flower Fez from Folk Style and a couple of skeins for one of the bags in Bag Style, which is on its way from Amazon. I also picked up the holiday issue of Interweave Knits, and have become fascinated by the idea of needle felting, having read the article in the issue. I think I'll add supplies for this to my shopping list for the NY Sheep and Wool Festival in just a few weeks.

Sugar on Snow done

2007-09-20T18:44:00.000-04:00

A friend showed me the Sugar on Snow hat/neckwarmer she had made, and I decided I had to make one, too. Here are pictures of it both ways. It is knit from Baby Alpaca Grande, and the i-cord with leaves is made from Suri Merino. Deliciously soft! I wasn't sure if I'd really like the leaf decorations, but they aren't bad at all. And it helps that they are knit in green for this project.

Yesterday I received the November issue of Creative Knitting. I resumed my subscription with some trepidation, as I don't usually see much in this magazine that I'd think of making. But several items in this issue called to me: the Three Squares and Two Sleeves sweater (it took a couple of read-throughs of the pattern to see what was going on with this one), the Sugar Plum Wrap sweater, and the Arm Snuggies. For this last, my LYS, The Spinning Room, just got in some Baby Llama yarn in three colors that I hope will be delicious looking together.

Currently on the needles and getting the most attention: the second of a pair of fingerless mitts for my husband, in a lovely forest green shade.

Finished Textured Tunic from Fitted Knits

2007-09-16T15:37:00.000-04:00

Finished!

I actually finished this earlier in the week, but it took a couple of tries in different light to get the color to come through accurately. As you can see, I modified the neckline (though I see that didn't keep my bra strap from showing!). I also only did side slits, no buttons. I did a lot of waist shaping, so much so that when it is off of me, the shaping looks oddly exaggerated. I mostly worked to the smallest size, but did the next size up for the arm openings. I then stayed with 40 stitches for the sleeve until below the second section of purls, then added 4 stitches over 4 rows, rather than decreasing in the top section. That wouldn't have fit my arms at all. I thank the posters on Fitted Knits Along for sharing how they made many of the modifications, that helped a great deal. This is the first project on which I deviated so far from the pattern, and I must have tried it on 30 times as I was working on it.

The yarn is Adrienne Vittadini Donata (70% alpaca, 30% acrylic), and the sweater feels a bit scratchy on. I am hoping that washing will take care of that. I've also read that soaking an itchy garment in a tablespoon of hair conditioner before washing really helps. The garment looks a bit see-through in the box stitch section, though I didn't notice it looking that way when I tried it on. Maybe the flash had something to do with it. I am still puzzling over how much yarn I had left. Based on the yardage, I needed 11 full balls of this yarn. Since I bought it at an out-of-town store, I got 12 balls, just to be safe. And in the end, would you believe I only used 6?!? (73 yards per ball).

I am taking a short break from bigger garments, making the convertible hat/neck warmer Sugar on Snow from knitty.com, but I think I'll make the cropped cardigan with leaf ties next. Though the weather here in upstate NY is getting so chilly so quickly I might not be able to wear the cropped cardigan till next spring.

My husband seems to be open to the idea of my making him some fingerless mitts (see item above about chilly weather). I've found a nice sedate dark green color in Lamb's Pride Worsted in my stash, so as soon as Sugar on Snow is done (only the I-cord and leaf shapes need to be finished), I'll start on that.

My Converted Mitts are progressing not at all. I have to say I much prefer to do stranded knitting on circular needles, rather than dpns. But I have to get back to those mitts soon. The yarn is a delight to work with, so why do I have this mental block?

