Ahoy There!

Just got home from the Cooperative Press Knitting Cruise. I had a fantastic time. I made many new knitting friends, and I got a chance to thaw out a little bit. I would have enjoyed it anyway, but given the recording-breakingly awful weather we've been having, the warmth was very much appreciated.

Not my usual view when tech editing...

San Juan, Puerto Rico. A lovely spot for a round or two.

Knitting socks, but definitely not wearing them.

All a girl needs.

Life is good...

New Class: Learn to Knit. Knitting for Absolute Beginners

A couple of months ago I went back to Indiana to tape another video class with my friends from Annie's. They are a great team to work with, and I've loved reaching their audience of knitters through my Magic Socks class.

This time, however, they wanted to do something new: something new for them, and for me: a Learn To Knit class.

Teaching beginners is something I've done a lot in stores, but to do it over a video class required some thinking. How to best convey the motions and the tactile nature of the experience, in a video? It was a fun challenge, and I'm pretty pleased with the results.

The class includes everything you need to kick off your knitting adventures: casting on, the knit and purl stitch, stitch patterns like ribbing, stockinette stitch and seed stitch. Along the way, we work 6 easy and fun confidence-builder projects, including a dishcloth

a great shawl

and this headband and wristwarmer set.

Have a friend or family member who wants to learn to knit? Get them to learn from this class, so you can focus on your own projects...  

More info, and a video preview here.

Improvised Blocking Solution; A Chunky Rickenbacker

It's cold here; I suspect you already know that. Until recently, I didn't even know what a Polar Vortex was. Now, apparently, I live in one.

Last fall I taught at class at Shall We Knit on the Rickenbacker shawl. In a class like that, I like to work along with my students on the project. And it happened to be the weekend that the infamous Shall We Knit "closet" was open. The closet is their sale room. It's only open for one weekend a month, and you can never be sure what you'll find in there. They are always putting new and interesting stuff in there: it's often ends of lines, or discontinued yarns or colourways, or bits and pieces from the back catalogue.

Now, it's not like I need more yarn, but sometimes I can't resist a bargain. I got myself 5 balls of "Freedom Purity" - a discontinued Chunky weight wool and alpaca blend yarn. They were asking the princely sum of $4 a ball. How could I say no? 80yds per 50gm ball, I figured that 400yds would give me a decent size shawl.

My excuse to myself was that if I working the class sample in a chunkier yarn would make it easier for my students to see what I was doing.

I've been working on it, on and off, since then... and I decided, given the weather, that it would probably be to my benefit to finish it up. So I took it with me on our trip to NYC for Vogue Knitting.

Here we are, very early last Thursday morning at the airport. God bless Porter and their coffee machine.

I worked on it on the plane, binding off the last stitch as we trundled up to the gate at Newark Airport.

That first day, I wore it around town, ends a-dangling, unblocked.

When we got back to the hotel that evening, I soaked it in the sink for a bit. I should have taken a picture of the sink - the dye ran, and turned the contents of the sink a very dark grey.

I rolled it in a towel to wring it out, and the dye left nasty stains on the towel. I hope the hotel staff were able to get it clean...

I considered pinning it out, but didn't have any pins... and I was afraid it would stain the carpet. So I improvised: two clothes hangers, in the shower. I'd got most of the moisture out anyway, with the towel, so it wasn't very heavy. It dried overnight, and looked terrific.

(Want to know more about blocking? Check out my Craftsy class on this topic!)

We tried to get a good photo of it, but with it being a dark colour, and me wearing dark colours, it wasn't really showing up. 

Here's the finished thing, with an existing fingering weight version for comparison.

You'll see that the edges aren't straight, due to my stellar blocking technique. However, it still looks great and wears nicely. (Oh yeah, and I haven't woven all the ends in yet, either.)

400yds of a chunky weight (approx 13 sts 4 inches on 6mm needles) has given a shawl about 30 inches at it deepest point by about 65 inches wide. Snuggly!

Update: The clever ladies of Shall We Knit propose Cascade 128 Superwash as a terrific substitute for the Purity yarn. Similar texture, same weight, and a great range of colors. Also, not discontinued, which is really the most important bit!

Spring 2014 Sockupied: Profile and Pattern

I am over the moon to announce the Spring 2014 issue of Sockupied magazine. It's already an honour to have a design in it, in such great company with designers like Lana Holden and Stephanie Van Der Linden.

