Eating My Words Again

This was the stunner from camp. Things I believed carved in stone were wrong, or were creating twists that I did not intend. So I have to eat some words. Again.

First, the e-loop cast on, the most basic thing in knitting. This is the first cast on I learned. It is the first cast on millions of us learned. I hated it. I would not teach it (thank goodness). Knitting the first row of this cast on was impossible. Then Sally showed me why I felt this way. Duh, I’ve been doing it backwards MY ENTIRE LIFE!!!

I can try to blame my first teacher or a yarn conspiracy or global warming, but surely I should have noticed. Especially ten years ago when Sally first told me how often she uses it. Check it out in your reference book if you wish. The stitch should open nicely to accept your needle as you knit. If it is a struggle, you may have twisted the stitch causing it to sit backwards on your needle.

My entire life!

I’ve said cast on with a larger needle many times. Then I do it with a long tail cast on. Physics for Knitters will show you that this doesn’t really work. Check out the two tails. If you, correctly, have the unattached tail in front, you will see that it never even comes in contact with that larger needle. And it is the unattached tail that forms the cast on. All this does is create a loose first row. Remember that a long tail cast on equals the cast on plus the first row of knitting.

If you cast on too tightly, use a larger needle but also use a cable cast on.

The crochet cast on is my favorite. It is fast to do, uses only one strand, and looks just like the cast off row. But I’ve managed to put a twist in that. I scoop the yarn with the hook from under the yarn and then finish the chain. That scoop direction twists the st. It is pretty, if that is what you want, but it does not EXACTLY match the bind off.

To do a crochet cast on perfectly, go to The Knit Stitch by Sally Melville. Great photos and clear instructions. Or if you live in Charlotte, just ask me to show you.

Finally, my ssk adaptation. I don’t use an ssk often; I just like the old fashion SKP better. But when I do use it, I slip the first st as if to knit, then I put it back on the left needle and k2tog through the back loops. It is quick and easy. BUT the second st is twisted. It lies behind the first st, so you really have to look for it, and my loose knitting can use some tightening, so I will continue to do this. What I won’t do is teach it.

Some of this is just more fiddly to think about than Jane the Knitter cares about. My standards are not that high. Jane the Teacher needs to know these things. Do you?

My entire life!

More later–

Camp Is Coming Up

Greece, 2004–Sally at Lunch. Steve is behind her.

Every year I go to Colorado to knitting camp.  This year we have Sally Melville coming to teach.  She is a superb teacher and terribly clever.  No matter what the class, she always has amazing tips and tricks to share.  Our homework letter explains it all.  I thought I’d share it in case you have any questions I might could ask in class.  That way I am sure to be smarter when I come home.

Some of you will realize that I actually teach some of these topics.  No matter how much you already know, a good teacher will give you something new.  Besides, any camp or retreat is an opportunity to learn from everyone there.  I’m taking my new spindle to show to Jay; Gay will have knitted at least 10 new sweaters for me to steal the tricks from; Linda will have gone to some exotic locale and have textile souvenirs to share.  It isn’t only about the knitting—but everything is really about knitting if you think about it.

Here’s the homework letter–

Sally Melville’s classes for camp in Ft. Collins
July 11 – 15, 2012

These are the descriptions of each of the classes that we will have with Sally.

THE SET-IN SLEEVE (2hrs) – Thursday
The set-in sleeve is our most pleasing shape to wear – when it fits. But too often it does not, with shoulders too wide and upper sleeves too generous. In addition, even when the final result fits, the sewing is a struggle. Not anymore! This class explains how to measure, draft, knit, and assemble a simple and beautifully fitted set-in sleeve. You will be amazed at how easy it can be!

SUPPLIES TO BRING: tape measure, calculator is optional

KNIT TO FLATTER AND FIT (3hrs)
A knitter who spends the time and energy to make her own clothes should be rewarded with a result that makes her happy and proud. It should fit, it should flatter, and there should be no mystery as to how this happened. But sadly, and too often, this is not the result. Why? Because the knitter chooses the wrong pattern, OR chooses the right pattern but follows the directions without questioning them, OR makes the right garment but wears it with the wrong thing.

There are a few simple rules to follow for successful knitting: start with styles that flatter, knit with appropriate decisions for a personalized fit, and then wear it with something that makes it look wonderful! This workshop covers all these decisions and puts the power for successful results into your competent hands Yay!

