Seeing green 💚

In time for St. Patrick's Day, I present a FO in gorgeous green💚!  A week ago I finished The Cranberry Gose top, a sample knit and one of the choices for the Pick-a-Sweater class at beWoolen.  The yarn, WYS Fleece BFL, has the starring role of this project and made knitting a joy!  The knitted fabric has a soft hand and the color, Fellside, reminds me of the hills and mountains of Ireland and Scotland.  Wet blocking the front and back pieces improved the fabric by measuring carefully (using the schematic) and pinning the pieces to size.  After air drying, I used duplicate stitch to join the shoulders, lining up the texture stitches.  Seaming with mattress stitching at the sides made a tidy finish.

The pattern instructions are straightforward.  Taking time to plan ahead for the texture stitching at the neck and shoulder areas is helpful.  I used German short rows and placed six markers for the initial shaping so I could see where to stop the texture and just use stockinette stitching.  The back and front texture work should mirror each other when finished.  Shaping the front and back at the same time (so to speak) on separate needles also helped.  I tend to knit while watching TV, so those markers keep me on track.  The designer confesses to be confused by the right and left side before beginning the shoulder shaping.  The right side is as the sweater is worn and the knitting universe is correct.  The second size has the right amount of ease and I like the funnel neck, which is about 6.5".  There is enough length to flip the neck down for a turtleneck.  

Tidy mattress stitch side seam.

Flexiblity

I like the word flexible.  As an adjective it is defined as capable of bending easily without breaking, the able to be respond to altered circumstances or conditions, and ready and able to change so as to adapt to different circumstances.  As with most things in life it's good to be flexible.  On Friday, Jim decided we would go to 45th Parallel Distillery for the five o'clock tour rather than the later tour.  It was nice (just the two of us) and afterward we stopped at Culver's in New Richmond, Wisconsin to get something to eat before going home. On Saturday, I took a class to learn about making flexible felt.  Having wet-felted before, I knew the process using wool, water, soap, and agitation to mat and felt the fibers together.  The fabric I made is lightweight and beautiful.  The process was much faster than when I made the sheep rug last year in Linda's class.  She is  Bekaz Felt Works at Anoka Fiber Works and has done extensive work to ensure student success with her tried and true felting techniques.  I opted not to add a surface treatment as in my sample because the goal was to just make the fabric.  The next time I'll be sure to plan a multi-directional design.  After I got home, we went to Minneapolis to go to the Red Hot Chili Peppers concert.  They put on a good show!  We were fortunate to be in a suite with some of Jim's work colleagues.  A concert with good seats and good eats!  It pays to be flexible with one's schedule and when making fabric.

Humpty Dumpty was sporting a jaunty red, white, and blue cap.

This still is called Carl, Jr.

The barrels are made in Missouri.

Grinding stones make great tabletops.

Deb brought Mandy the bunny for a visit.  She was quite the puffball.

A power tool, pool noodle, and rolling pin are great for felting.

With the felting complete, it was time to stretch and smooth into shape.

The finished fabric blocking along with my sample.  The fabric is lightweight and just beautiful.  

Goings on

There's always something going on at Anoka fiber Works.  I've been busy knitting swatches for classes and winding warp for my next weaving project.  Tomorrow is the Short Row Class.  I have five different short row techniques to teach.  It gives the students plenty of options from which to choose.  

A sample needle felted painting I made for Teresa's upcoming class.  I'd photoshopped the original photo to use as wallpaper for my phone or iPad.  

Bunny on the run!

Deb's bunny kept us company one recent Saturday.

Birthday

I celebrated a big birthday recently.  It felt good to celebrate, too--I made it!  Jim and I celebrated with a nice supper and then birthday cake.  On Sunday Ben and Jim had an open house for me.  It was so nice to visit with friends and neighbors--and another delicious birthday cake!  I got a Fitbit from Ben and a 15-inch Cricket Loom with a stand from Jim.  I did a small weaving and will warp the loom today.  Photos to come...

Cricket Loom--just going on another path down the rabbit hole.

Jim had me wear the baseball shirt Ben and I had made for him in April.  The decorations were inside and outside the house. 

It also feels good to finish class samples.  The first is a child sized double knit ear flap hat in Pure Wool Worsted by Rowan and Liberty Wool by Cascade.  The pattern is sized for newborn to adult XL, and proceeds from the pattern go to charity.  The P Chullo hat is a free pattern with alphabet charts for the body and ear flaps.  One can fit a message into the 168-stitches around the body of the hat.  The original pattern calls for ten colors, and I am working the sample in five colors.  I made it through the first row of my message--fingers crossed that I stay on track!  Above the message there is a chart for a gryphon and a fox and the crown has waves and a snake, which I will change to a sheep.

One hat.

Another hat--two in one!

The FO (finished object) for the week is L'Enveloppe by Sally Melville.  I am teaching a class, which started out as a one to one and grew to include two other instructors and another student.  It is a project that is not difficult to knit, quick to knit, and looks wonderful on every body type.  Deciphering the pattern can be a challenge.  I made some notes on my Ravelry project page and Sally has a thread for L'Enveloppe help on her Ravelry group page.  We all agree that there will be more L'Enveloppes in our wardrobe!  The weather has turned cool and this will be a good week to  wear it.

Noro Yutzen yarn was the perfect choice.

