Knitting

Autumnal Knitting

October 14, 2024October 13, 2024 annbh3562 Comments

a selection of six hand knit beanies in various colors on a wood floor

Unlike Shel Silverstein’s Mr. Smeds who had twenty-one hats, and none of them were the same, I knit only eight beanies for this year’s Halloween hat drive sponsored by Hawthorne Helps. Momma joined the giving with a donation of two knit scarves. At nearly 101, she may be their oldest donor and HH will feature her picture on their October 29^th distribution poster.

Hawthorne Helps is a community partnership between Rochester Public Schools Hawthorne Education Center and the First Unitarian Universalist Church. The program also receives support from local faith, service, and business groups. Twice a month, HH volunteers distribute essential items that are not eligible purchases using Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits, such as deodorant, dish soap, or toothpaste. Each fall, the selection of items available to the adult learners includes wintery weather gear – hats, mittens, and scarves – which are especially useful for new immigrants arriving from warmer climates.

2022 Highlighted in Knitting & Books

January 2, 2023January 17, 2025 annbh3564 Comments

Taking an inventory of the old year is by no means a unique task. It is, however, not something I have done previously in this blog. So here are a few highlights of my 22 knitting projects (some of which you will have already seen) and my titles read – 82 – although to be honest, I indulged in a number of quick read YA fantasies and enjoyed a variety of easy-listening titles while driving to-and-from Eau Claire and hours spent gardening last summer in order to reach this quantity.

handknit blue silk scarf with beaded zigzag edge — Hitchhiker Shawl

gray knit afgan on blue leather chair — Hitchhiker Shawl

handknit shawl using rustic silk in muted creams and lavenders — Buds & Bumbles Shawl

blue green sweater with cable stitched yoke — Buds & Bumbles Shawl

handknit cardigan in light sage with navy blue accents — Coastal Grandma Sweater

bronze medallion marking Boston Freedom Trail set in sidewalk with the tips of two black leather shoes on bottom edge — Coastal Grandma Sweater

handknit blue shawl with contracting cream colored bands and lace edge — Apple Cart Shawl

Knitting

Snuggly Warm

February 28, 2022August 29, 2024 annbh3569 Comments

I tend to be a monogamous knitter, that is one big project on the needles at a time, but this winter was different. As our world contended with yet another Covid variant and surging infection rates, I stayed home knitting and reading. (Are there any better cold weather tasks?) I alternated between my red Knit Camp knit-along (KAL) sweater, Vivi, and a gray gansey afghan.

The Cambridge English Dictionary defines gansey as “a thick, knitted sweater made of yarn, of a type originally worn by fishermen; synonym – guernsey.”

Originating over 400 years ago on the Channel Islands, traditional ganseys were tightly knit for warmth and as a resistant barrier against cold sea winds and salty sprays. Stitch patterns were inspired by everyday objects aboard ship – lines (ropes), ladders, and nets. My afghan incorporates repeats of garter ribbing, double moss, and diamond brocade stitches on either side of a diagonal chevron zigzag pattern; when put together with Berroco Vintage Chunky (for ease of washing) the result is snuggly warm.

Happy knitting!

PS – If you are looking for a romantic, period piece with a good story which also depicts the isolation of island life, check out The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society.

Knitting

Stitches out of order

August 11, 2020March 7, 2021 annbh356Leave a comment

A recent review of my Ravelry project page confirms what I already knew – – I like cables. River Cowl was finished just today and features a subtle cable pattern that draws the eye from top to bottom.

While 1/1 cables usually are not my favorite construction element (I prefer a more robust design), I was intrigued by the subtle shifting of just one stitch either to the front or the back used to create the River Cowl. I discovered pattern designer, Tamara Moot, and I share a love of Dr. Who and River Song (the inspiration of this design) is a favorite character for both of us. Moot shares:

These elegant yet simple cables evoke River Song with the added bonus that the stitch pattern closely resembles the symbol for water or river found in the Southwest desert petroglyphs.

Cables are created by knitting groups of stitches out of order. Stitches held in the back result in a right leaning twisted column and, if held to the front, the twist will lean to the left. The larger the number of stitches shifted, the larger the fold in the resulting fabric.

Each of my three Building Block Shawls (2013-2014) had at least two squares or panels with cables. Churchmouse’s Following Seas Cabled Scarf and Reversible Cable Scarf have been go-to patterns for me. Between these two, I have gifted a combo of seven scarves. All the while knitting a creative collection of cabled cowls, hats, fingerless mitts, two sweaters and even a pair of mystery knit-a-long socks.

My project queue holds an intricate Celtic Cable scarf and a shawl that incorporates a beautiful Irish Saxon Braid border. So many patterns, much yarn, so little time…