NEW OPAL STOCK

Below are photos showing the newest shipment of Opal Sock Yarn, each color paired with a sample sock. The deepest of all those purples is really calling my name — which I attribute to the influence of my newest favorite knitting teacher, Amy Detjen. NOTE: She has a class on Craftsy and having listened attentively to her through knitting camp, this class is NOT TO BE MISSED! I saw the sweater in person and love it!

This week is also Jamie’s birthday–so send her good wishes! August 3rd is her special day!

Below is also a photo of a free cable sock pattern called: Helene. Love it and will knit it. Who will join in the fray?

Loads of Love and Happy Days,
xx M.E. and Summit Yarn Studio

 

Nikkers Loves Knitting

I try to do a test knit. Nikkers just wants to have fun!

 

Current Customer Projects and New Arrivals

Had a great visit with Kate yesterday. She and I are both near the end of the Juneberry Shawl — I just need to be somewhere quiet to work on the edging because it requires some focus. Kate feels much the same. Everyone wave and wish Kate well! She is moving back to Florida to get her PhD but I’m sure she will be back eventually. We plan to Skype on Fridays!

Jamie and I have finished the Building Blocks blanket but as written it is small. We are going to go through the stitch dictionaries this Friday night and add four more squares. Jamie: I buried all my ends–now I am caught up to you! Yay!

The Indulgence in Missoni colors arrived for those of you who are interested! I can offer it for $20 a ball and some colors arrived in sweater quantities.

We are missing Chris, who is now basically consumed with getting everything ready for the family summer digs. Hoping she has a great time!

Cheryl is making baby bootees and baby socks in bright happy colors. Jan is working on Cable Brannigan and baby pods. Martha always has a sock on needle and a lace project or four up her sleeve. Kathy is doing the Undertow Shawlette. Tola got me hooked on the Beekeepers Quilt and of you get a chance go watch the videos on Tiny Owl Knits blogged. I dare you to be depressed when listening to her…she is the happiest person in the world.

 

Half-way through first pair Knee-Hi Socks ever

Had time to kill while Brian was at his standardized testing. I have finished all the calf decreases on both socks and now have about 4.5 inches to the heel flaps. After that it is a quick sail to the end. I learned a lot from this pair of socks and am now looking forward to the yarn I’ve had stashed for my own winter knee hi socks!

I learned where some new places are…like Wilkes Barre and not just the hospital or the arena. Feeling more confident navigating that part of the world. It was a lovely day today and I am grateful for every minute of it…except maybe the getting up early stuff. Murray, the kitten was feeling needy and kept me awake most of last night…but how do you ever deny a baby the love he needs?

xx M.E.

 

Recent Customer Projects and WIP

In recent posts I have mentioned all the projects people are working on. Her are the end of the week follow up photos so you can see how the projects are moving along! Kelly finished her second project ever and is now on her third. Jan and I are beginning something new this week. Jamie is texting me, which is great because I love the pictures she sends me…but it’s not the same as just sitting and shooting the breeze. There is one knitter who needs your prayers, good energy, well wishes…whatever positive energy you can send as she has had a recent new diagnosis of cancer. I want to protect her privacy, so just picture someone very energetic and down to earth. She is dear to my heart for many reasons.

Do take care and breathe deeply as you go through today and the week to come. I look at the map on the blog and think about every little dot that represents a reader each day. I am overwhelmed with how this little blog has spread through almost two thirds of the worlds countries. I am humbled. I touch those little dots every day and send love and well-wishes. You all make my heart a little bigger and bring a smile to my face.

 

New and Noteworthy on Ravelry

I had a little time to scan what’s new on Ravelry that s not on the top 20 currently. They are in the photos below. Today, Jan finished her Jemima Puddleduck Blanket and it is awesome. This is something I would make for presents. The intarsia was easy and not time consuming. The end-product was completely in line with the effort expended. I love it! Cheryl stopped by for supplies for a blanket she is knitting…I forget the name…it has circles in the center of motifs that become squares. We sat and figured out the directions for how to do the short rows that form each corner of the square and it was really fun. I can see myself using up my scrap sock yarn this way! I finished edging my newest shawl design tonight and still have a little pink mohair left over. I think it might possibly become a toy for Nikkers since is so clearly loves this yarn…when he looks at the yarn his pupils fully dilate every time. Hilarious!

It was a beautiful Spring day here and the light was unusually beautiful this afternoon into the evening. I took quite a few photographs, even as the final rays of light were fading from the sky. At one point I was taking a picture of the light hitting a sign and my husband said: I don’t get it, the sunset is over here. That’s okay. It was a great shot! Will share tomorrow after I have a chance to edit and crop.

xx M.E. and Summit Yarn Studio

 

Good Friday

Today was busier than busy and I enjoyed every minute. Jan and Kelly came this morning for class. Jan finished her second intarsia Jemima Puddleduck. Kelly learned how to pick up a dropped stitch. And we laughed so much I only knit two rows all day!

My son must have been in a growth spurt today because no matter how much I fed him, he was still cranky! I sent him with his father to an early dinner and a movie (Olympus Has Fallen). They loved the movie…so send your men and you will have some lovely time to knit!

Tonight Jamie, Robin and I knit and shared an Italian blood orange liqueur. Chris and Kelly attended by text message. We had a great time and time flew. Robin finished the scarf for her son and Jamie is making great progress on the sweater she is test knitting. I have a new shawl pattern I am hammering out the details on with Nurturing Fibers yarn.

