Knot Knecessarily Known Knitting

As I mentioned yesterday, I did work on another small project. In this case, I knocked out a square for the TNNA Great Wall of Yarn. The yarn this time is lovely stuff -- Sweet Georgia Silk Mist. This is obviously a Rowan Kidsilk Haze substitute. If you don't know what to do with it, you can browse the 1000 pages (no exaggeration) of Kidsilk Haze projects on Ravelry. I decided to work a little lace with the color stacking, so as not to muddle the beautiful spring colors in the skein. I used a provisional cast-on, leaving enough tail to be able to bind off later. After only a little fiddling, I was able to determine that something around 88 stitches would stack for me. I found a stitch pattern from p.71 of The Haapsalu Scarf by Siiri Reimann & Aime Edasi that would fit over 85 stitches, plus two for the selvedge is 87. So I cast on and knit using a US size 7 (4.5mm) pointy needle. On the downside, this did not go as quickly as I would have liked. Partly I did not spend as...

As you might guess from the lack of blog posting, the holiday season has been full of distractions. I spent three weeks over Thanksgiving at my husband's Maryland man cave. In addition to celebrating the holiday with family, I did accomplish some knitting stuff. I was most pleased that I worked on writing up a scarf pattern that uses an interesting entrelac technique. I had been most annoyed at myself for the lack of progress on that pattern, and it felt good to spend time writing and test knitting and making progress. Then I got home to Atlanta to discover that files written in Pages ’11 on my husband's computer don't open in Page ’09 on mine. (A pox on whoever in Cupertino, California decided that was a good idea.) Fortunately, Cuddly Hubby came home for two weeks during the end-of-year holidays. I've been able to open and export the file, thus restoring the three weeks' of work I did writing and test knitting. Of course, now that I'm in the middle of the ho...

Those of you who know me know I love pandas. And I specifically love the pandas at ZooAtlanta . I was a docent about a decade ago and can still tell Lun Lun and Yang Yang apart. Yes, I am one of those crazy people who looks at Mei Lan (already in China) or Xi Lan or Po and makes comments about which parent they resemble in which way, while the rest of the world just sees another black and white bear. The latest iterations -- Mei Lun and Mei Huan -- are entering the dangerously cute cub stage. Just viewing them on PandaCam can cause metabolic anomalies requiring insulin injections to offset the sweetness. They are also finally venturing into the exhibit dayrooms. Xi Lan and Po will soon relocate to China to join the breeding program at Chengdu. If you are in Atlanta this weekend, you have the rare opportunity to see up to six pandas of various ages all in one place.

I pre-ordered Tudor Roses back in June. I was excited the book would be back in print. The 1998 original features a dozen beautiful designs. Some are Fair Isle with Alice Starmore's brilliant sense of color. Some are cables. In particular, I had been lusting after the pattern for "Henry VIII," which is a sweater surely fit for a king. I had been stalking the book for awhile on the used book websites. I should have bought it when I saw it for a mere $150. But then Sweater Quest by Adrienne Martini came out in 2010. Adrienne wrote about her year-long quest to knit "Mary Tudor," the cover sweater. After that, prices on Tudor Roses went into orbit. In the meantime, some of Alice Starmore's other out-of-print books began to reappear. I decided to bide my time. "Patience, Iago, patience!" So when I saw the opportunity to pre-order Tudor Roses , I couldn't click the "it must be mine!" button fast enough. And when I saw the book was sh...

I wasn't sure if I should blog about this or not, but considering how little traffic it seems to be generating, somebody needs to say something. Schoolhouse Press has organized a series of three auctions of garments handknit by Barbara G. Walker. The first auction is already open. It ends Saturday night 2 November at midnight. The second and third auctions will follow in sequence, ending on Tuesday 12 November and Saturday 23 November respectively. Look books can be downloaded at this link . Right now, I don't know whether to be excited or disappointed. There's a sweater I might bid on, because it is currently listed at under $100, and to me that seems a crime against knitting. As someone on the temporary board for the Center for Knit and Crochet, I hope all the pieces end up in the homes of knitters who will adore and treasure these items for decades to come.

