What's on my needles (week 36)

I am not sure yet, if I will continue this blog during my vacation.  If I am not posting anything while on the road, you will hear from me again after the Sheep and Wool Festival Thursday October 23.

At The Knitting Garage

After finishing the Windsor Mitt I have not started on a new store sample, but have been busy making some pretty stitch markers.

Those will be one of the goodies which we will give out during the Yarn and Wine Tasting event on Thursday evening October 16 before the Sheep and Wool Festival.
Remember this event is limited to ten people and we already have some sign-ups, so make sure to reserve your spot.  I hope to see you there :)
Here are details about the event:
Please note that this event has been changed to Friday, October 17th 7-9pm.

Join us for night filled with yarn wine and lots of fun!! This is our third year hosting this event before the NY sheep and wool show and it's always a good time. Here a bit of what to expect. We will be tasting five types of wine that pair lovely with some delectable yarns. They will be paired up by various reasons for example color, region, or just because. Tasty snacks will also be provided and a goodie bag with a taste of the yarns shown that evening.  What to bring? Just yourself!  When? Thursday October 16th Time? 7-9pm You can purchase your tickets to this event right here http://www.sticklesvariety.com/products/yarn-and-wine-tasting Please remember to sign up early as this event sells out fast due to the limited number of spaces. The shop will be closed for the private party.  Thanks so much and we look forward to see you soon and as always Happy Knitting!

At Home

I am getting ready for a road trip with my husband.  The places he picked in South Carolina and in Georgia are supposed to be good fishing spots, but I am sure that I will also manage to find a yarn shop or two.
I know for sure that when we stop at Kill Devil Hills on the OBX I will be able to visit my favorite knitting shop there "Knitting Addiction".

Here are the two projects I will take on the road with me:
The hat  ("Boyfriend's watch cap" by Churchmouse) which I started for a class a couple of weeks ago and a pair of socks in the beautiful Anzula Sebastian which has sea cell in its fiber which is supposed to be really healthy :) I will be doing the FLK heel again since my husband claims they fit him the best.
I want to keep things simple when traveling and I want to avoid shushing my husband while knitting something complicated, so these choices should be perfect.

When I get back I will finish my Chevron Tank Top which only needs a few more repeats of lace in the back, three-needle-bind-off and i-cord edging around the neck  armholes.

I have finished the bookmark.  I think it came out really pretty and I am now on the search for the perfect button.

Here is an update to my bookmark:  I found a nice button yesterday at AL Stickles (where else?!)
It is kind of neat how the two acorn leaves mimic the heart shape in the lace. 

What's on my needles (week 35)

At The Knitting Garage

About sewing seeds

A few ladies who took one of my knitting classes this summer have come back this last week to show me several more projects they knitted up.
This is so exciting to see that I thought to share it with you:

Remember one of the first classes I gave this summer; in May?  A shawl called "summer flies".  Well, here we are in September and summer did fly. Connie, stopped by at the shop and showed me her second summer flies shawl which she just finished.  She used the Cascade Avalon and the shawl came out beautiful.  It looks like there is no stopping her to keep knitting up this pattern.

Toni, who took the class on the Pinwheel Spa Cloth in June, just started her fourth Pinwheel.  She gives them away as presents and uses them as doilies.  Here is the last one she just finished knitted up in  " Lily Sugar'n Cream Cotton".

 Last, but not least Dale knitted up a total of five (!) Market Bags so far after taking the class in July and she is planning on more!  She has doubled the yarn when knitting the handle to make it more sturdy and she has paired colors beautifully :)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Store sample

My Windsor Mitt is finished and looks gorgeous  if I may say so myself :).  But don't forget that I only knit up one as a store sample, so I only do half the work.
The pattern is disbelievingly easy and letting my mind wander I forgot to pass the slipped stitch over a couple of times only to remember four rows later.  Then there was nothing else to do but to tink (knit backwards), I got quite a bit of practice with tinking which makes me quite a tinker ;)
I wonder how my five students are doing.  I hope they are loving it and are well on their way.

 My next knitting class at the Knitting Garage

At Home

Boyfriend's Watch Cap

As I gave a class on this pattern I also started a hat for Tony (he can always use a good warm hat!).
9.13. I was a little surprised by the cable cast-on (not stretchy), but did it anyway. I did the alternating cable cast on to account for the ribbing. Jennifer who took the class opted for the long-tail cast-on (quicker and a little more stretchy).

I am using the same yarn Julie used for our store sample, the Araucania Panguipulli, but in a different color and am hoping for a less dramatic striping.  I was tempted to alternate rows to eliminate the striping all together, but decided to just keep knitting. The colors are more muted and closer in shade and a little striping would be OK.  This is promising to be a quick knit.

