I did hear back from Berroco regarding the term "welted seam". Another knitter who had the same question posted Berroco's reply in a comment to my original entry. (I imagine they get this question ALOT!)
Basically, it refers not to a type of seaming but to the look of the seam. You sew the pieces together using a method that results in the seam showing on the public side of the work. Any method...
You could do the mattress stitch with the wrong sides facing; or do an overcast or whip stitch while holding the wrong sides together.
Yours in knitting,
Claire
Tuesday, April 17, 2007
Lorna Has Landed
That's the call I got from Sue today: Lorna's Lace sock yarn HAS ARRIVED at Cultured Purl. And because I already have enough sock yarn stashed to keep my family in knitted socks for the next decade, I naturally did the sensible thing and RAN RIGHT OVER AND BOUGHT A BUNCH OF THE STUFF!!!!
And there was a line ahead of me.
It is a beautiful, buttery, lusciously soft yarn, done in some of the loveliest colorways I've seen. 3 skeins should get you 2 pair of socks.
Hurry on over and take a look!!
Yours in knitting,
Claire
Saturday, April 14, 2007
George's Miters
Miters are way cool to knit.
They're one of those fantastically cooperative projects: the pattern is easy to memorize and really quite interesting from an engineering point of view; it takes no time at all to whip out a square; each square requires such a minimal amount of yarn it's easy to haul around in a pocket or purse; mixing colors is a blast; and I could go on and on and ON about how great this is and how glad I am that Shirani suggested it for George, because what little boy with a name like that WOULDN'T want the coolest, funkiest, non-baby-like blanket ever knitted...
And so, I was making some real headway on this project - I meant it when I said these take no time at all... then it was suggested (by a really sensible knitter friend) that I might want to do a little seaming along the way rather than wait till the end. So,
I hung out at Cultured Purl yesterday and mattress stitched some miters!!!
and it looks REALLY REALLY COOL!!! and I thought, wow this is really gonna work, and I had that satisfying feeling of accomplishment when the miters actually met in the middle and it's straight seaming for the most part and so what if I skipped the blocking step and the edges are a little curly...
then....
I turned it over and was
just
about
struck down in a dead faint,
when I realized,,,
the back looks like:
This many (FREAKIN) ends times about a zillion to get the blanket to a respectable size.......OHMYGOD.........
Then Shirani, calmly, and with common sense beyond her years, came up with obvious solution of lining the thing with flannel...Thank God I stopped by the shop today!!
So, it's back to mitering for me....
Yours in lots and lots and lots of cool little squares,
Claire
They're one of those fantastically cooperative projects: the pattern is easy to memorize and really quite interesting from an engineering point of view; it takes no time at all to whip out a square; each square requires such a minimal amount of yarn it's easy to haul around in a pocket or purse; mixing colors is a blast; and I could go on and on and ON about how great this is and how glad I am that Shirani suggested it for George, because what little boy with a name like that WOULDN'T want the coolest, funkiest, non-baby-like blanket ever knitted...
And so, I was making some real headway on this project - I meant it when I said these take no time at all... then it was suggested (by a really sensible knitter friend) that I might want to do a little seaming along the way rather than wait till the end. So,
I hung out at Cultured Purl yesterday and mattress stitched some miters!!!
and it looks REALLY REALLY COOL!!! and I thought, wow this is really gonna work, and I had that satisfying feeling of accomplishment when the miters actually met in the middle and it's straight seaming for the most part and so what if I skipped the blocking step and the edges are a little curly...
then....
I turned it over and was
just
about
struck down in a dead faint,
when I realized,,,
the back looks like:
This many (FREAKIN) ends times about a zillion to get the blanket to a respectable size.......OHMYGOD.........
Then Shirani, calmly, and with common sense beyond her years, came up with obvious solution of lining the thing with flannel...Thank God I stopped by the shop today!!
So, it's back to mitering for me....
Yours in lots and lots and lots of cool little squares,
Claire
Friday, April 13, 2007
still waiting on the welted seam thing...
but I got some really nice feedback on my grammar comment!!!!! What a breath of fresh air! Thanks, anonymous, for that link. I did sort of know the correctness of using Thomas's, but I think there's something especially unattractive about its appearance on the cover of this particular book. And you know what - maybe because it's all done in caps...
