Category Archives: On My Needles

JojiFall2018Kal

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As a designer I don’t often knit other designers work. I have so many projects on the go and trying to write them at the same time that I knit them is time consuming and I have to have my wits about me. But every now and then I want to knit something that I don’t have to think about so I joined a KAL sponsored by one of my favorite designers, Joji Locatelli designs..

I am working on one of her shawl patterns: Jujuy

I went deep into stash to find yarns that will work.
These are skeins of sock yarn that are self striping. It really changes the look of the pattern by adding these stripes, but I’m going with it.

 

 

 

My labor day weekend was filled with lots of great vistas and time for knitting!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Luckily my traveling buddies did the driving and I got to keep on knitting!

 

 

 

 

When I arrived home on Monday – I kept the holiday going and knit some more. . . all the way to where I added the second color.

 

today – It’s back to work knitting my own designs and working on pattern writing.

Happy official fall everyone!

New Infinity Scarf design

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picofyarnI’ve finally figured out what to do with this beautiful Rovings, polwarth/silk blend yarn that I’ve had in my stash for years! I love this yarn but just couldn’t come up with a garment I thought would work that I would actually wear for this yarn.

I thought about a pull over – but being a woman of a certain age, I am much more attracted to cardigans.

I thought about a small tank to wear as long underwear. This idea came very close to being the chosen garment, but the yarn is so pretty and I couldn’t see hiding it.

To my taste, it is too flowing and drapey for a vest.

A shawl would have been a very nice garment for this yarn. . .but I just wasn’t satisfied. My last 3 projects have been shawls and I’m ready for something new.

Then I became of a Knit-along sponsored by Twitch and Stitch Podcast titled: CanadaKal.

Now I had a bee in my bonnet get something knit out of this year which I purchased from a Canadian Shepherd!

I’ve always loved infinity scarves because of their wrappability (is that a word) and because when they are not wrapped they are a nice visual accessory. So I decided on an Infinity scarf.

I love traveling stitches, also known as 2 stitch cable work. So I decided to knit this in the round the long way. The texture cable pattern runs horizontally across the scarf instead of the long vertical way. I am so pleased with this! For me it is an easy knit, and I was so ready to just go round and round!

23 inches

Stay tuned for the pattern. I need to finish it by Sept 30 to enter it in the KAL. So look for the pattern shortly after that!

Happy knitting everyone.

 

New white hat

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A friend of mine asked for  a white knit hat to wear during Yoga class. . . that was a while ago and the conference is coming up soon.

here are my thought:

somewhat open stitches

lace – like but not girly lace-like

stretchy

length is to top of ears only – don’t need a brim on this one:)

thinking of faggotting lace or  some such

well – I’m off to knit. I’ll post pictures when it’s done!

 

Saami Mittens

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I’m  so excited to take class with Beth Brown-Reinsel class at the Yarn Over event sponsored by the Minnesota Knitters Guild.

I’ve been a member for many many years and have loved attending class at this one day event.

This year I’m taking a full day class on Saami Mittens. I love knitting mittens and I’m looking forward to adding a new style to my collection. Every year for I try to knit myself a new pair of mittens – this year I’ll be starting them in April!

here’s a link to find out more about Sami People and history.

Here’s another link for more mittens by Susanna Hansson

So much to knit – so little time!

 

 

Striped Socks

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I finished these socks in 3 days!!
I’m celebrating a friend’s birthday tonight (Friday)  and on Tuesday I thought how lovely it would be to give him a pair of hand knit socks. . . so here they are. . . on my old feet.

Gary's socks

I used Harrisville Designs Highland yarn on size 3 needles. They are a sturdy pair of socks!

I love the variety of colors available by Harrisville Designs!

sock heelsEven striped through the heels!

Knitting enthusiasm still strong

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It has been ages since I’ve blogged. . . okay, only about 18 months. ..but that is ages in “online” time.
I’ve been busy knitting – – – AND – – – learning how to play Cajun accordion. Learning to play the accordion is cutting into my knitting time, but I’m sure I’m building new neuropathways in my brain. The in and out of the bellows while at the same time playing a tune on the buttons is a lot like rubbing your tummy and patting the top of your head. It is also reawakening my knitting creativity! (I’ve started a new shawl that I will tell you about soon)
Recently a friend sent me a link to an article about a knitting group started in prison. An inspiring read. Here is the link:
Reading this made me want to knit with friends again. . .
Happy knitting!
Shawn

A great cast on when starting at the top

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I love to knit mittens and hats from the top down! Starting at the top provides me the opportunity to keep trying it on as I go. . . and my projects always turn out the right length.

