Monthly Archives: November 2012

Silver and Gold…Filigree KAL

Posted on November 30, 2012 | 6 comments

The holidays are fast approaching, so I’m having a Silver and Gold Filigree KAL during December. My Filigree scarf is a quick and easy project using one skein of fingering weight yarn (about 350 yards), perfect for gift knitting, or an accessory for yourself.

(I just finished this one.)

Why silver and gold? I wanted the KAL to be festive for holiday knitting. I was thinking of Filigree, and metal, and suddenly “Silver and Gold” was running through my head. Do you remember this song that Burl Ives sang on the children’s classic “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer?”

Now it’s running through your head, too. You don’t have to knit in silver or gold if you don’t want to; any color will do. Whatever makes you happy.

I asked Adam, KAL master at Twisted, if I could do a Filigree KAL there, and he thought Filigree would be perfect for their Selfless Knitting theme during December. If you want to knit along in person with me, the KAL runs on Friday evenings from 5-8 p.m. at Twisted. I’ll be there tonight just to say hi, but beginning December 7 I’ll be knitting my Filigree there.

I’m using Knitted Wit‘s Shine merino/tencel yarn, color Moon Shadow. Looks like silver to me!

Are you interested in knitting along with Filigree? You can knit along and comment and/or ask questions through the blog, my Facebook page, my Ravelry group, or in person at Twisted. To further entice you, I’m having a sale on the pattern through Ravelry: Use the coupon code silverandgold for $1 off the pattern through December 24. Here’s a direct link for order plus coupon if that’s easier for you.

I’ll have a prize drawing for KAL finishers at the end of December. Come join in the fun! It’s an easy and intuitive knit, and a lovely gift.

6 Comments

Posted in KAL, Knit

Tagged filigree, scarf, silver and gold

Steeking success

Posted on November 27, 2012 | 5 comments

Our steeking class was small but brave. Naomi and Deborah did all their homework, and came to show their knitting just who’s boss. I also knit another Kerfuffle so I could cut right along with them. First, we marked our cutting line. This made it a lot easier to see where to crochet our reinforcement.

Deborah was the first to cut.

It’s always nice to have friends for support on your first steek! I cut next.

And Naomi cut her steek, too.

I brought bubbly, and we toasted our success! We picked up the stitches for the ruffle and headed home. Thanks to Naomi and Deborah, for doing all the homework, and for having faith that this little cutting exercise would work out!

Question for you: Would you rather steek and cut a swatch, or an actual project, like we did on Monday? There’d be homework either way, but a swatch would be a quicker, simpler knit. I’d love to teach a class like this again, and am wondering which way would make it the most enticing.

Onward! I finished my Kerfuffle that night, and blocked it the next day.

The purple scarf is another Filigree, knit with MadelineTosh Pashmina. It’s sport weight, and it’s absolutely yummy. I knit it mostly because I wanted to see if there was enough yarn in a skein to make this, since the other Filigrees are knit with fingering weight. The answer is yes, I had plenty of yarn. And the sport weight version is just a little weightier, which is pretty cozy for winter. I’m not sure if this one is for me, or for a friend. We’ll see!

What’s next on the knitting agenda? I have a few design projects that are due in the next few months, so my home knitting will be focused on that. But for public knitting? I’m planning to knit another Filigree, and you are welcome to join me! I’m planning a knitalong, both through the blog and in person at Twisted during December. It’s a quick knit, one skein, a perfect gift. More details in the next post, after I get things figured out. I hope you’ll knit with me!

5 Comments

Posted in Knit

Tagged kerfuffle, Knit, steek

Ready to steek

Posted on November 23, 2012 | 10 comments

You can get a lot of knitting done while waiting for a turkey to cook on the grill…

The checkerboard section in the center is where I’ll be cutting this piece in class on Monday night at Twisted. There’s still room in the class, if you’re a quick knitter and can get your homework done by Monday evening!

We expected our turkey to be done in 4 hours, but it took 6. Such are the vagaries of using a grill to cook a turkey.

It was worth the wait! Our standard sides: potato/carrot/onion/celery stuffing, Brussels sprouts, baked sweet potatoes and apples, rice stuffing with Chinese sausage/oysters/celery/water chestnuts. The rice stuffing is my addition; my Dad used to make it and my kids love it. The potato stuffing is the classic from DH’s family. Something for everyone!

The only hitch in the weekend is that my in-laws were unable to make it. Dad is recovering from pneumonia. He’s much better, but not ready for travel. It’s the first time in 25 years that we haven’t been together, but we did a little Facetime chat. Thank you, technology!

I hope your Thanksgiving was filled with friends and family and good food. What’s your go-to side dish?

10 Comments

Posted in Knit

Tagged kerfuffle, steek, thanksgiving

Kerfuffle update, and come steek with me!

Posted on November 17, 2012 | 2 comments

I’ve got a couple things going on with my Kerfuffle Cowl and Ruffle Kerfuffle scarf patterns right now. First of all, I’m raising funds for American Red Cross Disaster Relief (Sandy) with 100% of the proceeds from online sales of these two patterns through December 15.