When I flipped through a few of my books this afternoon (I never did get any knitting done today!), I discovered that, as usual, authorities differ in their opinion. With regard to names ending with an "s" - following the pronunciations seems to be a popular strategy. So, if you pronounce it as "Thomases book", then Thomas's is correct. But for a name like Camus, where the S is silent, the proper form is Camus'.
Well this walk down Grammar Lane has been fun! While you're checking out the Stanley and Thomas books, also take a peek at The Knitter's Book of Finishing Techniques, by Nancie Wiseman. Her explanations of the finer points of finishing sweaters and other projects are very clear and well organized. It is a reference I refer to frequently.
Yours in yarn,
Claire
When I flipped through a few of my books this afternoon (I never did get any knitting done today!), I discovered that, as usual, authorities differ in their opinion. With regard to names ending with an "s" - following the pronunciations seems to be a popular strategy. So, if you pronounce it as "Thomases book", then Thomas's is correct. But for a name like Camus, where the S is silent, the proper form is Camus'.
Well this walk down Grammar Lane has been fun! While you're checking out the Stanley and Thomas books, also take a peek at The Knitter's Book of Finishing Techniques, by Nancie Wiseman. Her explanations of the finer points of finishing sweaters and other projects are very clear and well organized. It is a reference I refer to frequently.
Yours in yarn,
Claire
Update on the Welted Seam...albeit a little off topic
Okay. I found Mary Thomas' Knitting Book. First, I should tell you that it's called Mary Thomas's Knitting Book, by Mary Thomas. And frankly, as a total aside, I am somewhat bothered by the use of the extra "s" after the possessive apostrophe here...and I am going to spend some time (better spent knitting) looking this up later in my daughter's grammar book... (okay. in my grammar book. Actually ONE of my grammar books. I have a library shelf reserved just for them. Is that excessive? You might be wondering why, if I have so many grammar books, I do not already know the rule about possessive S names off the top of my head. My children would be rolling their eyes if they were reading this...)
But Mary's book, while WONDERFUL, had no reference to welted seams. I LOVE this book! It was originally published in England about 60 years ago and it is lovely: eccentric, written in 1930s vernacular, and contains a wealth of knitting tips. It's full of hints like this: "To prevent the edges of a fabric in Flat Knitting from curling when worked in Stocking Stitch, purl the second and penultimate stitches in the Knit row only." This will "obviate the roll." Kind of charming don't you think? and yes, I will admit that I had to look up the definition of penultimate (next to last or second from the end). But now I know how to make flat edges AND I own a new word!!
So Mary's book was hidden in with the secret books...and before I come out of the closet on that one, I'm going to tell you about the pile of books on my nightstand as I write this. Lust for Life, a biography of Vincent Van Gogh (for book group); Theo, the Other Van Gogh (it's my turn to present at Book Group and I needed some extra research material); Dear Theo, Van Gogh's letters (more research); A Gentle Madness - Bibliophiles, Bibliomanes, and the Eternal Passion for Books (so I can read about other people who have a penchant for spending the national debt at Barnes & Noble); Richard Dawkins' The Ancestor's Tale, A Pilgrimage to the Dawn of Evolution (because it seemed like something I didn't know much about) [I am totally not making this list up] and I am telling you this so you think I actually am sort of smart, because when I tell you about the SECRET books you're gonna wonder...
Mary's book was mixed up in the Harlequin Romances that I keep hidden in a basket by (under) the bed. (I blame this hobby on that flame-red headed English grandmother I told you about who would fly over from England for summer visits with a suitcase full of Mills & Boons...) yes, I am a closet romance-novel-reader... Mary's book is about the same size and I am going to leave it at that...
Anyway, enough about me. Check out Mary's book. I think Shirani has it in stock. And just so I can feel like there was something useful to be gleaned from this loooooooong entry - check out my ALLTIMEFAVORITE knitting reference: Montse Stanley's The Knitter's Handbook (by Reader's Digest) and also something you can find at Cultured Purl.
