PDXKnitterati

Upcoming Brioche Pastiche update

Posted on May 31, 2023 | Leave a comment

This is the original Brioche Pastiche (Ravelry link); I designed it to be a quick start introduction to brioche in the round for a 3 hour class back in 2018. It begins with a bit of 2 color brioche rib to learn and get comfortable with the technique. Increases and decreases happen next, to form the leafy pattern.

Last year I added a different crown shaping to the pattern, just for fun.

And now I’m planning to add a cowl to the pattern. This one is pretty short; I’m hedging my bets to make sure that two 100g skeins of worsted weight yarn can make a cowl and hat set. I’m keeping careful track with my handy yarn scale! (Some would call it a kitchen scale, but I know better.)

So I’m re-knitting the hat with the alternate crown, too. I want the pattern to look more cohesive, so I want new pictures for hat and cowl in the same color set, with the same yarn as the original (Malabrigo Worsted). Three color sets and two yarns is too jangly in one pattern.

While I’m at it, I’m making the pattern “choose your own adventure” style. I like offering both hat and cowl in a class, because not everyone wears hats, and not everyone wears cowls, either. Also, in class, a student can choose to complete a project in plain brioche rib, if they’re not ready to tackle increases and decreases. Lots of options! Those options are also good for knitting at home.

That’s a lot of updating! So I’m going to make these all these changes to the pattern, and make it stand alone. It will no longer be part of the Brioche Hat Trick (Ravelry link) collection when the updated pattern is released. If you already purchased Brioche Pastiche (Ravelry link), or the Brioche Hat Trick collection, you’ll get this updated pattern for no additional charge. If you want the updated Brioche Pastiche pattern, buy it now at the current price (pattern or collection), and you’ll get the update without paying the new price.

This pattern will be my teaching pattern on the Vogue Knitting Cruise to Alaska in September. That’s what’s driving this update! We had thought about using Whale Watch Cap and Cowl, but we have some repeat cruisers and wanted to do a different brioche project. We’ll pretend that those leaves are sea kelp, and stay on theme. I’m really looking forward to this cruise; I haven’t been to Alaska since working at a salmon cannery to pay for college.

No salmon roe packing for me this time!

Winning brioche

Posted on May 30, 2023 | Leave a comment

I’m taking a break from my assigned pooling project to knit some brioche. You know I can’t resist.

It feels so good to have brioche in my hands again! I’m knitting new samples for Brioche Pastiche to use in a class; I’ll show you more in the next post. But for now, I just wanted to announce that Martha is the winner of my Next Steps in Brioche: Increases and Decreases class at Virtual Vogue Knitting Live! I’ll email her to let her know.

If you’re not Martha, there is still room in this class for you! It’s on Sunday, June 11 at 2 pm Eastern. Register here!

Win my brioche class at Virtual Vogue Knitting Live

Posted on May 25, 2023 | 6 comments

I’m teaching Next Steps in Brioche: Increases and Decreases for Virtual Vogue Knitting Live on Sunday, June 11, 2 – 4 pm Eastern (11 am Pacific). Vogue is generously letting me give away a seat in this class via my social media channels.

Deep End Hat and Cowl, and Madrona Cowl in lower right corner

In this class you’ll learn how to knit brioche increases and decreases that create the lovely patterning in two color brioche. We’ll also talk about fixing mistakes and reading a chart. Prerequisite for the class is knowing how to work two color brioche in the round. To enter to win a seat in this class, leave a comment on this post telling me what you want to knit with these increases and decreases. For an extra chance to win, leave a comment on my Instagram post for this giveaway. Contest closes at 11:59 pm Pacific on Monday May 29, and I’ll let the winner know on Tuesday, May 30.

I’ve taught a lot of knitters to knit two color brioche with my Petite Brioche class and pattern. If you don’t know how yet, sign up for my Zoom class via For Yarn’s Sake! The class is on June 3 at 10:30 am Pacific (1:30 pm Eastern). Learning from this class or from my free Petite Brioche pattern on your own will have you ready to learn increases and decreases.

Big thanks to Julie Rosvall (@julierosvall on Instagram) for letting me use her giveaway graphic! She’s teaching at Virtual VKL too, and I’m looking forward to taking her First Impressions: Print Making with Knitting class on Saturday June 10 at 10 am Eastern (7 am Pacific, oy!). Luckily, Vogue is recording our workshops during the June event, so I can replay it if I need a reminder from this early (to me) morning class.

