PDXKnitterati

Planning a KAL; knit Garland with me!

Posted on May 19, 2013 | 23 comments

Thanks for the warm welcome for my new Garland Shawl pattern! It was even on Ravelry’s Hot Right Now list on launch day. I happened on it late that night, so who knows how high it went? It was a special thrill to see this!

I’m really looking forward to hosting the Garland Shawl KAL. I’ve picked my yarn color. I thought I’d be knitting a narrower version of Garland in the same Spring Green as my wide version, but I changed my mind and will be knitting with Knitted Wit’s Cashy Lite in Peacock, another lovely green with blue undertones.

I’ve shopped for beads. There was an impromptu trip to Shipwreck Beads in Lacey, WA (quite the mothership of beads) last week. I was hoping for size 6/0 or 8/0 Delica beads (they’re little tubes), but they only had size 11, which are too tiny for this project. I bought 6/0 Czech seed beads instead. I’m hoping one of these two colors work. And I bought a few other things, too…

I’ll be using my Bead Aid to place beads in my Garland. I like this method so much better than the crochet hook method because I don’t accidentally split my yarn while pulling it through the bead. Here’s a chance for a lucky someone to try Bead Aid: Sarah gave me a set of two to give away on the blog. If you’d like a chance to win them, tell me in the comment section. I’ll pick a random winner on May 31. If you don’t win, there’s still time to order some from her; we’re casting on June 10. You don’t have to be part of the KAL to enter, but I’d love it if you’d knit along with me!

I’m planning a blog post on how to get the most mileage out of the yarn yardage you have. And I’m hoping you’ll join my PDXKnitterati Ravelry group; it will be easier to have back and forth discussion over there rather than on the blog. We’ve already got the ball rolling over there. Come join the fun! Not a Raveler? I’ll still answer questions here, too, but it feels like a party on Ravelry.

If you’re ordering yarn from Knitted Wit, you should know that orders are due by June 1. We’ll ship on June 5 for a June 10 cast on. I’m planning to make some stitch markers to send out with those orders, just for fun.

Not sure about knitting shawlettes? Mary Mooney gives you seven good reasons to knit one. Hey, we’re a trend!

Don’t forget to leave a comment if you’d like a chance to win the Bead Aids. Or comment on anything else you want to discuss. Knit on!

23 Comments

Posted in beading, KAL, Knit, yarn

Tagged bead aid, Garland shawl, kal

Garland Shawl and Knit Along

Posted on May 14, 2013 | 17 comments

Presenting my newest design, the Garland Shawl!

Garland is a crescent shaped shawl, knit from side to side. The lacy border is knit at the same time as the garter stitch body, which increases from one end to the center and then decreases to the other end. Optional beading along the leaves’ center veins adds sparkle and weight for drape. This shawl can be knit as a wide, shallow crescent, or a deeper, more traditionally shaped crescent. Knitter’s choice!

The wider shawl is like a big hug. This one is knit in Spring Green, a special order color for the upcoming KAL.

The narrower shawl sits comfortably on the shoulders when centered, and looks good at a jaunty angle, too. This one is knit in Golden Delicious, and was test knit by Rachel Nichols. Thank you, Rachel!

The shawls are knit with fingering weight yarn. I used Knitted Wit‘s Cashy Lite, a wonderfully squishy blend of 80% merino/10% cashmere/10% nylon, 495 yards/115g/4 oz. Charts and line by line instructions for the lace edging are included.

To celebrate Garland’s release, Lorajean (Knitted Wit) and I are having a knitalong. Place yarn orders with Knitted Wit by June 1st; orders will ship June 5th in time for the June 10th cast on. You’ll receive one skein of Cashy Lite, 80/10/10 Merino/Cashmere/Nylon, 495 yards, and a coupon code for $2 off the pattern on Ravelry. Visit http://www.flickr.com/photos/knittedwit/sets/72157633152678746/ to see all the yarn colors available, write in the color name when checking out. If you want the same color I used for the wider shawl, ask for Spring Green. It’s not in the flickr set; it’s special for this project because I love it so much, I’ve convinced LJ that we should do it. It’s a great color, fresh and lively, and not too neon or acid. Think happy new growth green!

If you’d like to participate in the KAL with your own yarn, use the code GarlandKAL and you’ll receive $1 off your pattern purchase, now through June 10, 2013. Note: In order to use a coupon code, you need to go directly to the Garland Shawl pattern page on Ravelry to make your purchase.

Let’s knit! Leave a comment and let me know you’re in!

17 Comments

Posted in KAL, Knit, pattern design, yarn

Tagged Garland shawl, kal

A sweet pink sweater for my new cousin

Posted on May 13, 2013 | 9 comments

I forgot to show this to you.

