Category Archives: Knit

3KCBWDAY2–Photography Challenge

Posted on April 24, 2012 | 14 comments

There’s a story here. I’ll tell you about it on Saturday. I promise.

Gotta run!

14 Comments

Posted in Blogging, Knit

Tagged 3KCBWDay2

Color me…blue

Posted on April 23, 2012 | 12 comments

No, I’m perfectly happy. But quick, close your eyes. What color do you think of when you think of me? I’m guessing it’s blue. Look at my blog header. Look at my featured patterns on the sidebar. I think you can see that blue is one of my favorite colors. Here are projects that I wear all the time. It’s a theme!

There are more, but I think you’ve got the idea. My other favorites are red and purple, which is just red plus blue.

I love knitting with hand-dyed semi-solid yarns; contrasty variegated yarns where I don’t control the colors and where they land give me the willies. The exception to this is the lovely long color change yarns that work so well with entrelac. And because the dyer has already chosen a color palette that works, I don’t have to be afraid of clashing combinations!

Notice a preponderance of blue/purple? I’m a creature of habit! What colors make your heart go pitty-pat? Do you like a monochromatic theme, or are you great at combining color? Combos are not my forte; it’s all trial and error. Someday…

Happy Knit and Crochet Blog Week! Today’s theme is…color! 3KCBWDAY1

12 Comments

Posted in Knit

Tagged 3kcbwday1, color

Paying it forward, and other bloggy fun

Posted on April 20, 2012 | 9 comments

I’m a fan of the blog Eskimimi Makes; she’s always creating something fun. Now she’s participating in a creative “pay it forward” project, and I am, too. Here’s the scoop, as slurped from her blog:

1. I will send a surprise gift to the first three commenters on this post. The gift will be handmade by me. It will be sent sometime in the next 365 days. It will be a surprise. We all love getting surprises in the mail, right?

2. To sign up and receive a gift, you must play along, too. Pay it Forward on your blog, by promising to make a surprise for the first three people who comment on the post.

3. You must have a blog (that is updated, as I will blog stalk you to find the right gift for you).

4. After commenting here, you must repost this or something similar to your blog in 48 hours. If not, I will chose the next person who comments…

Sound like fun? Want to play? If you would like to receive a little handmade gift from me at some point in the next 365 days and agree to take part on your own blog and pay it forward, then leave your details below. If you’re one of the first three respondents, you’re in! If you’re not in the first three, pop over to the blogs of the first three respondents here (remember, there are 48 hours after your comment appearing here for you to post the Pay It Forward on your own blog, otherwise I will move on to the next person). I’m happy to accept respondents worldwide, too.

Let’s do it!

What else is going on this week? It’s been a numbers heavy week. Taxes at the beginning (and they weren’t quite right the first time, so back to the accountant for a swap), and then tech editing for someone mid-week. Lots of numbers there, because the stitches have to add up, and the garment has to match the schematic! This is the only kind of math I like.

Here’s what I’m knitting this week. Can you guess what it is?

Well, yes, it looks like a hat, and it would actually be a good one, because the stranded fabric is nice and dense and would keep the wind out. But it’s not a hat. It’s my homework for a class I’m taking on Sunday at Columbia Gorge Fiber Festival. The class is Eeek! Steeks! with Mary Scott Huff. I’m going to be cutting this knitting up…on purpose. I’m looking forward to it! There’s still room in the class if you want to come, too. Check out the Columbia Gorge Fiber Festival website for more info. Not up for class? Come out for the market this weekend!

Also, do you see the little blurry picture on the laptop screen behind the knitting homework? It’s for the third annual Knit and Crochet Blog Week, which begins April 23. Do you want to play along? You’ll find the topics listed on this page. These links are all for Eskimimi Makes, so it’s a very Eskimimi post today!

9 Comments

Posted in Blogging, Knit

Tagged columbia gorge fiber festival, pay it forward, steek

Pointer!

Posted on April 12, 2012 | 4 comments

The first {Among Friends} club shipment has gone out, and now I can show you what I’ve been working on. If you’re waiting for your shipment and don’t want to see, come back later.

This is Pointer, a fingerless mitts and hat set worked in DK weight yarn.

The design began with the mitts. I knew I wanted to use this sweet loop stitch that I learned in Gayle Roehm’s “Designing with Japanese Stitch Dictionaries” class at Sock Summit. But straightforward columns of loop stitch would be boring, so I graduated the columns to echo the fingers on a pointing hand. I tried a couple different thumb treatments, and this is the one I liked best.

I still had a lot of yarn left after the mitts were done, so I decided to add a hat. I’ve been eyeing berets for a while; it seems like they’re more wearable than other hat styles for me. I don’t like to hide all my hair; it makes me look like an egg! Berets solve this problem by sitting back a bit.

Isn’t it amazing what a good blocking will do? Here are two berets, one before and one after blocking.

For those of you who like a more traditional hat, that option is here, too. I love the loop stitch, so I featured it on the hat band as well as the body of the hat.

