Tag: yarn

Design Mine

When I find beautiful yarn and a pattern, I jump right in with both knitting needles.  After knitting a gauge swatch, I begin knitting line by line, increase by decrease reaching the final row of  bind off.  I give very little thought to the process of designing because I love to knit.  Recently, I read an interview of “technical knitter” Catherine Lowe, conducted by Charles D. Gandy for Knit Purl, the Spring/Summer 2015 issue, in which she mentions,

“More often than not, the motivation for the new designer is “I love to knit, so I’ll become a designer and then I’ll knit all the time.  Actually, the new designer ends up spending most of his/her time dealing with business and professional aspects of the industry.”

I’ve had fleeting moments of design grandeur.  Practically every year I enroll in a design class at Stitches West, but when the instructor begins to discuss how to get the numbers for neck shaping and sleeve increases my eyes glaze over and my mind wanders.  Catherine Lowe argues,

“One great regret is that here in America we have no history of formalized apprenticeship in the hand knitting industry.  Technical skills can be transmitted through tradition and workshops-experience cannot.”

Who knew a trip to my local library would help solve some of my knitting woes of design.  Debbie Stoller’s, Stitch “N’ Bitch Superstar Knitting, speaks loud and clear to me.

Drop Sleeve Sweater Pattern_1

I’ve decided to start collecting experience by embracing Debbie Stoller’s “purls of wisdom.” The basic drop-sleeve cardigan from Superstar Knitting appeals to me and looks like a great start.  Locked away in my yarn vault, I found Evita by Online Linie 79, 50% Wool, 15% Nylon, 35% Acrylic.

Drop Sleeve Sweater Pattern #3_1

Using a Size 13 needle, I knitted a gauge swatch.  As I worked through the design process, the relationship between a gauge swatch paired with accurate measurements became quite evident. The whole design is based on at least 4 inches of knitting.

Drop Sleeve Sweater Pattern #2_1

Now, I need to write-up the pattern.

Does Yarn Color Have A Shelf Life?

I’ve decided it’s time to get in touch with my “inner yarn self” and make some important decisions regarding my collection.  Instead of consuming, I want to use what I’ve collected over the last 20+ years.   Do I find the yarn colors, fiber content and gauge still appealing?

I uncovered enough gold-colored Lana Gross Merino Big for a sweater and questioned why I purchased the particular color, because I don’t wear gold (jewelry is an exception).  I soon remembered, the yarn was purchased for my daughter whose reddish-brown hair and green eyes definitely suit the color.   But, what about all the rest?  Are the many skeins, balls and hanks of color still relevant?  Some may be considered vintage, but does yarn color have an expiration date?  I collect vintage knitting patterns, e.g., Coats & Clark’s featuring Red Heart Books, Spinnerin, Woman’s Day, to name a few, but I don’t have an interest in knitting from the various collections.  I’m interested in the recorded history of style and written directions, in order to compare and evaluate the patterns of today.

Does Yarn Have A Shelf Life #2

Now, I’m knitting “A casual classic from designer Calvin Klein” pullover in a broken-cable pattern from Vogue Knitting Very Easy Knits.  The Broken-Cable Pullover first appeared in the Spring/Summer 1986 issue of Vogue Knitting and was originally knit using Joseph Galler Bamboo.  I’m knitting with  Berroco Zodiac 53% cotton, 47% nylon yarn which may be at least 10 years old.

Does Yarn Have A Shelf Life_1

Looking for answers,  I decided to check-out the Pantone Colors for Fall 2015.  Of course, these colors dominant the Fashion Industry, but what about the yarn industry?

pantone-fall-2015-colors-j

Gradation Pantone Fall 2015

The Burberry dress, “The Reflecting Pond” found on Harper’s Bazaar online http://www.harpersbazaar.com/fashion/trends/g5257/pantone-top-color-trends-fall-2015/?slide=4 definitely resembles Pantone’s Stormy Weather and Reflecting Pond.

Koigu Grey Skies gradient

Pantone’s Stormy Weather and Reflecting Pond along with Grey Skies Gradient from Koigu  have common color attributes.  Koigu and the designer dress from Burberry share the effects of color gradation.

Pantone’s forecasts are fun for Fashion Week and merely a suggestion.  Color preference is literally in the “eye and mind” of the beholder.  Yes, girls like pink and practically everyone likes blue, researched by neuroscientists, Anya Hurlbert and Yazhu Ling at Newcastle.  The results from their color selection experiment, Study: Why Girls Like Pink appears in Time Magazine August 20, 2007.

I believe my color selection is based on my life experiences which reflects the various stages of my personal growth. So, I’ve decided to let my yarn color selections tell my story in bright, vivid, bold details.

Yarn Foodie

Yes, I’ll admit it…I’m a yarn foodie.  Debbie, the Yarnover Truck, parked at one of my lys this week and I couldn’t wait to place my order.  The movable yarn store  is a refurbished Little Debbie delivery truck.  Yarn deliveries are made by Maridee and Barbara   http://yarnovertruck.com/about-yot/http://yarnovertruck.com/about-yot/  The bins in the truck are neatly organized by gauge and color.  The selection mainly consists of fingering weight yarn from local Southern California artists.  My appetite was satisfied by a gorgeous 8 ply sport weight yarn from   http://www.indigodragonfly.ca.  I did however, spy dk weight too.

