New This Week On Ravelry

This is a long entry full of all kinds of knits for all kinds of tastes.  Most of what I put up here I notice either because I, personally would love to knit this or I hear from the Summit Yarn Knitters that they are looking for something specific.  Sometimes, the choice is just beautiful or the price is right.  OR, it is something by a favorite designer and I want you know it is available.  Feedback is especially welcome on this column because I know it can be exhausting going through all the pages each week of new patterns on Ravelry.  My one question for this week:  FRANKLIN HABIT IT IS PAST MID-AUGUST AND STILL NO TRIANGLE SHAWL…YOU KNOW THE ONE…DESIGNED IN HOMOR OF YOUR MOTHER…WE ARE WAITING IMPATIENTLY…PLEASE, WHERE IS IT?…FRANKLIN, MORE PLEASE?

a pretty little scarf with lots of tweakage possibilities

 

nice use of seafoam stitch!

 

Now that I have overcome my intarsia fear, I can envision the remote possibility of knitting this.

 

this seemed like a Donna knit to me...or for anyone who likes neat scarf patterns!

 

nice sweater with Fall looming near!

 

I love knitting mittens like this...they are knitter's crack!

 

nice easy knit...great gift idea

 

great idea to move the increase spine stitch around in a zig zag...loved it! Who says it has to stay in the middle?

 

this would be AWESOME IN ZAUBERBALL!!!

 

great idea!

 

great slouch hat...loved the colorwork!

 

another great slouch hat with a textural twist!

 

There are always new moms coming through looking for Soaker patterns...this looked like a good one!

 

LOVED, LOVED, LOVED this sock pattern...can't believe it's free...get it quick!

 

love the texture and THE PRICE IS RIGHT...I will definitely be knitting this as a gift!

 

a sweet easy knit

 

this is designed by Clara Parkes...do I really need to say anything more?

 

This incorporates intarsia...it gave me some ideas...Bwahaha!

 

Here is the update on my Stephen West Earth & Sky Mystery KAL:  I am loving this, the fabric, the movement of the colors and this, too, has given me some future design ideas.  Thank you Mr. West…great Knit!

Earth and Sky Shawl in the Sonoma Collection from Sundara Sock yarn

 

Take care.  I have more catch up posts to write but needed to clear these photos first.  If you hear anything about Franklin’s new shawl please let me know.  I have yarn waiting.  Sigh…

loads of love, light and laughter always,

Mary Ellen and Summit Yarn

 

 

 

Arsenic and Old Lace KAL — new free pattern

And so, our journey is nearly over.  After this week there are just five more weeks to go!  It makes me sad.  If there is something you would like to do next or for me to design next, please send a comment or email.  I absolutely live for design challenges!  That said:  here is some beautiful lace that knits up quick and is quite enjoyable.  When I have a few more hours in the day I will write the scarf pattern out for you using this stitch pattern!

Here is a photo of a swatch I did to turn this into a lovely scarf:

Really, all I did was add an edge at each side of the insertion so that the pattern read:  Seed 5, K1, YO, K2tog…pattern row on RS…SSK, YO, K1, Seed 5 for all right side rows, and all wrong side rows would read:  Seed 5, purl to last 5 sts, end seed 5.  The cast on for this scarf would be 37 stitches.

a dishcloth I turned into a cute square for a baby blanket or to use as a motif in just about anything.

I have been hard at work creating samples to show the incredible versatility of Pediboo yarn by Frog Tree Yarns.  The above square is often knit by local ladies as a washcloth.  They were kind enough to share the pattern with me because at first I thought I would like to do this in intarsia.  However, I think it looks adorable with the twist stitch used for the sheep’s fleece!  Here are some other things I have come up with using Pediboo:

close up of the sheep

Traditional crocheted Pineapple Square using a 3.50mm hook

Amy is hard at work on a pair of slippers using Magic Loop technique which she learned in microseconds!

and your daily dose of my beloved Nikkers:

Mommy, it is time for NO MORE COMPUTER!

My friend Lisa and I registered for Sock Summit 2011 today.  And we were side by side on two computers and lucky to get the classes we did.  We were right there the minute registration opened with classes closing right and left in front of us.  I don’t know how we got so lucky, but we got most of the classes we were looking for…good thing since we are flying all the way out to the west coast for this.  Can you imagine all that money for airfare and maybe not getting any classes!  That would have scorched me!  Anyway, so incredibly excited may be up most of the night from the adrenaline rush!  I have classes with Cookie A, Cat Bordhi, Franklin Habit and my much loved Clara Parkes!  Hooray!

Take care, must get back to work!  with loads of love, light and laughter always,  Mary Ellen and Summit Yarn

 

JC Briar’s Book: Charts Made Simple and Clara Parkes: I long for your new sock book!

Last night I read JC Briar’s first book: Charts Made Simple.  I love charts.  I have stacks of graph paper always at the ready for when I get an idea I want to suss out.  My friends look for sites on the internet for me to play “chart” with.  I even have software.  I love it all.  Many of the knitters at Summit Yarn get along well with charts.  Some don’t.  This is why I typically write my patterns out and get to charting later.  I hope to have both in my patterns…this next kit for the April Summit Sock Club will have both written out patterns and charts.  Yay!  We have mag boards at the studio, music stands, magnets, highlighter tape and gajillions of post-it notes.  So what can I say about this book?