I’m really pleased with this pattern, and pleased to be the designer for the launching of the {Among Friends} Yarn and Fiber Club. This club is the collaboration project of Lorajean Kelley (Knitted Wit) and Brooke Sinnes (Sincere Sheep). You can find more information on the pattern on the Pointer Mitts and Hats pattern page. Thank you to my friend Bobbi for modeling!

In the excitement of the launch, I forgot that I had signed up for the club, too. My package came yesterday. Brooke is the dyer for the first club shipment. Her DK weight yarn, Luminous, is 85% Polwarth Wool, 15% Tussah Silk. The color this month is Damson Plum, and it is luscious.

Because I signed up early for the club, there was a special treat included. These stitch markers are lovely!

And clearly, I already have the pattern for this month. I’m currently finishing a pair of mitts in Orchid to match the beanie hat. I have my Azulite and Beaujolais beret and mitts sets in Lorajean’s DK already (same yarn base). What should I knit with Brooke’s yarn? I’m not sure I need another set, but I do love knitting with this yarn base!

4 Comments

Posted in Knit, pattern design

Tagged Among Friends, knitted wit, Pointer, Pointer Mitts, Sincere Sheep

I meant to do that…

Posted on March 31, 2012 | 12 comments

I finished knitting String Theory, and then the fun began. This is what it looked like after binding off. You have to drop some of the stitches in the purl section before you can continue binding off the next knit section. The purl section grows in width when the stitches are dropped, and you need to know how wide that section will be while binding off.

You can also see how much yarn I left unknit. I wouldn’t get much more height from it, so I just stopped knitting. Here are a few purl sections completely dropped. The piece kept getting wider and wider (which translates to longer and longer as a scarf).

I love how this looks. Since the knit sections are stockinette, they tend to curl on themselves, leaving the back side as the public side. It’s all good; that side is pretty, too.

It seems a shame to purl all those stitches, just to get rid of them at the end, but the results are worth it.

(‘scuse the myspace style photo)

I’m wearing this triple-looped around my neck. The finished length is 90 inches after wet-blocking. I think I would have liked this a little shorter and a bit wider (fewer stitches cast on, more rounds knit), but it’s pretty hard to know how long it’s going to be before dropping all those stitches. The purl sections were only 2 stitches wider than the knit sections, but what a difference after the drop!

You really want a smooth yarn for this project, because dropping stitches in hairy yarn would be really frustrating. This Malabrigo Arroyo is very smooth, so it was perfect for this project. I could have made it wider with another skein of yarn, but I’m not sure I could have endured knitting any more.

I’m really happy with this project. A little boring to knit, but good TV/travel knitting, after I figured out the appropriate sized needles. (That was totally my error.)

Now I want to knit a million other things!

12 Comments

Posted in Knit

Tagged string theory

Endless…

Posted on March 28, 2012 | 5 comments

I’m knitting away at my String Theory. It feels endless. This is great TV knitting, but I don’t watch enough TV to get a lot done. I could probably stop now, but what would I do with the leftovers? We’ll see who wins: the bored me or the thrifty me.

It doesn’t look very exciting yet. The fun will be in the finishing. I can’t wait to get to that part, so the bored me may win out and stop soon. I wish I had taken this project for car knitting last Sunday.

My friend V invited me to go cross-country skiing at Teacup Lake on Mount Hood (or Wy’East, as it was named by the Multnomah tribe). I hadn’t been skiing in about 25 years, since before we moved to New York and back. I do still have my same 30 year old equipment. I’m happy to say it’s all still quite serviceable, although a bit antiquated. Remember 3 pin rat-trap bindings? Got ’em!

It turned out to be a gorgeous day, with none of the forecasted snow or rain. The sun even came out for a while.

I saw a hill that backcountry skiers had been on. The telemark lines look like knitting cables…

It was very nice to get out for the day.

(Mount Hood in the rearview mirror)

How was your weekend?

5 Comments

Posted in Knit, travel

Tagged mount hood, skiing, string theory, wy'east

Playing “Beat The Clock?”

Posted on March 22, 2012 | 8 comments

Or maybe it’s a case of March Madness. I’ve been knitting away on my Leif Slipover, wondering if I can finish before it’s too warm out. This morning the weather is suckering me into thinking there’s time.

I’ve finished the left front, and even slipped it on to check shoulder height. It’s OK on, but it may be just too bulky for me. I’m having “meh” feelings. It will take at least a week for me to finish, and I’m not sure I want to invest the time right now.

Should I set it aside for fall?

I ripped out the String Theory on size 3 needles, and started again with a US 5. Now it’s just flying along. Sometimes ripping is just the right thing! This doesn’t look like much right now; the fun is in the finishing. I’ll keep you posted; I’m looking forward to the finished product.

What else? I’m looking forward to the launch of Among Friends, a pattern and fiber club that begins in April. I’m the designer for April! And I can assure you that the design is stellar, fun to knit but not overly challenging or overly repetitive. There’s still time to sign up; the club closes on March 25. See details here. Come join the fun!

And now for the fun: I’ve picked the winner for my blog anniversary giveaway. Congratulations to Linda Gaylord! I’ve emailed her and will be sending her the yarn and VK Socks book.

