Happy New Year 2012!!!

There are several blogs I follow:  Franklin Habit is my admitted favorite with his “Panopticon Blog”; but also the Yarn Harlot, Mason Dixon Knitting and anything Tina Newton writes in her Blue Moon Fiber Arts Blog.  There is one other blog I follow, especially when my heart needs some reassurance and I need to feel stronger, more able to cope:

http://truthofthepresentmoment.blogspot.com/

It is written by a man called: D. R. Butler, who has been teaching and walking the walk for as long as memory serves.  He also has a page on Facebook, where you can get a sense of his philosophy and way of living every single day.  I have met him.  I have taken classes with him.  He is the real deal.  No pretensions, just a very normal human being who really has his stuff together…and has had his “stuff together” for a really long time.  If you would like me to send you an email of his most recent blog, just let me know in the comments section and consider it done.

Here is you daily dose of cute…I couldn’t choose so you get two:

Nikkers summits the 2011 Christmas Tree.

 

and we are all tucked in... ;-D

 

Choose Peace.  with love, Mary Ellen and Nikkers

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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

 

 

 

August Summit Sock Club — Customer Project Abundance — Brian’s Garden

Everyone is coming by to pick up this month’s new sock, inspired by flowers in my son’s garden.  I am almost done with the first of my two; I turned the heel last night.  Usually, after turning the heel it is a quick journey to the end of the sock.  This first sock is the prototype that I created/knit in Cookie A’s class at Sock Summit 2011.  I am looking forward to knitting the final pattern that evolved from this first spiraling sock of random ideas.  I should mention this:  often my socks although they are a “matched pair” do not match stitch for stitch.  While knitting one sock, I get an offshoot idea and then I use to second sock to see what happens.  Sometimes I like them both and sometimes one is just better than the other.  This willing randomness makes some of the Summit Yarn Knitters nuts (like how I feel when I see tangled yarn) and others, like Cat Bordhi say things like: “That is just so right in so many ways.”

The Knitters that ARE Summit Yarn have been very busy indeed this summer and here are some photos to show you what they have been up to.  Franklin Habit’s Giovannina Shawl is gorgeous — he has a real talent for all things lace but especially for finding a way to put elegant lace in a meaningful frame…really, look at the following photos:

notice the edging and look closely at the line of lace that surrounds the central motifs...there are not many lace designers who take the care to frame their work in this way.

 

This is Debbie's Giovannina Shawl in Filigran.

 

Suzy has absolutely outdone herself with one of Kieran Foley’s new patterns, Mercato Dei Fiori…she chose Zauberball Crazy as the background in hues of oranges and other brights with three other bright contrasting colors of Elsbeth Lavold Silky Wool.  The result is outstanding:

In fact, her photo is going to be displayed on the actual pattern page by the designer! Yay Suzy!

 

Chris finished the Mayflowers Socks from our sock club and the texture in any yarn plus the stretchy rib has a great look.  I love the budded brocade pattern and how it works up into the stranded colorwork cuff.  The colorwork is co cleanly done it looks embroidered not knit into the fabric.

Chris's completed socks.

 

Lourdes is nearly done with her July socks…she reinterpreted the stitch but I like how it works because it is more elastic than the stitch I wrote.

 

Tracy, Lilybelle and Tucker put in an appearance today and it was awesome to get to hug and visit and catch up today.  She has been knitting baby garments, one cuter than the next:

baby tux

 

Hoody

 

My husband spotted knitting catching on in a local gym:

and the rest is our beautiful garden, an endless source of inspiration:

we didn't remember what kind the peppers were until they spent the afternoon in my car...so spicy...we think habanero!

