Blocking: The Devil’s in the Details

… or: how I learned to block to give my knits a truly professional appearance.

First, let me admit two things — I don’t always swatch and I don’t always block.  I don’t always swatch because I’ve been knitting for 40+ years and I have a pretty consistent gauge with the combination of needle size and fiber content.  So I swatch when I’m making someone else’s design and want the fit perfect; but this is not often since I mostly design my own.

Blocking:  again, because I’ve knit for so many years (and I produce many things each year), I have pretty consistent gauge.  One of the great reasons to block is to even out the knitted fabric so all the stitches look the same — with consistent, constant gauge, my stitches are the same size and so I can avoid the extra step of blocking.  Also, some yarns don’t block well — 100% cotton, many acrylics and some of the new-age fibers don’t hold a block or may even be ruined by blocking.  ALWAYS TEST YOUR SWATCH IF YOU’RE NOT SURE!

But there are still times I block:  lace work to open out the lace and sharpen the edges of the garment, when I work color-work, when the garment needs freshening up or just needs bit of something to improve the overall look.

Climbing Roses shawl -- unblocked and blocked

So when should you block:

• when your knitting is uneven — to make the fabric smooth, with all knit stitches showing as perfect Vs
• when you do color-work — often knitting with 2 or more colors per row, you’re going to get some rippling and unevenness.  Blocking improves the overall look of finished color-work, making sure the stitches are smooth and even
• when you do lace — to make the lace pop (as shown in the above picture
• when you want to freshen up the garment (yes, you can block even years after a garment is done!).

So, HOW do you block?

My preferred method is wet-blocking — where you saturate the piece (always making sure to support the piece so the yarn doesn’t get stretched — remember, even the hardiest fiber is weakened when saturated with water!), blot to just-damp (never twist or wring … instead, lay the piece on a large towel, roll up and pat to remove as much moisture as possible), and then pin out (using long T-pins) on a blocking board (or towel covered bed/carpet).  I find lace blocking wires (Rosanne carries them) are indispensible for blocking pieces to have nice straight edges and even curves.

Another, quicker method is to use a steam iron or steamer to block certain spots or freshen up an entire garment.  For instance, if you put your sweater on a dress-form, you can steam out any creases, re-fluff the stitches, and make the sweater look perfect.  You can also steam with the piece on a towel or blocking board (with or without pins depending on the amount of blocking needed).  Some use a damp towel over the spread-out garment and then iron the towel, allowing the steam to permeate the fibers.  I worry about this method only because sometimes you can “crush” the knitting or the yarn reacts to the hot, heavy pressure and flattens or gets shiny.  Always test, first!

Tips on blocking –

• Always run a test on your swatch to ensure it can handle the way you’re going to finish off the garment — one of the first things to do before you begin a project is swatch and then finish the swatch JUST AS YOU WOULD DO the finished garment.  If it doesn’t work, you have only “wasted” a small amount of time and yarn — instead of waiting until the 1000′s of stitches are bound off and your finishing method ruins all the work.
• use cold water and never vary the temp of the water!  natural fibers felt when plunged into different temps of water.  Make sure your soak water and rinse water are the same relative temperature.
• do NOT agitate or wring the garment — twisting and agitation assist the felting process and unless you want a felted tea-cozy, just don’t do it.
• always support the wet garment — don’t let it stretch out or put undue stress on the wet fibers.  Cashmere is particularly susceptible to breaking when wet.
• use stainless-steel T-pins and/or steel blocking wires (always wipe with a dry cloth before the first use as sometimes there is a bit of manufacturing gunk residue remaining).  You don’t want to leave rust stains on your masterpiece!
• take notes on what worked and, more importantly, what didn’t to avoid having to “keep inventing the wheel”
• know your fibers –

1.  wool can be wet-blocked or steamed (altho superwash doesn’t always block out well — test first);  wool is weakened with water so avoid stretching and then breaking the fibers
2.  non-elastic animal fibers (cashmere, alpaca, quiviut, etc) can often become limp after blocking (so rely on good seaming and edges that will contain the garment) but, sometimes that’s exactly what you want for a flowy/drapey scarf
3.  cotton can be wet-blocked or steamed but I find it often just needs a light touch to avoid overly stressing the fibers
4.  rayon or viscose yarns should have little if any heat/steam applied to them as it crushes and cooks the yarn
5.  bamboo, hemp and soy — little if any elasticity means that when you block these be careful not to over-block as once the fibers are stretched, you may not be able to get them back in shape

What’s in your knitting bag?

... just some of the tools I have in my knitting bag ...

So, what do you carry in your knitting bag?  I mean, besides yarn and needles?  What tools would you miss if you didn’t have them nearby?  What tools are you missing?

