iKnit London Visit

Had a wonderful visit yesterday with the team from iKnit London - Gerard, Chris and Vanessa.

They've got a great shop, and I picked up a couple of books. One I've been reading about for a while - the reissue of Jane Waller's Stitch in Time. It's a fabulous, detailed and serious survey of knitting fashions, patterns and techniques from the 1920s to 1949. Some of the "vintage knits" books just have updated patterns. This book actually reproduces the original pattern and has an update, and discusses how the pattern uses and represents the styles of the time. There's a volume 2 coming sometime, apparently. Can't wait to get my hands on that.

Also the classic first volume of Modern Lace Knitting. It's full of the sort of madness I adore: knitted bedspreads and curtains and tablecloths.

And because I've been noodling on it for a while, I picked up a tatting shuttle (at John Lewis; yes, the department stores have very decent craft sections). Now all I have to do is learn how to use it. I've got an old needlework book I acquired from an older knitter, with full instructions. I'm intrigued. It seems like precisely the fiddly and slow sort of work I love...

Colinette Visit

That's the Jitterbug section. Need I say more?

Holiday Knitting

The red flag means it's too rough to swim... and too rough to knit outdoors, actually. Very very windy on the jetty here in Aberdovey.


But it's never too windy to knit in the Dovey Arms.

As to what I'm knitting... well, that was a last minute addition to my suitcase. A simple garter-based lace scarf in Malabrigo sock yarn. It's quick knitting, ideal for the car. The problem is that I failed to pack a tape measure.

Off to the Colinette headquarters tomorrow. I suspect they may have a tape measure I can use.

Vacation Knitting

A long flight looms, so I've carefully chosen a selection of knitting to keep me entertained...

A new lace design in Louet Signature Series Paco Vicunas.

A just-started sock in Regia Nation Colour red & white.

And a spare ball of sock yarn, just in case I finish the other two projects. It's the Shibui Sock I picked up at the Frolic.

And that's just for the flight. I have the second ball of each of the Shibui and the Regia for the rest of the trip. 2 pairs of socks and a lace scarf for 10 days. That should be just enough, I think.

As to the needles on the plane situation - I'm taking bamboo needles (safely protected in that fabulous little cardboard tube thingy) for the socks. For the lace, I have threaded a lifeline and put the work on an older short metal circular that I'm willing to surrender if airport security asks me to. The good needle is packed safely in the suitcase. This strategy has served me well in the past - if they do complain about my metal needles at security, it can safely be removed from my knitting, and I've got something else to work on. And if not, I get to knit lace on the plane. I find lace knitting ideal for long flights. Doesn't take up much room, and god knows there's nothing else to draw my attention away from it.

Vest - done!

I'm pretty pleased with the result - very simple, very wearable. Will be useful on the imminent vacation - it's all about layers in Wales, you know.

And I'm even more pleased with the construction - as I mentioned, it's a top-down, one-piece, set-in sleeve number.

More details when I write the pattern up.

Owls Sweater!

I made it long to better fit the judy in the store - and I rather like it! Cardiganized, with all-over garter edging.

Top-Down One-Piece Set-in Sleeve

(Owls is done but it's just at the shop waiting for Denny to sew the buttons on. Picture shortly.)

There's been something on my needles for the past couple of weeks, quietly designing itself. In the quiet moments between Owls, and lace designs, and technical editing, I've been working on an Idea.

It's a vest. A simple, black, v-neck vest with little rolled edges, from some leftover Karaoke.

But here's the thing.

It's worked in one piece, from the top down. And it has a shaped armhole. (It would be a set-in sleeve it were to have sleeves, but I don't have enough yarn.) And some bust and waist shaping.

I needed to prove it can be done. It's got shaped shoulders and everything! It's as easy as -- nay! even easier than! a one-piece top down raglan. And it's so much better a fit for me and my shape.

Although I'm known to be a curmudgeon about top-down one piece designs, there are a number of things I appreciate about them... love that you can try them on as you go. Love that you can decide about the length of the body as you go - great if you're worried about having enough yarn, or you're not sure about how long you want it. And of course, I do like working in the round.

The edgings are modest and rolled, because I didn't want the shoulders to be too wide, and I liked the simplicity of the shape contrasting with the slightly rough, unevenly-spun nature of the yarn. (There's nothing worse, IMHO, than a vest with armhole edgings extending past the tip of the wearer's shoulders. See the second one down, the pink one with the crewneck on this page. It's a minor detail, I know, but so important in making the vest look like it actually fits properly.)

