Knits at the Barn with the Quilts

Click here to visit the website with info for the Barnful of Quilts show this Saturday, Oct. 8, from 10–5pm.

Valerie Fox and the Fox Family Farm has sponsored this event for eight years.  It began with Quilt Artists and Valerie is branching out to other fiber artists.  I am so honored that she asked me to display some of my work this year.

For a $5 contribution to Samaritan’s Purse, you can see some awesome work, buy some art or fabric or YARN for yourself, and have a good time.  Hard to beat.

Many of the exhibitors are local artists and you may be surprised at how many fiber artists live in our area.  Are you one of them?

I hope you go.  If you have been on the Yarn Shop Crawl, this is a great way to top it off.  Tangled will have a booth and that is where my stuff will be.  Lauren, Valerie’s daughter, will be manning it, so drop by and say hello to her.  Check out Winestains, the crazy afghan that I knit.  This is its first public outing.  Yes, there is still some work to be done on it.

If you use interfacing to support your embroidery on your knit fabic, and you should, be sure to use the water soluble kind.  Now that I know putting a backing on Winestains is a bad idea, I am slowly, painstakingly cutting away the interfacing and hoping and hoping I don’t cut the threads.  Heck. I had some water soluble, but I guess I was too cheap to use it.  Penny wise; pound foolish.

More later–

The Kitchen Has Started

The Dining Room Wall that was

The wall is gone

The room is huge!!!!

Electrician comes today!!

Finished a few things

A beret for me.  This is another Nancy Marchant free pattern, Whirlybird (I think), which I had to alter a bit because I used DK weight yarn for a heavy worsted wt. pattern.  I just repeated some rows and it looks great.  I used one skein of Manos Silky Worsted for the handdye and one of Sirdar Baby Bamboo in the wine solid.  The bamboo luster looks great.  The beret is the smallest I’ve made.  Gauge matters, folks.   Like it on me.

This is my first brioche pattern.  It is knit bottom up, using an adjustable rib band, and is worked in cotton.  I created it for a class for brioche beginners.  It begins with a large band of 2 color stockinette brioche to keep it simple while they learn the rhythm, and then uses the brioche decreases to close the top.

The adjustable band is a simple 1×1 rib larger than the projected head size.  When you finish the beret, you sew the band together with a nice button to achieve a perfect fit.  This will also allow you to easily resize the band if the cotton stretches too much.

My latest version of Carole Metzger’s necklace.  It used fingering weight hemp from my stash (an old Elann yard no longer available) with glass and metal beads.  I am about ready to create my own pattern to suit my personal likes and dislikes.  I’ll share.

Last—and not a knit project–is my fabric paint project.  I do not paint, nor draw.  No talent there.  But I can trace a template and then just fake it.  I used acrylic paint with a product from Golden that turns acrylics into fabric paints.  I mixed green and black randomly.  I mixed purple with black.  I painted the leaf totally in one of my greens and then added dabs and whatevers wherever to try to give it dimension and texture.  It is still too bright, even after I watered down the purple/black to make a wash and sponged it on.  However—–I like it.

I like t0 read Interweaves Quilting and Crafty mags.  I love some of the projects, but you have to make them to get them.  I decided to try.

I learned this:  You do not have to be any good at a craft to have fun doing it.  You also don’t have to be any good to produce something that you like.  Seriously.  So try something new.

More later–

TKGA was a blast!

I took Prudence Mapstone’s Freeform Organic Shawl class.  We started with some leaves we had knit or crocheted for homework. 
This is what I started with. Don’t gag. I learned a lot in this class, especially about color. This will get better.

Here are some gems from my class notes:
1. Use colors close in tone when embellishing. Don’t add a light to a dark.
(Aside–Prudence occasionally said that doing things would make your stitches “messy.” It took a while before I realized this was her gentile way of saying “ugly” or “tacky.” She’s so nice.)

