The Rain in Spain/Old Dog Learns New Trick

Today I learned to knit backwards. This is one of those things I've been meaning to tackle for ages, (think entrelac, bobbles, edgings..any situation where frequent turning the work threatens to become a major PITA). But I kept putting it off.

The impetus: my lovely friend Ellen sent me Modular Knits by Iris Schreier. (Ellen knows I love coming at things from a different angle). In the introduction Schreier suggests that knitting backwards can also speed up her short row module technique. And she provided directions with pictures. So I followed these (I thought carefully) and ended up with a lovely row of purl stitches. Hmmm..... now I was determined to lick this thing.

So I watched and analysed what I was doing stitch by stitch, and with great struggle finally ended up with a row of knit stitches that had been worked off of the right needle onto the left. But the stitches were all sitting on the needle the wrong way. Of course I could and did just knit into the backs on the following row to keep them from twisting (knitting backward Combination style?). But by now I was determined to be the boss of my knitting, and I mean Boss.

So I tried again, wrapping the yarn in the opposite direction, which worked; but it felt as if I were knitting with boxing gloves on. I couldn't control my tension. I dropped stitches. I almost dropped the needles. So I put down the knitting and Googled for directions, just in case there was some trick I had missed. Found several sites with pictures. Hmmm. They were doing exactly what I had been trying so clumsily to do.

So...... I went back to the needles, sighed, picked them up; and WHOO HOO it clicked. It was just like the moment when Eliza Doolittle finally nailed her "h's". I felt like dancing around the room myself.

I made myself a nice fat bobble without once turning the knitting.

Now I'm going to go conquer some of Schreier's modules.

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Take note of something else about that picture. It was taken on a sunny windowsill.

The sun has actually been shining for the last two days! I had a beautiful drive up to Madison yesterday for Last Saturday Knitting. Elizabeth brought some of the yarn she's been spinning from Brown Sheep fleece, which you can see here. I'm really eager to see what it turns into. I'm thinking something with chunky big cables would be gorgeous. It was great fun meeting Molly Bee, who brought her Tidal Wave socks: very pretty, and you can see them here. She brought her friend Anne, too. Linda (mousey blog) had some show and tell, the alpaca shawl she made for her mother with beautiful variegated blues and greens that worked really well with the simple lace pattern stitch she had chosen. I think everyone was a bit euphoric with the sunshine. Whatever the reason, there was lots of laughter. Yarn projects and laughter (and sunshine), what can be better for the soul than that?

Still pondering

Where has the week gone? Let's see, during a break in the rain on Tuesday, the new gutters went up, thank goodness. They seem to be significantly reducing the amount of water entering the basement. During breaks since then I have been outside pulling some of the rampant weeds, and examining the grading around the foundation and trying to do some filling in where needed (which involves whacking back overgrown bushes).

I made a run down to Argyle to put up posters for the Library Book Sale. So I dropped in at the fiber mill and picked up some yarn for the Red Scarf Project. I suddenly realized that it is almost September and I had better stop thinking about it and start knitting. This is Cascade Quattro, which is just like 220, but with a color twist. The photo looks violently pink, but it really has more of a rust tone in it.

I've finished the leg part of the first Opal sock and started in on the second.

I'm still pondering heel options. I'm leaning towards an Afterthought heel, because of the way the stripes would make a sort of bull's eye. I could just even off the bottom edge with a couple more triangles and than proceed. But I wondered, "would it be possible to insert the heel into the chevron pattern and have it fit?". So I did a little mock up in sport weight left overs. The heel bulges out too much, but if I worked it on fewer stitches?

backyard woodhenge and opal socks

I wandered downstairs for a cup of coffee one morning last week, and glancing out the window I spotted Backyard Megaliths (well, not "liths", because they aren't stone, but that was the general impression.) Turns out they were really modular bookcases that Mr S had made for his classroom and set out in the yard while waiting for the stain to dry. Good thing it was last week, because nothing is dry this week, including our basement.



When I was Up North, Gayle gave me a present, a ball of Opal sock yarn. Opal is always nice, but this one is especially nifty. The colorway is based on a painting by an artist named Fredensreich Hundertwasser. It's called "Rainy Day on Dear Waves", which is rather charming. I like it so much that I've ordered another titled "The Road to Socialism". I've always wanted some Road to Socialism socks, I just didn't know it til now. Plus I really like the colors.

