the knitting buzz

predicament

Yep. I am in a regular quandary. 

The lace wrap/shawl that I'm knitting with Dream in Color It's Native has less yardage than I typically use for a knitted wrap/shawl... but more yardage than I need for a scarf. So I find myself doing a bit of skimping on the sizing to somewhat force a wrap/shawl or perhaps just realize that an oversized scarf is what's in store for me.

Currently, I'm doing alot of yarn weighing and measuring, especially at the start:

• I weighed the hank before I started casting on, then weighed it after the border was completed. So now I know exactly how much yarn I will need to complete the border and bindoff without running out of yarn.  Clever right?
• I measured the first lace repeat and the border separtely, to estimate the final measurement of the piece.
• I also weighed the yarn again after the first repeat, to determine how many repeats I can get out of the yarn I have.
• I also measured the width.

Next, after I get another repeat or two knit, I will do a premature block to get a better idea of the final product and how the yarn/lace design stretches in width and length. 

This normally is why a gauge swatch is so important, but in this case, I knew the yardarge was skimpy for my need and didn't want to risk any yardage waste.  So I took the plunge.

Start with the end in mind.....that's my philosopy.  OR ....if you don't know where you are going you will probably end someplace else....

sage advice

Did you ever have one of those weeks that no matter what knitting you picked up you ended up ripping out stitches, repeats or total rows.  Well I just got off of one of those "off" weeks.  Thank goodness its over for now!!! 

 I started, started, started  a knitted lace wrap/shawl with the ever so beautiful Dream in Color It's Native lace weight yarn.  No its not a typo and I didn't stutter.

After ripping out (frogging) 20+ rows of knitted lace THREE TIMES, I thought it was time to practice what I preach.  Apparently I was getting a little "cocky" and didn't find the need to count my stitches after each repeat and sadly suffered the consequences.

 

But now, after taking my own sage advice, counting each repeat before starting the next has proven successful and .... now making some progress.

meryl streep knits

Did I really need another reason to adore the genius of Meryl Streep?

No. But its true. 

In separate interviews with the BBC and Oprah, Meryl Streep commented on how she does alot of knitting inbetween scenes, keeping her focused and in-character. Meryl has even taught co-stars how to knit while on location. 

Now my mind wanders, what would I do if I found myself in the company of Meryl Streep at the Yarn Store?  No telling... but I bet it would be embarrassing....for me.

distracted or too many pretty things

Its not possible to have TOO MANY pretty things, so it must be distractions or my knitting ideas far out pace my actual knitting.

I'm blessed with having multiple hanks of Wollmeise Lace Garn (its heavenly) and I promised myself that my next project would be with Wollmeise. 

 

THEN, I got a new pair of green shoes and how does this relate to knitting? Well, a coordinating lace scarf or wrap would be just the ticket to complete the ensemble....right? 

 
 

I don't have the right green in my Wollmeise stash to compliment the shoes....SOOOO... I was on a mission to find the right green.  And I did.  I found two beautiful hanks of Madelintosh Tosh Lace yarn in the color Thyme.....perfect.

 

Now here is where it gets messy..... I received a sample hank of the new lace yarn from Dream in Color It's Native Lace Yarn and its double heaven.  In fact, I think I died and went to heaven.  Its American Merino and American Mohair that is spun in the US and dyed by the Color Masters at Dream in Color. A veil dye technique that neither landscapes or pools... guarenteed beautiful every time.

 

Lets put it this way..... its so nice, I abandoned all of my previous great ideas to work with it..... Really, who could resist?

off the needles, blocked and published

Whew!  Venetia Lace Wrap/Shawl is finally finished and ready to worn around town.  It went from coming off the needles.

 

 

To the blocking board.

 

To this.....its kind of like going from caterpillar to cocoon to butterfly.

 
 

Venetia gets its name from the Diamond Mines in South Africa.  It's a gem! Badumbump

 

This lace knit wrap/shawl was knit using the beautiful Gossamer Lace Yarn from Sheepytime.  Its 80% Merino 20% Silk, 100 grams and 1312 yards.   I purchased this yarn a few years ago at Stitches Midwest and wonder why I waited so long to knit with it.  I thoroughly loved it ..... it knits and blocks beautifuly.  Lucky for me I have another hank.

Venetia Lace Wrap/Shawl & Scarf Pattern is available on Ravelry along with my other pattern designs.

more about knitted lace

As a followup to a previous post about the difference between knitted lace and lace knitting.....

Knitted Lace is the lace fabric that is knitted utilizing holes/yarnovers and corresponding decreases to form the lace pattern. It provides us the opportunity to give the pattern more defininition,  where it kind of "jumps off the page".

The additional rows of yarnovers used on the wrong side,  give the pattern more holes or  a lacey feel. But the decreases can add further definition to the design.  The trick of it all is in the decreases..... and in particular its the decreases that are knitted through the backloop.  Utilizing the backloop, twists the stitch resulting in a raised effect.  When these are done in succession over several rows it creates a defined edge or line in the design.

Here are some tips for mastering this technique.

Decreases thru the backloop.

p2togb - Purl two stitches together as one through the backloop.   With yarn in front, insert the right needle from the left into the backloops of the second and first stitches, in that order. Then wrap yarn around the needle in front to complete the stitch.

