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.

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!

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.

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

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!