Lovenote Sweater update

Posted on March 23, 2020 | 11 comments

While you’re busy choosing yarn for the MinervaKAL2020, I thought I’d show you where I am with my Love Note sweater. I had put it on hold while I finished my Noro Minerva sample, but now I have time to get back to it.

I love the better lace definition on US 9 needles, and I’ve gone back to US 10 for the body because I like the floaty quality of the stockinette that way. Yes, I did knit stockinette on the 9 for an inch or so, and didn’t like the way it felt, so there was a little more frogging.

I still don’t really know what my gauge is, but I put it on 2 circulars and tried it on, and it is a much better size than the first one! I know, do as I say, not as I do as far as gauge swatching for sweaters goes. As long as you’re willing to live with the consequences, you can do whatever you want! You could say that my first two attempts at this sweater were giant gauge swatches, themselves.

The first time I tried to get an update picture, Calvin wanted to help. There’s not enough contrast between rug and sweater, but I love this picture anyway. It was his one year anniversary with us, and he has been very charming since day one.

It’s a rainy day here, after a stretch of glorious sunshine. Today’s to do list:

  • Learn how to use Instagram Stories (don’t laugh; I’ve been resisting
  • Learn how to use Zoom on my laptop (for singing and knitting?)
  • Try sewing some masks using this tutorial (haven’t used my sewing machine in a long time, hope it’s in good form!)

What are you doing during this time of social distancing? Let’s flatten that curve!

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Posted in cat, KAL, Knit

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Minerva KAL: Choosing your yarn

Posted on March 22, 2020 | 10 comments

Let’s talk about yarn. For the Minerva samples shown here, we’ve used worsted weight yarns with a long slow color change. The colors are constantly shifting, but not as quickly as in a variegated yarn. The show color shift makes each block look like a separate color. But the yarn has done all the work; you don’t have a million ends to sew in. (Side note: Today is Calvin’s Gotcha Day anniversary; he’s been part of our family for one year. He’s a love bug!)

These two cowls are knit with Knit Picks Chroma Worsted. Chroma is a mirrored gradient, so the color change in one direction, and then back, around a central color.

This cowl is knit with Noro Silk Garden, a worsted to Aran weight yarn. Noro yarns have delightful color changes. Other options are Berroco Millefiori, Cascade Melilla, and Plymouth Gina.

If you don’t mind sewing in more ends, you could choose two or more colors, and knit each tier in stripes of color. You could even knit an entrelac rainbow! But you’d have a lot of ends to sew in.

For the KAL, I’m planning to knit with a slightly lighter weight yarn, Huckleberry Knits American Dream DK in the Practical Tactical Brilliance colorway. This is the same colorway I used for my Aspen scarf, and I love how it transitions in a continuous rainbow. I won’t get individually colored squares, but I’m hoping for a shimmering rainbow progression. We shall see! The DK yarn will give me a slightly narrower cowl (my worsted version is 8” wide) but I’ll be perfectly happy with that.

What yarn are you choosing for your Minerva? Cowl or scarf? See pattern for yardage information. You can find the Minerva pattern here on Ravelry.

Next up: cast ons!

Edited to add:
All Minerva KAL 2020 posts:
Introducing Minerva Entrelac Cowl/Scarf and KAL
Minerva KAL: Choosing your yarn
Minerva KAL: Casting On
Minerva KAL: Base Triangles
Minerva KAL: Tier 2
Minerva KAL: Finishing Tier 2

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Introducing: Minerva Entrelac Cowl/Scarf and KAL

Posted on March 20, 2020 | 16 comments

Minerva is an entrelac cowl or scarf, knit flat. She’s a twist on my Athena Cowl, which is knit in the round. You can choose your pricing; see below.

Why knit a round cowl flat? To learn all the elements you need to know for any entrelac project, and to avoid a huge game of yarn chicken on a long scarf or loop cowl knit lengthwise! Entrelac looks like it’s woven, but it’s just a lot of squares and triangles, knit one at a time. You’ll want to knit just one more square…

Knit to the length you like! Samples shown in worsted weight yarn, but I’ll be knitting one in Huckleberry Knits American Dream DK for a KAL.

Short cowls, steam or wet blocked

100g/200 yards will give you a short cowl.