Here’s a list (with explanations) of tools that have proven the most useful over the 40+ years of my knitting experience:

• rulers/gauge – a stiff ruler for measuring the swatch; a flexible ruler for measuring rounded pieces of knitting (armholes).  Gauge measure allows you to determine the needle you’re using (always test old knitting needles as the size stated may not be “true” to the standards of today; also, using different brands, even of new needles may change your gauge slightly)
• stitchmarkers – locking-stitch markers can be removed (and used for techniques like “russian join”) or left in place (the best of both worlds), while the little rings are moved with the knitting (slipping from needle to needle as you come to them).  I often use scraps of different colored yarn that I can use to mark beginning of rounds and pattern reps; the scraps of yarn are flexible and allow me to keep my tension when knitting around them but they do sometimes slip out.
• stitch and row counters – some use these all the time; I find it easier to count rows (if you have the selvage edge, remember to count two for each chain) rather than rely on the clicker
• scissors, snips, yarn cutters – some airlines/secure areas won’t allow scissors, so the yarn cutters are popular (altho some say those have also been denied).  Puppy snips are particularly useful … and pretty darn cute, too! I have been known to break the yarn, but it’s probably best to use some kind of cutting device!
• stitch holders – like big metal safety pins to hold a batch of stitches (ie, shoulders for 3nbo).  If you have a very few sts, coil-less safety pins work great (or to hold the sts for grafting the toe of a sock).
• yarn or tapestry needles – metal or plastic needles with large eyes to allow for threading of yarn so you can sew pieces together or tuck in ends; some have a bent tip for ease of seaming which work great
• crochet hooks in a few different sizes for provisional CO, fixing dropped sts, edging on some items
• point protectors – especially for dpns — are great.  You can also use rubber bands (esp all those little bitty ones from your kids’ braces) to temporarily hold sts on the knitting needles.
• calculator – very important for determining overall size of design you want to make – don’t rely on the sizes given – look at the schematic, do the math and determine which size is right for you
• non-greasy hand-lotion to work into dry hands (especially important when working with fine fibers that catch on every little skin crack!)
• sandpaper/emery board for sharpening wooden needles OR filing nails that have broken
• pencil/notepad for taking notes
• sticky notes or neon-flags for marking position in pattern; also important for reminding yourself of some issue you wanted to investigate further.  I really like the Knit Happy one because of the multiple sizes of stickies and the cute case!

Now, I’m not saying you should run out and buy all these tools at once.  You may find some that I list that aren’t useful for what you knit or a DIY alternative (like scrap yarn instead of locking-stitch markers).  That said, this makes a great checklist for you or a “wish list” for your family and friends to buy bits and pieces for you while your skills and fiber-addiction grow!

Cabled Capelet

It’s a grey day and a reminder that it IS still winter.  I’ve been wearing my capelet all season.  It works well for chilly indoor environments, but it is at its best when I am running in and out and don’t want the bulk or hassle of a coat.

The pattern is Baby Cocktails‘ Cranberry Capelet.  (Ravelry link)  It’s a fabulous pattern, and really would be a great introduction to cables or clothing if you’re new to either.  You can read more about my opinions and modifications to the pattern here. 

I also fell in love with Shepherd’s Wool on this project.   I remember clearly – long before she even thought about opening her own yarn shop – when Rosanne first told me about this awesome, worsted weight wool yarn, so I’m not quite sure why it took me so long to try it.  Don’t make the same mistake!  You really, REALLY need to knit with this yarn.   It’s everything I love in a wool… it’s soft, sproingy (meaning it has good stretch) and yields beautiful stitch definition.  I am sensitive to animal fibers around my face and neck, but again, I’ve worn this several times, sometimes for 10 hours or more at a time, without any irritation at all.

What’s your favorite yarn at Dog House?

Books: the next best thing to knitting

About the only thing I like almost as much as knitting, is books — fiction, non-fiction, self-help or mystery, I love to read. And one of the best type of books for me deals with my favorite subject: knitting (have I mentioned I’m a bit of a fiber fanatic?).

I’d like to do a monthly round-up of knitting books that I’ve found — the good, the bad and the ugly — and let you all know my “take” on them. So let’s say that the 4th Wednesday of every month will be book round-up day, ok?

