Monthly Archives: October 2015

Introducing: Lobelia Shawl and Shawlette

Posted on October 30, 2015 | 1 comment

Remember the lovely gradient yarns I showed you this summer? Two of them turned into the Lobelia Shawl and Shawlette.

This is the Lobelia shawl in KnitCircus Thrilling, Starry Night. I used a 150g/575 yard skein and loved every inch of it. The continuous gradient shades gently through the lacy lobelia flowers. 150 grams makes a shawl you can really get cozy in.

But what if you only have a standard 100g/400 yard skein? This is the Lobelia shawlette in KnitCircus Greatest of Ease, Come What May, 400 yards. Not quite as big, but very lovely. Perfect when you need a little something.

Not into gradients? Lobelia also looks great in a semi-solid color.

This is the Lobelia shawl knit in Knitted Wit’s Shine in Tugboat, 50/50 Superwash Merino/Tencel.

These shawls begin at the lacy edging. The crescent is shaped with simple short rows. No wrapping at the turns is required. I’ve used this this shaping before, in my Ooh La Lace, Filigree, and Webfoot Shawls. This one is slightly modified from that classic shaping, in order to not run out of yarn before finishing the crescent shaping. I learned a new trick!

This pattern is available for $6 USD. Link to the Ravelry page is here. Pattern is 20% off with coupon code GRADIENT through November 7, 2015.

So, over the summer I knit three versions of this shawl, using 1385 yards. That’s more than 3/4 of a mile! And I have another gradient project in the works…mmmm, gradients!

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Posted in Knit, pattern design, yarn

Tagged gradient, KnitCircus, knitted wit, Lobelia, Lobelia Shawl, shawl

Tilt Shift FO, fashionably ahead of the game

Posted on October 23, 2015 | 1 comment

Fall is in the air, and I’ve been wearing the heck out of my Tilt Shift Wrap. I knit this last spring during the Tilt Shift KAL. It’s just the right weight for a moderately cool/warm fall day. (Great for spring down under, too!) I finally had a chance to have DH take an FO pic, and I love it.

I was shopping at Macy’s recently, when I saw this display.

Ponchos. Lots and lots of ponchos. I’ve never pretended to be remotely fashionable, but apparently I’m spot on and ahead of the curve. Remember last spring I was trying not to use the word “poncho” so I called my Tilt Shift a wrap instead? I’m pretty over that. And now I have two Tilt Shifts at my disposal.

Plus two Summertime Blues…

this one with beads, and a little bird poop stain. A valuable blocking lesson!

There’s one more poncho in my collection, but I can’t show it to you until next spring. I think you’ll like it. I *love* it, but I can’t even wear it in public yet. :sigh:

So for now I’ll wear the ones I have. I love my shawls, but these ponchos stay on my shoulders really well, which is great when I’m teaching. How about you? Are you into the poncho?

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Posted in Knit, pattern design

Tagged poncho, summertime blues, tilt shift wrap, wrap

WIP Wednesday: Edin progress report

Posted on October 21, 2015 | 5 comments

Edin is flying by. The combination of easily memorized knitting and scrumptiously soft yarn means I may have a sweater soon!

I’ve finished the body increases, and have about 2 more inches until it’s as long as I want it. I think. I keep tryiing it on because it feels good.

Eleanor asked me about the cast on that I used at the underarm, if I prefer it to a knitted or cable cast on. Here’s the video again.

The knitted cast on and the cable cast on would both work here, too. The one advantage to this one is that it is definitely knit side out. If I used cable cast on or knitted cast on here, I would have to turn and work from the back of the fabric, and that would put my purl bumps on the RS of the fabric. The bumps would probably be hidden in the underarm pickup, though, so not a big deal? I could also purl cast on, or do the cable cast on purlwise, if I were really that fussy. But the real reason I used this method is that I wanted to try this newish-to-me cast on in real life, and get it off my phone (I need the space) by uploading it to YouTube. Isn’t it cool that there are so many ways in knitting to get something done? As long as you get the result you want, you’re doing it right!