Here’s a description of Julie’s class: Join textile artist and printmaker Julie Rosvall for a hands-on textile printmaking workshop. Julie will share how she went from knitter to printmaker, and why she loves capturing the pattern and texture of knitted shawls and swatches on paper. Participants will have the chance to try textile relief printmaking in a simple hands-on process, no experience necessary. Julie will provide information in advance for preparing textiles to print, or if you’d like to use stencils or other materials to mimic the textiles she will provide alternatives that can be picked up at your local dollar store or craft supply store.

You know I’ve been playing with block printing. Printing from knit fabric swatches will be next level fun!

6 Comments

Posted in classes, giveaways, Knit, Other craftiness

Tagged Brioche knitting, Virtual Knitting Live, Virtual VKL, Virtual VKL class giveaway

Weekend in Buffalo NY

Posted on May 23, 2023 | 4 comments

I had the great pleasure of teaching for the Knitting Guild of Greater Buffalo this weekend. We had a day of brioche, and then we explored elongated novelty stitches (some of which are also great for assigned pooling) and designing with favorite shawl shapes. So much fun!

I usually choose my airplane seat by whether there might be a view of Mt. Hood. It only matters during daylight, and it was a very pretty morning. (No view? Aisle seat please.)

Maureen was the perfect hostess/tour guide/organizing whiz. I met her (and Sharon, the other half of the organizing duo) at Madrona years ago. She took my entrelac and Syncopation classes and knew we’d have a good seminar weekend! My one non-knitting wish was to see Niagara Falls. We went over to the Canadian side for a better view.

Niagara Falls, American and Canadian, on the Niagara River

The water is a pretty green from dissolved minerals.

American Falls and Bridal Veil Falls (the smaller one to the right)

Looking across the ring of Horseshoe Falls

I think the Canadian falls are prettier than the American falls, but I’m not trying to create an international incident!

I didn’t think to take class pix until the last class, which was on shawl shapes. It’s a pretty relaxed class, and you have a bunch of mini-shawls when you’re done. Vince says he’s going to string his on a cord and hang them like a garland on his mantel. After blocking and weaving in ends, of course! Blocking is magic for shawls.

When in Buffalo, one must have Buffalo wings!

Thank you to the Greater Buffalo Knitting Guild for having me! I love teaching for guilds. If you want me to come teach for yours, let me know…

Now I’m home trapped under these cats!

4 Comments

Posted in classes, travel

Tagged Buffalo NY, classes, Niagara Falls, shawl shapes

Re-introducing: Brioche Knit Love!

Posted on May 17, 2023 | 1 comment

It’s back! I’ve just re-published my book, Brioche Knit Love, through Kindle Direct Publishing (Amazon’s print on demand service). You can order your copy here.

Brioche Knit Love is also available as an ebook. Some of you have asked me for an ebook version, and here it is! You can view it on the Kindle app for phones, tablets, computers, and on the Kindle Fire tablet. It’s a print replica (works like a pdf), so it’s not for the Kindle e-reader. Here’s the ebook link.

The book is also available in other countries through other Amazon marketplaces, like amazon.uk. Search for it if you aren’t in the US.

If you’ve previously purchased Brioche Knit Love and enjoyed it, I’d love it if you’d leave a review on the Amazon page.

I’m really pleased to be able to offer this book again. It’s been a long journey figuring out how to make it happen, and I’ve learned all sorts of things along the way. Many many thanks to Carlee Wright, the designer of the original book, for working with me to get everything formatted to republish.

And I’m so glad that I don’t have to warehouse books and ship them out. I’d rather be knitting and designing and teaching.

Now I can get back to my knitting…on a plane! I’m headed to Buffalo, NY to teach for the guild this weekend. Happy spring!

1 Comment

Posted in my book project

Tagged Brioche Knit Love, brioche knit love book

Wildflower hike

Posted on May 12, 2023 | 4 comments

It’s wildflower season on the other side of the Cascade Mountains. The balsamroot and lupines are at peak bloom, a little late this year after a colder than usual spring.

