Progress!. and lifelines.

I have found the needles, and cast on for the Swallowtail!  

so far, I'm not finding it too difficult... I have made a few mistakes, but i'm the kind of knitter who, unless the mistake is tragic, or, un-repairable, i just go on.  However, I am instituting the use of lifelines for the first time!  Previous shawls made by me have always failed, mostly because I screwed up at some point, usually at a good point in the movie, and was unable to salvage it.  and, because ripping out lace is really impossible, I'm using a lifeline now! 

Using a lifeline is easy!  here's a quick tutorial.

1.  I usually install the lifeline at the end of a lace repeat, so that it's easy to remember where i was.  Thread some smooth, thin waste yarn onto a tapestry needle and bring it through all the stitches. 

 2.  Once the yarn is through all the stitches, you have your lifeline.  Knit the next repeat fear free, and once you have finished, your lifeline will be a few rows up, like this:

 If you find that you've made a mistake, you can pull your knitting out, back to the lifeline, and then you will have a row of live stitches on the yarn ready to be put back on the needles.  

I usually move my lifeline up at the end of each repeat, after a purl row.  It only takes a minute or two to do this, and if you need it, you'll save yourself hours of grief, and possibly save your shawl too! 

My shawl and me will be at the Sheep tomorrow for the first meeting of the Summer Knitting Club... will we see you there? 

Correction!

Sorry folks, but the meeting for the Summer Knitting Club was always meant to be on Tuesday the 17th of June. As usual, I mixed up the dates; Thursday is our last Knitting For Newbies class before the summer break...still a little space left.

Hope to see you there...on Tuesday that is!

Lace Month Continued...

As the half-way point in June approaches, the time for our first Summer Knitting Club meeting approaches along with it. I hope that everyone is enjoying their projects (I certainly am!)
The meeting is scheduled for next Thursday Evening at the Store (2144 A Queen East) which is the 19th of June. We'll plan to start at 7:00 pm, and likely go until around 9:00. Even if you are not a member of the club, feel free to bring your knitting by and have a look at everyone's lace!

By now, I have knit all of the projects for June, so I'll be there to help anyone who's having trouble with their projects; watch out for NUPPS in the Swallowtail!

...And here's a quick update on my project...

Advanced: My Laminaria is coming along quite nicely! I am making the larger size, and it will be the biggest lace project that I have taken on to date. Currently, I am about half way through the blossom chart, and still on my first skein of Malabrigo Lace (hard to believe that I will need 3!). The only problem that I have encountered thus far is my own laziness; I tend to forget yarnovers. My solution to this problem is to look over every one of my lace rows, and count the yarnovers before I purl back. So far, this system has worked like an insurance policy, as long as I remember to count, the yarnovers are always in the right place!


I also have to mention that the yarn I am using is wonderful! Once the skein is unwound it swells up (a little but like those toys that grow when you put them into water...but without the water) Honestly. The picture at the top of this post is in focus, but the yarn is just so fluffy, soft and delicate that it looks all blurry. I am really enjoying using Malabrigo lace and would recommend it highly for any lace project!

I think I'm turning Japanese

I have always had a love of cute silly things. In fact I am completely driven by it; I go as far as to seriously dislike things that are not cute, or at least visually appealing in some way. I constantly select the impractical, useless and even dangerous items in life as my very favourite…just because they are pretty or cute. An excellent example of this problem I have happened just recently; while discussing furniture options for my new apartment I told my parents that I would prefer to sit on the floor with no couch or kitchen table than to have ugly ones. I meant it too!

Kyuuto are, a series of Japanese crafting books, that have recently been translated into English. I can guarantee to you that each page is jam-packed with over-the-top cuteness, the breed of cuteness that Japan has become quite notorious for producing. Whether it be Amigurumi, Lacy Crochet or Fuzzy Felted Friends, the Kyuuto series is sure to have you ooohing and squeeking as the Kyuuto-ness unfolds.