It’s a very pink baby cardigan, In Threes. I knit it back in March, in two days. Then it sat around for a month, waiting for buttons.

These are not the buttons I intended to put on it. I bought these, but couldn’t find them!

I found them right after I mailed the sweater to my cousin’s new baby. They were at the bottom of my knitting basket. Why do I own six Peter Rabbit buttons? I don’t know, but they look cute on the sweater! I can see using this pattern again; it’s a really quick seamless knit. What’s your go-to baby gift? For a girl, mine is usually a watermelon cap or Elsa hat (both free patterns of mine), but this sweater is great for when a little more effort is needed.

Photo shoot for Garland and Filigree today. I’m about to look at the pictures from my camera. It was a very breezy afternoon, and the sun kept dipping behind clouds (good) and coming out (bad, light too contrasty). At least it wasn’t raining. Hoping that there are enough good pix to get Garland up by tomorrow. Soon!

9 Comments

Posted in Knit

Tagged baby cardi, in threes

I’m Blocking in Sunshine, oh oh

Posted on May 10, 2013 | 8 comments

Apologies to Katrina and the Waves. But that’s the song that popped into my head as I was blocking test knitter Rachel’s shawl this morning. Another gorgeous day here.

Rachel’s is the Green Apple version lower in the picture. My original wider shallower prototype in Spring Green is above it.

I met with Rachel at Pearl Fiber Arts last night for the pickup. Cindy, PFA’s owner, loves the extra length on the shallow version, but she’s a lot taller than I am! Photography is set for Monday. I was hoping to do both Garland and Filigree, but see where I am in my Filigree knitting?

Frogged the whole thing and started over. I forgot one of my self-imposed rules for crescent shawls: I always want an odd number of repeats, so one motif will be at the center back. As I began working the crescent, I noticed that the center was *between* motifs. D’oh! Do you think I can be done and blocked by Monday afternoon? Knit like the wind!

I’m enjoying these Signature circular needles. The tips are nice and pointy, which is great for lace. The stitches flow smoothly over the join between cable and needle. I usually knit with wood, which is a bit more grippy, so I’m concentrating on not losing my stitches off these slick metal needles. The cable is more flexible than I’m used to; I may have to give magic loop one more try. All in all, it’s been an enjoyable experience, and I get to do it all over again on my frogged shawl. Good thing I’m having fun. The needles were a gift from Sarah when she was here in town. Sarah is one of the fastest, most prolific knitters I know. She’s very talented. I was floored by the gift, but I’m not giving them back!

What are your favorite needles?

8 Comments

Posted in KAL, Knit, pattern design

Tagged filigree, Garland shawl, kal, signature needle review

Same song, second verse…

Posted on May 9, 2013 | 4 comments

I was hanging out with Lorajean the other day, labeling Knitted Wit yarn and fiber, because that’s how we roll. She was looking for something to feature at TNNA’s Sample It in June. I offered to re-work my Filigree scarf into a shawl, using her Shine merino/tencel yarn. Game on! This is a nice way for me to be present at TNNA since I can’t go this time, and a pretty way to highlight Shine.

I’m knitting this in Knitted Wit Shine, colorway Silver Lining, which feels very appropriate for Filigree. In this picture from yesterday I’m 2/3 done with the lacy border, but in real life I’m way past that. I’m halfway done with the short row (no wraps!) crescent shaping. I should be finished tomorrow, and then I can block and measure, and update the pattern.

Right now the pattern for Webfoot and Filigree Scarves includes both lace edgings. It’s a little confusing for linking on Ravelry. I’m planning to separate this pattern into two patterns, one for each edging. Each pattern will have instructions for shaping a long shallow scarf and a deeper, more traditionally shaped crescent shawl. If you’ve already purchased this pattern through Ravelry by the time I issue the update next week, you’ll get both the Webfoot and Filigree pattern updates as two separate patterns.

What else? More flowers are blooming in the garden. The clematis on the trellis on the front of my house is very happy this year.

The first iris opened two days ago. The purple ones bloom first, and the yellow ones will bloom soon after that.

This columbine self-sowed itself into the bed of irises. I don’t mind.

By the way, this thing?

It’s an alligator scute.

Scutes are bony plates (osteoderms) inside an alligator’s skin. Inside, not under. They make the skin hard to penetrate, and they may also be involved in the alligator’s temperature regulation system. All that basking in the sun to warm up…

OK, back to knitting! I want to finish this Filigree Shawl, and I also want to swatch a couple things to take to Amy Singer’s class on Saturday. Did you know Amy Singer of Knitty fame is coming to Portland? She’s doing three classes for Twisted on Saturday: Random Cables, Making the next Monkey (what makes a great pattern), and All About Knitty. There’s still space if you’d like to come. Call Twisted to register.

