Random thoughts of a fiber enthusiast - mostly fiber related, sometimes coherent

Category: Knit Page 46 of 88

Kathryn Alexander

I took a three hour workshop with Kathryn Alexander at SOAR on Knit Surface with Entrelac’s Shapes. I have to say, 3 hours is not enough. Even though it was the last session of the retreat, Kathryn was still able to energize and fascinate us.

We learned to purl back from the knit side (according to Kathryn, commonly misnamed “knitting backwards”). We learned to knit back on the purl side. We played with short rows. We played with triangles. We played with squares. We learned to increase in entrelac. We played with 3-dimensional squares (peaks). We learned to weave in ends with very little yarn waste.

Kathryn Alexander Sampler

I consider the sample we made in class as the swatch for this:

Kathryn Alexander Sweater Front

Yes, I bought one of Kathryn’s sweater kits. I had been seeing Kathryn’s sweaters, vests, and hats throughout the week, and I had to have one. They were intriguing on so many aspects. The shapes. the colors. Yum.

Armed with her insights and my swatch, I am ready to go.

Except I’m not.

I currently have 3 sweaters on the needles: Anne Bolelyn, Anarchy Sweater, and Tangled Yoke. I need to finish some of these projects before I will allow myself to cast on for yet another sweater.

So, here’s the challenge. I will finish Anarchy Sweater and Tangled Yoke before I cast on for the KA kit. (I’ve always considered Anne to be a long term commitment, so it isn’t part of this challenge.) And I really, really want to have the KA sweater finished by Madrona Fiber Arts Winter Retreat in February. So, obviously, I have a lot of knitting to do.

Wait, do I hear a Bohus sweater calling my name?

Finished Socks

AnkletsI showed off these anklets to Abby during SOAR. They were made with the Batt Club offering for July. I think she said that these were the first finished objects from the Batt Club. Please say it ain’t so! There has got to be others who have spun up and made something from those beautiful batts!

I received 3 or 4 batts (sorry, I was so anxious to spin them, I didn’t take notes). One definitely had more turquoise than the others. I toyed with the idea of separating that section out and spin it for the heels. I quickly tossed that aside to let chance happen. I used Abby’s recommendation for preparing the batts for spinning. Once I had all the little chucks of fiber, I tossed them (gently) into a box, and mixed them all up (again, gently). Then I dipped my hand into the box and pulled out each section at random. You can see the splotch of turquoise at the bottom of the toe of one of the socks. The resulting yarn was 2 ply light worsted weight.

The socks were made with my generic top-down sock recipe, using 48 sts on US #2 needles. Ribbing for 2″. Plain st st for 1″. Short rowed heels and toes. The toes were then grafted together at the top of the toe.

Super fast. Super easy. Super cushy. I love them. I have enough leftover for some wristlets.

One More Down and Off to SOAR

The anklets with my Batt Club yarn went quickly. I finished the second sock during the Whidbey Weavers’ Guild meeting on Thursday, except for the grafting. The talk was simply too fascinating to concentrate on grafting.

I spent a lovely time at lunch with my friend Kathy from Earthues today. Ballard sure has changed since I was there last. There is so much gentrification going on that the old Scandinavian and nautical feel is nearly gone. My favorite breakfast place is now a Thai restaurant. The great cajun/creole restaurant is now a mediocre Italian restaurant. A few favorite haunts still exist, but parking is now impossible.

Critters have been dropped off for boarding, and I’m spending the night in a hotel next to the airport so I can catch a flight first thing tomorrow to Michigan for SOAR. I can’t wait.

I doubt that I will have internet access there, so I’ll see you when I return!

Page 46 of 88

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