photos??

I am not a photographer. In fact it takes some effort to remember to take pictures at all. And I failed again to take pictures for the blog of the Kawartha Needles and Hooks Knitting Guild on Thursday. There is no photographic evidence so you'll just have to believe me that it was fun and, I hope, interesting for them. We looked at starting hats from the top (crown) and tried 2 different ways of beginning, one knitting and one with a crochet hook. This is a great way to knit a hat if you are in a swatch-free zone. And sometimes you just need to spend some time there, at least I do.


I have discovered, on reflection, that if I am speaking or doing a workshop I do not think of pulling out my camera. Other things on my mind, obviously. If I am participating I can think of the blog and photographs.

Friday I went to Sudbury to be a participant in the Sticks, String and Stewardship knitting retreat. It's based on spirituality and charity knitting. Guest speaker Gailand MacQueen spoke on how needlework reflects your life. He has written a book on labyrinths and mazes so later we walked the labyrinth in Sudbury at sunset with candles, a cool thing to do. They collected quite a bit of yarn to be knit up for various charities and several blankets, in the middle of the table, for the Blanket Linus project.
And we did some knitting.I picked the Moebius Scarf class and knit a small neck warmer for myself. I understand that winter is coming, again!Here it is on a vase, since I couldn't take a photo of it on my neck. It is so dark inside, raining like crazy today.Terry-Lynne brought a sock knitting machine, circa 194..., which she was given and has working really well, it's amazing.(It's painted red inside.) She can churn out tube socks with ribbed tops. The heel seems to be the sticking point. It's the same for hand knitters and the sock knitting machine - that blasted heel! And speaking of amazing things you can learn about, we started the weekend with the cutting of Sharon's knitting cake.AMAZING and delicious too!

-Deb

sampling

I'm working away on a couple of samples.The Ripples (www.cabinfever.ca/P252.html) in our new Cotton Tweed colour, lilac, is coming along nicely. I made it an extra inch longer in the body since Lynda is a little longer in the torso. I've been carrying it around with me for several days working a little bit here and a little bit there.

This evening we are off to Peterborough to run a workshop for the Kawartha Hooks & Needles Knitting Guild. I am going to start them off with a couple of hats from the top and see what progresses from there. I always have a terrific time with these knitters and am looking forward to tonight.

Another sample is going in my knitting bag in case I have some knitting time between now and then.That's the collar of the Swing Coat (www.cabinfever.ca/P603.html) in our Northern Lights chunky. Big needles are so rewarding aren't they? I feel like I have so much done in a flash, well, not exactly a flash but quickly at any rate. And quick is fun.

-Deb

Edging Tutorial

If you want to, take a seat in the classroom. I am going to do a photo demonstation of the armhole edging which is used in 3 cabinfever patterns: www.cabinfever.ca/P253.html www.cabinfever.ca/P254.html and www.cabinfever.ca/P504.html .

I didn't make this up, it's from The Sweater Workshop book (first edition) by Jacqueline Fee. It really works well and I don't see it used very often. It can be applied to any vest or shell because you add the 4 sts for the edging onto the garment. It doesn't interfer with the pattern on the vest or shell.
So here goes:

Pretend this is a whole lower body of a shell or vest. I have put the Front sts on a spare piece of red yarn. The Back is on the needle and that is where we are going to start.Cast on 4 sts at the end of the row. Use the 'knitted cast on', you need to turn your work so that the wrong side of the Back is facing you to cast on these 4 sts. Starting with the cast on stitches work: With yarn in back Slip 1 stitch, bring yarn to front and Purl 1 st, with yarn in back Slip 1 st, with yarn in front P2tog. Every time you work the P2tog you have cast off 1 stitch.

TURN. Now the right side of your work is facing you. Work: with yarn in back SL1, P1, with yarn in back SL1, P1. Now you are to the outside of the row.

TURN, again, wrong side of work is facing you and work: with yarn in back SL1, p1, with yarn in back SL1, P2tog. You have now cast off 2 sts. It will start to look like this. The edging covers the cast off stitches. Work:

Row1: With yarn in back (wyib) SL1, P1, SL1, P2tog, TURN.
Row 2: wyib SL1, P1, wyib SL1, P1.

