catyarn

Reconverted? It’s About the Socks

For a long time, I thought my sock knitting mojo had vanished for good. In its place were patterns after patterns for mittens and fingerless mittens–not to mention my fingerless mitts with thumb cozy. But, I’m happy to say that my sock mojo has returned. To prove it, take a gander at this:

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This is the Manhattan sock   by Lisa Dykstra. If you’d like to expand beyond the vanilla sock but find some of the patterns daunting, give this one a try. It’s a 4-row repeat and very easy to memorize.

I did make a couple of changes to the pattern. As you can tell, I did not extend the pattern to the top of the foot. It had nothing to do with the pattern. I just prefer not to have patterns on the top of my foot. It’s a fit issue. Another thing I did regarded the toe. Instead of grafting, I did a 3-needle bind-off, using a needle 1 size smaller than what I used for the sock. Come on, now, get your jaws off the floor. It’s comfortable, isn’t distracting, and I hope it will add to the durability of the sock.

A Word About the Yarn

I used Knit Picks Essential in the multi-peacock colorway for this sock. This is the same yarn that is now sold under the name Stroll.Although the colorway of this yarn does not show off the pattern as well as others would, I’m trying to knit from stash, and I love this yarn and use it a lot. It’s soft on the hands when you knit with it and soft on the foot when you wear it. It holds up well. I recommend it to sock knitters everywhere. I do wish they had it available in more colors, however.

Those who know me may find it odd that I knitted a cuff-down sock. It has been a long time since I have. That’s how I learned to knit socks, but I always found the whole heel/gusset thing frustrating. Oh, I could do it, but it wasn’t fun. And they never seemed to look “right.” Well, I found Magic Loop and a pattern for toe-up socks, and I was hooked. I still have problems picking up wraps on W&Ts, but I found a heel pattern that didn’t require me to do that. So, I converted to toe-ups.

I may be reconverting. When I started the Manhattan socks, I was concerned about the whole cuff-down/toe-up thing. But, I was knitting them to support Lisa, so I was happy to take a stab at them. It’s not as though I’d never done cuff-down after all. Well, I got down to the heel–and let the sock languish on the needles for a while. Then, after seeing all the pics of finished Manhattans on Plurk, I decided it was time to put on my big girl pants and just do it. Imagine my surprise when I got through the heel and gusset with absolutely no problems. Of course the pattern was written clearly and well–which is a huge advantage to knitters. But it was more than that. It was like when I tried to learn Magic Loop. At first, it made no sense. So, being not the patient kind, I switched to 2 circs. Now that made sense. I decided to give Magic Loop another try, and voila, everything made sense. That’s how it was with the Manhattans. Everything made sense. I think a big part is that I now have a better understanding of sock construction in general.

I’m not going to exclude toe-ups from my sock knitting repertoire. But, I no longer feel as though I am limited to only those patterns. I hope anyone who finds him- or herself stymied by a particular technique will keep going. Sometimes it helps to learn another method first and then return to the more problematic one.

Check Out These Sock Books

It’s obvious that there’s no end in sight to the popularity of sock knitting. One only has to take a look at the number of new sock books that have hit the marketplace or will do so soon. Here are two.

Sock Club: Join the Knitting Adventure, by Charlene Schurch and Beth Parrott

Sock clubs are big in the knitting world. In fact, getting into some of them borders on cutthroat. In Sock Club (Martingale & Company, 2010), the authors share patterns that have been created for many sock clubs. There are projects for all interests–from a more basic sock to Gothic Temptress, an homage to such icons as Elvira, Morticia Addams, and Vampira by Janine Le Cras. You’ll find patterns for cables, lace, and slipped stitch projects.

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In addition to Janine Le Cras, other designers include Judy Alexander, Lisa Dykstra, Adrienne Fong, Anne Hanson, and Ellie Putz.
Besides featuring very doable projects, Sock Club includes methods those of us who don’t have feet or ankles that readily accommodate most patterns can use to adjust the project to fit comfortably. The adjustments do not compromise the integrity of the artist’s original design, which is important to all of us who support designers and the design process.

The patterns are well written and easy to follow. Although most are marked as being for experienced knitters, I’ve no doubt that less-experienced knitters would achieve excellent results.