I've worked the armhole and neck edgings, am past the waist shaping and now I am just going to knit until I think it's long enough, and then cast off. It's like a giant sock leg at this point - round and round and round and round... knit knit knit knit knit knit... I've been working on it in the car, mostly.

And soon, I shall have a vest! I shall write it up!

All My Needs Met....

Knit-Oku!

Owls Sweater & Cardigan Variant - And Class

I've been working an Owls sweater as a shop sample. It's a fun knit - works up quickly on chunky yarn, and it's got enough going on - some short rows, clever waist shaping, and of course the cabled Owls - that it's interesting, and provides a good learning opportunity.

Key learning: marker placement is critical. S., in my project class, also made this sweater, and had a rather distressing experience - her stitch markers ended up being misplaced, and what should have been back waist shaping turned into side waist shaping. We had to undo the yoke, but we chalked it up to lesson learnt, and S.'s attitude about it was excellent.

Me, I'm never so calm when I have to do undo my own knitting. Like last night.

I was well into the Owls stitch pattern, when I realized that I'd somehow gained a stitch - an Owl was 9 sts rather than 8. I had to pull back 6 rows.

Two notes on this - yes, even experienced knitters make mistakes like this. I added an extra stitch when I turned the cable - must have caught an extra loop of yarn on my needle. Rip, rip, rip.

And yes, I said rows. I'm turning it into a cardigan. There are a number of variations out there -- some with garter buttonbands but the original ribbed edging, and some with ribbed buttonbands to match the ribbed edging. The boss and I decided that we wanted to convert all the edgings to garter, and do it all in one piece.


It's coming out nicely, I think. I'm using Cascade Eco Wool. Just about done the Owls - properly this time. I hope to have it done tonight.

I will be teaching a class on the sweater - and the cardigan variant - in July. (With the designer's permission, yes.)

On Magic Loop; New Sock Design in Progress

After much interesting discussion about Magic Loop (read the comments, there's some good ones), I've decided to give it a go.

At the same time, I'm working on a new, specially themed sock design. A select few of you know what this is about... but I'm saying nothing until it's closer to being done.

I had started this with another yarn - some leftover Arequipa in a fabulous blood red colour...


but it was just too damn dark to see what I was doing. I also have concerns about my ability to photograph it.

On the magic loop experience -- since the sock is so heavily cabled, I am enjoying excellent points on the Addi Turbo lace needles. And because the patterning is worked twice around the sock, it's nice to have each repeat on one needle.

I'm getting a bit faster at it -- but I do find the whole pulling of the needles thing still annoying.

So yes, I can see the advantages.

Am I converted? Nope. Still love my good old dpns.

Irish Spring Socks: Yarn Foward Magazine

I'm proud to announce that one of my sock designs is being featured in Issue 13 of Yarn Forward magazine.

The "Irish Spring" socks.

(Picture copyright St Range Photography.)

These socks were designed specifically to meet a need: an intricately patterned cabled sock that doesn't require a cable needle. All the cables are actually clever combinations of twist stitches: one-over-one twists that are easily worked without any special equipment. And the pattern stitches are all easy to memorize, with very few rows.

Low-effort, high impact knitting!

P.S. Thanks for all the great comments re: magic loop and sock patterns... will post a summary on my learnings...

Magic Loop & a Question for My Readers

It's no secret that I'm a rabid sock knitter. And that my needles of choice are dpns.

As Knitty's sock queen technical editor for socks, I encounter a lot of patterns written specifically for Magic Loop.

Now, I am competent with the Magic Loop technique (video from KnittingHelp.com). I've even taught a workshop on it. But I'm not a fan.

I've been told that people like it because it's easier to manage than dpns. And that it reduces the risk of ladders (loose stitches between the needles).

I find the long cord, and all the pulling makes it tangly and annoying. And the ladders were actually worse. The thing is, it's really all about comfort and how I hold my needles. I get that. Ultimately, it should be the knitter's own choice.

I hate to be prescriptive about it.

Which makes me *faintly* embarrassed that all my sock patterns are written specifically for dpns. And makes me wonder about sock patterns that are written specifically for one needle type or another.

Me, I am miffed when I see a sock pattern written for magic loop, since I know I'll need to do some thinking to convert it.

So, blogiverse, a question: if you're a magic loop knitter, what do you do when you see a sock pattern written specifically for dpns? Do you convert it, or just ignore it? And if you're a dpn knitter, what do you do with sock patterns written specifically for magic loop - convert or ignore? More importantly, should we be demanding sock patterns that are fully general, allowing the knitter to choose the needles to be used? Would love to hear your thoughts.

