Knitting Mayhem

Splicing the pieces together.

30. November 2012 · Write a comment · Categories: how to · Tags: felting, joins, spit-splice, wool

I’m working on High Line, a bulky weight wool lace shawl. Lace is always an interesting proposition when you have to join a new skein of yarn, but when you’re working with a bulky weight wool, there’s simply no way of disguising it. Enter spit splicing, a join method that works with any yarn that is at least 75% wool fiber. Since this join depends on wool’s ability to felt, you also can’t use a superwash wool, where the fiber has been coated so it won’t felt while you’re washing it. (See what they did there?) Again, this is for wool. Cottons, linens, and acrylics need not apply.
Step 1. For each yarn end (old skein and new skein), carefully unwind about 4″, and separate fibers into two relatively equal parts. If you’re working with a plied yarn, untwist them and divide evenly. Odd number of pies? Then separate the odd ply like the picture shows. Trust me; this is totally worth it.

Step 2. Now carefully take your separated yarn ends (top) and tease the yarn apart further so that you can see space between the actual fibers. The more spread out your fibers are, the easier it will felt and, as a result, the stronger your join will be.

Step 3. Next, carefully tear one section of the fibers away on each end. While you can cut them, tearing the fibers creates a more natural, and less noticeable, join. Fibers that are cut to the same length can show an edge or bump to the finished join. Remember, this is more obvious with big bulky yarns, and I’m working a lace pattern. If it’s fingering or DK? Those snap pretty easy too, once you have separated the strands. As with everything, your mileage may vary.

Step 4. Lay your two ends together so they overlap the 4″ you’ve removed. Ready? Spit on it. No, I’m not kidding, and yes, I really do want you to get the section wet. Which means spitting on it several times. (See? Knitting isn’t a prissy sport.) Roll the fibers together between your flat palms to cause the fibers to lock onto each other and draw them together. (What you’re doing here is actually wet felting, using the wetness from the spit and the friction created by rubbing your hands together. SCIENCE!!) Your fibers should go from looking like two separate pieces (top) to a single strand of fiber (bottom).

Step 5. The end result: your next skein is invisibly joined to the old skein, and this join will simply disappear into your project. Seriously — can you even see where the two ends have become one? I can’t. This is pure knitting magic. MAGIC, I tell you!!

Rock around the clock.

09. November 2012 · Write a comment · Categories: Uncategorized

I’m starting to see some craaaazy inventions out there for knitting. Just thought I’d leave them here for your Friday Frolic.

ECAL Low-Tech Factory/Rocking-Knit from ECAL on Vimeo.

And if you don’t have enough room for a rocker, well then, tick tock!

Yes, it’s a clock that knits without you! WOWZA! One full rotation is the equivalent of one full day. Ergo, you have a lovely 365 row scarf in a year — and not even have to be present! Heck, that’s farther than I’ve gotten on some of my WIPs. You can watch an interview with the designer, too. Now, if it only did lace….

Weighing my choices.

24. October 2012 · Write a comment · Categories: 2012, knitters

I’ve noticed that lately, as I finish projects and have some leftover ends, I’m becoming increasingly more interested in the remaining weights of my leftovers — so much so that I’ve finally done something I never thought I’d do: I purchased a food scale so I can weigh my yarn. I confess that this sounds ridiculous even to my ears; real knitters just have this innate sense of where to knit to so that there’s nothing left, right? That’s what I thought, but it seems I don’t have this supposed innate sense myself, and so I need help. To add insult to injury, more and more patterns tell you to knit until you have a certain percentage of weight left, or some other stupid math equation that we both know I have absolutely no interest in solving with my brain. I just want to know the bottom line: will I have enough left to finish the piece I’m knitting? Do I have enough leftover that I can squeeze another project out of that? Aye, there’s the rub.

What does it say about me that my most recent purchase is causing me such knitting joy? I’m not really sure, but I do know that I’m giddy with delight. It makes the whole concept moot: Have or have not. There is no question.

Boy is that a weight off my mind.

The not Rhinebeck road trip.

23. October 2012 · Write a comment · Categories: rhinebeck, travel, yarnporn · Tags: festival, roadtrip, yarnporn

Ahhh, Rhinebeck. The annual October pilgrimage that yarn and fiber lovers across the east coast yearn and scheme to take. While we desperately wanted to make the trip, it seemed that one thing or another just wasn’t going to work in our favor this year. Some people were renovating homes. Some were out of town or running marathons. And some of us were just a tad scant on money and a touch large on indecision. In the end, we waited too long to find anywhere to stay, so we finally had to accept the hard realization we simply weren’t going to Rhinebeck. But that didn’t stop some of us from sitting in our houses sulking come Friday evening, not sure how we were going to manage avoiding the Twitterstream for two whole days while everyone else had fun without us.

