It’s a race! Cold weather vs. finished pullover.

I love the local library! I found a gem of a book titled,”Latvian Dreams, Knitting from Weaving Patterns” by Joyce Williams. It was full of charts with geometric designs. The sweater patterns in the book were fashioned after the gansey, very little shaping, with the focus on the two color patterns. The sweater is knit in a traditional style of knitting in the round and using steeks at armholes and collar.

I decided to try the “High Park Pullover”. In the book it is shown in blue and white – but I think (and am hoping) that I have enough fine weight alpaca to knit this (with long sleeves). Years ago I bought tons of alpaca yarn from Richness Alpaca. I’ve been looking for a project to use it all up and I have found it!

I am racing the snow – my goal is to be wearing this sweater the first time I shovel!

15 more rows and I am at the collar!

The first inch of rows were the hardest. Now that I have figured out the repeats I don’t have to look at every stitch on the chart while knitting. I’ve had to frog a few rows but luckily not too often.

Bottom of alpaca hand knit sweater

The book has a fun approach to the sweater patterns. Charts show the geometric patterns in the shape of the sweaters. Gauges for different weight yarns are listed and depending on which yarn you use you adjust the pattern by number of repeats. For my sweater I added 20 stitches to the charted pattern in order to get the correct size – One 10st repeat for the front and one for the back.

Alpaca sweater, center stitches

I can’t wait to get to the sleeve – see how clever the design is where the sleeves meets the body of the sweater! I’ll have to walk around waving my arms in the air to show it off.

Photo of underarm for High Park pullover

I can get one round done in about 20 minutes. The sweater is charted at 270 rows. . .  (not including the sleeves, I haven’t looked at those yet) I don’t want to do the math! I’m planning on working both sleeves at the same time because I’ll have to tweak the pattern and also because I’m not sure how far my different colors of yarn will stretch. Knitting both sleeves at the same time will help me use up the yarn and make sure the sleeves look the same. The sleeves are worked from the top down, picking up sts at the armholes and working down to the cuffs, and that’s a lot of fabric on my lap. Doing both sleeves at the same time prevents sleeve slap (that happens while turning the sweater to knit the second sleeve and the one that is done swings around and slaps you).

I’ll post pics of me in it – shovelling.

Gentle Cowl on a fall day

I love allforloveofyarn! Angela’s colors are great and the variegation doesn’t pool!

This cowl was knit in Eloquence–70% Bluefaced Leicester, 20%silk, 10% cashmere. It is super soft and drapy, light yet warm!

here’s how I knit it:

• 1 skein-100gms/430 yds fingering weight yarn.
• Gauge: 7sts/11rows=1″. Cowl is 23″ around/15″ long.
• US Size 2 needles (for working in the round) cast on 192 stitches. Join being careful not to twist stitches.
• Rows 1-3, (K10, p1, k2, p1, k10) 8 times.
• Row 4 (K10, p1, k2tog and DO NOT take off needle, knit into first stitch again and remove both stitches, p1, k10) 8 times. Repeat these four rows until desired length or until you have about 3 yards left, bind off loosely.

I took some photos and was visited by my friend Molly Brown. it took me a while to get her attention. There was a trick in the shape of a little green ball.

I finally got her attention!

Another Meghan’s Wrap, Hand knit Shawl

I just finished another Meghan’s Wrap. It is knit in Sockittome (brown) from Cherry Tree Hill and the white is a yarn is from Yarn2Dye4.

The high contrast of these colors shows off the fun shapes of the blocks of color.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The pattern is easy to knit and fast! It takes a bit of getting used to knitting sock yarn on size US 10 1/2 needles and moves along quickly once you do. A nice drape results from such open knitting

Instead of adding the beads up the fringe as I did on my first wrap, I put three beads on the end of each fringe.

New hand knit shawl/wrap/scarf/cowl pattern on its way!

I love love love this yarn! I knit this beautiful cowl/scarf/hood/wrap using two skeins – one of each color – and it is soft and scrumtious! Look for the pattern on Ravelry & Patternfish soon!

button the ends and wear it as a cowl

Meghan’s Wrap is knit on large needles (10 1/2) in garter stitch and works up into a light, stretchy and versatile accessory. The fringe is added before each 8th and 9th row by casting on, then immediately casting off. This one has 4 tiny (8o) beads in each fringe. It would also be fun with one bigger bead at the end of each strand of  fringe!

Meghan's wrap worn as a hood

9 1/2 inch buttons are sewn on the ends, 5 on one end, 4 on the other. Button the ends and it becomes a cowl! Unbotton and wear it open and the buttons add pizzazz to the ends!

Meghan's wrap worn as a scarf

The sock weight yarn knit on such large needles makes for a very nice open weave. It’s warm, yet light weight and knits up fast!

Oh yea, and you can wear it as a belt!

Meghan's Wrap worn as a belt

The pattern is at the test knitters and will be available soon!

Thank you to my great model (who was modeling in 90 degree weather with no air conditioning) and my new friend and great photographer Andrea Cole.

Meghan's Wrap

Meghan's Wrap

crocheted carrot

Here’s a fun decoration for your gardening shed – or shelf! Everytime I look at it I smile and giggle.

3" long with 3" loop -

From Knitting to Metal

I am such a lucky girl! Last weekend I was surround by fiber artists at the Surface Design Association Conference and had a great time learning, looking, and networking!

Pat Hickman was the keynote speaker – showing lots of beautiful images of her work and inspiration to keep experimenting and allowing our creativity as artists to flow in whichever direction we are inclined to go.