So, here’s the first “the good, the bad and the ugly of knitting books”:

• KnitWit: 20 Fun Projects for Beginners and Seasoned Knitters by Katie Boyette.  I love knitting toys for my kids and nieces, nephews, etc, so I’m always on the look-out for knitted-toy books.  This one has some interesting toys, some bizarre toys (some of the aliens are just plain weird), and some really cool ones (I particularly like the long-legged bird on the cover).  The techniques for construction are pretty cool to know, even if you don’t actually make her toys.  The two negatives to this book are that the toys are made in multiple pieces (with appendages sewn on) and use sewn-on felt pieces — I much prefer one-piece knitting for toys, especially for little ones or boys to avoid tearing.
• Knits to Give: 30 Knitted Gifts Made with Love by Debbie Bliss.  First, let me say that I love Bliss’ books — always lovely in format, printed on quality paper and overall, gorgeous designs.  This one is no exception.  These gifts, organized by recipient (for her, for him, for baby, for kids and for the home), are varied and unique and quite beautiful.  I really like the knit-covered bangles, the bunny baby booties, the “lion cub scarf”, and the zebra is a “must make”.  Very fun and highly recommend this one.
• Stashbuster Knits: tips, tricks and 21 beautiful projects for using your favorite leftover yarn by Melissa Leapman.  So, what do YOU do with your left-over bits and pieces?  I can’t stand to throw them away; and yet, I never have enough to really do anything.  Leapman to the rescue!  The first 20 pages are a treasure trove of tips for using up those bits:  matching weights, color-theory, estimating yardage amounts and generally shopping your stash to create a unique, truly your own, garment.  The rest of the book contains 21 creative ways to use the bits’n'pieces.  The patterns are grouped by yarn weight and give ideas for blending colors, etc.  I really want to make the yoke and cable sweater shown on the cover.
• Vintage KnitKnack: 20 Cool Creative Knitting Projects to Enhance Your Home by Sue Culligan.  If you want to make and/or give a unique knitted item, than this book is for you.  The 20 projects are certainly creative (if not a bit odd) but they have a certain charm that begs you to knit them.  Coffee cozies, pillow covers, needle-roll case, and cell-phone cover are just some of the projects included.  [Rosanne quickly noted that the knitted-lampshade may not be the best project -- she went on many calls to house fires that were caused by fibrous items on a lampshade.]  Even if you don’t make any of the projects — the various techniques she covers in here are worth placing in your knitting quiver.

Next time … more knitting books to review.  If there are any books you’d particularly like me to check-out, just note them in the comments section below.

Finished designs using yarns from DHY

As promised in last week’s post, I thought I’d post some of my designs that I’ve created using yarns purchased at Dog House. Some of these patterns are free if you buy the yarn from the shop; all of these designs (and many others) can be purchased through my Ravelry shop.

1. Hansel und Gretel hoodies–coordinating hoodies using Plymouth’s Galway Worsted and Galway Paint (100% wool). These hoodies were designed for an Austrian friend who recently had twins – a boy and a girl. The hoodies are generously sized, with a button-placket in the yoke to make easy-on/easy-off. This is a fun, in-the-round knit with few seams and minimal finishing-work, which uses 2(3) skeins of the mc and half a skein of cc per hoodie.

Hansel und Gretel hoodies (6m-18m)

2.  Summer Sunset Shawl — uses just two skeins of Plymouth’s Kudo. Knit from wrist to wrist, this is a great project for those ready to go beyond a simple scarf. With this design, you can practice increases, decreases and yarn-overs while creating a striking cotton-blend shawl for Spring/Summer. This pattern is available free with purchase of Kudo from DHY.

Summer Sunset shawl (in Kudo)

3. Azalea Leaves shawl– uses just two skeins of the Adriafil DuoPlus. This shawlette’s shaping allows for a curved edge, creating a shawl that actually stays on your shoulders. The azalea-leaf design on the edge coordinates with the lace panel down the center back of this cotton-wool blend yarn which comes in gorgeous colorways.

Azalea Leaves shawl (in DuoPlus)

4. Cobblestone Fingerless Mitts — knit in, well … Cobblestone. This gorgeous 100% superwash merino yarn from FibraNatura knits up beautifully into a pair of fingerless mitts, needing only one skein to make a pair of mitts that are cozy, comfortable and washable. The design includes directions for teen/adultS with changes for adultM/L included. A quick knit for those used to knitting in the round (on dpns/circs) or a great opportunity to learn to knit in the round. This pattern is available free with purchase of Cobblestone from DHY.

Cobblestone Fingerless Mitts (teen/adult S - adult M/L)

5. Killarney Caubeen (Irish beret/tam)– knit using two shades of Plymouth’s EncoreDK. This washable wool-acrylic blend yarn knits up wonderfully into a traditional fair-isle pattern. The tam was inspired by the classic Bing Crosby song, “Christmas in Killarney”. The colorwork on this design is charted and the sample I made used two skeins of the mc (a dark charcoal grey) and one skein of the cc (a light spring green) to make a tam to fit teens thru adult. Gorgeous, yes?

Killarney Caubeen (Irish beret/tam) in Encore DK

What projects have you completed with yarn from Dog House?

Shop models to see and feel …

… and then knit!

