Tuesday, April 28, 2015

Math for Knitters Webseminars

Quick update:

We're rerunning my Math For Knitters webseminars.

Part one is tomorrow, April 29, 1pm EDT. Info and registration here. This one is all about yarn shop and pattern math. Make yarn substitutions with confidence. Read patterns and handle all those tricky instructions like "increase evenly across" and "reversing shapings".

Part two is Wednesday May 13th, 1pm EDT. Info and registration here. This one digs deep into gauge and what to do if you can't match it, and garment alterations and adjustments.

The best part of these is the live question & answer session at the end. I love helping knitters with real-life questions and problems. But if you can't attend live, registration gives you access to the recording after the fact, for a full year.


Thursday, April 23, 2015

The Sock Book. Custom Socks: Knit to Fit Your Feet.

Since I tweeted a picture of the cover on Monday, I figured it was time to explain in a bit more detail.

The sock book I've been working on for the 10+ years I've been teaching knitting is nearly ready. It's to be released July of this year, from Interweave Press.

(The one in the picture is actually just a mockup, made for an accompanying video class I was taping.)

I've taken my Plain and Simple Sock patterns - both Top Down and Toe Up versions - and created a book all about how to make them actually fit your feet. 

I've provided the basic formulas and templates for both directions, and created the numbers for you for gauges from 4 to 9 sts/inch (including the important 6.5 and 7.5!), for finished socks from 5 to 10.5 inches in circumference. That's covering feet from 5.5 to 12 inches in circumference, and pretty much any possible yarn you might ever want to use.

And then. THEN. I've given you a ton of info on how to measure your feet properly to determine your fit needs, and how to customize the socks for those needs. 

Oh yeah, and there's some fancy patterns, too. Texture stitches, cables, lace, colourwork. All sorts of lovely socks.

The book also has all my sock knitting tips and advice and wisdom from nearly 20 years of sock knitting, and 10 years of teaching sock knitting.

It will be available at all your local book and yarn providers this summer. But you can also preorder now. If you want.
 


Thursday, April 09, 2015

One Two Three

Step One: Say something ridiculous in front of Indigodragonfly's Kim.
Step Two: Get a colourway of sock yarn named after that ridiculous thing.
Step Three: Design a shawl for that colourway.

One:
It was late. I was tired. Kim and I (and several others) were in an cramped hotel room, and I was wearing leopard print tights. As you do.

Two:
Meet "Ninja Leopard Interpretive Dance".

It's Kim's CaribouBaa, a fantastic plied fingering weight yarn. It's a pleasure to work with, and blocks beautifully.

Three:
A garter stitch shawl.


One Yarn.
Because some busy variegated yarns look best in garter stitch. And garter stitch is easy and soothing.


Two skeins.
It's big enough to be wrapped around; big enough for broader shoulders than mine.



Three directions.
Garter stitch one way is too easy. This shawl is worked in three different directions for a fun interplay of striping and colours. Carefully placed slipped stitches add definition and detail.


One, Two, Three: The perfect everyday shawl? Fun but not too taxing to knit or wear. Although it is entirely worked in garter, there are slipped stitches, a variety of increases, an attached edging technique, and picking up of stitches. That having been said, I do try very hard to write instructions clear enough that you can figure it out even if you haven't done that particular thing before.
And you can do it, too, it's easy (it's so easy)...

Casual and fun.

One yarn, Two skeins, Three directions.

Available for purchase from the usual places: Patternfish, Ravelry and LoveKnitting.

And get the yarn from Kim.

She'll also have kits at the Frolic, in other colours, too. Just in case you are slightly more sane than me...



Many thanks to the forebearance of the team at Caplansky's. Our original photoshoot location fell through, and Claude and I were stupid enough to attempt a photoshoot at a deli. During the Sunday brunch rush. Elaine in particular gets a shout-out for not throwing us out.

Saturday, April 04, 2015

Frolic: Classes Starting to Sell Out

Just a reminder that if you're coming to the Toronto Knitters' Guild Frolic April 25 and 26 and are interested in any of the classes, you should get signed up soon. Some of them are selling out already!

This year, I'm teaching:

  • Crochet for Knitters
  • Short-row Skills
  • Slipped Stitch Colourwork
  • Continental Knitting -- this one is already sold out
  • Intro to Brioche
  • Finishing Masterclass

I hope to see you there!