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Posts Tagged ‘knitting’

Brickless -Shawl

Posted in Creativity, knitting, knitting techniques, tagged , , , , , on March 8, 2016| Leave a Comment »

No more shawls for me I’ve been to known to say……until I see another beauty. This time it was Jan’s newly purchased  “Miss Babs Yowza – Whatta Skein!” yarn to knit the Brickless shawl designed by Martina Behm. Earlier I saw someone else walking the Stitches floor wearing a beautiful shawl and I captured the name of the pattern….Brickless. It’s a popular one. Yes…..I “accosted” many walking the Stitches West floor wearing knitted garments that appealed to me.  (It was easy for me to do as I was working/retailing in MaggiKnits booth #314.) In total I collected the names of over 30 shawls.

I was going to wait a bit to start Brickless, but decided to forge ahead because one of our Friday knitting group (not Jan) came to the knitting table with questions last Friday. Deb and I also met briefly this past Monday morning to review/find a mistake in her knitting.

Now I have some tips that I’d like to share with any of you who embark on this knitting journey.

  • Brickless Swatch_2Do a gauge swatch. I know it’s a shawl and one would think….”oh, no worries – I get gauge”. In this case the label on the yarn says 4.5 st – 5.5st/in US 608. The pattern says 4mm (which is US 6) or size to produce gauge of 4 sts to inch. I thought the fabric that I saw need on 4mm was a little more dense than I would like for this shawl. Thus, I swatched on both size 7 and 8 needles. Swatching on size 8 produced the gauge of 4 st/in which is what pattern specifies and has a soft drape.

 

  •  BricklessThere are 3 pattern sets – Lace, Garter and Rib – in each repeat. My mind is such that it wanders when I knit and relax which means I do a terrible job of keeping track of the number of rows (in my head) and the “benchmark” stitches at the end of each set. Notice my green cheat notes. I mark off each row and count the number of stitches so that I know the increases are happening sequentially. I like the idea of adding the expected number of stitches at the end of each pattern set – benchmark. This system also allows to more easily help anyone in our knitting circle.

 

  •  Now onto the next repeats (5 more of 1st 3 pattern sets) before finishing with one lace set.

Happy knitting!

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Top-Down Custom Fit Sock Class

Posted in knitting, knitting techniques, socks, classes, tagged , , on February 24, 2016| Leave a Comment »

Sock

This basic sock is  being taught in 3 2-hr sessions (over 6 weeks) starting at noon on Saturday, February 27. With the top-down basic sock pattern, the skills that you will acquire or build upon include: the long-tail cast on, joining the round, knitting in the round, the heel, short rows to turn the heel, gussets, and the kitchner stitch. You will learn to custom fit the sock. Once you’ve made a sock, you will want to make more and more! Join us for this fun class.

Materials: sock-weight yarn and size 2 double point needles or worsted weight yarn and size 5 double point needles.
Day/Date/Time/Location Learn how to knit this basic sock in this 3-wk sesson spread out over 6 weeks. Then you can move onto The Socks Forever Club

Date: Feb 27, Mar 12 and Mar 26

Noon – 2pm

First sesson: foot measurement, custom-fit, cast on, join and begin the cuff. Homework: Knit 6″ or desired lengthcuff

Second session: Heel flap, turn the heel, gusset. Homework: knit the foot

Third Session: Complete the toe! And now you will have a sock!
Fee $65.00

Here is the link to sign up.

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“tis the Season – Saturday Knit Group

Posted in Celebrations, Christmas, Creativity, Friendship, knitting, tagged , , , on December 31, 2015| Leave a Comment »

The Saturday morning group had their second celebration on Dec 19th….the first one was a joint birthday celebration which was followed up with this  ‘tis the season gathering.

There were so many wonderful happenings. Susanne came down from Chico (she and her husband retired there last year). The cooking theme was desserts….there were many wonderful choices. Maurie couldn’t join us because she was sick but she still sent her GF (gluten-free) cookies. We had so much on the table including champagne, cookies (many made by Diane and Maurie), cakes, egg dishes, baked brie with homemade cranberry sauce, cheeses, and fruit….I fear I may have missed some of the dishes.  Here are two recipes from the dishes on the table. The  Biscotti was made by PJ using her friend’s recipe which is posted on Channeling Nonna’s blog.  I loved this cookie and will be making it soon. Another dish (also prepared by PJ) that many of us “loved” was the Bacon Onion Marmalade.

We even found time to knit when we weren’t eating. The latest showings were worn by PJ and Susanne. PJ’s stunning red cowl was inspired by the pattern for Oliva Cowl from Swan Islands…the yarn was of the same name.

