Nordic Knitting Time!

With the advent of fall, it is time to get Nordically Knitting! This is a callout for the Nordic Knitting Club at River Knits. Our first club meeting will be on Monday evening, September 29th, from 7-9pm, at River Knits on Main Street in Lafayette. You can bring a project you are already working on, or come and pick out a new project. I will help anyone who is looking for inspiration or guidance, and there are plenty of other people in the club to help out too. We will have sample pattern books of sweaters, mittens, gloves, hats, scarves and socks for all ages and sizes. These will include a Teddy bear sweater pattern for a trial garment with nordic patterning and Norwegian sweater construction techniques on a small scale. It is really cute and you can see it modeled on a Teddy and a Raggedy Ann below. Also, there are great nordic patterns for Christmas Stockings, small and large. Or, bring a pattern you already have, and we will help you pick out the appropriate yarn.

Any type of northern European knitting is appropriate for this club - Norwegian, Estonian, Swedish, Icelandic, Fair-Isle, Finnish, Latvian and others. This isn't a class, so it is helpful if club members know how to knit in the round and how to use two colors while knitting ("stranding" technique). You don't have to be an expert though, and we can help.

So, don't be shy and come and join in the fun! Nordically yours, Sheryl

Charity Knitting Times Two

Did you ever read those instructions that tell you to go through a pattern and circle the numbers that apply to your size? Well, I do this (most of the time) when knitting sweaters and other larger projects, but didn't really think that I needed to for socks with only 2 sizes. Well, a senior moment has proved me wrong. (Or maybe it is the fascinating and distracting conversation at charity knitting on Wednesdays!) I was making a pair of socks for the CIC (Children in Common) sock challenge, and had decided on the larger of the two sizes. Since I was knitting the second one of the pair on the plane during a business trip, I left the first sock at home to save on space in my knitting baggie (really - it is a plastic sandwich baggie). I had counted the heel stitches and knew that I had 20 on the heel flap. So..... that must mean that I was making the smaller of the sizes, and I couldn't remember for sure. The pattern uses Noro Kuryon and is from the pattern-a-day calender. The larger size was CO 44 and the smaller size was CO 40. I was a little surprised when I got home and put the two socks together and they were pretty different in size! (Photo 1) I started pulling on the smaller one on the right, trying to make it bigger, and thought that I must have been pretty stressed on the trip to have changed my gauge so much. How could this be?? Maybe I could block it bigger, but it really wasn't even close. Finally I had the sense to count the stitches. Even though the heel flap in the first one was 20 (don't know why I did that, is is supposed to be 22), the total stitch count was 44 around. So now what to do? Rip one of them out? They were too different to make a pair, especially for charity. There was no way I was sending them off to a child I didn't know, looking like this. I had started with 3 balls and had a ball left, but not enough to make two more socks.

Lucky for me, Elizabeth at River Knits had one more ball of the same color of Kuryon (different dye lot), so I snatched that up to make another pair of one medium and one large sock. The upside is that now there are 2 pairs for the charity basket instead of one! The large pair is shown in the second picture. My memory lapse had a positive end result. Now I circle my choices on the instructions, even when there are only two. I told myself that I must be getting wiser as I'm getting older. Something must be improving, because it certainly isn't my memory. And I had twice as much fun knitting these great Noro socks!

Are you a Ravthlete?

Those of you who are on Ravelry know what I'm talking about. Those who aren't.....well, here's a brief explanation. Ravelry is sponsoring it's own version of the Knitting Olympics: Ravelympics. Those who are participating (like me) are called Ravthletes. Cute, right? The rules: You choose a project (or projects) that will challenge you as a knitter, and you work on them during the Olympics. You aren't allowed to start until the opening ceremonies and your projects must be complete by the time the closing ceremonies end. If you chose a truly challenging project, it's pretty tough to get it done in time.

Two years ago, I participated in the winter Knitting Olympics, organized by the Yarn Harlot. I chose a great project: fair isle knee socks. I did not finish them in time. In fact, I didn't finish them until January of this year. I was not a successful knitting olympian. This year, however, I was determined. I chose a smallish lace shawl in fine laceweight yarn on size 4 needles. I figured I'd be lucky to have it done in time.

I was wrong. But in a good way. I finished it this afternoon---more than a week early. It was an easier pattern than I expected. It's a birthday gift for my mom (if you know my mom, please don't tell her...her birthday is September 16, so please help me keep the secret until then). The only real stumble that I had in this race was running out of yarn 1/4 of the way through crocheting off the final row. Fortunately, I found some creamy white Misti Alpaca laceweight at River Knits that matched the color close enough. It was a little finer than the cashmere I used in the rest of the shawl, but it was close enough.

