Yarn Bits

Knitters' Frolic

  Last weekend Yarns Plus participated in the Downtown Knit Collective's annual show which also included workshops.  We had a great time introducing the knitting world to Tencel.  We were able to display a beautiful Estonian lace shawl knit by Reet Triefeldt using our 2/10 variegated Tencel.  We also had several socks on display knit with our new 3/5 variegated Tencel.  I was fortunate to be able to take part in a full day workshop on Sunday with Sally Melville.  She went through a lot of basics that us self-taught knitters just aren't aware of--various cast-ons and cast-offs, seaming, picking up stitches along selvedges to add trims in a way that won't leave any holes, bobbles, buttonholes, and so much more.  She had many gorgeous knit pieces to generously share with us.  Her work is so inspiring and not always complex. I would highly recommend her knitting books.  Sally's instructions are always very detailed and clear.  I am planning one of her tops in her first book, "The Knit Stitch".  All the patterns in this book are simply knit in the garter stitch.  I think I can handle that.  I am first going to dye some leftover silk noil tomorrow and then I will knit that up along with some tencel to give it a little zip. This will be my first ever knitting beyond scarves.  I am still working on the sample black silk lacey sleeve I'm designing to add to a woven jacket.  More about that later. Happy knitting!!

Gauntlet

I just finished a completely different piece using our 3/5 Tencel  www.yarnsplus.com  with size 2.75 mm double pointed needles.  It will be on display at our booth at the 11th annual Downtown Knit Collective's "Knitters' Frolic" on April 26 and 27 at the Japanese Cultural Centre.  I tried a fingerless lace gauntlet unsing our "Flame" handpainted 3/5 Tencel. I'm really happy with it.  More details about the "Knitters' Frolic" can be found on their website www.downtownknitcollective.ca  There are workshops planned for both days, but the vendors' marketplace will be open on Saturday only.  Don and I will be there selling our handpainted yarns, especially the 3/5 Tencel that I have been knitting the socks with, and now the gauntlet.  I have registered for an all day workshop on Sunday with Sally Melville called "Essential Skills for the Self-Taught Knitter".  So, on  Saturday I will be helping to work the booth, but on Sunday I get to play.  I can hardly wait.

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Those Socks Again

Well, I have finished one of a pair of Tencel socks, using our 3/5 Wine Country handpainted yarn and I'm almost half way through the second sock.  It's quite fascinating how the colours in the variegated yarn have worked themselves out.  No two socks will ever be quite the same.  I have found that the knit Tencel softens after washing, just as it does when woven.  This sock feels absolutely fabulous on my foot. I handwashed the finished sock and laid it out to dry and it didn't change too much, except for the feel.  When I compared measurements from before and after washing I noticed that there was shrinkage in the length of the foot, from 8 1/2" to 8", but other measurements stayed pretty much the same.  I did knit a size smaller than a first try which resulted in too large a sock for my foot.  I'm also surprised that it seems an entire pair of socks will be knit from just one of our 3 oz. skeins of 3/5 Tencel.  It makes for quite a reasonably inexpensive little project.

Sock Success

Well, it has happened.  I finished my first knit sock and not only that, it fits perfectly.  Beginner's luck I'm sure!  I was following a pattern in a book called "Hip to Knit" by Judith L. Swartz, published by Interweave Press.  www.interweavepress.com  I have also picked up another book which deals exclusively with knitting socks called "Getting Started Knitting Socks" by Ann Budd and also published by Interweave.  It has fabulous photos of every step of the process.  There are patterns based on the gauge of your yarn.  I have now started some socks using our 3/5 Tencel based on a 8 stitches to the inch gauge.  We'll see how a basic pattern works out before I get too adventurous.

Knitting in the Round

I have been a bit delinquent again, but I was busy with the Moose Show for the past few days.  However, we're back in the studio again and life can return to its usual routine.  Perhaps I'll even get to the blog more often.

A few posts ago I talked about trying to knit with 4 double-pointed needles so that I could then try sock knitting.  I have finished the leg warmers I was working on for practice knitting in the round.  Now I have been sampling with our 3/5 handpainted tencel to work out a gauge and needle size because, eventually, I want to knit socks with the tencel yarn. I used U.S. #2 or 2.75 bamboo needles-double pointed and if I'm measuring correctly, I'm getting 8 stitches to the inch and about 10 rows of stocking stitch to an inch.  The tension looks good to me with this yarn and this size needle, if anything the needle size could go down a bit more.  The plan is to go back to heavier yarn and try a 'real' sock with heel and toe and if that works out, I'll try a tencel sock.  No promises as to exactly when all this might happen.  It really depends on how much television I watch in the next little while  because that is my knitting time.

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Knitting in the Round

While sitting the CreativFestival last weekend, I began trying to knit with 4 double-pointed needles.  I would like to try sock knitting eventually, but for practice manipulating the 4 needles I thought leg warmers would be a good beginning choice, then I wouldn't have to deal with heels and toes for a bit.  It was a bit awkward at first, but as the tube progressed I gained more confidence and just held them in the manner in which they felt most comfortable.  Whether or not this is correct is up for discussion, but it works for me at this stage.  I have even ventured into adding a different yarn and incorporating some yarn over stitches to break up the boring stocking stitch. I really think that when I have both leg warmers finished, I'll be ready to try a sock with all its heel turning and toe making challenges.  I did get all sorts of advice from visitors to our booth at the show about sock knitting, sometimes using circular needles, sometimes using straight needles and seaming after the knitting is complete, but I want to tackle the traditional method.  I'll keep you posted.  Any advice is most definitely welcome.

New Swatch

I have finished knitting the swatch using Yarns Plus new 3/5 Tencel yarn which I mentioned a few posts back.  I cast on 40 stitches for this piece. I used 3.75 needles for this sample and really liked the results with this size needle.  I just knit a variety of stitches, stocking stitch, seed stitch and yarn over stitches.  I like the result of knitting with different stitches in the same piece, rather than only one type of stitch for the entire project, besides which this approach keeps me interested.  I used some handpainted Tencel--"plum".  It does its own colour patterning quite effectively.  I particularly like the way the seed stitch softens the colour mixing as compared to the good old faithful stocking stitch. I measured the finished swatch before and after washing and drying in the dryer and blocking each time and found there was absolutely no shrinkage.  The gauge worked out to be about 5 stitches per inch and 5-6 rows per inch.  The finished sample was lovely and soft.  It really becomes soft and silk-like after washing.

Inspirational

I'm going to introduce you to an amazing blog-site.  It belongs to a knitter named Jane Thornley who resides in Nova Scotia.  I found her on the internet and since have had several conversations with her.  She has been selling her wonderful knit creations from the MarieJosette studio/gallery www.mariejosette.com  In the Spring Jane visited Toronto to deliver her work to the studio and at the same time to do some teaching at the Lettuce Knit shop in Kensington Market. (More about this delightful yarn shop next time.) I was fortunate to be able to take one of Jane's classes and just love her attitude and approach to knitting.  The image shows a sleeve from the shrug I'm working on following the Jane Thornley method. She describes her method as "free-range knitting". There really is no wrong way when it comes to this knitting process. On her site you will find a truly inspiring blog with fabulous images that illustrate how she chooses her colours and textures for her project yarns. Enjoy your visit to www.janethornley.com