A Few of My Favorite Things–Now That’s a Market Bag

When summer comes, knitters sometimes put away the needles until fall, thinking that there’s not much fun to knit when it’s too hot for wool. Perish the thought! Summer is a great time to knit with cotton and it’s a great time for knitting accessories, particularly things like bags that can be used to tote things to and from the lake, cabin, or your favorite getaway.

This summer, I tried my hand at “Now That’s a Market Bag” from Knot Your Mama’s Knitting Patterns in Universal’s Cotton Supreme (100% cotton) Brown. The pattern is well-written and easy to follow. The most difficult thing to handle is the provisional cast-on at the beginning, but the explanation given in the pattern is very clear.

This was my first time using Universal’s Cotton Supreme and I was pleasantly surprised by how soft a hand it has. In fact, I think this yarn is probably better suited to garments than I had expected. Nonetheless, it made a lovely market bag.

 

Lagniappe–June 17, 2012

I am originally from the South. My extended family is from Mississippi and Louisiana, but I grew up in Florida, which explains why I don’t have a Southern accent. Nonetheless, I have a few Southernisms – I refuse to give up the word “ya’ll” (it’s incredibly useful) and I love the word “lagniappe” which I picked up during my years in Baton Rouge at LSU and New Orleans at Tulane Med School. Lagniappe means “a little extra” or “a bonus”. That’s what today’s post is – some lagniappe, little extras for you.

• Patrick and I met with the rep from Interlacement Yarns yesterday morning. Oh. My. Goodness. So many beautiful yarns!! Right now, we’re going to start with the Lotus, a 100% silk lace weight yarn that comes in a 500 yard skein, which is perfect for that warm weather shawl project. That yarn should be in the shop in a week or so!

• I have become a hat fiend! I agreed to make a couple of hats for a couple of friends of a friend who are both undergoing chemotherapy and I loved them so much that I’m working on another by the same designer. The first two were Inishmore by Cheryl Andrews (see earlier blog post) and my current work in progress is Picadilly, also by Cheryl Andrews. She has several other hat patterns that I love, so I may end up making even more hats! In any case, you can purchase the patterns at The Knitting Nest through Ravelry In-Store pattern sales and we can help you find the perfect yarn.

• Yarn bowls! Check out our Facebook page for pictures of some of our yarn bowls. We have two potters currently making yarn bowls for our shop. I have one at home that I’m using and I LOVE it!

• Knitting needles and shawl pins! Patrick is getting really good at turning these on the lathe. Again, pictures are on the Facebook page and Patrick updates these pretty regularly. Some needles have glass beads that are made by a local glass artist at Blessings Glassworks!

• On a personal note, I’m getting Botox tomorrow for my migraines. So, for the next three months, I won’t be able to raise my eyebrows or wiggle my ears. Actually, I can’t wiggle my ears right now, so that’s a moot point. But, when I had Botox 6 or 7 years ago, my kids had a blast with the fact that I couldn’t raise my eyebrows. Stop in the shop sometime and say something outrageous and get a laugh out of the fact that I can’t raise my eyebrows at you! Or not. You can just stop by and check out the new merchandise and sit and knit a spell (there’s those Southern roots coming out!)!

 

A Few of My Favorite Things - English Driving Cap

I just finished my second English Driving Cap using the pattern Inishmore by Cheryl Andrews of Wooly Bear Knits. I chose this pattern because these hats are for some ladies who need chemo caps and they wanted this style of hat. I liked also that this design doesn’t require anything in the brim for extra stabilization.

The first hat is made from Universal Cotton Supreme (100% cotton) in Ecru. The second is out of Cascade Sierra (80% cotton, 20% wool) in Plum. The pattern says that it is for experienced knitters because it is challenging. I would have to agree. There are no difficult stitches, but keeping up with the short rows as well as knitting such an “architectural” item requires experience in reading patterns and close attention. Even with that, I had to “tink” and “frog” sections at times. I don’t want to discourage you from trying it, though! It is quite rewarding when you are done! And now that I’ve made two of them and I’m about to make a third (for myself), I’m happy to help if you get stuck.

Both the yarn and the pattern (as well as needles and notions) can be purchased from The Knitting Nest in Weyauwega. Stop in and check us out!

Technique Tuesday - A Lifeline

No knitter likes to have to “frog” (rip out) or “tink” (unknit) their work. Especially when it’s lace. Unknitting lace is quite difficult because you are often working with rather small yarn and have lots of yarn-overs to deal with. So, what’s a knitter to do?

This is when you need a lifeline. Every few rows, you use a needle and some smooth yarn or thread (some have suggested dental floss) and slide it into that row of stitches.  If you make a mistake from that point forward, it’s easy enough to “frog” down to the row with the waste yarn in place.  All the stitches are neatly held on that waste yarn and you can just slip them on to your needle and start back up again.

I’m working on a shawl with a 14 row repeat.  At row 14, I put in my lifeline.  If I get to row 14 on the next round, I just pull the lifeline and thread it in at this new spot.  Have I needed to use it?  Yes, indeed!  And I was thrilled to have it because tinking Cascade’s Baby Alpaca Lace yarn, while possible, is not easy.

Unfortunately for the picture, my lifeline is about the same color as the working yarn.  I labeled them, though, so I hope you can see that the lifeline is about 14 rows from the working yarn and the needle.  I’m about to pull out the lifeline and rethread it onto the current row.

The lifeline can be used in any type of knitting, but it’s particularly helpful with lace when going backward is so tricky.  If you have any questions about this technique or any other knitting, crochet, or fiber issue, don’t hesitate to call, ask on Facebook, or stop by The Knitting Nest!!  We’re here to help!