another knitting blog

Anna Rocks

Yes, Anna's cool code for progress bars and scrolling content has struck again. [Anna Knits: Anna rocks]. Also, many thanks to Theresa for helping me put them together.

Another Folklife Festival update is on the way.

Sanquhar Knitting at Folk Life

My, my, what an irresponsible knit blogger I've been lately! I just can't keep my focus. Lots to talk about tonight though.

Yesterday and today I went down to the Smithsonian Folklife Festival. We had two good weather days in a row on a weekend. I can't remember the last time that happened.

Saturday, I made it down around noon and headed straight for Scotland. I spent five hours in Scotland looking at the demonstrations, talking to the craftspeople, and listening to the music. One place I went to repeatedly was to the knitting tent so I could talk to the knitting demonstrators. All three were so open, gracious, and willing to talk about their knitting despite the heat and the throngs.

The first knitter I talked to was May MacCormick who was knitting gloves in the black & white Sanquhar style without a pattern or chart. She was knitting a man's glove using doubled lace-weight merino on approximately size US 1 needles. Women's gloves are knit on smaller needles.

Not only are the Sanquhar gloves notable for their distinctive black & white patterns, they also have a unique three-sided finger construction with tiny little salt & pepper gussets at the base of each finger. [Sorry, no detail shot].

Here's a sample of various patterns used; some are named in commemoration of an event or VIP, but others are traditional and remain unnamed.

The pattern on the glove below is named Rose. The card reads,

"Miss Wilson has been credited with compiling the Rose pattern when Princess Margaret Rose was born. This pattern was certainly 'all the rage' in the 1930's."

Knitting patterns for Sanquhar gloves can be obtained from the Scottish Women's Rural Institutes for approximately $1 US plus postage.

I'll have more to say about the festival soon [Hopefully, I can stay on a roll with posting]. I still have Shetland lace and Fair Isle knitting to talk about and some non-knitting content too.

Progress...Not

Tuesday night: Knitting-N-The-City at Savory
Knitting: yes
Blogging: no

Wednesday night: yoga class
Knitting: no
Blogging: no

Thursday night: laundry
Knitting: yes
Blogging: no

Friday night: fell asleep on couch (pathetic, really)
Knitting: zzzzzzzzzzzz
Blogging: you're lookin' at it

Knit Graph Generator

So, no one seems to know anything else about the tumbling block pattern. I thought I'd take this as an opportunity to show you something very cool, using the tumbling block pattern as an example.

David has started to write a pretty nifty Knit Graph Generator that will take written instructions for a cable pattern and turn it into a chart. How cool is that?

As a very simple example, you could enter the written instructions for the tumbling block, and see the resulting graph. To do that, paste the following into the text box:

k6,p6
k6,p6
p1,k5,p5,k1
p1,k5,p5,k1
k1,p1,k4,p4,k1,p1
k1,p1,k4,p4,k1,p1
p1,k1,p1,k3,p3,k1,p1,k1
p1,k1,p1,k3,p3,k1,p1,k1
k1,p1,k1,p1,k2,p2,k1,p1,k1,p1
k1,p1,k1,p1,k2,p2,k1,p1,k1,p1
p1,k1,p1,k1,p1,k1,p1,k1,p1,k1,p1,k1
p1,k1,p1,k1,p1,k1,p1,k1,p1,k1,p1,k1
k1,p1,k1,p1,k1,p1,k1,p1,k1,p1,k1,p1
k1,p1,k1,p1,k1,p1,k1,p1,k1,p1,k1,p1
p1,k1,p1,k1,p2,k2,p1,k1,p1,k1
p1,k1,p1,k1,p2,k2,p1,k1,p1,k1
k1,p1,k1,p3,k3,p1,k1,p1
k1,p1,k1,p3,k3,p1,k1,p1
p1,k1,p4,k4,p1,k1
p1,k1,p4,k4,p1,k1
k1,p5,k5,p1
k1,p5,k5,p1
p6,k6
p6,k6

Note: I've had to write the pattern a bit less efficiently to make it work by expanding bits like "(k1, p1) twice"].

The pattern is a 44 row repeat. This will give you the first 24 rows. To complete the pattern, repeat rows 3-22 of the graph, shifting them over by six stitches.

David has just started working on this in his spare time, so it's still in it formative stages; but he's interested in helpful suggestions and constructive criticism. He's already aware of some things, like difficulties with varying line lengths and limited stitch types; however, if we ask nicely, I'm sure he'd try and accommodate reasonable requests.

I think this also shows great promise as a lace grapher too. Thought much about lace, David?

Mystery Solved

Update: Right after I posted, I got an email from Bethany, who astutely points out that the tumbling block pattern is on page 124 of the Vogue Knitting book and is called the 'diamond and lozenge pattern'. Thanks Bethany, I looked through this book and managed to overlook that. [Duh, Michelle].

