What do you get when you combine a chance comment on an old piece of knitting. Once a swatch, now a small kerchief (swatches, especially lace one, used to be quite large).
Plus an unexpected find – later that same day – of three skeins of Rasta…
You get an opportunity to play hooky!
I wear this little kerchief quite a bit. It is one of the few neutral things in my wardrobe, as I have a fondness for colour.
I get more than a few positive comments on this. And that Friday was no different. What was different was when I got home I did a little work on my new yarn room.
And I found the Rasta.
And inspriration struck.
So I played hooky from my “real” knitting to create the Playing Hooky shawl/cape. Because it was Rasta, it only took the weekend to knit.
It has taken considerably longer to write the pattern. But here it is — Playing Hooky. Tapping on the link will take you to the pattern on Ravelry. Use the code HOOKY for a 30% discount.
Happy Knitting
Lynette
AI generated cartoon – computerized knitting machine confounded by hand-knitting designer
In September 2027, I’ll be heading to Alaska aboard the Discovery Princess for a very special knitting cruise – Dancing Lights: Alaska 2027.
I’ll be teaching knitting workshops, sharing two specially designed projects, and, of course, there will be plenty of knitting, laughter and time spent enjoying Alaska through a designer’s eyes.
The cruise information is now live, and I’m delighted that I can finally share it!
There is so much more to come. Over the next year I’ll be sharing peeks at the projects, yarn, inspiration and some of the preparations happening behind the scenes.
The Hydrangeas are from my new garden – they are aging spectacularly!
Note – I made a couple of changes the original blog post – stitch count is 370 at the end of the last row. I also suggested a different style of needle to make the first rounds work a little more easily.
Here are the next two rounds. The body pattern should be ready by Wednesday.
Transition Rounds
Round 1 – * K3, YO, K1, YO, K1, (YO, K2tog) 3 times, YO, K1, YO, K3, slm, K2tog (YO, Ktog) 84 times, slm, repeat from * once more – 380 st. stitch count moves like this 19, 169, 19, 169. The long sides each lost a stitch.
From this point he stitch count will increase by 4 sts on each end, every other round, 8 sts total and the side stitch count will remain the same.
Round 2 – purl.
My pattern Metro was knit using the same techniques as we are working with the Quickie pattern.
I haven’t dyed any yarn in a while. And I have had a particular project in mind for a while. I am thinking of teaching the moebius cast-on again, but I want to keep the knitting simple, a textured yarn with great coloures seemed to be the best way to go! So I am going to while away the day preparing for and then starting the project. First to dye the yarn.
The Yarn
I got the yarn prepped and dyed before breakfast. Right now it is drying. The yarn is Popcorn by Gathering Yarn. It is a 93% merino, 7% nylon blend chunky yarn – 100m per 100grs, highly textured and very soft. My dyeing tools are pretty rudimentary, a heavy steel pan, not to big – I generally don’t try to dye more than 2 or 3 skeins at a time, stainless steel tongs and bowl for presoaking the yarn and basic white vinegar to help set the colours. The dyes are Jacquard in bright yellow, lilac and turquoise.
I love to watch the yarn change as the dyes are absorbed into the yarn. My stove has the perfect center element, long and narrow, it works perfectly as a low heat source for the dyepan.
Just a little yellow dry dye for effect.Apparently a little goes a loooong way!What have I done!?Ok! This is more like it.This is looking pretty good!
As you can see there are a lot of changes as the dyeing progresses! I am quite pleased with the final effect. It is easy to see that I am not a professional dyer, but I still get results that I can work with. These two skeins are a little different, but if I alternate the rows – which I will most definitely do – I should get a good result.
The first picture is the yarn when wet. The second is the yarn when almost dry. You can see how different the skeins are.
The Project
I haven’t knit a moebius in a while. You know that a moebius one of those never ending circles that mathematicians and scientists just love. It is a mathematical concept discovered in the late 1800’s by two scientists working independently of each other. Like the wheel, like knitting, it was it’s time to be discovered.
Beside the text, is a Möbius strip made with a piece of paper and tape. If an ant were to crawl along the length of this strip, it would return to its starting point having traversed the entire length of the strip (on both sides of the original paper) without ever crossing an edge. Wikipedia
Knitters love them too, especially Cat Bordi, her moebius cast-on has really added something to the knitting lexicon.
