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I want to be me  A client from Knit/Purl asked me to repair a family heirloom this week. She gave me permission to photograph the baby jacket. ( Read more... ) The gauge is 12 sts/in, and I estimate the needle size to be 000. The fiber is almost certainly cotton. It may be American cotton, but I am betting that it was processed in England. It is finer than the finest yarn, but thicker than thread. I would say it is the gauge of buttonhole thread. The pattern is a k3,p3 checkerboard. The fronts and back are knit side to side, and the sleeves are knit from the side seam and around the arm. There is a crocheted inset on the inside of the arm, where the seam would be. The edging is a lovely crocheted lace. I have been giving the baby jacket some thought, and although I can't be sure, (I am not a knitting appraiser or historian), I think that there is a strong likelihood that it was knit in England during the Victorian era (1820-50?) or perhaps in America by someone who had access to English knitting supplies. I have some knitting artifacts of my own - an American sampler from 1711 - which is brown with age and the yarn and fabric are much coarser than that of the jacket, and knitted lace and a tablecloth from America in the early 1900's which are also browned with age (originally white cotton) and a coarser material, although not by much. What throws me off in dating the piece is how white it is. The color makes authentication difficult. I asked the client about whether she knew of any bleaching that had been done, and she said that she did bleach it, after she discovered the jacket wrapped in newsprint. The reasons I think it is English, and Victorian, are the white color, with no touches of other color. Also, the style, extremely small gauge, and construction techniques. I also will guess that the knitter was very wealthy. This jacket says "I am so rich that I have servants to take care of all my needs and I can knit frivolous objects all day". Victorians loved that. There are several holes in the garment, more on the back than on the front. Originally I suspected mice as the culprit. Knowing that it was bleached complicates the issue, as that could have weakened the fabric and caused the holes, also. I suggested that she continue to store the jacket as she has, in cloth, and plan to frame it, as is with no repair, by an archival framer who is experienced with framing cloth pieces. That will preserve the jacket from further damage, without the distortion that repair would cause. Interesting, huh? Current mood:  curious.
OK, I have the camera, and I have lots of knitting to report. But do I have time to document any of it? Of course not! My daughter, Deborah, is in the Winter Play at CHS, which opens this week. They are doing "Metamorpheses", and the set features an actual swimming pool (lots of story there, but I won't go into it) Here is a photo of her and another cast member in rehearsal. The play is very serious, but as you can see, they are having a great time. ( Read more... ) I finished Bill's black socks ( Read more... )\ and the half-circle jacket, which the store has re-named "Mara". It looks better on a model, but you can get the idea. ( Read more... ) I also knit this scarf, which is actually knit from ribbon. It is a very cool effect. I don't know how much I will actually wear it, but I wanted to knit it! ( Read more... ) Current mood: busy. I have been working on Kalani Craig's Half-circle jacket. Here is the main body, completed. ( Read more... ) Here is the link to the pattern, at Knit/Purl. http://www.knit-purl.com/Products/Produ I am using the Shibui Sock yarn that the pattern calls for , and am very happpy with the appearance of the varigated yarn in the 2x2 ribbing. It isn't pooling much at all. Since I took this photo I have been working on a sleeve, which extends from the provisional cast on from the middle body of the sweater. I wanted to knit the sleeve in the round, so that I could start to see how the sweater is going to look, and try it on, but the pooling was terrible going in the round. I ripped it out, continued back and forth, and it is fine, now. Guess I am stuck seaming this puppy. Current mood: curious.
