The Year in Knitting

Just finished an analysis of this years knitting:

• 21 projects committed to at the beginning of the year (including finishing wips from 2012)
• 22 projects listed on Ravelry
• 15 projects finished
• 9 projects in progress
• 2 projects frogged
• Committed to knitting/crocheting 10K yards; currently at 7070 and climbing

No crochet projects started or completed.

I am in denial about the 2011 wips

I am in denial about my stash

I admit that there is a 99.9% chance that I will purchase yarn when I go to a yarn store.

 

The 35 Socks: Yarn 3AM Enchantments

After washing, these are buttery soft.

 

 

Why????

Why oh why do knitters and crocheters repeatedly find themselves victims of those who want to make money from their work? I am only going to provide the links to discussions on Ravelry on the issue, because I don’t want to be complicit in driving traffic to the owner of the websites. But free knitting and crochet patterns appear to have been universally harvested from designer websites, blogs, Knitty and Ravelry etc. to an advertising-ridden site that links the user to the pattern in most instances without the permission of the designer. Photographic content has apparently been used without the permission of the photographer, in some instances patterns have been renamed, and even though I admit to being graphically impaired, the photos on the site are horridly distorted to the point where I barely recognized the photograph of a pattern I know well. 

As revealed by a Ravelry user this morning, the images are inline linked in a way that website owners could end up paying for the traffic going to the free website. 

Here are links to some of the forums on Ravelry where this issue is being discussed: 

Knit Free Pattern Group

Friending

Designers Group

Rubberneckers

Socks: A Good Thing

My sole despair (no pun intended) at the beginning of this year was my inability to knit successfully a wearable pair of socks. I accepted the challenge of the Friends Group Sock Knitting KAL/CAL and committed to completing one pair of socks.  

Almost twelve months later, it actually took putting all my hand knit socks to soak in the same afternoon for me to realize that I’ve completed 5 pairs of socks and have another three pairs on the needles.

I’m going to use the Anatole France quote from our recent staff retreat to describe how I reached and exceeded my goal.

To accomplish great things, we must not only act, but also dream; not only plan, but also believe.

I’d been dreaming since I purchased the first skein of sock yarn in 2008.

I believed. I mean how hard can it be? After all, all knitting consists of two stitches: knit and purl, and I had those down. 

My plan: I scouted and saved to queue many different sock patterns on Ravelry. Pulled out Ann Budd’s Getting Started Knitting Socks. As well as The Sock Knitter’s Workshop  by Stephanie van der Linden. I studied both. 

I acted by starting with Ann Budd’s First Time Tube Socks. Simple knitting in the round. Found You Tube and printed tutorials on Kitchener Stitch. Voila! I had a pair of socks. I also enrolled in the Craftsy class, Knit Original Cuff Down Socks. Donna Druchunas became my video friend/mentor. I used the 30-second repeat, the bookmark, and the written instructions together and separately in my first two attempts at the Dutch heel. Voila! I had a two pairs of socks.  

Rearranging my stash, I came across the skein of 3AM Enchantments The One that had first inspired the dream of knitting socks. By this time, I had taken Shirley Paden’s Cast On class and had mastered the Old Norwegian or German Cast on. It made my ribbing perky.

I also knew that 60 rounds before the heel flap and 65-70 rounds after the heel flap made a perfect crew length sock for me. I was still struggling with Kitchener, but no longer needed to read the instructions for each stitch bound off. 

By Thanksgiving, I completed a sock, including Kitchener, without looking at any instructions at all. Upon another rereading, a lot of the instructions and examples in The Sock Knitter’s Workshop book by Stephanie van der Linden were not English as a foreign language but actually made sense. 

Sock knitting may not be a great thing, but by dreaming, believing, planning and acting, I can now add Sock Knitter to my list of life accomplishments. As Martha would say: And that’s a good thing.

 

Daughter of Time

Our office is moving. The organization has been in the same building for 12 years. We’re all suffering from 12 years of accumulated dust being liberated. I like our new offices. I won’t be alone on a floor any more, but everyone has an office with a door and either a window or skylight. 

I knit the skein of Quince Lark yarn that I bought at Looped Yarn Works. I used size 6 needles and knit a shaker rib by alternating rows of knitting and purling in the stitch below. Lark is a nicely balanced yarn, not overly processed soft and it has a lot of natural body. The colourway is Leek 131.

 

I’ve been sorting and rearranging stash as part of the summer to winter change over. I finished this wip started sometime in 2010.

 

Right now I’m swatching Knit Picks Telemark--a discontinued sport weight—on size 4 bamboo needles.

I listened to Daughter of Time by Josephine Tey on audio books while tidying today. Fascinating story. I still think the evidence is inconclusive about Richard III’s guilt in murdering the little princes. He had motive. His opportunity was having the princes under his auspices in the tower. But the Tudors and the Lancastrians also had motive and most probably equal opportunity with spies or people in their employ within the Tower. Gosh if you could resurrect people to get at the truth of what happened, the death of the two princes would be a prime candidate.

First Frost, 5K yards, and Crocheting

The first freeze of autumn occurred this week. I’d already begun the great clothing switch. Such a lot of work and mess, but fun rediscovering clothing items forgotten over the spring and summer. 

I’ve suspended work on the Helen Skirt to bang out a pair of fingerless gloves. It’s not cold enough for the convertible fingerless or the mittens, but there’s just enough of a nip to need something that allows the fingertips to snuggle while waiting at the bus stop. I’m using Knit Picks Wool of the Andes Tonal, a discontinued worsted weight yarn on size 6 dpns. 

 

At the Shirley Paden workshop earlier this month, I sat beside Phyllis, the crochet instructor at Looped Yarn Works. Phyllis gave me a link to a crochet site that explains how to read a crochet pattern. My aunt Fanny taught me to crochet. Not by reading patterns but by teaching me stitches and patterns. In teaching me, she taught me what to do but not the names of the stitches. So in my memory, I have several doily patterns that I can do. I found that I have no difficulty reading and crocheting patterns that are all symbols because the symbols make sense since they closely resemble the actual stitches. But put those stitches into words and I am lost. I was able to crochet the Shell Scarf because there were videos of each of the steps. I’ve been wanting to crochet a Crocodile Stitch scarf and was making no headway with written instructions or pictures of the steps. I found a video on You Tube and by the second row was off and running or crocheting on my own. I’m fascinated by how my learning is so different in knitting and crochet. In the workshop with Shirley Paden, we worked on a smocking stitch. I immediately recognized the process for creating the stitch from the stitch process diagrams in my Japanese stitch book. There was just the tip of how to prevent holes between the wrap and next stitch that will make the process easier when I use it in a garment. What I realized this week, is that with crochet I’m a completely visual learner. In short, I need to learn the way I was taught. 

