‘Tis the Season for Clubs to Begin….

Jan 262012
 

Well. It’s that time of year. When the yarn futures you purchased last year (and promptly forgotten about) start landing on your doorstep.

I am in three clubs this year: Romi Hill’s Pins & Laces, Tanis Fiber Arts Year in Colour 2012, and Cookie A.’s Sock Club.

I did the pattern and pin option for Romi’s club the second half of the year in 2011 (and purchased both the patterns I did not get for the first half), and was really happy to be able to knit Katanya and Madrona when it was released to Club members. I thought I would take a flyer on the yarn option as well this year and joined with the yarn option. I figured it would be a good way to try new yarns. Well, the package arrived on January 25th, and it did not disappoint. The yarn was Spirit Trails Fiberworks Decima (70% merino/30% silk), in the Waikiki color way. Dreamy. Luscious. Love! And the shawl is absolutely gorgeous, as well! (I am not writing about the shawl just in case there are still people who have not received their package. I’m sure I will be writing about this shawl a lot as it is currently on my needles.)

As an aside — I posted this photo in my project page on Ravelry and am getting a ton of questions about two things: (1) What is that curlicue? and (2) Where the *F* did you get that yarn bowl.

The metal curlicue is the shawl pin from Romi — part of the PINS & laces club shipment. Isn’t it lovely?

The yarn bowl in question, is an Etsy find. A Speer Studio. Her animal bowls are absolutely darling. I’m not sure what late night Etsy browsing brought me to her store, but she makes this cute sheep yarn bowl (perfect for a ball of lace yarn, as you can see — although you would need one of Jennie the Potter’s big bowls for a skein of Wollmeise Lace Garn) in eggshell (shown), and black. I know it was a late night find because….I have both.

Back to originally scheduled programming — because the other Club shipment that came in deserves air time as well.

The Tanis shipment came on January 24th. It was her blue label yarn (super wash merino/nylon) in a gorgeous color way called Truffle. It’s a variegated skein, but it’s really subtle. Browns, purples, greens, blues….perfect for a relatively simple design to show off the yarn. Hannah Fettig was the featured designer for this month, with a really cute scarf. I actually think I am going to knit Romi Hill’s Merope shawl with mine. I think I would use that more than a rectangular scarf (which I don’t wear much anymore…why is that?)

By the way — I just noticed that you put up a spoiler photo of what you are knitting for me. It looks gorgeous, by the way, and I am excited. Speaking of which, you ought to be receiving your package today — which I am also excited about. I am especially excited about this one thing (and believe it or not, it is not what I knitted for you) that is in there. It is so perfect. I think you’ll see what I mean when you open that particular part of the box.

‘Til then.

~Twisted

Popularity: 4% [?]

I Am Working Really, Really Hard…..

Jan 252012
 

…on your swap project!  I know how you love purple and I’ve got just the thing!

~Purled

Popularity: 3% [?]

Swap is DUE!!!

Jan 232012
 

You have been BUSY!

I, too, am a NQFY (Newbie…Not Quite First Year) for Harry Potter House Cup. My friends Trish and Kim are Slytherins, and somehow convinced me that this is a good idea. And, like you, I am enjoying it. I did make an Unbreakable Vow (I guess you can’t do that with yourself but whatever…) that I would not knit something that I wouldn’t otherwise knit, and so far I have kept to that. I’ve had my OWL project accepted. I may have gone a little bit ambitious on that one… Hazel Carter’s Shetland Sampler.  I hope I can finish this by 3/31!! As for January’s classes, I have handed in, or about to hand in, projects in all classes. I’m working on a sweater currently that has a Feb 1 birthday deadline, and I can knock out a dishcloth for another.

Speaking of which!

One of the projects is your swap gift. (Yes, now you can go figure out what classes I have handed in and start guessing which class I’m going to use it for.) I know that we decided 1/31 as the deadline for the swap, but I think I’m going to the post office tomorrow, 1/24, which was the faux-deadline.  Because by 1/31, I have to be posting photos of this object, and I do not want to ruin your surprise.

See spoiler photo above. I’m not sure if I did a very good job sticking to the “Winter Wonderland” theme. But I can spin a tale about anything so I say this is definitely a winter themed box. Starting with the yellow package filler — the color of the warm sun you are dreaming of in the dead of winter!!!

I hope you like everything! I have been stalking your stash, project, favorites and queue pages to make sure. And, you probably didn’t know, but I major quizzed you at WEBS as I had not yet cast on at that time!