Pattern: Hyrna Herborgar from "Three-Cornered and Long Shawls"

An A-to-Z* Circular Vest Pattern, by Margie Towery

An A-to-Z* Circular Vest Pattern, by Margie Towery
*A-musingly simple, drop-shouldered, many possibilities, next to Z-ero finishing
With thanks to Susan H. Esser for her vest pattern with garter stitch edges. I’ve revamped it to make for much less finishing. Please do not use vest for sale or sell pattern. It’s meant for charity purposes and for gifts for family and friends.



Version A: Malabrigo worsted weight in light blue, about 350 yards, size 9 needles (24” circ and straight); gauge: 4 sts/1”; finished size: chest 25” and length 14-15” (2-4 yr-olds?) Shown in photos.
Version B: Lamb’s Pride worsted weight, 2 skeins (380 yards), size 9 needles (24” circ and straight); gauge: 3 ½ sts/1”; finished size: chest 31” and length 18-19” (7-9 yr-olds?)
Version C: Cascade 220 Heather, 3 skeins (660 yards), needles size 5 and 7 24” circs and 7 straights; gauge: 4 ½ sts/1” on 7s; finished size: chest 38” and length 24” (small adult)
Instructions are written for A (B, C).
BEGINNING
Cast on multiple of 4: 100 (120, 172). (For adult version, cast on and ribbing on size 5 needles)
Join, being carefully not to twist sts.
Ribbing: 6 rows of 2x2 (6 rows of 2x2, 10 rows of 1x1) (adult version, change to size 7s on first row after ribbing)
Stockinette stitch for about 9 (11, 16) inches in the round to the underarm. At this point you should have used about ½ of your yarn. From now on you will be working back and forth rather than in round.
Slip the last half (50, 60, 86) of total stitches (that you just knitted) onto holder for the back.
LEFT FRONT
Turn to wrong side. Use cable cast on, CO 4 (4, 5) stitches. This is the garter sleeve band. Turn to right side. Knit these 4 stitches and half of remaining stitches: 25 (30, 43).
Slip remaining 25 (30, 43) sts onto holder. These are the stitches that are next up on your needle.
Turn to wrong side. With cable cast on, CO 4 (4, 5) stitches for garter neck band for left front.
Knit these 4 (4, 5) stitches, purl to last 4 (4, 5) sts., knit the last 4 (4, 5) sts. If desired, use markers as reminders to maintain garter bands. Also, try to keep garter bands somewhat loose.
*(RS)k4 (4, 5), k to last 6 (6, 7) sts, k2tog, k4 (4, 5). Turn. (WS) K4 (4, 5), purl to last 4 (4, 5) sts, k4 (4, 5).* Repeat * to * until you have 10 (12, 18) sts left between the garter stitch borders: 18 (20, 28) stitches total. End with the purl row. Break yarn; slip stitches to holder.
RIGHT FRONT
Return to right front. Slip stitches onto left needle, so you’re ready to knit them from the right side. Using long-tail method (and leaving a 24-inch tail), cast on 4 (4, 5) sts to right needle (the right front neck band). Keep yarn tight for first stitch or two and knit across 25 (30, 43) sts. Turn. Use cable CO, cast on 4 (4, 5) sts for sleeve band. Knit back across these. Purl to last 4 (4, 5) sts, k4 (4, 5).
*(RS)k4 (4, 5), SKP, knit to end. Turn. (WS) K4 (4, 5), purl to last 4 (4, 5) sts, k4 (4, 5).* Repeat * to * until you have 10 (12, 18) stitches left between the garter stitch borders: 18 (20,28) sts total. End with the purl row. Break yarn; slip stitches to holder.
The only finishing bit: Go back to the tail from cast on at the V of the neck and use it first to cinch up any loose or stretched center stitches and then tack down the v-neck pieces. It’s much easier to do this now than later.
BACK
Note: There are no decreases on the back. You’ll add the garter bands then knit most of the back flat. When you get to the last few rows, you’ll add some ribbing.
Slip the back stitches (50, 60, 86) onto the left needle ready to knit across the right side. With right needle, pick up and knit 4 (4, 5) sts from garter sleeve band, knit across back sts (50, 60, 86), pick up and knit 4 (4, 5) sts from garter sleeve band. Turn. K4 (4, 5), purl to last 4 (4, 5) sts, k4 (4, 5).
*(RS) Knit across total stitches (58, 68, 96). Turn. (WS) K4 (4, 5), purl to last 4 (4, 5) sts, k4 (4, 5).* Repeat these 2 rows 13 times (26 rows) for A; 16 times (32 rows) for B; 21 times (42 rows) for C. In order to figure number of back rows for other cast ons, count number of decreases in front times 2 minus 4 rows. For A, 15 decreases (25 to 10) x 2 = 30, minus 4 rows; thus, 26 rows.
Last (4, 6, 8) rows: (RS) k4 (4, 5) to maintain garter band, k14 (16, 23) to match front stitches and one band, 2x2 rib for 22 (28, 40 but in 1x1 rib for adult size), k14 (16, 23), k4 (4, 5).
(WS): k4 (4, 5), p 14 (16, 23), maintain ribbing, p14 (16, 23), k4 (4, 5).
For A, work these two rows 2 times (4 rows); for B 3 times (6 rows), for C: 4 times (8 rows).
Lay vest out flat and make sure your front matches the back in length. If not add rows as necessary.
All back stitches are now on one needle. Turn vest so right sides are together or face each other. Slip stitches from left and right fronts onto another needle. You’re ready for 3-needle bind off.
Bind off the first 18 (20, 28) stitches as 3-needle BO. Use regular bind off for the next batch of stitches of BACK only until you have 18 (20, 28) stitches left, to match the other front vest part. Now BO 3-needle wise the rest of the stitches.
Weave in ends and you’re done!
For adult sweater I used the texture pattern as follows: Multiple of 4 sts
Row 1: k3, p1 across
Rows 2, 3, 4: maintain stockinette st.
Row 5: k1, *p1, k3* across
Rows 6, 7, 8: maintain stockinette
After knitting in round to armhole, end with purl side rows 2 or 6, so set up rows for v-neck are done on stockinette rows.
Comments or corrections? Please email to mtowery@aol.com