I left Saturday morning unscheduled for sleeping and catching-up. While I like taking classes, I’ve been learning it is helpful to have at least a little rest built into your show schedule. I did hang out for awhile in the knit and crochet lounge. There was a crocheter working on finishing a cookie afghan! This was a motif afghan in which the round motifs were identifiable representations of different types of cookies. It was adorable, although I think it could be dangerous to have such an afghan in the house, unless you are very good at not purchasing sweets. Contents page from Stories in Stitches No. 1. Because of my connection to the Center for Knit and Crochet, at lunchtime Jan introduced me to Ava Coleman. Ava and her business partner Donna Druchunas have started a venture called Stories in Stitches . This is a wonderful journal that tells the stories behind the knitting. Some of the stories are anecdotes, but some are scholarly research about the role knitting has played. T...

On Friday I took an all-day class with one of the sweetest, kindest knitting teachers you'll ever meet, Beth Brown-Reinsel. I had taken classes with Beth several years ago when she came to teach for Atlanta Knitting Guild. This time I decided to learn twined knitting. This is a Swedish technique that dates back to at least 1680. How do we know this? Because a twined knit glove was found under a slag heap. I do not know which is more astonishing -- that a glove survived 300 years under a slag heap, or that the Swedes keep such good records of their garbage! Books on the subject by both Anne-Maj Ling and Laura Farson have been on my shelf for some time. I figured taking the class would get me to spend a little time actually doing the technique rather than just reading about it. And Beth is the sort of teacher who has worked out subtle details in how she teaches. For example, her handout is stapled together except for the stitch chart, which is separate because you will need to knit...

I took quite a few classes during the weekend. I started out on Thursday morning with Joan Davis' "Measuring Magic with Ease." I didn't know anything about Joan, but quickly discovered she is an energetic teacher. Her class handout is about the size of a softcover book! And Joan even gave us bags and yarn. Thank you to Patons for the yarn donation! Lace Sequins is a pretty yarn with a little fuzz and a little bling. Swag from Joan Davis' class. Joan's class covered measuring your body and knitting to fit, but she also covered a lot of material about what will and will not look good on various body types. If we are going to knit or crochet a garment, we should be nice to ourselves and make something in a color and cut that is flattering, and we should adjust it appropriately to fit our figures. No matter what your figure is, you will look better in clothes that fit you properly. In the afternoon I took Galina Khmeleva's class on "Russian Graftin...

I spent the first week of October at the TKGA Fall Show in Concord, North Carolina, just north of Charlotte. It is always fun to attend a show, and this one was no exception. First off, my roommate for the extended weekend was Jan Stephens. Jan has been involved with TKGA for years -- designing, writing articles, and running the course for certified knitting judges -- but has recently retired. I must say that attending with Jan was great fun. Jan knows nearly everybody, and if she doesn't know someone, she quickly introduces herself. Plus, Jan's just a generally pleasant person to be around. She is also a wonderful mentor, as she knows when to poke me. I probably should have made a “ minion hat ” for the weekend, as I was grateful to be Jan’s minion. And on the drive up, Jan introduced me to the joys of Cracker Barrel’s Double-Chocolate Coco-Cola Cake. Yum! Size 10 cotton yarn donated by Universal Yarns It was Jan who poked me about attending the On Your Way to the Maste...

At the beginning of the summer, I mentioned a number of opportunities to view fiber art in the metro Atlanta area. I am happy to report there are more opportunities this fall! Georgia Quilt Show , which this year is at Cobb Galleria. It was open Thursday and Friday, and will be open tomorrow, Saturday 21 September, from 10:00 AM - 5:30 PM. Tickets are $10 at the door. This show has plenty of vendors and classes. But if you just want to view the work, keep walking past the vendors. The back half of the exhibition hall has quilts on view, and the work is stunning. Allow yourself a couple hours to take it all in. "Fantasy in Fiber" is currently on view at Lamar Arts in Barnesville, Georgia.Open hours are Fridays 11 AM to 2 PM and Saturdays 10 AM to 4 PM. The show runs through 31 October 2013. This venue is an hour's drive south of Atlanta. Just follow I-75 south to Exit 201 and proceed west on Highway 36. When the road forks, keep left and follow it into town. The a...

