Down to Earth Elegance

Here is a pattern for a simple, yet lovely introduction to lace knitting. My darling friend made one on size 8mm needles, using her homespun chocolate double ply wool. It was an amazing combination of down-to-earth elegance and country charm. I can't recall where I originally found this pattern, but I have made some modifications since. [This is in case the copyright police are reading this blog]

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Note: To keep it simple, all of the increases are made in the first and last stitch of every right side row. To help keep track of increase rows (or the "right side") attach an original beaded stichmarker (for the sake of beauty) or plain safety pin to the right side of the piece after you have worked a few rows.

K1f&b: Knit through the front loop, and then through the back loop of a stitch (increases one stitch).
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The Rules of the Game:

Cast on 4 sts. Knit one row.

Rows 1 and 3: (RS) K1 f&b, knit to last st, k1 f&b – 2 sts inc’d.

Rows 2 and 4: Knit

Rows 5, 7 and 9: K1 f&b, k1, *yo, k2tog: rep from * to last 2 sts, k1, k1 f&b – 2 sts inc’d.

Rows 6, 8 and 10: K3, *yo, p2tog: rep from * to last 3 sts, k3.

Rep Rows 1 –10 to desired length, ending with Row 4. Bind off all sts loosely to maintain elasticity.

You can finish the piece with a narrow knitted on border that you can find in Nicky Epstein's Knitting on the Edge.

Make it in a rich homespun yarn and you will feel hugged everytime you wear it.

No rest for the wicked

I was sitting in the waiting room at the Fort Integrated Health Clinic, and my favourite male doctor approached me admiring my poncho.

[I was wearing my Martha Stewart Coming Home poncho (sans scallops) done in a multitude of Lion's Brand Homespun earthy tones.]

"I love your poncho. Where did you get it?"

"I made it."

"Oh wow, can you make one for XX?" [my favourite female doctor, who happens to be his wife.]

So in short time we agreed that I would make his lovely funky wife a similar poncho, but would use wonderful fibres instead of pilly, silly acrylic.

Before I even had a chance to let the dust settle and figure out what I want to do next, I have this delightful "contract/project" to complete.

Who says the arts don't pay?

As long as they pay for themselves and leave a little extra for a nice bottle of brandy, well, life is indeed good.

I got the People's Choice Award!!

Okay, call me competitive.

Call me obsessive even.

But last night I won the People's Choice Award for my Mananita Poncho in the Handspun category. Okay, so there were only two entries in that category, but it had to be good or no one would have voted for it.

There's nothing like a deadline to make me solve the knitting problems that continually emerge when I am creating something.

Yeah, I can't wait to get started on the next project. A crocheted poncho using Peruvian Cotton. Will keep you posted.

Life is Good

The Basil is finally planted.

The Mananita Poncho is complete, blocked and hanging in the dining room.

Dogs #1, #2, and #3 are sleeping on the back porch.

The kids are in school and I am at home.

Got 7 lbs of Romney lamb wool washed and waiting to be carded.

Got another seven or so lbs. waiting to be washed.

There are two more weeks of work and then HOLIDAYS.

Life is good.

Knitting Injury

Yes, you can injure yourself knitting. My neck has been making a clicking sound for the last few days and it's been driving me nuts. I finally hauled my sorry arse to the chiropractor and had her "fix me up". For the longest time she couldn't figure why my neck muscles were so tight and I had no tense muscles symptoms anywhere else. Until I told her I was a compulsive knitter.. . . . Then it made sense to her.

I am desperately trying to finish this wonderful poncho for June 21. I had to stop knitting on the weekend and spend time spinning cause I ran outta yarn. So the long and short of it is this. . . . .if you are knitting and or spinning for an extended period of time, stop every FIVE mintues and stretch. When I have more time I will describe the stretching exercises. Just get the blood flowing to those muscles and give those tensed up ones a bit of a break. And you don't need to stop for long, just thirty seconds or so is enough to keep you limber. After half an hour or so, then get up, pour yourself another glass of wine or scotch and carry on.

I will find a way to post a picture of my completed poncho.

Mananita Magic

I am making a poncho for our guild's Shawl/Poncho Challenge. The deadline is June 21st. I am on row 47 out of 65 rows and then there is the border. I had to stop and make more yarn. Spinning as close to a laceweight as I can manage and am in that hateful place of "I don't think I have enough yarn to finish this thing!" Usually that stops me. But this time, I can't. I NEED to complete this poncho. It was my idea to have a shawl/poncho challenge, I can't very well appear at the meeting empty handed. And I'm the President of the guild so I should at least have something for the challenge, whether it was my silly idea or not.

So here's the plan. I am going to make as much yarn as I can manage. Knit until it's all gone and then just use a different coloured yarn. I won't do the I-cord neck edge until I figure out what other yarn I need to use and then use that in neckline. The yarn I am working with is a deep burgundy merino, so I may finish with a black merino.

Remember, always turn your mistakes/distasters into design features.

Mananita Magic is the name of the pattern. Can be found on page 58 of The Best of Knitter's Magazine Shawls and Scarves. Great book. Worth every penny.

Spinning lessons anyone?