If you haven’t been in for a while, here are some of the shop models I’ve knitted this past fall. All are fun to knit!

"Speed Scarf" done in Baby Alpaca Grande

This “potato-chip” style scarf knits up really fast (and fools people into thinking it’s crocheted!) with the Baby Alpaca Grande. The pattern, a Plymouth Yarn company design, is available free online. The pattern as written took me three skeins of the alpaca (just couldn’t do the final row or the bind off with only two skeins); if you CO 85 sts instead of the original 99 called for in the pattern, you will have enough yarn in two skeins (just remember your numbers will change to 169, 337, 673) and the scarf won’t be noticeably shorter.

Braided Cable Scarf done in Cyprus Mohair

This lovely scarf, done in Feza’s Cyprus Mohair (uses one ball), is a free pattern available online. It’s VERY easy (a k1p1 rib that twists every 8 rows) and knits up quickly on size 15 needles. My scarf is 4-1/2″ x 48″, a perfect size for this soft, luxurious knit.

Weekend Getaway Cardigan done in Poems Silk

This cute, cropped cardigan, done in the luscious Poems Silk, is a free pattern from the Universal Yarn’s website. This is done in the “small” and one note about the yarn — pull the yarn from the OUTSIDE (rather than pulling from the center) as the yarn is a one-ply that twists up on itself if pulled from the center.

V-neck Shell done in Royal Llama Silk

This fun v-neck shell is available for purchase (in the pattern books … the one with Plymouth worsted-weight designs). It took 4 skeins of the turquoise and 1 skein of the rusty-red (a simple colorwork on the front only to give it a bit of style) to make the small size.

Here are a few of my designs, available from my Ravelry store, but if you buy the yarn from the shop, you can get a copy of the pattern free (how’s that for a good deal?).

Sweetheart of a Shawl in Spice Berry

This shawl, worn in the shop by one of Rosanne’s sheep, shows the beauty of Spice Berry to perfection. Here’s a link to the Ravelry pattern but don’t forget that if you buy the Spice Berry from Rosanne, you can get this pattern free.

Swirly, Twirly Tam in Poems Silk

I LOVE the colorways of the Poems Silk yarn! This tam, which uses only one skein of the Poems Silk, shows the beauty of this yarn beautifully while making a functional and fun floppy tam for all the women you know (or men, for that matter). Here’s the link to the Ravelry pattern, but don’t forget that if you buy the Poems Silk from Rosanne, you can get this pattern free.

Unplanned Cowl (and wrist warmers) in Unplanned Peacock

This unisex cowl (and wrist warmers, too) is a fun pattern, and is particularly useful if you’ve not knitted in the round before. A simple knit/purl design that hugs the neck without strangling the neck, knitted up in the Unplanned Peacock (which Rosanne currently has on sale). The wrist warmers, not shown but in the shop, finish up the last bit of yarn. Here’s a link to the Ravelry pattern, but don’t forget that if you buy the Unplanned Peacock from the shop, you can get this pattern free.

These are just a few of the shop models we have on display for you to see how the yarn looks knitted up. We’ll be adding more shop models too, so don’t forget to come on in and check ‘em out.

Next week, I’ll post some of my other designs that use yarn purchased from Dog House …

Merry Christmas to all …

Merriest of Christmases to you all …

Here are the store hours during Christmas week (I’ll be working all week, so please stop by and say “howdy”):

• Monday, December 26th — closed
• Tuesday, December 27th — 11:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
• Wednesday, December 28th — closed
• Thursday, December 29th — 11:00 a.m. – 8:00 p.m. (Knit Night!)
• Friday, December 30th — 11:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.
• Saturday, December 31st (New Year’s Eve) — 11:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.

NOTE:  The shop will be closed New Years Day

Behind every great man ….

Mr. and Mrs. Claus

… there’s a great woman.  And, Mrs. Claus is no exception to that adage.

Last week, I posted some general tips and details about my Santa.  As promised in that post, here are my notes about making the always lovely Mrs. Claus.

Since Mrs. Claus was my second Greenhowe doll, I felt confident in changing her up a bit.  She was much more fun for me to “play” with in the knitting/design process.