OK, I read the "Basic" Camera User guide, and managed to take two photos. Here goes. This is the yarn to make the Lhasa fair isle pullover from the Jamieson Knitting Book. I am gradually making my way through the Jamieson books, and I think I will eventually knit every sweater! I am a little puzzled, because the photo shows some light colors, that look like beige or white, but none of the yarn is close to that. I have learned that the photos are often not representative, though, and the colorways are invariably much more beautiful in person than in the book, so I have faith. ( Read more... ) Current mood: successful. Well, it's February now, but that is not too late to implement a resolution for the New Year. I want to do a better job documenting and sharing my knitting progress, not just the finished objects. So, I took my paycheck from Madrona Fiber Arts down to BestBuy this afternoon, and bought my own camera. I haven't had a camera in years, probably 15-20 years, which is how long I have been married. My husband is an expert photographer, and he has fabulous cameras and knows how to use them, so I simply ceded the task to him. However, I have decided that I need to take responsibility for my own photos. The amount of camera available is staggering. My wish list was short: small and portable, easy to use, a rechargeable battery, and good color definition. I selected a Fuji camera, but the memory card it used won't fit into our printer, so I went back and picked the Canon Powershot SC630 instead. Right now the battery is charging, and this evening - after I return from teaching my knitting class at Molehill Farm, I am going to practice taking some photos. It is very exciting! Currently I am working on the second sock of Bill's Charcoal Lorna's laces toe-up sock. I will take a photo of that and see how the black yarn shows up. That will be a good test. I am also working on a half-circle cardigan that currently looks like a puzzle piece. I'll photograph that, too. When I am finished with the cardigan, I want to start on my next fair-isle project, a pullover for Bill. I bought the yarn I need to supplement my stash yarn, from Karen Campbell at Madrona. I plan to take a photo of the skeins of yarn, that will be a good color test. So, there are some photos to look forward to. I hope it isn't too frustrating, I really want to be able to do this whole process by myself. Wish me luck! Well, it's February now, but that is not too late to implement a resolution for the New Year. I want to do a better job documenting and sharing my knitting progress, not just the finished objects. So, I took my paycheck from Madrona Fiber Arts down to BestBuy this afternoon, and bought my own camera. I haven't had a camera in years, probably 15-20 years, which is how long I have been married. My husband is an expert photographer, and he has fabulous cameras and knows how to use them, so I simply ceded the task to him. However, I have decided that I need to take responsibility for my own photos. The amount of camera available is staggering. My wish list was short: small and portable, easy to use, a rechargeable battery, and good color definition. I selected a Fuji camera, but the memory card it used won't fit into our printer, so I went back and picked the Canon Powershot SC630 instead. Right now the battery is charging, and this evening - after I return from teaching my knitting class at Molehill Farm, I am going to practice taking some photos. It is very exciting! Currently I am working on the second sock of Bill's Charcoal Lorna's laces toe-up sock. I will take a photo of that and see how the black yarn shows up. That will be a good test. I am also working on a half-circle cardigan that currently looks like a puzzle piece. I'll photograph that, too. When I am finished with the cardigan, I want to start on my next fair-isle project, a pullover for Bill. I bought the yarn I need to supplement my stash yarn, from Karen Campbell at Madrona. I plan to take a photo of the skeins of yarn, that will be a good color test. So, there are some photos to look forward to. I hope it isn't too frustrating, I really want to be able to do this whole process by myself. Wish me luck! Current mood:  excited.
I spent the weekend in Tacoma, WA for the Madrona Fiber Arts conference, and had a wonderful time. My friend Karen and I have attended Madrona for years, as students. This year we both arrived in new capacities, I as a teacher, and Karen as a vendor - being the owner of www.twoswansyarns.com. On Saturday I helped Karen in her booth. I wore a fair isle vest designed by Betts Lampers, and she was at the conference! Here is a photo of me and Betts. I am wearing her vest design, and her sweater is also her original design. It is a very creative use of entrelac, with cables in many of the squares. We were delighted to meet each other. ( Read more... ) All of the teachers autographed a felted bag to be given as a door prize. My name is on the lower left of the bag. There I am with Sally Melville, Fiona Ellis, Kristin Spurkland, Leigh Radford, and Stephanie Pearl McPhee. ( Read more... ) Karen had a lovely booth and here are some photos of it and her customers. Karen had beautiful yarns and projects on display, and many happy customers. ( Read more... ) My class was on Finishing Techniques, and I taught all day on Saturday. I had a great class, and they were very interested and motivated, and asked great questions. We covered lots of territory, and I think we all had a good time. I enjoyed the entire experience, and am already thinking of classes to teach next year. I definitely will go back if they ask me to. Current mood: satisfied.