I’m really enjoying this fairly mindless sweater knitting; I’m getting a lot of reading while knitting done, too. I just finished Housekeeping by Marilynne Robinson. I didn’t love it. The writing was beautiful, but the actual story was not compelling. I loved Gilead and Lila, so I was a bit disappointed by this one.

Question for you: I have a shawl pattern ready to publish. Do you shawl knit all year round, or do shawls say “spring” to you? I think it’s great gift knitting, but I’d be curious to know your thoughts…

5 Comments

Posted in Knit

Tagged cast on, Edin, raglan

Cruise control knitting

Posted on October 16, 2015 | 9 comments

I worked on six designs this past summer, and now it’s time for a little (almost) mindless knitting. I had a sweater quantity of Malabrigo Merino Worsted in my stash.

It wasn’t meant to be stashed; I was going to make Lempster when I saw it in Knitty last year. But it never happened. This is why I try not buy yarn until I’m absolutely ready to cast on. The road, the good intentions…you know.

But at knit nite earlier this week I was talking about my Honey Cardigan that I just can’t get the enthusiasm to finish.

I don’t know; is it the bell shaped sleeve that I already know I don’t like? I’m almost done with the first one, and it’s meh. I need to rip the sleeve out and start that part over as something more fitted. But you know how exciting an old project is.

I didn’t want to have to keep my eyes glued to a chart for Lempster, so I went hunting on Ravelry for a sweater at 18 sts/4inches. I’ve cast on for Bonne Marie Burns’ (ChicKnits) Edin. This is a raglan that starts with a provisional cast on at the center neckband. After the neckband is set, stitches are picked up and the raglan shaping begins. I got that far on Tuesday night so I could take this to jury duty on Wednesday morning. This is perfect knitting for me; a little bit of (easily memorized) lace to hold my interest, and lots of stockinette between markers so I can read while I knit.

There’s a lot of hanging out and waiting in the jury pool room, a perfect place to knit. Last night I made it to the point where the sleeves are separated out. What’s your go to cast on for the underarm portion on a raglan? I’ve used the simple backwards loop cast on before, but I hate how it stretches out when you go to work it on the next round. I remembered that I learned a different cast on in a sweater shaping class with Faina Goberstein last winter at Madrona. I was so captivated by it that I did a little video on my iPhone, and it was still there. I’ve uploaded it to YouTube so you can use it, too. You can hear class going on in the background. Sorry, no pretty manicure in this video!

It makes a firmer edge, which I like. It still stretches a bit as you work the first row, but it’s much better.

After separating out the sleeves, it feels like this is going much quicker, and it was already quick! Wish me luck in keeping up this pace. I really want to wear this. I know that this soft single spun yarn will get pilly with wear, but I’ll put up with that because I love it, and I can always use one of those sweater shavers to tidy things up. Do you have a recommendation on those? I have an ancient Sweater Stone, but I’ve never liked it…

9 Comments

Posted in Knit, Uncategorized, yarn

Tagged ChicKnits, Edin, malabrigo, raglan cast on

Stop me before I steek again!

Posted on October 11, 2015 | 1 comment

Oh, too late.

I had knit this snowflake mug rug, but decided that the other pattern was better for a beginning stranded colorwork knitter. Shorter floats and a short repeat. But I really liked it, so I decided to add it to the Bucket List Coffee Accessories pattern as a bonus.

Of course, it needed its own coffee cozy, too. These would make quick and easy holiday gifts. Pattern has been updated in Ravelry. Have fun! And if you’re local and need steeking support, come join me for steeking class, this Saturday and next, at Twisted.

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Posted in classes, Knit, pattern design

Tagged Bucket List, coffee cozy, mug rug, steek

Bucket list knitting: Steeks!

Posted on October 6, 2015 | 11 comments

Is steeking on your knitting bucket list? Say yes!

A steek is a column of extra stitches inserted into your knitting so you can cut them. Why? Because stranded colorwork is so much easier in the round than knit flat. But when you want that circular knitting to be flat, as in a cardigan or a scarf, you need to cut the steek.