Yours in knitting,
Claire
But Mary's book, while WONDERFUL, had no reference to welted seams. I LOVE this book! It was originally published in England about 60 years ago and it is lovely: eccentric, written in 1930s vernacular, and contains a wealth of knitting tips. It's full of hints like this: "To prevent the edges of a fabric in Flat Knitting from curling when worked in Stocking Stitch, purl the second and penultimate stitches in the Knit row only." This will "obviate the roll." Kind of charming don't you think? and yes, I will admit that I had to look up the definition of penultimate (next to last or second from the end). But now I know how to make flat edges AND I own a new word!!
So Mary's book was hidden in with the secret books...and before I come out of the closet on that one, I'm going to tell you about the pile of books on my nightstand as I write this. Lust for Life, a biography of Vincent Van Gogh (for book group); Theo, the Other Van Gogh (it's my turn to present at Book Group and I needed some extra research material); Dear Theo, Van Gogh's letters (more research); A Gentle Madness - Bibliophiles, Bibliomanes, and the Eternal Passion for Books (so I can read about other people who have a penchant for spending the national debt at Barnes & Noble); Richard Dawkins' The Ancestor's Tale, A Pilgrimage to the Dawn of Evolution (because it seemed like something I didn't know much about) [I am totally not making this list up] and I am telling you this so you think I actually am sort of smart, because when I tell you about the SECRET books you're gonna wonder...
Mary's book was mixed up in the Harlequin Romances that I keep hidden in a basket by (under) the bed. (I blame this hobby on that flame-red headed English grandmother I told you about who would fly over from England for summer visits with a suitcase full of Mills & Boons...) yes, I am a closet romance-novel-reader... Mary's book is about the same size and I am going to leave it at that...
Anyway, enough about me. Check out Mary's book. I think Shirani has it in stock. And just so I can feel like there was something useful to be gleaned from this loooooooong entry - check out my ALLTIMEFAVORITE knitting reference: Montse Stanley's The Knitter's Handbook (by Reader's Digest) and also something you can find at Cultured Purl.
Yours in knitting,
Claire
Welted Seams
A customer was in the shop today asking for some help with a Berroco pattern that calls for a "welted seam". For a picture of the seam, click HERE. Well Sue and I were at a complete loss...
I came home and did a little Internet sleuthing, but there is not a byte of info to be had on "welted seams". If I had to make an educated guess, I'd say it's pretty darn close to an overcast stitch done on the right side. But not quite...if I could just put my hands on my copy of Mary Thomas' charming and fact filled knitting reference...but it's not, for some inexplicable reason (that only my messy house faeries know), with my other 10,000 knitting books...
so - I called the company. It turns out that Berroco has a pattern hotline!! The voice mail message promises someone will respond to my inquiry within 48 hours. I will let you know. In the meantime,if YOU have any thoughts, we'd love to know!!
Yours in knitting,
Claire
I came home and did a little Internet sleuthing, but there is not a byte of info to be had on "welted seams". If I had to make an educated guess, I'd say it's pretty darn close to an overcast stitch done on the right side. But not quite...if I could just put my hands on my copy of Mary Thomas' charming and fact filled knitting reference...but it's not, for some inexplicable reason (that only my messy house faeries know), with my other 10,000 knitting books...
so - I called the company. It turns out that Berroco has a pattern hotline!! The voice mail message promises someone will respond to my inquiry within 48 hours. I will let you know. In the meantime,if YOU have any thoughts, we'd love to know!!
Yours in knitting,
Claire
Thursday, April 12, 2007
Eye of Partridge
When I ran into Linda at the yarn shop yesterday, she showed me some of her recently knit socks done up in Socks that Rock Yarn. (Linda actually knits with the yarn she buys as opposed to those of us who just hoard it...)
anyway...she had THE coolest looking heel, the Eye of Partridge. She got it from the Harlot's Knitting Rules book, however I googled it and found about 100,000 hits. Essentially, it is just like the heel stitch (where you slip every other stitch on the knit side) except that every other knit row is offset one stitch. There is a very nice picture and chart here The end result is a sort of an all over basketweave look versus the vertical columns of the heel stitch.