Having completed several months worth of knitting commissions, I have gotten down to work and have been finishing projects of my own. I finally finished "Shadow", based on the Rowan pattern "Glad" but incorporating a lace pattern. I used Kid Silk Haze, and it is a very lightweight, fluffy garment, that is comfortably warm. I love it, love it. ( Read more... ) As you can see, the pieces were enormous, and sewing it up was very tedious. Particularly because it was hard to tell right side from wrong side. But I am very happy with the end result. I tried it on when I was finished putting in one sleeve, and it looked pretty good with just one sleeve,and the shawl front tossed over the bare arm. Hmm, might be fun for a second version! For Christmas, my friend Lori gave me a skein of some fabulous Silk Rumple/Angel Hair mohair yarn. Wanting a quick, satisfying knit after completing Shadow, I wound it up and swatched a few different lace patterns for a scarf. Here is the result. ( Read more... ) This colorway is very subtle, and has a very delicate coloring which goes with practically everything. Love it! Lastly, I want to share the hedgehogs that Deborah made for Christmas presents for her friends. She used a worsted weight yarn that felted somewhat smaller than the original yarn the pattern called for. I think they are just adorable. ( Read more... ) I am now trying to figure out what to knit next. I am finishing up a pair of socks, and plan to start a new pair of plain black socks for my husband (if you can call anything made of Lorna's Laces plain) I am using the Charcoal colorway, he loves black socks, and I know these will be more comfy than anything he can buy! If any of you are going to be at the Madrona Fiber Arts conference in Tacoma next weekend, be sure to say "hi". I will be at the Two Swans yarns booth on Saturday, helping my friend Karen,who is the owner. And I will be teaching a class on finishing techniques on Sunday. I am looking forward to the trip, and socializing with lots of knitters. Current mood: excited.
We have had the prettiest blanket of snow this week, and I have really enjoyed it. Schedules have been topsy-turvy, but I have been able to do what I needed to do, and have been less busy than usual - which I have taken great advantage of. I got lots of paperwork done at the office, and have knit an entire ball of Kid Silk Haze in the last two days, on Shadow. That is a lot of knitting. I now am looking at the finish line for this project, being on the last 20 rows of the right front, and all of the other pieces are completed. Whoopee! Of course, with 184 sts on the needle, 20 rows does take a while, but still. I am preparing for teaching at the Madrona Fiber Arts retreat in Tacoma next weekend, and am very excited about being there as a teacher. I wrote the syllabus, and prepared all of the copies. I am now compiling my list of sample garments that I want to take for examples, and I think it will take a separate suitcase! I am going to bring the Map of the World afghan, which shows weaving ends and mattress stitch in a wonderful way, and it is huge all by itself. I will also be helping my friend, Karen, at her vendor booth for TwoSwansyarns.com, while at Madrona. This is the first year she has been a vendor, so we are both trying something new. It will be nice to spend time with her, and I hope that we can find good homes for lots of her yarn. I have two more commission projects to do, but there is no hurry on them, as they are Christmas stockings for next year. So I am planning to finish the pair of toe-up gusset socks that are on my needles as soon as Shadow is finished. I am also going to knit a half-circle jacket with varigated sock yarn, and am curious to see if the pooling is going to be OK. If it isn't, I will do something else with the yarn. It will be fun to find out what it does. I haven't had the chance to do any "fun" knitting, just to see what happens, in months, and I am due! I haven't been posting, but I have been doing a lot of knitting. All of my knitting this fall has been for commissions, and I don't like to post photos of things that I knit for other people. I consider it their property, not mine. However, from those experiences I can report that Tilli Tomas Discolights yarn, with the sequins and silk, is astounding knitted up. Everyone who saw me working with it, wanted some. Also, I have knit two sweaters for Kristin Spurkland's upcoming book on sweaters for men. If those designs are indicators, this is going to be a fabulous book. She is SO talented, and the designs are fun to knit as well as beautiful and masculine. I am busy knitting Christmas stockings, and have actually stopped taking orders. I have three more to knit this season. This holiday weekend I was very productive, and finished one stocking, a sweater for Kristin, and two baby hats. Here I am, working on a hat for my neighbor's new baby, Morgan. ( Read more... ) My daughter, Deborah, is knitting beside me, working on the Fiber Trends Hedgehog pattern. Here is the completed hat for Morgan, along with a hat for her two-year old brother, Jaden. ( Read more... ) And here is Deborah the next day, having made significant progress on the hedgehog! ( Read more... ) It was great to get so much done, and on the way home I actually began a sleeve for Shadow, and got about 8 in. knit. Now I am a bit sorry that I decided to do this in a lace pattern. If I had done it in stockinette, as Rowan did for Glad, I would have a better chance of finishing this in a timely fashion! That's OK, it's all knitting. The commission knitting is making my Fairy Godmother fund grow, and my current contributions have been to the local high school choir department, to pay for voice lessons for younger students. Current mood: satisfied.
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