Second, I’m about to cast on for another Ruffle Kerfuffle scarf today. I’m teaching a steeking class right after Thanksgiving weekend at Twisted here in Portland. It’s on Monday, November 26, from 6-8 p.m. We’ll be doing the crochet reinforcement, CUTTING the steek, and picking up the ruffle on the Ruffle Kerfuffle Scarf. Class is $20.

All the knitting is done before class. Yes, it’s a lot of homework, but this gives us time to reinforce and cut. There’s still time to get the homework done; if I can do it, so can you! I was going to do mine on a swatch, but it’s way more fun this way. And I loooove knitting with Malabrigo Worsted.

If you’re local, I’d love it if you join me and be the absolute BOSS of your knitting.

2 Comments

Posted in Knit

Tagged kerfuffle, red cross, ruffle kerfuffle

Go Ducks! Knit Lace!

Posted on November 14, 2012 | 7 comments

That seems like a non-sequitur, but I can explain. I was inspired by two things for my latest design: a picture in a stitch dictionary that looked like duck feet, and some beautiful Hazel Knits Artisan Sock yarn in a glorious color named hoppy blonde. I knew I wanted to make a scarf/shawlette that would fit right in at an Oregon Ducks football game.

I’m not much of a football fan, but DH and I, and our eldest son all went to the University of Oregon, so I’m vaguely paying attention. The Ducks have been having some swell seasons lately. Right now they’re 10-0 this fall.

I started this project on our trip to Europe in September. A tiny setback was that the charted pattern in my stitch dictionary didn’t yield the results in the picture. But I figured it out. I *am* the boss of my knitting.

I love how this turned out. But what if you’re not a Duck fan? You could pretend that they’re just diamonds, not duck feet. Or…you could knit lace. I designed another version for non-Ducks.

This one was knit in Hazel Knits Artisan Sock, Jam Session. I love it, too.

Both versions are included in the pattern. They’re both worn bandana style, so the widest part of this very shallow crescent is at the front, with the tails brought around again. You can wear it loose, or add a stick pin for stability.

Pattern purchase information is here. It’s a quick knit with one skein of sock yarn, and would be great for holiday knitting!

7 Comments

Posted in Knit, pattern design

Tagged filigree scarf, oregon ducks, webfoot scarf

In the wake of Sandy…a fundraiser

Posted on November 13, 2012 | 6 comments

Sandy the Superstorm feels like it was a long time ago given the short life cycle of headline news, but it’s going to take a while to get everything back to normal on the east coast. Two weeks after the storm, there are still people without electricity, heat, and even homes. I just read a great blog post by Mary Mooney of the Oregonian. She details why you shouldn’t knit for Sandy’s victims, at least not directly, if you’re not local to the scene. As knitters we want to help, but the best way to help is with dollars, not items that have to be shipped and managed.

In this spirit, I’d like to offer up Ruffle Kerfuffle. All proceeds from online sales of my Kerfuffle Cowl and Ruffle Kerfuffle Scarves and Cowl patterns from now until December 15, 2012 will be donated to the Red Cross. I’ll pay the Ravelry and paypal fees myself; 100% of the purchase price will go towards disaster relief.

What is a kerfuffle, anyway? According to the dictionary, it’s commotion, disorder, agitation. I think that’s a good description of what happened. I hope things get back to normal there soon.

The cowl pattern is just for the cowl; the Scarves and Cowl pattern includes the cowl and the steeked scarves.

Click here for information on how to purchase the pattern. Knit one for you and one for a friend! Two 100 gram balls of yarn will make two cowls in opposing colorways. And thanks for helping out.

6 Comments

Posted in Knit

Tagged kerfuffle, red cross, sandy

Free and easy…Victoriana bracelet pattern

Posted on November 11, 2012 | 3 comments

My crochet beaded bracelet class didn’t happen Saturday; not enough people signed up for it. I did these at a party last week with my Crafty Moms group, and we had a great time. I’m guessing that this project may be a better bead store offering than a yarn store offering, and that’s ok.

All dressed up and no place to go? I wrote a pattern for the class, but it’s so simple that I’m going to offer it as a freebie. You can download it here. Victoriana

These bracelets are simple and quick, and they make great gifts. The fun is in choosing just the right beads for your project.

I use pre-threaded silk cord, because it’s easier to thread beads with small holes (no doubling the cord back through a needle), but do as you like. The only stitch used is a crocheted chain stitch; we had several non-crocheters at our gathering and they had no problem learning this simple stitch. Gauge is not an issue; you just go until it’s long enough.

Enjoy!

3 Comments

Posted in beading, pattern design, tutorial

Tagged bead, crochet, free, pattern

Knitting, knitting, knitting

Posted on November 7, 2012 | 7 comments

I finished the cowl from the previous post, thanks to Dee in Orlando. I was visiting CollegeGuy and forgot the smaller needle for the ribbing. I didn’t want to take time from our visit to find a yarn store, because we were headed for the beach!

Because of Dee’s kindness in lending me a needle, I finished the first cowl and started the negative image one on the flight home. Details on these in the next post.

On Sunday, I stood in the surf at Cocoa Beach with my boys (young men!) and watched the pelicans diving for fish. So cool! The weather was perfect, 84 and sunny. DH read his kindle. While we were gone, it looks like someone Rumpelstiltskinned my back yard. Here’s the view from my office.