Toupie had a bit of a mishap this week. I’d put out a string toy for him to play with. It has fuzzy ball at the end. Naturally, he attacked it. The next moment he was sprinting through the apartment. It’s not unusual for him to get a bit hyper when playing and it wasn’t until he made the third sprint from the front door that I paid attention. When he jumped up on the futon, I noticed the fuzzy ball went with him. Upon investigation, it turns out he’d got the string part of the toy wrapped around a hind leg. It took a minute to settle him and a bit for me to work the string loose. He sat there curled up with such a look of gratitude while I cooed and fussed to let him know he was okay. He’s such an odd little boy. Most cats I’ve had meow at the first sign of trouble. Toupie goes completely silent and has done so since he was a kitten. This tendency has made me very alert that when I don’t see him or when I call to him and I don’t get either a vocalization or an appearance, I immediately go to find him. He’s rarely in any trouble, usually curled up in some dark corner or bookshelf.

Why Can't We Be Spuds

For those who don't know, there has been an ongoing controversy about the name of the Washington football team: The Redskins. Columnists and media outlets are refusing to use the name, because it and the logo featuring the head of an Native American in feathered headdress, is offensive to Native Americans. Native Americans have protested, even the Prez has weighed in. The point is well taken, and one which I agree with: no other racial group in this country would be so portrayed. Lots of other teams and organizations with Native American names and logos have changed in response to protests.

Now I do get it that there are millions of dollars tied up in all the ancillary gear that a sports franchise and the league manufactures to sell and the current owner isn't considered to be the nicest of people. And I can even concede the point that the name, nowadays, isn't intended to offend. But we all know which road is paved with good intentions.

During last night's game, Bob Costas, NBC sports commentator and guru, delivered a commentary on the continued offense the team name causes. The team name, in my opinion, needs to go. But then what to replace it with? The best suggestion is in the comments section of this article on the Costa's commentary. Change the logo to the Redskin Potato. I like it! If Green Bay fans can where hats in the shape of a slice of cheese, why can't we be spuds?

The Hogs can give up their dresses and wear potato sacks instead. Smash potatoes could replace French fries as a unique stadium food. Sacking the quarterback would take on a whole new meaning. Instead of stripping the ball from the running back, commentators could say he peeled the football away. Instead of losing a game, we could be mashed by the other team. With a logo change, yesterday's game could have been described as the Cowboys roasting the Redskin Potatoes.



 

On My Soapbox

Slightly frustrating week. Working on a database for my sister, cut into my knitting time. I’m usually not bothered by the weather, but the rain from Wednesday finally got on my nerves by Friday night. It was like living with a nature sounds tape in continuous loop. I found myself wishing for the silence of snow. I stayed in yesterday. My umbrellas thanked me. 

Vote for the Loopy Ewe
This is cool: Intuit is running a contest to give a small business a chance to place for a Super Bowl advert. The Loopy Ewe has entered. How wonderful it would be to see a yarn store advert amongst the beer, car, computer, and chip adverts.  Vote for the Loopy Ewe here

 

The Helen Skirt Update

Yesterday I finally joined The Helen Skirt in the round. This is really a very nice, well-written pattern.

 

Love Yarn Day
October 11 was International Love Yarn day. I celebrated by taking advantage of Vogue Knitting’s pattern sale. I bought Shirley Paden’s Fitted Jacket, which is the first garment, featured on her website. Speaking of Shirley Paden, she returned to Looped Yarn Works last weekend. I attended the Friday evening workshop where we worked on the rib and smocking stitches using the pattern on the cuff of the Duster pattern on the front of her book, Knitwear Design Workshop. On Saturday, I attended the Lace Knitting class. Just like the takeaways from the Cast-On class in February, I am now confident that my lace knitting will improve as I apply the skills and knowledge gained.

Knit Pro Karbonz

A couple of weeks ago I purchased a Knit Pro Karbonz needle. I have finally found a knitting needle worthy of buying as a set. The needles are light in the hand, the yarn moves easily, and the cable is great.

Knit Edge Magazine—the only knit magazine I buy and read the articles before getting lost in the patterns—had a fascinating article on the origins of From the Mountain yarn company and how the yarn is sourced and providing livelihoods in Afghanistan. As well as an article on the mad vilification of former Australian Prime Minster Julia Guillard for being “a knitter”.

 
Some Thoughts About Knitting
Yes, in most of the West, knitting is seen as “women’s work” and historically, especially in the 19^th century seen as a way for women to “respectably” earn money. Those who are not involved in the craft see it as part of the post 9/11 nesting phenomena or some post-hippie, redefined feminist, anti-commercial, anti-cookie cutter fashion movement. While these arguments may have some validity, I think there is another impetus at work: The Internet.

As I have said in posts before, I have seen my knitting skills improve by leaps and bounds with the advent of blogs, Ravelry, You Tube, and most recently Craftsy. The Internet has removed the barriers to the transmission of skills, creativity, and materials. The resources in a knitter’s community have easily expanded from the knowledge and skills available in the guild, the class, and the local yarn store. Even language is no longer the barrier it once was. Individuals, sometimes without monetary compensation, translate patterns. There are groups and individuals on and off Ravelry supporting those knitting patterns in Japanese. The list of regional knitting techniques and traditions now available on the Internet is legion—Estonian, Peruvian, Turkish, just to name a few.

Why has knitting spread beyond the knitting nana or those with a family history or a chance encounter sparking an enthusiasm with the craft knitting? I argue that it is fun to create. The fun includes the work, meeting the challenge of commitment to completion, learning new skills, being a member of community where skills, achievements, and like in any community, life experience is shared. Knitting is not like building a miniature railroad or cabinetry, it’s an easily portable craft. You can knit on public transport, in the grocery queue, the doctor’s office and even in a darkened movie theatre.

Knitting is not mindless. You need to be able count, add, subtract, divide and multiply your stitches to create patterns and shape a garment. Unlike sewing where you are imposing a form on a fabric, in knitting you are creating and shaping a fabric. Could be why so many knitwear designers in the last 20 years have backgrounds and often graduate degrees in math-dependent sciences.