Noro Silk Garden, 115 g (2.3 balls)

I used 115g of Noro Silk Garden for the longer cowl. 200g/400 yards of Noro will give you a 60″ scarf or cowl.

Test knitter Paula Sadler’s Minerva Scarf, 4 balls of Noro Silk Garden

I’m planning a KAL during this time of social distancing due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Come knit with me at a distance! I’ll be posting the updates here on my blog. I’ll also be posting pictures on social media; I’m @pdxknitterati on Instagram, and PDXKnitterati on Facebook. Use #minervakal2020 and #pdxknitterati on Instagram. I’ll help you through the tricky spots!

The Minerva pattern is available through Ravelry Minerva Entrelac Cowl or Scarf (Ravelry link).

Let me know if you’d like to learn entrelac with me. I’ll post soon about choosing yarn and getting started.

Thanks to tech editor Meaghan Schmaltz, and test knitters Kristine Alcade, Ann Berg, Anne Fields, and Paula Sadler.

Edited to add:

All Minerva KAL 2020 posts:
Introducing Minerva Entrelac Cowl/Scarf and KAL
Minerva KAL: Choosing your yarn
Minerva KAL: Casting On
Minerva KAL: Base Triangles
Minerva KAL: Tier 2
Minerva KAL: Finishing Tier 2

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Posted in KAL, Knit, pattern design

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Minerva and KAL coming soon!

Posted on March 19, 2020 | 3 comments

I’ve decided that this version of my upcoming Minerva Cowl is as long as I want it to be! I like my cowls to be about 34” long; they fall well on me there. Right now this is 35”, but I couldn’t resist that last color I was knitting. I’m ready to give it a little steam block, and then seam it with a 3 needle bind off. I started with a provisional cast on, so that will be easy.

I know there’s not enough yarn to get to 56”, which is what I’d want for a double loop cowl, so I’m stopping now!

I’ll be releasing this pattern soon, with free and paid options, and having a virtual KAL via social media. Would you like to learn entrelac? It’s really fun, and looks really clever. Stay tuned for more info!

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Posted in KAL, Knit, pattern design, yarn

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A socially distant yet fond farewell to Twisted

Posted on March 18, 2020 | 7 comments

Twisted, my closest LYS, is closing their brick and mortar store. Emily had planned to close at the end of March, and I had one last set of classes scheduled, but the COVID-19 situation means it’s time to shut it down now.

I’m really sad that we won’t have one last party or way to say goodbye in person, but it’s the responsible thing to do. Emily will still have an online shop, too.

Soon after Twisted opened, Emily and Shannon invited me to teach for them, and also to design for some of their clubs. This was my first teaching opportunity, and it changed my life. I love what I do, and it all started in this shop. I’m eternally grateful.

This is such a strange time, with COVID-19 and social distancing. DH and I are both working from home, and the kitties seem to like having us around.

I’m trying to be more mindful about keeping in touch with friends and family, especially those who live alone. And we’ve donated to the local food banks and local Backpack Lunch program (weekend lunches for at risk kids) to try to help make sure that people in need have food.

We’re all in this together, and if we can slow down the spread of this virus, we’ll all be better off. Flatten the curve!

I’m almost done with Minerva; would you like to learn entrelac with me, at a distance?

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Did you ever wonder, brioche selvedges edition

Posted on March 17, 2020 | 8 comments

I was wondering about the different ways knitters deal with the edges of flat brioche knitting. Two color, because that’s what I dream about, always.

When I first learned to knit brioche flat, I learned it with a garter stitch selvedge edge. I didn’t like it, because it made horizontal stripes next to the vertically oriented brioche.

Then I went to Nancy Marchant’s book Knitting Brioche, and there was an option for a one stitch selvedge edge, and this is how I’ve been doing it, mostly. There’s a little dance of yarn at the stitch before the first and after the last CC stitch on the CC color rows, after/before slipping the MC stitch at each end.

I took another class, and the teacher said to just leave that next to last stitch yarn where it was, no dancing yarn. It seemed to work fine, too.

So why the dance? I have some time on my hands (#socialdistancing), so I decided to find out.

Can you see a difference between the stitches in the red circle (yes dance) and the stitches in the blue circle (no dance)?

Here’s a video so you can see it all in action.

Still teaching, even though I’ve canceled all my classes for the time being! Just doing it from a distance.