The book’s technique section is well done; it is clearly written, and the instructions are easy to follow.  Knitters will find a variety of cast-on and cast-off techinques included. There’s also a foot measurement chart that will be handy for those knitting socks for friends and family members whose feet are readily available for measurement.

Sock Club: Join the Knitting Adventure is a nice addition to a knitting library.

Toe-Up Socks for Every Body, by Wendy D. Johnson

It’s probably a safe bet to say that 95% of those in the sock knitting world are familiar with the designs of Wendy Johnson (the other 5% probably don’t have computers).  Wendy has now come out with her second book of sock patterns: Toe-Up Socks for Every Body (Potter Craft, 2010). The book features patterns for lace, cable, and colorwork socks.

42611655Knitters of every level can find something useful in Part 1 of the book. Wendy covers basic toe-up and sock knitting techinques, including tools of the trade and how to knit socks that fit. There’s also a welcome chart-reading primer, which will be especially helpful to those less experienced in knitting from a chart. Though new-t0-chart knitters might be tempted to write out the charted patterns, give knitting from the chart a try. Wendy’s chart-reading instructions will help a lot.

And for those interested in designing their own toe-up projects, Wendy includes suggestions on how to do so.

Each technique is treated almost like a separate book. The sections begin with a brief intro, including a listing of the patterns and project difficulty. Within the section are tips that pertain to that technique.

The patterns are well written and easy to follow. Although patterns for lace and cable socks can be found in almost any pattern book, Wendy does an excellent job of including colorwork projects. Many of the colorwork patterns may look complicated (and, admittedly, some are), but her instructions are clearly written and easy to follow–especially after one reads the colorwork techniqes section.

Toe-Up Socks for Every Body also includes an appendix of needle techniques, including cast-ons and cast-offs. There’s also an explanation of the 3 types of heels Wendy uses for the patterns in this book.

If you’re a Wendy Johnson fan, or a sock fan, you’ll want to consider adding her latest to your knitting library.


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What Does It Mean to Be Flawed?

A couple of weeks ago, I was doing my normal Saturday morning activities. That meant drinking coffee and watching Knitting Daily TV. A designer was talking about one of her designs and happened to mention that it covered all kinds of flaws. My ears perked up. Flaws? What right do you have to tell people they might have physical flaws?

At first, my ire caught me off-guard, though I’m not sure why. Words are my business, and I pay close attention to how they’re used. But even I had to admit that my reaction was somewhat more intense than usual, even for me. I chalked it up to being up to watch Knitting Daily TV after only 3 hours of sleep. Maybe it was stress, as I was working on an extremely difficult manuscript at the time. In other words, I tried to block my reaction from my mind.

Need I say that it didn’t work? Nope. It seemed the more I tried to keep it out of my mind, the more it surfaced. I had to face it: I had a problem with the designer’s use of the word “flaw.” Of course I knew what she meant; I’ve used it in that context many times. But is it the right word? Is it the word we should use when talking about something that might cause us some fitting problems?

Sometimes we purchase items that are flawed; in retail terminology, they’re often marked “imperfect” or that they have “imperfections.” “Factory seconds” are also a term used to describe such items. Whatever you call them, it means that they are not perfect; there are characteristics about the product that would prevent most consumers from selecting them. So why do we buy them? Sometimes the imperfection is not visible to the naked eye, such as a small occlusion in a gemstone. Perhaps it’s in an area that won’t show. But most of all, these items are often at a reduced price from their more-prized counterparts.

So, when we say we have flaws, what does that tell us about us? Some might say that it means we’re being honest. Okay, perhaps so, but there are other words that can be used to describe something about ourselves of which we’re less than fond. To me, it seems as though we are equating ourselves–at least part of ourselves–with items of lesser value than their counterparts. I don’t know about you, but the fact that I have big thighs does not make me any less valuable to the world than someone with smaller thighs. In turn, my thigh size makes me no more valuable than someone who might have thighs larger than I. An individual’s value should not be assessed based on a physical characteristic.

Oh, I know: “Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me.” But my response: Pshaw. Of course words hurt. Ask anyone who has endured the sharp words of a loved one. Yes, I know that words can harm us only if we let them. But, when you have a culture that turns basically innocuous words into pejorative ones, we should do what we can to not add to that culture. One way to do that is to not use them to describe ourselves. And, of course, not using them to describe others. So what words should you use? Well, I’m personally fond of “issues,” but I’m not sure that’s much better. Frankly, I don’t know what’s wrong with saying, “It covers your hips.” Let the listener decide whether he or she wants that area covered.