But I was also interviewed, for a feature about me and my work. Here's my name, right on the cover!

My design, Constant Cables, takes some of my favorite numbers - mathematics constants including Pi and e - and cleverly encodes them into cables.

I had a ton of fun creating this design... Both Pi and e are irrational numbers - that is, they cannot be represented as fractions a/b, they have non-repeating non-ending decimal points... The first few digits of Pi are 3.14159 26535 89793 23846 26433 83279 50288... the first few digits of e are 2.71828 18284 59045 23536 02874 71352 66249 77572 47093... although they go on forever.

So I had an idea... why not use these numbers to create non-repeating, un-ending cable patterns. Pi is represented by a C3 - crossing 3 sts over 3, and the number of even rounds worked between the cable turns are determined by the decimal points. No matter how long you want your sock to be, you've got a cable pattern!

Nerdy? Insane? Wonderful? All of the above, I hope!

I also got to use MY colourway, the wonderful Safety Pint from indigodragonfly.

Cowls for Hounds

When the weather got truly miserable last week, I was worried about keeping the dog warm... he has a coat, but it leaves the back of his neck fairly exposed. I rummaged around in the cupboard and found a Noro cowl I'd made for myself a few years ago, and slipped it on him. He fought it for about five seconds, but then decided it wasn't such a bad idea after all. It didn't stay up over his ears, but I figured even a little protection was better than none.

(It's the sadly discontinued Silk Garden Chunky, about 18 inches in circumference, a bit of (k1, p1) ribbing at top and bottom and otherwise just stocking stitch.)

So it turns out that hound-cowls is actually a thing. They're more applicable for dogs in the Greyhound family, who have long thin necks and very little body fat... Dexter's neck is neither long nor thin, and he's doing fairly well on the body fat thing, but the shape of his coat does leave a good bit of him exposed.

After doing a bit of research - ok, doing a Google Image search for dog cowls, which is an excellent way to spend half an hour on a cold day - I decided that it wasn't unreasonable to make him his own, more snug so it covers his oversized and delicate ears.

This free pattern on the bromeleighad blog seems like a good place to start, and I love the photos.

Once you've made mitts, it's important not to lose them

Strings! Perhaps it was just that I was a careful child, but I've never actually had mittens with strings.

I get asked about them fairly often, in mitten knitting classes - how to make them, how long they should be - but I've never had more than vague suggestions to offer.

I recently completed a pair of mittens in one of my favourite yarns - Sweet Georgia's Superwash Chunky  - and I had some of the skein leftover.

So I decided to make a string for them.

I used 4.5mm/US 7 DPNs - several sizes smaller than I used to make the mittens - cast on 3 stitches and worked a length of i-cord....

The question was, of course, how long the string should be. After a bit of research - that is, chatting with knitting mothers - we determined that the optional length should be the height of the wearer. 

But a very sensible knitting mother also pointed out that the cords are likely to stretch. Knit them tight to keep the stretch to a minimum. If knitting mitts for someone still growing, a bit of stretch isn't a bad thing. For adults, however, you need to keep them as close to their intended length as possible. Use the cast-on and cast off tails of the i-cord to sew the to the inside of the mitten cuff, but leave the cast-off tail accessible so that when the cords stretch you can remove the mitt, shorten the cord and then reattach it.  (The very sensible Fiona Ellis suggests making knots in the cord to take up the slack, too.)

I have discovered that there are many benefits to having mitts on a string: you can't lose them, they make an excellent extra pocket - great for holding my TTC tokens and transfers - and perhaps best of all, they make people smile. 

Free Pattern: The Fingering Weight Fingerless Mitten Pattern

I was banging on about these so much recently, I though I might share the pattern.

They are worked top-down, so they're ideal for using up leftovers - and the thumb gusset is created by decreasing rather than increasing - I think it's a bit more elegant that way! If you are working from leftover yarn, divide it into two balls, and just work until you've run out of yarn.

A single mitt takes about 15gm-20gm of fingering weight yarn.

This is a slightly modified version of the pattern from the book, shorter in both hand and cuff for better use as layering mitts - and to help you use up leftovers!

If you've never made mitts before, this is a good place to start, as they skip many of the tricker bits of mitten-knitting. As long as you know how to knit in the round, you're good.