Have fun!

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More cancellations and more knitting

Posted on March 15, 2020 | 4 comments

The world seems a bit crazy right now; COVID-19 and social distancing, and SNOW in Portland this weekend!

I just found out this morning that April’s Yarnover in Minnesota is canceled. VKLive Seattle was postponed from this weekend, with no new date yet. I’m very sorry that these events aren’t happening, but staying healthy and safe is more important. For me and other teachers, this means losing a significant amount of teaching income. I know the stakes are even higher for the organizers of these events, and for the vendors who invest in creating product to sell at these events. These costs have already been incurred. If you can be supportive of these small businesses, please do.

I canceled the local classes that I was going to have at the church yesterday. Worship services have been canceled for the next two weeks, and it didn’t feel right to carry on with my classes. We’ll try again later.

I was planning to go on the Lantern Moon retreat in Ashland next week, but that’s been canceled, too. No gatherings of more than 250 people in Oregon, so plays and concerts are NOT happening. All public schools in Oregon are closed until April 1, and our county libraries are closed, too. Definitely time to be home and knit.

I’m currently knitting a Noro version of my upcoming Minerva cowl. This is an in-between size; I’m using 3 50gm balls of Noro to make a 32-34” cowl, which is my current favorite length.

I’m still planning to knit a DK weight cowl with a Huckleberry Knits DK Gradient, but the Vivace I bought at yarn crawl doesn’t have a quick enough color shift. Scarlet is dyeing more DK in Practical Tactical Brilliance, the same colors in my Aspen Leaf scarf. I think the extra colors in that gradient will make a stunning statement! I’m saving the Vivace for another project later. And this, my friends, is how a non-stasher acquires a stash. I only buy yarn for planned projects, but sometimes it’s not a perfect match, and the yarn becomes stash. But the right project will come along…eventually.

What are you knitting? Are you staying home? Here’s a great article on social distancing. Let’s flatten the curve, and stay healthy! If not for ourselves, then for the most vulnerable among us.

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VKLive Seattle postponed; pattern sale and local classes

Posted on March 9, 2020 | 4 comments

It’s official: Vogue Knitting Live Seattle has been postponed. With the COVID-19 outbreak hitting the Seattle area particularly hard, this is a wise decision.

Teachers, vendors, organizers, and participants have prepared for this show, so it’s disappointing that we won’t be together. The vendors, especially, have invested in preparing inventory, and it won’t be sold next weekend. The vendor list is still up; if you’d like to support them with a purchase, you can see who they are here. I see names of some local favorites on the vendor list, including Knitted Wit, Hazel Knits, and Despondent Dyeworks.

As for me, I’m having a pattern sale to help make up for a lost work weekend. You can get 20% off my patterns on Ravelry with the code POSTPONED through March 15, 2020. Knit something fun!

In the meantime, if I can gather enough people, I could do a Petite Brioche beginning brioche class here in Portland on Saturday, March 14, from 10:30 to 12:30, $25. It would be at Fremont United Methodist Church, the same building where Puddletown Knitters Guild meets.

Or would you like to learn basic entrelac, knitted flat? The notes for this class are the foundation of my upcoming Minerva Cowl or Scarf (no worries; it’s been tech edited!). Class would be from 1:30 to 4 pm, same venue, $30.

I know it’s short notice, but I’m game if you are. Leave a comment to let me know if you’re interested in either or both classes, and I’ll let you know if it’s happening by Thursday.

For now I’ll be home, transforming my Rose City Yarn Crawl goodies into new designs for you.

And for Bisquee and Calvin. We need to keep the kibble supply rolling!

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Rose City Yarn Crawl 2020

Posted on March 8, 2020 | 2 comments

Fun, as usual! If you follow me on Instagram or Facebook (PDXKnitterati on those, too), you may have seen a lot of these pictures already. But I find it easier to search for pictures here on my blog, so Future Me is thanking Today Me for archiving these here.

I started the weekend with a trunk show at For Yarn’s Sake with Knitted Wit (Lorajean Kelley), Shannon Squire, and Debbi Stone. It’s become a tradition! Thanks so much to Ann for having us, year after year.

Shannon and LJ swear that they didn’t plan to color coordinate their clothing, but here they are. And their color orbit is so strong, the shawl on the wall is part of the fun, too.