2. Unify with a motif that is knit in larger sizes, in yarns of different textures, shades, etc. We were doing leaves.
click to enlarge.

3. You can use crab stitch as a surface embellishment if you fold the piece.

4. Don’t fence in a piece with one yarn or edge. Allow for different stretches.

5. Binding knit or crochet to a firm foundation works against the basic nature of the knit/crochet art.
(Aside—Not going to line the crazy quilt afghan I made.)

6. When making bullions, wind the yarn in the direction of the twist of the yarn. Makes a big difference. Pure Pima from Berroco makes great bullions.

Prudence’s class is as freeform as her knitting. She plans the basic structure and then asks if there is anything else we want to learn. I went to learn how to join motifs with mesh or lace like fabrics. It was easy. I hadn’t thought it through. I did learn that—and so much more.

Rethinking the color thing meant I had to go to market and buy yarn. Darn. There was a man from California selling cottons, rayons, and some silks for dirt cheap. I bought. Will share some of it later.

Friday night Remi and Sandy had an event for people to play The Last Knitter Standing, the new game they are marketing. We had about 70 people come and they had a ball. The game is so much fun. Knit ‘n Style magazine is featuring it as the number one gift to give a knitter at holiday time. Check it out on the Charlotte Yarn website.

Beth, Patsy and I shared a room and enjoyed each other’s company immensely. Lots of laughter. We bought out a Food Lion and picnicked in the room for most of our meals, including some good beer and wine.

The market at TKGA is not large, but it kept me entertained through several walk throughs. Some lovely yarns and some other fun things. One guy from Georgia makes jewelry out of metal knitting needles. Some he bends; others he cuts into beads or charms. This isn’t as big an event as Stitches and I think that is why I like it better. I don’t get overwhelmed and I feel like I can really see the new things.

I sat next to great people. One turned out to be a ravelry friend. Lisa lives in Durham and does some lovely freeform work.

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She had a new purse with her that I coveted. She made her motifs and scrumbles and then sewed them to a commercial bag.

(She got the bag on sale and says it was really ugly.)
She has a thing for blue and purple—–and what’s strange about that?

More later–

Thank you, Mary Ellen

My Mentor

Mary Ellen Meisters was my knitting mentor. I’ve written about her before.

I wrote about meeting her 10 years ago at a Colorado Knitting Camp. I wrote about her recommendation that I stop at the Brown Sheep Company on my way to Devil’s Tower. I wrote about how much Steve liked her when we ran into her at the factory and lunched at a Slovakian bakery in a nearby town.

Most of all, I have written about Mary Ellen,the mother who had such a great relationship with her adult children and their spouses. It was Mary Ellen who inspired me to take my non-knitting daughter to Camp Stitches to a dye class, a really special weekend for me.

I am just one of hundreds, maybe thousands, of women inspired by Mary Ellen’s life. She taught all of us compassion, courage, patience, and grace, as well as a lot about knitting. I only saw her once a year, for less than a week, but her influence is always with me.

And, being Mary Ellen, she is teaching me even in death. The obituary from the Lincoln paper tells of one of her last wishes–no formal funeral service. Instead, this Sunday, the knitters of Lincoln, Nebraska, will gather at a local yarn shop to knit, snack, and remember this extraordinary woman. I’ll be teaching at my LYS, but I’ll be in Lincoln in spirit.

Fall Classes

Finally I am getting off my couch and starting the Fall teaching season.

First off is . . .

Necklace Class (as promised)

September 18, Sunday, 1—3 pm, $25.

Learn to string beads, do a simple short row, and add a clasp.  You can make a necklace like the one pictured or a bracelet.  I’ll add links to some free patterns to this site so you can choose your project.  The cost of the class includes some practice seed beads to learn the techniques and the pattern for my necklace.  For your project I suggest size 6 seed beads or E beads available at all bead shops and at Michaels.  Yarn should be thin enough to fit the beads.  Fingering weight will work.  I used the Baby Bamboo at Charlotte Yarn.  I like the intense colors of this yarn.