Lastly, there is the product. Yes, you can invite your family and friends over to view your model railroad, your sideboard etc. But knitting allows you to give: to family, to friends, to complete strangers. Thousands of hats, gaiters, and socks have been knitted for soldiers deployed to Afghanistan and Iraq; hats, prayer shawls and other items for hospital nurseries, cancer patients; hats, scarves, and blankets for the homeless. Fiber craft has been employed at N Street Village to help homeless and abused women earn income, gain self-esteem and entrepreneurial skills and is helping prisoners.

Just think how different the ongoing acrimony over the US government shutdown would be if Boehner needed Obama’s help with the intricacies of entrelac?

Angry Hour

We're on day two of the government shutdown. The sole affect on my life has been less rush hour traffic and the shops and restaurants have been full of patrons in the afternoon. This is a much more interesting experience so far than the last government shutdown 17 years ago. Hard to believe that the Internet was in its infancy then and most of us who were online were on BBS systems. This time around things are very different. There's lots of FB and Twitter traffic arranging meet ups and advertising specials (free/discounted drinks and food for those with Fed IDs). Here's one

There are goodies for knitters: Looped Yarn Works is offering 10% of all purchases until Friday. Fibre Space is offering free knitting classes in the afternoon. Wendy Johnson is offering 50% off on all her patterns for the duration.

Me, I'm envying the Fed fiber fiends who are having hours to knit, crochet, spin, weave, and sew. But despite my envy, I am making good progress on my Helen Pencil Skirt. I've also signed up for a workshop with Shirley Paden on Friday at Looped Yarn Works.

Russian Join, Crochet Provisional Cast on and Other Fun

Russian Join

Another arrow in my quiver of knitting skills. I used this join for the first time while knitting the Lengthwise Cable scarf.  Where has this been all my life? It’s a wonderful join that eliminates the need to weave in ends. It makes anticipating joining a new ball easier and faster for me.

Crochet Provision Cast On

The latest arrow in my quiver of knitting skills. I’m knitting the Helen Pencil Skirt using Knit Picks Wool of the Andes. I used the Lucy Neatby video to learn the provisional crochet cast on. Used another circular to pick up the 210 provisional cast on stitches and was able to unzip the crochet cast at the end. Used a third needle to knit the stiches on the needle and the cast on stitches together. Totally Cool!!

I celebrated International Coffee Day with two cups of Trung Lam Café. I order all my coffee from Vietnamese Coffee Online.

Cooperative Press is keeping me excited these days. Knit Edge continues to go from strength to strength with interesting articles to read and patterns to knit. Pen Hemingway (PenelopeSpider on Ravelry) is coming out with two new books: River Ganseys and Old Hand Knitters of the Dales.

Swatch Week

I have only two rows left till bind off on the Lengthwise Cable Scarf, but this week I left off finishing to swatch.

I bought three skeins of Cascade Eco+ in Lavender to knit a skirt. In January I'd bought some Black Welsh Mountain yarn from Countrybyrd on Ravelry. The yarns made for interesting knitting even if I only knit swatches. The Eco+ is commercially produced and knits up nicely as a Aran-Heavy Worsted weight. The Black Welsh Mountain is rustic, sheepy, and minimally processed, but it worked up wonderfully firm on size 4's in stocking stitch and the 2x2 ribbing was perky. At 12 wpi, I guess it to be a sport weight. What I don't know is the yardage. I suspect I have about 1500 yards.

The next couple of weeks are going to be quite busy. Deva Premal on September 24. In October,  Buddhist relics on display and Robert Thurman -- not together--and a lace class with Shirley Paden and then a weekend class on Rigden.

Slow Adapter

I’ve known for sometime that I was a slow adapter. What is a slow adapter? A slow adapter is someone who doesn’t jump on the latest technology bandwagon. What sparked this realization? It was a BBC radio show on technology about the new cell phone wrist watch and one of the interviewees described herself as a slow adapter. That gave me the language to explain what I am.

I don’t need a 40 inch television or cable because I rarely watch television. But I love listening to the radio and once I discovered that satellite radio was available for homes, I was on it like a shot. Never really got into DVDs or CDs; digital music has given me the music library I always wanted without having the need for the shelf space. The PC was a no brainer. It provided way to create your own content without paper, whiteout and with the advent of external portable storage devices, it is easy to physically store the content. Walkmans were great but the Nano is even better. A mobile is a must have and is convenient when charged, but I don’t have a smart phone. I figure any emergency can be conveyed by a phone call or a text message. I’ve always hated fax machines. They are like the microwaves of office technology. They either have basic features or a cornucopia of features that are never used. But I love e-faxing. It does what the first facsimile machines did: sends and receives documents with the added bonus of the capability of blasting faxes to hundreds or thousands without having to dial in each number.

This brings me to my latest gadget: the tablet. I wasn’t sure but went ahead with the purchase. I knew that I could and do download .pdf’s of knitting patterns and magazines use those instead of paper when knitting. Okay, so I am re-addicted to Tetris. But this week I found an amazing app that allows me to record by BG readings with notes. The data is charted and both data and notes are combined and can be emailed in an Excel spreadsheet. And since the clinic has an online patient portal, I can send this information electronically to my doctor for her review before my appointment.

Knitting this week

Still working on the lengthwise scarf. Just about at the end of the cabling. Fifteen rows of ribbing and then cast off.  It’s not going to make the dent in this particular stash of yarn that I anticipated, so I suppose a hat and gloves will be knit to use up the rest of the yarn.

I’ve found a pattern for the 8 skeins of blue yarn. It’s a skirt and I will have just enough. I’m going to do elastic for the waist as I don’t like the idea of a leather string tie for the waist.

All this has been a valuable lesson. I bought this yarn not because I was at all interested in knitting the pattern that came with it, but because it was on sale. There is nothing wrong with the yarn; it’s actually a yarn I like working with. It’s the colours and the quantity. I don’t have enough of any one colour to knit anything sizeable and I can’t really combine the colors with anything in my stash and to make a garment with both colours would mean making or buying something to match.

Back to The Blog

Where has the summer gone? For me it’s lost in a fog of work. I didn’t realize it was over until a week ago when it was brought to my attention that this weekend was Labor Day weekend. Could have sworn there was another week in there…somewhere.