Mrs. Claus in bits and pieces

• I knit most of her bits and pieces in the round (including the body above the “boots”) to avoid messy seams and to make the knitting go faster; I also changed her “shirt” to dark green rather than white (which looked drab to me), adding a bit of collar detail by knitting one round white, alternating white and red on the next round, and then finishing with a white round.
•  for her arms, I knit them in the round, adding the same white/red design on the “cuff”; I switched to knitting flat for the shaping at the top.
• her skirt, knit completely in the round, repeated the white/red patterning in lieu of the light green shown in the design (I didn’t have a light green and think the striping is rather attractive and festive).  I thought the skirt looked too long (and the CO edge kept flipping) so I hemmed the all-green garter edge and the skirt seems to sit better over her rather bright red boots.
• I omitted the “panty frills” and sleeve cuffs as unnecessary for my Mrs. Claus.
• for her hair, my bun ended up poof-ier than Greenhowe’s version … and instead of the holly I did a hair tie of by knitting one round red, one round white, one round red
• for the heart pockets, which I think are very cute, I worked these on dpns, knitting the front and back at the same time so I wouldn’t have to fiddle with seaming them.  This also made a “crisper” pocket.
• 

  Of course Mrs. Claus would be knitting ....

  instead of a candy cane in her pocket, I decided that Mrs. Claus would probably be in the midst of knitting something (aren’t we all?) so I did a small square on #1 dpns, stopping half-way through the 6th garter ridge, and then slipped the sts onto needles made with toothpicks and bead ends.  I wrapped a bit of the yarn into a ball and placed that in the old dear’s pocket, tacking the knitted swatch to her hand with hidden stitches.

• I secured her shawl by tacking the edge to her belly, but I thought it looked funny without some kind of ornament.  I took a small gold safety pin, threaded a crystal bead onto the pin part, and … voila … a  custom shawl pin!
  

  Mrs. Claus ready for Christmas Eve. She's gorgeous coming ...

... or going

Here comes Santa Claus … here comes Santa Claus — Part 1

As Rosanne mentioned in the December DHY newsletter, I’ve finished up the Mr. and Mrs. Claus dolls from the Jean Greenhowe booklet she sells in the shop.

 These are really fun to make and don’t take long at all.  As I worked thru these dolls, I did change things up a bit and learned quite a few things that I’d like to share, some tips and tricks I used to make the shop models.

First, some general guidelines for using a Jean Greenhowe pattern:

• read through the WHOLE pattern before starting out; she uses some interesting construction techniques that can be confusing until you look at the whole picture.  For instance, you make the doll body all in one piece except for the arms which are made separately; the arms are not attached until after making and attaching the skirt (or Santa’s lower jacket).
• Greenhowe says to US knitters “use knitting worsted”.  NO.  She wrote this design with the assumption that DK yarn is not readily available in the States.  Rosanne carries plenty of DK.  I used Plymouth Yarn’s “Dream Baby” for both dolls.  Here are the quantities I used for both (I made them slightly differently than the original pattern, but this will give you an idea for amounts):

1. red:  about 270 yards (1-1/2 skeins)
2. white:  about 230 yards (1-1/4 skeins)
3. light pink:  about 140 yards (3/4 skein)
4. black: about 140 yards (3/4 skein)
5. dark-green:  about 140 yards (3/4 skein)
6. yellow: about 10 yards (I used the leftover to make the knitted piece Mrs. Claus is holding and to wind some balls for Santa’s bag)
7. fiber fill — I used less than a whole 150z bag of fiber fill to fill both dolls

• For a tight tension, you’ll be knitting primarily with US#2.  You’ll switch to #7s only for Mrs. Claus hair and shawl.
• Greenhowe knits everything flat and then seams.  I knit most of Santa according to the directions.  For Mrs. Claus, I switched to knitting mostly in the round (I HATE seams).  In next week’s post, I’ll give the specific pattern changes (including how I did Mrs. Claus’ skirt) .

Let’s get specific.  We’ll start with Santa since  I knit him first … and he is a bit finicky with separate pieces for the beard, mustache, and hat with added holly leaves and berries.  But he’s a great exercise in manipulating knitting and doesn’t take long once you “get it”.

Santa all done

You’ll start with black and knit his boots.  These should be knit flat because of the way you sew the seam so the boots face out properly.  Once you come to the direction that says “mark each end of next row with a colored thread”, you can begin working in the round (marking the beginning of the round; this will be the center back).  I was able to get all the body sts on a 16″ circ (the Chiao Goo’s worked great for this pattern) until I had to switch to dpns for the head shaping.

I did put cardboard in the base of his boots — don’t use cardboard if you want this doll to be washable.  You could substitute plastic canvas for the cardbooard, making sure to nail-file the edges, to make him completely washable.  You need two 2×3 pieces for the “insoles”.  [Mrs. Claus will also need a set to make her stand up.]

When you have made the nose (basically a small bit of knitting that is gathered on all four sides and pulled into a bobble) and sewn it on, you can take a colored pencil and tint his nose and cheeks.  You could also use powdered blush (which may be easier than the pencil…. but I had a pencil and no blush so I did the pencil).

I knit the arms in the round on dpns (Greenhowe has you knit them flat) until the top shaping which is similar to a raglan sleeve.  Stuff the arms after you have finished, but set them aside as you won’t attach the arms until the skirt of the coat is knitted and attached.