SIZES AND FINISHED MEASUREMENTS
Size XS (S, M, L, XL)
To Fit Teen/Women’s XS (Women’s S, Women’s M, Women’s L/Men’s S, Men’s L)
Hand Circumference 7(7.5,  8,  8.5,  9) inches
Full Length (adjustable) 6-7 inches

MATERIALS
Approximately 120 (130, 140, 160, 180) yds Fingering weight yarn.
1 set US 2.5/3mm needles for working in the round– DPNs, two circulars or a long circular as you prefer
Stitch markers

GAUGE
28 sts and 40 rounds over 4 inches/10 cm square in stockinette stitch in the round
Note: stitch gauge is very important, round gauge less so.

METHOD
Top
Cast on 42 (46, 50, 52, 56) sts. Distribute sts across needles as you prefer and join for working in the round, being careful not to twist. Note or mark beginning of round.

Ribbing round: (K1, p1) around.
Work ribbing as set for 1 inch.
Next round: Knit.
Work as set until piece measures desired length to thumb. I work mine so that they're 2 to 2.5 inches long so that they just cover my knuckles. Add an inch ro an inch and a half to cover more of your fingers.

Create thumbhole
Next round: Bind off 6 (6, 6, 6, 8) sts, k to end of round.
Following round: Using either the cable or backwards loop method, cast on 12 (12, 12, 14, 16sts, knit to end of round. 48 (52, 56, 60, 64) sts.

Note: You’ll probably find it easier to keep the new cast-on sts on the end-of-round needle as you work the first few rounds of the next section. If you do, place a marker before the cast on sts so you don’t lose track of the start of the round.

Knit 4 (2, 2, 2, 4) rounds. If you need to, rearrange sts at this point so that start of round is at the start of a needle, and place a second marker after the 12 (12, 12, 14, 16) cast on sts.

1st size only:
Decrease round: K1, SSK, k to 3 sts before marker, k2tog, k to end of round.
Knit 3 rounds.
Repeat the last 4 rounds 2 (-, -, -, -) more times, and work decrease round once more. 40 (-, -, -, -) sts.

2nd, 3rd, 4th and 5th sizes only:
Decrease round: K1, SSK, k to 3 sts before marker, k2tog, k to end of round.
Knit 5 rounds.
Repeat these last 6 rounds - (2, 2, 3, 3) more times and work Decrease round once more. - (44, 48, 50, 54) sts.

The thumb markers can be removed at this point.

Final decrease round: Knit, decreasing 6 (8, 10, 10, 10) sts evenly around. 34 (36, 38, 40, 44) sts. (See below for help with this.)

The final decrease round: Ultimately, it doesn’t really matter how you get to the final stitch count, but if you’re not sure how to do it, use these instructions.
1st size: (K5, k2tog, k4, k2tog, k5, k2tog) twice. 34 sts.
2nd size: (K4, k2tog, k3, k2tog) 4 times. 36 sts.
3rd size: (K3, k2tog) 8 times, (k2, k2tog) twice. 38 sts.
4th size: (K3, k2tog) 10 times. 40 sts.
5th size: (K3, k2tog, k4, k2tog) 4 times, (k3, k2tog) twice. 44 sts.

Cuff
Ribbing round: (K1, p1) around.
Work ribbing as set until cuff measures about 3 inches.
Note: This distance is the length of the cuff, worked down from the wrist. You can lengthen or shorten this as you wish. (Just remember, if you do make them longer, you might need more yarn!)

Bind off as follows:
K2, *insert tip of left needle into the fronts of these two sts (as if to ssk), and knit them together; k1. Rep from * until all sts are bound off. Cut yarn and pull through final st to secure.

Finishing
Block (by giving then a wash, no special treatment needed) and weave in ends.

Thrumming?

Many sensible knitters have suggested I try thrummed mittens for warmth. I've got a Fleece Artist kit for a pair of thrummed socks - I'm sure I could make a pair of mittens out of it:

I tried making a thrummed sock once, years ago, but fell down due to poor instructions. I didn't really know how to make the thrum - how much roving to use, how to secure it to the stitch. The resulting socks weren't nearly insulted or insulating enough.

Can you point me to any good instructions for thrumming?  Thanks!