I wanted to do something interesting and a little unusual, so the socks will have just one big chevron on the front and one on the back. Haven't decided yet how I wil deal with the heel. I'm mulling over some ideas.........

Speaking of Books....

The Blanchardville Public Library is having it's really big used book sale next weekend.

Friday, August 24, 2007 10 am - 3 pm
Saturday, August 25, 9 am - 1 pm

At the Blanchardville Legion Hall (just across the parking lot from the Village Hall).

There will be pie tasting on Saturday morning, and a bag special from Noon - 1 on Sat (fill a library bag for $5.00)

The Pec Jam (music in the park) will be running simultaneously, and the Pecatonica River Art Confluence (show opens Sat am at River Valley Trading Co at 204 S. Main St.)

So come on down! (If you want to Mapquest, use 208 Mason Street, Blanchardville, WI 53516 as your destination. That's the Village Hall.)

Back to the Books

Well just one book, really. I said I would get back to this after I had a chance to dig into it.



Aran Sweater Design by Janet Szabo: Big Sky Knitting Designs, Kalispell, MT, 2006

It's not eye candy (most of the illustrations are black and white), but it is clearly and liberally illustrated with photos, schematics, charts and graphs.

It's not a cable stitch dictionary.

It is not a collection of sweater designs - though there are three complete patterns at the end.

It is a very through, informative discussion of the elements that go into designing and constructing cabled sweaters based on the traditional Aran style; and I like it a lot.

Szabo has distilled years of her own knitting and design experience. Reading through it was like sitting next to a friendly and entirely unpretentious expert, who not only says "Here's what works", but also "Here's why it works, oh and by the way, here's a tip for......"

The first section of the book is focused around the process of putting together cable stitch combinations. There is no stitch dictionary, but one chapter is devoted to an examination of different types of cables and other stitch patterns used in Aran sweaters, and suggestions about how different types are most effectively used. The next chapter goes on to combining stitch patterns, both from an aesthetic and a technical point of view. She then moves to swatching, choosing body style and sleeve styles, and deciding edge treatments.

The second section is devoted to sweater construction: flat, in the round, bottom up, top down, with or without saddles. Szabo offers her view of the strengths/limitations of each method and proceeds to give directions for working all of them. Shoulder/yoke treatments covered include: dropped shoulder, peasant sleeve, set in sleeve, shallow set in sleeve, raglan, vests (sleeveless), tee-sleeve and wide saddle. There are clear schematics for each variation, hints about fitting, more hints about planning the stitch pattern to fit the garment shaping....

The book does not include information on shaping a round yoke, if you should be so inclined, or for designing a closely fitted garment (that is, with bust/waist/hip shaping), but the information she offers would be extremely helpful in moving on to incorporating cable work into other design styles.

I'm glad I've got this one.

One Little Mitten Selbuvotter Style

I've tweaked the charts for the Squirrel Mittens a bit: changed the direction of the main motif so that the squirrels will be facing each other when worn, broken up some (but not all) of the long stretches of a single color, substituted a different side border. I debated whether the squirrels should have their heads toward the wrist or towards the fingertips. Since the mittens are for a child, I decided that the squirrels should be right side up when the wearer looks at his/her hands, so it's "heads toward fingertips". The new charts (in pdf format) are here.


These are charts only, and do not include line by line directions. If you have ever knit Norwegian style mittens you will know that a chart is all that is needed.


The sample was worked in Knit Picks "Telemark" DK weight wool at a gauge of 6 1/2 sts per inch, giving finished measurements of 6 inches around the palm. This resulted in a pretty firm fabric, and if I were doing it over I would probably shoot for 6 sts/inch. For larger mittens worsted weight could be used at around 4.5 sts/inch to make mittens measuring 7 1/2 inches around the palm.






This is what the back looks like. You will notice that at the left side of the top decrease section there is a bit of goofiness. While I cannot exactly say "I meant to do that.", I will quote Terri Shea:


"Selbuvotter are folk objects, not high art. A hallmark of folk art is the small mistakes and inconsistencies; they are what give a piece its life and liveliness..."


All the same, I'll be aiming to get it right on the second mitten.