PDXKnitterati

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.

Busy, busy, busy! But it’s all good.

What are you knitting?

11 Comments

Posted in Blogging, Knit

Tagged Bridge for Blankets, cooperative press, doomsday knits, jackapalooza

Knitting a blanket…for a bridge

Posted on April 8, 2013 | 5 comments

I’m knitting part of a blanket…for a bridge.

Wait, I can explain! Portland’s Broadway Bridge turns 100 this year, and Tyler Mackie wants to celebrate by installing four handknit banners on the bridge in August. Each banner will be 18 x 21 feet. When the celebration is over, the banners will be deconstructed into 6 x 6 foot blankets for Portland’s homeless. The yarn is Cascade 220 Superwash, a practical easy care choice.

I’m knitting several 12 inch squares for this project. Check the Facebook page if you’d like to help knit. Check out the indiegogo funding page for more information on the project. And I’m especially happy the finished project will be made into something useful. Recycling is so very Portland!

I knit my way across the country this weekend. This is Ponce Inlet Lighthouse, Daytona Beach, Florida, and my first stripey blanket square.

203 steps to the top! I love circular staircases.

The Fresnel lenses themselves are a thing of beauty, created to magnify the beam out to sea.

We had a great visit with Kiddo! A little cool at the beach, but a lovely day.

5 Comments

Posted in Knit, travel

Tagged Bridge for Blankets, lighthouse, orlando, ponce inlet

Feedly’s a winner! and 5 years of PDXKnitterati means you could be, too

Posted on April 1, 2013 | 42 comments

I’ve posted about my angst over Google’s impending shutdown of Reader. I’ve tried several alternatives, and really just wanted something as quick as Google Reader’s titles view for skimming through blogs. Feedly was pretty good, but only offered a titles view in a browser, and I do most of my reading on an iPad. They asked for feedback from Reader refugees, and it sounds a lot of us were looking for this option.

As of this morning, Feedly’s iPhone and iPad apps now have a Title Only view. Talk about responsive! It’s not an April Fool’s joke. I’ve updated my apps and I. Love. It. I’ve played around with it, and it does what I want. I think it may be even better than Reader; I haven’t figured out all the shortcuts yet. You may have issues with Feedly on a computer, because it requires an extension on your browser, but the extension issue doesn’t bother me. Feedly is working on cloning Google Reader’s API, and says that the transition will be seamless when Reader shuts down on July 1. Sounds good to me. Done!

Hmmm, knitting content. I can’t show you what I’m knitting right now. Sometimes design work means nothing to show, for months and months! But it’s spring, I have a new blog reader, and I just realized that I’ve been blogging for five years as of March 17. That went by in a flash! To celebrate, I’d like to share some yarn with you, because that’s what knitters do.

This is Knitted Wit Silky ‘n’ Single, worsted weight, 60% Merino/40% Silk, 220 yards, 100g. I don’t know if this color has a name, I got it from Lorajean’s Community Supported Yarn club last year. It hasn’t told me what it wants to be, but maybe it will tell you!

And this is Three Fates Yarn Eponymous Sock, 2 ply 100% superwash merino, 400 yards, 100g, color Mulch. I chose this rich brown yarn at Oregon Flock and Fiber Festival last fall because I had a brown project in mind, but I ended up using a different yarn. I can’t show you that project, either, until later this year, but it turned out just right. But I digress.

Hmmm. Tell me what you think each yarn wants to be, and I’ll do two random drawings to choose the lucky winners. I’ll take comments through next week Monday, April 8. Good luck!

42 Comments

Posted in Blogging, Knit, yarn

Tagged blogs, feedly, giveaway, google reader, yarn

Sometimes, ya just gotta…

Posted on March 31, 2013 | Comments Off

We don’t have a big Easter celebration at our house, but I was going to a friend’s house this afternoon, and then we’re having a Game of Thrones watch party at our house this evening. What could be more appropriate than beheading…a Peep?

