Sunset on the Marsh cowl

Purple side up

This is what I made from the yarn I spun for the Carolina Fiber Frolic contest.  I really like how I solved some problems.  This colorway is amazing, but it doesn’t flatter my skin.  So I mixed it with two solids–yellow Malabrigo worsted and Seldridge Farms purple superwash worsted that is even softer than the Malabrigo.

I used these two solids to knit a 3 color linen st (center) and knit the Sunset colorway in my favorite seed stitch by itself.

The difference in the natural gauge of these two stitches gave the cowl a bit of a pouf without resorting to increases/decreases.  The purple is a one by one rib with a picot cast off.

Now here’s the cool part—-

You can wear it with either side up.  The linen stitch up way above emphasizes that stitch detail and the mix of the colors.  The purple up way still shows the stitch detail, but puts the purple, a good color for my skin tone, next to my face.  I feel so clever.

I used a crochet cast on which matches a normal chain bindoff.

I did crochet the bind off–because it is faster than knitting it and you get the same effect.

Every five stitches, I made a picot by chaining 3 and then slip stitching in the first chain.  It took maybe 100 yards of the handspun and the purple.  Less of the Malabrigo.  Cast on 150 sts on a size 8 needle.  If doing over, I would decrease the cast on number some for a bit closer fit.

Super easy and quick to knit.

More later–

Red Heart Fame

Dear Friend and Local Artist Cat Babbie works for Coats and Clark.   Sometime last year (never remember dates or timelines) the Red Heart yarn people were designing a new yarn and needed a pattern for it ASAP.  Cat said she knew a designer that could do it and PDQ.  (I can remember acronyms.)  They called; offered money; I said yes.

Much time passed.  Yarn was produced for sale and released with my pattern on the label.  Of course, no store anywhere around here carried the yarn.  I didn’t really want the yarn, I wanted the label.  I didn’t order it online because I was afraid there might be several labels and I wanted MY label.

Finally Cat came to my rescue.  She delivered two—not one—skeins.  That was good because when Steve saw it, he said we should frame it.  You need two to have a front and back of the label.  Yes, I’m going to frame it and hang it in my studio.  I am very proud of it.

Maybe someday someone I know will buy a skein and say Oh, I know her.  Wouldn’t that be nice?  Did I mention I was proud?  And really glad I know Cat.  She made the tiles in my kitchen and now is a marvelous leather wear designer.  Check out her work at http://rosewoolls.blogspot.com/ and on Etsy at http://www.etsy.com/shop/RoseWoolls?ref=top_trail

bits and pieces

So many projects.  So many techniques.  I move from knit to crochet to quilting to Zentangles to embroidery and embellishments.  Why am I not crazy?

Because of the One Great Commonality:  They all are done in bits and pieces.

Now with patchwork quilting, this is obvious.  Embroidery and embellishments are add-ons, so they easily fit this hypothesis.  Zentangles?  This is a meditative doodling technique where you randomly section off a square and then fill in each with a pattern.  Sort of patchwork with a pen.

Crochet?  For me, it’s usually freeform.  Make a bunch of pieces; arrange them in the shape you need; join them; fill in the holes with more pieces.  It’s a building process, and it is similar to quilting.  You can also embellish it, even with embroidery.

Knitters can also do freeform work, but my bits and pieces is more than that.

When I make a sweater, I build it.  I think of the parts as I work.  One neckline, one back, one -two fronts, etc.  And any of these parts can be more than one piece; think color blocking.

So, my latest project shouldn’t surprise me, but it did.

I want to make some very openwork,  let a breeze blow through vests.  These are for those of us who really want to cover our arms in the summer.  However, those of us who really want to cover our arms do not need anything to help us be warmer—not in the sunny South.

I started by looking for someone else’s pattern.  I found a modular shrug by Iris Schreier in  her Lacy Little Knits.  Now I know ladies with big “girls” do not look good in shrugs.  I also know that a bunch of triangles (as in this pattern) will not fit a curvy body.  Still, I started the pattern.  When I don’t really know what to do, I just do something and hope I don’t hurt myself.