You should still check out David's graph generator because it's still cool.

And, the answer to the question is...

And, the answer to the question is...

This is the sweater that I show started in the previous post. Genia is correct, it is from Poetry in Stitches. Apparently, it's on page 140 of the book. I wouldn't know, because I don't have the book. This pattern and one for the related cardigan design also appeared in the Spring 2000 issue of Interweave Knits.

I bought a kit from Nordic Fiber Arts at the last Stitches. I've been dying to start it ever since and I finally broke down last week. I've been trying so hard to only have one major project going at a time; and that helped me finish Checkers and Kilim, but I just couldn't keep it up any longer. After the KP&S cardigan, the floodgates have broken. Now, I have to try and constrain myself from starting everything I have sitting around here.

Here's the swatch I did.

I was only going to do the swatch just to give me a taste of some stranded knitting again. However, after getting started, there was no going back.

All those long strands come from doing a "speed swatch" as described in Meg Swansen's Sweaters from Camp. The swatch is knit on a circular needle and the strands are looped across the back for the next row. This was a bit annoying to do, but I really felt I should do a swatch (and I'm glad that I did).

I've never paid much attention to the discussions of the differences and discrepancies between US and metric needle sizes. In most cases, the conversion is pretty straightforward. However, there is apparently a bit of flakiness in the 3 to 3.75 mm range and the pattern as written in the magazine wasn't helping me out. The pattern says the sweater is knit on US size 3 (3.5 mm) needles. Now, depending on who you choose to believe, 3.5 mm is equivalent to a US 3 or a US 4. The Principles of Knitting lists three different metric sizes equivalent to US 3, none of them 3.5 mm. The majority of resources I've looked at seem to be able to agree, however, that 3.5 mm is a US 4.

Well...whatever. Let's look at the swatch. The bit below the white pin heads was knit on a 3.25 mm needle. As you can see, the knitting is puckered and (believe me) the gauge is off. [Why 3.25 mm? Hey, the package said they were also US 3]. The bit above the white pin heads was knit on 3.75 mm needles. [Still no 3.5 mm? No, I don't have any. OK?] This section lays flat and is much better gaugewise. [See, 3.5 mm wouldn't have been big enough anyway. So, there].

So, the pattern gave conflicting needle information and I ended up using something completely different anyway. I'm glad I took the time to swatch on this one.

[You may wonder what's going on with good ole' CPS. It's still here, and I've actually picked it up a couple of times this past week].

Geane (in the comments from the previous post) would like to know more about textured tumbling block pattern from the afghan. I got the pattern from a Plymouth Yarn booklet #663, Designs for the Home. The stitch pattern may also be somewhere else like in one of Barbara Walker's treasuries of knitting patterns but I don't have any of those. Has anyone else seen this pattern anywhere? [She sounds serious; I'd really like to help her out or she might hurt me].

Finally, [Are you still even reading this?] I'm trying something new with my archives. Let me know what you think.

You again?

Ah, my poor little blog is gasping for air these days. Could it be because I don't take enough time to water it and talk to it? Maybe I should move it to a sunnier window.

Much knitting going on behind the scenes. I finished the KP&S cardigan and just need to weave in the ends, block, and find buttons. I really, really like this sweater. It's going to be a dependable, hard-wearing standby, I know it. I'm already thinking that I'm going to have to make it again (maybe one out of Brown Sheep and one out of Kureyon (the new color #128 looks interesting)).

[Plus, silly me knit this sweater instead of Sitcom Chic and then realized that they actually have very similar styling. Guess what I'm going to buy yarn to knit next. Especially now that Bonne Marie has refined the pattern. Thank you, Bonne Marie!]

Once again, my lack of imagination is revealed?the most creativity I can manage is to think to change the yarn. Actually, my first impulse was to use the same yarn and just change the color. [Oh, I'm pushing the envelope alright].

It's typical for me though, to find something I like and then just perseverate on it. I always knit the same damn sock; and then there was that spate of garter stitch gloves earlier this year. I've knit one sweater from the Spring 1998 Knitter's magazine [ah yes, the good old days] three times and I've been thinking about knitting it again. Trouble is, I can't figure out how I'm going to find time to knit all the different new designs I'm interested in, much less start repeating myself all the time. I guess I won't worry about it though; as long as I'm knitting something I like, life is good.

Here's another thing I've knit multiple times.

This is the pattern for the afghan I'm making for Molly's catsitter?a textured tumbling block. I like this pattern because once it's established I don't have to look at the chart anymore. The yarn is Plymouth Encore (75% acrylic/25% wool) which I like to use for gift afghans because it can be washed and dried without worry and still looks good. I've made afghans out of Lion Brand Wool-Ease (80% acrylic/20% wool) before, but they don't seem to hold up as well.