My friend Carole and I put these together this afternoon, using these instructions and then just winging the rest. Cute, huh?

I also made lemon bars and chocolate chip shortbread, so it wasn’t all fun and games.

Happy Easter to those who celebrate it, and happy spring to the rest of the northern hemisphere!

And for those of you down under, it’s time to start knitting woolies. Everybody wins!

Comments Off on Sometimes, ya just gotta…

Posted in foodies!

Tagged peeps, spring

Treasures(?) in the attic, 70’s edition

Posted on March 28, 2013 | 7 comments

I went over to Mom’s house the other day, and on a whim we started looking through her books. I came home with a small box of curiosities.

Knitting Techniques and Projects from Sunset Books came out in 1976. We’re not sure why Mom owns it, since she never knitted, as far as I remember. The techniques section is a good basic tutorial on how to get started. But did we ever really dress like this?

And did anyone ever knit herself a bikini? One can only imagine what happens when that knitting hits the water…

I wonder if today’s fashions will look this dated to us in 40 years. On the other hand, there are classics like these two pillows. The gnarly cabled one is by Elizabeth Zimmermann (I’m guessing it’s her, although the credit spells it Zimmerman), and the striped one is by Mary Walker Phillips.

And these hats by Barbara Walker would be very current today, in a different color palette.

Are you diggin’ it? I think the book’s a keeper! The other thing I found was this:

Remember K-tel? And Ronco? Oh, yeah, as seen on TV. Let’s get a closer look at that outfit on the box:

Hot pants! And this outfit is also featured on the box:

I checked out the instructions, and it looks like it’s just glorified crocheting, except you don’t have to control the yarn separately. I’m not sure why you wouldn’t just use a crochet hook. But there you have it.

What’s in your attic? Time for a treasure hunt!

7 Comments

Posted in book review, Knit

Tagged 70's, old stuff

Knitters helping knitters

Posted on March 27, 2013 | 6 comments

My knit group buddy Cathy put up the knitters’ Bat Signal last week, asking for help on a project. Her young friend Jack, age 9, is in treatment for cancer. His family’s community in Ashland is having a benefit concert, raffle, and silent auction to raise funds to help with his medical expenses. Cathy is knitting hats for the silent auction, and hopes many knitters will knit along.

My friend Trish Dorr was my son Brendan’s all time favorite teacher. I adore her! She has two beautiful children, Jack and Alex. Right now, Jack is fighting cancer and he needs our help. I decided one way to help was to enlist the help of the most generous and loving people I know, knitters!!!! So grab your needles & some yarn and let’s get busy.

Any knit (or crochet) hat is welcome. Cathy has obtained permission from Purl Bee to use their Thank You Hats pattern, if you would like a pattern to follow.

Cathy will take them to Ashland, and Jack’s label (designed by Jack) will be added for Jackapalooza.

Please send your completed hat by April 15 to:
Cathy Woodcock
c/o Lantern Moon
7911 NE 33rd Drive Suite 140
Portland, OR 97211

If you can’t knit a hat, but would like to donate, you can do so here.

We had knit nite here on Monday, and are slowly amassing a pile of hats. Jack’s mom Trish is in town with Jack and she came to knit nite, too. She is a lovely and gracious person, and she is knitting hats, too. Hats knit up very quickly; I’m almost done with my second one. Won’t you join us?

6 Comments

Posted in Knit

Tagged jackapalooza, knitters' bat signal

Things I’ve learned about lace knitting

Posted on March 24, 2013 | 9 comments

(Swatches for 4 shawls I want to knit. Right now.)

Swatching lace patterns is fun and addicting, and I like fussing with them to get the effect I want. Combine, alter, chart, swatch, refine, repeat.

Swatching in practice yarn is way better than repeatedly frogging and reknitting your “real” yarn. I switched to some light worsted yarn I had on hand. (White swatches in the picture.)