I knit the back triangle of the pattern.  I looked at it.  It looked familiar.  I fiddled and folded and realized it looked like a sleeve.  A sleeve that falls in a point.

A fluttery point.  If I put it across my shoulder, the pointy end draped down my arm and covered the wobbly bits.  The straight section of the triangle that was knit to build height looked like an underarm seam.  Hmmmmmmmmmm.

I knit another one.

Then I knit a rectangle to join them and named it “Back.”  I just guessed at a size.  If it is too wide, I’ll gather it.  Summer vests need to be roomy to let in the cool air.  I basted them together and tried it on.

Then I drew.  I needed to discover what shapes would be necessary to make the other parts of the vest.  I didn’t bind off anything.  Just cut the yarn 6 inches long and added waste yarn to hold the stitches.  Makes it easier to add on (or take out) to continue.

I like V necks and the “sleeve” has some sloped sides to accommodate, so I lay out a triangle for the bodice.  I proceeded confidently even though I had no idea what I was doing.  Sometimes confidence is rewarded.  I measured gauge and computed how many sts I needed.  Five rows in, I knew I was wrong, so I pulled out and cast on a larger number.  I did the increases every four rows because that usually works, and it did.  When it was long enough, I stopped knitting.

Basted it to the shoulder and sleeve and tried it on.  This is crucial.  You have to temporarily assemble and try on in order to really know what you have.  Measurements lie.

I know I need some extra inches in the underarm so I continued the back with a cast on of 6 sts at the end of the next two rows.  I chose 6 because of gauge and trying not to screw up the st pattern.  If it isn’t enough, I’ll know when I try it on before  I start the fronts.  I’ll just add more there.

I’m a little worried about the pointy sleeves.  I can use a ribbon and cinch them up for a frill effect.

This is it so far.  How will I finish the back? Fronts? Sleeves? etc.

No idea, but I’ll let you know when I do.  And you thought designing was hard.

More later–

Purse Gets Raves

and I love raves.

I designed this purse a long time ago.  I wanted a pouch purse just this size, and so I visited the stash.

Patchwork oval flap

I made the flap first out of patchwork scallops which I had not yet experienced.  I included the main colors in “blotches” as I worked.

The body includes some stitches that mix the colors, as well as some knitting as warp weaving.  It is a great place to practice new stitches.

I think I’ll offer a class.  I can’t go anywhere with it, even now, without drawing comments from strangers, most of whom don’t knit.  You need one, too.

Yarn:  Recycled Sari Silk, mercerized cottons in DK weight and my favorite colors. Cotton lined in my down and dirty hand sewn method.

The purse is on display at Charlotte Yarn.  Class announcement coming soon.

More later–

Knitcircus is up and ready

Check these pics, check Ravelry, go to the website.  This is the best deal in the knitting world.  For one low price, you get ALL of the patterns in this magazine.  The patterns are all so well written—I know—because we get to work with the best tech editors in the world, and they push us to be better and better.

The articles here are to provide you with info real knitters want, not what someone wants to sell.  That is important to me.

Jaala, the editor, actively looks for the new and the different and the practical and the clever.  She seeks cool new yarns and indie designers as well as some of our favorites.

Even more, she writes a blog and gives away good stuff.  And the woman can cook, too.

If you haven’t read Knitcircus, don’t wait.

Now — giveaways.  I have 5 copies to give away.  Here’s how it works.  Go to the site and look through the mag, then leave a comment here telling me which pattern–besides mine–you want to knit first.  I’ll give you until Sunday night to do this and then I will generate the winners.  Tell your friends.

These are my patterns:

Dolce, a lace scarf

Victoria, a tutorial project on fitting armholes

Good luck to everyone.

Weds. am— I’ve seen it and it is 113 pages of beauty and wisdom.  Great patterns and amazing articles.  I’m going to make a cup of tea and curl up with my laptop.

Coming Wednesday!!!!!!!!

Spring is coming, and so in the Spring 2010 Knitcircus emag.