Congratulations, Carla Bell

the winner of Designer Discovery

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Swimming with the Fishies and Decisions

We’re having a big snowstorm. The first–well, maybe the second–of the season. For much of this winter, however, there were places in the South that had more snow than we did. I’ve been waiting for this. For some reason, it doesn’t really seem like a winter without at least one big storm. Last night, just before going to sleep, I sat on the edge of the bed, watching it snow over the ocean. (Oh all right. It was over the parking lot across the street. Mood killers.) It really was pretty.

Going Fishing

A couple of weeks ago, there was chatter on Plurk about a fish blanket. This one  . Apparently the idea is to knit several fish and then seam them together. Now, those of you who know me from here or from Knitting Purls or from several social network sites know how I feel about seaming. I have a hate-hate relationship with seaming. I hate it because I’m not good at it. I hate it so much that I go out of my way not to seam. Of course, if I did it more, I’d likely be better at it. That’s how it is with most things, right? But I still don’t want to do it.

So, I had a brilliant idea. At least I thought it was. I’d just “join” them as I went along. Here are the first two:

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(These are made from KnitPicks Comfy.) I took another look at the finished projects, and it seemed as though the fish were either tail to tail or nose to nose. I don’t know about fish life, but I can tell you as the parent of 7 cats, nose to back end is a view I often see.

I knit the first pattern per instructions until cast off. For my duo, I cast off to the middle, knit the nose for fish 2 in the other color, and then cast off the remainder of the fish tail. I kind of like it. It will save time in seaming–assuming I can figure out a way to get the fish to line up in straight lines–like we did in school!

Sometimes I Just Can’t Make Up My Mind

I dare say we’ve all been there. We want to knit a sock but can’t decide whether to do it top down or toe up. Gloves or mittens. Fingerless mittens or regular mittens.

That was me the other day. I had some yarn from Sugarbeestudios and couldn’t decide if I wanted to make gloves or fingerless mitts. So, I just decided to start knitting and continue until I decided I was finished. The result? Look!

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No, your eyes aren’t deceiving you. They are fingerless mitts but with a thumb. I call it a thumb cozy. I think I might make a pair with a pinky cozy next. And someone who knows my tendency for road rage has suggested a pair with a middle finger cozy. We’ll see. I seem to have a thing about “cozy”; several months ago, I designed a toe cozy.

Don’t forget to get your answer in for Designer Discovery  

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Playing with Your Food

A few weeks ago, I mentioned on Plurk that I wanted to make stitch markers. I’ve made them in the past, and it was fun. Plus, just like knitting, I could make them anyway I wanted, just as long as they worked. The ones I made were beaded and with just the addition of the proper finding, they also made cute earrings. Sadly, like so many of my knitting accessories, they have vanished to locations unknown.

I want to do something different and immediately remembered the book The Polymer Clay Cookbook: Tiny Food Jewelry to Whip Up and Wear (Watson-Guptill, 2009), which the publisher sent me to review. 38076385The book is chocked full of instructions for making jewelry from polymer clay-created bacon and eggs, ice cream cones, sushi trays, coffee beans, cinnamon buns, bananas, tacos, and many more. It also contains excellent instructions on working with polymer clay and how to achieve the results you’re looking for. You’ll learn how to create basic forms and mixing and creating colors.

So, why did thinking about stitch markers remind me of this book? I’m glad you asked. Since these items are meant for jewelry, they’re a great size for stitch markers. Just add jump rings. Of course, once I thought of that, my mind flew to other ideas. Polymer clay is a popular medium for handmade buttons. Why not make them look like food or beverages? You’ll likely have to adjust the size (make the cane bigger, etc.), but The Polymer Clay Cookbook provides you with the guidelines to create the images. Just add a shank button backing–available in many sewing and craft stores–and you’re good to go. Make them even larger, and create a shawl pin. How cool it would be to have a Japanese-inspired shawl closed by a sushi platter.

The instructions are easy to follow, and this would be a great project for kids–with adult or older child guidance, of course. Just let your–and their–imagination run wild. Even if you don’t make food-inspired projects, the general instructions in the book are all you need to make polymer clay knitting accessories.

