Category: Knitting

Knitting

Knit for Food Knit-a-thon

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background teal fades to gold with bold white letters stating knit for food 03-23-24 with knitting ball and needles

I know what I will be doing a month from today on March 23 – KNITTING!

Inspired by Knit Camp leader, Marie Greene, I will join thousands of knitters and crafters in the Knit for Food Knit-a-thon 2024.  A day, that Marie describes, when “we can turn skeins of yarn into meals on tables, hope in hearts, and smiles on faces.”

This knit-a-thon is a 12-hour marathon to raise funds and awareness for food insecurity.  The event planners promise “100% of funds raised will be equally divided between Feeding America, World Central Kitchen, No Kid Hungry, and Meals on Wheels” and they have a track record validating their claim.  The previous three knit-a-thons, 2021-2023, raised $877,571!

Even if you are not a knitter, every craft-lover can participate because what is not to love about a day spent working with your favorite medium AND raising money for such a meaningful cause.  So join me in participating and donating to Knit for Food Knit-a-thon.

More information about the knit-a-thon recipients:

Knitting

Variations on a theme

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hand knit peach colored shawl with lace edges on a wooden hanger
hand knit fuchsia colored shawl with lace edges and crystal beads on a wooden hanger

At the pattern designer’s recommendation, I knit my first version of this shawl in a multicolored self-striping yarn. The lacy border took a back seat to the fabric’s vibrancy and I wondered what would result if I knit this same design with a solid or subtle tonal yarn. I quelled my curiosity first with the peachy project and then knit a second shawl in deep fuchsia. Both skeins had arrived in yarn club surprise packages and, utilizing good stash management practices, each just needed the right design.

The combination of fingering weight yarn and a slightly larger needle results in an airy body of garter stitches. An unusual double yarnover (yo2) at the beginning of the lace row creates an elongated fiber filigree. And, I added a little glitter by incorporating a pearlized pink Miyuki seed bead on each lacy tip. Now, wrapped in tissue paper, each shawl is safely tucked away awaiting a giving opportunity as a silent auction donation.

Happy knitting!

Knitting

Red Gems

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small handknit red blanket on a blue tweed chair

Just in time for Valentine’s Day!  Although these diamonds are not of the shimmery carbon variety but a well-planned placement of textured knit and purl stitches that create the illusion of repeating geometric shapes.  The designer offered three graduated sizes: baby blanket, lapghan, and full-sized afghan.  My version of the Little Gem Blanket is baby-sized, 32-inches square; just right to provide a bit of warmth on a sedentary evening of streaming videos. 

What we designate as our TV room can be chilly on a frigid winter evening depending on wind direction.  This room has only had cosmetic improvements – new windows and the refinishing of the original maple flooring.  We have no idea as to the energy efficiency of the insulation.  Slumped vermiculite? Or, it may even be the stitched newspaper–tarpaper variety we discovered when we remodeled the 1940s bump-out bathroom addition.  Hence the need for wool warmth.

This small blanket project also channeled the best ideals of stash management.  The 650-yards of superwash wool were remnant skeins remaining after the completion of the 2022 Vivi workshop sweater. That pattern was designed in the style of boxy Danish “night” sweaters which, coincidently, displayed an elegant collection of cabled diamonds.

Knitting

Knit Camp celebrating 5!

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two straw baskets holding balls of aqua and cream yarn

Not only is five Marie Greene’s favorite number (Who knew people had favorite numbers? Do you?) but this year marks the fifth anniversary of Knit Camp and I have been a member for nearly every month. 

There is both joy and practicality in this small online knitting community.  There is a custom app without all the noise and political rhetoric of the big social media platforms.  I receive 12-15 free patterns each year, as well as easy-to-follow stitchery tutorials.  There are knit-alongs (KAL) that include both a Winter Sweater Workshop and the 4-day sweater marathon in July; an exclusive Fall Mystery Shawl event in October; and, not to be forgotten, the annual Knit Camp at the Coast 3-day virtual retreat. 

This winter’s “sweater” is the newly designed Taos Valley Poncho which I am not knitting but I am thoroughly enjoying the weekly online courses that range from an intro to New Mexico textiles, to how to steep white pine coffee, to learning the tuck-stitch.  While a multi-toned poncho may not grace my wardrobe, I ordered yarn for the Knit Camp Anniversary Afghan.  This is dubbed a 12-month celebration in stitches and will consist of a series of blocks – one design per month; each knit twice (for double the fun) in alternating colors.  However, the yarn is simply taking too long to arrive, so my patience is thin as I check the front porch every day.

So much fun and friendship too.  Happy knitting!

Graphic credit:  © Marie Greene

Knitting

Pathways to Peace KAL

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A hand knit lace shawl in multi colored pinks and greens on a wooden hanger

A first of the year reporting on an end of the year project.

Earlier Project Peace knit-alongs (KAL) featured an original new pattern custom designed specifically to reflect that year’s theme but simplicity framed this 2.0 KAL.  In preparation, Healthy Knitter Christina Campbell suggested choosing from among one of her earlier designs or the Anica Shawl. I chose the latter and paired her recommendation with a wonderful single skein of merino blended fingering from South Africa that was hand dyed exclusively for the 2022 Strickmich yarn club. Yard by yard, the bold Happy Crowd colorway revealed a self-striping vibrancy well outside my normal, often monotone, palette.

The Anica Shawl pattern incorporated a well-tuned balance of restful repetition perfect for Project Peace reflections. Yet, the artful lacework held my attention and produced a comfortable wrap featuring airy eyelets along one side and a picot border on the opposite. The result was so charming that I claimed this shawlette as my own.