This is a book I not only will recommend to my customers, but will give as gifts.  It is just the right size to keep in the knitting bag du jour as a handy reference.  JC Briar puts in plain language what the charts are all about.  She has tips that I will not reveal so that your interest is piqued…tips that I will use in the future, if not today.  Beyond all this are some really tasty little stitch patterns that I am anxious to get to the studio to try out today.  I would give this book a five out of five stitch marker review.  Go get yours today or order on Amazon!

That said:  Clara Parkes, you temptress.  I keep seeing photos on Ravelry of socks from your upcoming book and I just feel that October cannot come fast enough.  I would happily skip over summer entirely just to have that book in my greedy hands.

I tried yesterday to purchase sock yarn from Rainy Days and Wooly Dogs.  I was there the minute the store opened and was entirely shut out.  There is also a sock club that has a lottery every three months for a random membership.  I will try that route.  Maybe I will just start dying yarn myself.   This dyer has the right idea and is clearly doing well.  Good for her!  Kudos Stephanie!

Photoessay for this week:

 

Chris Zimmerman of Fiber and Folk posted this on facebook today! It is just an awesome "yarn" bombing!

Smidgen, the Cube Cat (as in the Borg: Resistance is Futile), waiting for her mother to get to bed already last night.

Durga, Brian's cat, claims this tent for himself...come near and make my day!

Sputters: I need my belly rubbed and I'm too sexy for you to look!

 

Nikkers was too busy to pose and Sinfonia was pissed that it was time to get up.  Go figure.  See you at the studio from  1-4 pm today or will chat with you over the internet via comments and email.  Do take care and enjoy the Spring weather.  Go to De Handwerktuin on Blogspot and check out the beautiful flowers in Corina’s garden.  I am falling in love with the Netherlands.  Also:  Welcome Nigeria! to the countries that have put in an appearance on the blog.  We are up to 63 countries total, just 4 more and there will be 1/3 of all the countries in the World participating in this knitting and life conversation!  We are also close to getting 10,000 views this month so please keep tuning in…it is such a thrill when we hit that mark!

with love, light and laughter always,  Mary Ellen, the assorted cats and Summit Yarn

 

Clara Parkes, Kindle and Knitting Books

You may or may not know that I am a huge fan of the books by Clara Parkes, The Knitter’s Book of Wool AND The Knitter’s Book of Yarn. I follow her on Twitter and in my next life I want to be her daughter…she is that awesome. Yesterday, she tweeted two wonderful things…first both the above mentioned books are now available for Kindle (they are both on my Kindle now as we speak) AND second, as if that wasn’t enough, SHE WILL HAVE A NEW BOOK COMING OUT in hardcover and for Kindle called: THE KNITTER’S BOOK OF SOCKS!!!!!

Last winter we did a KAL with the second of her two currently published books and I am still wanting to knit the rest of the patterns. It is a rare thing for a knitting book to so possess me, but every pattern has proven to be worth its salt. If you don’t have a copy of either…go have a look…they are great books. The newest book about socks will be released FOR KINDLE in October of this year (the hardcover sooner I am sure) and can be preordered (with autodelivery to your Kindle). YAY!

Ewenice on her new pedestal!

It was WONDERFUL to get back to the studio today after two days of foul weather and icy roads. We had a full table for class this morning and lots of laughter. I shared some of the further misadventures on the mountain from Monday, and believe it or not I am looking forward to one more attempt this coming Monday. First, though I am going to purchase a very comfortable pair of knee-high socks.

Alicia is still hard at work on her new shawl design…stunning. Suzy dropped by with a skein of Tilli Thomas to exchange with Alicia. Chris and I began our trek into this month’s Summit Sock Club kit. Each kit is boxed up in a heartcovered picnic box and contains some delicious surprises. The patterns included a new sock pattern (a new take on a slip-stitch rib) and a cowl pattern with a different take on the same rib. Both are quick knits and the stitch patterns are easy to remember, making this an enjoyable knit. There are two spaces remaining.

I did pattern round-up this afternoon and found a few things in need of publication for your fun. Stay tuned…I know where this stack is and will get to this now that the beginning of the month jobs are complete.

Chris sent this in for us!

Tonight is knitting at the Tunkhannock Public Library from 6:30 to 9pm. The group is awesome and I always love to see what the group has gotten into in the course of the week past. It is never a boring visit. One of them came to the studio today. She lives on a quite RURAL road and nearby is a neightbor who is almost 80 years old. He does not leave his property. She is kind enough to get his groceries each week and shared with me she loves delivering the groceries in this icy weather! I had to hear this explanation: She drives up to the end of his walk and honks till he gets out to the porch. This is important because he has to get to the groceries before his geese do. Then she takes each grocery bag and slides it (think of the sport CURLING here) up the walk to where he can reach over the porch and grab the bag. Gotta love those images!

Take care, stay warm, drive safely and watch out for drivers who don’t…above all else: GET2NTN! Loads of love, light and laughter always,
Mary Ellen and Summit Yarn…and, of course, Ewenice

the twins yesterday...contentment!