Chalk, Wingspan details, Art in the back of the Subaru

A work in chalk at Charlotte Yarn–fun.

Remi has bought so many new yarns that contain some of that magic fiber–silk. I love my wool blended with some of this luxury. While listing some of the desirable qualities, we had a discussion about the spelling of the word drapable, drapeable, or drape-able. The only one my word processor recognizes is the one I decided to use—-drape-able. No matter how you spell it, it makes you look sexy.

Wingspan Front

Had some questions about the yarns and the techniques I used in my Wingspan. The main yarn is the Noro Yuzen which may be discontinued. It is a wool blend DK. The panel on the right is a simple intarsia technique using grey Manos (which has a bit of silk) and a teal Cascade 220 Superwash. I started the panel with the grey, then I tied on the teal at row 3 and knit 2 stitches. Each RS row I added two more teal stitches until the panel was finished.

The Noro Yuzen had been hanging around for quite a while and had been tried in other projects. The last one was a mitered checked piece that I frogged. Therefore, only three of the five Yuzen patterns were a continuous knit. The other two were put together out of 8 yard bits. I spit joined the ends and placed the colors wherever I pleased.

Therefore, I tell you that this is an awesome stash buster. I used both DK and worsted yarns willy nilly with excellent results. Size 8 needle. Cast on 90 sts as written. Do not overthink your knitting.

I have also been doing so neat striping on my current Wingspan, where I work 6 rows in one color, and then 2 rows in a real eye popper. I am still figuring out the best place to make the color change and will share it when I post this next one. And this one is knit on chunky yarn and some worsted on US 10 needles.

I didn’t want a scarf, so both of these are shawls to shawlettes. The beauty of this pattern is that it works in any yarn.

 

 

 

Greenway Leaves

This may indicate obsession. I was driving by the greenway when I was compelled to park and go gather leaves. I have leaves at home. But I needed these leaves. Whatever. Then I went to Michaels, an everyday event when I have coupons. Next was the dentist, but I had an hour to kill. I didn’t want to eat or shop. Finally I raised the hatchback on my Outback and climbed in. With the warm sun on my back and my feet propped on the door opening, I sketched the leaves. Yep, still sitting in the Michael’s parking lot at lunchtime. Lots of traffic. I’ll bet they thought I was a serious artist. I know I was a content one. Maybe just a little bent.

And then I did this. I need to make put it in one of the side columns of the blog. Or maybe I’ll use it to update the title graphic.

More later– You are making things, aren’t you? Don’t make me come to your home to chastize.

Wingspan is growing

Four wings here. Three yarns

Noro Yuzen and an old modular swatch

I love the colors of this yarn. I’ve loved them for several years. The yarn is now discontinued, but a similar color way creeps into other Noro yarns. I’ve swatched the yarn and started several projects. The last one was a modular thing I didn’t like. So I frogged it.

As I started this Wingspan, I realized I’d need more yarn, so chose several. The Noro must be special to me. I had one unwound skein left and the other three skeins looked like this.

Roughly 5 yard balls.

The things we do for the love of yarn!

More later–

Shopping the Frolic

What I bought—

From Silver Threads & Golden Needles in Franklin, NC. Amy and Virginia are two of the owners who were at the Frolic (Amy even took a class from me.) and they were so nice and helpful. I bought Habu from them. I’m not sure anyone in Charlotte stocks Habu. Please tell me if I am wrong about this. I still have a little money to spend.  The merino/stainless on the right will join an all silk(left) and a silk/stainless (center) I bought at a Stitches a few years ago. Probably a couple of scarves will come out of the blending.

This Rayon yarn which is smaller than most of my lace weight is slated to be an Infinite Loop by Olga Buraya-Kefelian. You will want to check out this pattern on ravelry and on YouTube. There are so many ways it can be worn. Takes 2 skeins of yarn at $25 each, over 1100 yards per skein, knit on a size THREE needle. in stockinette. Sounds insane, but what a classic investment piece. That’s my story and I’m sticking to it.

Swatched on size 5 and size 3.

