Stepped Stitch Pattern

This is a little baby vest I just finished knitting for a workshop I'm giving this weekend at the Eastern Needlers Retreat in Gananoque, ON. We'll be experimenting with adding stitch patterns to top down garments. This little vest is based on the Basic pattern from the Need A Baby Cardigan book. Working cap sleeves makes it a really quick knit. I added the waffle stitch on the Fronts and Back.

Patterns are a little more of a challenge to introduce from the top down. This pattern is stepped. The stitch pattern is 4 stitches wide. Increases are worked at the Raglan line and when 4 more increases are worked there are 4 more stitches available on the Front to work another repeat of the pattern.  I'm going to write this one up next week so you can try it yourself.

Deb

I'm doing a class at the Spring MidWest Masters retreat based on the Need A Plus Cardigan? book so I borrowed the cover cardigan back from Christine to take with me.

And I'm so excited, it's BEEN WORN and not just once either but several times. I couldn't be more pleased. There is nothing worse that seeing something you knit for someone sitting in pristine condition because it's too good to wear! This sweater is no longer in pristine condition. Yay!

I started one for myself several months ago and put it aside but have picked it up again and although it's getting late, I might still get some wear out of it this spring (since it's not quite here yet). I'm going to use it to indicate the body shaping that can be done. The markers are in the waist decreases and now I'm starting the hip increases. The markers make it seem like it's going quicker.

-Deb

I am an extremely bad blogger. Went to the Gateway Fibreworks shop in Gravenhurst, ON http://www.gatewayfibreworks.com/ where they are setting up an alpaca mill and didn't think to take one picture, not one! I will remedy this in the fall when Gail, the mill owner, assures us it will be up and running. She gave our knitting guild a tour and explained the process. Very, very interesting. They will have a gallery where you will be able to watch the mill working when it's all set up. I did buy some alpaca.

This is lace weight and really soft. The top skein in 100% alpaca in a silver colour and the bottom skein is alpaca and silk in a taupe/silver blend. I'm trying to see if I can work with lace weight. I think most of us have a range of yarn weights we prefer or maybe it's needle sizes we like best but for me lace weight knitting is out of my comfort zone. I've worked my way down to fingering for socks and have not finished anything I have tried at a finer weight. But I am determined not to limit myself to the heavier weights and will be making a scarf with this lovely stuff. Although it does feel awfully nice in the skein just like it is, so easy to pet sitting right there beside my chair.

I had a lovely visit from Ann, vacationing from Florida at her friend Stephanie's place in Port Sidney, ON. They both came down for the afternoon. She has made the Texture Time jacket out of the Top Down for Toddler book and it looks gorgeous. I have always liked this one and it was nice to see it knit up.
As you can see there is little knitting going on here. It's been hot and difficult to knit sans air conditioning. But I am busy lining up projects to start in August when it's a little cooler. For now it's small projects and catching up on some pattern writing.
-Deb

Self-Interview about Self-Publishing

March 19, location - downtown Toronto, DKC knitting guild (http://www.downtownknitcollective.ca/) , present - many knitters knitting, Lynda and I speaking on Self-Publishing.

I put myself in the position of the knitting audience and asked ourselves questions that I thought they might be interested in. We did a Self-Interview on Self-Publishing. You might recognize a theme here - self, self, self. We DO like to do things ourselves. At least we thought so until we asked ourselves "How many people were involved in making the Button Up Your Top Down book?" - an astounding 22 !! - 6 of us doing the designs, a photographer, our contact at the printers, a friend doing the copy edit, several models, 2 pattern checkers, another friend wrote some style text, a graphic artist did the cover, several test knitters and ... I'm sure I'm forgetting someone. Anyway a big crew and now I look back I'm not sure how it all came together but it did.

I do remember moments, like choosing the cover. We had the basic style set and had to choose between 4 different colourways. So we pinned them to the wall and 3 of us are stood with our eyes closed, open your eyes, which one do you see first? Change them up, eyes closed, open and which one jumps out? We all agreed, Done.

I have spoken now at the DKC 3 times, a friendly and very active guild. It's a joy to go there because of all the familiar faces and of course each time meeting some new knitters.

If you are in the Toronto area at the end of April come to the guild's Knitter's Frolic (see their website above) it's a terrific show, lots of vendors and a great line-up of classes. We'll be there as vendors and teaching.

"Lynda, What is the trickiest part of doing a book like the Button Up Your Top Down? - The layout.

What's the most work? - The layout.
What's the most fun? - The layout.

The knitters continuing to do their thing.

Rocky brought her Top Down pullover from the Top Down For Toddler book. And look, it has 3 tiny pockets (you can just see the yellow lining of the pockets). Wow, what a great addition. I love it.

I'm off for the weekend. My husband and I are celebrating our silver anniversary with some time away and some time at the curling rink too as our daughter is playing in the Tim Horton's Trophy Provincial championships. Fun for us to watch her doing what she loves to do. I am of course taking my knitting, it's second sock weekend, being as it's a celebration of coupledom.

- Deb

Can I do it ?

The Stitches West show starts on Thursday and I have not got the last sample knit. Knitters would understand if I display it with the dpn needles sticking out of the sleeves, right? It's going to be close, real close. It would be a lot less stressful if I had managed to get this done before leaving. Deadline knitting, arghhhh!

This little guy is in Emerald Green, one of our new colours of Cotton Tweed (www.cabinfever.ca/CFyarn.html) and our goal was to have a sample in every colour. This Woven Ridges pullover from the Top Down for Toddlers book (www.cabinfever.ca/PTDT.html) is interesting to do. I love the over and under woven effect. The simpler parts will now be knit on the plane.

I did get my adult top down pullover done and I think I have all the wrinkles out of it. We, Bernice Vollick & Dana Gibbons (my Cabin Fever design team), had a good discussion on sizing up a pattern through 6 sizes, the tricky part of writing a pattern believe me. This pullover is a basic crew neck top down, sized from 38" - 53" finished measurement, and will have the ribbed neck you see here and an option for a rolled neck, cuffs and bottom edge. After I write up the pattern it will go off to the test knitter who will knit another sweater, a second copy of the pattern will go to the pattern checker who will read it with her calculator handy, after the photographer has her way with the sweaters there is one more final edit and it's ready to go up for sale in about a month, 6 weeks, 8 weeks ?? It sort of depends on everyone's schedule but it's on its way. Yes !

California, here we come.

-Deb