AMIGURUMI (Masterminded by Tomoko Takamori): This was the book that made me want to crochet, watch out knitters because it just might happen to you too! Amigurumi are cute little anthropomorphic creatures, and are quickly winning the hearts of knitters as well as the crochet savvy the world over. With patterns for all manner of animals from “American” lions to donkeys with bandannas to sheep (from the woolen planet?), these little creatures are fun and easy to make too. The patterns in Amigurumi are all single crochet and great for anyone who is new to crochet; my first crochet project was from this book!
Pictured above are my first crochet project, the "fuzzy bunny" in Mirasol Miski, and the "American Lion" in Cascade 220 and Nashua chunky Mohair!



LACY CROCHET(author: Shufu-To-Seikatsu Sha): A step up in skill level from Amigurumi is Lacy Crochet. The patterns in this book are mainly for household items such as coasters, pincushions, tissue box covers, pot holders and lacy trimmings. By far the cutest pattern in the book is for a beautiful pair of baby booties. Lacy Crochet has clear step-by-step instructions on each technique used in the book, with minimal text to accompany it, allowing for much clearer translation from Japanese into English






FUZZY FELTED FRIENDS (author: Saori Yamazaki): For those who can’t crochet to save their lives, and I know a few of you, this book may be your way to get in on all this cuteness. All the projects in this book are felted from rovings, and they range from the definitive Japanese cell-phone dangler to bags, bowls, coasters and puppies! Again, this book offers detailed photo based instructions, allowing for easy translation into English.

A Lace confession...

So, I realise that June is lace month here at the Naked Sheep knitting club, so I've decided to give you all a little confession... I don't really like knitting lace!  (gasp!)  It's not that I can't do it, and I LOVE the way it looks when it's finished and all blocked up, but to be honest, I do 80% of my knitting while watching TV, and I just can't concentrate on the lace!  It's a lame excuse, I know, and really, since I love the way lace looks so much, I should just suck it up, and buy a few audiobooks or something.  

So, my choice for the June project is going to be a Swallowtail shawl.  However, I'm in the middle of a move right now, and ALL MY YARN (and needles!)  is packed, so I won't be casting on for a few days.  I'm going to make it out of Cascade 220, a worsted weight yarn, so that the shawl will (hopefully) be HUGE!  I'm picturing this shawl, completed, and hanging off the back of the loveseat in my living room.  

And just so you're all not left photo-less like this, here's a photo of the cardigan I recently completed!  It's made with Noro Silk Garden, and Cascade 220, and the pattern is the Retropolitan Sweater from Son of Stitch and Bitch... not just a book for guys! 

It's so soft, and lovely, I practically live in it these days! So, chances are good that if you come into the store, I'll be wearing it!

(it is, by the way, a perfect TV knitting project! I knit it while watching Buffy - season 5!)

Hot weather calls for "holier" knitting...

...Knitting thats full of holes that is, hopefully intentional ones!

I'm getting a jump on lace month, a well deserved jump, as I am knitting more than one project for our June KAL. I've had the lace ribbon scarf on my needles for a week or so now; its dead simple and fun to knit! I really enjoy working on it in the store, where the hustle-bustle environment leaves me little remaining brain power for concentrating on complex lace. I am using just one skein of Hand Maiden sea silk (I THINK the colour is renaissance, what do you think?), which is not long enough to make the proper sized scarf. I removed one lace repeat, and I'm just going to knit until the ball is gone! The idea of an 80 inch scarf (this is the length given in the pattern) was nice until I held a tape measure out to 80 inches, and it reached all the way across the room. I pictured my self ten years from now, still churning this never-ending scarf off my needles; knitted scarf piled on the floor, and wrapped around my neck. Aggh! I can't use that much scarf!
This simple, yet effective lace pattern is a quick and easy knit; and thankfully its east to customize its width and length too!



Just yesterday, I cast on for our advanced KAL project, Laminaria. This shawl has been in my project queue ever since I first saw it in the spring 2008 issue of Knitty. I'm psyched about knitting this piece, but have little to report thus far as I've only knit a few rows...take a look at the progress...