Oh, the yarn feels like scratchy paper to start with. Softens as you knit. Blocking directions say to soak it in lukewarm water for TWO hours and then block width wise. That alone is enough to suck me in. Want to join me? I’m sure Silver Threads will ship to you.

Then I bought the 2013 Frolic color way from Sarah of Copper Corgi. It is amazing. So subtle. She has truly captured the early April mountain sky. A couple of over achievers (Jan and Anne) spun up a bunch and shared it before the Frolic was over. I intend to spin mine and knit something so devastatingly beautiful that I can beat Cindy in next year’s contest. I so wish I had a picture of her shawl that won this year. Incredible.

Finally I bought from Ann Potter whom I adore. I picked out some stuff and left it behind her booth to await payment. She even added some extra mohair locks to one kit “just for me.” When I returned to pay for it, Renate had retrieved it from my unmarked pile and paid for it. I called foul, but Renate just smiled and said I could come over and look at it whenever I wanted. Well, Smarty Pants, I showed her. I bought a new incredibly bizarre batt andtwo braids of a lovely pink and grey colorway.

Thus is the spirit at the Frolic. Actually, we had so much fun that Jan is planning a low key event for fall and the next Frolic is already set for March 22-24, 2013. Same location and I sincerely hope, the same caterer. If you want to find out more, click on the Carolina Fiber Frolic in the top corner of the blog and tell Jan to add you to her mailing list. You won’t be sorry.

More later–

New Brioche, New Jewelry

So, spent the weekend at an adorable cottage at Richard B. Russell State Park in Elberton, Georgia.  Beautiful lake and woods; lovely townspeople.  I did take the camera; I did not take any pictures.  Idiot!

Silver and squares

Erica and I made earrings.  We strung beads and later I did the wire work.  I’m getting better at it.  Not really good yet, but growing.  Zachary joined us and made earrings for his new teacher and last year’s teacher and for me.

Designed for Nana by Zachary

Don’t think he loved it; think he was just bored.  There was a nice flat screen TV, but only three channels that you could actually see.  Enough to drive a 9 year old to beads.

I gave Erica the three brioche pieces for her birthday.  She wore the beret all Saturday night in the cottage.  Must have liked it.  I also finished one for dear friend Kate in Boston. This one is Nancy Marchant’s Windmill.

Windmill Beret, Marchant

I really like making these things.

Braided cast off

Kate’s is made with Abuelita Merino Worsted Multi  and Brown Sheep Prairie Silk which is a discontinued yarn.  The Abuelita I brought back from Australia; it has to be the same yarn that Malabrigo uses.  It is that soft and buttery.  I also have a hank of the lace weight which feels just like Malabrigo lace.   In case you don’t know, most brands of yarn do not create their own base yarns.  They buy them and have them dyed to their own design.  So you may find the same yarn distributed by several yarn labels in varying colors.

Erica's Tree Beret

The yarn I used in Erica’s beret was Malabrigo, but the pink was Lanaloft from Brown Sheep.  This is a single ply just like Lamb’s Pride, but without the 15% mohair.  It knit just like Malabrigo and I like the colors so will be getting more of it.  Many folks like the colors of Lamb’s Pride but don’t want the mohair.  Try the Lanaloft; it’s great and 100% American.

Also made some more jewelry today.

I tried to do a bit of wire wrapping of some beads.

Chinese beads

And I put together a bracelet for Erica.  She loves the blue and white Delft porcelain, so this seemed a good idea.

Now I need to get to work on a plain white cotton/linen tank for Katherine.  Her sister started and knit most of it, but the neckline was confusing her.  I agreed to finish it and haven’t knit on it since early June.  Katherine comes to dinner Thurs and it better be ready or else.  She is a public school counselor and can be scary.

Then I’m going to make me a beret.  And the Hosta scarf.

More later–

Knitting with Cotton

I had a blast doing a freebie class for the shop about knitting with cotton.  Had a great group—beginner to master knitters.  I talked about the difference in working with cotton and animal fibers, and I brought a huge number of different cottons from my stash.