HOMEWORK: It is essential that this exercise be completed. You will be disappointed if you don’t do this! And please read this carefully, including the NOTE at the bottom.

1. Dress in something close fitting. (We need to see your real silhouette. You may wear only lingerie, or you may add a bodysuit, a leotard, or tights. But do wear supportive lingerie.)
2. Standing straight, with arms slightly away from your side and feet together, have someone take a straight-on full body (head-to-toe) photo of you. (Have the photo fill the screen as much as possible.)
3. Print the photo onto plain paper, enlarging it to 8 – 10” tall.
4. Trace your outline only with a heavy black pen: We don’t need your photo anymore, only your outline. Bring your outline to class.

SUPPLIES TO BRING: A couple of pages each of 2 different colors of light-weight (20 lb. or lighter but NOT tracing paper) plus scissors, measuring tape, pencil, eraser.

Note: Common homework and supplies errors are the following: arms too far from sides, feet not together, head not included, paper too heavy or too light (tracing paper does not work), photo brought instead of just silhouette, silhouette not outlined or not outlined heavily enough.

ESSENTIAL SKILLS (5hrs)
No matter how advanced and accomplished we are, there are habits or holes in our knitting repertoire. Perhaps we rely upon the same cast-on, the same increase, the same decrease; perhaps we are confounded by selvedge stitches, or by picking-up-and-knitting around a round neck; or perhaps we knit without the awareness that we have choices.

This workshop explores and explains the many techniques we should all have in our repertoire. We’ll talk about which are best suited to each situation and why, and we’ll practice them all with lots of hands-on experience.

SUPPLIES TO BRING: more yarn, tapestry needle, crochet hook
HOMEWORK: Use plain yarn: worsted weight works best.

1. Cast on 24 stitches, work in stockinette (working selvedge stitches in stockinette also) until the piece measures 3” in length. DO EXACTLY AS WRITTEN: Do not slip stitches and do not work short rows. (You are shaping a round neck, in case you wonder.) At the beginning of the next RS row, bind off 6 stitches. At the beginning of the RS row, bind off 3 stitches. At the beginning of the next RS row, bind off 2 stitches. At the beginning of the next 3 RS rows, bind off 1 stitch. Work 8 rows even, then bind off.

MAKING THE MOST OF YOUR YARN COLLECTION (5hrs)
This workshop shows knitters how to use, manage, and replenish a yarn collection. Participants will learn ways to use up bits of this and that plus those 4-6 balls of something heretofore unusable. They will also learn that they may now buy one ball of anything that appeals to them knowing they will use it well. The elegance of the resulting fabrics, plus the fact that they took nothing like odd-ball knitting, comes as a very exciting discovery to participants in this workshop.

Students will explore the problems inherent in using multiple yarns and colors: which ones go together, which stitch patterns will accommodate different weights and colors best, how to arrange a yarn collection to make the most of it, plus much more.

SUPPLIES TO BRING: various yarns (weights and colors)
HOMEWORK: With any yarn and appropriate needles, cast on 15 stitches and work 2 rows stockinette, leaving work ready to work a RS (knit) row.

Wish you all could go with me.  More later–

Yarn from Colorado

Since I teach at Charlotte Yarn, I get a discount on my personal yarn buys.  So why would I buy something in Colorado that we sell at the shop???  COLOR!

No shop can carry every color of every yarn.  And these hand dyers will slip new colorways in without your even knowing it.  Besides, as Oscar Wilde said, the only way to get rid of temptation is to yield to it.

I’m proud to say I only bought 4 skeins.

First–

Blue Heron Rayon Metallic--Deep Water/Silver

Remi has lots of this at Charlotte Yarn, but I’ve never seen this color.  Rayon is a favorite fiber of mine and I have held many skeins of this;  I’m glad I waited for this one.I have 550 yards of this and I think it needs to be a shoulder hugging shawl.  For me.   Edie, the owner of Woolly Works Farm is a fellow camper and I need to support her.  Truly.

Next–Ella Rae Lace Merino

Speaking of color—I bought this for two reasons:  1.  the colorway is just a bit outside my comfort zone.  There is some brown tucked into this colorway and I don’t do brown, but I don’t want to be in a rut.  2.  I told Remi I would do something to highlight this yarn and then she would have to buy more.  Must keep my word.