 

Gotta run…the kid has football practice and I need to get my plump tush on the treadmill.  I tried to upload more photos but the computer said no.  More tomorrow.  Loads of love and light,  Mary Ellen

 

Franklin Habit: Habit-forming in the most wonderful way

Franklin Habit taught two classes that I know of at Sock Summit 2011:  Knitted Tesselations (which I did not get to attend) and Garter Jacquard (which I did attend and loved).  Whenever he teaches, and this was the third class I took with him, he always delivers so much more than he promises.  There are knitting tips and treasures, insights he has gained through swatching and best of all, he is a consummate story-teller.  Lisa traveled with me and we both took this class at different time slots and didn’t he tell different stories both times!  His motto: “Nice is the New Black” is a standard he clearly lives by…he walks the talk, if you will.

He had all kinds of his knitting to share, some of which he kindly allowed me to photograph for the blog and some which he even more kindly allowed me to photograph just for my own greedy Franklin-loving Heart.  When you stop by the studio I am happy to show you my Sock Summit photographs on my phone.  He did, as promised, have and share with us the newest shawl knit and dedicated to his amazing Mom.  It was knit out of Cascade Heritage in purple,  Would you like to see some photos of it?

Really?

Well, okay…

close-up view of the beginning central section.

 

secondary lace pattern and garter stitch edge

 

Isn't she lovely? Isn't she beautiful? Anna

 

I don’t suppose you would like to see a photograph of Franklin modeling the shawl?

Really?  Are you sure?  Well, okay…

And after he modeled so kindly for the camera, he wore the shawl for the rest of our class together because it was THAT COLD in the room, almost arctic.

 

The new shawl, Anna, will be coming out and be available in Franklin’s Ravelry store in mid-August…so very soon indeed.  I will keep you posted.  Franklin is also doing a cruise to Iceland if you are interest, with more travel with Franklin to come in the future.  I can’t think of anything of anything more sublime.  As a teacher, storyteller and golden-hearted human being I give Franklin a five heart review and floods of air-kisses.  I also happen to think he is very hot in a kilt and never tire of THAT view.  That being said, if you ever have a chance to take a class with Franklin or just meet him and shake hands do not blink or hesitate. Sign up for the class immediately and introduce yourself.  Friend Franklin on Facebook and Ravelry and he will friend you back.  We are one community after all! (per Franklin and I wholeheartedly agree).

with love, light and laughter always,  Mary Ellen and Summit Yarn

 

Smell The Flowers

my son's grouping of annuals in his experimental garden at the studio

 

When we pull into the lot at the studio every morning it makes me smile to pull up in front of the fullness of these beautiful flowers.  My son fusses over them first thing and then again when we get back from lunch.  Now that the weather is hotter, we are going to have to stop by on our off days as well to make sure things don’t get wilty.  We had a gentle rainstorm this morning; I could hear it on the roof before I got up.  There were still little drops caught in some of the flowers and on the leaves.  Here is my favorite picture from today of this:

flowers cupping drops of this morning's rain

 

We had the weekly gathering of The Omigami Heart Tribe.  I think with this full moon our hearts are feeling a little tender with memories of people we have had to part with sooner than we planned.  We still had a great time.  Both Ardis (aka Carol) and Lisa were knitting on the Simple Triangle Goddess Stitch shawl I published sometime in one of June’s blogs about Noro yarn.  When I find it again I will turn in into a pdf so we can all enjoy it…it turns out to be fairly popular here at Summit Yarn.  Lisa is using the last of the Lace Weight Noro and Ardis is using Noro Silk Garden Sock.  They like the pattern because it is versatile and also easy to work on in a social setting…meaning you can talk, knit and not mess up…always a plus.  Lourdes is busy at work on GIOVANNINA  and we are all setting our sights on Franklin Habit’s newest, Anna for August.  Debbie was woefully absent, but making good money…so we missed her but we understand.  YOU GO GIRL!  Be sure to be here next week though…that’s when we start our magic loop sock club kits together.

Skacel's Multitonal Filigran...the yarn GIOVANNINA calls for ( I have the same green Franklin knit it in if you are interested).

 

Lourde's shawl so far...I love the smooth transitions of color in this yarn. This way the lace stitch is not lost in the varying color tones.