The sleeve cuffs and boot cuffs are garter stitch so it’s just as easy to knit these flat, leaving a long tail at CO and BO so that you can use these tails to attach the cuffs.

I knit the bead and lining as one piece on dpns, until the “work opening for the face”.  I knit the first 8 sts from both halves together and made the “sideburns”; I then BO the center 26 (as if doing a 3-needle BO), and then worked the final 8 sts as for the first 8.  Before BO the center sts, I lightly stuffed the beard to give it shape (you could also use a piece of batting if you have it to ensure even distribution of the filling).

For the mustache, I made it just as described.  It comes out cute with the 2sts at each end for the tips and the 6-sts CO sewn together.

For Santa’s cap, definitely knit in the round.  You’ll be CO on 82 sts and can either work the garter st portion flat (it’s 8 rows worth) and then join or just alternate knit 1 row, purl 1 row in the round.  I find knitting SS in the round so much faster! Also, knit the jacket skirt in the round, again doing the garter st flat if you’d like.

I put all the Santa pieces together as decribed in the booklet.  Make sure you stuff him well (she gives how big the stomach and head should be) and add a bit of stuffing under his cap to make sure it fills out smoothly — I didn’t and should have!

Santa's sack loaded with ... yarn and needles, of course!

For Santa’s sack, I used Judy’s magic CO. I cast on 32sts with the black yarn (I didn’t have any brown in DK) and knit the bag in the round on dpns for 7 inches (50 rnds).  To spruce it up a bit, I added a 3-st red/green alternating stripe that shifts each row for 4 rounds.  I then added evenly spaced yo’s ([k1, k2tog, yo, k1] rep) to make drawstring holes and then finished off the top with 4 rows in SS that rolls to the outside.  I made an i-cord drawstring approximately 9″ long that I threaded thru the holes and joined, hiding the join within the bag.  I sewed the drawstring to Santa’s hand so as not to lose the bag filled with balls of scrap yarn and “needles ” (toothpicks, broken at the base with a bead glued to the base) .

NEXT WEEK:  Part 2:  Mrs. Claus!

Thanksgiving …

As we head toward Thanksgiving Day, it’s important to remember all the things for which we are grateful.  Now, of course, we immediately think of family members, employment, our material possessions … but this year I’m particularly thankful for the gift of knitting and the gift of being able to share my love of knitting with my new family … the owners, staff and patrons of Dog House Yarns.

I’ve been working at Dog House for almost six months and in that time I’ve grown to love Rosanne and Fritz… to enjoy chatting with the regulars, the folks who come in every Saturday … to love sharing my fiber fascination (some call it fanaticsm) with all who come to the shop.  I’ve come to appreciate the knowledge and gift of the “Thursday Knit-Night Ladies” … most of whom I’ve met on every day BUT Thursday.  I enjoy hearing the antics of Mosby and Roscoe and being able to help “babysit” Chan’s Sissy.

I am especially thankful that Rosanne and Fritz took the risk of opening a yarn shop in Culpeper, of creating a community, a family of like-minded folks; and especially that they offered to include me in the family of DHY.

Happy Thanksgiving to all my Dog House Yarns family … including the four-footed variety!

Knitting Weekend … always interesting, always fun, and always knitterly!

Getting Cozy with Cashmere -- a knitting weekend workshop

This past weekend I had the distinct pleasure of leading a dozen ladies in a knitting workshop devoted to “getting cozy with cashmere”.  Spring Gate Farms’ owner, Jane McKinney, hosted our workshop at her farm in Barboursville.

You may have seen the poster at DHY and I just thought I’d give you an overview of our weekend of knitting, chatting about knitting, and knitting some more — all at a gorgeous 220-acre farm with championship goats, Merino sheep, Suffolk sheep, donkeys, chickens, ducks and the lovely fall colors of the foothills.

Garnet Glow cashmere necklace

 

The retreat began on Friday evening with a class on bead-knitting.  Since I’m a firm believer in “doing” as well as “hearing”, I designed a beaded necklace for the participants to knit while we talked about the best ways of placing beads within our knitting.  Garnet Glow was a big hit with it’s 171 gold-toned beads (from EarthFaire), pre-strung for each participant and their choice of a one ounce skein of Spring Gate’s cashmere(50%)/silk(25%)/Merino(25%) blend.  The sample used Jane’s “ruby”, but the participants chose “lapis lazuli” or “aqua green” or “ruby” with which to work.

Trees in Snow cashmere scarf

On Saturday, after a brisk 90-minute walking tour of the farm, we began our class on charts — why charts are so much better than word-for-word directions, how to read charts, and tips on creating your own charts.  Using another unique design, Trees in Snow, and a choice of Spring Gate’s 100% light fingering-weight cashmere, the participants jumped right into learning about charts while working the three separate lace patterns in this shawl.   The sample shown is knit in a gorgeous Spring Green.