Happy Sockday to me! Happy Sockday to me!

After two years of waiting, my day finally came. This evening, I was gifted with seven pairs of glorious, gorgeous hand knit socks.

Aren't they beautiful?! Want to learn more about them? Then get on over to the Gaea Creations blog to read more!

What Once Was Lost...

...Now Is Found!

Anyone who was at the River Knits Yarn Tasting might have heard me lamenting about my daughter's lost Wallaby. I had wanted to bring the Wallaby to the Yarn Tasting to show an example of a garment knit with Universal Classic Worsted Tapestry. When I asked my daughter if I could borrow her sweater for the evening, a horrible look of woe came over her face and thus I learned that said sweater had not been seen in months. That led to what seemed like a full-scale search and rescue mission that was finally ended with no leads into the whereabouts of the sweater.

I was sad, but I recovered. I do love my daughter more than the sweater.

So fast forward until yesterday when my dear daughter was cleaning her room and packing to go on a trip. I heard a loud, "MOM!" that inspired mild concern. I thought something was wrong. (But it was only mild concern because the something that is "wrong" is often just the presence of a small spider or something else that isn't really all too "wrong" even though it inspires that tone of voice in my daughters.)

My daughter appeared at the doorway with none other than the long lost sweater!



It had been packed in a long-unopened overnight bag that had never been unpacked after a previous outing. Mystery solved!

UFO week - epilogue

This is my last day for blogging about the marathon UFO week and I was reflecting on how it had gone. I am very happy to have 6/7 projects done, and the 7th project very near completion. The pile of folded and finished items is very gratifying (see picture minus the 2 first projects that have already gone to their new owners). My friend sent a thank-you for her shawl (#1) and said it will be a comfort to wear to her chemotherapy sessions, and she loved the colors. I can't wait to wear the sleeveless linen top when the weather warms up, and I don't know if I would have ever finished it without this binge of spring knitting. Besides needing about 5 more hours on the last row, the last shawl (#7) also needs more yarn (of course). Elizabeth (River Knits and Tales from the River Blog owner) is looking for a skein of Kidsilk Haze that matches. She is the best. I am very grateful that I didn't run out of yarn on other projects. I also only have 2 knitting injuries - a very tight and sore deltoid and a stiff wrist, both on my left side. I am blaming the unfinished shawl. I have renewed respect for lace knitters. I did stretch every hour - shoulders, elbows and wrists - and credit that for not having more injuries. I usually get tennis and golf elbow from knitting that many hours a day. My workroom is a mess (see picture), but I will clean that up tonight. The best part is 7 empty knitting bags to go and fill up with new projects! Happy knitting to all of you.