I was so surprised that these knitters had never seen many of the spins and blends that I had with me.  Especially the finer, higher quality cottons.  That alone explains some of the negative attitudes I’ve heard about cotton.  If all you have seen is Peaches and Cream, then no wonder you don’t want to make a sweater out of cotton.  ( Not to slam Peaches and Cream–it has its place in my knitting world.)

As everyone “tasted” the cottons, they rated them and gave feedback.  I shared this with Remi, the shop owner.  We talked about some future purchases and also about recommending some more patterns for the yarns the shop currently owns.  Remi has really embraced the responsibility for making certain her customers are kept aware and are educated to make the perfect selection for what they want to make.  I, of course, love to be part of that.  Always teaching!!!!

For those who couldn’t be at the class, I have posted on the Tutorial Page the little handout I gave which covers most of the points I made. Here’s a link–Knitting with cotton notes.

As for some of those patterns, here’s a few ideas culled from Ravelry and my suggested yarns from Charlotte Yarn.

In keeping with the idea of summer knitting producing gifts, let’s look at bags.

Linda Kinlo’s “Let’s go shopping–Market Bag” is simple to knit and produces a spiral effect which would look great in a space dyed yarn such as Araucania Antu or, for a solid, Mirasol Hap’i, a thick n thin yarn of 100% Tanguis cotton, Peru’s preferred variety.

In my Ravelry queue is this cool Windmill Bag by Danielle LaFramboise.  I think I will use some Tahki Cotton Classic because there are so many colors to choose from.  You could make this in a bulkier cotton like the Berroco Weekend and just have a bigger bag. Maybe mix a space dyed with two solids?

If you crochet, and you should, try this Crocheted Swirling Bag from designer Kathey Merrick (link to her gorgeous site–read the articles about color).  I think it would be a super summer birthday gift and could go to the beach or shopping.  A sturdy cotton or cotton blend would work well.  Try Cotton Classic or some Universal Cotton Supreme will be in soon.

If you want to gift a knitter, try this little bag that will hold a ball of yarn (or anything else that size you choose) on your wrist.  Teresa Murphy designed this Wrist Yarn Holder.  It has another spiral effect which I really like.  Teresa  doesn’t give a yardage amount, but it has to be way less than a 50g skein.  This is a really quick knit gift.  Berroco Linsey would make a lovely one of these, or Touche which has unfortunately been discontinued  but Remi has some in the shop.  For a brighter one, Cotton Classic lite.

Feel adventurous?  Have a really special person in mind?  Grab the Cotton Classic Lite and knit the Montavilla Market Tote, a lace market bag.  The original version uses a worsted weight, so the regular Cotton Classic will work fine, as well as any of the great linens we have.  The pattern calls for two colors, but I like my lace in a solid, so I’d use just one–in the Euroflax.  (Check the sale bin!)  Do as thou wishest; thou art the knitter.

Want something a little more “uptown.”  The Quinn Cabled Bag by Yvonne Kao is lovely.  You usually think wool with cables, but cotton has great stitch definition.  Check the sale bin for a Nashua silk that would be heaven in this pattern.  Also check out some of the Sublime blends. That multi strand spin would be easy on the hands as you turn these cables.  Tahki Cotton Classic creates a great cable.

A real summer cutie is this 120-9 bag from Garnstudio.  It is crochet; many of the cute purses were.  I’d even consider the Sirdar Baby Bamboo for this, but knit it on a smaller needle for stability.  That yarn was really liked by the folks at the Knitting with Cotton class.  (I know it isn’t cotton; it’s just so-o-o-o pretty.)  Also consider Universal’s Fibranatura Flax or Elsbeth Lavold’s Hempathy, a personal favorite.

If none of these float your boat, go to Ravelry and search for free bag patterns yourself.  There are 88 pages of them!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  Knitters are so generous.

Thanks to all the designers for allowing me to use their photos.  I know it is a great relief to see some good photos on this site.  It is for me.

I have written the blog, found the pics, located the links, learned what Tanguis cotton is, and joyfully checked it all——–this blogger is now napping. 

More later–

Buying yarn with Remi

I spent Friday morning meeting with the yarn rep from Takhi Stacey Charles. Remi had invited me to join them to look for yarn to support some upcoming classes. What fun! I had planned to order Filiatura di Crosa’s Fine, an exquisite Egyptian cotton that is really elegant. But I changed my mind when I saw the colors of the new Cotton Classic Lite.