New! I Am For Sale on Patternfish

Two patterns and counting! Look for me there! It's a great service - check it out. And buy something!

So Very Very Proud; Maybe Also a Little Jealous

A student in one of my project classes (we shall call her Clementine, for reasons she will understand), is a newer knitter.

She came to the first class with a pattern, a ball of yarn, and a very specific project request. The Silk Sleeves from the book One Skein. They were to be a gift for a coworker. Worked in Kidsilk Haze.

(A picture of another knitter's version can be found here. Ravelry pattern page here.)

Now, Clementine seemed like a sensible girl, and although she was a newer knitter, she seemed careful and confident with her needles. And the sleeves are worked in stocking stitch, so we got her cast on in the first class.

I did strongly suggest she change to metal needles from the original plastic ones she had, and they definitely seemed to help.

What I didn't tell her was that Kidsilk Haze is my nemesis. This yarn defeats me every time I try to work with it. (Now, Clementine had one thing working to her advantage - she had chosen a light colour. Me, I insist on picking dark colours. And attempting lace with it.)

And I'm very very proud to announce that our fearless knitter absolutely ROCKED the silk sleeves. She did an absolutely amazing job. They're perfect, and beautiful, and I'm in awe.

Once they were done, I sheepishly confessed my little issue with Kidsilk Haze. I don't know whether Clementine was happy or distressed to hear this -- but either way, she has a great gift to show for her work -- and she'll never be afraid of any yarn again.

Indeed I Was, Clearly

Everybody has been very polite, not pointing out the terrible typo in the heading of the previous post. I think I shall leave it, to demonstrate precisely how exhausted I was...

Exhasuted, Happy and Not Totally Broke: The Frolic Haul

Two books from Marsha. Neither, of course, is the one I was looking for, but there wasn't a copy to be found. So there. Anyway, books should never be restricted, they're edumacational.

Dark sock yarn - yes! Koigu KPM since I haven't actually knitted with it. So that's research. And also Shibui Sock yarn, since I'd never actually seen it before. Apparently, it's fairly new to Canada. More research.

And then the obligatory insane sock yarn purchase... $8, in what I can only describe as a "clown" colourway. Lana Grossa Meilenweit Magico. I refuse to feel guilty about this.

(Seems I like my socks in two colours - black, or clown. This is a surprise to no one but me.)

And then something I'd never seen in person before... Kauni... there's about 650m in this 160gm ball, and it stripes in all the colours of the rainbow. Literally. Looks like a sport weight, 100% wool. I'm thinking a spectacular lace shawl. Rectangular, so that the stripes are regular.

So. No one had blocking mats, although Jennifer tells me to go buy kid's playmats at Canadian Tire.

And didn't see a good colour for a doll. And then I didn't find a colour I liked for summer laceweight yarn.

So, nothing too insane, and even something that was on my list.

I look forward to seeing everyone else's goodies.

Comments and Questions on my Shopping List

Re: Vintage Knitwear for Modern Knitters. I know very little about this book, I'll be honest. Love the title and the concept - I'm desperate to take a look at it. One commenter says it's nothing too exciting - I've actually heard that from another source, too. Anyone else seen it?

Re: dark sock yarn. Yeah, I know, it's boring and hard to knit with. But I have an extensive wardrobe of brightly coloured socks, and it's time for some dark, boring socks to wear with work-appropriate shoes.

And it's good to know that other people have strange impulse purchase yarn sitting in their stashes... someone generously suggested that I might have bought it because reminded me of spring.

Although that gives me an idea for how to use it... rather than trying to hide its astro-turf-like properties, perhaps I should embrace them... ?

Shopping List

An interesting challenge to myself... If I publicly declare my shopping list in advance, how closely can I stick to it?

After all, I am desperately trying to avoid what happened last year: the blood sugar drops, my defenses are low, and I come home with something like this...


Which remains unknit to this day. I love it, but cannot for the life of me think what to do with it. (I distinctly remember my Mum looking at it, and then me, and saying "Really?" in that are-you-out-of-your-mind? tone of voice.)

So here's what I'm looking for:
-blocking matts and pins
-plain sock yarn in dark colours
-"Vintage Knitwear for Modern Knitters"
-some worsted weight yarn in a colour suitable for a doll -- since I think the bears might be evolving
-summer lace-weight yarn (i.e. non-wool - silk, seasilk,... ?)

and, of course, I have a standing item on any shopping list: I have full liberty to buy whatever cool/new/interesting/bargain sock yarn I might find.