Spring Gate Farm owner, Jane McKinney, tell all about cashmere!

We then spent an hour or so in the afternoon (after an amazing lunch of homemade butternut-squash soup, chicken salad on croissants, fresh fruit, chips/snacks, etc) while Jane explained all about cashmere — owning goats, breeding goats and choosing the best genetic mixes, processing the fleece and creating the exceptional yarn that is cashmere.   After another session on tips, trick and techniques for knitting cashmere — the participants had a chance to shop a bit and chat and knit some more.

All in the shadow of the Blue Ridge in full fall glory!  What a weekend!

What did you do knitterly this weekend?

P.S.  Plans are already underway for a “second annual” workshop out at the farm next fall.  I’ll keep you posted as we move forward on scheduling/planning.

Try Boku!

Before I launch right into sharing a great project for what is becoming one of my favorite yarns, allow me to introduce myself.  I am Chan, blogger, dog-ma, sometimes instructor at Dog House Yarns, and a friend of Rosanne’s from our days as firefighters…

I’m honored Rosanne invited me to blog a bit here, and I’m glad she kept asking about Lanesplitter, because I needed a little nudge to finally wear this skirt and get some photos.  I do apologize a bit for the photos; my husband is a reluctant knitwear photographer at best.  I’ll also note that these photos were taken after about nine hours of wear, because I wanted to be sure this skirt wouldn’t sag and bag before I told you how well-suited it is to this yarn.

Seamed view, before sewing down the waistband

The main panel is knitted flat on a bias, then seamed.  From there, you pick up stitches to knit a cotton waistband, which is then sewn down, and 2″ elastic is pulled through.

Flat panel

You can find my project on Ravelry here.   I can’t tell you precisely how much negative ease it has, but I can tell you I blocked it vigorously before I wore it. 

As much as I hate the photo, I’m sharing where I wore the seam because it’s something I looked for when I was looking at the other projects.  I opted for the side, because frankly, I didn’t want any more attention being drawn to my back side.  What little stretching there was with wear happened at the seam, just so you know.

Boku #10

For those of you not on Ravelry – and you should be…  Rosanne even has a handout to make it easy as pie – I used color #10 and a US #7 needle for this project.  There were no modifications to the pattern.

Have you knitted a skirt or dress that wears well?  If so, I’d love to hear from you.  I think I’m ready to tackle a dress next…

Socks … socks … socks … stockings!

toe-up, garter-stitch short row heel, i-cord bind off -- great techniques to practice!

Ask any knitter about socks and the answer is going to be one of two things:

1. oh, I could never knit socks … they’re way too hard … and I could never do that … that whole turning the heel thing scares me to death!  OR
2. oh, I LOVE to knit socks … and the BEST way to knit them is: using dpns … no, it’s circular … no, it’s magic loop … no it’s toe up … no, it’s two socks on two circs!

As you can see, socks engender emotions in just about every knitter.  And there are as many ways to knit socks as there are knitters who will share their favorite tips, tricks and techniques. 

So, if you’ve never knitter socks, you’re in for lots of advice.

But the bottom line is to try the different methods and see which type you like the best, the style that works best for your needs and desires.  But how best to learn the different techniques?

Here are some books that are sure to help you on your adventures. (Rosanne stocks most of these titles; the Amazon links give you a bit more detail on each book):

• Ann Budd’s Getting Started Knitting Socks covers just about every technique (including magic loop and two-circs) for knitting socks from the leg down to the toe.  She includes basic “recipes” for knitting socks at different gauges and then concludes the book with some fun practice socks.  The only things not found in this basic book are toe-up or short-row heels.  Budd’s basic book helps you get the right fit no matter your foot shape.
• Ann Budd’s Sock Knitting Master Class goes a step or two beyond her Getting Started book.  Here, Budd delves into short-row heels (and other heel flap designs), toe-up and other toe styles, and more detailed sock designs from some of the best designers today.     This book includes a DVD with instructional videos and tips for designing your own socks.
• Melissa Morgan-Oakes’ books, 2-at-a-Time Socks and Toe-Up 2-at-a-Time Socks delve deeply into the trials and triumphs of working both socks at the same time. Toe-up, two-at-a-time is my preferred method, primarily because  when I’m done knitting one sock, the pair is done!  This avoids the classic “one sock syndrome” (I mean how many folks only need ONE sock?).  
• Antje Gillingham’s Knitting Circles Around Socks further develops the techniques of knitting both socks at the same time while Wendy Johnson’s Socks from the Toe-up  shows amazing designs for knitting the toe/foot first (a great way to make sure the socks fit the foot!).