Remi just gave me my head and said buy what you need. Of course, that about paralyzed me. I feel like if I buy it, I have to make sure it sells. eeek.

Here’s the thing I don’t get. We live in the South. It gets really cold here maybe 10 days each year. Winter is really mostly 40 + degree days and sunny. Why do knitters here make alpaca sweaters? Well, okay, for those ten days. But most of the year we wear cotton, denim, linen. Doesn’t it make sense that we would knit with those yarns as well?

Yes, cotton doesn’t knit like wool, but it is so wearable, not to mention washable. Are we led along by what patterns are popular?  I remember “Sally’s Favorite Summer Sweater” being so popular about 10 tears ago. It was an easy knit and easy to wear. But——–it had LONG SLEEVES!!! Sally Melville is from Canada. Not North Carolina.

My point? Think about your climate before you buy fiber. If you need something other than wool, learn about it. Learn how to work with it. Learn who designs with it. Recognize that poor quality of any fiber will have problems. So seek out a range of yarns.

So, I think my responsibility to the shop is to show people the cool things we can make out of wearable cottons, strong cottons, cottons that don’t pill or fade. I also can talk about the difference in a pattern designed for cotton and one designed for wool.

What classes do I have in mind for this new yarn?

To start, I’m planning to teach the purse “Jewel.” This class will emphasize play. Playing with color and stitches. Playing with texture. Trying some new techniques. I’ll be using Cotton Classic Lite and some Sari Silk.

Then, I want to teach a  knitalong. I really wear my two knitted skirt in the warmer months. They are cooler than shorts, and the swish a bit in a girly sort of way. The Cotton Classic Lite will make a great skirt.

Finally, there seems to be some interest in freeform knitting and crochet. Freeform is the perfect summer knitting or crochet. Build a project from small pieces that you just make up as you go along. Create an entire piece or just the embellishments that make it uniquely yours. The Cotton Classic Lite will make a great foundation yarn, and you may add in some of the new novelties coming into vogue.

Anyway, I’m excited about these gorgeouse new colors which are just fun to look at, and I want to have a fun time turning them into joyful thread art pieces that are useful while they brighten my world.

Here are the stats:
100% Mercerized Cotton
Hand or machine wash cool, lay flat to dry
US#5 (3.75 mm)
(50 g) 146 yds
6 sts = 1″
F-5 (3.75 mm)

As you can tell, I bought mostly bright summer colors.  In the fall we will bring in some gorgeous muted shades.  They also do a few pastels, but I didn’t choose them this time.  Of course, Remi will always order the colors of your choice.

Tomorrow, I’ll tell you about some cotton patterns that I like.

Uh, I bought two neutrals for the shop. I also have some serious plans for the second color. But you’ll have to wait a bit to hear them.

In the meantime, buy a ball of a yarn in a fiber or size with which you’ve rarely or never worked. Swatch it. Try something with it. Work a rectangle about 5 inches by however long and then fold a sew a pouch. Heck, put a zipper in it and call it a makeup pouch. You’ll learn a lot and there is no pressure! Knitters are adventurerers.

More later–

Swedish Knitting-a real find

Quick and dirty blog but you need to know about this book.  Photos aren’t good and I’m sorry.  I don’t know how to photo a book.  Better ones at amazon.com link.This is a great book.  I had never heard of it or seen it advertised.  I was just walking along the craft section of my local library (Morrison Branch) and there it was.  It came home with me.

Here’s the Table of Contents: Click on pics for readable view.

It has great photo illustrations of techniques–And it has some amazing stitch patterns that I’ve never seen before, not even in my BW stitch dictionaries.  I can’t wait to try these.

Rowan #49 Arrives

Sandy Harris talked me into subscribing to Rowan International and I’m glad she did. I never make anything from this magazine, but it affects many things I knit. It is photographed so beautifully that you could frame every picture and the layout always makes me feel like spring at the beach–even the winter editions.

So the new one is here and I wish to discuss it. In detail. Hope I don’t get arrested for copyright infringement.