The kids and I went to hike the Mosier Plateau Trail, and it did not disappoint. (Mosier is a small town in the Columbia River Gorge, on the other side of the Cascade Mountains just past Hood River. That’s the dry side of the mountains; we live on the wet side.)

There’s even a waterfall, Mosier Creek Falls, along the way. It’s just 3.5 miles, which is about what I like.

So nice to be out on a gorgeous day!

I’m adding a few pictures from May 2019 when I hiked with friends across the river at Catherine Creek. I went looking for them, and found that I never posted them.

4 Comments

Posted in Portland area fun

Tagged hiking, Mosier Plateau, wildflowers

WWKIP 2023

Posted on May 11, 2023 | 2 comments

WWKIP is World Wide Knit in Public Day! Will you be knitting with maximum visibility?

I’ve been participating in Knit Picks’ WWKIP festivities since 2017. They stopped in 2020 (hello pandemic) but are starting up again this year. Their events always have raffle prizes, free yarn, free books…and snacks!

This year’s event will be on June 10, from noon to 3 pm. The venue has both indoor and outdoor possibilities, so we’re covered in case of rain! Here’s a link to their post.

See you there, local-ish peeps?

2 Comments

Posted in events, Knit, Portland area fun

Tagged WWKIP Day

Classes! Virtual VKLive in June, and more

Posted on May 11, 2023 | Leave a comment

Just added to the calendar: Petite Brioche and Next Steps in Brioche: Increases and Decreases! New this time: Classes will be recorded and you’ll have access for 2 weeks after the event. You can preview the class offerings now, here.

Where else am I teaching this summer/fall?

Petite Brioche (beginning 2 color brioche in the round), Zoom class via For Yarn’s Sake, June 3, 10:30 am

Starfall Assigned Pooling Cowl, Zoom class via For Yarn’s Sake, June 4, 1:30 pm

Brioche workshops at Sitka Center (Oregon Coast) July 15-16

Nautical Knitting cruise on Zodiac Schooner, July 31-Aug. 2

Vogue Knitting Cruise to Alaska, Sept. 2-9

Oregon Flock and Fiber Festival, Oct. 13-15 (website not up yet…)

Planning ahead…come knit with me!

Introducing Starfall

Posted on May 8, 2023 | 2 comments

Starfall is a fingering weight bandana cowl featuring a cascade of assigned pooling stars on a stockinette stitch background. Knitting begins in the round at the neck with a reverse stockinette rolled edge. Simple shaping at the center front creates the look of a triangle shawl, and Old Shale Lace adds a beautiful, scalloped edging.

Choose a yarn that is dyed for assigned pooling, with an accent color run of about 8 – 10” long. Hand-dyed yarns vary, and the pooling color length can vary from skein to skein! You may have a longer pooling color run, which you can address by having color streaming on each side of your stars. Suggestions are given in the pattern for managing your color.

Blocking is magic! You’ll want to wet block this piece to make it the star of your dreams. Pattern includes a blocking tutorial.

The pattern is now available from Ravelry, link here.

And also from Payhip, link here.

Use coupon code METEOR for 15% off through May 15. If you’re taking my Zoom class through For Yarn’s Sake on June 4, the pattern is already included in your class fee; don’t buy it twice!

Thanks to tech editor Jen Lucas, test knitters Carmen Adkins, Peggy Baker, Ann Berg, Shelly Dinh, Angela Gronewold, Desta Packan, Jamie Waclawik, and model Sharon Hsu. It takes a village and we had fun!

2 Comments

Posted in Knit, pattern design

Tagged assigned color pooling, assigned pooling, starfall cowl

Almost there! So close…

Posted on May 8, 2023 | 4 comments

I’ll be re-publishing Brioche Knit Love through Kindle Direct Publishing (Amazon). This way makes the most sense for me. The prospect of ordering 750 – 1000 copies, warehousing them, and being the distributor for them was overwhelming.

I uploaded my files, and we’re soooo close! The cover needs a little adjustment (it’s riding high; that white stripe at the bottom doesn’t belong there).

That’s especially true on the back, where our heads are floating out of the frame. But it’s all been sorted, and I just ordered a final proof copy to make sure everything looks right. Soon!

I’m not quite as far along on the e-book. I uploaded a file for that, and it’s not doing what I want. We’re working on it…

4 Comments

Posted in Knit, my book project

Tagged Brioche Knit Love, brioche knit love book