Here is a video of one of her works which chronicles the creation of the commissioned entrance gates to the Maui Arts! Fiber to metal in a large scale!

Here are two pictures of a fiber to metal project I did with my sisters a few years ago. Knit rope that I cast and then poured. Thank you Felicia and Veronica for all the beautiful art you give to the world and the work you do in creating community around art!

Another non-knitting related post

I don’t much appreciate the heat of summer, but I do love the flowers that have been kissed by the sun!

Irises in my yard.

More irises in my yard!

Not knitting related turtle!

While driving to a local coffee shop to “work”, Ellen brought the car came to a screeching halt so I could look at this lovely turtle! – sorry about the quality of these photos – I have an old phone and the camera isn’t as good as a new fancy phone.

Turtle at Como Park

I know absolutely nothing about turtles other than that they carry their houses around with them.
This guy, or maybe gal, has been building its house for a long time, I’m guessing because of the size of it.

Turtle at Como Park

Isn’t this a beauty!

Como Lake is about 3 miles from my house and a great lake to walk around with Molly Brown. Sometimes I even walk to the lake, around the lake, and home again.
However, I think both MB and myself are getting a bit long in the tooth for 6 miles walks.

Turtle at Como Lake - close up of his back foot

These toe nails were so impressive I had to get a close up!

Turtle at Como Lake

When the turtle turned toward me and took a step, I had the feeling he didn’t want any more photos taken. He was looking right at me! It was awesome!
What a fun way to start my day – a visit with a turtle!

Another knit Falling leaves scarf !

I love this technique of working two rows in the same direction!

Here are some pics of my latest Falling Leaves Shawlette. Yes it is red and green – a bit cliche – but it works for me!

This yarn is wonderful to work with and though it is difficult to tell from these pics, the slight variegation in the color is quite lovely.

I bought this yarn at Shepherd’s Harvest – the booth was directly across from mine and Angela’s yarn was so sweet that I could have spent all my money there!

The name of this blend is “Opulence” and that is what it felt like to knit – 80% superwash Merino wool, 10% Cashmere and 10% Nylon. All for the Love of yarn! can be found and purchased on line and I can’t wait to buy some more.

happy knitting everyone!

Knitting Cowichan Sweaters

Cowichan Sweater sample

On April 30th I took an all day class at Yarn Over (sponsored by the Minnesota Knitters’ Guild) on knitting Cowichan Sweaters with Joan Schrouder. (Joan is retiring from teaching at the end of this year, so I feel fortunate to have had this class with her!) Not only did I learn about Native Tribes of the Pacific North West  I learned some really fun techniques that I can use on my other knitting as well! I really enjoyed spending this rainy day inside knitting.

The “baby” sweater shown above took me the full 6 hours of class to knit.  It measures about 20″ around and 12 inches long. I started the sleeve on one side to get the idea of how it is done. . .I don’t think I will knit anymore of this because I’m afraid it is too small for even a tiny human:) The yarn is a bulky yarn that I purchased from Gale Woods Farm – a lovely lovely yarn! (after I wound it into a ball, I kept it on my desk so I can gaze upon it because I love the texture and sheen so much!) The arrow shapes around the belly part are traditional and sometimes are knit so the direction of the arrow changes direction in the center of the back. I knit it the same all the way around.

The collar isn’t wide enough.  If I would have made more increases to widen it, the collar would fold back better and be nice and neat. Here is a good example of learning something by doing it wrong.

Close up of my too narrow collar

Adult sweaters weigh 4 to 5 pounds and are usually about 1/2 ” thick because they are knit using two strands of bulky single ply wool. Yes, two strands even when no pattern is shown. The stitches are twisted around each other over the color patterns and when knitting with 2 strands of the same color. Knitting with two strands of the same color keeps the sweater the same weight throughout. If you only knit with two strands on the color patterned part and not the solid part the sweater would have areas of thick and areas of thin knitting. . . it wouldn’t be as warm or as consistently stable.

Arrow pattern as seen from the inside

here is a close up of the inside of the arrow design. If I do say so myself it is a nice and tidy job of weaving in the carried yarn!

Inside of the bird pattern

here is the inside close up view of the bird pattern. . . I carried the gray yarn all the way across even though the pattern of the bird didn’t fill up that much of the back.

the "public" side of the bird pattern on the back

This is the right or “public” side of the back showing the traditional bird pattern. It looks pretty good – not as smooth as I would like it to be – the carrying/weaving of the second  color on the inside shows through to the outside a bit. But this is “traditional” for this type of knitting and I’m learning to appreciate it. You can see under the bird, where it is all white – I was carrying the yarn in the same way but with 2 strands of the same color. I also need just a bit more practice (or more time:)) on picking up for the sleeves. The sleeve caps are done with short rows. A few stitches are picked up across the shoulder seam and then working back and forth you pick up stitches down the armhole. Very cool!

Cowichan Sweater Shoulder bind off

This is one of the coolest things I learned during this class. It is a way to do a 3-needle bind off that creates the look of two crochet chains down the seam. This gave me the idea for a new project – - – not telling just yet – - – but look for it soon. I had a great day and can’t wait to knit an adult size sweater.

I recently met a woman from Montana who raises Navaho Sheep. . . when she has some spun I’ll get to knit a sweater out of it! Can’t wait!

Here are a few places to find out more info about Cowichan Sweaters and the people who knit them.

An interesting article about Cowichan Sweaters and copyright issues that arose around them during the Olypmics

Link to a an artist that has some interesting history about North American Tribes and their weaving and knitting.

A link to Sa-Cinn – a place to buy original Cowichan sweaters and hats.