Thursday 29 September 2016

Spokes of a wheel

Because of the spokes in the yoke, I was going to call this pullover "wheels on the bus go round and round" but I thought it was a little long! LOL.
Instead I called it Bernie's Pullover. It's named after a friend of mine who was the inspiration for this pullover. Bernice Vollick has passed away but leaves a legacy of terrific childrens' patterns. She designed Sophia's Cardigan for Cabin Fever.

I thought I would knit a pullover version with colours since at one time we had talked about doing just that and never did. This pullover has spokes, with a combo of stockinette stitch and garter stitch ridges, plus 3 colours, knit from the Top Down.
Both of these spoked sweaters are enough to keep any knitter interested right from the beginning. Then you get to knit round and round, stockinette stitch, for a break and the fun of doing the colours again at the bottom. Sized for 1-6 year olds.

Now try to pick 3 colours!
Deb


Friday 23 September 2016

Finished, Yay

Wow, the Neapolitan as an adult sweater? I really like that idea. Would you use the same colours? I think I might like to do 2 colours close on the colour wheel and one colour opposite. I have an idea of a navy/emerald green/gold sweater. Although the soft white/grey/pale pink is so very pretty.

I finished another pair of Stash Buster Socks. They are perfect to knit when trying to do something else at the same time, like watching my daughter's curling game. I knit one sock while watching last weekend and the second sock in the car travelling. When I chose the 3 colours I envisioned a totally different looking sock. I am always surprised at how different they look when they are striped. I expected the blue/green to really stand out more than it did. Always a surprise.
I also just finished sewing in the ends of my Chimney Cowl. It's in lace weight, yes, I said lace weight. That was a lot, lot, lot of knitting. I put the stripes in so I would know I was progressing because it sure didn't seem like it some days. I blocked it twice to get it nice and drapey. I'm hoping to get someone to model it next weekend.
I would like to reknit it in fingering yarn, maybe without the stirpes and slightly shorter. There are short rows in there to make the Front (on the right side of photo) deeper than the Back. I think I would have liked to make it longer so it would go over the shoulders but I ran out of lace mojo!
Deb

Wednesday 14 September 2016

Neapolitan

I've put the cable knitting aside for the moment and have continued to knit up several more children's sweaters (1-6 years old).
I finished the Neapolitan.
It has what looks like random garter ridges but they are not really random at all. At the beginning of every wrong side row I looked to see if the stitches on my needle (from working the RS row) were the same colour as I was about to work the wrong side row in. If so, I knit. If the WS was a new colour, I purled. It's fun. For the pattern I wrote out every row. Tthen wrote it out again for the sleeve which is totally different because it's worked in the round. And then, just because I would use it, I wrote out the stripe rows and a chart for the colour sequence because maybe you, like me, might find it easier to follow than row-by-row instructions.

I also am knitting it in true Neapolitan ice cream colours.
I really like this colourway but at the recent K-W Knitters Fair it didn't attract any attention so I may be totally off base here.

This pattern has an I-Cord edge to the Fronts. It works even with coloured stripes. I was really happy with it. You do have to carry the yarn up inside the I-Cord but if you twist the colours at the beginning of every row it's very neat and tidy, even on the inside.
That's one. I'll show you the other new patterns in the next week or two.
-Deb

Friday 2 September 2016

I might be in your Neighbourhood

I'm embarking on a new adventure. I have arranged a Knitting Tour where I will be teaching 2 different classes. I'll be travelling from Ottawa, ON to Wolfville, NS and back. It starts in a couple weeks, yikes.

I'm teaching in 3 stores but I like to meet knitters anywhere I can. I'd be happy to come to your home. Email me: deb.cabinfever@gmail.com
If you live in Ottawa and have 4 or more knitting friends who would like to get together and do a class I'd be thrilled to do that.  I will be in Ottawa September 16, 17, 18 & 19. I can travel from Ottawa within an hour or two drive.
If you live in New Brunswick, I'll be driving through on Thursday September 22.

I'm teaching 2 classes. The fee for each class includes a 3 hour class, a kit for a child's pullover OR a kit for a pair of mittens, all the tips and tricks I know.  $50.00

Check out the class at your local yarn store:
Wool-Tyme in Ottawa, ON. September 20. Teaching Top Down Crewneck Workshop
Gaspereau Valley Fibres in Wolfville, NS, on September 24 & 25. Teaching both Top Down Crewneck Workshop and Gauge-Free Mittens
Petit Mouton in Point Claire (Montreal), QC, on September 27, 28 & 29. Teaching both Top Down Crewneck Workshop and Gauge-Free Mittens. I'll be teaching in English.

Top Down Crewneck Workshop
I'm going to take knitters through the process of making a crewneck on a pullover. You will be able to take a Top Down Raglan with a neckline with no shaping (I see many like this with a boatneck or squareneck, whichever you call them) and make them into a crewneck or scoop neck. A neckline where the front is lower than the back is comfortable and flattering. This includes short rows but no wraps or tricky stitches.

Gauge-Free Mittens
Do you hate swatching? Do things turn out the wrong size even when you conscientiously do one? This class is for you. You don't need to know your gauge from beginning to end. It doesn't come into play. You make the mitten to the size you need, 6" or 7" or 8" around for the hand. I have a new twist on making the thumb that's fun and eliminates using 4 double pointed needles. If you knit for charity from donated yarn without labels, this is for you.
Maybe I'll be seeing you soon,
Deb