Here is a video of a really nice cast on that I have started using to get a sweet flower at the top of my hats and mittens.

I used this method for this hat –

I’m a big fan of fulling and felting too. These mitts are knit using two strands of Galway wool and US 17 circular needles, then fulled to fit.

I’m working on a pattern that explains how I knit mittens from the top down. . it will include directions for this fulled mitten, which by the way is super warm and great to wear in MN winters while waiting for the bus! This could also be used as an oven mitt.

It’s a race! Cold weather vs. finished pullover.

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I love the local library! I found a gem of a book titled,”Latvian Dreams, Knitting from Weaving Patterns” by Joyce Williams. It was full of charts with geometric designs. The sweater patterns in the book were fashioned after the gansey, very little shaping, with the focus on the two color patterns. The sweater is knit in a traditional style of knitting in the round and using steeks at armholes and collar.

I decided to try the “High Park Pullover”. In the book it is shown in blue and white – but I think (and am hoping) that I have enough fine weight alpaca to knit this (with long sleeves). Years ago I bought tons of alpaca yarn from Richness Alpaca. I’ve been looking for a project to use it all up and I have found it!

I am racing the snow – my goal is to be wearing this sweater the first time I shovel!

High Park Pullover
15 more rows and I am at the collar!

The first inch of rows were the hardest. Now that I have figured out the repeats I don’t have to look at every stitch on the chart while knitting. I’ve had to frog a few rows but luckily not too often.

Bottom of sweater
Bottom of alpaca hand knit sweater

The book has a fun approach to the sweater patterns. Charts show the geometric patterns in the shape of the sweaters. Gauges for different weight yarns are listed and depending on which yarn you use you adjust the pattern by number of repeats. For my sweater I added 20 stitches to the charted pattern in order to get the correct size – One 10st repeat for the front and one for the back.

Alpaca sweater, center stitches

I can’t wait to get to the sleeve – see how clever the design is where the sleeves meets the body of the sweater! I’ll have to walk around waving my arms in the air to show it off.

Photo of underarm for High Park pullover

I can get one round done in about 20 minutes. The sweater is charted at 270 rows. . .  (not including the sleeves, I haven’t looked at those yet) I don’t want to do the math! I’m planning on working both sleeves at the same time because I’ll have to tweak the pattern and also because I’m not sure how far my different colors of yarn will stretch. Knitting both sleeves at the same time will help me use up the yarn and make sure the sleeves look the same. The sleeves are worked from the top down, picking up sts at the armholes and working down to the cuffs, and that’s a lot of fabric on my lap. Doing both sleeves at the same time prevents sleeve slap (that happens while turning the sweater to knit the second sleeve and the one that is done swings around and slaps you).

I’ll post pics of me in it – shovelling.

More fingerless knit in my new stitch pattern

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I don’t really know what to call this: is it a stitch, a pattern, a stitch pattern? I’m really only knitting in stockinette – knit a row, purl a row – but adding a hitch.

Haleigh loves her new fingerless mitts

On a circular needle cast on the required number of stitches (yes it is a secret to be revealed later) Knit one row with color A (in this case the blue). Slide all the stitches to the other end of the needle and purl with color B ( in this case the red).

I knit these yesterday for my 7 year old niece. These mitts are the size we will make in the class I’m teaching at Shepherd’s Harvest in May.

Fingerless mitts make it easy to throw a big softball!

Shepherd’s Harvest is just around the corner!

Knitting, My original hand knitting patterns, On My Needles, Original Patterns, , , , ,

I have been having fun with a new knitting pattern I’m developing. I’m not going to say that I’m the only one who has thought of it, but I haven’t seen it before. The concept is very simple:

using two different colors of yarn, knit one row on a circular needle. Then slide the stitches back to the other side/end of the needle, and purl with the other color. Repeat these two rows. The result is a very fun ribbon like fabric.

One of the projects I knit with this technique is a pair of fingerless mitts:

fingerless mitts

And the good news is!!! I will be teaching a class at Shepherd’s Harvest and we will be knitting these mitts.

If you live in Minnesota or Wisconsin come to the festival and learn to knit this very fun easy ribbon stitch. Here is a link to register for the class.

I love Shepherd’s Harvest! It is such a good way to start the summer. . . lots of vendors selling yarn, roving, and finished items are available too. Lots of animals to pet and food to eat. I’ sharing a booth with Gale Woods and will be selling my original patterns. I’ll have lots of samples there too. I’m hoping to have a shawl pattern in this style of knitting too. My mom is test knitting the pattern for me. Hope to see you there! Look for me in the middle of Barn C.