Free patterns

http://www.knittingpatterncentral.com/directory/jewelry.php

http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/lexington-waves—a-knitted-beaded-necklace

Supplies needed for first class:  Needles, size 2, 3, or 4.  Scrap yarns you think might make a piece of jewelry.  Project materials if you have decided on them.

In October. . .

Socks on Magic Loop for Beginning Sock Knitters

Four Weds. Nights, Oct. 5, 12, 19, 26, 6—7pm   $40

We take the socks in four parts.  The first class teaches the Magic Loop technique and you start your cuff.  Class 2 is turning the heel.  Class 3 is the gusset and the foot.  Class 4 closes the toe.  Socks are addictive.  You love them or you don’t.  They are portable and non-knitters think you are amazing.  If you turn out to be a person who doesn’t enjoy making socks, you will at least know the Magic Loop technique and can make some holiday stockings. Just to make it extra easy, we will start with a worsted weight pattern.

Supplies needed for first class:  100 grams Superwash worsted weight wool (Lots of colors in the Cascade 220 and some pretty space dyes at the shop), a size 3, 32 or 40 inch circular needle.

Beginning Crochet for Knitters and others

Sundays, Oct. 23, 30, 1—2pm — $25

Every knitter needs to crochet.  You can alter the fit of garments.  You can stabilize shoulders or edges.  You can make cool buttons.  You can make great jewelry; and crocheting with wire is much easier than knitting with wire.  So—Take this class.  We will learn to chain and single crochet in these two classes and how to use them in your knitting.  Also the practice crochet you do will be used to make some jewelry.

Supplies needed for first class:  Any fun yarn scraps you have hanging around, any crochet hooks you happen to own. I’ll get you started from my supplies and you can buy the correct size hook at the shop after we talk about projects.

Basic Brioche Berets

Sundays, Oct. 23, 30, 2:30—4pm  $35

Brioche stitch is a very old Eastern European stitch that has such a fun rhythm to the knit that you may get addicted.  It is also an easy way to mix two or more yarns to create graphic patterns without the fuss of Fair Isle stranding.  You use one yarn at a time each round.  The resulting fabric is a bit thicker—warmer—than regular knitting and the pattern is certainly eye catching.  In class we will make a beret or a regular hat (your choice) that begins at the brim and closes at the top.  Go to Nancy Marchant’s website to see a large selection of free beret patterns that you might consider for your second project. Looking at these patterns may help you in your yarn selection for our class.

Supplies needed for first class:    Scraps of worsted weight wool in two contrasting colors;  a circular needle, size 4 or 5.

Free Knit Class

Wine Stains, the afghan, will be there.

Well, it’s sort of a class.  I am doing the program for the Charlotte Knitting Guild Tuesday night.  The guild meets at Providence Baptist Church on Randolph Road.  The program will start about 7pm.  You can bring your dinner if you wish.  More details about the guild are on their website.

For those of you who used to attend and haven’t been around in a while, things have changed.  So many new faces and a great atmosphere for all knitters.  The officers the last few years have been great—I can say this because I am no longer one of them.  Big plans are underway to bring one of my favorite teachers here next year for a retreat.  You won’t want to miss this opportunity for a knitting adventure that is affordable (the guild is non-profit) and close to home.  Members get to sign up first, so you may want to consider.

Anyway,  you want to see my program.  They told me to do a program on Applique.  Seems this year’s program theme is Embellishments.  (I hear a member of the embroidery guild is coming soon,)  What the *&(?  Applique??? I questioned Davey some more and discovered that this topic grew from my interest in freeform knitting and some repairs I have made in the past.  Then I knew exactly what to do.  First I will redefine applique, then I will show you lots and lots of ways to use it.  I’ll give you some tips so you will not need to make the mistakes I made in the past and I’ll turn you on to millions of megabites of free patterns and resources.  Lots of free in there.  Also lots of fun.

