Road Trip

Good Afternoon,

Hot once again, but as I write this, I am traveling to Massachusetts with my Mom and my Sister.  We are going to my Brother’s for a hair day.   He has a salon in his house, Salon DKS, and I don’t mind the travel when the result is a visit and a hair day.  I am not driving, so it is a productive day for me. 

I finished a washcloth minutes ago, that I hope that he will want to carry a line of in his shop.  Fingers are crossed.  I also ordered a two pound cone of unbleached and undyed Hemp yarn to use as well.  Hemp is a perfect fiber as it is organic, antimicrobial, biodegradable, and exfoliates your skin.  The more it is washed the softer it gets. 

I can think of dozens of ways to use this fiber besides a washcloth due to it’s wonderful properties. Having a dish cloth or pair of socks would be a good start.  I will have to make a pair of socks to see how they feel on my sensitive tootsies.

We are no on the last leg of the trip, getting closer to our exit and then I have to stop writing.  Time to pick up my other project, a sweater that I am knitting from left over yarn from a baby blanket I finished in June.

                                            

I am now in my brothers shop waiting my turn.  My sister is in the chair first. 

My turn next...that's cause Mom is relaxing in the pool.  Time to pull the sweater out of it's bag and get a move on.  Projects are lined up and have to get moving.

Have a great weekend everyone and Happy Knitting!

Sweater Pattern in Bite Sized Pieces

Good Morning,

Another great day!  Hope where you are you are enjoying this slightly cooler weather.

Spent some time with my photographer, Matt, this morning.  He was taking some pictures of a sweater I knit in late winter for one of my students and the Scribble Lace Cowl.  The Scribble Lace Cowl will be ready in a few days if anyone is would like to try it.  I had mentioned in an earlier blog that I will share it with any who are interested. 

Back to the sweater.  This design was in Interweave Knits Fall 2009 issue.  It is called Farmer's Market Cardigan by Connie Chang Chinchio.  Sandy, my student,  had put the sweater on her "to knit" list soon after purchasing the magazine.  I think it remained on her "to knit" list due to the fact that she wasn't sure about knitting the pattern.

Anyway, months later, she was shopping at one of her LYSs and found a great sale on a couple of bags of yarn.  When she came to the next knitting class, Sandy brought the magazine and a ball of the yarn with her.  I told her that she would most likely get a good result with this yarn, but a gauge swatch was a must.  She was still quite nervous about knitting this sweater, not feeling quite up to the task. 

The following week, she came back to class with a gauge swatch, and a perfectly matching gauge, but still very nervous.  I'm sure it had to do with the fact that there was a great deal of shaping in the form of vertical darts both front and back plus the usual shaping that a fitted cardigan has.  There were several "at the same times" in the pattern and it was that, I felt, that made her hesitate, as well as a more intricate collar and top of pocket.

I offered to rewrite the pattern out for her to follow easily.   The pattern was broken down into manageable bite sized pieces with all of the shaping mapped out, numbered and bulleted for repeats and rows. All Sandy had to do was just check off the rows and repeats as she knit them.

Some weeks later, she brought the sweater back to class and asked me to finish it for her.  I felt badly that she didn't want to finish it herself, but knowing her as I do, it would just sit there, unfinished and doomed to the eternal closet.  On closer inspection, I noticed some gauge changes, probably due to her anxiety levels at the time, and I was fearful of being unable to match her gauge.

Without telling her right away, I began the sweater from scratch.  Fortunately, she had plenty of yarn to do this with.  Within a  month, I had finished and blocked her new sweater.  I had done a little tweaking, as I do with all patterns that I knit, just can't help myself, and the sweater looked as if it might have been designed for her.  The fit was beautiful, and she has received many compliments.  Connie's sweater design was a hit with all of Sandy's friends. 

The point of my story is, don't be afraid of what looks to be a complicated pattern.  Take the time to pull it apart.  Rewrite by hand, or copy the page and pull it apart, enlarge it, do whatever it takes to work through whatever areas in a pattern are causing you stress.  The first step is just to check your gauge and then cast on.  So many times it is just getting started that is so daunting.  I'm sure Sandy might have been able to finish, if she was able to sit with me the whole time, but she does a fair amount of traveling preventing that.

So, take a deep breath, a little attention to details, and cast on those stitches.  Take your time.  You have no race to win.  If it takes you a month, two months, no matter, just whittle away at those stitches and rows.  I will share the photo with you as soon as Matt does the editing.  Since it is an Interweave Pattern, I will also submit it to Knitting Daily.  I will let you know if it is accepted and posted on their website.

Happy Knitting!

Surprise Jacket Update

Good Afternoon,

Glorious weather today, not too hot and low humidity.  Ahhhhh.

Just wanted to share with you an update for the Surprise Jacket Class that begins on 7/25 and 7/28 at The Perfect Blend, yarnandteashop.com.  Mary and I have tweaked the class description again, always something more to add.  Under the "Things you will need section"  a row/stitch counterwill be helpful.  We have also been working with a couple of apps for iPad and iPhone that track rows and stitches for multiple projects. 

I have been using one for the Surprise Jacket that I am knitting for the shop.  It is so incredibly handy, no note pad or pen to lose or leave home.  If you have never knit one of these delightful sweaters, you know there is a lot of required counting, both stitches and rows.  I am using my iPad and loving every minute of it.

I am near completion of the sample jacket, and thought you might like to see it. 

I know that it probably doesn't look like much, but what you see  here, if you have never knit one before, is the sleeves and the beginning of the neckline.  I have just bound off 5 stitches on each side where the needle points are visible.  At the point where the stitches are contained on the cable part of the needle, that is the body. 

I just love hanging things in my Magnolia Tree to photograph them.  Oh, by the way, I should mention for those that have not knit this, across the top of the shoulders in the upper edge of the photo, is the only place that you will have to seam.  My favorite is the Mattress Stitch.  I will make a video of the process when I get to that point.  I have encountered so many knitters who are not familiar or who have trouble executing the maneuver.  I have done a considerable amount of seaming of sweaters for many and for some on a regular basis. 

I must add a note about the boys.  They are having a wonderful time now that their Mom is home with them.  Their older brother goes to day camp and after dropping him off, they go to the park to visit the animals in the children's zoo.  Mom makes popcorn for them to feed the Peetock, JT's word for Peacock. After feeding the animals, the boys share a muffin and then home.  After lunch and naps, it is pool time.  Both of them love being in the water, however, JT must have his "noodle"!

Remember, if you would like to learn how to knit the Surprise Jacket and you do not live near by, please leave a comment in the box below or email me at dee@youandmeknit.com to set up an appointment to Skype or FaceTime the class.

Happy Knitting!