Repeat last 2 rows until 6 sts have been cast off. End after working Row 1. Purl across Back to end of row. Cast On 4 sts at end of row. Starting with the right side of the Back facing you. Repeat the rows above until you have cast off 6 sts. End after ROW 1 and knit across to the last 4 sts, wyib SL1, P1, wyib SL1, P1 (edging). That takes you to the end of the row. TURN and beginning with the wrong side facing, repeat Rows 1 & 2 until you have cast off the next set of cast offs - in my case I cast off 4 sts.
I put a pin in between the 2 sets of cast offs - cast off of 6 sts, then cast off of 4 sts. End with Row 1 and knit across to last 4 sts of row, wyib SL1, P1, wyib SL1, P1. You can do this several times for a stepped cast off for the underarm shaping. Here I have cast off 6 sts on both sides of the Back, then 4 sts on both sides, and finally 3 sts on both sides. Once the shaping is done you work the edges up the side of the armhole by working:

Row: Wyib Sl1, P1, wyib SL1, P1, knit or purl to last 4 sts, wyib SL1, P1, wyib SL1, P1.

Repeat.
The edging works up the side of the armhole.

After you finish the Back up to the shoulder, work the same on the Front.

I love this edging. It means you don't have to pick up stitches around your armhole and work an edge afterwards. It pulls up because of the slipped stitches and never sags. Thanks Jacqueline Fee.

-Deb

Now Available!

I spent a couple of hours yesterday posting the two new patterns on our web site and on Patternfish and was amazed this morning to discover that several people have purchased them already. Wow!

You've been following the blog for Bernice's "J.J. Jacket" and that's now available as a pattern or a kit:

And I finally finished the top down chunky pullover I was working on after being given some wonderful chunky alpaca from Catalina:

-Lynda

Kitchener - Waterloo Knitting Show

Back from the annual Kitchener Waterloo Knitting show which was terrific as it always is. This is a show that is completely run by the members of the KW Knitting Guild. We've been going for years - way back when, when the show was held at the highest level of bleechers in a hockey arena. We sold yarn, while the kids played hockey on the ice below us. Very appropriate we thought.

We see lots of old friends and meet many new ones too. I wanted to thank my two amazing helpers, Judith and Dana, who did a sterling job of helping me set up (and even more importantly, break down after the show!!) and worked hard during the day, along side Deb, answering questions and picking yarn colours. Yea! What a team!

Lynn stopped by to show off her beautiful Sarah, from our "Button Up Your Top Down" book, designed by Bernice Vollick. Here's the front view:

And the back view: (sorry I was a bit wobbly there)

Lynn knit this in Buffy's yarn (Shelridge Farm) and here's Buffy in her booth:

Lot's of old friends like Evie, in Karen's booth (SheepStrings)

Caroline of SweaterKits with her daughter Laura:

A great time was had by all and I've booked us to do it all again next year! See you then.

-Lynda

Double Cross

The Double Cross socks are coming along nicely. I'm at the heel now and, well, that means it's almost done, right?Plain sailing from here on in.

I cast on one more project, a sample knit of the Ripples top www.cabinfever.ca/P252.html in a new Cotton Tweed colour, Lilac. It's going in my knitting bag for the weekend. I'm a vendor at the Simcoe County Quilt and Rug Fair http://www.scaca.ca/about-scaca.html held this Friday to Sunday at the Simcoe County Museum. I haven't been to this show for a couple of years but I remember lots of terrific things for sale there and that the church ladies made the most excellent pie. If they are still the caterers for this event I will be having a piece every single day. Yummy.The ripples are beginning to show already.

-Deb

JJ just done

Hoorah. Bernice and I both finished our JJ jackets.The pattern is written and this is the interim photo, taken in my front yard. Both the red and blue versions are going to our photographer for the official photo but if you can't wait there are patterns printed with this photo, ready to go.
The button placement is set up so that you could button it all the way up and the collar would flip over in a turtleneck with the buttons showing. It's a terrific jacket, designed by Bernice Vollick (http://mommabearknits2.blogspot.com/) . See more of her patterns by looking for her name in the designer list of http://www.patternfish.com/. She loves doing baby knits in many directions. Cool stuff.