So we hatched a plan to absolve us of our misery. If we couldn’t manage the scratch for yarnporn AND accommodations, we’d just focus on acquiring the yarnporn. Saturday morning, Audrey and I tucked Ingrid into her car seat and set off for Pittsburgh and yarn a bit closer to home. It was a much more relaxed journey, since we knew we weren’t going to be facing stiff competition for our yarn. We spent a few hours at one of our favorite shops there, kibbitzing and sharing with other knitters who had to stay back and man the shop. Of course, being bitter together was some comfort, because we could laugh and still share companionship with the knitting community. And you know what? That was okay. I think it’s really the friendship that’s important here. Being with people you trust as friends, sharing new ideas and patterns with others like you, and training young blood in the art of fibers, just makes things right with the world. Of course, it doesn’t hurt to come home with some new nommy goodness too. Just, you know, for the pain.

I’m pretty happy with my haul; it wasn’t extravagant, but most of it is actually for Christmas gifts, which I’m now hard at work on. That’s what I call responsible shopping, and I can totally rationalize that. It made the weekend of not Rhinebeck bearable, and that was a blessing. I can even look at Westknit’s Facebook page of festival fun and frolic without shedding (many) tears. And it seems absence makes the heart grow fonder (and smarter); we’re all hard at work researching accomodations for next year’s pilgrimage. There’s just no way in hell we’re missing this twice in a row.

Sometimes, you just have to scratch that itch and share the joy.

Clap on, clap off, clapotis.

18. October 2012 · Write a comment · Categories: 2012, scarf, work in progress

Well, it’s finally done. I’ve put the needles down, blocked it with a frenzy, and at last, the Clapotis is off the wires.

And I’m really not impressed.

I feel like that’s some sort of sacrilege to say out loud. Apparently everyone loves this pattern. But I just don’t see it. Maybe I knit it too loosely. Perhaps I’ve always subconsciously had something against this yarn. It could be that the pattern should be made with a heavier yarn. Most likely it’s a combination of all three. But whatever it is, I’ve never felt the love for this piece. And you know what? I think that’s okay (even though I’m nervously looking up for the lightning strike).

What I’ve learned here is this: I don’t care for the dropped stitch pattern on this weight of yarn with such big needles. I want a firmer binding on a finished piece, and this is not that. Now that I’m done, I see lots of places where it could be better, where the stitches could be tighter, or gaps where I don’t think there should be gaps. I’m even wondering if I might have gotten the stitches wrong on the edges, or messed it up when I had to go down and fix a missed yarnover. Hmmm. Also, I just dread the first time something snags a loose thread, because you know it’s gonna happen. Suffice it to say, this particular Clapotis is not one of my favorite pieces.

So I’m glad I did this, because I think it’s important to discover the things you don’t like as well as the things you love. And even better if I can put words to it, so that next time, I can avoid what I don’t like. But now I can check this off the list, and move on to something I’m gonna love a lot more. Besides — TheCoed has been nosing around as I blocked this piece, so I think it’s going to become hers, just because I know she’ll wear it with joy. And that’s really the point of it all, isn’t it?

So there’s my report, and my teachable moments. Everyone sing along with me: “Clap on! Clap off! Clap on, clap off, Clapotis!”

Training.

17. October 2012 · Write a comment · Categories: travel · Tags: Amtrak, conference, life, milwaukee, train

Last week I had a conference in Milwaukee to attend. Things had been a little hectic leading up to it and, come Thursday evening, I suddenly realized I hadn’t bought a plane ticket. Oy! Two days before you’re supposed to leave isn’t the best time to realize you still need transportation, because that $325 ticket two months ago has more than doubled in price. No dice. I could drive, but the thought of an 11+ hour drive just felt exhausting — if not on the way there, definitely on the way back. Trying to decide between the lesser of two evils, I suddenly realized there was a third option: Amtrak. With a station only 30 minutes away, I found I could book a three-leg round trip for the same price of that original plane ticket I never got around to buying. A 20 hour trip with a couple 2 – 3 hr layovers is longer than I usually like to travel, but the price was right and I was ready for an adventure. All aboard!