Swatching lace with heavier yarn will tell you a lot, but not everything. Swatching with leftover sock yarn is better, if fingering weight yarn is your goal. I wised up and bought a 50g skein of Louet Gems for swatching, because I needed a light color for a design submission. It’s the green ball in the picture, and it’s lovely to work with. I may have to get some more, to knit for reals.

Beads add lovely weight, drape, and bling to lace. I’m hooked (hah!) on the crochet hook method of adding beads.

Blocking is magic. (We already knew that, but it’s been reaffirmed, and can’t be said enough.)

An old black velvet dress makes a great background for a pale lace swatch photo. (No pic, it’s for a design submission.)

This elastic bind off is way better than the usual chain bind off, for lace that is going to be blocked: K2, * slip left needle into fronts of the 2 worked stitches on right needle and knit them off together through the back loop (like an ssk), K1, repeat from *.

And last of all: I’m a little obsessive.

PS: I blame Sivia Harding for this trip down the lace rabbit hole. I took her workshop last Sunday, and can’t stop playing with ideas. You can take her class at Twisted next Saturday, March 30. It’s from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. But don’t say I didn’t warn you about possible obsession!

9 Comments

Posted in Knit, pattern design, yarn

Tagged Knit, lace, sivia harding, swatching

New pattern: Starwood Cowl and Cuffs

Posted on March 23, 2013 | 5 comments

It’s barely spring, but it’s still chilly around here. And I know that a lot of you are still having snow, so it’s not too late for a little warmth.

This is Starwood, a cowl and cuff set. They’re knit in the round using a simple slip stitch pattern to create a colorful tweedy look. It only looks complicated; just one color is used per round. The pattern is easily adjusted for length and width. I knit this set with Knit Picks City Tweed DK, a blend of 55% Merino wool, 25% Superfine alpaca, 20% Donegal tweed. It’s not too heavy, but it has a wonderful drape. Just warm enough for early spring!

This pattern is available now, and will also be available through the Knit Picks IDP (Independent Design Program). See the pattern page for details.

And! Knit Picks is having a 40% off sale on selected colors of all their alpaca yarns, including City Tweed DK, through Wednesday, March 27. Pick three colors and cast on!

5 Comments

Posted in Knit, pattern design

Tagged alpaca, starwood cowl

Farewell, Google Reader; Hello…who?

Posted on March 21, 2013 | 16 comments

I love to read knitting and food blogs. I’m subscribed to hundreds of blogs, and usually I just skim using Google Reader. I’ve particularly enjoyed using Google Reader Next on my laptop, where one click brings up the next blog in all its glory, instead of just titles/text on Reader. But alas, Google is retiring Reader as of July 1. Horrors! How will I keep up with all those blogs?

I’ve been poking around the interwebs looking for alternatives. Feedly looks pretty good, and I love their titles view for computers. I’m hoping they’ll make it available for mobile devices, too; I don’t need a magazine format or lots of pictures. Yes, I love blogs for pictures, but not when I’m skimming. I like being able to choose when to go to the site to see them.

I’ve also heard good things about The Old Reader, and Bloglovin. I’ll probably end up with Feedly, but I’m holding out for that titles view on my iPad and iPhone. For now, I’ll wait and see how things shake out by mid-June.

Do you use a blog reader? If it’s Google Reader, what are you planning to use next?

Also, I keep forgetting to mention: You can follow PDXKnitterati on Facebook and Twitter, if that’s how you keep track of blogs. I usually link to blog posts on both of those, and there’s also light chatter and news going on. Stop by and say howdy.

I’ve updated my blogroll with my current favorites on the sidebar. What are your favorite knitting blogs? I’m always looking for more, more, more!

And! Every post needs a picture, so here’s what’s almost blooming here. It’s a magnolia. The cherry trees are all out in full force, too. And it’s sunny/windy/rainy/cloudy/raining/hailing/sunny. Happy spring!

16 Comments

Posted in Blogging

Tagged facebook, feedly, google reader, twitter