 

I spent the morning and lunch alternating between the final rows of the baby blanket for Frog Tree Yarns in the ever beautiful Pediboo and Uncle Dude’s Chemo Cap, also in Pediboo…bright orange to help keep him feeling cheery.  Lisa and Lourdes both brought goodies.  Lourdes brought Brian, my son, plants for his garden…yellow seedum and lungwort.  We are taking these home to our secret robin paradise garden today.  We have a spot just for them and some garden art to mark them.  Lisa brought a basket full of goodies for dinner tonight…eggs, lettuce, basil, swiss chard, blueberries ( I feel a crumble coming on…) and a beautiful vase of fresh cut flowers.  The flowers are right here next to me.  LISA:  did you notice the one coneflower is the exact color of Dream in Color Smooshy you got last week?  Love that color.  Here are photos:

Garden Dinner Basket...YUM!

 

One of many photos I took of this flower arrangement. I am going over to Lisa's this week and hope to spend some time in her garden with my camera. Her garden is a living art exhibition and I love being there.

 

After lunch today, Brian and I went out and dead-headed the flowers and strawberries where it was needed.  The sunflowers are amazing and prolific.  The bees are loving them at noontime each day.  We have more blooms on the way.  The Swiss Chard is recovering from The Chard Bandit (I hope you choke on that…you know who you are).  We are already planning next year’s garden and electric fence.

Sunflowers at Summit Yarn thanks to Brian Langieri and his green thumb.

 

If you are on Ravelry and would like a FREE PATTERN TODAY:  Go to the BABY BOWS CAP (search on the Pattern Page).  It is adorable and unisex.  The stitch pattern makes it interesting to knit and I plan to make a couple to take to Sock Summit for the baby shower.

Other items of interest on Ravelry:

>Stephen West is starting a KAL on August 1st.  You can purchase the pattern for $4 (or later for $6).  I plan on playing along and will be posting here about the KAL.  Join in the fray!  I am sure there will also be a KAL page on Ravelry for this and you should absolutely follow that as well.

>Franklin Habit’s newest (and I think best ever) shawl will be released for sale sometime in August.  It is dedicated sweetly to his mother, Anna.  Go to his blog:  The Panopticon Blog to check out photos of this creation.

>Rosemary Hill:  IS A LACE GENIUS.  Period.  The End.  She is to lace what Hanne Falkenberg is to sweaters.  I read over all the posted projects for ALCYONE last night and nobody mentioned the incredible architectural feat she did in this shawl.  Martha just knit it and I posted a photo yesterday and she did not mention THIS THING.  ROMI used short rows in a way I have not encountered before; sure there are no “wrap and turns” or “unwraps”  but the real genius goes way beyond this in how she concealed the short rows.  No.  That is all I am going to say.  You simply must go check this out for yourself if you care at all about your lace education.  I am enthralled.  Thank You Romi Hill!

>Cat Bordhi has also released her first eBook and it is splendiferous (a Tigger reference here is more than apropriate).  This book has both her newest heel architecture AND some new ideas about short rows she invented this past winter.  Again, she is one of just a few knitting architecture GURUS and if this is an area of knitting that interests you…then read everything she has written.  You will be glad.  Her gift is knowing how to get into that quiet place of stillness in her heart and actually listen to it.  Hard to do in the middle of a fast paced life.  Her blog is wonderful and a beckoning hand to help us all feel that same inner peace.  Just Google Cat Bordhi and her home page will appear.  Go there and read her blog.  My favorite blog is the one where she describes a meeting between a large river otter and an unsuspecting deer.

>If you write a blog, treat yourself.  Go to the stats page and click on some of the people who have read your blog…even if the address seems unlikely.  I clicked on “typestatting.blogspot.com” yesterday and discovered a wonderful knitting blog quite by accident; great photos and great vibes to revel in.

>Finally, Debbie has just texted me:  the Free Triangle Shawl pattern was posted within the text of my blog on JUNE 8TH of this year.  THANK YOU DEBBIE!