A shape folded in half, one short seam is sewed on the long side to make a sleeve.

On the other side of the sleeve, stitches are picked up and then the side is knit with short rows.

Another fun project is Wavelength, a scarf that reminds me of giant rickrack.  I am working this in Anzula Dreamy, 75% Superwash Merino, 15% Cashmere, 10% Silk--a dreamy yarn!  The colors are brown (Sexy) and yellow-green (Temperance).  

Start with one chevron and then keep adding one chevron to each end.  The contrast
colors show off the texture nicely.

24

Ben turned 24 years old yesterday.  I remember the day well, although from about 11:30 pm (German time) the memories are a bit fuzzy.  I am so proud of the man he has become.  I took a cake to his office and then we went to Mort's for lunch.  It was nice to spend time with him ON his birthday.  When he was in college this time period was for finals, so he spent his birthdays in the library studying.  It was good to see him and talk over a nice lunch.

Ben loved my little green chair.  Such a dear little fellow that has grown into a wonderful man.

I was finishing Pigment last night and ran out of the main color!  Arrrgh!  That is frustrating.  The scarf looks great.  I will get another skein, as I am not going to frog the project and re-knit it.  Today before class I want to have the small sample of double-knitting and the illusion circle finished.  Ambitious, but doable! Sample knitting is a constant to prepare for upcoming classes.  My personal projects are waiting...and waiting...

Pigment, color, easy stitching, a bit of shape--what's not to love?

Hearts

I have the Valentine's Mitts finished and now that they are blocked the result is perfect.  The Marion Foale 3-Ply yarn has a nice hand and the color selection is wonderful.  The mitts are pinkish brown called Donkey, which I think is funny.  The color reminds me of the faded tissue from an antique valentine.  The mitts were easy to make, as the design was just knits, purls, and repeating the chart four times.  The thumb gusset has two plain rows between the increase rows.  They have a good fit--snug to the hand and thumb without being too tight.  This will be a class in January and February 2014.

I got a new pair of Sock Monkey pajamas this year.  Sock Monkeys playing with yarn and knitting.  How fun is that?

Speaking of all things woolly...Jim took me out for Black Sheep pizza in St. Paul on Friday afternoon.  The pies are coal fired and really good.  The crust is thin and crunchy.  Mine was the meatball, ricotta, and garlic.  I had to purchase a t-shirt, of course, and the waiter put the shirt in a small pizza box.  I love the doodled sheep logo.

Hot pizza pie on a cold day--yum!

Seeing double!

The current WIP is a double-knit hot pad.  The pattern called for cotton, but I have lots of Ella Rae wool in lovely colors.  Double knitting is knitting two sides at the same time.  My scarf was the first project worked in the technique.  The project is not large, however, when working double knitting it is good to remember that one is working two projects.  The talented designer of the pattern is Wendy from Running Jack Knits.

This photo shows the right side of the knitting (looking at the chart rows are knitted left to right).  Forty cast-on stitches are doubled to 80.  Each stitch on the chart is read as two stitches--knit on one side and purl on the other side.  I hold my yarns as I do for stranded/Fair Isle knitting, continental (pick) in my left hand and English (throw) in my right hand.  Yarns can be held in one hand, also.  Either way the yarn is held the knitter must be mindful of not twisting the yarns (except on the first stitch of each row).  

Shown is the opposite side.  The chart is read from right to left.  Once the pattern begins to show, reading the chart becomes easier.  

Looking closely at the fabric, the purl stitches show in between the knit stitches.

I have a class coming up very soon November 18 and 25, using this pattern.  I hope you will give double knitting a try.  This would be a nice hostess gift for the holidays.  Perhaps design a different motif...happy knitting!

FO Friday

I whipped up another sample for the Pick a Halloween Project class.  This time it is a washcloth.  Plymouth Cleo was a good price point and choice for the project.  I usually prefer to work from a chart, but the written instructions for the Halloween Skull Dishcloth were clear and easy-to-follow.

I love Pixlr-O-Matic

The dishcloth is worked in garter stitch, YOs, skp, and k2tog--super easy!

And now for something completely different...

The space next door to The Shepherdess opened up recently and Dawn has a space for classes.  I have one scheduled in October for Polymer Clay 101 with a focus on millefiori (caning) techniques.  Millefiori is a general term used for the techniques even though it means thousand flowers.  I dug out my samples and it is nice to know that the material has held up so well over the years.  The top photo is recent work and the bottom photo has the necklaces I made from scrap canes.  I love the Halloween necklace because the white beads  glow in the dark.

The ornament at the top is a slice from a complex cane,
and above the plain yellow button at the bottom is what
it looks like covered with a layer of clay slices.

The center necklace was made of scraps from my first canes.
The necklaces are good for showing off various caning techniques.

POLYMER CLAY 101

Polymer clay 101 is an introduction to millefiori techniques (caning). Students will learn how to make stripes, checkerboards, swirls, and marbleized canes, which can be sliced and used for beads, buttons, or whatever you wish. Once you know the basic techniques, you can unleash your own creativity!

Instructor: Deborah 

Date: Saturday, October 13

Time: 9 am to 12 pm

Cost: $45 (clay is included in the price)

Skill level: Beginner

CREATIVE SOULS is located in Anoka, Minnesota next door to The Shepherdess

2012 North Second Avenue

Anoka, MN 55303