The first project I knit using the moebius cast-on was the free pattern Grace Cowl. I was hooked. Since then I have designed a few moebius patterns. And I think it is time to create another pattern, something simple, something for teaching the technique to knitters who love to play and learn a new cast-on.
The moebius cast-on is a center line cast-on. This means that once the cast-on and first round are knit you will then be knitting in two directions.
The Moebius cast-on resembles a modified provisional cast-on; but is not provisional and becomes the two center rounds of your garment. Like some cast-on’s, provisional or otherwise this cast-on is “un-tensioned” and requires patience for the first half of the round of knitting – the second half of the round is easy. From the Moebius cast-on, like any other cast-on, a knitter can knit almost any kind of stitch and create a unique garment.
Be prepared – each half of the curve is the mirror image of the other half. For example; if every round after the cast-on is knit, one half of the moebius will appear as stockinet and the other half as reverse stockinet. Because of this a reversible stitch is recommended for those knitters who want both sides to be visually the same.
Popcorn is a lovely textured yarn and with being hand-dyed will knit up in a wonderful moebius without to much effort beyond knit and purl textures. I am thinking of a simple seed stitch alternating with some garter st bands. Time to try the cast-on with the dyed yarns.
The skeins definitely will need to be alternated! But aren’t they pretty! It was hard to find some natural light to really show you the colours, today is definitely grey. The dining room window sill did the job!
I couldn’t find my Addi circ needle, 8mm, US 11, 120cm or 47 in long, my preferred needles for this technique, so I am using an old Crystal Palace bamboo circ, 55 inches long. The cord is a little stiffer than I like to use. But everything else is buried behind other stuff until the Christmas Decorations are taken down and everything put away!
The Knitting
Supplies – 8.0mm circ needle, 55 inches long, 200m chunky yarn, BORM and halfway point marker
The most difficult part of moebius knitting is the cast-on and the first half round of the knitting. The cast-on is a unique one, almost provisional, one that creates an upper and lower row of stitches.
This cast-on has no tension and the stitches love to leapfrog over each other for the first half of the round. After the first half is knit the stitches will behave themselves.
Picture – cast-on and first half round complete
Once the first half is knit everything knits as normal except for the fact that you are knitting away from the center. As you get further and further from the center you can see the cords separating and the knitting getting wider. It is so magical!
Time to give my hands a break and do something different! But not for long! This is building up fast and I really want to see it complete!
This upcoming weekend is Canadian Thanksgiving and we celebrate it in our home with family and friends and of course, Turkey and all the trimmings. I am getting a bit of a head start today by making the Cranberry Sauce.
I make a big batch because I always need to send some home with a couple of the guests. The recipe is very easy to half if you only need a small batch. This one makes about 8 cups of sauce.
8 cups of cranberries – the local Yellowpoint Cranberries are fabulous
zest of 2 oranges
1 and 1/2 cups of water
juice of 2 oranges
2 cups of sugar
Throw it all into a large pot and bring to a boil. Cook for about 10 – 12 minutes. I like lumpy sauce – lots of cranberry chunks so if you like it a little smoother, cook a little longer.
Once the pot is off the stove, add 3 tablespoons of Grand Marnier or Triple Sec. Stir into the sauce and then pour into bottles. You can seal them if you like. I usually just pop them into the back of the fridge once they are cooled.
The house smells so good as the sauce cooks.
Such a lovely colour.
One of the things I love about this recipe is the colour of the berries mixed with the colour of the peel as it is cooking! It reminds me of one of my favourite Handmaiden colourways – Sangria. The header above is a photo of yarn from Handmaiden dyed with Sangria. Even when I cook I am thinking about yarn! LOL!
My Sunrise sweater is finished! I am quite pleased with it! And it fits perfectly!
In tidying up my workroom I have stumbled across a couple of other sweaters for myself. The Pink Juniper Moon Beatrix is the next one on my list to finish. I love the softness of this yarn. It is sooo light and sooo soft! And it knits up so quickly! The other sweater did not pass muster and was quickly ripped back and rolled into a ball, waiting for a different style to work into. 🙂
You may note a bit of a trend here… most of the sweaters I knit for myself are tunic length. I hate to be cold and a longer sweater keeps my back nice and toasty! I do have a plan for another piece, most likely a vest, longer, with split sides, a knit belt, and colourwork, colourwork in the Muhu style. Which is bright! Oh so bright! Just my style.