What I really want to do is drop all my other projects and start on a pair of socks featuring this heel...but I am going to do the responsible thing and finish something already started (and maybe clean up the laundry room.)
Give it a try and let me know what you think!
Yours in knitting,
Claire
anyway...she had THE coolest looking heel, the Eye of Partridge. She got it from the Harlot's Knitting Rules book, however I googled it and found about 100,000 hits. Essentially, it is just like the heel stitch (where you slip every other stitch on the knit side) except that every other knit row is offset one stitch. There is a very nice picture and chart here The end result is a sort of an all over basketweave look versus the vertical columns of the heel stitch.
What I really want to do is drop all my other projects and start on a pair of socks featuring this heel...but I am going to do the responsible thing and finish something already started (and maybe clean up the laundry room.)
Give it a try and let me know what you think!
Yours in knitting,
Claire
Wednesday, April 11, 2007
On the needles...
I stopped by Cultured Purl today after a few days away - I always get that peaceful sense of coming home when I walk in and smell one of Shirani's candles burning and find a few knitting friends camped out in the sunroom.
Today was such a day: Linda was there seaming a baby sweater; Rita was making excellent progress on the gusset on her second pair of socks (I'm thrilled to say she's seen the sock light!!); Peggy was on her way out as I walked in, but it was nice to get a hug and hear about the new intarsia bag she's about to start; and of course Sue and Shirani were knitting and Leo was quite in the thick of things - the basket full of blanket swatches to be exact...
We got to talking about how many projects we have going - something I often find difficult to face because all that yarn on needles in various (read many many many) knitting bags around my house - well it can get a little overwhelming. I try to scatter the bags throughout all the different rooms of the house, thinking that if I don't see one great pile then it can't really be that bad. I do, however, have to admit the situation in our new laundry room is getting a little out of hand. I'm thinking if I tried to describe it, you just wouldn't believe me,
so,,,,,
I'm just going to show you....
a little scary...
and,
a little frightening because
my mother reads this blog...
and what makes it really really scary is that this is just what's in the laundry room (it's the new laundry room with lots and lots of space.) My husband, who does the laundry (god-love-him) has started giving me a lot of looks...
but in my defense, the stuff in here mostly has to do with works in progress for classes I am teaching!
But as to the rest of the house... want to hear? it might make you feel a little better about the couple of projects you've had hanging out on needles for a while...
okay.
2 socks - the second of Audrey's pair of ankle socks; my own in Jitterbug, ohmygod I almost forgot about the few rows I've started on that second yellow sock I began before Christmas - that's 3 then.
the lace shawl for class (About 2/3rds complete)
George's mitered baby blanket (as well as the one I started for myself in Noro...)
that really cool car coat from I think Interweave Knitting in about 40 balls of baby alpaca --the real problem here is that I've used some of the balls for another project. Rita, I am just NEVER GOING TO FINISH THIS!!!!
The red Lucy bag AND the blue Lucy bag...which is sad really because I have about 20 minutes of work left on the red one but I keep thinking I'll need it to demonstrate in class - so is it really fair to count this??
the rest of the works in progress really are for classes so I'm not going to include them here...
I just feel like I'm missing something big here...but that's what I have ON THE NEEDLES
As to the rest of it - well I'm feeling some pressure from the humongous bag of Debbie Bliss (hidden in the closet) earmarked for that ribbed sweater I want to make for myself. And there is this beautiful bag of Collinette that is at the back of my linen closet waiting for me to whip out an afghan - you knit-a-long ladies know what I'm talking about...I had to hide it behind the extra pillows because the guilt of it all was eating away at me, particularly over the last 2 years...
I have also about 10 skeins of sock yarn I keep looking at wanting to work on (this sock thing is like a disease...)
so there it is...I wish I could say writing about it has eased the stress of it all, but I'm feeling more than ever like I need to sit down and finish a miter before I fix dinner...