Another scrap-busting project I finished earlier in the summer is the "Keep It Simple Spiral" from Betsy Beads by Betsy Hershberg. If you have a scrap stash and a bead stash, Betsy's book is an excellent addition to your knitting library. Most of the projects are quick, fun, and gift-able. For me, this was a true scrap-bust, as the yarn was a sample of South West Trading Company Amaizing from February 2009 . The beads were already in stash, too. I did need to purchase a magnetic clasp at Michael's. This project begins with stringing beads; but with the proper tool, it should take less than half an hour and possibly less than fifteen minutes. Because the whole project is i-cord and the yarn was a little slick, I increased the coefficient of friction by using my wooden Blue Sky Alpacas double-pointed needles. Mine project is choker length because that's how much yarn I had. But pattern could easily be a longer necklace or a shorter bracelet. It is ea...

Things are finally settling into what is now the new normal. The Cuddly Hubby was back in town for our 19th consecutive Dragon*Con. Woo-hoo! He stayed a few extra days, and it was very good to have a few days of what was the old normal. For once I remembered to take some knitting to Dragon*Con. After all, it is four days of sitting in panels, so it is prime knitting time. And the costuming is always inspiring. I limited myself to four outfits during the weekend, and that left just enough room to pack a some yarn. One project was cast on after Dragon*Con -- the Circular Stranded Baby Surprise Jacket. I'm still poking away at it. Another was cast on and all but bound off during the convention, but then I changed my mind and decided to knit it over again with some refinements. That project is a blanket square, and it is still in production right now. It is great as television knitting while I catch up on the latter half of the second season of Grimm . The third project I did ca...

Although I have blogged very little this summer -- it is, after all, not a good idea to blog and drive on the interstate at the same time -- I did manage to mention that the Marietta Museum of Art would be having a significant yarn installation. I also managed to knock out a Muppet-fur hex-mesh net to donate to the cause. The installation has been up for nearly two months. Of course, I've been running around so much that I haven't had time to stop and check it out. Until yesterday, that is. The installation covers the stair rails as well as the large columns on the front of the museum. I love the patriotic swag over the door. You can see that some of the elements are old afghans that have simply been whip-stitched together. When you get a close look, some of the pieces are torn or faded or in some way damaged. But when combined with other items, this conglomeration from the island of misfit yarn projects becomes a great installation. One of the side rails on the po...

This blog has been a much quieter space than I prefer. My Cuddly Hubby has settled into his Maryland man cave. While it would be nice to think I now have two residences, the reality feels more like I have half a residence in two places. My used knitter's cats, my friends, my studio, and my familiar stomping ground are in one location, and my Cuddly Hubby is in another. I've been making the 650-mile all-day drive every two weeks. I've put 5000 miles on my car in two months. This and other factors are leading me to conclude that commuting back and forth every fortnight is not sustainable. Some of those other factors include little things. For example, there is no food in my refrigerator. If you leave for two weeks, then anything you left behind will have spoiled by the time you return. And if you are about to leave for two weeks, then you only purchase what you think you can eat before you leave. Also, keeping two kitchens is confusing, as it is easy to forget you boug...

Last weekend North Georgia Knitting Guild was delighted to bring podcaster extraordinaire and practical knitter Brenda Dayne to the Atlanta area for two days of workshops. I gleefully signed up for the works -- “Creative Glove Design,” “Beginning Bead Knitting with Mrs. Beeton,” and “No Math Sherman Toes and Heels.” For the glove class, Brenda had a thorough and informative slide presentation and a handout with places to record our own hand measurements. I knit one pair of gloves many years ago -- and keep wondering every winter why those two skeins of plum-colored qiviut in my stash haven't knit themselves up into gloves yet. I also have a skein of pimento-colored cashmere that might make for nice gloves. Brenda is clearly someone who has knit gloves more than once, and she was able to provide several bits of information I had not yet encountered on the topic. Very helpful! The sock class was an all-day affair in which we knit baby socks to learn the technique. I had encounte...

I've been busy cleaning house lately. As many of you have heard, my husband took a job out of state. He could be laid off here or work there, so he chose work there. This has meant some changes in my life and household. 1. Divide stuff into what stays here and what goes to his new one-bedroom man cave. 2. Drive more and give thanks for the gas-sipping car. 3. Rearrange household to accommodate new reality. 4. Pay attention to whether the lawn has been mowed or not and respond accordingly. I'll be traveling more, as I do want to see my husband. I like my Cuddly Hubby, and I definitely miss him. He is enjoying his new job and making friends, which is good. And we had a long-distance relationship when we were dating and engaged, so it isn't as if we haven't done this before. I am hoping the situation will bring some focus. If I am very well-behaved, I'll plan projects so I get knitting done when I go to visit, and get pattern writing and class planning done wh...