Cold Hands: On Hand-Knit Mittens & Strategies for Staying Warm All Winter Long

I've written about this before: I suffer from a medical problem called Raynaud's Phenomenon. I have poor circulation, and in the cold, the blood flow to my hands and feet is "excessively reduced". This means that that I'm quicker to feel the cold in my extremities than many others, and I have to be careful to protect them, as I'm at risk of frostbite or other injuries. My fingers go numb, and it can take a while for them to return to normal when I come indoors on a winter day.

This means that I need warm handcoverings earlier in the winter -- and later into the spring -- than most.

And when the weather really turns bad, I have to get serious about my handcoverings.  I have consulted a knitting rheumatologist (hello Dr. N, if you're reading!) about this, and she made a number of key recommendations.

• Mittens are always warmer than gloves - it's better to have air circulating, and if your fingers are together they can share the warmth. 
• It's best if the mitten is a bit loose, to encourage that circulation.  
• Layering is good. Two layers of mittens will trap warm air between them.

Hand-knit fabrics aren't really all that warm, as cold air blows through the holes in the fabric. No matter how densely you knit, there are little holes between the stitches, that air can sneak through.

Over the years, I've developed a few solutions.

As the evenings get chilly in September and October, I start wearing a pair of small fingerless mitts when I'm outside. These provide some basic coverage for cooler days, but are small and fitted, leaving enough movement that I can do whatever I need to -- type, knit, make coffee -- without having to take them off.

These are my fingerless mitt pattern from my Knit Accessories book, worked in fingering weight. The book has a worsted and a fingering-weight version. They're worked top-down so they are great for using up leftovers. Being small-footed, I can usually get a pair of these mitts and a pair of socks out of 100gm of sock yarn.

By mid-November, the fingerless mitts stay on pretty much all day, even in the house. I live in a big old drafty loft with high ceilings, and it can be pretty chilly at home. And I layer a pair of wool mittens on top. At first, they're a pair of light single-layer mittens - I like these 100% merino Icebreaker ones because they're very small and light, lined with a wooly fleece.

And then another few degrees cooler, and the other pair becomes a pair of thicker hand-knit mittens.

I'm very fond of these red ones, worked from my Basic Mittens pattern in my Knit Accessories book. As with all the patterns in that book, there's multiple gauges available - there's a worsted weight and a chunky weight pattern, which can also be worked with double-stranded worsted weight. The red pair are Cascade 220, the orange pair is Classic Elite mohair.

Or in a chunky/bulky weight, like this pair-to-be, in Sweet Georgia Superwash Chunky.

Warmer still are stranded colourwork mittens, as the floats on the wrong side of the work create a lining.

These are the Morse Code mittens, as published in Knitty.

And then as it gets colder, I change up to these: they're stranded colourwork mitts, felted to get rid of those pesky little holes in the fabric. For extra warmth I've lined them with a 'Thinsulate' fleece liner that I harvested from a pair of inexpensive acrylic mittens. Pattern recklessly improvised, using Briggs & Little Heritage yarn.

But when the weather truly turns foul, I grudgingly turn to a more modern solution: technical fabrics. I have a pair of Arctic-rated mittens like these from Mountain Equipment Co-op (the Canadian equivalent of REI), but still always with my fingerless mitts underneath - that way, if I need to take my hands out of my mitts, to answer my phone, when popping into the coffee shop, to grab a plastic bag for dog-related stuff - then I've still got some protection.

So yes, chances are, if you see me between the middle of September and the middle of April, I'll be wearing my fingerless mitts, even indoors. I actually have several pairs so I can wash them every couple of days. I figure that between coffee dribbles and the general wear-and-tear of everyday use, they need a wash. One of the reason sock yarn is so good for them - I can throw them in for a wash with a load of socks.

I even have a Christmas pair, made with yarn leftover from last year's Christmas socks.

I Heart NY; I also Heart You and Have a Present for You

New York City is one of my favourite places in the world to be.

We were just there last weekend, grabbing a mini vacation to celebrate Thanksgivukkahmas.

Although the air was brisk, it was sunny on Sunday, and we took a leisurely walk along the High Line. It's an old elevated railway track that's been turned into an urban park. The views are fantastic, and the whole thing is unexpected and wonderful.

I am going to be back there in January teaching at Vogue Knitting Live, the weekend of 17-19th.