Yours in WAY TOO MUCH yarn,
Claire
Today was such a day: Linda was there seaming a baby sweater; Rita was making excellent progress on the gusset on her second pair of socks (I'm thrilled to say she's seen the sock light!!); Peggy was on her way out as I walked in, but it was nice to get a hug and hear about the new intarsia bag she's about to start; and of course Sue and Shirani were knitting and Leo was quite in the thick of things - the basket full of blanket swatches to be exact...
We got to talking about how many projects we have going - something I often find difficult to face because all that yarn on needles in various (read many many many) knitting bags around my house - well it can get a little overwhelming. I try to scatter the bags throughout all the different rooms of the house, thinking that if I don't see one great pile then it can't really be that bad. I do, however, have to admit the situation in our new laundry room is getting a little out of hand. I'm thinking if I tried to describe it, you just wouldn't believe me,
so,,,,,
I'm just going to show you....
a little scary...
and,
a little frightening because
my mother reads this blog...
and what makes it really really scary is that this is just what's in the laundry room (it's the new laundry room with lots and lots of space.) My husband, who does the laundry (god-love-him) has started giving me a lot of looks...
but in my defense, the stuff in here mostly has to do with works in progress for classes I am teaching!
But as to the rest of the house... want to hear? it might make you feel a little better about the couple of projects you've had hanging out on needles for a while...
okay.
2 socks - the second of Audrey's pair of ankle socks; my own in Jitterbug, ohmygod I almost forgot about the few rows I've started on that second yellow sock I began before Christmas - that's 3 then.
the lace shawl for class (About 2/3rds complete)
George's mitered baby blanket (as well as the one I started for myself in Noro...)
that really cool car coat from I think Interweave Knitting in about 40 balls of baby alpaca --the real problem here is that I've used some of the balls for another project. Rita, I am just NEVER GOING TO FINISH THIS!!!!
The red Lucy bag AND the blue Lucy bag...which is sad really because I have about 20 minutes of work left on the red one but I keep thinking I'll need it to demonstrate in class - so is it really fair to count this??
the rest of the works in progress really are for classes so I'm not going to include them here...
I just feel like I'm missing something big here...but that's what I have ON THE NEEDLES
As to the rest of it - well I'm feeling some pressure from the humongous bag of Debbie Bliss (hidden in the closet) earmarked for that ribbed sweater I want to make for myself. And there is this beautiful bag of Collinette that is at the back of my linen closet waiting for me to whip out an afghan - you knit-a-long ladies know what I'm talking about...I had to hide it behind the extra pillows because the guilt of it all was eating away at me, particularly over the last 2 years...
I have also about 10 skeins of sock yarn I keep looking at wanting to work on (this sock thing is like a disease...)
so there it is...I wish I could say writing about it has eased the stress of it all, but I'm feeling more than ever like I need to sit down and finish a miter before I fix dinner...
Yours in WAY TOO MUCH yarn,
Claire
Sunday, April 08, 2007
Lucy Bag in ribbon
Shirani had the great idea to do the Lucy Bag up in ribbon. Hers is a beautiful combination of blues and greens: spring fresh and perfect for today. Mine, not surprisingly, morphed into my typical greens, reds, & golds. Not very springlike but I LOVE it!
No matter what color combination you choose, felted or not, the Lucy Bag is such a great design, it always turns out beautiful!
Yours in ribbon yarn,
Claire
Thursday, April 05, 2007
Intarsia Bag
Here's Trish's completed bag and it is OHMYGOD so pretty!! I've never seen white felted before and it turned out great. Trish had the brilliant idea to dry in over the top of a phone book which gave a really nice structure to the bag. We just wrapped this class up last week:
I know the ladies look a little stressed here, but we had just been talking about the Kitchener seaming and I think they had a little anticipatory tension thing going on...by the end of the night I had the sense that everyone had enjoyed themselves and they felt pretty accomplished!!!
I love to see the different colors - every bag is one of a kind beautiful!!!!
and then,this has nothing in particular to do with knitting, but it was the other thing I did that same day, and the photo was in the same folder as the intarsia pictures: took the girls to their riding lesson, and the best thing about that day was it was the first time all winter we rode outside...hard to believe looking outside at the snow falling now, that it was 78 degrees Tuesday....
yours in knitting,
Claire
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