Bring whatever you are working on in public to work on while I present.  I take it personally if you don’t knit while I talk.

Oh, I promised to tell you about Katherine’s sweater alterations.  I will as soon as she tries on the latest “idea” and I can finish it.  Taking 4 inches out of each underarm when you don’t have a seam is not easy.  Especially when the yarn in cotton and linen.  But I CAN do it.  I think I can, I think I can.

Please do come to the guild meeting as my guest this Tuesday.  It’s a chance to meet some really nice new knitters and to catch up with old friends.

Draft–and I don’t mean beer.

Well, there was beer, but thank goodness, no cigars.  The guys in my new Fantasy Football league were very nice to me.  They were a little tougher as the night progressed which I take to mean I was holding my own.

I made some great picks, even  sneaked in and got the Steeler defense.  Ray was crushed.  I only got one Falcon, so DGS#1 Zachary will be disappointed.  I’m sure he’ll continue to advise though.

For those of you who watch football, and I know some of you do—-

Amazon Warriors

The Amazon Warriors 2011 from the Draft

		DRAFT ORDER
	Bye	Player	Team	Round
WR1	6	Larry Fitzgerald	ARI	1
QB1	6	Phillip Rivers	SD	2
RB1	5	Steven Jackson	STL	3
WR2	5	Miles Austin	DAL	4
RB2	8	LeGarrett Blount	TB	5
TE1	7	Vernon Davis	SF	6
RB3	9	Rashad Jennings	JAC	7
DEF1	11	Steelers	PIT	8
WR3	11	Austin Collie	IND	9
WR4	11	Robert Meacham	NO	10
RB4	11	Pierre Thomas	NO	11
QB2	5	Sam Bradford	STL	12
K1	5	Billy Cundiff	BAL	13
TE2	5	Ben Watson	CLE	14
DEF2	5	Cowboys	DAL	15
WR5	8	Harry Douglas	ATL	16
K2	6	Matt Prater	DEN	17

Not too shabby.

The first two picks are elites, and I went for Rivers because all the QBs ranked above him were gone by my first pick. I got a great Tight End in Vernon Davis and stunned the table by sneaking the Steelers in the 8th round. My draft position was 9th of 10 and we alternate 1-10, 10-1, so it was a long time between each pair of players. My Running Backs aren’t as strong as I would like so I need my Steelers.

I have Sam Bradford as my second string QB which is awesome. I took Harry Douglas at WR because Zachary would not be happy if I didn’t have at least one Falcon and the better known guys were picked before I could get them. Same for Knowshon Moreno and AJ Greene who were on my list.

I don’t know one kicker from another, but had seen some good hype on Billy Cundiff. Matt Prater was my last pick and I picked him solely on his good name.

It was really fun to compete with these guys. I had studied very hard and felt I wasn’t totally outclassed. Now to play the season and have a bit of fun. You know, I love to knit to the sound of the snap.

Next blog–Altering Katherine’s tank top–Genius or Idiocy????

More later–

Free Opportunities

I get the Tahki Stacy Charles newsletter because I love some of their yarns.  They have just released a huge group of free patterns and I thought you’d like to know.

I downloaded the Chanel Inspired Cardigan, the Ritratto Criss Cross Shrug ( I love this yarn.), the Taos Foliage Cowl (just to see the cast on numbers), the Lacy Sampler Scarf (maybe a class?), the Ruffled Shawl, and the Venus di Milo vest.    I just love free anything!  Here’s the site.

Also free is the upcoming Charlotte Knitting Guild meeting on September 6th.  I will be leading a program on Embellishing Your Knitting with Applique and have some fun ideas to share.  Some a little subtle and

some way out there.

The guild is a great organization and if you have never been and live in the Charlotte area, please come.  Check their website for details.   I’ll be showing off Winestains, my crazy afghan.

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–