Why would this gorgeous yarn need help?  It is extra fine Merino, superwash, 460 luscious yarns for only $24.  The problem is, and the yarn rep agrees with me, the yarn is MISnamed.  It is named Lace Merino.  It is not lace weight yarn.  It is fingering weight, sock weight, which is why Charlotte Yarn has it shelved in the sock yarn section.

I picked it up several times and was confused by the name.  Surely others were too.So–Socks?  Shawl? Scarf?  I don’t know yet.  But it is teal, turquoise, red, lt. navy—and it feels so great—soft, yet crisply spun.  You can see why I had to have it, right?

Last is two skeins of a yarn I’d only seen online.  Remi introduced me to Mirasol yarns.  I have a bunch of their fingering handpaint.  At a new shop in Ft.Collins, Your Daily Fiber, I found Mirasol Tupa on the wall in dazzling jewel tone colors.It’s a bit darker than this.  It is a plied yarn, 50-50 merino and silk, drapes beautifully, 137 yards per 50 grams, only $10.  I can’t believe I only bought 2 skeins.  It isn’t important what this will be.  It will mix with some other yarn probably.  The main reason I HAD to buy this is to show Remi so she will order lots of it.  Then we can all have some.  The colors and the silk—you will swoon.

Camp is more than just buying yarn.  The other side effect of camp is seeing what everyone has been knitting all year and making notes of what you have to have in the pattern category.  I’m still gathering some pictures of some of these projects and will share them soon.

More later–

Mary Ellen’s Knitting

Mary Ellen is my mentor, my guru, both for knitting and for parenting adults.  She, her daughter Paula Sue and daughter-in-law Mimi come to camp each year.  Mary Ellen makes Fair Isle and complex cable knitting look easy.  And fast.  She knits sweaters in abundance each and every year.  One year she and Paula Sue, a really good colorist and quilter, collaborated on a fair isle sweater.  Finding the perfect complement of colors is hard and requires much swatching.  Mary Ellen swatches–Not the 4″ or 8″ squares usually recommended.  NO, for Mary Ellen, you swatch a sweater at the full size of the sweater.

The swatches that don’t make it into completed sweaters are large.  Paula Sue cannot stand letting them just sit, so she creates with them.  The following purse is Mary Ellen’s knitting as designed by Paula Sue and the lining is all Paula Sue.  I will treasure it.  When I am not using it, it will hang on the screen in the living room.  It must be shared.

The Lining:

Camp is next week

My Sister Knits--Ft. Collins, Co

It is almost time for knitting camp in Colorado.  The air will be dry and the Fat Tire will be fresh.

Nancy Bush is teaching.  The materials list is mostly sock and lace yarns.  We are going to learn braids and bobbles and knit an Estonian lace sampler.  I hope to learn more about Estonia as well.  Nancy is the expert on the place and their knitting tradition.  Her book Folk Socks if one of my most thumbed resources and I have great respect for her knowledge.  Rumor is that she has a new book in the works with Interweave Press, so maybe I can get some advance info.

How to pack is the current question.  I don’t want to check a bag.  Fortunately no one cares what I wear, so clothes are simple:  skirt for the plan, shorts for class!  Edie will bring half her yarn shop and tempt me to buy great yarns.  Then there will be trips to Lambspun and My Sister Knits.

Lamspun of knitting mystery story fame

My one carry-on bag won’t hold any extra yarn, but I have vowed not to buy any yarn this trip.

There’s always UPS.

I’ll keep in tough through the hotel’s computer and will share what I learn after I return.  If Mary Pat bring her computer (she drives), I may be able to upload some pics.  I wish I could take every knitter I know with me.  It’s so laid back and encouraging and fun.

Next year we get Nancy Marchant and brioche knitting.

Sally on our Greece trip

In 2012 we will host Sally Melville.  Let me know if you want in on this.

More later–

I will not buy yarn, I will not buy yarn . . .

This is NOT yarn.  It is a beautiful shawl pin.  And if you turn it over,

Gold and black on the back.

We spent the morning measuring finished garments and looking at how to alter patterns from this data.  A good way if you knit bottom up.

Alice Atkinson showed this beautiful shawl designed by Candace Eisner Strick.  The yarn is a single strand from Candace’s Emerging Colors line.

Some kind of short row thing after lunch today.