Take care and look for a new page to appear soon at the top of this blog just for the pets of Summit Yarn.  Nikkers has discovered the cat in the iPad and the phone and it is hilarious.  Will upload those photos for you soon!

with love, laughter and radiant healing light,  Mary Ellen

 

Manna Called Anna from Fra(nklin)

Dear Knitters:

GO TO FRANKLIN HABIT’S BLOG FOR TODAY AT:  The Panopticon Blog, and read all about his latest GORGEOUS lace shawl pattern.  I loved Giovannina but this one called, Anna (named for his mom) is now my absolute favorite…just inspired.  The pattern will be for sale…where?  I don’t know…in August…hopefully, in his online Ravelry store.  The Shawl will be available for perusal in London at Knit Nation and in Portland at the Sock Summit.  Oooh!  Aaaah!  Wow!

Today we arrived at the store to discover that it is NOT DEER eating my son’s Swiss Chard out of his garden but some LOCAL with scissors, who came over the weekend and cut off the top half of the plant.  REALLY?  We have to steal from a 12 year old child who is busting his butt and waiting to try this vegetable he has worked so hard to grow?  REALLY?  We only have one plant of this vegetable.  Of all the vegetables to steal too…I just don’t get it at all.

We drowned our sorrows in Salsa at Moe’s today at lunch and were rewarded by running into an old car that very closely resembles the one my father had in the garage when I was a kid.  It was a Model T…or something like that.  I loved going for rides in it.  Here is one of the photos I took:

The afternoon was quite busy with the yarn sale and all.  Both the Elsbeth Lavold and Debbie Bliss are popular and now that they are marked down…even more so.  Thank you all for the good response!  Martha and Jaddu came to visit.  Jaddu had cookies until she belched with aplomb.  Martha shared the two scarves she has knit from Romi Hill’s first book of small shawls.  Here are the photos:

One of Romi Hill's Shawls

 

Alcyon...knit from point to point!...in Pediboo...yay!

 

Corina wrote in from Holland and shared a photo of her afghan in progress.  It is just beautiful and speaks to how lovely this is when it is knit in multiple colors.  She still has two insertions to knit up.  She is hard at work on the glorious edging.  This photo already speaks to how awesome this will be on completion!

Arsenic and Old Lace Afghan as knit by Corina in Holland

 

Here is part of my garden at home…the Bee Balm in full bloom and the Robin’s are loving it.  I think they may have a nest nearby…I hope they have lots of healthy babies.  I love robins.  My father always was watching for them each Spring.

I am literally rows from being done with this baby blanket.  Then I am treating myself to one of those little shawls by Romi Hill.  I already have a ball of Schaefer’s Anne rolled and at the ready!

and here is your daily dose of cute…my son snapped this while I was having a nap: (nice to know there is always someone looking out for me)

The red shawl is Frog Tree Yarn's Alpaca Sport! Quick and Easy Knit!

 

There is also a mystery knit beginning August 1st with Stephen West.  The pattern is $4 for now and will be $6 after the KAL.  Go have a look on Ravelry!  I plan to play along!  with love, light and laughter,  Mary Ellen

 

Happy Holiday Weekend

This morning I taught two young ladies how to knit, Taylor and Kayla.  We had a great time and they learned the knit stitch and how to do the knit cast on.  They also have their grandmother, Evelyn, for back up this weekend.  Next Saturday we plan on tackling the purl stitch and some knitting anatomy.  We had lots of laughs and fun.

Brian’s garden is filling in with both perennials and annuals.  There are tomatoes on the vine and even a flower on the pumpkin vine.  The strawberries got a little dry this week but after a couple of good soakings they seem to be recovering.  Here are some photos:

Pansies

 

Sunflowers

 

the mix of annuals

 

an overview of the garden and its bounty

 

Yesterday, we had lots of visitors:  Suzy and Ellie, Uncle Dude, Kathy, and Alice.  Turns out Alice and Uncle Dude knew each other back in “the day”, because they both worked as phlebotomists.  Such a very small world we live in.  Awesome!  Here are some photos:

Suzy and Ellie (at full attention...I just love Ellie's eyebrows!)