I've got a full slate of socky classes

• Top Down Socks 101: Ideal for knitters who know how to work in the round, and want to try top down socks.
• Top Up Socks 101: Ideal for knitters who know how to work in the round, and want to try toe down socks.

If you've not knit socks of any kind before, I recommend starting with Top Down (it's a little easier to get started); if you've tried one type, I definitely encourage you to try the other!

• Soxpertise: A focused session addressing FAQs and issues in sock knitting, including a discussion of the pros and cons of both methods, how to convert patterns, gusset holes, fit, pattern adjustments, etc. Bring your sock knitting questions!
• You Spin Me Right Round: Magic Loop, DPNs and 2 Circulars:A hands-on workshop on the whys and wherefores of these different ways of working in the round.
• Heels and Toes: An overview of different types of heels and toes, focused on fit and how to choose the right one for your particular fit needs and knitting interests. We'll talk about how to apply your own choices to an existing sock pattern.
• Socks for Absolute Beginners: An intro for sock knitters for the very very new. You don't need to know how to work in the round, even! (SOLD OUT, SORRY!)

As a Thanksgivukkahmas special, we're offering a little bonus to you when you register for classes. Use the code "NYTEACHER14" when you check out, for a free gift! Click here to choose classes and register.

I hope to see you there!

Craftsy Holiday Sale

Whether you think of it as a Black Friday sale, or just an easy way to get some of your end-of-year gift shopping done - and hey, you are allowed to buy a gift for yourself, you know.

Learning is a gift!

Craftsy is offering big discounts on their classes, including mine. Go! Buy it for someone as a gift!

Thanks. And enjoy whatever you might be celebrating this weekend.

Winners in the Doctor Who Knitting Party Photo Contest

I got some excellent photos, thanks!

Victoria and Matt - bonus points for wearing a scarf!

Rayna and Ten and her sock

KnitMairwen in the movie theatre, waiting for the show to start.

Sanja's Baby Blanket - and that's clearly the Alt-Ten in his blue suit in the background.

(Do you respect me more or less for knowing that?)

And Lea, also in the theatre.

Austen's Tea and Ten.

Here's mine, for good measure. Very silly expression on my face, but can you blame me?

Chosen by a very scientific method - well, ok, based on a poll of several key advisors - the winners are Victoria and Rayna. Victoria gets the yarn and Rayna gets the patterns! Thanks to everyone for playing!

---

I have to say though, that the best photo I saw was a little different: a sighting of my Bigger on the Inside Shawl on the BBC America pre-show that was broadcast Saturday afternoon. See the pic on Amy's Instagram feed.

Doctor Who 50th Anniversary Knitting/Watching Party Contest

Contest! Tweet me pics of knitting in front of the Doctor Who show to win a copy of the sock & scarf patts or skein of @lornaslaces yarn.
— Kate Atherley (@wisehilda) November 23, 2013

Tweet or email me (kate at wisehildaknits dot com) pictures of you knitting in front of the Doctor Who show (or in line for one of the cinema viewings) to win one of two prizes: a copy of both the scarf and sock patterns! Or a skein of Lorna's Laces Shepherd Sock in a beautiful chocolate brown.

Entries by midnight EST Tuesday November 26th. I'll pick two winners based on general awesomeness, and share the best. Thanks!

This coming weekend: Classes at Shall We Knit

Boy, I must really really love the team at Shall We Knit (spoiler alert: I do!), as I agreed to be teaching there this Saturday.

What's up with this Saturday, you ask? Oh, nothing much: just the 50th anniversary episode of Doctor Who. In which David Tennant is appearing along with Matt Smith.

Anyway, yes, I am teaching at Shall We Knit this weekend. This will be my last visit there until the spring, so if you've been thinking about a class with me, this is your chance.

I'm teaching some old favourites, and some new ones:

Introduction to Lace: The Rickenbacker Shawl  - Saturday morning
I designed this shawl as an easy lace project. The original intention was that it be easy so that you could knit it in dark colours; but the same details that make it easy to knit in dark colours make it an ideal first lace project. If you're confident with knit and purl, you know everything you need for this class. Along the way, I'll talk about some different types of increases, how to identify, fix and - even better - prevent mistakes in lace, and we'll demystify blocking. This shawl is a great way to use up a single skein of sock yarn, and would make an ideal gift...