It’s not as scary as it sounds, especially if you do it to a small piece of knitting, instead of the cardigan you’ve been knitting for months. To that end, I’ve designed a couple pieces to practice on.

Oh, coffee, I love you so much I knit a sweater for you. And a mug rug.

These are the Bucket List Coffee Accessories. You can use them for your tea, too. I won’t tell anyone. I designed these for a class I’m teaching at Twisted later this month (see end of post for details).

They make sweet gifts, and they’re an opportunity for you to try steeking, even if you can’t come to class. The pattern is available through Ravelry, and it’s on sale for 20% off through October 15 with coupon code EEK. As in steek. Ha!

I wrote a longer tutorial here, in case you like more pictures. Who doesn’t like more pictures?

For this project, I knocked a couple things off *my* bucket list, too. It’s small circular knitting, which I usually do on dpns. I wanted to know how to knit with 2 circulars, and with magic loop. Done. I liked the magic loop. Working with two circulars is like having antennae waving all over the place, too flappy for me. Your mileage may vary.

I’m teaching a steek class with the Bucket List Accessories at Twisted on October 17 and 24 at Twisted. Come join me, and we’ll explore stranded colorwork on dpns, magic loop, and 2 circulars. During the second class we’ll cut these quick pieces with the support of our classmates. There may be bubbly at the end of the second class!

The very first time I saw a steek cut, it wasn’t even colorwork. My cousin and college roomie Kathy had been an AFS exchange student in Norway, and she was knitting a purple sweater in the round. Since it was stockinette, it was all knit, no purl. She steeked the armholes, because that’s how she was taught in Norway. Are you purl averse? Take that idea and run with it!

11 Comments

Posted in classes, Knit, pattern design

Tagged Bucket List, classes, Knit, steek, twisted

Snowy Hat Collection is live!

Posted on October 1, 2015 | 1 comment

I’m pleased to be one of the six designers of the Snowy Hat Collection by Knitted Wit. My contribution is the Snowy Woods Hat.

The pattern is available individually, or in the Snowy Hat Collection e-book, or in the Snowy Hat Collection kit from Knitted Wit (limited time offer).

Photo by Stefan Lombard, http://tuesdayknits.tumblr.com/

The Snowy Hat Collection is a true Portland collaboration. Local hand-dyer Knitted Wit created 6 new snowy-inspired yarn colors, 6 Portland designers created unique and wearable hat patterns inspired by these new colors, and local ceramics company jamPDX created mugs to coordinate with the collection. Kits will be available for a limited time through Knitted Wit starting October 1st, and they include the following:
• one skein either Knitted Wit Worsted OR Targhee Shimmer Worsted in your choice of one of six Snowy colors:
o Cedar – green
o Lump of Coal – dark grey
o Winterberry – red
o Tinsel – light grey
o Snowy Woods – blue
o Frozen – turquoise
• one Ravelry code for download of Ebook, which includes 6 patterns:
o A Salty Salute – Star Athena
o Drifted – Debbi Stone
o Siskiyou – Lee Meredith
o Snowy Peaks – Shannon Squire
o Snowy Woods – Michele Lee Bernstein
o Winter Crocus – Katherine Leek
• one jamPDX Snowy Mug
• three hand-blended teas from Happy Rock Coffee
• 10% of proceeds from the sale of kits through 12/31/15 will go to Raphael House of Portland, a domestic violence agency and emergency shelter.

I designed my hat as a companion piece to my Snowy Woods Cowl, which features additional intertwining cabled trees as well as the fir trees on this Snowy Woods Hat.

Here’s the whole hat collection:

I hope you knit a Snowy hat! I’m especially in love with the crisp texture of the Targhee Shimmer Worsted (80/20 Super Wash Targhee Wool/Silk). Enjoy!

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Posted in Knit, pattern design, yarn

Tagged #kwsnowy, knitted wit, snowy hat collection, snowy woods hat