I did stay on for three days in San Antonio to visit with Val, Tony and Courtney. I did visit the Alamo and highly recommend the PBS documentary although the John Wayne film is fun. I did visit the Yarnbarn of San Antonio and bought some Lone Star Arts Yarn, which I had been coveting. San Antonio was hot, but it’s a dry heat and nowhere near as oppressive as heat with humidity.

My birthday came and went as the BOD meeting started the day after. But I did scurry away in the evening to Looped Yarn Works. Their stock is expanding (YAY) with delicious selections of Habu and Harrisville yarns among others. Below is my birthday present to myself.

 

About the current issue of Pompom Magazine: It was really nice to see a UK knitting magazine feature a woman of color model.

Despite the press of work, I did manage to get some knitting done. I completed a Pi Shawl using Dragonfly Fibers Squishy Lace. The yarn is squishy but has lots of body and doesn’t split. The colours are rich and saturated. The shawl is more of a mini-pi. I should have used larger needles.

I knit Nougat by Susanna IC using Berroco’s Ultra Alpaca Fine. This yarn is loosely plied requiring a dull pointed needle to avoid splitting. With such loose plies, I was a little worried—needlessly as it turned out--about stitch definition. It is soft and bouncy with a generous 473yds at around US$11.00 per skein. I liked it so much I bought two more skeins—in the photo above—to knit another Liz Lovick’s Cowls pattern in fingering weight. By the way, Liz has a book coming out: The Magic of Shetland Lace Knitting. I can’t wait.

With the remaining Ultra Alpaca Fine, I’m knitting the Bonbons fingerless gloves. Both will compliment the Odessa beret knit last winter.

On the needles is a pair of socks to be finished and the Lengthwise Cable Scarf from Knit Picks Wool of the Andes in the Caution Colorway. I have 700 yards of the yarn and should have enough left over for a hat and maybe some fingerless mitts. These should compliment a rather drab olive wool jacket.

After deliberating most of the spring, I finally bought a tablet, the Google Nexus 7. It has renewed my addiction to Tetris. But it is great for downloading .pdf’s of patterns and using those instead of paper to knit from. Besides Tetris I have downloaded a few knitting apps and a Georgette Heyer novel to read. Odd thing is, Toupie doesn’t like the Nexus and settling down to read in bed a night becomes a tussle as he continually tries to paw the device.

Toupie was well behaved while I was on my travels. No pictures of freaked-out kitty on FB. No attacking the pictures on the wall or his auntie who kindly consented to mind him for two weeks. He did push his food bowl to different parts of the apartment each day (he’s never done that when I am at home) and there was one renegade incident of ripping open treat bags. I did have the vacuum treats in every part of the apartment including the bathroom.

 

A summer highlight was the opening of Each Peach Market. Really good artisan breads, out of the ordinary sandwich meats (as well as really good sandwiches) and a selection of fresh fruits and veggies and their own spice mixtures. The staff is friendly and knowledgeable making this a must shop stop.

Great Week

This has been a great week.

Theressa Silver's Hat Couture release was announced by Cooperative Press. There is a Mystery KAL on Ravelry and Theressa and other Cooperative Press authors will be at booth #200 at Vogue Knitting Live in Seattle April 5 -7. Theressa (Argentgal on Ravelry) is one of many designers unpaid but published by KAL/ACM.

Another KAL/ACM writer/designer, Penelope Hemingway, whose articles in Yarn Forward and Knit I always loved, has an article in the latest issue of Knitting Traditions Spring 2013, which is available for download and will be on newsstands the first week of April. Check out her blog here.

Knitting

Socks have taken over my life. I have two people to thank. Countrybyrd on Ravelry for starting the 2013 Sock KAL/CAL in the Friends Group on Ravelry and Donna Druchunas' Knit Original Top Down Sock class on Craftsy. Her instructions on heel flaps and turning heels pushed me over (in a very nice and instructive way) the sock knitting hump. Last night I finished a heel flap and turned a Dutch heel without looking at the instructions or the video. GO ME! Confession: I actually made a mistake. Finished my heel flap, picked up stitches for the gussets and then realized I hadn't knit the heel. Tinked back, keeping the gusset stitches on the needles, knit and turned the heel, and then went on the knit the gusset stitches. I felt like such a little pro.

I know I have mentioned Craftsy before. I love the platform. The classes are reasonably priced and on sale often. The platform allows you to make notes while watching the videos. The notes appear as bookmarks that you can return to. There is the 30 second rewind that keeps repeating those instructions until you end the loop. Detailed and helpful class materials that you print to read and carry with you when you're not online. The instructors are really responsive to queries. I have loved all the patterns created by the instructors for teaching. My knitting has improved 100% from taking these classes. And they aren't just for knitters. There are sewing, bead stringing, spinning, quilting, baking and a variety of other classes and workshops on Craftsy. If you haven't tried a Craftsy class, I strongly urge you to do so. You won't regret it.

Leaf Litter Socks

This has been a project of total love, mainly because of the yarn. It is easy to knit with, not splitty, and the stitch definition is amazing. I've finished one sock and need to finish another pair before I go on to the second sock. The yarn is BFL/Nylon Hi Twist Sock from Natural Born Knitters. Highly recommend the yarn and their handmade shawl pins. You won't be disappointed.

Amazing Stitch Definition

Sock One Knit on Size 1 (2.25mm) Bamboo Needles

 

Creditors of Craft Magazines Limited

Your help is needed!
If you are a creditor of Craft Magazines Limited you should have been advised that the company had applied to be struck off. You’re a creditor if you’re owed money or goods - so if you have an unfulfilled magazine subscription or you’re an unpaid designer, then you’re a creditor.
Any of us can object to this company being struck off. They have made no attempt to settle their debts, and their accounts have not been (and will not be) audited by an independent third party if they’re struck off. Creditors therefore have no way of knowing if there is any money to pay them.
To object, you can phone 0303 1234 500 or email enquiries@companies-house.gov.uk. Quote Craft Magazines Limited, Company Number 08051158.
You can object for any or all of the following reasons:

1. The company has an unsatisfied CCJ, and therefore legal action still pending against it.
2. You understand that not all creditors have been advised of the striking off nor were advised that the company has ceased trading.
3. They have disposed of rights that, immediately before ceasing to be in business or trade, they held for disposal or gain in the normal course of that business or trade. (They have to have ceased trading for at least three months prior to the application to be struck off. Simply Beautiful was held as an asset or gain during the normal course of their business. They’ve disposed of it less than three months ago - about 6-8 weeks ago I think - by giving it to a creditor in lieu of payment).