What’s on your needles, winter or spring?

8 Comments

Posted in Knit

Tagged Among Friends, anniversary, Knit, string theory

Back in the saddle, again…

Posted on March 17, 2012 | 35 comments

It’s taken a while for me to feel like I’m back in my own world. Part of me is still here…

I’m finally knitting again. My knitting mojo went awol while I was in Nicaragua. I think I knit six stitches on String Theory while I was away.

I wasn’t really happy with it, and I think I’ve figured out why. I’ve been knitting away at this since I got home.

See all those needles? I’ve been knitting on what I thought were US size 5, but apparently they’re size 3. (A case of “need to start something mindless to take to knit nite. Haste makes waste!) I’m about to rip it all out and start over on a 5. Grrrrr. Completely my fault. At least I didn’t spend a lot of time on it in Nicaragua!

I also found some knitting mojo in my knitting basket this week.

Just in time! I’d like to finish this Leif slipover soon so I can wear it before it gets too warm. I wish I’d looked at Ravelry before starting this project, but I was rushing to take something to take to Crafty Mom weekend last month. Ravelry’s reviews of the patterns haven’t been stellar. Yes, they’re very confusing, but at least the charts are good. I’ve finished the waist and am on to the upper body charts…if I can figure out what happens next in the pattern. If these two projects aren’t cases of look before you leap, I don’t know what is.

I taught Thrill of the Thrum Thursday night at Twisted, and we have six new thrummers in Knit-land! They all opted for Thrumbelina as their project (the other option was Thrumster), and they are looking good. I’m teaching this class next Saturday at Stash in Corvallis (still a couple spots open) and at Wool ‘N Wares in West Linn on the 31st. Come get your thrum on! I’ve started a Thrumbelina as a sample for trunk shows; I don’t have enough yarn to make a pair, but it will be easier on the eyes than my original screaming orange and blue prototype (which has its own charms, for sure. Let’s Go Mets!).

And! Today is the fourth anniversary of my blog, so I’m having a little giveaway. Leave a comment below to play! The winner will receive this Vogue Knitting Socks book, and a skein of merino sock yarn, hand dyed by Larissa Brown, colorway Jules Verne.

Larissa dyed it for Abundant Yarn back in the day, and it’s waited long enough to meet its destiny! (Still not a sock knitter…but maybe you are.) Contest closes on Tuesday night at midnight.

And happy St. Patrick’s Day. This science geeky video will have you celebrating!

35 Comments

Posted in Knit

Tagged anniversary, contest, Leif Slipover, string theory, thrums

A three-peat, and current projects

Posted on February 24, 2012 | 8 comments

What kind of knitter are you? Do you love the thrill of the new idea, technique, or project? Or do you find yourself revisiting favorite designs, over and over again? I’ve just finished knitting three versions of the same thing, as part of a design project. I can’t show you yet, but it’s really cute. I didn’t mind the repeats, because it’s a fairly mindless knit, good for multi-tasking or on-the-go knitting. (I’ll admit to watching a lot of Downton Abbey with this project!)

My other project is the Leif Slipover, and I’ll only be doing this once! I love the look of this, but I don’t like having to keep charts with me. I’d rather that my knitting be more intuitive. This isn’t a take-along project, for sure; I can only work on it at home! I’m up to the point where the previously flat knitting of the bottom portion has been joined in the round for the waist.

And since I need a carry-along project, I’ve started Vivian Aubrey’s String Theory. Go look at the rav link; it’s gorgeous! The yarn is what makes this, so choose a very special skein of something smooth and wonderful. I’m using Malabrigo Arroyo.

I have a big project coming up, so I”m going offline for a bit. I’ll catch you on the flip-flop! Oh, don’t forget, my Thrumbelina pattern is on sale through the end of this month…

8 Comments

Posted in Knit

Tagged Arroyo, Knit

Wool ‘N Wares

Posted on February 23, 2012 | 2 comments

Last week I went to Wool ‘N Wares in West Linn to visit with owners Karen Schellinkhout and Vickee Cosentino. I needed to deliver a pattern order, and since I’d never been there, I thought it would more fun to deliver them in person. The shop is cute, brightly lit and well-stocked.

I discovered that Vickee and Karen have a great love for entrelac, as I do. Here they are with the Lady Eleanor wrap. I also saw an entrelac cowl, and further conversation revealed that it was Athena. Someone had given Karen the Athena pattern, and that’s how she learned entrelac! I’m so tickled to be an entrelac evangelist. I love cool techniques.

Speaking of cool techniques, I’ll be teaching The Thrill of the Thrum at Wool ‘N Wares on March 31. If this is your LYS, come on over and you too can be enthralled. You’ll want to register early so you can get your homework done. We want to spend less time casting on, and more time thrumming!

And for those of you who read to the bottom: The winner of the Interweave Knits winter issue and the sunny orange Malabrigo worsted yarn is Debbie, the 22nd commenter. Congratulations! I’ll be contacting you for your address. Thanks for playing along, everyone!

2 Comments

Posted in Knit

Tagged entrelac, Knit, thrums, wool 'n wares