And finally, the thing that's different from anything I've made before.

OK, not finally, because I'm not done yet...

Have you seen the knitted puzzle ball that Amber made? She has a picture and a movie [How cool it that?] of it in her June 15th entry. [Hmm, another thing I made multiple times.]

And now, finally...

After two months, the ABRA fund has hit $20. That means that in the last two months I've gotten exercise twenty times. No wonder the scale won't budge.

Shepherd's Purse Alpacas

Yesterday was the day of the knitting/crocheting retreat at Shepherd's Purse Alpacas. What a great day!

The day began around 9am with arrivals, greetings, and breakfast before going down to meet the alpacas.

These are the two geldings who will be the good ambassadors for the farm. Aren't they sweet? Look at those big, soulful eyes. And I loved the sounds they make, just like big squeaky toys.

Ten of us enjoyed an entire day of needlework, eating, and conversation. Cindy and Wayne were terrific hosts and took great care of us before sending us off with a gift of Peruvian alpaca gloves at the end day. In a few year's time, they hope to be able to have fleece from their own animals to offer.

Yesterday was also Flag Day in the US. Here are two relevant virtual exhibits from the National Museum of American History: The story of The Star-Spangled Banner: The Flag that Inspired the National Anthem; and July 1942: United We Stand. The second exhibit details a month during WWII when almost 300 magazines featured the American flag on their covers. It's interesting, the power that seems to be imbued into the flag as a symbol in a time of national crisis.

The Pure & Simple Facts

Both speedy sleeves on the Knitting Pure & Simple cardigan are done (except for the cuffs) [Woohoo!] and now I'm back to the pokey body [Boo]. At least I'm moving into the home stretch; time to think about finishing. For a while, I was thinking about working the front and neck bands differently than written in the pattern; now, I think the only change I will make is to do a garter stitch band at the bottom of the body (like for the cuffs and bands) instead of ribbing as indicated.

I really like this pattern. I like the v-neck opening and the raglan shoulder shaping. I usually avoid raglans because they tend to make my shoulders look slouchy. Maybe it's the v-neck and the currently wide neck opening, but this sweater isn't making me look like a big schlump.

One reason I was considering changing the neckband was to make sure that I keep the open look. It's been the case in the past that I've tried on a sweater before doing the neckband and been pleased with the fit only to have the fit change dramatically, and not for the better, after the neck band was added. The neckband pulls everything up and adds stability to the top of the sweater; however, I find most necks to be a bit too closed up for my liking. When I can, I try to add a couple extra stitches to the neck finishing of my sweaters. Sometimes just a few added stitches can really help how the whole sweater hangs.

I've gotten a few questions about this pattern and the yarn I'm using and it's occurred to me that I just sort of launched into it without giving any details. I guess I already thought I had because I mentioned both the pattern and the yarn as purchases from the Maryland Sheep & Wool Festival. But that was back at the beginning of May. Did I really expect you all to remember that?

So, for the record:

The yarn is worsted weight, 100% wool from Carodan Farm. I think the color is Mountain Blue. It has a very heathery appearance and one of the other volunteers at the radio station last weekend thought it looked like denim.

The pattern is from Knitting Pure & Simple, of course. I bought the pattern from Carodan when I bought the yarn. They also sell some other KP&S patterns, but there are other places to get them as well. KP&S has a list of other shops that also sell their patterns.

Pledge Drive

Both mornings this weekend I volunteered answering phones during the pledge drive at one the local public radio stations and brought my knitting. Yesterday, I ended up sitting at a phone that only rarely rang so I got lots of knitting done (almost four hours worth). Last night, while watching a DVD, I pretty much finished one sleeve. Today, I picked a busier phone and there were more calls so I didn't get as much done, but I still made a fair amount of progress—about a third of a sleeve.

Right now, it's only bolero length; so I'll have to go back and knit down the body some more. In the mean time, It's been nice to knit the sleeves down to the wrists with the ever accelerating rate of the rows.

To knit the small circumference of the wrist, I actually tried circular knitting with two needles for the first time. Frankly, while it was useful, I don't see it as the equivalent of sliced bread. I'm not sure what what epiphany I was supposed to experience, but it didn't happen. It seemed only slightly less fiddlely than using double points. I see the main advantage as not having to keep a separate set of double points for every needle size. I don't have any size 7 dns and it was nice to be able to keep knitting last night instead of waiting for a trip to the store. Just another handy thing to know.

Last night's DVD selection was Chocolat. I don't really have a sweet tooth, but I was happy that I had some hot chocolate on hand to drink while watching this movie. If you'd like to make your own chocolate treats to have during the movie, maybe you could check out the recipes from Hershey's Kitchens. Some of these recipes look pretty good to me. I'm always a sucker for a big pan of brownies.