Bookmark 

About two years ago I saw this pattern and helped someone get started on one.  I finally got around to starting one myself.

I had been thinking to use a thin cotton threat to knit this up and then even starch it, but after doing the Season’s Shawl (my gift from heaven shawl), I had some knitpicks Shadow Tonal left-over and decided to use this yarn as it is the one the pattern calls for; I can always use a different yarn next time I make this. Which color to use was difficult since they all look pretty, I decided on the light green “Springtime” color.
I was also thinking to put beads only on the part of the bookmark which will be outside (around the heart) on the book in order to not damage the pages, but when I did find the perfect color beads in my stash (I used to do a lot of beading) , I knew this bead is smaller than the one the pattern calls for (size 11 instead of size 10) and I decided to place them all over after all.
Since the only US #3 needles I own are DPN’s, I put needle stoppers on the ends of two and use them as straights :)
I calculated that I will need to do 18 instead of 25 pattern repeats since the book I am making this for is 7.5” tall and not 10 “tall. So far I have done fourteen repeats.

 

 

 

Chevron Tank Top

I have made progress with my tank top. I finished the front up to the shoulders and will start on the back next.  I do believe that the left and right shoulder for the front are mixed up unless you think of left and right as you look at the piece rather than wear it.  I followed the instructions for left on the right shoulder and right for the left shoulder to get a continuous look of the chevron pattern.  The shoulders seem rather narrow to me (more narrow than in the pictures), but I followed the instructions on stitch count exactly (+1 st); we'll see how it all comes together.

Next class at the Knitting Garage

Boyfriend Watch Cap

What's on my needles (week 34)

 

At the Knitting Garage

Windsor Mitt

My Windsor Mitt store sample is growing in length :  I finished the 6 1/2 inches, did the thumb gussets and I am now knitting the last few rows for the  hand (but forgot to take pictures). 

And we also have five customers who started their own pairs of Windsor Mitts to keep fashionably warm this winter.  Noreen, Ali, Lauren, Anne-Marie and Chris all took a class with me this last week and I am looking forward to see their progress and finished mitts.  Three out of five came to the conclusion that working in the round on two circular needles rather than four double pointed needles is not only easier, but also faster.

If you want to learn this technique, you may want to come to my next class either this Saturday or next Wednesday:

Boyfriend Watch Cap

One special feature of this pattern is that you can wear the hat either with the cuff up or for a more slouchy look you can wear it with the cuff down.

 

I will be teaching a stretchy cast-on, knitting on a circular needle and three methods of knitting the crown : with 

• DPN's, 
• the magic loop and 
• two circular needles.

At Home

Another Pinwheel Flower Washcloth

 

I quickly knitted up another Pinwheel Spa cloth as a quick gift for a friend in the beautiful Trendsetter Yarn "Lino".  I cannot stress enough that paired with a bar of soap, this makes a great gift.  This is a last minute gift done in a couple of hours.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Chevron Lace Tank

The other project I have made progress on is the Chevron Lace Tank.  I am almost at the point where I can divide front and back at the armholes and start the lace pattern.

What's on my needles (week 33)

At the Knitting Garage

Windsor Mitt

It amazes me how one simple stitch can change the look of a mitt from "boring" to "stunning".
You don't need to remember a complicated pattern repeat to knit these mitts up; the secret lies in one stitch.  Start your own pair this Saturday or next Wednesday (while the kids are back in school).  I will be giving a class both days.  For details click here:  current class schedule.

At Home

A gift from Heaven

My shawl (the kit  from Marie's stash was gifted to me by my local library almost one year after my friend passed away) is finished and I am looking forward to many hugs...

First Fall/ Back -to-School Class

Windsor Mitts  

Fall and Winter will be here in no time.  But there is still time to prepare to keep warm.

When:

Saturday September 6th from 10:30 am to 12 noon and for those of you who rather come to a class while the children are at school, I will also give the same class on
Wednesday September 10th from 10:30 am to 12 noon. 

What will you Learn:

• Two methods of knitting in the round without gaps (on DPN's and on two circular needle.

•  The "LT" stitch.

• How to bind off in the round without a "jog".   

                                                                               

  How much does it cost: The class is $35 and includes the $8 pattern. 
  You will have to sign up prior for the Wednesday Class (as I am not usually in Rhinebeck on Wednesdays), but have the option to make a last minute decision and walk in for the Saturday Class.  Classes are limited to four participants.
  
  

   I will be posting the rest of the class schedule for this Fall shortly.