What's on my needles (week 28)

At the Knitting Garage

My summer classes are coming to an end with this Saturday's class on the Stay-Put Shawl

 I will post a new short schedule for Late summer Classes through end of September soon.  I already have some ideas of what to offer, but this is the time to put in special requests if you have any.

Also don't forget about private lesson.  Sometimes they are the best way to go, working with you one-on-one and on your specific project.

The Glacerie Shawl

 I started on a new store sample using one of the new patterns we got in this summer.  This shawl is knitted in three colors and I am using pink, gray and blue :)
After the initial learning curve of having to do lace stitches on the WS purl side row I think I am getting the hang of it.

At Home

A gift from Heaven

I am working on the shawl Marie had bough as a kit and which had found its way into my hands.  The first few sections are simple TV knitting and I was breezing through those.  Now I am knitting the last two sections and have to pay much more attention.  These sections are charted only and I have to do lace stitches on both sides of the work so I am going pretty much through the same learning curve with this project as I am with the shawl I am knitting at The Knitting Garage.

Knitting on this makes me feel close to Marie and I find myself thinking of her ("talking" with her) while working on this shawl.

Matt's all in one

For relaxing and simple TV knitting I have (yet again) picked up the scarf I am making for Matt .  I made the scarf a little longer (62 inches) and I am now knitting the pockets. I keep telling myself that it WILL be done before winter.

What' s on my needles (week 27)

Perhaps you are all getting tired about me going on and on about the Candle Flame Shawl, but I want to make one last mention.  The company "Lantern Moon" did a lovely write-up on their facebook page.  I took a screenshot to share:

At The Knitting Garage

I finished my socks which I had started for the sock knitting classes the last three Saturday mornings.

This Saturday's class will be Make your own Market Bag.
Limited space is left, so if you want to join in, you may want to sign up soon.

I also finished the pillow cover I knitted up with the beginners' knitting class the last four Tuesday afternoons.

A new Beginners knitting class will start this coming Tuesday July 29 and will run through August 19.  Click here for more information: current class schedule

At Home

I got quite a bit further with the shawl kit which was given to me; my "gift from heaven" (I told you the story last week)   <3 <3

What's on my needles (week 26)

At The Knitting Garage

The candle Flame Shawl store sample

The shawl is displayed in the knitting garage.
Click here for the pattern:  http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/candle-flame-shawl-2

Store Sample

My latest store sample is a pillow cover I am knitting along with the beginners' knitting class Tuesday afternoons.  Last Tuesday Jenn learned cables!  She likes it so much that she wants to knit up a cabled scarf after her practice pieces. :)  Way to go, Jenn!

Saturday morning class

This Saturday we will be talking about s_t_r_e_t_c_h_y  bind offs.

At Home

A gift from Heaven

 

I started knitting a shawl with a special story behind it:
I remember my friend Marie ordering this shawl kit (# 40176) from knitpicks after we both had been oohhing and aahhing over the knitpicks catalog. She never got around making it and it was donated together with other yarns to the Tivoli library.
During the recent yarn sale fundraiser for the cancer center in Albany, NY  (see my posts from week 20 and week 21)  the kit re-surfaced and was given to me by the library director, Bonny. Somehow I feel that Marie wanted me to have this all along. 
After a false start with the wrong color I got about one third done with the first section, "rain".

What's on my needles (week 25)

A shawl is born

First of all I want to let you know that I not only finished knitting up the shawl for the store and at home for myself, but I also finished writing the pattern (all seven pages of it).

Let the pictures speak for themselves:
This one was knitted in the Mirasol Nuna Fina for the Knitting Garage and measures 76" by 14":

I also knitted up the same pattern in a heavier silk yarn, the Lantern Moon Indochine.  I added beads in this shawl and it measures 49" by 11.5" after blocking.

 The pattern for this is available in my ravelry store: Doris Formby Designs
You can also find a link on this blog on the page "Original Designs Free and for sale".
The pattern is written for any weight yarn and with or without beads :)  Check it out!  I am curious to see who will knit this up next.

Saturday Class at the Knitting Garage

My sock knitting classes will continue with instructions on how to knit up the Fish Lips Kiss heel.  After you have done this once, you will see that it is an easy to remember heel construction which is knitted the same cuff down or toe up with no heel flap and no gussets, yet it gives a great fit.
I will teach you the technique on a sample; you do not need to bring a sock project.  If you sign up prior to the class I will e-mail you the pattern before, otherwise I will e-mail it to you after the Saturday class.
Here is my pair of socks which I started for the sock knitting classes.  I cast on last Saturday using Judy's magic cast-on and I knitted the FLK heel yesterday on one sock.  I have to stop myself from knitting the other heel as I will do that during the class.
I also want to mention that if ever you have a scheduling conflict, but want to take one of my Saturday morning classes, consider to take that class in a private lesson at your convenience.