The color sings Spring.

So does my "Dolce" pattern.

And a first for me—a knitting article for a mag.  This one is the beginning of learning to fit yourself and includes a free pattern.

"Victoria"--a free tutorial on fit

On Wednesday, you can see these pictures undistorted and we can all see the rest of the patterns, articles, etc.  I’m excited.

Of course, this blog will be doing a giveaway.  Details on Weds.

New designs just for fun.

I have been Blogging less than usual. One of those big things I discovered Down Under was that I was more creative and more productive if I spent less time online. I know, Duh! Well, I’ve been working on it and it’s true.

I have a wealth of projects to share with you, but don’t worry, I won’t inflict them all at once.

Earlier I wrote about the “Fluffy Squares” I knit from a pattern on Ravelry by Frankie Brown. Finally I did something with them.

A scarf. So simply made. Because I wanted to work this laceweight up quickly, I chose to crochet the center piece. It would work equally well in a knitted garter or seed stitch. I also chose to work lengthwise rather than widthwise to control the stretch. The squares are heavier than the center strip and would pull it out of shape—or so I thought.

I put the squares together in sets on the table and then walked by them for a day or so. Yes, I rearranged them a bunch and finally decided on what you see. I’m not sure if I found the best arrangement or just got tired of thinking about it, but here you are.

My sewing was somewhat clever and difficult. I put two squares RS out and two WS out to make it more reversible. Had I kept them all facing the same way, sewing inside the RS edge roll would have been a piece of cake. I had to flip it back and forth to avoid showing any sts, but it wasn’t that much.

The center strip is just whipped to the squares, a la those Estonian ladies who knit lace edgings and then sew them onto the shawl.

So, knit 8 squares. Sew them in sets of four (2X2)

Chain a length you like and sc about 6-8 rows for a nice firm edge.  Then switch to a mesh pattern–I used hdc, ch 1–and make the scarf the width of the squares minus one inch.  Repeat the initial sc edge.  Finish off.

Attach the squares to the scarf with a simple whip stitch or mattress st.  Voila!

It’s a perfect portable project, because the patterns are easy and the pieces are small.

What other shapes can you think of for the ends?

Details:

Squares are done on size 4 needle in Zauberball.  1 skein

Scarf is in Yipianqing 70% Silk 30% Cashmere 1.3 skeins = 390.0 yards (356.6m) using a F hook.  An awesome yarn.

“The Girls” at Charlotte Yarn

color not accurate–way too blue purple

Cat Babbie is a true artist. She even has a degree, but she was born with a huge need to create beauty. This she has done in many genres, but this new one is hand-dyed yarn, and I get to be part of it.

Cat and Charlotte Yarn owner Remi have combined ideas and resources to create a custom line of hand painted yarn for the shop. The first collection is called “The Girls,” and it honors all of us who work at the shop.

Cat asked me what I wanted my colorway to look like. Jane ain’t no fool! No way I was giving directions to the expert. The result is Jane’s Blackberry Cobbler. It is so me, and I am so pleased that Cat knows me this well.

I love it, love it, love it.  Unfortunately I can’t photograph it.  I’ve tried over and over and I can’t get the color right for you.  I can’t even edit it right for you.  Trust me.  It is blackberry color.

The first project, which will be at the shop tomorrow, is this scarf which combines a basic K3, P1 rib with knit and crochet scrumbles. I used some of my favorite crochet patterns

Fairy wings, Traveling Ivy, Bullions, Irish rings, Leaves, Blackberries ( well, berries)

After I finished the scarf, I played paper dolls with the various bits of scrumble until I discovered something I liked. I tried to vary the pieces, and I had to make a few more to fill in some holes. I just whipped them on with the same yarn. If they had been knit with a contrasting yarn, I probably would have used sewing thread to keep the sts invisible on the back. Was not a problem here though.

Since the yarn comes in a 250yd skein, one skein was plenty. The base yarn is 100% merino wool ( yum) in a worsted weight. I used a size 8 US needle and various crochet hooks.