I still have to talk about my VKL classes, which seem like it was a lifetime ago!

~Twisted

 

Popularity: 5% [?]

Design Elements

Jan 222012
 

I’m liking the Harry Potter House Cup thing much more than I thought I would, given I’m just a NQFY. (Not Quite First Year =  newbie, too untested to sort into a House just yet). I wasn’t sure if the whole thing would make me more of an obsessive knitter, staying up late on school nights to make a deadline. Instead, I think it’s made me a more committed knitter. In order to get points, you actually have to finish a project (imagine that!), and we’ve already discussed our propensity to turn ohmyGodIhavetoknitthatandknitthatrightnow projects into another submission to the ever growing UFO piles we hide from ourselves. The other thing I love about participating is that you can knit whatever suits your fancy at the given moment, because just about any project can be made to fit the requirements of one class or another.

I’m working on finishing my Shipwreck Shawl by the end of the month for one class, and casted on another pair of Susie’s Reading Mitts for another class. The latter is a quick knit, and I’ve already made one pair. One mitt is off the needles, waiting for hemming and here you can see where I forgot to add two purl rows at the end of the lace pattern added a design element. I’ll be sure to knit the other mitt wrong as well so they both match. Yes, the bottom lace is supposed to match the lace on top. But there is such a thing as too matchy-matchy. I’ve almost talked myself into believing this.

I’ve also been spending some time with my new Sidekick. It’s different than my Louet Victoria. For one, it doesn’t annoy me like the Queen did. And I love the looks of her.  It also requires a different way of sitting in order to treadle comfortably, particularly when plying – the couch with a pillow behind my back just doesn’t do it. Now I’m on the hunt for a good spinning chair.

Currently, I’m spinning some 80/20 Merino Silk from Fiber Optic in the Timberwolf colorway. I love Fiber Optics top. It is always so well prepared, very little slubs, and spins like a dream. The colors in this are just lovely – muted, earthy and cool.

 

 

 

 

And Tudor Roses is being reprinted??!? How cool! What did you think of She-Who-Shall-Not-Be-Named when she spoke at VKLive? I did start the book Sweater Quest some time ago, and it has some interesting background on Alice Starmore and her copyright concerns. I’d love to know her side of the story.

With the snow, it’s been perfect knitting and spinning weather this weekend. Gypsy and I went for a snowball fight, which means I throw snowballs and she runs after them and wonders what happened to them once they land on the ground and sink into the fluffy snow.

Someday, I’ll explain it to her. Right now, it’s just too much fun watching her try to figure it out.

What are you working on?

~Purled

Popularity: 5% [?]

Spoiler Pic

Jan 222012
 

Thought I’d return the favor and give you a peek at your swap gift…Don’t look if you want to be surprised….

 

 

 

 

Popularity: 5% [?]

A Little Photographic Break — Swap Teaser

Jan 192012
 

Popularity: 5% [?]

OMFG It’s Alice Starmore!!!!

Jan 172012
 

Yes, I saw The Goddess in real life. She was the keynote speaker at the Gala Dinner at Vogue Knitting Live, which was held this past weekend in NYC.

I bet you imagined her in tweed. No such thing. Vivienne Westwood skirt and a simple top. Is she totally cool or what!?!?

Honestly, I wasn’t sure what had happened to Alice Starmore before she started showing up at some big knitting events recently. I had heard that she had a big falling out with one of her publishers or something like that. Many of her popular books were completely out of print — in fact, I’ve had offers by people for my Tudor Roses book for a ridiculous amount of money. (No dough, folks, that book is mine.)

In fact, apparently there’s a book that someone wrote about knitting the Mary Tudor sweater — did you know that? Someone suggested that I read it, but frankly, I’m not sure If I am interested in reading about someone who knit the same sweater I am knitting. I can’t remember what the book is called at the moment.

Speaking of the Mary Tudor. It has got to be My Most Famous WIP. I thought I cast this sweater on in 1998, but going back over my records…I am pretty sure I cast this sweater on in 2000 while I was living in San Francisco. Last week, thinking that I would be a crazed fan girl wearing a Starmore sweater at the Gala, I finally cut the steeks that were left on the sweater and picked up for the sleeves.