Isn't it cute? I chose to knit this project is Malabrigo Lace. This is my first time knitting with this yarn; a silly fact, considering that I am the happy owner of 9 skeins of the stuff! It was just one of those yarns that I new I loved before I'd even used it, and thats shaping up to be true!

More updates on my lacy endeavors soon. Thanks for checking in!

Emily

You're already at the blog, so...

I just wanted to share these posters that I worked so hard on. I realized that they direct the observer to this blog...so just ignore that part!

June is fast approaching, and we're finishing up some little details for our summer KAL. The Flikr group is up and running as well. Drop by to post photos of your knitted items (summer KAL-related and otherwise). Hope to see you there!

June is Lace Month!

the projects are as follows...

Beginner:
Lace Ribbon Scarf by Veronik Avery. A great way to introduce yourself to the wonders of lace knitting, this scarf is knit out of a fingering weight yarn and features a subtle zig-zag achieved through undulating columns of yarnovers. Lace repeats are short and easy to memorize, you’ll have a beautiful scarf before you know it!
The sample pictured is still in progress, and looking great so far!










Intermediate:
Swallowtail Shawl by Evelyn A. Clark. This small triangular shawl can be knit from just 400 m of lace weight yarn…or sock yarn of course! It features a simple repeat in the main body, that flows into an elaborate border edge. The small size of this shawl makes it quite manageable to knit, and the triangular shape adds interest to the knitting process as it grows and gradually takes its shape!






Advanced:
Laminaria by Elizabeth Freeman
Based on traditional Estonian Lace stitches, this shawl will challenge and inspire you! There are two size options, so those who are timid about taking on a large project can still knit the pattern with a slightly smaller commitment of time. The Shawl Pictured was knit from 2 skeins of Malabrigo lace by our friend and wonder-knitter, Angela. She customized its size to be somewhere in between the large and small sizes provided in the pattern.











If you are interested in the Summer Knitting Club, drop by the store to register. Its completely free to join!

Our first meeting will be around two weeks into June, a final date will be posted shortly.

Emily

2008 Summer Knitting Club

In preparation for another busy summer of travel and trips to the cottage the Naked Sheep plans to help you stay connected with the knitting world as well as the community of Beaches knitters (non-beachers welcome too of course!)

The Summer Knitting Club is a KAL (knitalong) that will run from June to August of 2008. Each month we will select a beginner, intermediate and advanced knitting project and post them right here, on our blog. No matter where your busy life takes you this summer, be sure to bring your KAL project with you.
Don’t forget to take pictures and make notes on your work because the purpose of a KAL is to share your experience knitting a project with others who are knitting the same thing.
To share your notes post a comment on our blog or visit our Flikr group to share photos and check out other people’s projects.
For those of you who may be remaining in the city over the summer, we will hold meetings at the shop every 2 weeks to discuss our progress, and chatter about knitting news as usual.
Emily and Sarah will be happy to help you select yarn and get started with your project, and as usual you are welcome to bring it by the shop if you’re having trouble with anything.
When you purchase your materials you are automatically entered in our draw for some great prizes!

Stay tuned for more information about the Summer Knitting Club!

New Class Schedule

As promised, our new class schedule is ready, and its shaping up to be a rip-roaring good time!

Class listings are posted on our website , as always, if you need more information do not hesitate to give us a call at the store, or drop in for more info.
This session we are offering:

• Down and Dirty Knitting for Newbies
• New Knitter Project Class
• Sock Workshop
• Finishing Workshop
• Mom and Me

If you are having trouble fitting a class into your schedule, we will be happy to arrange a private lesson for you, just give us a call at 416.691.6320

As usual, I cannot resist the temptation to show you what I've been knitting...

Above are my third pair of Coriolis (or should I say Corioli?) from Cat Bordhi's New Pathways For Sock Knitters. Granted, all three pairs are children's sizes, but I cast on for an adult pair yesterday! For the pair pictured above I used Nature's Palette fingering sock, which is a beautiful almost-solid hand dye. The subtle colour variation in this yarn gives great stitch definition, and looks excellent knit into Coriolis. Currently, we have a great selection of Nature's Palette in the store!