I’m hoping HMRC may object as I’m presuming that once again PAYE, NIC and VAT wasn’t paid.

The Plunge

The Plunge

One of the things I discovered in my early knitting days were the Mon Tricot stitch dictionaries. They are no longer in print but can be found on EBay. If the hours were counted up, I’ve probably spent several months (okay maybe years) of my life looking through these and knitting swatches. I have a set of the Barbara Walker stitch dictionaries—more hours and more swatches. Well last week I took the plunge. A plunge I’ve been wanting, desiring to take for several years and bought Knitting Patterns Book 300, a Japanese Stitch Dictionary. It has consumed my reading time the last two evenings. My little fingers are itching to start knitting swatches. I am also aching to own Knitting Patterns Book 300 Lace and the $90 1000 Knitting (and Crochet) Patterns book. The text is in Japanese, but the patterns are charted using standard knitting symbols. The number of stitches and rows in a repeat are clearly boxed. At the back, is a glossary with clear drawings illustrating the steps to executing each of the symbols. And the stitch patterns are stunning. Take a look here.

Ten Talented Designers You Ought to Know:

Ashley Knowlton @ Wonkknits

Bianca Boonstra @ Bianca Boonstra Designs

Elizabeth Lovick @ Northern Lace

Eskimimi @ Eskimimi Makes

Guernseygal @ GuernseyGal Designs

Joan Forgione @ Papermoon Knits

Joyarna @ Joyarna Knit Blog

Sara Fama @ Knitting Along

Woolly Wormhead @ Woolly Wormhead

On the needles: Socks

 

Adventure

I’ve embarked on a new adventure. I’ve enrolled in Shirley Paden’s Handknit Garment Design class on Craftsy. Like all adventures, it’s the journey as much as the arrival your intended destination that changes you. I’m not very far along. I know what I want to design. I know the purpose and shape of the garment and the yarn I want to use. My initial concept was a summer top with gansey stitching, bust darts, and short sleeves. 

My concept collided with reality over the past two nights. 

The yarn is Berrocco Remix: a 100% recycled non-wool tweed worsted weight yarn made from five different fibers. I’ve knit a swatch for another project with three different needle sizes, washed the swatch and know that the yarn grows when hand washed and lay to air dry. 

It slowly dawned on me that most gansey garments are made from solid colored yarn and that the garment would either be too busy with an all over pattern or the pattern would be swallowed by the tweediness of the yarn. 

Bust darts would add the complication of continuing a pattern and knitting the darts simultaneously. This is going to be Herculean feat from jump. I decided to apply the KISS principle: 

• Channel Island cast-on, to create a little interest at the bottom. 1x 1 ribbing (haven’t decided how many rows yet). 2 to 5 rows of garter stitch a row of corn stitch and then stockinette stitches. I’ll report on how it all works out as I knit the first swatch with these elements.

In a week of thinking, looking at stitch dictionaries, looking at projects made from the yarn on Ravelry and reading reviews and comments, this is as far as I’ve gotten. Granted, I’m a newbie; this is my first time out of the gate. 

But this week has engendered in me a deeper appreciation of the process every knit or crochet designer goes through. I appreciated designers and the work they put in before. But it’s a very different walk when you’re wearing those shoes.  

So, when I discovered from an old email and a Ravelry post that one designer has had

1. a crochet pattern sold on and published by Love of Crochet without payment or notification from All Craft Media
2. a sewing pattern sold on without notification or attribution by All Craft Media to Igloo Books for inclusion in A Guide to Sewing
3. a knitting pattern sold on without notification or attribution by All Craft Media for inclusion in A Guide to Knitting

that familiar rush of the anger and outrage at the downright disrespect for the creative ideas and work of another person that I felt at this time last year when I first learned that designers had not been paid, and that arose when A Guide to Knitting and A Guide to Sewing were discovered for sale, returned.  

The management who made those decisions, signed those contracts to sell on, and collected the money is and will remain justifiably infamous.

 

Why are Crafters So Generous and Other Random Bits

In addition to support, encouragement, and admiration when non-knitters and crocheters have heard the Friends group’s efforts on behalf of all those affected and those still being affected by KAL, ACM, CM Ltd., there has also been surprise expressed consistently involving the use of the words knitters and nice.

Well knitters and crocheters are nice. Actually they are some of the nicest, most generous people I know and have known. A few days ago, I discovered a quote which I think explains a good part of our niceness:

“We don’t knit to make things. We knit to make ourselves happy!

This is from Annie Modesitt’s online class page (Check out her new book: History on Two Needles published by Cooperative Press.) I was struck by the truth of these statements and it was reinforced by a remark from one of my classmates yesterday about how easy it is to lose an entire day knitting. All of us at the table nodded and made noises of agreement. You can only lose yourself in something when it makes you happy ergo knitters and crocheters are happy people. And happy people are nice people. Happy people are also generous people. I have a crocheting friend whom I have never seen crocheting anything or planning a project for herself. Every time I see her with a project or hear about a project it’s for a family member, co-worker, or friend. I think I would get general agreement that fiber crafters turn to each other for help. And what we ourselves don’t know, we point the questioner to a resource that can help.  

I admit to being a selfish sewer. I don’t like sewing for others. I enjoy sewing. It actually zones me out more than knitting. I’ve learned to schedule myself when I sew because I found I forget to do basic things like eat. I think it’s the process of construction in sewing that I find so relaxing. 

No process is perfect. Knitting, crocheting often involves ripping back hours of work or getting part of the way through a project or to the end to realize the yarn and the design weren’t meant for each other or the item doesn't fit or that gorgeous colored yarn in entire garment makes one look dreadful. Or realizing at some point that this isn’t what you want to make (Us fiber crafters all have works in progress (wips) hidden away that someday will get frogged or finished). And most projects aren’t perfect but learning to live with the imperfections, our failures and our successes is part of the joy. 

When you are happy, when you are part of a community in which generosity, cooperation, and support are naturally occurring, these values and behaviors become inculcated and affect your behavior and attitude in other areas of your life.