I am so glad that I was a total anal-girl when it came to this sweater. I had extensive notes. I made a relatively big change in the colors of the sweater. While I kept the red to blue variation in the background, I changed the motif color family from an ochre/brown tone to different shades of gray (GASP, yes I did — sorry, Alice. But I stayed true to your colors by using your Scottish Campion yarn). It makes the sweater a bit quieter. This could have been such a big problem, if I wasn’t good about writing everything down! Luckily, all the yarn was labeled, and all the color substitutions that I made was notated on the color key. I thought I was all set and I would breeze through the sleeve and the edging that was left to do. I saw myself with this sweater on, sashaying into the event.

But it was not to be. It took me an entire evening, even with the great notes and labels, to pick up the sleeve that I had to knit and get organized. I did abandon this sweater over 11 years ago! I did get to post a couple of photos of me cutting the remaining steeks on this sweater, though, which usually creates a bit of drama among people who think that I’m taking my scissors willy-nilly to a knitted garment. (Look closely at how crazily I’ve stitched down the knitted stitches next to the steek. Not only is this yarn sticky, I’ve zig-zagged the daylights out of it them.)

I am determined more than ever, after hearing Alice speak, to finish making this sweater. I’m so glad that she is coming back into the knitting world, designing, and having many of her books reprinted!!

Couple of observations about picking up a WIP that has been dormant for 11 years….surprisingly, MY GAUGE IS THE SAME!!!! Sticky shetland yarn sort of….sticks and it is difficult to pick up stitches! And it pays to make very good notes, especially if you have a complicated project. In pen, if possible (mine is in pencil, and rubbed away in a few places). These days, Ravelry makes this easy for you to do online — and I have started to take better notes on my Ravelry for projects as a result. Although I am hoping that I will not let another WIP sit for 11 + years, I have definitely learned the lesson about being good about documentation!

Oh, by the way? Alice Starmore made a HUGE announcement at dinner.

Tudor Roses is getting reprinted. It’s going to get “re-envisioned”, by a different publisher, for distribution in the fall of 2013.

What do you make out of THAT!?!?!

 

~Twisted

 

Popularity: 10% [?]

Knitting With Two Colors

Jan 152012
 

Thanks for the Bellybutton Cast On tutorial! It did allow me to start my Island Girl Leaves of Grass, which I’m using Loft for in the Fauna colorway. I’m on chart B now after a false start that left me with five petals instead of four. Don’t ask.

I have been using Knit Companion with this and other projects. You asked me to get back to you on how it is working. After taking the time to look at tutorials, I’m happy to say I’m sold!

One look at a chart and my eyes glaze over. Though I understand the legends and how to use one, my brain works better with written directions.  I’ve tried various methods to keep track, from low tech approaches  such as sticky notes moved row per row to higher tech methods such as Goodreader on my Ipad. Knit Companion has them all beat hands down, and finally I’m convinced that even an impatient dimwit like me can knit anything as long as I’m armed with a slew of stitchmarkers and a well set up project on my Ipad. There are plenty of video tutorials guiding you through setting up a project, which for complicated patterns, might take all of five minutes. Once set up, you can power through seamlessly from chart to chart, with a space at the bottom which can be hidden when you don’t need it, giving you notes on whatever chart you are working on.

Photo courtesy Kate Davies

I’ve spent some time setting up Rams and Yowes, by Kate Davies. I’m planning on doing this for my Owl project this term at HPHC. As the Owl is supposed to be something that “..reflects beauty, elegance, and most importantly, learning to persevere and that you are way more capable than you thought in some way.”, I thought Rams and Yowes would be perfect.

Though I’ve done colorwork before, it has left something to be desired. I knit two handed when doing it, and the tension of the yarn in my left hand isn’t always that even, and even after blocking, I’m not always pleased with the results. Along with that challenge, this blanket is knit in the round, and steeked – more new territory!

I found what appears to be the only US supplier of Jamieson & Smith Natural Shetland in Maryland – Yarns International. I contacted them on Thursday, and my yarn arrived on Saturday! The pattern calls for all 9 colors of Shetland Supreme. The designer says that it is probably the most perfect yarn for colorwork as the shetland blooms nicely while blocking to help with any irregularities in tension that can pop up with colorwork. The yarn is scrumptious looking, and completely dye free. All colors are made by hand sorting of fleece according to color in the wool store. How cool is that? I’ll be swatching today and getting my proposal together. I can’t wait to get going on this!

Fortunately for me, Knitting With Two Colors arrived just in time! It’s put out by Meg Swansen and Amy Detjen at Schoolhouse Press. It even came signed by both authors! It includes helpful tips such as steeking, dealing with tension issues in colorwork, and even walks you through how to design your own colorwork sweater using Elizabeth Zimmerman’s percentage system. You can be sure it will be within reach while working on Rams and Yowes!