Note: some knitters find this too awkward to work.  If that is the case, the same effect can be gotten by purling one stitch, slip that stich back onto the left needle, with the right needle lift the next stitch over the purled stitch and off the needle, then slip the same stitch back to the right hand needle and continue.

Double decreases through the backloop.

p3togb - Purl three stitches as one through the backloop.  This is done the same as p2togb but with 3 stitches instead of 2.

s2pp2 - sl2 p1 p2sso - Slip 2 purl 1 pass slipped stiches over. This double decrease on the wrong side produces a dominant central stich on the right side or a defined point. With yarn in front, insert the right needle into the backs of the second and first stitch on the left needle, in that order at the same time, as if to p2togb,  and slip them from the left needle to the right needle. Purl the next stitch on the left needle, then insert the left needle into the two slipped stitches together, at the same time and pass them over the purled stitch and off the right needle.

The s2pp2 is not commonly done, but when it is used it produces a beautiful and distinctive pointed stitch.

More later...... as always ......Happy Knitting!

finishing up, means its time to start up

Venetia Lace Shawl/Wrap is nearly finished ...hooray....I am on the final lace knit border, then onto the outer edge, bind off, soak and off to the blocking board.    Even admist all the distrative swatching for my "next" project, my Venetia Wrap is nearly done and I am looking forward to sporting it around town. 

 

The "need" to start swatching for the next project got me thinking.  Why am I compelled to do this even though the current project is  NOT finished?  It seems that the thought of going project-less weighs on me for some unknown (to me) reason.  I'm sure there is some psychological term for it, OR perhaps its just the theory.....If you don't know where you are going you will probably end up some place else.

Which brings up another issue.  Not being project-less also means that I tend to be in a constant "scout" mode when it comes to finding the "perfect" yarn......which could be interpreted that I may on occassion buy entirely too much yarn.....usually of the  lace and fingering weight variety. 

Now that's just absurd......there is no such thing as too much yarn.   Denial is a river in Egypt, right?

knitted lace vs. lace knitting

Did you know there was a difference?  Or more importantly..... did you care? 

It's true! Really.  After much reading, it appears that it is generally accepted that Lace Knitting is defined as a knitted fabric where there is a row of plain knitting (usually the wrong side/purl row) worked alternately with a row of knitted holes/yarnovers and decreases made in various patterns. 

Knitted Lace is knitted fabric where there are holes/yarnovers and corresponding decreases are made on every row. Giving more definition to a lace pattern utilizing stitches like p2tog, p2togb. p3tog, p3togb, sp2p, and s2pp2. I'll post more about these stitches later.

The easiest way to tell the difference that the strands separating the holes/yarnovers in lace kniiting are twisted. Where is knitted lace the strands appear more in a suspended manner and not twisted.

In this closeup photo of the Kalokairi Lace Wrap, both examples are exhibited in one piece.  The wave or leaf looking pattern is knitted lace or worked in pattern on both the front or right side and the back or wrong side.  Notice how the strands inbetween the holes/yarnovers are straight, without any twists. 

While the rows of faggoting separating, the wave pattern, are twisted and form distinctively round holes or lace knitting.

For me, I get the difference, but find the terminology confusing at best, and easily mixed up.

My philosophy is ...... just keep knitting knitted lace and lace knitting!  =-)

Happy Knitting!

 

made my day

As a designer of knitting patterns, I get the luxury of selling my patterns to those who embrace by own design sensibility. For those that I see at the Yarn Shop. I love seeing their work and getting updates on their progress. 

But for  those patterns that I sell online to knitters I may never get to meet, the connection ends there, usually...... sometimes I get messages as questions pop up and the posting of progress or pictures of the WIP and then finally the finished project.  I love the pictures!  I love seeing the yarn choices. But  rarely is there a connection...... so it is this very special occassion.... I want to thank Kathy from Pennsylvania for making my day. 

Kathy took the time to share with me her enthusiasm for socks as a new knitter and I felt like I could feel her high energy and it was totally infectious.  Kathy gave me permission to share her kind words.....

Kathy wrote:

"Hello Krista, I purchased your pattern for the Dash Sock last night and stayed up past midnight to work on them.  After a few hours of knitting on them today, my first sock is DONE! I am a fairly new knitter, just started knitting socks since the first week of Februrary.  I have made 5 pair of socks using just 4 needles and this pattern is the first with 5 needles.  I really enjoyed making these.  Your pattern is very clear and was easy to follow.  I used Araucania Itata multi yarn and the varigation in the yarn was perfect for this pattern.  I can't wait to finish my other sock!......Thank you for sharing your talent with us!     ~Kathy in Pennsylvania

 

Kathy, thank you for your kind words and your enthusiastic knitting spirit.....

Haqppy Knitting! 

 

distracted

How does this happen?  Once my trip to Portland was cancelled,  I have lost my focus on my Venetia Shawl/Wrap project .....and I was doing so well.  Now that the deadline or rather goal has been removed, I find myself taking on new projects. 

I have started crocheting a pillow cover, testing out some patterns in the form of cotton facecloths and to top it off, I spent a good part of the weekend, swatching some knit lace designs for my next lace shawl/wrap design.

I can explain...... The distraction could happen to anyone.  I have recently acquired some beautiful laceweight and fingering weight yarn. A couple of hanks of Wollmeisse Lace Garn, Madelintosh Tosh Lace and Tosh Merino Light.  Ok, ok, ok.... who wouldn't be distracted by that.

Happy Knitting!