I am getting there on the textured tunic

2007-09-08T15:16:00.000-04:00

I've been working on the Textured Tunic from Fitted Knits for a few weeks now. The first two projects I made from the book seemed to go very quickly. This one has needed a lot more decision-making on my part, and lots of days after work I feel a bit too tired to be making decisions I am not sure about. The advice from many knitters on Fitted Knits Along has been extremely helpful. Without it, I wouldn't have realized I need to do decreases near the waist to pull it in (the way it looks in the book, but no decreases are written into the pattern). A couple of people also mentioned it was too long for them, and I am shortening it by 20 (!) rows as a result, but I think it will be quite long enough. There is lots of advice for knitting the sleeves, which I'll take a closer look at once I get to that point. I only have about 8 more rows to do on the front, and about 15 on the back, then I do get to go onto the sleeves. The yarn is Adrienne Vittadini's Donata (and it is more purple than this picture shows). I've tried it on a million times as I tried to get the shaping right, and I have to say it is a bit scratchy. I read about a trick of soaking such garments for a brief time with hair conditioner. I'm going to have to try that.

In the meantime, my Composed Mitts languish. But I am making very good progress on another ribwarmer vest!

Yarn of the Month Selections

2007-09-06T19:41:00.001-04:00

I've been a member of the Yarn of the Month Club for a bit over a year now. Each shipment includes enough of four different yarns to knit up into a swatch. The idea is to learn about various yarns and to see if one likes knitting with them. I have to admit I've only knit two up so far, but I like the idea of being able to if I want to! Sometimes there is a theme to the mailing, other times not. This month, the four are billed as being innovative: Rowan's Calmer, GGH Yarns Bel Air, Crystal Palace's Puffin, and Habu's Shosenshi. The accompanying newsletter, Knit Dish, gives a description of each of these yarns, and explains why each is innovative. I really liked this detailed write-up. Most of the time the newsletter doesn't go into this much depth about each of the yarns. I did realize, the minute I opened the package, that Shosenshi is innovative. After all, it made crinkly noises! It is actually linen paper, but then, one wouldn't expect anything that wasn't innovative from Habu. I've been seeing a number of patterns lately made with Rowan's Calmer, and I've actually been interested in trying it out. I don't usually like knitting with cotton, but I am hoping this will be different. It is 75% cotton and 25% acrylic microfiber, and it is described as being exceptionally soft. Knitting a swatch of this might be a good way to relax after working on my Composed Mitts--I'm into a section with three colors per row, and it is taking all my concentration to catch the floats.

Successful trip to Webs

2007-09-03T19:05:00.000-04:00

On Saturday I went to Webs in Northampton, MA with my mom, a friend, and her mom. All of us except for my friend are knitters, and she's a very patient person. She had to be, since none of the rest of us wanted to leave the store. This is my 4th or 5th time there, but I never cease to be amazed at all they have.

This time they surprised me by having a Fitted Knits trunk show! I'm in the middle of knitting my third project from this book, so I was tickled pink to see these items. I had a chance to try on several items that I had been thinking about making: the Cozy V-Neck Cardigan, the Two-Toned Ribbed Shrug, and the Cropped Cardigan with Leaf Ties. I was especially hopeful that the last would look nice, as last week I bought some yarn to make it: Classic AL by Elsebeth Lavold, so it won't be as fancy as the one in the book, but I think it will get a lot of wear. The Two-Toned Ribbed Shrug wasn't my favorite, so I am glad I never did buy yarn for it. (It may also have been that the one on show was a bit snug for me.) I also didn't really have any plans to make the Elizabeth Bennett Cabled Cardigan, but it looked very nice on. The sleeves in whatever size it was (if only they'd mark the size on trunk show garments more often!) was a bit too long, so I'd have to watch out for that if I do make it. There were also several other items from the book: the Turtleneck Tube Vest (couldn't exactly try this one on in the middle of the store), the Saturday in the Park dress (ditto), and the U-Neck Back to School Vest (which I've already made). I really wish they'd had the Carrie Cropped Cardigan.

I bought yarn for three projects. Two shouldn't be named or pictured, as they are for holiday presents for people who might read this. The third is the sweater Manon from Norah Gaughan's collection No. 1. I had tried it on at her trunk show at Colorful Stitches in Lenox, and fell in love with it. Webs didn't have enough of the Pure Merino in the color I liked (i.e., the color in the pattern book), so I ended up with Ultra Alpaca in a lovely green tweedy shade. It is a slightly lighter yarn, but since I am a very loose knitter, I think it will work out. So did the very helpful sales clerk.