And the Winner Is . . .

Nan has won the Mason*Dixon giveaway, and I’ve sent her an e-mail. Stay tuned for other giveaways.

Don’t forget to get your entry in for Designer Discovery  !

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Mason*Dixon Snow

Well now, we finally had the first significant snow of the season. We got 7 inches, which pales in comparison to the amount of snow received in many areas south of the Mason-Dixon Line.

Heh, heh. How’s that for a segue?

In 2006, Kay Gardiner and Ann Shayne, the talent behind Mason Dixon Knitting  , published their first book, The Curious Knitters’ Guide: Stories, Patterns, Advice, Opinions, Questions, Answers, Jokes, and Pictures. Aimed at, “Knitters everywhere who share the give ‘em hell spirit of just picking up the needles and making stuff,” the book was an immediate–and huge–hit. Knit-a-longs of projects in the book sprung up. New subscribers flocked to the pair’s blog.

And now, The Curious Knitters’ Guide is available in paperback!

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Most of the patterns in this book are for blankets and home accessories, though there are some beautiful things for babies. And the patterns go beyond the traditional baby blanket and bib. You’ll also find the popular Moderne Log Cabin pattern and others that have been adapted from quilt designs. There are patterns for rugs and towels and even for a curtain. Is there a child you’d like to introduce to knitting? You’ll find suggestions–including patterns–for how to get them involved. They also highlight some charitable knitting projects.

And, as anyone familiar with Mason*Dixon must expect, there are funny stories. But, there are also valuable tips and techniques, all presented in an easy to understand manner. It’s like sitting there with your best friends, chatting and knitting the day away.

The publisher sent me a copy of the paperback edition, but I bought the hardcover when it came out. So, if you’d like the paperback, just leave a comment on this post by 11:00 PM, EST, Tuesday, February 16. A winner will be selected at random to receive the book.

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Mittens, Mittens, Everywhere Mittens

In case you didn’t know, it’s winter out there. This has been one of the oddest winters weather-wise. At least for those of us in Upstate New York. For those who don’t know, that just means we’re north of Westchester County. In fact, I’m much closer to Pennsylvania than to the northernmost border of New York. It looks as though we may get our biggest snowfall of the season tomorrow. Right now, they’re forecasting 8 inches. We haven’t had a big snow since April 2007, when a foot of snow was measured at the airport.

As mentioned in a previous post, I lost my favorite mittens and had to knit a new pair. They are now my favorite pair. Knitting them renewed my interest in knitting mittens–both the regular kind and those of the fingerless persuasion. I haven’t decided which version the ones currently on my needles will be when they grow up. Mittens are a popular portable project, and there are many patterns available for knitters of all skill levels.

If you’re looking for something different in mittens, check out  Charlene Schurch’s Mostly Mittens: Ethnic Knitting Designs from Russia (Martingale & Company, 2009). This is a revised edition of the book originally published in 1998; errors have been corrected and hat patterns have been added. The patterns were inspired by Schurch’s discovery of patterns in the clothing of the Komi people. The Komi are people who live west of the Urals and close to the Artic Circle. A recognized Russian minority, Komi heritage can be traced to the Finns and Estonians.

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The patterns may remind knitters somewhat of Latvian designs. They are colorful and geometric. They can be complex or relatively simple.

After a brief history of the Komi, Schurch provides basic guidelines for knitting mittens. She provides readers with guidelines for selecting yarn and needles, how to measure gauge, and how to cast on and begin to knit in the round. Multiple cuff styles are described. This is followed by an explanation on how to read charts. There are 35 mitten patterns included in the book. Each project includes 2 thumb sizes–medium and large–for easy in knitting mittens for most of those on your “must knit for” list.

In addition to the mittens, there are 4 cap projects. Schurch also tells you how to adapt the mitten stitch/color patterns for sweaters and how to use the pattern of your choice to design a cap. The patterns are written for DPNs, but she does tell you how to adapt them for knitting on 2 circular needles. She does not mention using the Magic Loop method of circular knitting, but I don’t see any reason why it couldn’t be used. The projects can also be knit flat and seamed.

I’ve generally advised knitters not to put too much emphasis on the skill levels indicated on patterns. In this case, however, I’d recommend that you’ve knit at least 1 pair before taking on these. That way, you’ll be familiar with the basic structure and knitting of mittens. Included in the book are instructions for the basic mitten. Though the pattern refers to “knitting from the chart,” there’s no reason why you couldn’t knit them in a single color, stockinette, and get the feel for the mitten-knitting process.