Store Sample

I am presently knitting up a 14 "x 14" pillow cover as store sample.  I am knitting this project along with Jenn, Jill, Rachel and Suzanna who are taking the Tuesday beginner's class.  Sign up for the next session of beginner's knitting classes (four Tuesdays total) which starts Tuesday, July 29th and runs through August 19th.  It is a good excuse (if you need an excuse) to come in from the heat.

At Home

I finished the Market Bag as a gift for a friend, but will wait to give it away until after the Saturday Class on July 26.  So far I have two sign-ups, so if you are interested there is space for two more max.
I am calling this bag "Ready for the beach-bag".  It looks to me that it would perfectly let out any sand which comes in; pretty much like open sandals.

That's it for this week.  Be well my friends and HAPPY KNITTING!

What's on my needles (week 24)

Happy Fourth Of July!  

How it all started

This week I took a little trip down memory lane.  You may know that I learned how to knit in Elementary school when I was about 8 or 9 years old.  When I was in High school a friend of mine, Mechtild, explained the math to me on how to make a custom knit sweater.
Just for kicks I wore one of them last week.  I made this sweater over 40 years ago!

Here I am wearing the sweater in 1977

and again in 2014

This is another sweater I designed and knitted in 1974

 


















I think it is then when I started to enjoy knitting something I dreamed up myself and I am so glad that I have come back to this, which brings my story to the shawl I am presently designing.

I am working quite hard on writing out the instructions clearly and easy to follow.
The design is based on my Candle Flame scarf pattern which seems very popular (Check out this and other patterns right here on my blog and on ravelry: http://www.ravelry.com/stores/doris-formby-designs.)
For the shawl at the store I am using the Mirasol Nuna Fina, a lace weight yarn, and I have just a few more pattern repeats to finish.
The shawl I knitted at home is done in the Lantern Moon Indochin yarn and is blocking right now.
Just as I was finishing the shawl, Cathy Woodcock from Lantern Moon asked a friend of hers, Sarah Lajoie, to ship a "Bead Aid" to me (how very kind and very cool!!!).  Sarah designed this little tool which makes placing the beads in the knitting faster than with a crochet hook. Check it out for yourself on their website: www.beadaid.com
You may want to order one of these for yourself :)  It looks very durable and is so small that it is easy to take along. It is also handmade of fine steel wire so if you have one of those magnetic boards which hold your pattern you can just stick it on there.

Let's take some peeks at the shawls:

At the Knitting Garage

At Home

At The Knitting Garage

We had a couple of wonderful classes during the last week.

Saturday Therese came by and took the class on making her own cotton T-shirt.  She choose a lovely mid-blue Cascade Avalon yarn for hers and I am excited to see how it is coming along.  When she left she had started the k1, p1 ribbing for the body which goes on for 16 inches and I had shown her how to knit with DPN's for the sleeves and how to later join the sleeves, but as with all classes she is welcome to come back any time with additional questions or to go over something again.

 

Then on Tuesday we had a total of four new knitting students which was great fun. This is a four week course.  I put together a little starter kit for everyone and we are working on a small pillow cover learning different stitches as we go along.  I have several things I want to teach, but we will see how it goes.  I think it is more important to instill a joy of knitting than to overwhelm everyone and if the pillow cover has just garter and stockinette stitch but is a favorite to cuddle with, that would be just fine.  

Don't forget this Saturday's Class is about how to cast on for your toe-up socks.  Judy's Magic Cast-on truly is MAGIC!
Here is a copy of Leah's e-mail she just sent out:

The following three classes on sock knitting can be taken as individual classes or sign up for all three at a 10% discount
Each one of these classes is $30 for 1-2 and $25 for 3-4 participants

· Saturday, July 5. Judy’s magic cast-on. This is a favorite cast on for toe-up socks two at a time or individual. You can use any weight yarn to learn this technique.

· Saturday, July 12. Fish Lips Kiss Heel. This is a simple and well-fitting heel construction everyone seems to be talking about. You will learn the special stitch used for this construction. You can use any weight yarn to learn the technique.

· Saturday, July19. Jenny’s stretchy bind off. A good and popular bind off for your toe-up socks

Walk-ins are welcome but its easy to sign up just email us! alstickle@gmail.com or reply to this email, we make things simple!

At Home 

Other than occupying myself with the new pattern I have also been working on the Market bag.  So far I have two sign-ups for the class on July 26, there are still two more spots available.