Then, when I got home from Webs, I found my copy of Folk Knits had arrived, and I started drooling over several of the projects. But I really have to finish some others first, before buying yet more yarn.

The Textured Tunic from Fitted Knits is coming along quite well, although I've been trying it on every inch or two. I've been doing lots of decreases below the bust, but soon I'll hit my waist, and will have to start increasing for the hips. This means this is not a transportable project, nor are the Composed Mitts with their 6 balls of yarn, so I cast on for another Elizabeth Zimmermann Ribwarmer Vest, this time in two-toned gray Wool of the Andes from Knit Picks.

Finished mitt and yarn for new project

2007-08-29T19:42:00.000-04:00

In her book Wendy Knits, Wendy Johnson mentions that she finished both fingerless mitts from her pattern (pages 198-199) in one day, between commutes both ways and a lunch hour. I drive to work, so knitting then is, sadly, not a possibility. But I had a very long, very tedious meeting today, and 2/3s of this mitt was finished during it. Almost makes me long for another dull meeting tomorrow so I can get the second one done! The yarn is some Knit Picks Shamrock, color Reilly, that I had sitting around. I'd bought it to make my mother a hat, then realized my mother never wears hats. It never really called to me for another project, till I thought of this one. These very easy mitts are a sort of practice run for the fancy stranded Composed Mitts in the Fall 2007 Interweave Knits. A friend and I are going to be working on those at the same time, starting tomorrow. They take Blue Sky Alpacas Sport Weight, a wonderfully soft yarn.

This yarn--Elsebeth Lavold's Classic AL--I picked up last night at the sale at The Spinning Room. It was 30% off. I really, really don't need any more yarn (and yet I am going to Webs on Saturday!), but this yarn is ever so nice to knit with, and I like the color (midnight blue). It is destined to become the Cropped Cardigan with Leaf Ties (though I may not include the leaves at the end of the ties) from Stefanie Japel's Fitted Knits. It won't have the same fuzzy look as the one in the book, which is made out of an alpaca/angora blend, but I think it will be very nice for casual wear.

Thinking about sweaters and knitted tops, the Isabella Bird collection from The Territory Ahead has some lovely ones. The Sundial Cable V-Neck rather reminds me of Norah Gaughan designs, though I like hers better.

Back view of Ribwarmer Vest

2007-08-26T09:24:00.000-04:00

As promised, this is the back view of the ribwarmer vest. I like the way the edges come together. It is possible to knit it so that you don't need to seam the back together, but I don't believe you get so much of an indent at the center.

I haven't been in much of a knitting mood lately, so the next project I am making from Stefanie Japel's Fitted Knits (the Textured Tunic) isn't progressing very well.

However, I did finish a stranded headband. I developed the pattern for a class I'll be teaching at The Spinning Room in early September on two-color knitting using two hands. I'll also teach how to weave in the colors so there aren't long floats. The headband is a bit wide, so I changed it to have several fewer rounds.

Today a friend and I are heading out to Colorful Stitches in Lenox again--they keep having great trunk shows. This time they have Norah Gaughn's works from her new Berroco book, Collection Volume One. Also pieces from the new Filatura di Crosa and S. Charles fall/winter collections.

2007-08-21T18:44:00.001-04:00

This is my second try at the Ribwarmer Vest. The first time, I didn't get row gauge, and it was way too long. This time, I decided to be extra careful and worked my way painstakingly through the ribwarmer worksheet in issue #5 of Knitter's Magazine, using my measurements and my gauge. After I'd done all the math, I found I could just use the medium size in the pattern in that issue! And I think it turned out fine. I used Elizabeth's own adaptation for adding a collar, and love how the collar looks. It looked quite odd as I knitted each of the two identical pieces, so I was relieved it ended up ok! I'd like to make more, adding sleeves on one, and doing another in ribbing. The yarn is Knit Picks' Wool of the Andes in color Stream.