What’s on the Needles

I am participating in the Folk Shawls forum KAL on Ravelry knitting the Wool Peddler’s Shawl from the book Folk Shawls. I’m should begin the lace part tomorrow. And unless there is any more hidden in my stash, this project should use up the last of my Knit Picks Special Buy Pumpkin sport yarn.

 

I should also finish the second sock of my Knee High First Time Tube socks. I’ve modified the pattern to add an afterthought heel and I’m knitting the foot in stockinette.

 

 

I’m totally in denial about the other wips on the needles.

Knit Picks Customer Credit Card Information Compromised. Click

If you have shopped online at Knit Picks or any of the Crafts Americana businesses, please check your credit/debit card/bank statements. If the Ravelry topic on this issue is any gauge, a lot of people have been affected.

Cast-On Class with Shirley Paden

One of the big frustrations of 2012 for me was each time Shirley Paden came town to teach, I was on travel. So as I blogged before, when I saw the announcement at Looped, I paid for my purchases, caught the bus, arrived back at my desk, enrolled and paid for the Cast On Class in under 10 minutes. 

Had the most wonderful experience yesterday. We covered 18 cast ons in the four hours. I learned a lot; have a lot to practice and a lot to put into practice. I am more than a little graphically impaired (someday I will post on the blog the story of what happen when a mall I frequented several times a week changed their signage from the word Restroom to the Male and Female symbols used in airports) so drawings and pictures are many times incomprehensible or very difficult for me to understand. The most valuable take ways from this class, besides the practice and explanations of the best uses for the different cast ons, was having the memory of what the hands and yarn are supposed to be doing and being able to relate that to the drawings in the workbook. The other lovely thing about the class was being taught by someone knowledgeable and experienced means that there are ancillary bits of information relayed, like about the importance, size and what your swatch tells you besides the stitch and row gauge, that are spontaneously given. 

Having been a trainer, there were little things that I appreciated. Although the students were given a list of materials, Shirley came prepared with yarn, needles, hooks, scissors, and highlighters (which were really useful) just in case. She used a bulky weight yarn in easy to see colors for her demonstrations and she always elicited and encouraged not only feedback, but constantly reminded us that we were doing a lot of these cast ons for the first time. I always used to say in my software training classes that it was more important to remember that you can do something then to remember the exact steps to do it. At one point, I was unable to get my yarn and needles in the correct position for long-tailed cast on. After several frustrating attempts, I had to stop, breathe, and take the advice of a fellow student. 

I instinctively knew from Shirley’s design alongs in her Ravelry group that she was a generous person. My opinion was borne out in her teaching style, the way she helped individuals, and the way she took time at the end of class to chat to each of us. I didn’t sign up for the other sessions because I didn’t think I was skilled enough. That is a mistake I won’t make again. I might not know enough about finishing or design, but next time I have an opportunity to take a class or classes from Shirley Paden, I’m signing up for them all.

Shirley is teaching a design class on Craftsy, which is currently on sale. Of course, I’m enrolled. 

Just a word about Looped Yarn Works: I have had the fortunate of experience (which I’ve learned is not true of all knitters) of always having helpful and kind owners and staff in local yarn stores. But Looped Yarn Works staff and management are exceptional. They have been able to expand their space adding a lovely, functional, bright and comfortable training room. I love the fact that they carry yarns from local crafts people like Wandering Wool. And although Looped has been open for about a year and half, the shop has gone from strength to strength in yarn selection, their podcasts and the expansion of their class offerings with the new space. They also contribute yarn, support, and advertise community charity opportunities. If you are local to Looped, watch their website for an April class on Knitting and Meditation. The instructor is a friend and I highly recommend you consider enrolling in this class. You won’t be disappointed.

A Winge

I try not to winge in real life and rarely on my blog but I'm making an exception in this case.

This evening has been miserable. I've somehow injured my right shoulder. A visit to the doctor and xrays last week didn't reveal much because of the inflammation. So I'm to schedule physio for six weeks and take an anti-inflammatory three times a day. I left work late, so I wasn't able to walk home. The bus was full up, so I didn't get a seat at the front. I was too far away from the doors to wait until the bus stopped to get up. Using the seat rails and the arm slings, I moved slowly towards the front door. By the time I got off the bus, my upper arm and shoulder were screaming with pain. I picked up my packages (it was Amazon night...lots of small stuff). I was almost in tears opening the door. I stepped on poor Toupie's paw in my haste to get my jacket off and sit in the chair under the vibrating neck harnness. By the time I sat, the pain was in my neck and up behind my ear on the right side. 30 minutes under the vibrating harness and I was at least able to do some french toast in the toaster oven for dinner. Now I'm just waiting for the motrin to kick in.

I'm a sucker for quizzes and such. I was delighted to find out I'm most like the Dowager Lady Grantham on the Downton Abbey quiz. While looking at a sock pattern on a blog I saw the what kind of flower are you quiz. Irresistable. I'm a snapdragon. The quiz totally pegged me.


 

Afterthought Heel

There are myriad of resources and video tutorials available on the Internet as well as in books. I’m only going to list a few. To explain in a bit more detail, my heel issue is this: I have a 4A width foot with a 5A width heel. So my repeated attempts to master sock knitting arise from a very practical need: most commercial socks are too wide for both my feet and heels. The result is that I end up having extra fabric around my foot and heel, or the heel of the sock rests at the bottom of my ankle. Totally unattractive and in thicker socks, uncomfortable. So my hunt in sock knitting has been to find a heel which works first time every time. I think I’ve done that with the afterthought heel. What I didn’t do, which most books and tutorials recommend, is knit the entire sock, and then knit the heel. I knit the length of cuff I wanted. Then knit a row with waste yarn. Started again with the project yarn and knit for about two inches. Using another set of the same size dpns, I then knit the heel; bound off with Kitchener Stitch and the reattached the yarn and resumed knitting the foot of the sock. I could have measured or calculated how much length the heel would add to the foot as done in the video tutorial.

Some Resources:

The Yarn Harlot

The Knit Girllls Video Tutorial

Teach Yourself Visually Knitting Socks

Yarn Tainer

Toupie is very good about yarn 98% of the time. He is a little challenged when I’m blocking (pulls at the pins, lays on the drying fabric) and occasionally has fits of mischief when I’m laying out yarn or fabric to photograph. But yarn coming out the Yarn Tainer drives him wild. When I knit from freezer baggies, he’s not bothered. There is nothing better for skeins of Lion Brand Fisherman’s wool than the Yarn Tainer, as long as I keep the water bottle equally close at hand to squirt the resident feline.