Happy knitting!

Knitting

Project Peace 2.0 – Pathways to Peace

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Green knit shawl with multicolored pink border on hanger
Peace In Place Shawl – a 2020 Project Peace Knitalong with Christina Campbell

A little bit of joy arrived in my in-box this afternoon with an email from Christina Campbell.  Her knitting patterns always offered that perfect blend of artistic interest and gentle repetition that encouraged self-care, meditation and, yes, peace.  Between 2016-2020, I participated in four Project Peace knitalongs (KAL).  Then life intervened and her blog was silent.  But she has returned letting her readers and fellow knitters know that “… after two years of reading, writing, time in Shetland, walks in the woods, and releasing a lot into the compost pile, it is time to emerge.” 

Her 2023 Project Peace theme will be Pathways to Peace.  While she will not be releasing a new pattern, she has promised a daily blog post to help guide our steps on that path.  She is encouraging knitters to choose their own pattern, possibly one of her earlier designs, like my Project Peace shawl from 2020.  Back then we were slogging through yet more days of pandemic distancing and the theme Peace in Place created a textured triangular wrap with a lacy contrasting border.

Happy knitting!

Knitting

The Tuesday Night Wrap

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handknit lace scarf in two-toned gold yarn draped on a wooden hanger

A mystery knit-along (MKAL) requires confidence in the designer that your time and (more importantly) your precious yarn will not be wasted.  As I was very pleased with my version of The Aquarelle Shawl (an April 2022 MKAL), I cast on The Tuesday Night Wrap the very afternoon the first clue dropped. 

The early details alerted the 100s knitting along that the pattern would be released in four parts, create a rectangular wrap in two sizes (either scarf or larger shawl), and require two different yarns (one fingering and the other a lace weight mohair) best if undertaken in complimentary colors.  With Miss Marple serving as the pattern inspiration, lace work was a must as her character is always adorned in lace – lace collars, lace gloves, even lace wound in her hair.

With finished dimensions of 16 inches by 67 inches, this scarf is wider than I would normally feature.  Although the softness of this lovely merino fingering yarn, hand-dyed by Heather Best at Sew Happy Jane, will wrap nicely for squishy, cuddly warmth.

Librarian’s bibliographic note:  Miss Marple, Agatha Christie’s popular knitting sleuth, was introduced to readers in a short story published in 1927 and entitled:  The Tuesday Night Club. 

Knitting

Blue & Gold Challenge

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one skein of blue yarn and one skein of gold yarn each with a black Muse2320 paper label

Plans are underway for the Zumbro River Fiber Arts Guild (ZRFAG) golden anniversary, 1975-2025, and the Guild has announced a color challenge as one of its many, year-long activities.  In 2018, I participated in another ZRFAG challenge that stretched my color palate and technical skills when I knit my first short rows.

As the big reveal of color challenge creations will not occur until October 2025, each artist has time to plan and execute the perfect celebratory piece.  The challenge colors are Indigo Blue (representing the waters of southeastern Minnesota, in particular the Guild’s namesake – the mighty Zumbro) and 50th anniversary gold.  The colors in the resulting fiber piece, whether knit or crocheted, quilted or embroidered, woven or tatted, must incorporate at least 70% of the challenge colors.  Glittery metallic gold is certainly allowed to enhance the festive nature of the artwork.

While on my homeward trek after a riverboat lunch on the St. Croix with my library loving, book reading, wine drinking retired friends – The Directors, I took the opportunity to peruse squishy yarn treats at two shops.  And so, reminiscent of my UW-EC Blugold undergraduate days, I have begun my search for the perfect combination of blue and gold, both yarn and beads, as well as exploring shawl patterns that will challenge my expertise and deliver an exhibitable product.

Knitting

… and it starts today!

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round knit camp at the coast retreat badge 2023

From seed beads to bookmark looms to intentionally pooling hand-dyed colors, all will be revealed during Knit Camp at the Coast. In May, when I registered for this 4th annual retreat, September was on the far horizon. I had just planted the Yukon Gold potatoes (now harvested) and the teal Ewe Betcha shawl (the second in a trio of summer projects) was just off my needles.

Through the magic of Zoom, this virtual retreat brings knitters together with artists willing to share their enthusiasm and unique techniques. While certainly instructive all is not studious tedium. There will are WIP (work-in-progress) break-out sessions, thematic recipes, and a toast or two – whether the beverage of choice is a cocktail or a mocktail.

Happy knitting!

Graphic credit:  © Marie Greene

Knitting

If knitting was like baseball

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hand knit purple and white shawl
hand knit triangular shawl with a cream colored star and orange accents
stitch detail of teal and white hand knit shawl on a wooden hanger

… the game would be tied 3 Scarves – 3 Shawls. An earlier decision to skip a summer sweater knit-along (KAL) did not result in a knitting hiatus but rather a steady flow of smaller projects, just perfect for gifts and silent auction donations.

Having worried I would be overwhelmed when I committed to two fingering skeins each month from the Happy Hand Dyed Yarn Club, multiple skeins of Heather Best’s rich color combos have gone directly from mailbox to needles. The purple and white shawl with a whimsical bobble edge was a Knit Camp mystery KAL pattern which paired one of the April skeins with stashed yarn. The deep teal was the second in the April showers yarn offering, again mixed with a lovely merino silk blend. Heather’s dye pots yielded totally different hues for August (reminiscent of a large scoop vanilla bean ice cream served in an old-fashioned waffle cone on a hot day) and these were transformed into Martina Behm’s Half Norwegian. My zigzag choice for Sommer Camp.