Short Row Skills - Saturday afternoon
I'm doing this as a two-parter to address knitters of all skill levels: come for one of the parts, or both. In the first half, we talk about the whys and wherefores of that pesky "wrap and turn" manoeuvre, explaining why it exists, how to do it, and how to deal with hiding the wraps. In the second half of the session, I talk about alternative ways of working short rows, and the pros and cons for each, and discuss short rows as a method for adding bust shaping in a garment.

What Goes Around: DPNs, Magic Loop and 2 Circulars (And those tiny little circulars, too!) - Sunday morning
There are four ways to work in the round. All of them have their benefits, and in this bootcamp session I'll show you how to handle all them. We'll play with the needles to build confidence, and we'll talk about how to convert patterns and instructions from one method to the other. If you've always wanted to learn Magic Loop, this is the session for you! If you feel clumsy with DPNs, we'll fix that! And never seen a tiny circular - I'll show you!

Fearless Finishing - Sunday afternoon
Because you've got holiday knitting on the needles, and at some point you're going to have ends to weave in.
In this in-depth workshop, we cover all types of seams, weaving in ends, picking up stitches. We talk about blocking - why it's important and how to do it. We discuss appropriate cast on and cast off methods for different types of projects, and edge treatments to make your finishing easier. Because I'm a pragmatist, I focus on techniques that make it as easy as possible, and I'll share tricks for minimizing the work.

More details on the classes in the Shall We Knit newsletter.

The lovely Kim and Ron of indigodragonfly are also at the shop this weekend. Kim's teaching some classes too, and they'll have some yarn and other goodies. This is also the east coast launch of my Rock 'n Roll Collection, and Kim will have patterns and special yarn packs for the collection.

Even if you're not taking a class, come and say hello and see the Rock 'n Roll collection in person!

---

Oh, yeah, and about the Doctor Who special....If you're in the US, details here, if you're in Canada, details here, and in the UK, details here.

Luckily, the good people at Shall We Knit understand the importance of the event, and have arranged a special viewing for us later that evening. (Yay for PVRs.)

Geronimo! Allons-y!

So very excited to see this tweet from my friends at Lorna's Laces this afternoon:

A big 'ol pile of Doctor yarn, ready to ship. @wisehilda pic.twitter.com/ZFcXRFzHSd
— lornaslaces (@lornaslaces) November 14, 2013

The yarn kits for my Time & Space socks and scarves are shipping today, just in time for you to get ready for your 50th anniversary special viewing.  If you're in the US, details here, if you're in Canada, details here, and in the UK, details here. 

I'll be wearing my Bigger on the Inside Shawl while I'm watching it, as will, I assume ScadianScout who had made this most excellent version with LED LIGHTS!

BLINKING LIGHTS.

When Travelling Through Space And Time

It's good to be well-dressed and warm if you're going on a journey. These might be just what you need.

Socks.  Toe-up knee socks.

The pattern is worked toe-up, and written for DPNs, Magic Loop and 2 circulars, as you prefer. Four sizes, finished foot circumferences 7 to 8.5 inches, fitting teens to XL women's.  A variation for calf-length socks is included, too.

Six colors, in rather fetching stripes.  The kit of Lorna's Laces Shepherd Sock contains special half skeins of the yarn - enough to make a pair of knee socks, or a two pairs of mid-calf socks, one pair for you, one pair for your companion. Or if you have full skeins, you can make two pairs of knee socks, and four pairs of mid-calf socks.

Pattern available for $5 here.

(Thanks to Claude La Rue for the excellent photos.)

And a Scarf.

Suitably long: 7 inches wide by over 80 inches! With tassels, naturally. 

Pattern uses about 90yds of each of six colors from Lorna's Laces Shepherd Bulky. A kit is available from your favorite Lorna's retailers contains special 3/4 skeins, just enough to make the scarf. Full-size skeins will make it even longer.

Pattern available for $5 here.

(Many thanks to Amanda Jarvis and her adorable hubby for the photography.)

Or a Shawl.  
If your lifestyle requires a more ladylike or subtle homage to your favourite traveller, perhaps the Bigger on the Inside Shawl? Free pattern on Knitty; uses two skeins of Lorna's Solemate Sock Yarn.