This issue of Knitter's, from Fall/Winter 1986, has lots of great information about the pattern, and adaptations. One addresses knitting the back in one piece, but I really like the way the two pieces look when they are seamed together. I'll have to add a picture of the back of the vest. I know the Spun Out issue (#42) devoted to the ribwarmer vest also has lots of variations.

The new Knit Picks catalog is absolutely delicious looking. I love seeing the full skeins of yarn--it gives me a much better sense of what they are like. I called yesterday to find out what color is shown on page 2 of the catalog, bottom row, third from the left. It is fern. I think I'll be ordering some soon! The computer wall paper choices Knit Picks is offering are also wonderful--I have one up at work and another here at home.

Visiting Yarn Stores in NYC

2007-08-18T18:36:00.001-04:00

I was in New York over the last couple of days to present a workshop for librarians at the New York Public Library with a colleague. She was wonderfully patient with my need to visit yarn stores during our free time. We made it to three--Purl in Soho, Seaport Yarn down near the Fulton Street Strand bookstore, and Yarn Connection on Madison Avenue. Purl was a lot smaller than I expected. They have a variety of lovely (but expensive) yarn. I wish I'd waited just a day longer with the order I sent to Flying Fingers for the Blue Sky Alpacas sport weight yarn for the fingerless mitts in the current Interweave Knits issue--I could have picked it up at Purl. Oh well. Flying Fingers's service was fabulous.

Seaport Yarn was quite large and bursting with yarn, but unfortunately it had no air conditioning and it was sweltering inside. I almost bought some Louet Gems Worsted merino yarn (though the label didn't actually say "Gems," everything else seemed to match) in a lovely eggplant color for Stefanie Japel's Cable-Down Raglan in the Spring 2007 IK. But my notes weren't completely clear about the exact amount I needed, and by that time I thought I'd pass out from the heat. So no purchases there, either. Andrea Waller, the owner, is extremely nice.

The Yarn Connection was very close to our hotel, and easy to visit just before we headed for the train station. I hit pay dirt here, getting Donata by Adrienne Vittadini in a lovely purple color for the Textured Tunic in Stefanie Japel's Fitted Knits. This store had a wide variety of yarns, many of which were marked down.

My friend and I had a chance to take the guided tour of the NYPL yesterday afternoon, and it was fascinating. We had a sneak peek at the closed stacks (books arranged by height), saw the pneumatic tubes that are used to send off the requests for books from the reading room to the various levels of the stacks, and peaked into some of the special collections' rooms, including that of the Berg Collection of English and American Literature. One of the treasures pointed out to us was Charles Dickens' desk. I really didn't have a grasp on the riches of the library, or its availability to the public, before I took the tour.

Despite having some knitting time on the train, I didn't get as far as I'd hoped with my Rib Hugger vest. Maybe I can finish the knitting tomorrow, though the seaming may have to wait till later in the week. We're heading off to the Madison-Bouckville Antiques Show, and that will be a full day. I can knit in the car, but I can't seam there!

Altamont Fair Report

2007-08-14T14:06:00.000-04:00

Well, I have to admit the first thing we did today at the Altamont Fair was stop in at the Sheep Barn to see how my entries fared. I was delighted--the blue and white hat won first prize in the open division of the small, wearable items category, and the twined mitts won first prize in the same category, novice division. The felted bag won third prize in the fulled article category, novice division. I saw some lovely vests and sweaters, and a felted bag that reminded me of the colors of watermelon--it looked almost good enough to eat!

I hadn't been to the Fair since I was a kid, and all I could remember was the rides and overeating. My husband had taken his kids there when they were small, but that was decades ago. So most everything seemed new to us. We oohed and aahed in the poultry barn and the rabbit area, petted llamas and sheep and goats in the petting zoo (I think we were the only adults there without children in tow), visited several of the museums on the grounds as well as the old schoolhouse, and generally had a nice time. I passed up my usual favorite, fried dough, for a delicious strawberry shortcake served at the Grange Hall.