Happy spring!

4 Comments

Posted in Knit, pattern design, travel, yarn

Tagged alligator, gardening, Sample It, scute, TNNA

Coming soon: Garland Shawl and KAL

Posted on May 8, 2013 | 20 comments

Spring has arrived in PDX. The trees have gone through their pink and white blossomed glory, and are settling nicely into green. My knitting has, too.

This is a sneak peek at Garland, my upcoming design. I was inspired by my awakening garden, and by Sivia Harding’s Sideways Lace Shawl Design class in March. Put the two together, and the result is a leafy lace border on a sideways crescent shawl. Optional beads along the leafy ribs add a bit of bling.

I am so happy that I finally found the perfect use for this gorgeous skein of Cashy Lite from Knitted Wit. It had been through two previous design starts. The first was nearly done when I saw a nearly identical shawl at my LYS. The second will require two skeins, and I only had one of this very special color from Lorajean’s first CSY in 2011. Third time’s a charm! And the yarn has held up like a champ, even after two froggings.

The pattern is written and is going through a final test knit. I’m hoping to publish it next week after photographs. And best of all, Lorajean and I are planning a June KAL. I’ll have a discount coupon code for participants, and an extra special coupon code if you’re ordering yarn from Knitted Wit. More on that next week, when the pattern goes live.

Place orders by June 1st, orders will ship June 15th in time for the June 21st cast on. You’ll receive one skein of Cashy Lite, 80/10/10 Merino/Cashmere/Nylon, 495 yards. Visit http://www.flickr.com/photos/knittedwit/sets/72157633152678746/ to see all the yarn colors available, write in the color name when checking out. If you want the same color as mine, ask for Spring Green. It’s not in the flickr set; it’s special for this project because I love it so much, I’ve convinced LJ that we should do it. It’s a great color, fresh and lively, and not too neon or acid. Think happy new growth green!

I love the added sparkle that beads give to this design. They remind me of dewdrops on morning leaves. I started by using the crochet hook beading method that I learned from Sivia way back at the first Sock Summit. It’s pretty efficient, but I tend to split my yarn with the tiny crochet hook while pulling it through the bead about 20% of the time. My knit nite buddy Sarah sent over some of her new Bead Aids to try out. I am a convert! I have not split my yarn at all since moving to this new method. It’s a great tool, and I highly recommend it.

I’m looking forward to publishing the pattern next week. Do you want to knit along? Have you ever added beads to your knitting?

20 Comments

Posted in beading, KAL, Knit, pattern design

Tagged Bead Aids, Garland shawl, kal

Dreaming of Paris in May…

Posted on May 3, 2013 | 3 comments

My latest design is out! It’s the May 2013 offering of the Twisted Shawlette Club.

This is the Ooh La Lace Shawlette. You know I love Paris! A life-long love affair with all things French was the inspiration for this lacy edged shawlette. The knitting begins at the lower edge with waves of lace like a can-can dancer’s frilly petticoat, and continues with a row of iconic Eiffel Towers. This crescent shawlette is shaped with simple short rows, and finished with a garter stitch eyelet border at the upper edge. Ooh la la!

I am thrilled to be this month’s designer for Twisted. Shannon and Emily are so lovely to work with, and they are always coming up with great club ideas. This month’s yarn was dyed by Raya over at Blissful Knits; this is her BFL Silk Sock in Platinum.

After knitting the prototype, I realized there was a lot of yarn leftover, so I knit a larger version in Knitted Wit’s Shine in Brown Sugar.

I love them both. Twisted Shawlette Club members get the pattern and Raya’s lovely yarn together as an exclusive. We’re trying a new thing with this club. The pattern is available separately from Twisted so you can knit one for yourself, right now. (Don’t we all love instant gratification?) You can pick it up in hard copy form at the shop, or use this link to the Ravelry pattern page to purchase it online. Knit one now and dream of Paris with me!

3 Comments

Posted in Knit, pattern design, yarn

Tagged ooh la lace shawlette, paris, twisted shawlette club

Kayaking with alligators…

Posted on May 2, 2013 | 7 comments

and turtles and birds…and who knows what else was out there in the water?

Vickie and I went out to Orlando to play in the sun for a few days and then come home with CollegeKiddo. Our plan was to visit the Wizarding World of Harry Potter at Universal’s Islands of Adventure, and to see an alligator somewhere. Mischief managed on both counts.

I’m not much of a theme park person, but I loved how this area of the park looked like a quaint little village. Most of the shop windows were just set dressing, and they were fun to peruse. It’s been a while since I read the books, and I’ve only seen the first movie, but it was quite amusing, all the same.

We explored the University of Central Florida Arboretum after dinner at Bubbalou’s BBQ with CollegeKiddo. (Big finals study weekend, so mostly work and no play for him.)