Afterthought Heel

 

 

I just realized that the drug I take for my shoulder problems has the same name as the plant-derived drug in the Vedic scriptures.

 

I augment this blog post at another time with more information and links about the afterthought heel.

Predatory Pussies

Click

The wonderful thing about cats is that at some point every cat owner admits they've let something wild into their lives with its own agenda.

Friday night I didn't hang up my coat but draped it over the ottoman. Walking through the living room, I thought I heard a noise as I passed the coat-draped ottoman. I stopped, looked around; I even called the cat by name; no cat in sight. When I passed through a few minutes later, a paw swiped my ankle as I reached the ottoman. I was the prey, and puss the hunter.

Being male, Toupie is a more than a little territorial. He growls when someone comes to the door that he doesn't know. And as more than one chinese food delivery person will attest, he habitually bounds out of the apartment after them. My sister on more than one occassion has simply branded Toupie's behavior as gangsta.
 

Kitchner Before Breakfast

Toupie and I had a lazy Sunday yesterday. Didn’t make the bed until it was time to change the bedding (Toupie’s favorite time of the week). As you can see from the photo, someone didn’t mind.

Sock Knitting

I like everything about sock knitting except for heels. I’ve tried and succeeded with the standard gusset heel, but I find it nerve-racking and a couple of my science experiment socks in variegated yarn had terrible pooling problems in the gusset area. I don’t know if it was me or the yarn. I like the Fleegle Heel concept. What I haven’t worked out yet is getting a snug heel fit using the Fleegle Heel. I’ve downloaded some patterns with the Strong heel and will try those. My major triumph Sunday morning was completing an afterthought heel and binding it off with Kitchener Stitch. The heel fits like a glove. I’m using Lion Brand Fisherman’s Wool in Birch Tweed (this is their one yarn in the Fisherman’s Wool line that isn’t 100% wool.) I’m using size 3 dpns. The socks fit snugly on my leg and foot. When you have bird legs and pencil feet these minor details become important.

Just for amusement: Toupie has a thing about my British Policing Manuals. Look at that guilty mug. The Roads Policing Manual has a few claw marks. I secretly think he's planning on taking and driving away.

Community Revisited

One of my initial blog posts after All Crafts Media (ACM) was put into Administration was about Community. In almost a fortnight, the one-year anniversary of the birth of our community will be reached, marked, and celebrated. Hundreds, if not thousands of people around the world who don’t knit, crochet, or sew, haven’t been on Ravelry, and who never knew of the existence of these companies, its management or publications are now aware and either involved (through their own volition or by developments that directly impact them or their business) or are following events with avid interest.

The developments of the last two weeks brought me back to the idea of community and what community holds. I’ve been thinking about the title of a book I’ve ordered and its relationship not only to both the professional and volunteer work I do away from my hobby but to the developments and the events of this past year. The title of the book gave me a new framework for the ideas which have been fermenting recently.

The book is A Paradise built in Hell: The Extraordinary Communities that Arise in Disaster. While our community has not suffered a Katrina-like disaster, this on-going debacle has and continues to disrupt lives, careers, and businesses, cause grief and loss, and the expenditure of countless hours of unexpected work by those who continue to be affected.

Although I did not write those words about community blithely last year, I’ve discovered that my understanding of community, what it holds, and what it can achieve was not as fully developed as it has become. I have watched and participated in the community coming together in recognition of our mutual experience on a variety of levels, the recognition of our interdependence, and that by steadfastly holding the container to support customers and contributors of CM, ACM (also and previously KAL Media Ltd, Hipknits, Magknits) as they seek resolution of problems such as unpaid designers, missing designer samples, goods not as described, and unsuitable yarn club substitutions (to name a few!). We champion support of Indy dyers and buying patterns direct from designers and through other magazines/books with a less tarnished business history.

I’ve relearned that community by its very nature is interdependent. Interdependence creates or opens up space not only in the community as a whole but in the lives of each of its members. Because of mutual experience, each agrees to join with others. Skills, talents, and experiences beyond the reason for the community’s formation are shared, discovered, and resourced forming even deeper individual and community bonds. From all of the above comes, inclusiveness because each member and the community as a whole recognize the shared pain of The Other.

It’s not simply a case of ‘build it and they will come.’ It’s what is built, with what intention, and how the framework is held that matters. By documenting a fact-based History of the diverse enterprises, businesses, their management and practices and steadfastly holding that as the foundation and framework to guide our behavior, decisions, and actions, we have concomitantly created a resource and repository for partners and allies.

So when the patterns in A Guide To Knitting were recognized, there was a place and people with whom the information could be safely shared with the assurance that appropriate action would be taken. Guided by our framework, a designer whose uncredited, and—it turns out (to no surprise)—unpaid work was published in A Guide to Knitting was contacted as well the publisher, Igloo Books. And as before, work was sold with the understanding that the seller, Handmade Living Magazine (a former ACM publication), had the rights to sell. Once again, we are seeing a situation where both a designer and a reputable publisher have potentially suffered financial, legal, and brand damage because of the actions of the management of these companies. Igloo has pulled both this and another book of patterns from Sew Hip (an ACM publication sold to Crafts Magazine, Ltd., after the Administration) from its online catalogue. And because it is suspected that several of these sold and published designs were in the production pipeline for Yarnwise (formerly Knit) when ACM was put into Administration, and not forwarded to Tailor Made, which purchased Yarnwise and the content in the pipeline for publication, that Tailor Made may now have to devote time and resources to investigating and determining if there is any action they should pursue.

This week subscribers to Modern Quilting (CM publication) received the following email:

1^st February 2013

Dear Subscriber

Modern Quilting Magazine

It is with regret I have to inform you that on 10thDecember 2012 Craft Magazines Ltd ceased trading as we had insufficient funds to pay our bills or to carry on trading.

We wrote to all our trade creditors giving them 30 days to accept the situation or to petition the courts to force us into liquidation at their own cost, which has not happened.

We have during this period been actively trying to get another publisher to take over the magazine, but as yet no one as been prepared to do this, although we will continue to try and find someone.

If anyone would be interested in taking over Modern Quilting Magazine or wishes to contact me please do so at the above address, as we have ceased trading this email address is not monitored on a regular basis.