Let me tell you, that train ride was fabulous. On my way there I worked on my presentation, read a book, and knit — and on the way back? I knit and knit and knit some more. I was able to finish two projects completely, and get the third one almost to completion. What a glorious feeling! The trip was incredibly relaxing — I was out of the office, out of the house, couldn’t do anything for anyone except for me. (Hooray!) I had plenty of legroom, a comfortable seat, a huge window to took out, a reading light that actually could be aimed where I needed it, a table that moved where I wanted it; and, the trifecta of a tech geek: wifi, plugs, and coffee. Yessssssssss. So much more comfortable than a packed flight, and I could get up, move around, have food in the dining car, work in the lounge car, or sit in my seat, almost fully reclined, with headphones in my ears and a movie on the laptop. Pure heaven.

I gotta say, I’m so impressed with Amtrak. You’d be surprised how many people take the train cross country, and I can see why. It might take longer than air, but it’s a helluva lot more relaxing, and definitely easier on the psyche. I’m reinvigorated by the thought of how many places I can get to just with a 30 minute drive from my home. It seems to me that, with gas at these prices, any trips in a 6 hour radius is really better left to Amtrak.

Training couldn’t get any easier.

Opportunist.

22. September 2012 · Write a comment · Categories: work in progress · Tags: LoveJunkie

Why, oh why, does LoveJunkie always lay down on my knitting? This weekend she’s been recovering from a procedure at the vet and she just looks so pathetic, I don’t have the heart to move her. Oh sure, play the sympathy card this time, why doncha.

We now return you to works in progress.

22. September 2012 · Write a comment · Categories: work in progress

Since I was whining about variegated yarns a couple weeks ago, I thought I should probably show some progress with what I’ve been making. I’d decided to do Clapotis with the Miss Babs’ Rhinebeck 2011 colorway, and I really like how the colors are playing off the stockinette/dropped stitch combo. it had been an easy pattern to travel with (although I really need to stop talking so much when I knit this, because I totally lose track of the YO after the k2tog. I’ve had to go back and fix that at least a handful of times (although that means I’m getting really good at tinking) and it will off the count by one if I don’t catch it. So, I’m still moving forward, but I should really pay a bit more attention when I’m cruising along in this one.

But at the moment, I’ve put Clapotis on hiatus so that I can make more progress on Trillian. TheProgrammer decided she really liked it and beat me to the punch by asking for it. *eyeroll* So I’m trying to get moving on it on the off chance I might actually get it done for her birthday which is… oh, Tuesday. I’m gonna get back to that and hopefully make tracks stat. It’s about a yard long on the curved side, so I’m starting to get a good feel for what this will look like as a finished object. I will tell you that Indigodragonfly’s Merino/Silk 4-ply sock yarn is, quite simply, delish.

I like the fact I’m making progress in gradually getting through both stash and projects. I’m happy with both of these pieces (although I’m pretty sure they’ll both be gifts) but I’m also looking forward to getting them done and moving on to the next things in line. I seem to have a queue that gets longer and longer and longer, but I guess it’s progress that I’ve got actual yarn matched up with actual projects. Now if I could only get outgoing projects done faster than the incoming stash, I’d call that making real progress.

Carry on, McDuff!

It’s the soft ones you have to watch out for.

16. September 2012 · 2 comments · Categories: travel, yarnporn

I’ve discovered that, as a knitter, it doesn’t take very long in a new place before you start wondering where the local yarn stores are. Where can I pick up some darning needles? A new project bag? Where can I fondle some yarnporn? I was looking to expand my stash with some sea silk, and knew there would be ample selection in the chic downtown Portland stores — Knit Purl, Happy Knits, and Twisted (a few personal favorites) — but my sister lives in the Tigard/Beaverton portion of Portland, and I wondered if there were any stores local to her that were worthwhile.

For future reference, there are some questions that are just too silly to ask.

The first stop was proof that I’d become a yarn snob. Half of the store was a selection of acrylic yarns, and specialty yarns (eyelash, boucle, and things that you can apparently knit into necklaces. I didn’t want to know more). Wool and wool blends were stored along one wall and I realized there wasn’t anything there that I was excited about trying. A conversation with the saleswoman didn’t prove terribly fruitful, and the only place to sit down was at a small, cramped table. I’d hate to take classes there. Sea silk? Not an option. I bought a project bag and we moved on.

Oh, but the second stop! Less than five miles from TheProgrammer’s house, and we struck gold. A beautiful shop called For Yarn’s Sake that carries hand-dyed yarns from local northwest artists. Perfect! Light, airy, and packed to the gills with natural fibers with lovely specialty luxury fibers as well. Comfortable couches and chairs made it clear knitters were welcome to sit and knit (obviously they were set up for a weekly knitting group!). A long table and chairs proved they were serious about offering classes, too. Oh, and the yarn — a fabulous selection, with beautiful samples to inspect and love. I found three patterns that I will be adding to my collection. It was a shame we only had an hour there. The thing I liked the most? Being able to have an intelligent conversation with the salesperson, because she could tell me things I didn’t know. Sea silk? Certainly; four different types, and when I got to the counter? Oh my. This was where I discovered qiviut.