For some reason, spring 2013 seems to be a very fiber-artsy moment here in Atlanta. If we want fiber arts to have a place in our local arts communities, then we need to turn out when fiber arts are exhibited. If you have any free time at all, here are some exhibitions to attract your attention. Repetition & Ritual: New Sculpture in Fiber Needles & Threads: Gwinnett Celebrates Traditional Fiber Arts Jes Schrom: Confession All three exhibits are at Hudgens Center for the Arts in Gwinnett County. Admission is $5. Through Saturday 25 May. fiberARTlanta exhibit Sponsored by SEFAA at the Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Atlanta The exhibition features a broad range of fiber arts from various SEFAA member groups. Through Tuesday 28 May. Threads of Life Sponsored by The Tapestry Weavers South at Quinlan Visual Arts Center , Gainesville. Through Saturday 8 June. Georgia Celebrates Quilts Sponsored by East Cobb Quilters' Guild at the Cobb Civic Center . Admis...

Even before 2013 began, I knew April was going to be a busy month. STITCHES South and Unwind are just two weeks apart. I didn't get to teach at STITCHES South, but I did get to teach at Unwind. And I am very glad I did. Contents of Unwind Goodie Bag. Everyone got this. Unwind is a knitting retreat weekend in Blowing Rock, North Carolina. Nancy Shroyer of Nancy's Knit Knacks and Sue Homewood are the organizers. The theory is that many knitting shows are big and busy. This is all fine, but sometimes you just want a quieter experience. You want to come back from the weekend rested and rejuvenated. You want to make new friends rather than just hang out with the friends you have. Unwind is exactly that sort of weekend. It is a smaller gathering in a little resort town way up in the mountains. The views on the drive up are spectacular. The town has delightful shops, including the yarn shop Unwound, and delicious restaurants, including an ice cream shop with fudge and candy appl...

I am very fortunate that there are several weekends I look forward to each year. One of them is, of course, STITCHES South. The older I get, the more I know the calendar lies, because it can't be possible we've just finished the fifth STITCHES South. I signed up for Almost the Works. I've done The Works once, and while I love taking classes, that is a lot of classes even for me to soak up in one weekend. I'm finding that Almost the Works is the right pace for me. This STITCHES got off to a bit of a bumpy start for the organizers, as some of the nice XRX people were stuck in Sioux Falls SD due to a late-season snow! I know everyone was very grateful to arrive in Atlanta, and not just to see proof that spring does exist. Rick Mondragon was one of those delayed, so Laura Bryant gave the Opening Day talk instead. This did not bother me at all, as I had immediately acquired her new book Artful Color, Mindful Knits . Those of you who have many hand-painted yarns in your...

Every now and again, someone on the Ravelry "Knit One Below" board will ask how to fix a mistake in column pattern. Part of the reason there is no easy answer is that fixing mistakes in column pattern is not easy. I would rate this as one of the more difficult tricks a knitter could do. I did, in fact, need to do this four years ago on the socks I entered in the Think Outside the Sox contest. And it took me most of an evening, with many starts and stops. I'd think I had it, turn the work over, and see that I hadn't gotten it right. So, for all of you who really, really need to see this, here it is. Here is how to drop a wale and pick it back up in column pattern. And while I have not exhaustively explored it, I do believe you can put lifelines in at least some brioche patterns. As much as you will love a lifeline in lace, you will love it even more in brioche.

It is time again for Southeast Fiber Arts Alliance's annual Square Foot Fiber Pin-Up Show. Last year's inaugural show was pretty successful -- about 45 entries in a range of fiber techniques. I've already seen some of this year's show, and as good as last year was, this year appears to be even better. I believe there are more entries and also even better work. I was fortunate last year that my entry received enough votes to get into the annual SEFAA calendar. I don't think that's going to happen this year, as this competition will be very stiff. Sea Dream 2013 knit and crochet, handspun and commercial yarns Of course, I'm not entering a square so that I can get into the calendar. I'm entering a square because I would like to see more knitting and crochet exhibited. Quilters and weavers already exhibit their work, and their workmanship and skill is more highly regarded because of it. I can't very well complain about knitters and crocheters not ...