 

Uncle Dude!

 

My work this weekend is: knit at least one sheep (in pink), work on the sample baby blanket for Frog Tree and get the “knit, Swirl” sweater in Pediboo underway ( I did the cast on yesterday and it wasn’t such a big deal…especially since I decrease as I go…the knitting will just get faster and faster … gotta love that).  Hopefully, there will also be a little Giovannina time (Franklin Habit lace stole).  We have a stack of fireworks for Monday and right now my son is threatening to bite me if I don’t go feed him something…anything he says…sigh.

Take care and have a wonderful weekend.  I have a great photoessay for tomorrow, so stay tuned.  With love, laughter and light always,  Mary Ellen and all things Summit Yarn

 

 

 

 

 

Sock Summit 2011, Pediboo, LegoCats

I have been carrying my itinerary for the 2011 Sock Summit around in my purse all day and just smiling whenever I pull it out.  I can hardly wait and yet there is so much to do at the studio between now and then that I can not just wish the time away.  If you are at all able to get there, then at least go, even to just check out the marketplace.  There are all kinds of options — from 6 hour classes, 3 hour classes, 1 hour classes, lectures, and demonstrations.  If you take just one class then admission to the marketplace is free…otherwise there is a minimal fee.  And what a gathering of Knitterati this is promising to be.  Besides the classes, I did make sure to order a tote bag (really, go google Sock Summit 2011 and check out the swag at the very least) and a tee shirt.  As I learn more I will continue to share here on the internet and take photos as I can; though I believe the organizers have quite a few awesome photos posted on the site.  If nothing else, go look to seek sock inspiration.  You never know where the idea for your next great knit is going to come from.

I worked today at my project for Frog Tree Yarns and it is coming along quite nicely.  I see so many possibilities for this yarn.  Of course, socks are just obvious.  However, due to its washability (and I mean through the wash with clothes…no fuzz, no pilling, no shrinkage or felting), I see this as a great staple yarn.  Use it for baby bibs, baby clothes, heirloom baby blankets, baby anything, toys, soakers for cloth diapers, even a sweater for your beloved pooch!  I have pulled a number of scarf patterns, and believe this would make the best Clapotis ever.  I would also love to see Franklin Habit’s stole “Sahar” knit up in this lustrous drapey yarn.  I am dreaming up fingerless mitts and convertible gloves as well as (held double) the Bella Mittens.  The Moebius patterns by Cat Bordhi would be great as a showcase for this yarn as well as lace, especially patterns by Galina Khmeleva.  I also have plans to swatch some of the stitches I learned from Merike Saarniit at Vogue Knitting Live this past January.  I will have a bunch of pictures for you tomorrow and wax poetic more then.  I do have 2 out of 24 sheep completed and will probably complete one more tonight if all goes well ( one sheep in every color this fantastic yarn is dyed in! ).

Please remember, Mother’s Day is this Sunday.  We have gift cards available for the knitter you love best and I am happy to wrap things and make them look beautiful so you can surprise the Mom in your life.

Here is what I woke up to this morning:

Cats all in a row (Smidgen was in the window sunbathing).

Sputters cleans Nikkers up before he attacks him!

and the final cuteness:

LegoCats...they stack like magic!

Take care and travel safely this weekend!  If you are a woman and you nurture anybody then this weekend includes you…please be hugged and know being a mother has nothing to do with biology…only with the golden heart you carry with you at all times.

with loads of love, lightness and good vibes,  Mary Ellen aka theHumanLoom

 

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

 

MERIKE SAARNIIT and Vogue Knitting Live

Today was Day One of Vogue Knitting Live!  Someone asked me why it was called by this title.  I didn’t know at first.  Upon reading the brochure, (always a good idea) I discovered the intent was to make this a live experience of the magazine…instead of a reading experience.  I can honestly say, this venue has lived up to my hopes and expectations.  The only magazine I carry at Summit Yarn is Vogue Knitting.  There is a reason.  There is more than one reason.  I like to use it as a thank you gift for wonderful customers.  It is the only magazine that keeps its eye on the pulse of the fashion industry.  The clothes in it are just that…fashion for those of us who don’t want to look like we are wearing something that would otherwise belong girding the back of a porcelain throne.