Roosimine and Knitting an Estonian Garden
Embroidery on Knitting
So much inspiration!
Eco Scandinavian Chunky
Oh these socks just make my toes curl! are they not amazing?
I will have to revisit my pattern Knitting and Estonian Garden, for some Roosimine patterns to add to the vest. Roosimine is an embroidery style technique from Estonia that is worked on your knits as you knit. It is quite common for knits to have surface embroidery to add details.
I will not be using a fine yarn. I am going to work with a new Chunky, Eco Scandinavian Chunky. It is new this year from Estelle and it is a lopi style yarn. You can see the colours I picked. I may need to add a green or blue. Still thinking on it! Swatching should commence this week.
And Finally! I have written up a little pattern that hightlights my current mindless, evening or travelling project. i hope that you will like it.
Crystalline Lattice
This Cowl, Wimple or Scarf pattern is the perfect project to mop-up of all of the left-over bits of laceweight silk mohair that we all seem to be collecting. This is a tube scarf, that can be something different at different lengths. Right now it is only Cowl size, but as it becomes longer it will grown to be a Wimple (a tube that covers both neck and head) and then a scarf. I am aiming for a scarf myself. So, until it is a scarf the pattern will be free.
The very basic atomic shape of a natural crystal as it grows is a lattice. So here we are growing our own crystal. Mine shows as shades of purple. What will your Crystalline Lattice show?
It is a super simple pattern, 7 rows, slipped stitches, stockinette and little garter stitch. The slipped stitches are twisted as we slip them, it gives them a very linear, ropey appearance.
As you work through the repeating pattern you can change up the colours of the mohair/silks. I am working with 4 close shades, and rotating them from lightest to darkest. But I am thinking of making a second scarf, and picking up all sorts of bits to make a really wild colourway with no stripe the same and/or no pattern to the colour stripe sequence. Or maybe I should get some earthy tones and make something a little more organic. This pattern could go so many places.
Thrumming was born in Newfoundland, off the east coast of Canada. It is a technique for adding a layer of wool roving to create a very warm and almost totally wind and waterproof mitten. Pieces of roving are knit in to individual stitches with the extra length of the roving remaining inside. With wear, these rovings’ felt, creating the barrier needed to protect hands from the icy winds.
It is really important to note that thrumming works best when knit with non-superwash wool and non-superwash sliver. The scale on the surface of both fibers work together to bond and keep the fibres from separating.
Thrumming in action
Thrumming can be used for items other than mittens as well. Hat, slippers or a headband (which I am currently designing). And I am thinking of designing a vest. A double sided, thrummed vest would be perfect for our climate.
Tomorrow we are going to Surrey (across the big water). The World Men’s Fastball Championships are there. So we are going for a day of ball! I am going to be knitting as well as watching and there is nothing like Ferry travel to enhance one’s knitting time!
I will be taking a half knit sweater for myself. I started it a couple of years ago with some beautiful Italian Wool from Gathering Yarns. Just a basic top-down v-neck and since the yarn was limited I had to get creative with the colours. Just some simple striping but it is very effective with the slightly varigated colours.
It is such a rich yarn, full of texture and the two colours are blending beautifully.
Why wasn’t it finished a while ago? Well, one time when I tidied, the project went in one place and the yarn went in another. I would find one and never the other. So this time when I found the extra yarn I put in on my desk, after I had cleaned it up and had a clear surface! Remember that big clean up? Yesterday I stumbled across the project! A match! And it is so close, arms and maybe a third of a body and it is chunky!
Looking for the next project? I seem to be in constant search lately. I have several projects on the go. My main focus is the Greenman Shawl and it is really taking over. I am already planning the next section. But I do need to look to my classes for work as well. What is your next project?
I am working on the thrummed mittens to go with the headband. I do enjoy thrumming such a relaxing way of working in colour. And I love the wool I am using, Shelter, by Brooklyn Tweed.
Look deep into my mitten. Doesn’t it look warm and cozy?