Initial look-through

1. English beauties with skin to dye for. They make plain beautiful.

2. The Art! I want to visit every locale.

3. Neutrals! Mix them and they are luscious. Even the dark colors work like a neutral. Can wear forever.

4. (about the knitting, finally) Horrible shapes. Unwearable unless you are a 20 year old model, size 0. Except two of the men’s sweaters.

Second look–always the productive one

1. Awesome stitch patterns. Steal them and make your own projects.

2. Some interesting details used very well. Steal these too.

My list of swatches to knit.
1. Fancy by Erika Knight– She uses Kid Silk Haze. There is no substitute for Kid Silk Haze. Look-alikes don’t drape as well and are invariably scratchy. I say this and I don’t even like mohair, but I love Kid Silk Haze. The st pattern is new to me. I would use it for a scarf, cowl, or shawl.

2. Ghost by Amanda Crawford. This is the first of several that uses elongated knit sts (wrap the yarn around the needle 3-5 times then drop the wraps on the next row).

3. Gentian by Grace Melville, Like above. The drape and airiness is good for warm weather.

4. Cicely by Grace Melville. Worth the price of the mag. She’s figured out how to knit cables with holes in them. Hint: Think intarsia.

5. Earthy by Erika Knight–Steve wants this. Unstructured. Made from Purelife Revive, a classy, recycled yarn which has not one bit of stretch or memory. It feels like linen which has been washed for decades–soft! This is an openwork pattern that we’d call lace in a woman’s pattern. Steve is not afraid of lace!

6. Honesty by Marie Wallin (my favorite of their current designers–her stuff is so wearable) This is simple with a neat serpentine detail down the center of the sleeve. Easy to copy and use on other patterns. She shows how effective one well placed detail can be.

7. Illusion Wrap by Marie Wallin. We all know the summer will really unleash a desire to crochet. This is made from several motifs and they are not all square which I like. I have to make the really open square for my freeform project.

8. Unwind Wrap by Kaffe Fassett. Dead simple but so effective. He combines Summer Tweed and Kid Silk Haze. They are so different. He just uses stockinette stitch to create a Scribble Scarf which has been done often thanks to Debbie New, BUT Kaffe does color like no one else, and using these two yarns together is genius. A mindless project that will wow.

Question: Can I do this using a one ply Kaalund silk which lives in my Aussie stash? I’ll let you know.

9. Wholesome by Jennie Atkinson. Knit a solid color sweater and then embroider on some color rows. More than duplicate stitch, she uses real embroidery. An easy and effective way to get two or more color knitting.

That’s it for now. I do plan to knit swatches of these and will keep them to remind or inspire me. If I were a product-driven knitter, I’d do them all in shades of one color and sew them together into a something—scarf, bag, whatever.

Oh, Kaffe also has a home dec section where he has framed some of his colorful surface design patterns. I can do that!

More later–

Mountain Spring Shawl

Mountain Spring Shawl

Having a beautiful model never hurts when you show off your knitting.  Thanks, Donna.

I knit this using the new Charlotte Yarn  Yarn, The Girls Collection, Patsy’s Mountain Bluebird colorway designed by Cat Babbie.  This is my favorite colorway—today anyway.  But I still love Jane’s Blackberry Cobbler.

This is a merino wool and it is so soft and cuddly.  I swatched this in many stitches and decided I liked the stockinette best for showing off the colors.

The shawl is designed to hug you and stay on your shoulders even during vigorous activity.  Let’s all pause and reflect on that, but don’t put down your knitting.  I’ve been chasing this perfect shaping of a shawl for several years and I think I’ve finally got what I wanted.  Kudos to all the designers who came before and from whom I’ve learned.

The pattern will be available for test knitting soon.  It’s very easy, just some stockinette, some garter and a very simple lace border.  The secret is in the increases.  Because the yarn is worsted weight, it knits up very quickly so makes a good last minute gift.

Can you tell I’m pleased with this?  It took a lot of work to get to this simple.

Don’t forget to enter the Knitcircus contest.   You have until Sunday night.  Click here for details.

More later–

“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.