Now back to knitting my Elizabeth Zimmermann Rib Hugger vest. The first one I made, some months ago, was way too big for me, because I sadly neglected to notice my row count. I felted it, in the hopes of making it wearable, but it still didn't look right on me. Fortunately, it fit a woman I know from the yarn shop I frequent, The Spinning Room, really well, so it now resides with her. I bought more yarn in a very similar color, this time KnitPicks Wool of the Andes, color Stream, so I hope to have my own vest for September.

Vogue Knitting Trunk Show

2007-08-12T22:56:00.001-04:00

Today a friend and I went to Colorful Stitches in Lenox, MA to see the Vogue Knitting trunk show connected with their 25th anniversary issue. It was fabulous to see (and touch) some of the items in person. I had thought the fantastic neck piece on the cover of the issue would be very stiff, but it was actually wonderfully soft. I had a chance to try on the wrap featured on the Lion Brand cover, and while I liked it on the cover, I wasn't thrilled with the way it looked on me. That's ok--I have far too many other projects waiting. While we bought a couple of nice pattern books (including one for Debbie Bliss Rialto), we didn't find any yarn. Probably just as well, because we then stumbled on a craft fair nearby, and even though it was about to close, we managed to spend a fair amount on earrings (friend) and necklaces (me).

However, that means I am still searching for the yarn to make a couple of the projects in Stefanie Japel's Fitted Knits.

Harrisville, NH

2007-08-10T19:08:00.000-04:00

On the way to the TKGA show in Manchester, NH last month, I made a few yarn-related stops along the way. One was to the Green Mountain Spinnery in Putney, VT, where I bought the yarn I need for their Stars & Bars cardigan. I had no idea the shop part of the building would be so small, but it was filled with wonderful yarn. The woman who helped me, and let me try on their store sample, was incredibly nice and helpful. I also stopped in Harrisville, NH, to go to the Harrisville Designs store there--a much larger space. Though incredibly, I didn't end up buying
any yarn--just some back issues of knitting magazines. The town of Harrisville, several miles off the beaten track, is a fabulous old mill town. I didn't get to see all of it, but took some pictures of buildings.

The TKGA show was wonderful--I can't believe how much I learned. I hope to go again next year, depending on where it is held.

First entries at the fair!

2007-08-04T13:15:00.000-04:00

I haven't been to the local Altamont Fair since I was a kid, but today I stopped by the fairgrounds to drop off three items at the Sheep Barn for their competition. One of the items is a color-stranded hat, so I thought it was fitting that one of the two women processing the items was Deborah Andersen, knitter extraordinaire and the woman who first taught me to do colorwork. Deborah also is a colleague at work, and her background is as a librarian, so how can she not be wonderful?

I believe the judging will be done by the time the fair opens next week, so I'll have to use my free pass and see how I did. I'll also look forward to seeing everyone else's work.

Above is the hat I entered. This item was entered in the open class, so I wouldn't compete with my twined half mitts in the novice class for these small items.

The third thing I entered is a felted entrelac bag.

Right now I am working on the Alexandra Ballerina Top from Stefanie Japel's Fitted Knits. This is the second item I've knit from this book, and both have been a pleasure to work on (though there seem to be a few errors that haven't been caught for the errata page). Folks on the Fitted Knits Along are fabulous, though, about helping. And it is a treat to see what everyone is making.

I am about halfway done with the left sleeve, and still have the right sleeve to do. My goal is to finish by tomorrow night (which means I should be knitting, not blogging!). It also needs to be blocked, so the cables will stand out a bit more. But at the moment, this is what it looks like.

I think the Boatneck Bluebell sweater may be next on my horizon, but after finding Charlene Schurch's More Sensational Knitted Socks at the library last night, a pair of sock might intervene. I find this book even more inspiring than the first. Normally I prefer using worsted weight yarn for socks (pretty much instant gratification), but I have lots of more typical sock yarn around, and perhaps I'll pick one of those patterns. Come to think of it, the worsted weight socks I make for myself come from Deborah Andersen's pattern! I guess I'll start this blog with her, and end my first entry the same way. Thank you, Deborah, for teaching me so much!

This is the hat I made in Deborah's colorwork class last year.