Knitters will refer to the previously mentioned basic mitten pattern throughout the book, as the instructions for the individual mittens assume you’re familiar with the process. The charts are large enough to read and easy to follow.

If you’re a mitten or cap knitter, or if you’re interested in ethnic knitting, Mostly Mittens: Ethnic Knitting Designs from Russia will be a nice addition to your library. And the resulting projects will be a colorful and impressive addition to your knitting repertoire.

Don’t forget to get your entry into this week’s Designer Discovery  !

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Spending Time in the Knitting Hoosegow

So, remember when I mentioned I had an attack of startitis? Well, as you saw in the photo I posted, the Lily Pad was a complete success. Of course, now Eddie seems to have taken control of the blankie, so I may need to make another.

Do you know what this is? Yes, it’s the storage bag that comes with Namaste bags. I’ve mentioned in a previous post that I’ve adopted it as a project bag, especially since I seem to be more prone to startitis than to finishitis. Well, this storage bag has been pressed into service for another purpose. It is now the Knitting Hoosegow. So what did these projects do to warrant a time out? They didn’t

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behave. It’s as simple as that. They didn’t act like good projects in progress should. I had frogged a shawlette to cast on the Milkweed Shawl  . Three or four rows in, I noticed I made an error, so I frogged it and started over. I was so happy with how it was going. It lulled me into a false sense of security. It convinced me that the project would be smooth going.

Deceptor!

When I got to the end of the second or third row of Chart C, my stitch count no longer matched. Eek. I’m guessing that I missed a yarnover or two. I say “guessing,” because I can’t find the error. So, after looking and looking for the boo-boo, I put Milkweed on trial. It lost and was sentenced to time in the Knitting Hoosegow.

As you might recall, I also started my first Clapotis 5. This time, the yarn is the culprit. Seriously. It made me think it would make a beautiful scarf. And it probably will–if I can stand to finish the scarf. This is one of those times when I probably should have used wooden/bamboo needles. You see, the Ruca Multy (from Araucania Yarns) is made of 100% sugarcane. When I started using it, I was concerned about its propensity to split. I should have been concerned about its tendency to slip off the needles. I was afraid that frustration would lead to mistakes, so the Clapotis is now the cell mate of the Milkweed Shawlette.

So, now’s the perfect time to finish some of my UFOs. Yeh, right. I cast on another project, using yarn from my stash. HPIM0121 This will be a pair of mittens or fingerless mitts; it depends on my attention span. The yarn is the No Man’s Land colorway, one of Sugarbeestudio  ’s Politically Incorrect Yarns and Fibers. So far, so good. The yarn is behaving and, probably since I’ve knit this pattern many times before, I’ve not run into any difficulties. Of course, I’m just past the cuff, so there is still a chance that Milkweed and Clapotis will have a third “roommate.” But, I’m not going to dwell on that. I’m certain that this project will be a winner. I will be victorious. It will not defeat me. (Maybe.)

A New Season of Knitting Daily TV

Our local PBS station premiered the new season of Knitting Daily TV this morning. Why they insist on running the show at 7 a.m. Saturday mornings is beyond me, but at least they carry the show. I’ve had issues with the program through the seasons, but I still watch. After all, it’s about knitting.

I had been reading the new season hype, and this season looked promising. And, I must admit that I enjoyed this first episode. It featured Eunny Jang, showing us how to fix errors and overcome one of many knitters’ fears: knitting something to find it doesn’t fit. Shay Pendray interviewed Adina Klein on location about testing new techniques on baby items. There was no apparently obvious reason why the interview was conducted on location. There was no reference to anything going on around them; they stood behind a table, talking and showing the items (which I really liked, incidentally). Adina Klein has been interviewed in the studio many times. I can only guess that the interview was conducted outside the studio because of time and availability. And while I have no objection to on-location interviews in principle, please conduct them in a less-noisy location. It can be difficult to hear and understand what is being said when ambient noise is so loud.