I wish Maridee and Barbara a safe and prosperous road trip throughout Northern and Central California.   http://yarnovertruck.com/calendar/event/ca-road-trip/

IMG_4219YarnoverTruck #2

Yarnover Truck #3Yarnover Truck #4

Betty’s Stash

Can another person truly appreciate the collections of another? I’ve been contemplating the answer to this question.  Each time I climb the stairs to my attic, I transcend the reality of down below.  Surrounded by bins full of color, texture, and print transports me to a reality all my own.  Will someone else be able to share my reality or create their own?

I own three Singer sewing machines, two Bernina sewing machines and one Bernina Funlock machine.  My first Singer was given to me by my parents as a Christmas gift, the second was given to me by my husband when I was expecting our daughter, and the third I bought from a co-worker who needed the money.  The Bernina I purchased for myself and the second Bernina was given to me after my mother-in-law passed away.  Each machine, as silly as it sounds, represents a stage in my life. They are a part of my history.

Which brings me to the reason for this post…I didn’t think I had much in common with Betty, except for her son and granddaughter, my husband and daughter.  Well, that was until I inherited her sewing machine, fabric and notions.

Betty's Stash_1_1

Rarely, did I see Betty wear color, but her thread collection reflects a different story.

Betty's Stash #2_1

The Stretch and Sew pins bring back memories of the Stretch and Sew knits http://www.asg.org/files/hall/2004_Person.pdf.  I can’t part with her collection of hotel sewing kits, especially the one from a hotel in Sri Lanka.  Betty was a world traveler reflected by the stamps in her passports (which I’ve got for safe keeping).  Her collection of silk from Thailand and India, and batiks from Bali.

I appreciate Betty’s love of travel and culture, narrated by her gifts to me.

Woven Mesh Cowl Redux

Originally, I designed the Woven Mesh Cowl with a yarn that is no longer available. Previously, I didn’t have control over what I designed with, but this time I selected from my own stash of Habu textiles and vintage rayon yarn from The Great Adirondack Yarn Co.  How liberating!  I improved the design by adding a K2 P2 rib which eliminates the rolled edge of stockinette stitch.  I combined  different colors of Habu wrapped merino for the stitch pattern, used wrapped silk for the rib stitch and each segment of the pattern stitch is separated by a touch of copper-colored metallic lame rayon yarn.

The pattern stitch knit in the round:

Rnd 1:  Knit

Rnd 2: *Purl 1, Slip 1 wyif* repeat across round

Rnd 3: Knit

Rnd 4: *Slip 1 wyif, Purl 1* repeat across round

Gauge:  Approximately 4.5 sts/5 sts per inch

CO 223 stitches using a Size 7 needle. Join being careful not to twist stitches.  I cast on an extra stitch for joining.  If using another method of joining, use an even amount of stitches.  I began with 8 rounds of rib followed by the pattern stitch.  Separate each segment of pattern stitch with rounds of stockinette stitch.   When cowl has reached desired width, end with 8 rounds of rib.

Bind off loosely.

Woven Mesh Cowl Redux #3

Woven Mesh Cowl Redux_1_1

Who Needs Jewelry

This week while working (if you call surrounded by gorgeous yarn, patterns and buttons work), one of my students stopped by Very Knit Shop in Los Gatos, CA to model her completed scarf from class.  The focus of the class is to combine 20-30 different yarns, gauges and textures in order to create random blocks of pattern and color.

The gallery downstairs was having an artist’s reception and my student was attending, proudly wearing her scarf.

I’m always surprised when combining different yarns and ribbons with Loopy and Luscious by Natalie Wilson, another option for embellishment adding just the right amount of style and design.  For the pattern, checkout http://www.knitty.com/ISSUEwinter02/PATTloopy.html

Luscious and Loopy with oil painting

20141107_154113

Why I Knit, Part II

Today I received a visit from Judy and her granddaughter, Sarah modeling one of my designs.  A couple of months ago, I had the pleasure of meeting Judy’s granddaughter, Sarah from Las Vegas.  Judy wanted Sarah to pick out yarn and a pattern.  Sarah was drawn to my design, “Woven Mesh Cowl” knit using SMC Select’s Pertinio.

Sarah graciously let me take a of picture of her while Judy, the proud grandmother, looked on.

Sarah Kaplan

Why I Knit

How can I describe why I like to knit?  Is it the tactile experience of the yarn running through my fingers, color unfolding on my needles, texture created by stitches or sharing a common interest with others?

I realized why I like to knit.  Today, I watched Kate try on her completed sweater for the first time.  With a sense of pride, she marveled at her silhouette in the mirror and called me her fairy godmother for making her “knitting wish come true.”   Thanks Kate!

Kate