And for something new I am going to try to finish off the sleeves of an old sweater. Knit with Mountain colours hand dyed Weavers Wool it is gorgeous. It is now slightly felted and starting to wear at the end of the sleeves. So I am going use an old English (or European Technique of finishing things that wear with leather. I found an absolutely stunning piece of leather from Gala Fabrics last time I was there. It is a glorious shade of blue and is perfect!
I have cleaned and organized everything. OK – everything might be a bit over the top but I have accomplished a few very necessary jobs!
I have unearthed my computer desk and my yarn winding station. My stash has been realigned and in some cases reassigned to different locations. I have filed away multiple stacks of papers ie. trashed or recycled them. There is still one stack of papers left to organize into different files. That will wait until next weekend.
You can see that it is a bit of mess.
As I dug in, I got a little distracted along the way…. knit a thing…. wound some yarn.
The little cowl is a test knit of a new yarn that is coming to Mad About Ewe. And I love it! 70% Superfine Merino (non superwash) and 30% Yak, this DK weight yarn is supersoft, bouncy and easy to work with. I think I may need a new sweater. The Funnel Cowl and Mitts are complete. Click here to link to the pattern on Ravelry.
The yarn being wound is Chantal, a special hand dyed silk from Fleece Artist, Iceberg colourway. It was one of the yarns from their 25th Anniversary celebration in 2013. This huge hank weighs in at 350 grams, 700 yds and should knit to about 18 sts in 4 inches. I am close to half way now and it has no knots so far. Because it is silk and is stretchy it has to be hand-wound and it is a bit of a mess from being in the cupboard for so long. So it may take a couple of days.
I hung a few pictures that have been gracing the cupboard floors. That felt good. Everyday I have been trying to do one more thing that would get me closer to my goal.
There have been a few distractions through the week but after each one, I got back on track and kept on working. I started this project last Wednesday and it is still not quite done. It most likely will never be “done”. I really don’t work too well in a tidy space, but now the chaos is a little more tamed and much closer to “done” than it has been in a while.
My White Lavender it in full bloom.
I started this post over a month ago. So much has happened creatively in that month. Was it tied in to the cleaning? Maybe, so lets see….
I have submitted ideas for patterns to three companies – Laine, Birlinn Yarns and Ancient Arts. Laine and Birlinn were not interested in my ideas and I won’t hear from Ancient Arts for a couple of weeks. My “secret” project is complete and gone! As soon as I can I will share – I was very pleased with the results!
On the up side of submitting ideas to magazines and being rejected, I now have lots of ideas to pull from if and when I am looking for something to knit! I know we can’t like all the things and if my ideas don’t fit their vision they usually work well for mine!
Fall KAL – The Greenman KAL
I am working on a new shawl pattern. You may have noticed the two “swirl” centers I have started. They are the center of the Greenman Shawl. I hope to have the idea all pulled together in the next month, so please keep it in mind.
I am working one in Schoppel Zauber Lace Ball 100 (currently purple, but it is a striping yarn so that will change). It is a lace weight.
I am teaching a new technique at work right now. Dip Stitches, as in stitches that are created by dipping down into your knitting and pulling up loops of contrast colour to create almost an embroidery look! Meet Beach Bucket, soon to be released on Ravelry – most likely next weekend! The turquoise version is knit with Noro Kashirukuru and Silk Garden for the detail yarn. The grey version is knit with West Yorkshire Spinners The Croft Shetland Tweed in pink tweed with grey. It is not complete yet. I am using it for demonstrating techniques in the class.
I have started a couple of sweaters for myself – we will see how those go – they almost never get done as I get too distracted by other knits!
I am planning on picking up the dress again in September. Right now it is too hot to knit with double layer Lopi Einband on my lap! I have been thinking and planning how to proceed. I noticed that a few others look like they are interested! Looking forward to picking it up again.
I lived in Malaysia when I was much younger and I have many fond memories of the people and the country. One of my favourite memories is the hedges of Hibiscus flowers, such beautiful blooms. So every now and then I try to keep a plant alive with varying levels of success. This is this years attempt!
I hope that your Summer is going well. Mine is certainly going by very quickly! Lots of ideas and never enough time to knit them all!