One of the complaints knitters (not just me) have had over the past seasons of Knitting Daily TV is the frequent, unannounced appearance of other fiber arts on a show that, at least by its title, is supposed to be about knitting. This season, though the name of the program remains the same, there will be a segment called Crochet Corner. New this season is Kristin Omdahl of Red Heart Yarns, who is the host of that segment. She started Crochet Corner at the beginning: making a chain. This segment has the potential of being very helpful to those wanting to add crochet to their fiber love. I found it enjoyable, even though I know crochet basics, but I’m not sure I will be able to watch it. Omdahl has this habit of, well, the only thing I can relate it to is, sucking her teeth–loudly. Perhaps her mouth is dry. If so, I suggest she have a big glass of water before taping her segments. Yes, I found it that distracting.

The folks at Knitting Daily TV had lauded their new opening. I really looked forward to that possibility. First, the program begins by mentioning that the show has been sponsored by–and then lists a very long list of sponsors. If one didn’t know better, he or she could think they were getting in on the end of the program. Then, I’m sorry, but I find that theme music some of the worst I’ve ever heard. And to play it (loudly) while Eunny is introducing the show and again when she’s telling what will be on next week reeks of amateurish production quality. The only thing that has changed is the introduction of the hosts and the addition of a montage. That, of course, was made necessary because of host changes.

Despite these issues, I’ll still watch. Eunny Jang is the show’s strong point, and I’m not ashamed to say I’m a fan. I’ve learned a lot from her during the past seasons, and I look forward to continue to do so this season. Her segments are what keep me coming back Saturday morning after Saturday morning.

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Fiber Friends Feed America

Did you know:

1. Nearly 1 in 5 Americans said they lacked the money to buy needed food at some point in 2009.
2. More than 38 million Americans—that’s 1 in 8—currently receive food stamps.
3. In the 4th quarter of 2009, 24.1 percent of families with children had experienced problems in being able to afford food.
4. Of the 100 largest metropolitan areas, 83 had food hardship rates of at least 15 percent.

Those are the findings of a Gallup survey, released January 26, 2010.

As readers of this blog and my posts on various social networking sites know by now, fighting hunger is one of my biggest causes. In fact, you’ll find links for Feeding America and Action Against Hunger on my sidebar. I’ve often suggested ways that you can help fight hunger in your area and around the world.

But, I want—need—to do more.

Over the past several weeks, two fiber friends and I have worked together to create something we hope will benefit those who must go hungry in the United States. You’ll be hearing a lot about Fiber Friends Feed America  —F3America—in the weeks to come. And, we hope that you’ll be willing to help.

F3America’s first major fund-raiser will be an auction. Yes, you’ll be able to bid on fiber-related items and help feed the hungry. The exact dates of the online auction are still being considered, and you’ll be the first to know.

No individuals affiliated with the auction will be paid for their services. This means that all funds raised will be donated. The recipient organization for this auction is Feeding America 5. You can read about their work if you click on the link. Every dollar that we are able to contribute will help provide 9 pounds of food. Think of how much that will be appreciated by those in need. And you’ll be able to feed your fibery habit.

We’ve already contacted a few of you fiber folk and asked for auction donations. It should come as no surprise that everyone has said yes. There are still many individuals and companies to contact; the more the merrier. If you’d like to contribute to the auction, you don’t have to wait for us to contact you. Just send an e-mail to Fiber Friends Feed America at info@f3america.org. A complete list of contributors will be published on this blog as well as in Knitting Purls.

We hope that you will all want to participate in this and other projects we hope to have.

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A Follower Shall I Be

For the most part, I tend to avoid trends. I still don’t have an iPhone, for example. OK, I do have a BlackBerry, but that’s different, and I did have the latest Apple launch marked on my calendar, and yes, I really want an iPad (despite its name). But when it comes to knitting, I’ve been mostly trend free. I’ve not knit a Girasole, though I don’t have anything against it or those who do. It’s beautiful, but it’s not me. But, I did decide to hop on the bandwagon and knit a shawlette. I picked a pattern, knit a few rows, and then discovered another shawlette pattern. So, I frogged that and am working on the Milkweed Shawl  . I’m using Palette in Whirpool, which is the yarn that I was using for the original choice. (Incidentally, if you purchase the Milkweed Shawl pattern by January 31, it will benefit humanitarian efforts in Haiti.)