Susanne’s Wallaby Hoody Sweater (pattern from Vogue Knitting) was a beautifully knit garment and fit her perfectly. You may recall my posting from a while back when the sweater was in its infancy stage.

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The Purlettes

Posted in Business, Crafting, knitting, tagged , , , , on December 17, 2015| Leave a Comment »

It was just a couple weeks ago that Bill and I were watching the TV show – The Shark Tank. I stepped out of the room for a moment and when I returned Bill said, “You have to see this. It’s about knitters!”

Sarah Oliver of Sarah Oliver Handbags was seeking funding to expand her business whose work force is made up seniors – The Purlettes.  She was successful.…a deal was struck with three sharks partnering to invest in this business.

After the deal was “struck” I almost immediately contacted FMK knitter and friend Bonnie who teaches knitting to seniors and works with those who need knitting assistance. Maybe she and Sarah will meet up.

Do click through the above links…..the stories are heartwarming!! You can also find Sarah Oliver Handbags on Facebook.

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Saturday Workshop Celebration

Posted in Birthday Celebrations, Celebrations, Events, Friendship, knitting, tagged , , on December 13, 2015| 2 Comments »

The Saturday Knitting Workshop Group just celebrated the first of two December celebrations. This one was to “shout out” birthday greetings this weekend’s gals – Diane, Maurie and Carole – as well as all those we may missed during last few months. Several of us in this group like to cook and others bring the complimentary foods – fruits, dips, cheese, cracker, chips, candy and drinks. We often want to share recipes so a new tab “Food Recipes” was begun yesterday on this blog site…..we will be adding more recipes as soon I hear back from the group.

New week we will celebrate ’tis the Season!

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Latest “showings”

Posted in Christmas, knitting, tagged , , , on December 7, 2015| Leave a Comment »

Sheri
Strandwander Pattern
PJ
Alice

On the left….going down

  • Sheri’s latest is The Strandwanderer scarf knit in Miss Babs Zombie Apocalypse yarn.
  • PJ has designed what could be the best neckline for a baby sweater which is almost complete. Look closely at the photo and you will see that the back shoulders lap over to the front leaving a flexible rolled cowl for the neckline. I am thinking that every parent will appreciate how easy it will be to dress their child in this gem.
  • Alice had many things to show and tell a couple weeks ago….
    • …..the recently completed Christmas stocking which is chock full of stitch detail.
    • ……the beginnings of a new vest project – Laurien Vest
    • ……the Lineau Shawl knit with Art Yarns Milano.
    • ……the multicolored scarf was knit in Madelinetosh fingering weight, and the pattern is “Watchet” from the book Curls.
  • I recently gifted my niece Betsy with the Lacey Arches Infinity cowl that I knit from yarn in my stash…whoops don’t remember the brand but it is wool. I added the rose brooch to brighten it up.

As Elizabeth Zimmerman said……”Knit on!”

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“Tis the Season Celebration -FMKG

Posted in Celebrations, Christmas, Friendship, knitting, tagged , , , on December 5, 2015| Leave a Comment »

We have been together as a knitting group (Friday Morning Knit Group – thus FMKG) and friends for years! We began this year’s celebration with the “white elephant” gift exchange….you know the one where each person takes a number……then the person can either select from the unwrapped gift or bump someone who has unopened their gift. We put a limit of 2 on how many times a gift could bumped/stolen. What do you think is best…..2xs, 3 xs or unlimited?

In the midst of gifts, eats and champagne some knitting was accomplished. At noon we took our celebration to Skates on the Bay.

 

Now photos from Skates!

Karen H was so kind as to take “mug” shots…..and thanks to Jan for the above table photos.

 

 

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It’s done….the Ruffled Scarf

Posted in Friendship, knitting, tagged , , on November 22, 2015| Leave a Comment »

Margo’s version = neck fitting scarf
Carolyn’s version = more drape around the neck creating cowl effect.
Jean just happened to wear the perfect sweater to model Carolyn’s version

This garter stitch scarf was such a fun project. I initially blogged about this on Oct 12 when I first felt this lovely yarn Acadia at Avenue Yarns. My instant reaction was “Oh, what can I knit with this?!” It quickly came to me that I would knit my version of Margot’s scarf. My version was a finer weight yarn – DK rather than worsted. I wanted a change in fiber both in texture and color for the ruffle. Yes, if you look close enough at the ruffle you will see that there is a slight variation in the color and the weight. As soon it came off the needles and I tried it on…..I was even more pleased with the results. It will be another “go to” scarf for me. My current “go to” is the hitchhiker scarf that I finished early last year (2014).