There are many other sock books, but you can also find great technique videos on YouTube or tips on Ravelry.  I have a simple top-down sock tutorial on Ravelry (free, downloadable tutorial and sock pattern) if you’d like to make a house-slipper sock using bulky yarn — a fantastic way to practice the terror-inducing heel-turn!  

Another, quite seasonal, suggestion for practicing sock construction is to make a Christmas stocking.  Take a classic sock pattern (from any of the books suggested above) and using bulky yarns with size 10 or 11 needles, knit it on up (or down).  The sock will be a perfect stocking size and you’ll be knitting at a gauge of 3 sts to the inch … instead of 8 or 9 sts to the inch.  With a larger gauge,  you’ll be able to really see what you’re doing and have a fun holiday decoration or Christmas gift when you’re done.

Socks are a classic hand-knit garment that can become an adventure in knitting … if not an addictive outlet for emptying your stash (or adding to it).

Fiber Festivals: Fall Fiber Fun

Greetings, knitting friends.  Many of you have met me in the Shop (I’m there most Saturdays) or at the Spring Knitting Retreat. For those who haven’t, my name is Mary and I’m a self-professed fiber fanatic, with a special emphasis on knitting.  I’ve knit and crocheted since I was 8, although I much prefer knitting.  I’ve been designing my own garments and accessories since about the age of 12; and since I just turned 50, that’s a darn long time doing these ancient arts!

One thing I enjoy almost as much as knitting and designing is teaching and turning folks on to the creative outlet inherent in plying two sticks and a string.  The art of knitting is endlessly fascinating to me and I love to share my enthusiasm with anyone willing to sit and listen.  One amazing outlet for my teaching enthusiasm was the recent Shenandoah Valley Fiber Festival, held annually in Berryville (just east of Winchester), Virginia the last weekend of September (perfect timing as it coincided with my 50^th birthday weekend).

The camel out for a walk

If you’ve never been to the Shenandoah Valley Fiber Festival, you are really missing an event.  The SVFF has the perfect venue at the Clarke County Fair Grounds.  The grounds are flat, shaded, and with ample parking near to the vendors, classes and demonstrations as well as the live-animal areas (with sheep, alpacas, llamas, goats, rabbits and even a camel) .  There are four permanent structures for housing many of the vendors (which is great when the weather is more wintery than fall-ish!) as well as open-sided barns (with animals and more vendors) and outdoor vending areas for the 80+ vendors (including a few food sellers).  There is a large pavilion for eating, chatting and resting between shopping, watching demonstrations and attending classes.  The vendors range from small hand-dyers to pottery to fine art – a veritable paradise for those of us who love all things knitterly.

Basics and Beyond class

I really liked the classroom set-up (which is good, since I was in there all day on both days) – individual small pavilion-tents where we could drop the sides for warmth or open them up for air.  I was fortunate enough to teach four 3-hour classes:  “Basics and Beyond”, “Dream It, Design It”,  “Fiber: It’s Not Just for Breakfast Anymore” and “Tips, Tricks and Techniques”.  My classes were small – from two to five people, which was wonderful.  We could get to know each other and share rather than me lecturing the whole three hours.  An interesting side-note:  in all my classes, I had at least one mother-daughter pairing (mostly adult children, but one who had brought her 13-year-old daughter).  It was a mother-daughter themed weekend as I’d brought my own: my 11-year-old Maggie who is shaping up to be almost fiber-fanatical as her mom!

 A weekend away is often hard to obtain – but for the local fiber festivals, even a few hours is a wonderful chance to see the new fibers, pet the animals from whence the fiber comes, and watch demonstrations of spinning, dyeing, weaving, knitting, crocheting, hooking and other fiber-related crafts.  So mark your calendars now for Maryland Sheep and Wool (http://www.sheepandwool.org/) the first weekend of May, the Shenandoah Valley Fiber Festival (www.shenandoahvalleyfiberfestival.com) the last weekend of September, and Montpelier’s Fiber Festival (www.fallfiberfestival.org ) the first weekend in October.

 It’s great fiber fun!

We’re Having a SALE!!!

      There’s a chill in the air and the thoughts of many knitters (and crocheters) are starting to turn towards projects they want to make for the upcoming holidays. To help you along, we’ve been busy moving in lots of new yarns, but it’s created a problem for us.  We’re starting to run out of room! Since there are still more yarns on order, we’ve decided to have a SALE. 

      Beginning Saturday, October 22 and running through Tuesday, October 25, 2011 we will have more than 20 yarns discounted at anywhere from 10% to 40% off.  We have also decided to add some of the circular needles to our sale.

       We’re still making up the list so stop by the shop to see what we’ve come up with.