Turtlegirl76 aka Cristi has a feature about her Tabby Tuesday colorway here.

The other colorways, all gorgeous, can be seen here. I’ve already started a shawl with the one for Patsy.  The ones here that Cristi shot are closer to the correct color.

I’m sorry, Cat.  Just shows a photo is nothing compared to the original.

FO: Freeform Headband

Beautiful, yeah?  And the headband isn’t bad either.

I’ve been working on some headband ideas for several months.  Too lazy to get them out in public and now the idea doesn’t seem so new.  But this one I love and it is so easy to do.

First you make the base.  You can see the grey filet structure of the headband in several places in this picture.  If you don’t crochet, consider knitting a strip of garter st to the dimensions you want.  This one is 4 inches wide and 18 inches unstretched, 22 stretched.  Look carefully at the front edge near Cristi’s ear and you can see that I wove some strands of yarn through the edge to restrict it from stretching further.

Then you make motifs, shapes, swatches, spirals, flowers, ruffles, whatever.  Get out the stitch dictionaries.  Throw them into a pile.  Make lots using scraps or planned yarns.  Consider an old broach or a neat button.  A piece of ribbon that you just like.  Then start pinning them on wherever.

Take your time here.  Make an arrangement and then leave it on the table for a while.  I sewed the motifs together using whipstitch and sewing thread.  Worked just fine.  I basted things on using scrap yarn and a tapestry needle, removing whenever I wanted to.  Basically I just played and it was fun.

A few folks even laughed at me and thought I had lost it.  But when I look at this in Cristi’s magnificent hair, I just pity them.

I wear it as an earwarmer with my short hair.  It makes me feel spunky and fun.

Make one, but please share a picture with me if you do.  It is so freeing.

Thanks, as ever, to Prudence Mapstone for reminding me how much fun this can be.

Yarns used were Malabrigo silk/wool blend for the base.  Motifs and swatches were mostly cottons, cotton blends, linen, bamboo, and some leftover Punta wool.  Needle sizes varied and were just random.  Really—random.

This might be a fun party idea.  You could even serve wine.  Errors make no difference.

Yoke Sweater Sleeves

The top down yoke sweater, my first ever yoke sweater, is almost finished.  Nothing like going from 80 degree weather to 17 degree and having no coat to give you the push you need to finish knitting a sweater.  Yes, I plan to wear it home.

What have I learned?

First, that Amy Herzog was right.  My body type can wear this style.

Yokes are fun because you can do some fancy stuff there and then keep it simple and non-chunky around your my chunky body.

The armcye.  Well, that’s the place I am still experimenting.  I took my basic design from a general plain pattern.  I knit one size for the back based on my shoulder measurements and a size larger for the front.  The yoke was short rowed for the front in order to cover the girls like I wanted while keeping the shoulder seams equal.  This means the front of the armscye is a bit longer than the back.

Well tailored jackets do not create fronts and backs the same as do most knit patterns.  That is because—I’m preaching here—fronts and backs are the same size only on prepubescent children.

I am doing top down sleeves starting with picking up around the armscye and short rowing for a cap, etc.

I think this first sleeve used too many short rows.  After all the cap part of this sleeve is very small because much of the over shoulder onto the arm is done by the yoke.  Also picked up a few more stitches on the front than the back.  It seems to buckled a bit, just a bit, there.  Remember that I’m making these judgments about an unblocked sweater.

Looking at it again, I think that the short rows should start wider than I did.  I just used the same ratio I always use and that was the error.  I think!

Second sleeve will differ from the first in to correct these things.  No!  I will not frog the first sleeve.  I’ll wear it and remember what I learned.

Do you keep a knitting journal?  You know, with pictures of your projects, the data about needles and yarn and gauge.  If you do, good on ya.  We all should.  Another thing you should add to this journal is a reflection on what you learned from the project, what you wish you had done differently, what you will try next time.  You think you will remember and you won’t.

You could add that to your ravelry notes.  Then the rest of us could learn from you.

More later—

Home in a week.