Now, another very popular pattern is the Clapotis 5, which is available for free on Knitty. I don’t dare venture a guess as to how many people have knit it. But, I’ve not been one of them. I’ve thought about it and even downloaded the pattern–multiple times, but that’s another story. Then, the other day, I was looking for a scarf pattern and came upon it again. So, I decided to start that one, too. Since one of my New Year’s goals is to knit from stash, I went stash diving to find enough of one color of yarn. I wanted to use Palette, but I didn’t have enough. But, I did find this:

HPIM0114 This is Ruca Multy from Araucania Yarns. It’s 100% sugar cane from Italy. I think I bought it originally for a lace shawl, which, for some reason, never got made. It’s incredibly soft, but it does seem to be a bit splitty. Anyway, it’s going to become a Clapotis. Now to come up with 18 stitch markers.

There are a lot of people with a Clapotis on their needles or about to be cast on. For some of us, it’s the first one. For others, well, let’s just say some are in double digits in their Clapotis creations.  So, I decided to have a Clapotis KAL on the Knitting Purls group on Ravelry. If you’ve always wanted to knit one, or if you’re one who have knitted many, please come and join us. I’m sure some of us will have questions.

So, since I’m going to be knitting a Clapotis, does that make me a trend-following automaton? According to some, probably. But the fact of the matter is that it’s a beautiful scarf pattern. And why do we knit? So we can have something beautiful. Just because we may want to knit something many other people have does not make us unoriginal or nonthinkers. We’ve not necessarily drank the Flavor Aid (it wasn’t Kool-Aid, for crying out loud) or become a Stepford creation. We’re knitting something we like and invite you to do the same.

Book of Fair Isle Knitting

In case you haven’t noticed, there seems to be a lot of Fair Isle out there. I’ve heard several knitters say they’re finally going  to take the plunge and knit something Fair Isle. When it comes to Fair Isle knitting, one person’s name frequently comes to mind: Alice Starmore. Someone gave me a Barnes and Noble gift certificate for my birthday, and I knew immediately that I was going to get her Book of Fair Isle Knitting. After all, when I talked to anyone about fair isle, they always told me I had to get that book.

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Now, I have to say that I have been disappointed in some books that people have told me are “must-haves” for knitters. Sadly, among them have been most Elizabeth Zimmerman books. I realize that borders on sacrilege among knitters, but it’s true for me. It’s a writing style thing.

I’m very happy to say that those who told me about Alice Starmore’s  Book of Fair Isle Knitting were not wrong! She begins the book with a brief history of the style. The chapter on patterns and the pattern library are phenomenol. I especially love the peerie stitch patterns. These are perfect for smaller items or for embellishment on an item rather than an all-over pattern. The patterns are arranged by number of rows, which helps those designing their own items.

The color section can help one see how the world around them can lead to color selections for Fair Isle knitting projects. The technique section is unrivaled. She even makes steeking unscary. (Well, almost.) There are a few patterns, including ones for a tam, mittens, and gloves that I think I’ll be making. The book concludes with a chapter on designing your own Fair Isle project.

The photos are gorgeous. Techniques are explained thoroughly and clearly; the diagrams are actually large enough that one can see what is being demonstrated. Charts are easy to read and follow.

If you have any interest in knitting Fair Isle or in color, check out Alice Starmore’s Book of Fair Isle Knitting. (Thankfully, some of her books are being reprinted, so we don’t have to pay the $100+ some people are selling the originals for.) It will be a welcome addition to most knitting libraries, even if you only use it for the pattern dictionary. But, I think at least some of you will find the courage to tackle that first Fair Isle project after taking a look at her book.

Don’t forget, you have until January 31 to get your answer in for the latest Designer Discovery  .

Posted in Reviews, contest | Tagged , , , , | 3 Comments

An FO and a New Book

The other day I had a serious–and I mean serious–attack of startitis. Oh, we have all gone through such things, but this was somewhat extreme even for me. I sat there and cast on 3 projects. I cast on a bed sock, a Lily Pad, and a shawlette. And, I’m using 3 different types of yarn. The bed sock is in DK weight, 100% cotton, the Lily Pad in some long-forgotten type and brand (though it is boucle), and I’m using fingering weight for the shawlette.

