Learn, Knit, Read, Learn

Good Morning and Happy Monday

A little cloudy today and maybe some rain.  JT is having his snack of cheese crackers and water. He likes to self serve the water from the bubbler.  He's getting so big!

I would like to share today the importance of classes and reading.  As you know, I am a long time knitter and teach classes, both drop in and project.  When class schedules come up either in my LYS (yarnandteashop.com) or on line or maybe even at another location, I seem to have conflicts.  Working, family, etc., etc,.  All are legitimate reasons NOT to take a class.   BUT, look at what we are missing out on:

• Making new friends.
• Learning a new technique
• Experiencing a new fiber that you might not have been familiar with.

Even as an instructor, I was amazed, at my recent attendance in class, new or different ways of doing the same things I have done for years.  I signed up for a French Beret class at yarnandteashop.com, taught by a local designer, spinner and dyer, Mariepaule Rossier. (www.etsy.com/shop/cheltenhamcottage). Instructor, Mariepaule, will also be teaching at the NY State Sheep and Wool Festival in October on the 20th and 21st, sheepandwool.com. She will also be participating in a local Sheep to Shawl Competition, I will update with location and time.  Her contribution is the spinning of the warp, which is the length wise fiber on the loom.  There are several teams that participate.  A weaver, spinners, carders, all working together to complete the finished shawl project which is also designed, by someone from the team, for this competition.  If you have never seen one, and are at a fair or festival, please stop by the wool room for times.  It's quite an experience!

As you can see, the conversation is not limited to just the project at hand, but also the wealth of information to file away for later use.  I have also signed up for a couple of classes and a knit along at www.craftsy.com.  There is a treasure trove of information out there, it's just a matter of inserting your questions in your favorite browser, asking at your LYS or share your question on your favorite social media site.  Someone who knows someone who knows someone will have many suggestions for where you will find an answer.  You area always free to contact me at youandmeknit.com as well.  If I do not have a ready answer, I will find it for you and help in any way I can.

The other medium is always books.  Your local library is a great source of information in  hard cover or in a magazine.  My favorite author, is Elizabeth Zimmerman, who I feel is the Grandmother of Knitting.  Her books and those of her daughter, Meg Swanson, are informational as well as entertaining.  Not only do you learn how, but you also get an insight into the family as well.  In my opinion, these books are a must read for every knitter.  Then check out the other designers.  There are so many new ideas and designs and new twists on past ideas and designs. 

Take a class, read a book or magazine,  the learning is limitless!  Happy Knitting and Learning!

Yarn Joins

Good Morning!

JT and I are on the porch on this beautiful sunny day, he mowing and me writing.  I have recently found out that I will be a Great Aunt, and it looks like he/she will be a winter baby.  What a great time to knit warm baby clothes!

When I first started out with my needles and yarn, the one thing that always caused me some discomfort was joining a new ball.  The information that I had at the time was to tie the ends together and keep on knitting.  That did do the job of joining the ends, but almost certainly, that ugly knot would migrate to the front of my work no matter how many times I would pull it to the back and anchor the ends.

Since then I have learned many more techniques, but in some cases it depends on the project, the type of yarn you are using and whether you are at the end/beginning of a row or in the middle somewhere. The type of join also depends on your dye lot as well.  If it is the same, no problem.  If it is different, then there is a slight adjustment to make.  I will explain this one a little farther on.

My preferred method in flat knitting is to join at the edge where the ends can easily be woven in totally unnoticed.  When you are getting close to the end of the ball, check to see if you have at least three times the width of your knitting to get you back across to the other edge. If not, stop now and join in the new ball.

Adding in a new ball in the middle or in the case of circular knitting now depends on the yarn you are using.  If you are using an acrylic or something similar to cabled or ribbon, you can put the ends together thus,<-------- = end of the first ball and ---------> = end of the new ball.  Hold them parallel and knit a couple of stitches with the doubled yarn and then drop the yarn tail of the old ball and begin knitting with the new ball and in the case of a plied yarn use the Russian Technique below. 

If you are working with 100% wool, fulling the ends together works well.  Hold the ends as in the illustration above and wet the yarn.  When I have been without a water bottle or a sink, have used, pardon the expression, spit.  You are going to wash and block your piece when done, so this doesn't pose a problem.  Briskly rub your hands together and the yarn will begin to full together....new yarn join.

If you are using something that won't felt as in a super wash, I like the Russian Join.  Break the end of the old yarn, do not cut.  Thread a tapestry needle and run the tail up through the center  of the strand within the plys for about two inches.  Leave a small loop at the end.  Then with a broken tail on the new ball thread the tapestry needle and pull through the loop at the end of the old ball and weave the new tail up through the plys of the new ball.  This is really easy to do and not easily noticed.

Now for bulky wools.  I like to taper the ends of the old and new for about 2 inches or so.  Then holding the strands parallel as above and full them together.  It is important to place this join in an inconspicuous spot just due to its sheer bulk.

In the case of working with two different dye lots, you will use one of the methods above, but leave enough of the old ball to knit several rows.  You will want to alternate the old and new dye lot thereby tricking the eye to not see a tell tale sign of color variance.  Work this method for a few inches or so knitting a couple of rows of each dye lot before switching to the other.

Now, change up those yarn balls fearlessly!  Have a great day!