This Last Week I……

Accomplished many things!

At the end of the last evening class with Abbott I had 12 different 2 or 3 colour cast-ons to play with!

Last year I met Abbott Smith.  This week I participated in 8 hours of classes taught by Abbott.  My brain is still reeling.

Four hours of colour theory – and I know that we have just barely touched the surface.  At least now I am starting to understand how and why I chose the colours I do!

Double knit swatch - the other side is reversed, backgroud is pink and pattern is in the grey-blue.

Two hours of double knitting – worked in 2 colours using a 1×1 ribbing technique.  I have worked double knitting before but only the slip stitch method.  I can see some double-knit mittens in the future.  Once I really understand the technique I would like to try to design a reversible vest!

Two hours of Cast-ons – 2 or 3 colours involved in each and braids and a really cool looking crochet braid effect!  Those cast-ons will need practise – lots of it!  I had to really work my brain for the braided cast-ons but the effect was worth it!

Heron Slouchy

I heard back from Vogue Knitting.  The Winter 2011/2012 comes out in early January!  I can hardly wait – I know, I know that is still 2 months away, but this is the fastest time of the year.  And…..they want two patterns of mine for the Spring/Summer issue next year…..I have been dancing all over the house!  Now I have to really start knitting.

I finished writing and then released two new patterns.  Heron Slouchy, a worsted weight slouchy tam and Mosaic Cloche a DK weight, heavily textured, soft hat.  Both of these patterns were for technique classes, and are fairly straightforward knits.

Mosaic Cloche, one of my favorite designs!

Mosaic knitting is a type of colourwork that involves slipping the stitches in the colours that you are not using and knitting only with one colour at a time.  Because of this you can work both colours in stockinet or in stockinet and garter as I did.  I love adding the texture to the colourwork.  Both of the yarns used, Sublime Cashmere Merino Silk DK and Handmaiden 4-ply Cashmere, are very soft and drapey and make a beautifully soft and warm hat.

An Entrelac Moebius Shawl or shoulder wrap!

The Retreat projects are going along great!  The Entrelac Mobius is done, just the ends need to be woven in – this is the hard project.  The WeltedCowl is almost done – it is the easiest project for the retreat. The two remaining projects will sit in the in middle of these two projects in their level of difficulty, they are in my head, just waiting to be knit!

Welted Cowl, when at rest it will sit up on its rings. It can be reversed so that the green side is prominent. It is almost done at this point!

If you click on the title of this posting the header photo will come up.  Moss on a branch.  These colours were the inspiration for the colours used in these two projects.  The yarns are a Fleece Artist Merino and Madeline Tosh Merino.  The colours were perfect for the effect I wanted.

What I did not get done!

I haven’t updated Ravelry in ages, it is on my list, but just keeps falling behind.  I need to blog for work – so much new yarn had arrived!  I have seen so many fabulous finished objects.  And I just haven’t had the time to share it all this week!

I didn’t get near the computer this week to blog for myself untill today!  I am trying to make up for lost time!  Are you losing time right now?  Is this your busiest time as well?

Happy Knitting

Lynette

0 thoughts on “This Last Week I……”

  1. Congratulations on more Vogue patterns! Isn’t it nice to be busy with things you love to do! I should be getting busy soon shearing my sheep. It is spring here, but the weather is still like winter; cold, damp, misty and grey. My Youngest daughter says that is okay, because Christmas should be cold. This is after spending only one Christmas in the UK! She will have to get used to Christmas starting her summer vacations with swimming, BBQ’s and sunshine.

    1. There is a time for everything – even Christmas in the summer! LOL!! The Vogue patterns have really been a great experience and a real boost for my confidence in my designing – I have reading the Vogue Knitting Magazine since its re invention in 1982! I have learned a lot over the years!

      Do you actually shear your sheep? Or do you have someone come in and shear? What kind of sheep are they?

      Your winter sounds like ours, cold, misty grey, and damp – with a little snow now and then. And Christmas seldom has snow – but it is always cold!

      Happy Shearing

      Lynette

  2. How nice snow! We get snow in the mountains above us, but never where we are. We get rain, sometimes. Some winters we don’t get any, (and it never rains in the summer). This year we had rain in October and that was very unusual.

    I shear my own sheep. I use hand shears, not electric, so it is hard work. Hard because I am not very experienced so I go slow, takes me about an hour, (to shear one). I don’t know what kind of sheep I have, but they are big. (There are pictures on my blog in a post about them and what breed they could be).

    The guys who work on the farm hold the legs of the sheep laying on a table or the floor, and I shear one side then the other. I started by shearing our goats which are much easier. It also helps to have good quality shears, makes it much easier.

    I will definitely take pictures when I do it. Also with one of the guys I was talking about the proper position to shear, with the sheep on its tail. We have never tried that, so we might give it a go!

    1. There is always so much to learn! Handshearing must be hard work. I have watched sheep being sheared in fairs on the Island, but that is usually with a mechanical shearer(?).

      Then you must clean your own roving as well. Lots of work as well! Looking forward to seeing more pictures! I’ll check out the blog posting about the sheep themselves!

      Snow is great, especially on the mountains, not so great on the streets around here!

      Lynettte

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