 

Mystery Project Bag KAL: Part Five

Here is a photo of one repeat of Part Four:

Part Five:

Rnd 93: (yo, ssk) rep ( to ) around
Rnds 94, 95, 96, 97: knit
Rnd 98: [k1, (yo, ssk) x 7, k1] rep [ to ] around
Rnd 99, 100: knit
Rnd 101: [k1, yo, k2t, k10, yo, k2t, k1] rep [ to ] around
Rnd 102, 103: knit
Rnd 104: [k1, yo, k2t, k2, (yo, k2t) x3, k2, yo, k2t, k1] rep [ to ] around
Rnd 105, 106: knit
Rnd 107: (k1, yo, k2t, k1) rep ( to ) around
Rnd 108, 109: knit
Rnd 110: [k1, yo, k2t, k2, (yo, k2t) x3, k2, yo, k2t, k1] rep [ to ] around
Rnd 111, 112: knit
Rnd113: [k1, yo, k2t, k10, yo, k2t, k1] rep [ to ] around
Rnd 114,115: knit
Rnd 116: [k1, (yo, ssk) x 7, k1] rep [ to ] around
Rnds 117, 118, 119, 120: knit
Rnd 121: (yo, ssk) rep ( to ) around
Rnds 122-129: knit
Rnd 130: (yo x 4, k2t x 4) rep ( to ) around
Rnd 131:  (in the quadruple yo do k1 in the first loop, p1 in the 2nd loop, K1 in the third loop, and p1 in the fourth loop, k4) rep ( to ) around

Rnd 132-139: (8 rounds): knit

 

SWATCH!!!!! YOU AND YOU,TOO!!!

I had a very different blog planned for today.  Then a customer came in with a project, a blanket, that she is now ready to begin.  She came in for my best, most professional advice…not really.  She came in wanting me to say what she wanted to hear…and every time I said the word SWATCH, she screwed up her face like she was being forced to swallow the foulest of all medicines.  This swatch will take all of ten minutes and really decide for her what to do to make the blanket look the way SHE WANTS.  I could make sh@t up and say it, but the customer would then blame me and be unsatisfied.  So, I remain honest and stick to my guns.  I have lost customers over this.  It makes me sad, but I would rather you walked out with the best answer, than one that is half-assed and wrong.  EVERY PROJECT STARTS WITH A SWATCH.  WHEN YOU ARE DONE YOU CAN RIP IT OUT TO CONSERVE YARN AND MONEY — BUT PLEASE — DO THE SWATCH IN THE STITCH PATTERN THAT MATTERS MOST.  Got it?  Good.  Other than THE SWATCH, all knitting and fiber-crafting is your artwork.  EVEN SPINNERS DO SWATCHES.  Can you tell, I care about this subject?

Spending some time on Ravelry yesterday yielded some great results.  I found a blog:

http://shneckenstrick.blogspot.com/   (you may have to click on the translate key in the upper right hand corner for the language you need) — this designer focuses on children’s clothes and has great patterns both for free and for sale.  Make sure to check out her latest:  The Bluebell Cardigan, a free download.

Chris: There is a beautiful hat and since I know you love leaves, it is called “Shoots and Leaves Hat” by Jen Barley.  It is beautiful.  Clearly, however, I have been watching too much NCIS because that name could be read quite differently depending on your point of view.

Suzy has been knitting a sweater and wanting to make bust darts.  We have had several discussions, until I found a new pattern by Melissa Leapman and sent Suzy a photo of the boob dart.  The book is called:  Knitting the Perfect Fit and has more than one sweater I would want to wear.  In fact, Donna A. — this book must have been written for you because it has all the shaping you LOVE.

Go to the blog for Kelbourne Woolens and you will find directions for a small scarf  based on a previous pattern called the “Springtime Bandito” — requires about 100 yards of fingering weight yarn.  Follow the Set-up and Body Charts of the original pattern and then finish off with Rows 1-22 of the edge chart.  Bind off knit-wise.  It is adorable.  I would however, budget enough yarn for a few garter ridges because that edge looks like it will roll sooner than later to me.

The Classic Elite Blog is also a great place for error-free patterns by great designers.  Currently there is the Stripie Scarf by Amy Loberg of FiberWild!  If you go to her site, check out the Sugared Violet Shawlette — quite lovely.

I also downloaded a free hat pattern based on Old Shale lace — The Sea Waves Hat.  I love it.  Now I have to find just the perfect yarn to play with.  Wherever shall I find it?

LIVE LONG AND SWATCH,

Mary Ellen and Summit Yarn Studio

 

Backwards Loop Cast On — A Photo Tutorial

One of the things my friends know about me is that I love to solve problems…to tweak and tease a solution to the seemingly impossible.  Years ago, I was looking for a way to make increases in my knitting which were completely invisible.  I went to the textbooks and tried every suggested one.  Either I could simply still see the increase or, worse, it left a gap beneath it.  I finally unvented a solution which I was loathe to share.  It was a definite cheat.  At least so I thought, until scrounging through Elizabeth Zimmerman‘s writings, I found she had come to the same decision.  Good enough for me!, I thought.  Here it is:  the Backwards Loop Cast On.  It is made onto the RIGHT HAND NEEDLE and therefore, not worked until the subsequent row.  It can be likened to the THUMB CAST ON.  It really is invisible and I love it.  I do not use it for everything, only invisibility.  Here it is in photos:

make a loop with the working yarn

 

put the loop on your right hand needle — it is not worked in the row in which it is made

 

snug up to the needle but not too tight, just the same tension as your other stitches

 

Now, when you make the Whipped Shawl or Frog Tree Yarn’s Lady Jane Wrap your increases will be as invisible as your decreases! YAY!

 

back to pre-TNNA knitting….knitknitknitknitknitknitknitknit!