Kind Regards

Richard Rycroft

Director
Craft Magazines Ltd
Simply Sewing, Modern Quilting, Simply Beautiful

Interesting, Simply Sewing (formerly Sew Hip) announced in October that it was only publishing digitally. One edition of Simply Sewing was published digitally. No paper copies or refunds to subscribers—despite emails and phone calls to CM Ltd.—was ever supplied to subscribers, let alone a reply to their queries. Modern Quilting’s Christmas Edition was last seen on the shelves on November 3, 2012. Simply Beautiful has tweeted this week that it is not owned by CM Ltd., will publish quarterly, has gone to press, and copies will be with subscribers and contributors next week.

I suggest that it is interesting that the signature on the email letter was not modified to reflect that only Modern Quilting remains as a magazine in CM Ltd.’s stable.

For more history of all the companies and management involved, Click and for a detailed update of current developments Click; if you are a member of Ravelry, please Click.

The journey that was started on almost a year ago has no foreseeable end. Events are, as they have always been, not in our hands. But our community continues its mission to discover and ensure the verifiable facts see the light of day and to continue to give support to all those so terribly affected by the actions of these companies and their management.

Socks, A Yarn Barf and a Furball

Socks!
First-time Tube Socks by Ann Budd knit with Knit Picks WOTA sport overspun Garnet Heather colourway

Finished my first pair of socks for 2013.

Yarn Barf
 

This is a lovely merino DK-weight yarn from Colourmart. I bought the DK Merino set when as a special offer for the Olympics knitting but the Olympics happened between travelling to meetings and I was unable to knit it up. Both skeins that I have worked with barfed badly. I'll need to work out what I'm doing wrong when it's time to knit the rest of the batch. But the yarn really is butter soft, a little splitty but nothing that can't be overcome, and knits up beautifully. Colourmart always has a wonderful selection in stock and they are amazing to deal with. Highly recommend.

I'll spare you piccys of the furball I stepped on this morning while getting out of bed.

Hot Chocolate complaint: why are hot chocolate packets designed to make 6oz cups when most people have 8oz cups?

First Six Days of the Year

I've finished the first project of the New Year. A slouchy tam to accompany the Jared Flood Gansey Scarf I knit last January.

I've managed to get Knit Meter loaded onto the blog and my Ravelry Profile. I only have 20,638.8 more yards to knit before the current stash disappears. :) Mme DeFarge where are you?

Sorry there were no photos with the last blog post. Apparently now you can't upload from your computer in Blogger but have to upload photos first to Picassa. Big Brother Google strikes again.

Anyway, here are photos of the recently finished items and two wips (works in progress):

WIP: 5 in 1 Convertible Mitts by Marly Bird knit in KP City Tweed HW in Cobalt colourway for my sister. I'm hoping to schedule a fitting for tomorrow.

Grey Tam knit with KP Special Buy WOTA sport overspun in colourway Ash

Odessa by Grumperina knit in Rowan Felted Tweed DK colourway Treacle

Not knit. Cat watching Redkins lose to Seattle Seahawks. I've promised him three hours of Downton Abbey as consolation.

WIP: First Time Tube Socks by Ann Budd knit with KP Special Buy WOTA sport overspun in Garnet Heather colourway. This is being knit as part of the Friends Ravelry Group KAL/CAL Knit Any Sock 2013

Simple Mitts from Knit Simple Holiday 2012

 

MLK Day of Action Volunteer Opportunity for DC-Area Knitters/Crocheters

I'm passing this along:

How are you planning to honor MLK Day this year? We know that you love to knit and would like to invite you to “DC Knit-In 2013.”

We are writing to you from Meridian International Center, an international non-profit based in DC (Meridian Hill Park), whose mission supports global leadership development. Meridian programs bring people of all backgrounds together around common platforms – such as exchange, ideas and the arts or why not KNITTING! We know that knitting is universal and there are a lot of you in DC – so here is our idea.

We have been looking for volunteer opportunities for MLK Day this year and have not found our ideal match. We would like to gather a critical mass of knitters on Sunday, January 20th in the afternoon to make hats for the homeless. It is getting cold out, the city is busy preparing for the inauguration, and we want to give back - with you. We see knitting as a wonderful way to bring together people of all backgrounds, generations, and skill levels for one common goal.

We are short on time but believe that this is possible with your help. This email is going out to DC knitting groups – please feel free to pass it along and share your ideas with us.

To make this happen, we would need the following:

Venue – size TBD based on response
Materials – we know veterans would have their own needles, but we would like to recruit new knitting volunteers as well so it would be good to look for donations of needles and of course YARN – Lots of Yarn!
Publicity – we need your help to spread the word – get the knitters and volunteers there

If you are interested, please email: rtaylor@meridian.org

World Wide Weirdness

Every once in a while it pays to just google yourself or your blog.  Found this very strange, what seems to be a translation of an earlier blogpost: click

Or this about the main character in my series of mystery novels: Trevor BTW, none of those pictures remotely resembles the Trevor Littlejohn I have in my writer's head.

Year of the Water Snake

There are another 35 or so days before the Year of the Water Snake arrives, but already it feels like 2013 will be action packed.

In February I'm attending a cast-on class at Looped Yarn Works taught by the amazing Shirley Paden. I am going to continue my Way of Shambhala training with Meek and Perky in March. Spiny and Mr. Ant are coming in May for the Malice Domestic conference. And I'm laying plans to travel to Oakland to see Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh in October.

The calendar year ended with another incredible Monlam with a series of teachings by the Karmapa that I'll continue to absorb during 2013.

Toupie had to suffer through my confusion during the last days of 2012. I put a package of pecans next to the packages of treats and at least twice gave him pecans instead of treats. Puss was not a happy camper.

Among my achievements during 2012 was adhering to my resolution to knit 1 hour per day with amazing results in my productivity and for the last eleven days of the year, I only ate from my refrigerator and pantry. The one, which I thought would be an achievement, but which I've realized is a process, is a total clean-up and out and organization of my living space. More about that later.

The best fun of 2012 was visiting the Insectarium in New Orleans and the Christmas Countown in the Friends group on Ravelry where we gifted each other patterns.

If you've been a regular or occassional reader of this blog, you'll know the biggest frustration of 2012 for me and hundreds of others.

Knitting
One the needles are Ann Budd's First Time Tube Socks and Basic Tam Pattern. Next are a pair of convertible mitts for sister and the Annie Modesitt's Falkland Skirt from History on Two Needles.