Hello Doily and Ravelympics
Hope everyone in the Greater St. Louis Knitter's Guild had a wonderful time with Lily Chin last weekend. I was able at the last minute to attend her Friday night lecture on Picking Yarns. (Thank you hubby!) Lily is such a wonderfully entertaining and informative speaker. As someone who has immersed her life in fibers, I didn't necessarily get much new information, but I certainly enjoyed the evening. Of course, the highlight for me was Lily's compliments of my newest design, named by Susie "Hello Doiley"
This is the front view--looks interesting, but the fun is in the back:
This started as an adaptation of one of the Doily patterns from Gloria Penning's Old World Treasures. After I completed the doily, I realized that I really have no use for such an item! So, it had to become a garment somehow. I went to bed that night, and must have dreamed about it, because I woke up suddenly at 4:00 am with the idea that the diagonal lines of the doily would fit wonderfully into raglan sleeve shaping! Jumped out of bed, grabbed the needles and knit furiously for several hours. I completed this in record time, just because I was so curious to see if it would work! This one is worked in JCA Reynold's Soft Linen. I love it's crispness, combined with drape and sheen. Right now I'm re-working it in Silky Wool.
You all will be so proud of me! I have actually completed a garment from a published pattern. Many of you have heard me rant about the few patterns I have tried to do. I get frustrated by incorrect instructions, typos, etc. I swear, it's easier to make a garment from my head that from written patterns. (That way, there are no "mistakes", only design features!) Anyway, the Prussian Jewels sweater in the Summer "08 Knitters was really calling me. And, as we had the yarn required, (Berocco Bonsai), and I had been wanting to try some entrelac, I had to do it. 
I chose not to add the sleeves, so I can wear it as a tunic in the fall over a turtleneck. It was a really well written pattern, easy to follow instructions, and I only found 2 errors! If I wear to do it again, I would add another layer or 2 of squares at the bottom, but otherwise I love it.
Ravelympics is up and running--Go Team St. Louis--and we are having knit-ins here at Kirkwood Knittery on Mon. and Thurs. evenings from 6-9 for anyone. I of course am a total slacker, and didn't get registered for any event. I kept debating what to do, then forgot to actually sign up. Of course, I had decided to do the WIP wrestling (you wouldn't believe the WIPs I have!), but apparently got struck with ADD last night and cast on 2 new projects during the knit in. Robyn (RMS) was thoroughly entertained! So, the WIPs will languish for a while longer, and hopefully soon I will have some great new things to share!
I'm back
So, I've not been sure what to do about this. For a long time, it didn't seem possible to sit and write about knitting, when all this is going on. Then, when I realized that I do need to keep going on, it was hard to come back without an explanation of my absence. And, I do not want this to be a blog about that!
Then, walking to work last week, it came to me. Today I will write about how knitting, and our store, has helped me through all of these struggles.
We've all heard it before "knitting is the new yoga" and in some ways it is--without the sore muscles! For me, when I'm knitting, I can allow my mind to wander, to think all those thoughts that can't be formed in the bustle of life. Part of what I've had to do is keep logs of practically everything my son does. I have to organize it, and be able to communicate it to the neurologist in a concise, but clear way. I'm often not successful at it, but I do find that I "rehearse" all my conversations and solve problems over a simple garter stitch moebius!
Then I have my more complicated knitting, my shawls and my mathematical creations. Those give me an opportunity to strain my brain over something that, when it all comes down to it, is really unimportant. If I can't solve that problem, well the world can live without one more shawl!
And then we have the store... I can't say enough about what the team we have has done to support me and my family. Susie, Nadine, Adrienne, and Robyn have all been willing to cover for me any time we have to run off to the doctor. When I come back from a bad appointment, Susie knows me well enough to ask, "do you want to talk, or should I leave you alone?" They listen to me, offer advice, and when it's time distract me. I have had customers offer me advice, give me referrals, and I know many of you are praying for us. I can't say enough what that means to me. I always tell people that knitters are the nicest group I know, and I have certainly seen that in this past year.
So, to be completely pithy, I guess that while life does have it's struggles, it's great to be a part of something that provides so much on so many levels.
And now, on to some knitting content...
I have become completely addicted to shawl knitting. I'm doing a series of shawls with armholes or sleeves (I can't keep them on otherwise!). I'm also enthralled with the idea of a garment that has no cast on, no bind off, and no seams. Here's my most recent jacket/shawl. This one was made with the Habu viscose rayon sizing. I love the yin/yang quality of it--the fiber is a little stiff, very raw-looking, yet the shawl is so extremely delicate looking.
I'll have more things up in the next few days.
Welcome
I taught myself how to knit 5 years ago. I used to sew and design clothing with flat fabric. Those of you who know me will understand that I have always needed to alter my clothing to fit me! When we had children, my sewing room became a nursery, so I needed a more portable creative outlet. And so it began....
After spending a week studying a learn to knit book, I felt that I was ready to move on from squares and rectangles. So, off I went to my neighborhood yarn store, Pennie's Place. I looked through patterns, and became infatuated with a pattern for a child's intarsia cardigan. Not a beginner project by a long shot! But, I had no desire to make a scarf, poncho, or dishcloth. Finally Penny gave me the best advice I've every gotten. She told me that if I wanted the finished project, I would make the effort to learn the skills required to get there. So, I bought 6 colors of washable wool, circular needles, and the pattern. I struggled through that sweater, sitting on the couch with the pattern and 3 different technique books surrounding me. Every time I came to a new skill in the pattern, I'd flip through the books until I came to a good definition of what I was supposed to do in real words. I made it through that sweater, and my son looked darling in it. And, in one project, I learned shaping, intarsia, and basic garment construction. That was the only pattern I have every knit and followed completely. I quickly started altering patterns to fit me or to add stitch patterns. From there, I abandoned patterns alltogether, and now I design all my garments.
So, in this blog, we'll talk about what I'm working on now, hopefully what you're working on, and what's hot. Right now, I'm really into lace work. I'm finishing a shaw, based on my duet shawl pattern, in the Habu Textiles silk. This shawl pattern is a rectangle shaw, but it has sleeves, so that I can actually keep it on! Right now I'm working on the edge. This is one of those "Don't talk to me until I finish this row" projects, so I don't get much time to work on it!
Here's the shell I made with the linen paper and the cotton slub. The linen is similar to raffia.
I'm also working on a winter coat for Peyton. I'm using the Bartlett wool, and I'm making a long coat with inset box pleats. With all the new yarns coming in (boxes everyday it seems!) each day I seem to add to my works in progress!
So, keep checking in, and watch the progress on all these projects. Right now I'm off for our dying party at the store. I'll post some pictures of the results tommorrow.