All of this has been keeping me busy this weekend, and I’m looking forward to hearing all about Vogue Knitting Live! How was it?

~Purled

Popularity: 18% [?]

Bellybutton Circular Start

Jan 102012
 

Can’t stand the fiddly start on circular shawls? Here’s my favorite way to start it: The Bellybutton. What it is, basically, is a provisional cast on using the i-cord. The i-cord is useful because it gives you something to hang onto as you are messing around with the first fiddly stitches of a circular shawl.

I actually forget where I first saw this — otherwise I would link to it. Here goes:

  • With waste yarn, cast on as many stitches as instructed for your shawl on double pointed needles. It’s most often 4 or 8 stitches. I’m doing 8 here. Make sure you use waste yarn that has high contrast with your project/working yarn. This will make things easier for you later.
  • Then, knit an i-cord on these stitches. (k8, then instead of turning your work, slide your knit stitches to the opposite end of the needle, k8. Repeat. Does NOT have to be pretty for this purpose!)
  • Make an i-cord that is long enough, when you are knitting on it, you can grab onto with some free fingers. For me, that is about 1.5″. I’m not hanging onto this i-cord tail as I am knitting, per se, but it’s there if I need to, and it gives a bit of weight to what you are knitting on which makes the start of the shawl a bit less fiddly.
  • Cut the waste yarn.
  • With your project yarn, knit the stitches on the i-cord. Make sure you leave a relatively long tail. ~8″ should be plenty. You’ll be looping this tail into these knit stitches when you cut off the i-cord.
  • Proceed with the pattern as written.
  • When the knitted piece is comfortably large, thread the tail of the working yarn into the first row of working yarn knit stitches, a couple of times.
  • Cut off i-cord.
  • Tighten the work in the center by tugging on the tail.

I usually wait until the shawl is comfortably large enough (like with my Madrona, below) to cut off the i-cord, but that is just a personal preference.

Was this enough so you can start your Leaves of Grass?

~Twisted

Popularity: 12% [?]

Superman with a Doily

Jan 062012
 

I’m winding down towards the end of my vacation right about now, and I’ve been extremely self indulgent during it. Most of my time was spent knitting or spinning or helping my Mom out with starting projects (she hates casting on)! I’m getting to know my Sidekick a bit more and have yet to ply on it, trying to be patient and finish a 4 oz top before doing so. I also have made some modest progress on Corinth, but much of my knitting time the past week has been spent on your swap project!

Wow, your Ashby is lovely. The codex blocked out very well, and it doesn’t seem to have much of a halo. By the way, I’ve been meaning to ask you about your photos – do you use a tripod? Most of them are taken in natural light – what lens are you using? Your composition is great!

Let’s talk about Leaves of Grass. I did my usual magic loop cast on and ended up befuddled by too many needles and not enough stitches. I tried the first few rows several times, and it’s usually a no brainer for me. I’m thinking I need to find out about this belly button cast on. Now that yours is done, how are you feeling about having used Wollmeise for it? Did the repeat give you the size you hoped for? I do want to make my Island Girl version of it in Loft, but I need to get past the first few rows.

Harry Potter House Cup – I plan on finishing my Shipwreck for Muggles Studies – the requirement is that your project needs to have something to do with the sea, and the netting and pearls on the edging is perfect for it. I do love this shawl, though I am down to the mind numbing K2tog YO for 40 or so more rounds. I started this soon after the Loopy Ewe Spring Fling in 2010 and now that I’ve gotten over the hard parts, the House Cup gives me a good reason to pick it back up while watching some TV marathon or listening to a good book and get it done. I love everything about it – the yarn, the beading, and the pattern. I used 3 skeins of Skinny Bugga in Swift Long Winged Skinner and the feel of it is heavenly.

As for not wanting to look like Superman with a doily in your Leaves of Grass, I love the way she’s wearing Shipwreck here. The top turned down to reveal one of the patterns going across her shoulders, and the netting falling underneath. In the front, it makes a nice shawl collar – now that I think of it, maybe that’s where the name came from? Here’s another link about how to wear circular shawls by Principessa Grassa, who knitted up EZ’s Pi Shawl. The bullfighting look might be my favorite.

Any tips on getting Leaves of Grass off the ground and through the first pattern repeat? What are you doing for the House Cup?

 

Popularity: 14% [?]

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