If you're a sock knitter, definitely put these on your shopping list...


What are they? Clever little cardboard tubes that you can slide your fragile dpns into to protect them. I carry a sock project with me wherever I go (seriously; stop me at the Frolic and ask to see what sock I'm working on) and this is a great way to carry them.

I always worry that my bamboo or wooden dpns are going to get caught on something - or get sat on - and break. This way, I know they are safe. You also can't lose a needle, or a stitch, for that matter. Everything is bundled up nice and tidy. I will happily give you a demo when I show you my sock project on Saturday! (Not advertising, just a happy customer.)

Knitter's Frolic: Socks and Yarn

This weekend is the DKC Knitter's Frolic, held at the Japanese Cultural Centre near Don Mills and Eglinton in Toronto. I've blogged about this event before -- it's a major highlight of the knitting year -- and one that I'm always in town for!

I'm teaching a workshop on Saturday - Socks 102. It's designed for knitters who have some experience knitting socks, but want to broaden their skills. I discuss different heel and toe shaping. I will demonstrate how to tweak and customize the fit of a sock- including making knee socks, accommodating particularly narrow or wide ankles, and how to improve the feet of a short-row heel. I will talk about toe-up and top down. I will even demo magic loop! Bring your sock-related questions! I love a good challenge.

I love the marketplace, too. The exciting bit for me is meeting with the smaller, local yarn producers. Hopeful Shetlands and Shelridge Farms are two of my favourites. They're both based in Ontario, and produce wonderful stuff. Hopeful in particular has a lot of undyed yarns, in the most wonderful natural sheepy colours. And Shelridge makes one of my favourite sock yarns.

Hope to see you there! Say hello!

More Gifts from My Readers

Irena, a student of mine, recently read my blog post searching for old Paton's sock yarn.

She had found a stash of even older Beehive 3 ply and 4 ply yarn at the Textile Museum's Yardage Sale, and having read my post, she very generously gave it to me.


(If you don't know about the Yardage sale, and live in Toronto, mark off May 29th and 30th on your calendar. Every year, the Textile Museum has a fundraising sale. They sell the most amazing selection of odds and ends I've ever seen -- all sorts of materials and equipment and books for all sorts of crafts: fabrics, yarn, thousands of pattern books, needles, notions, all sorts of things. And the prices are amazing. What I love best are the bags of UFOs. Crafters from far and wide donate from their stashes - including partially completed projects. I've bought more than one UFO simply for the raw materials. I bought a half-finished cross stitch once, for the princely sum of 50 cents, just to get the embroidery hoop.

The very first time I went, I bought the most amazing sewing proejct: a 1960s vintage furry mohair suit. Well, ok, all the pieces had been cut, but not a stitch had been sewn. Even the lining was intact. I took it to a dress maker, and have an incredible, one-of-a-kind, custom-fit vintage suit - and it cost me $20 for the materials.

Anyway, yes, back to knitting. One year I found the much-sought-after book "The Knitter's Guide to Sweater Design" for $2. People pay upwards of a hundred dollars for this amazing reference. And there it was, for $2. You do have to be willing to roll up your sleeves and dig, and flip through an awful lot of terrible 1980s pattern books, but there are many, many treasures to be uncovered.

For the second year in a row, I'm actually going to be away and will miss it. Very sad. I shall ask a few key friends to keep their eyes open for more vintage sock yarn goodness, however.)

This yarn is amazing. I hesitate to use it for socks - I want to show it off. I feel a lace design coming on.

This being vintage yarn, however, there is essentially no information on the ball band -- no yardage, no washing instructions, no colour name or number, no weight, no recommendations for needle size or gauge, no indication of what the yarn is made of, even. All is says is: "Beehive 3-ply Scotch Fingering".

The good news is that I can figure most of these things out -- but it rather puts into perspective my frustrations with current yarn-labelling standards. Here's me getting annoyed when you only get the stitch gauge and not the row gauge. I shouldn't take so much for granted...

I do love this - the dye lot tag:


The 2 brown balls (on the right in the upper picture), I think, are probably a little newer -- they are balls rather than skeins, and there is one additional tid-bit on the label: "Shrink-Resist Patonised Finish". I take this to mean it's superwash.

But yes, given that I have idea of the yardage, and I doubt the majority of the yarn is machine-washable, I think it's going to be a scarf.

Many thanks to Irena!

UPDATE: I found a bit of info about the yarn... 170yds per 1 oz skein. It's definitely an ounce, I weighed it.