Past Meets Present in Fashion at the entrance to the Knitting Yarn Market today.

We were all up and at it early this morning, with breakfast at 7:30 and classes beginning at 8:30 a.m. in rooms all around the hotel.  I took “Patent Stitches — The Estonian Approach”  with Merike Saarniit and I loved every single minute of this class.  While this stitch, which translates “special stitch” and means “paired stitch” (a stitch paired with a yarnover ON THAT STITCH), is similar in anatomy to the K1Below technique, it has a far greater range and infinitely more possibilities…as I learned today without doubt.  The syllabus was well-written and the directions were clear and easy to follow.  We were encouraged to work at our own pace and yet no student was left behind…Merike was more than adept at the multitasking necessary to keep a class of 14 students moving forward together.  And I am always a major stinker…I worked all the way through the handouts, so that at the end Merike was putting swatches in front of me to see if I could get there too.  Also playing along in this game was…YSOLDA TEAGUE!  Talk about a talented knitter…Ms. Teague was able to figure out a stitch called:  Double Net, a reversible brioche stitch…not only did she figure this stitch out but she also figured out how to do this in two colors.  Wicked Awesome!!!  After class some people reported being tired…I can’t imagine why; I was completely jazzed and ready for more.  Bring it on!  So, I signed up for one more class tomorrow morning!  Yay!  Tomorrow, I will learn some new Estonian stitches not covered today…with Merike Saarniit.

Left = K1Below; Right = Patent Stitch (bigger, more elastic stitches with dozens of incredible uses INCLUDING Cable technique!).

What really boggles my mind is this:  Patent Stitch Technique is clearly something we knitters need to add to our stitch repertoire; whether a little or a lot, one stitch or a few, this is a technique that can only improve a knitter’s skill.  One thing I liked about this technique was that is made the knitters in the class want to be able to “read” the stitches in their knitting better.  Being able to see what the stitches are doing in your knitting is an indispensable skill.  WHY THEN DOES XRX HAVE A COMPLETED BOOK BY MERIKE SAARNIIT ABOUT THIS TECHNIQUE IN FULL WHICH REMAINS UNPUBLISHED…AFTER FIVE (5) YEARS?  PLEASE ENLIGHTEN ME.

a sample of Merike Saarniit's knitting -- Patent Stitch

After class, the yarn market opened at 5 p.m. and encompassed two levels.  The knitterati were out in full:  I met Cookie A and Ann Hanson, visited with Carol Sulcoski and Franklin Habit, saw Nicky Epstein, chatted with Maggie Jackson (who still hasn’t forgotten the morning my husband in boxers had to rescue Maggie from our loving but large labrador), and yes, I completely succumbed to the yarn in the Blue Moon Fiber Arts Booth…I am a yarn-whore.  I should rename this blog:  Confessions of a Yarn…oh, wait, Stephanie Pearl-McPhee already covered that, didn’t she?

Poster of Vintage Vogue Knitting Magazines

If for some reason you have time and the ability to take a class or two, there are still classes with space (including one on Sunday Morning and one on Sunday Afternoon about Estonian Elongated Stitch) — then get yourself online and register!  Make time for this special event…you will thank me later!

Nikkers and Durga looking for their Mama. See you tomorrow guys!xox

Take care, write to XRX and ask them for this book by Merike Saarniit, and come see me at the studio this Sunday so I can show you all the goodies and stitches from Vogue Knitting Live 2011!  May your life be free from all drama and full of time to knit, laugh, live fully and love the people with whom you share Life.

loads of love,  Mary Ellen Langieri and Summit Yarn Studio