The next day’s main adventure was kayaking at Wekiva Springs State Park. This is a beautiful and beautifully kept state park. You can rent kayaks or paddleboats or canoes here. There’s a swimming area with 72 degree water. Lovely! But it’s best to stay in the swimming area if you want to be *in* the water.

Me? I like being *on* the water.

We saw lots of yellow slider turtles

herons, egrets, and other birds

and small alligators (up to 4 feet long)

There are at least five alligators in the last picture: two on the log, three in the water. Click for a larger view. Do you see them all?

This was a very serene way to get close to the wildlife! In the afternoon we went to Winter Park, even though all the museums are closed on Monday. We toured the lakes and canals via pontoon boat. It’s a beautiful area.

Even the sidewalk utility covers are beautiful in Winter Park.

We popped back to Winter Park the next morning for a quick visit to the Morse Museum to see the beautiful Tiffany treasures there, but not before having coffee and knitting with blog buddy Dee. Three knitters, three projects.

In the afternoon, we took CollegeKiddo on an airboat tour of Mullet Lake (this was after his last final that morning).

Fun, but definitely not as serene as kayaking! Alligators don’t lie around posing for you in the lake.

We did see this one, though. And a group of manatees. They surface with just their noses, so they can take in air. You can hear them breathing; it’s very cool. (Click on this picture for a zoomable view.)

Lots of birds, and this baby alligator, too. It’s about 10 inches long.

Captain Bill was full of stories, and we learned about some things, too. Do you know what this is?

We packed in a lot of activity in a few days. I’m glad to be home. But one more cool thing to show you. We flew next to a thunderstorm on the way out. How cool is that?

Back to knitting! I finished knitting my green sample that was in the picture, and I’ll have a couple design reveals for you in the next week or so. I’ve been busy!

7 Comments

Posted in Knit, travel

Tagged alligator, kayak, orlando

Bridge for Blankets update

Posted on April 26, 2013 | 6 comments

Here’s my contribution for the Bridge for Blankets project. This project requires a total of 1512 12 inch squares, so my four are just a drop in the bucket. But every little bit counts!

I’ve been knitting like crazy on other secret projects, most of which involve beads. A simple garter stitch project is a godsend for knit nites and travel.

This is a huge project, but it will be so cool to see knit banners on the Broadway Bridge in August, and to have those banners become 42 usable blankets afterwards. This re-use aspect is what hooked me on the project. So many times yarnbombing just becomes junk, eventually fraying to nothing. I love that this project will have a life after the show.

Tyler Mackie, the creator of this project, could really use donations to help pay for the yarn. I’m donating today, how about you? You can do it here. If you’re not comfortable donating online, you can write a check out to PDX Bridge Festival/ Bridge for Blankets and mail it to :
Tyler Mackie
%Art Craft Silversmiths
3111 SE 13th Ave.
Suite 500
Portland, OR 97202

Your check will be deposited directly to the nonprofit 501c3 account for PDX Bridge Festival, INC.

I posted the instructions for the mitered square over on my Mitered Square pattern page. Enjoy!

Have you ever yarnbombed, or done any kind of public knitting installation? What made you want to do it?

6 Comments

Posted in Knit

Tagged Bridge for Blankets, knit mitered square, yarnbombing

Yarn winners, catching up

Posted on April 15, 2013 | 11 comments

I used random.org to choose winners for the two blog anniversary yarns: Leah Robertson is the winner of the Knitted Wit Silky ‘n’ Single, and Laura K is the winner of the Three Fates Eponymous Sock. Congratulations, ladies! I’ve emailed them both, and will be sending out yarn this week. Happy fifth anniversary to me!

I finished a third hat for Jackapalooza at knit nite last week. Cathy brought a bunch to knit nite; Jack’s logo is being added to each hat. Jackapalooza is this coming Friday, and Cathy has 74 hats for the event so far. More are still coming in. I hope all the hats sell, both to support the family, and to let them know that they are embraced by the love of knitters, even knitters that they don’t know. Knitters are the nicest people…

I popped in to see the Cooperative Press trunk show at Pearl Fiber Arts last Tuesday. I re-met Shannon Okey of Cooperative Press, saw some Theressa Silver’s lovely hats from her new book Hat Couture, and saw a trunk full of goodies from Alex Tinsley’s upcoming Doomsday Knits. Alex was in town for the book’s photoshoot, and was serendipitously available for the trunk show party. I’m so excited about Doomsday; I have a design in it, and seeing the rest of the collection was awe-inspiring. I want to knit it all!

Alex, me, Daniel Yuhas, Lee Meredith. Fun to hang out with local designers! There were many more that evening, but I was actually out with a birthday group, so I couldn’t stay long.