Here are the details of my version……

Body of scarf was knit (size 6 ndl) with 2 skeins (145 yds ea)  of DK weight Acadia – 60% Merino Wool, 20% Baby Alpaca, 20% Silk. The ruffle was knit (size 5 ndl) with Malibrigo Superwash sock weight yarn.

Instructions  – Body of Scarf

  • Cast on 5 sts.
  • Increase section – This is a 4-row repeat (used in many rounded scarf patterns).
    • Rows 1 & 3 (RS): Knit
    • Rows 2 (WS): Bring yarn forward, slip first 2 sts (purlwise) to right hand needle, bring yarn to the back, knit to end.
      • This is the beginning of the applied I-cord which is created every other row.  If you want a wider I-cord, consider slipping 3 stitches.
    • Row 4 (WS) Bring yarn forward, slip first 2 sts (purlwise) to right hand needle, bring yarn to the back, k to last stitch, M1, K last stitch.
      • This row (which happens on every 4th row) creates the curve on the edge where ruffle will be added/attached.
  • Repeat the above 4-row repeat until the scarf is as deep and 1/2 wide as you would like. In my case, it was 8″ deep (from I-cord edge to the edge for ruffle) and then knit 8″ more to center of scarf with rows 1 and 2 of the 4-row repeat. (Remember row 4 has the increase for the curve and you are not curving right now.) One skein was used for this first half of scarf. Join 2nd skein and knit 8″ more.
  • Decrease section – This is another 4-row repeat.
    • Rows 1 & 3 (RS): Knit
    • Rows 2 (WS): Bring yarn forward, slip first 2 sts (purlwise) to right hand needle, bring yarn to the back, knit to end.
      • This is the continuation of the applied I-cord which is created every other row.
    • Row 4 (WS) Bring yarn forward, slip first 2 sts (purlwise) to right hand needle, bring yarn to the back, k to last stitch 2 stitches, K2tog.
      • This row (which happens on every 4th row) creates the decrease shaping of the curve on the edge where ruffle will be added/attached.
      • Continue until 5 sts remain.
  • Bind off.

Instructions  – Ruffle  Note: the design possibilities are endless – dare to be creative.

  • With circular needle (size 5 in my version), with right side facing you pickup 2 stitches on bind-off edge, 1 stitch in each ridge stitch valley, 2 stitches on cast-on edge.
  • Row 1 (WS)- Knit
  • Row 2 (RS) – Increase for ruffle. For a slight ruffle, you can either increase in each stitch by Knit in front and back of stitch or you could make 1 between each stitch. I wanted a slightly fuller ruffle so I made 3 stitches out of one by Knit in the front, Knit in the back, Knit in the front.
  • Knit 7 rows or desired number for depth of ruffle.
    •  On row 5 I added an eyelet detail.
      • *K2tog, YO*, repeat to end.
      • Knit
      • I used P2 tog bind off which creates a beautiful “elastic” garter finish.

ps….later today I will fine tune this with a legend for the knitting terms.

 

 

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Happy Halloween

Posted in Ceramics, Crafting, Friendship, knitting, Treasures, tagged , on October 31, 2015| Leave a Comment »

IMG_1836

More Halloween greetings await you here!

Wanting to share the latest on my needles – The Ruffled Scarf. I mentioned the yarn purchase of Acadia yarn in the post “On the Knitting Trails Again”.  I was inspired by Margot’s scarf…..and as I most often do I modified the pattern. Here’s what is different with mine….slightly smaller gauge, longer and I will add the ruffle in a different yarn – Madelinetosh Pashmina Tart Red.

Margot’s Version
Acadia upclose
Carolyn’s Version

One skein of Acadia down and one to go…..then on to the ruffle! By the way I use to play in ceramics moons ago. This is one of my renditions that I cleaned, painted and had fired. This probably qualifies as one of my relics now.

Happy Halloween!

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Baby Aria and her Mountain Chickadee Blanket

Posted in knitting, tagged , , , , on October 16, 2015| Leave a Comment »

Aria 10.15.15

I can hardly wait to see her personality emerge during this next year!

Aria’s mom Shelby (my great niece) shared this recent photo of Aria covered with the Mountain Chickadee blanket (knit in Brown Sheep’s Cotton Fleece) that I knit specially for her. Thank you again to Kimberly for inspiring me with her version of this wonderful design.….and a fun knit. Baby Aria, the first born of our next generation, is now three weeks old this coming Sunday.

During her first week of life she met many of her family….and, in particular,  Aria met her grandma Sundee’s maternal family at a family brunch gathering a week after she was born. This little girl, born weighing 9lbs 2 ozs, is just as cute as can be…..and of course, I am not biased!

Aria first family gathering 10.04.15

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