Last night I finished the Lily Pad. What’s a Lily Pad? It’s a pet blanket. You can get the free pattern here  . I make and collect them for Lily’s Friends, a program of my foundation, The Lily M. Foundation, Inc. It is named after my late knitting buddy, Lily McMunster. Anyway, I put this project on rush. Last week, the toilet decided to overflow and spread into 2 rooms before I got the valve shut off. In my haste to sop up the water, I grabbed what was handy, which included the cats’ LilyPads. Well, most of them. All were saved and subsequently washed. Well, all except one.

Clarence lays claim to the newest Lily Pad

Clarence lays claim to the newest Lily Pad

Clarence had taken over the very first blanket I ever knit. It was originally a lap blanket, but he decided it was for him. Well, he dragged that thing all over the house. He’d suck on one end and drag it between his legs. His favorite place to leave the blanket was behind my desk chair, which meant, of course, that it got caught in the wheels whenever I rolled back. No matter where I put it, he’d drag it into the office. Whenever I threatened to wash it, Clarence would throw a hissy fit. So, when it was used as a towel last week, it gave me the opportunity to finally get rid of it.

Cat parents will understand. The minute Clarence went looking for it, guilt hit me like a ton of bricks. Seriously. No, I mean really seriously. As if he didn’t have enough issues, I had burdened him with another: the loss of his beloved blanket. I immediately knew I had to remedy the situation, ergo, the casting on of the Lily Pad. There’s another benefit to knitting a Lily Pad, at least using the pattern I’ve posted under Patterns and which I use most often. It is absolutely mindless knitting. After the work stress of last couple of weeks, I really needed something like that.

Last night I finished the Lily Pad. And as you can see, it met with Clarence’s quick approval. I have been forgiven.

Not My Daughter

Most of the books I receive from publishers to review are pattern books. Which is just fine with me, by the way. But a few weeks ago, I received the novel Not My Daughter by bestselling author Barbara Delinsky. When I read the jacket flap, I couldn’t see why the publisher sent it to me for review. I used to review books for children and young adults, but not for adults.

Then I read the press release, and the reason became clear: some of the characters own a yarn-dyeing business.

46231758Not My Daughter is the story of three high school girls who make the decision to get pregnant. Sound familiar? Yes, there is the influence of the real-life, Massachusetts high school girls who got pregnant (the pact that wasn’t a pact). The girls in this book are popular, talented, and good students. In other words, their decision to get pregnant makes sense to no one–other than, perhaps, themselves.

Though at first glance it may seem the girls are the focal point of this novel, they are not. The real main character is Susan Tate. Her daughter, Lily, is one of the pregnant teenagers. This is a situation to which Susan can relate, because she was unmarried and pregnant with Lily at the same age. She can relate, but that certainly doesn’t mean Susan is happy about the situation. And complicating the situation is that Susan is the principal of the high school the girls attend. As might be expected, the school board is incensed by what has happened, and Susan finds herself its scapegoat, dodging threats of termination for most of the book. And then there’s Rick, Lily’s father, who has an important presence in Susan’s and Lily’s lives. And Susan’s strained relationship with her family. . . .  Well, you get the picture.

Dyers and knitters will relate to the fact that, when faced by stress and frustration, the main female characters turn to their dyepots or yarn and needles. The pregnancies put a strain on the women’s yarn business, but it’s also what helps to hold them together–both personally and as a group. Unlike many novels that feature knitting and yarn, that’s not the case in Not My Daughter. It’s incidental to the plot, not a major player. Still, yarn, knitting, and dyeing do make frequent appearances.

If you’re looking for something fun to read, and I realize “fun” might seem like a strange word for this subject, Not My Daughter might be a good choice. As I read it, I kept thinking that it was the perfect type of reading to be done in front of the fireplace, a winter storm outside, dressed in jammies and handknit socks and with a big mug of tea. Of course ocean waves crashing on the shore wouldn’t have been bad either. It grabbed and held my attention for about two-thirds of the novel. As it got closer to the end, I got the feeling the author was in “hurry-up” mode. Ends seemed to be wrapped up neatly and suddenly. With only a momentary–though potentially bad–moment, the girls seemed to experience no serious consequences of their actions. In retrospect, the book’s plot line is predicable–especially if you’ve seen even one Lifetime movie.

And in a clever marketing campaign, Mountain Colors Yarns 0 is producing the Eclipse colorway for spring.

Incidentally, I loved the fact that the dyers give knitting blogs much of the credit for their company’s success!

Posted in Reviews | 2 Comments
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