Have you ever heard of qiviut (“kiv-ee-ute”)? Yeah, I hadn’t either. Here’s the skinny:

Qiviut is truly an amazing fiber. It is the delicate underwool of the Arctic muskox. It is one of the most sought after fibers in the world because of its rarity, softness and warmth. Qiviut is softer than cashmere and is light as a feather. It’s an insulating fiber and is comfortable to wear in any climate.

Qiviut is eight times warmer than sheep wool. 100% qiviut is non-shrinkable, non-felting and safe for people who suffer from sheep wool allergies. Unlike wool, qiviut is not scratchy. The more you handle and wash qiviut, the softer it feels.

ZOMG. The feel is amazing, and I was hooked. I was trying to decide on a couple of colors, and as I bent down for one more look through the glass, I saw a sign with a number on it. 142. What was that — a dye lot? No, that was the price. ONE HUNDRED FORTY-TWO DOLLARS. *blanch* Yeah, I couldn’t believe it either. And I couldn’t put it away fast enough. Holy shit. $142. For a skein. OF YARN. Yes, it was laceweight, and yes, it was 437 yards. But dear god. It must be collected from the ballsack of the muskox and spun with gold and fairy wings.

Now, to be fair, I was looking for an upscale yarn shop, and I definitely found it. And they also have an amazing selection of — well, just about everything. And, while I actually did spend that much in the store, I really couldn’t justify it all on one single skein of luxury. Instead, I got a number of new things I’ve never worked with before: two skeins of sea silk, differing weights (one that was custom dyed for the shop, a delicious concoction of champagne, silver and gold), a skein of malabrigo rios, a spontaneous impulse buy of madtosh prairie, and some baby lace weight dream in a gorgeous exclusive club dyed periwinkle-gray that came with a lovely hat-scarf-cowl-mitts pattern. I really think it’s fabulous, and sadly, now I’m enrolled in the monthly Dream In Color option. Because, you know, I need people to make it EVEN EASIER for me to buy yarnporn. Dammit.

On the bright side, my sister has decided to take a class here to get her past the cast on curse that she’s encountered. I’m hopeful for her, because a class gives you the support you need to make progress. It also means she can make her own stuff, rather than stealing mine. (Okay, so I offered my Rose Red to her, but how can you say no to “Can I have this?”) I’m not sure it will take the place of her quilting, but it is definitely more portable. And perhaps I’ll take another peek at that qiviut the next time I’m there.

From 40 feet away.

Alpaca get back to you later.

15. September 2012 · Write a comment · Categories: 2012, travel

Just got back from a lovely two week stay in Oregon with TheCop. While he had plans to hike and explore Mt. Hood, I was set to spend time catching up with my sister in Portland, taking day trips to locales of interest (read: wine, food, beach, yarn). This is one of the reasons the pacific northwest is so appealing to us — we can both do things together and apart that appeal to our varied interests. I love that. Our first day trip: to drop TheCop off at Mt. Hood for a five day hike along the Timberline Trail.

After we left TheCop at the trail head, we wandered a bit as we headed back toward Portland. Outside Hood River we found fruit orchards, wineries, and Cascade Alpacas of Oregon, an alpaca farm where we stopped to feed the alpacas and browse Foothills Yarn & Fiber, their yarn shop (yarn! in the middle of nowhere! have I got mad skills or what??!!). Alpacas are a funny bunch; very friendly, not a little shy, and more than a little hungry. My sister TheProgrammer was not completely convinced that alpacas are harmless, but it was a hoot.

I have to admit, alpaca farming in the shadow of Mt. Hood seems to be a pretty fantastic way to spend your days. More than a little picturesque nestled there in the mountains, isn’t it? And freshly shorn alpaca with that topknot mop of hair is just cuter than cute. Not to be outdone, the yarn shop was chock full of — you guessed it — yards and yards of fabulous alpaca. I tried like hell, but ended up not buying any alpaca to bring home and add to the stash; instead, I bought a crochet hook (!!!) to fix some dropped stitches on my Clapotis scarf. Oh yes, just call me Big Spender.

Nonetheless, this was, quite possibly, the best day of back country wandering I’ve ever had. Beautiful weather. Beautiful scenery. Beautiful alpacas. All less than two hours away from culture and city life. Why do I live in Pennsylvania when there’s such beauty here?

Alpaca think on that one awhile.