I saw Knitfreedom’s video on YouTube regarding the fleegle heel. I wanted to try it, however, I didn’t have a pattern and didn’t feel comfortable enough at the time to wing it. I’m never afraid to make mistakes and start over, I just felt I didn’t have the sock knitting experience to go it alone.
Now, after having made 20+ socks, I frequently knit socks without a pattern. A vanilla sock (plain stockinette) with my choice of toe and heel treatment is always on my needles. I want to learn as many techniques as possible and the many different sock heel treatments will keep me interested for a little while.
This technique was easy to do and I like the look and feel on my foot. I will be definitely be knitting a Fleegle heel again. Visit the, blog watch the videos, see it you like it. Knitfreedom’s video
Tonight’s guild meeting had a special guest. Knitwear designer and magazine editor Kathleen Dames. She is the editor, along with Ann Podlesak, of Filament magazine. It’s a quarterly publication loaded with patterns. She’s an excellent speaker and very knowledgeable on the teachings of Elizabeth Zimmermann. Our guild is spending a year with EZ, so we were all interested in her talk about Pi shawls. She had beautiful sample knits to show and I drooled over a pullover with colorwork on the bottom.
It was a good night. She tells a good story and welcomes questions from the audience. I immediately subscribed to her podcast, The Sweater with Kathleen Dames. I am also looking forward to taking her class this fall at Altman’s Needlearts in Mattituck, NY.
I also got my copy of the Knitting Workshop. I am so anxious to start working from it. Our guild has challenged us to be ready to knit a sweater by September. And I am up for it!Kathleen Dames at the Eastern Long Island Knitting Guild.The Sweater podcast
This is my third fair isle project. However, it’s my first fair isle sock and it certainly is challenging. Two things, the sock weight yarn and the colors I chose. Knitting with two hands is awkward enough. Throw in knitting English style, with thin yarn and this continental knitter really struggles.
I wanted to use my yellow Knit Picks stroll yarn. I love yellow and white. Although, I think it may be a bit too subtle. I’m having a difficult time telling the yellow from the white. My next may be blue and white.
Happy Cinco de Mayo This photo if from Candice Dewitt’s Ravelry page.
The pattern is fair isle flower sock by Candice Dewitt.
2 shawl babiesShawl baby with trellis openwork, garter and stockinette.
I got turned on to Kara through the Power Purls Podcast. Her podcast introduced me to designers, yarn companies and many other useful and educational things I didn’t know I needed to know. She was also the executive editor of Creative Knitting Magazine. So, when she announced she was holding a five day Stitchucation Shawl challenge, my ears (and hands) perked up.
I have never been a fan of shawls. No particular reason, just not a big fan. However, at almost 60 yrs old, I feel I need to wear something pretty around my neck for reasons all of us women know. And a shawl can also be worn as a neckerchief!
I am so happy I participated. I learned two different ways to start a shawl, the single knit and the garter tab. I also learned to make “shawl babies” which are swatches in the shape of a shawl. These shawl babies allowed me to try different cast ons, yarn weights and needle sizes. There were no rules. You were free to use whatever you wanted. She provided the template and I was off and running.
I learned that a shawl requires a stretchy bind off. If you use the standard bind off, when you wrap it around your neck, the bottom edge rolls and doesn’t lay flat. That brings me to the applied edging. Yes, I learned that too!
The creativity really started to flow! I could mix garter stitch with stockinette stitch or I could use an openwork pattern bordered by stockinette. The possibilities are endless and…there is no pattern needed! Follow the template, choose your yarn(s), your needles and plot it out or design as you go. Very, very exciting!
Many thanks to Kara Gott Warner for this challenge. She has a Shawl Workshop beginning May 1st. Enrollment ends today April 17 at 11:59 pm. It’s a 5 week challenge at cost of $5.00. I won’t be able to participate in this one because of the Master Hand Knitter program. That’s my first priority at the moment.
My third pair of socks this year will be a new technique for me. Last night at an impromptu knitting circle, one of the women taught me how to knit with two circular needles.
The plan is to start the toe with two circs, increase to sixty stitches total, then switch to my nine inch circs for the rest of the sock. I’m not sure which heel I will use. I’m thinking I may go with a gusset and German short row heel.
The yarns I intend to use are Knit Picks Stroll, Manos Del Uruguy Alegria ( just luscious) and Holda fiber by a local dyer.
The Knit Picks stroll is 75%superwash merino and 25% nylon. The Manos Alegria is 75% superwash merino and 25% polyamide. I no longer have the label for the Holda yarn. I believe it is also 75% superwash merino and 25% nylon
This is my second year as a member of the TKGA. I joined at the suggestion of my local guild and I am so glad I did
For a $25.00 yearly membership fee, you receive access to a plethora of fun and technical information. Cast On is the name of their monthly magazine. They also offer correspondence and mini courses.
I finally registered for the Master Hand Knitter Program. The MHK program is a correspondence course with three levels. Once each level is completed, it will be evaluated by the MHK committee. Only after the evaluation may you proceed to the next level.
The course teaches knitting techniques, traditions, the care of knit wear, the history of knitting and so much more. There are projects to turn in , papers to write and books to read and review.
If anyone is interested in joining me, the cost of level one is $105.00.
I sew so I am- adventures in creativity. My interests are wide from appliqué, cross stitch, knitting,crochet,free machine embroidery, patchwork, quilting etc
Knitfreedom’s video
( just luscious) and Holda fiber by a local dyer.