So startitis can begin. I've cast on for a testknit and slight redo of the Double Cross sock (brown). I'm making some minor adjustments to it and then that one will be ready.
I cast on a gray sock. I love this colour. We've been playing with dyeing techniques so this is one I need to knit up to see how it looks. Just a plain sock I can take around with me everywhere. All the other projects I have to pay attention to, good to have one plain knit available.

The scarf by Ann Hanson (http://www.knitspot.com/knitting_pattern/butternut-scarf-p-124.html) is not a beginning but a rebeginning. I decided it was too short for me so I took out the cast off edge and I'm going to keep going until I run out of wool. I did have quite a time figuring out which end was the cast off. It took many, many turnings of the scarf while I was trying to eat my eggroll at dinner before our knitting guild meeting. This is totally accepted behaviour at a guild dinner. I finally figured it out for sure, which took some time because I really didn't want to make a mistake, and have been happily knitting away for a week. I have not got the starting bug out of my system yet so there will be more coming. Especially since I have a backlog of patterns to write up. All small things but maybe just the gift for your Christmas knitting and mine too.
-Deb

P.S. Maybe next year Samm. It would be great to meet you.

JJ

The JJ Jacket is done. At least Bernice's is. We both knit this jacket at the same time but Bernice was always ahead of me. Not that it was a race or anything, especially since I lost.
I'm almost there. Mine has a few, I think that's 10, buttons to sew on. I have to polish up the pattern and then it's ready for the Kitchener-Waterloo Knitters Fair in Kitchener on Saturday. A really big show.

I need to have the buttons on tomorrow, pressure, pressure.And then I can give in to all the startitis I want and you know I want to.

-Deb

Happy New Year

Are you planning out your winter knitting? Do you have big plans for this year? I can't be the only one who feels that New Year's Eve is a lovely party in the middle of the winter and that everything really begins here, now, in September.

Plans:
1. I have sent in my curling registration. I have been asked to curl on a 'choose your own team' where you keep the same team the whole winter, exciting. I'm still draw master for the Day Ladies League and meetings have commenced already. It's going to be a busy year.
2. I have discussed a new booklet idea with the designers involved and am gathering stitch patterns and ideas in a file. We will have our first meeting in a couple of weeks. This will be my big winter project and the booklet will be published in May 2010. The beginning is very exciting and I can't wait to get going.
3. I'm teaching this fall: Unwind Yarn Store in Newmarker October 18, and November 8 in Collingwood. That will be fun.
4. I think I have agreed to be a drummer in a band for a performance in February. They caught me a weak moment. Yikes, practicing better start very, very soon.
5. I'm going to two retreats. Fun, fun, fun. September 26 weekend in Sudbury - a retreat celebrating charity knitting and all the good work knitters do; and a retreat in November with Sally Melville as the teacher for the weekend - Yay, this will be interesting and fun and I'm a student and . . . is it November yet?
6. I'm giving a workshop/talk at the Peterborough Knitting Guild on September 24. We're going to start a couple of hats with techniques used in the Need A Hat booklet. This is a terrific group and I'm looking forward to the visit. I'm also going to give a workshop/talk this fall to the Aurora Knitting Guild which I belong to. The idea for this talk was to show how I design. I thought that I would have them go through the 'what if I do this, what would happen?' process I go through and see what they think of it all.
7. There's a Stitches East show in October in there too, after the Kitchener-Waterloo show next weekend.

OK, now I'm exhausted. It's dangerous to write it all down. I'll be adding to all to the side board soon.

Time to pack up for the last folkfestival of the season, have a great weekend,
-Deb

Wow!! Vogue Knitting ....

Yes! Our new hat booklet, "Need A Hat?" has been reviewed in the Fall 2009 issue just out. WooHooo! See page 20 "Made in Canada" by Lee Ann Balazuc. Pretty exciting stuff.

- Lynda