This year’s mystery KAL was designed by Marie Greene. I love it! Carrie’s is lovely.

TJ embellished the edge of hers with eyelets and beads to use up her remaining yarn. Perfect!

Kim showed me her Zen Rain Shawlette. I designed this for Sock Summit 2011. Many happy memories there!

Paula took my Brioche Pastiche class 2 weeks ago, and brought her finished hat wth her. I love the colors and the squishiness; she did a great job!

I showed Julie how to use her phone’s camera filter to check for good tonal contrast so her colorwork will have some pop. Do you know the camera filter trick? Use the Mono setting (alas, they’ve done away with Tonal) to make sure you’ll be able to see your colorwork! This is a gentle contrast, but enough to show off her colorwork knitting.

Someone (I’ve lost your name; let me know if you see this) had an advance copy of the new Vogue Knitting magazine (on sale March 10) and told me that my picture is in it! It’s from VKLive Columbus from my Fancy Stitches class; I’m showing off my Aloha Shawl. My 15 seconds of fame continues…

It’s hard to knit at a trunk show, but it’s really easy to frog! I brought the too big version to frog so I can use the yarn on the smaller size. Frogging the mohair and fingering together was surprisingly easy, and I just balled it up together since I’ll be knitting them together again. It’s really hard to separate them!

It was so nice to chat with so many people on Thursday.

Kathryn and Stash

Alissa from El Rey Knits podcast

More fiber friends!

I went back to For Yarn’s Sake on Friday to get more DK Gradient from Scarlet of Huckleberry Knits. In my hand: Vivace. I love it, but I also ordered another ball of Practical Tactical Brilliance for my current entrelac project. It’s the same color as my Aspen Leaf scarf pictured above.

I also went to Knitting Bee to see DKGraham’s wooden stitch markers and pins. So cute! And so is she. We’re going to get together to knit some brioche and plot some pins or…

One more store on Friday: I met up with Thao from Nerd Bird Makery. I love her pins and T shirts; I have several. We live in adjacent neighborhoods, so we’re going to get together and knit…brioche, of course.

On Saturday I went to Twisted and Pearl Fiber Arts, but the yarn fumes must be getting to me…I forgot to take pictures! But I *did* remember to order some sparkly yarn from Stacey of Fierce Fibers for a project I’ve been dreaming about for a couple years. It’s TIME!

I’m staying home today to catch up with my life and house; it’s been a very busy couple months. Did you Yarn Crawl? I hope you had fun!

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Posted in events, Knit, Portland area fun

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What was I thinking?

Posted on March 3, 2020 | 4 comments

Seven-and-a-half inches of ease? That’s an awful lot on a short person, especially a short-waisted short person knitting a cropped sweater. The very short, very wide rectangle was not destined to be flattering.

I had knit down past the armholes so I could try it on, and I wasn’t happy with where this was heading. Also, there was so much fabric in the lace section that blocking it out to show it off would only make this more of an oversized sack on me.

My favorite sweaters to wear are my Stopover sweaters, designed by Mary Jane Mucklestone. I love how they fit. They are about 40 inches around (3 inches of ease). There’s a more vertical look to these. Proportion is everything!

My choices with this Love Note pattern are 38.5, 41.5, and 44.5 inches. 41.5 inches would give me 4.5 inches of ease. That seems to be a good place to land. Still slightly floaty, but not ridiculous.

I decided to cast on a second yoke and knit to see how things went before frogging everything. This second yoke is one day’s knitting. Including time for a walk on the beach, and some other work knitting! (More on Crafty Moms Weekend later.)

Interestingly, I used my Hiya Hiya sharp needle for the lace pattern this time, instead of switching to the regular tips. The lace pattern is a bit tighter, and a bit better defined (on the right). I like it, so I waited until the lace was finished before switching to my preferred blunter points. The lace can be blocked out to show off the holes, and the body will still be the size I want it to be.

I love how the purple mohair halo blends all the colors of the Rogue into a soft melange.

Now I have two yokes, and I’m ready to frog the first one. Hope it cooperates! I think it will be fine, as long as I don’t try to separate the two strands. If it doesn’t cooperate, I’ll resort to the freezer method, after I cook more things from the freezer and have some space!

How was your weekend?

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