So, at yesterdays' meeting we talked about offering some basic spinning and dyeing lessons for new members in our guild. We were looking for someone who would offer a series of classes on these two parts of the fibre world. Some folks are just plain shy and no one was making any offers so I stepped forward.

"I know I couldn't teach the dyeing part, cause I just play around, but I'd be happy to think about the spinning piece of it."

They jumped at it. Judy offered to do the dyeing piece and I agreed to do the introduction to spinning.

Okay, so now I'm in. What to do now? I never took spinning lessons. I learned from several books, phone calls and attending a couple of spin-ins. The reason for that is part logistics, I work fulltime and couldn't carve out any more "out of the house" time. Also, I couldn't figure paying someone (no matter how amazing they are) $80+ for lessons. Finally, and probably, the truest reason, I'm stubborn. I like to figure things out. So with this in mind, what am I doing offering basic spinning lessons? I learn as much as anyone else when I teach. And that's the thing about spinning, there is so much to learn, more than a full-time college employee, mother of three can find time for. I'm doing it for the fun of it, and for what I can gain in return.

So help me out. This is what I have in mind. Four lessons. Two to three hours each, a week apart. Homework in between. I will supply all the fibre, and if necessary the wheel and other equipment necessary. May be a small materials fee if we go above and beyond, but I will try to keep it to a miminum.

Lesson #1: Fibre Preparation: how to select a fleece, wash it, and use the hand cards. We will make drop spindles for use in lesson #3. Introduction to your wheel, what the parts are called and how they work. We will also start spinning using buffalo wool to get the sense of treddling and drafting.
Homework: Read 2 copies of Spin-Off and select two items/ articles to share with group.

Lesson #2: More fibre preparation, Drum carding and flick carding. Drafting techniques, making rovings from bats and spinning up those rovings. Share articles from Spin-Off with group. Learn how to make balls of yarn using toilet paper rolls.
Homework: Make two balls of yarn and knit a 4" X 4" sample of each, stocking stich.

Lesson #3: Using coloured rovings (supplied) spin up an ounce of coloured roving and an ounce of white. Learn double plying techinques -- two bobbin & andean plying technique. Learn how to drop spindle, feel the twist and other tricks of the drop spindle trade.
Homework: make a swatch with with energized singles, and two other examples of your spinning. Wash swatches #2 and #3. Report on observations.

Lesson #4: Learn fibre blending on drum carder, spin up, knit a swatch. Will make 2 meter samples of each of the following, Singles: overspun, loosely spun, finely spun, chunky. Double ply: overspun singles, underspun singles. Triple ply, navajo ply and all the wonders in between.

What do you think? Feedback please.

The Mentored Become Mentors

Last night we had our final guild executive meeting of the year, here at my place. It took me all day to tidy up the house and hide my stash and unfinished projects in more discreet locations, just so we could have a clear space to accommodate up to 12 women. I’ve been chairing those meetings for a full year now, and last night was the first time I really relaxed into the job. And I’ve been wondering about that. I don’t think it was because I was in my own house, although that may be a wee part of the comfort. I think it was because I felt a strong sense of cohesion amongst group members.

As we went around the table discussing the budget, sharing ideas for workshops and programs, I had this amazing sense that we are all on the same page. Don’t get me wrong, there is lot’s of room for dissension, but what I mean by being on the same page, is that we seem to have the same ideas in mind for the guild. We have this interest in getting back to basics, to thinking about the learning needs of our new members, to provide a series of classes on the basics of spinning, dyeing, and weaving. Yes, of course our guild has many advanced spinners, dyers and weavers, and their needs will certainly be met as well, but after, and only after we take our skills and share them with new members. That’s how we became the artisans we are. Last night when we were discussing and then planning this, many people came forward as those who would like to teach these classes. These are exciting times, as the mentored become mentors and the learning goes on and on and on.

2 bags of fleece and a new wheel.. . .

At our last guild meeting I purchased two bags of fleece. They are large bags. About 10 lbs each of Romney lamb fleece. Wonderful stuff. Ann, the woman who raises these sheep takes amazing care of them, thus the fibre is strong, lusterous and incredibly long! The average staple is 8 inches. I am not even worrying about cleaning the tips, I'm just cutting them off.

I have already washed one bag of fleece and am considering sending the other one out to be professionally washed and carded into rovings. I will card the first one myself, at least that's the current plan, but there are only so many hours in a day. I want to dye, knit, spin and plan something for my loom. Oh, and there is the lace poncho that I have to finish knitting for the Shawl/poncho challenge for the June Langley Weavers and Spinners Guild meeting. And then there are those socks for John that he has been waiting an entire year for. . . . .

I also purchased a beautiful Nilus Leclerc Spinning Wheel. It looks a lot like my Ashford Traditional, but the wood is Quebec Maple, and its is lovely and warm. The ony problem is that I only have one bobbin. Leclerc stopped making wheels 25 years ago so I have to a) either track someone down who wants to part with their rare bobbins or b) get a wood turner to make me some new ones. I am moving towards b) mostly because I want to support other artisans and it's great when their skills help out other artisans. Maybe I can trade for a pair of socks or mitts for each bobbin? As if, when am I going to have time to do that?