Rambling Ruffle Class

There are many of us who have been waiting for Not Just Plain Jane's Rambling Ruffle class ever since the sample made it's way into Westport Yarns this summer.

There are several ways it can be knit. For starters it can be larger or small. Then you get into all the different color options.

This is the multicolor large scarf, 6 colors.
3 colors, each color flying solo in each pattern stitch section.
3 colors, worked together in each pattern section.

This is where you begin, at the bottom of the picture with the leaves. There are 9 of us in the class and it was great fun. Lots of laughter and camaraderie while picking out yarn and choosing which design to knit. Several efforts later, I had this to show for it...

Since I didn't have a lot of time the night before the class to rummage through my stash and find 3-6 colors and decided to knit the scarf in the yarn I dyed when Trish was here. Obviously the pattern stitch gets a little blurred because of the variegated yarn. It's prettier in person. Still, I may actually change my plan and either use one solid colored yarn or 3 colors each knit in their own section.

What can I tell you, I'm a sucker for the green paper and a glutton for (knitting) punishment.

I've Got the Blues

This is the amount of yarn I have left at the end of the 31st row of a 32 row lace border pattern in Not Just Plain Jane's Starry Night Shawl . I should mention that this is also all I have left of the yarn (Blue Heron Rayon Metallic). I still have the last row (650 stitches), a crocheted bind off, and a shell border. I was wisely warned off attempting to knit the last row with that little bit; I was considering it. (Thank you - you know who you are.)
I looked through some of my yarn and found 3 possible candidates for finishing up. Which one do you think works the best? Left/ Center/ Right? I welcome suggestions for which color works best.

So the good news is that I'm truly nearly done with my Starry Night Shawl. The bad news is that there has to be a last minute yarn substitution. It's like a yarn understudy. ;)

Respect the Green Paper

I thoroughly enjoy Jane Elliott's patterns a/k/a, "Not Just Plain Jane Knits". In the store we have a healthy respect when customer's come in with a question and waving that tell-tale green paper around.
This summer I've knit several of Jane's patterns. The Renaissance Poncho in Debbie Bliss Prima, Loved it - definite do-over in sparkly yarn for the holiday season.

The Lacy Hooded Cowl in Blue Sky Alpacas, Alpaca & Silk. Looking forward to wearing it.

Now I'm in the midst of the Starry Night Shawl.

Truly one of Jane's finest moments. To me I look at the construction of this shawl and marvel her coming up with it, let alone designing it. I'm knitting mine in Blue Heron Rayon Metallic.
I'm trying to instill in my family a healthy fear for the green paper. I would like them to see that green paper and think, omg, it's a Jane pattern. Back quietly away and don't make any sudden movements. Green paper should act like a force field for interruptions.

Last night after kitchenering the long stretch together it was clear that something was just not right. There is no fudging in this pattern. I had grafted one motif incorrectly and it had a domino effect on the long strip (85 sts) that I had just worked. I wanted to cry. My husband tried to help and I had to explain the severity of this mistake. The irrational part of me wanted to chuck it. The other voice in my head said, put it away and see what Jane says/does.

I spoke with Jane today and she made an example of me (with my consent). On how to fix Kitchener gone wrong. It literally took us 2 hours to take apart the grafted seam, we worked in tandem like it was microsurgery.
I think I held my breath for much of it and when I was able to get up, my vision was blurred. At one point Jane asked for the Ott lights to be centered around us. We couldn't move or stop what we were doing, to set up the lights ourselves.

Everyone in the class was kind and supportive. I am phenomenally grateful for Jane's talents. She is a master.

Now I can graduate onto the lace border. Which by the way, took the other ladies in the class the better part of 2 hours to work two rows. Ahh the things we do for knitting.

Respect the Green Paper

I thoroughly enjoy Jane Elliott's patterns a/k/a, "Not Just Plain Jane Knits". In the store we have a healthy respect when customer's come in with a question and waving that tell-tale green paper around.
This summer I've knit several of Jane's patterns. The Renaissance Poncho in Debbie Bliss Prima, Loved it - definite do-over in sparkly yarn for the holiday season.

The Lacy Hooded Cowl in Blue Sky Alpacas, Alpaca & Silk. Looking forward to wearing it.

Now I'm in the midst of the Starry Night Shawl.

Truly one of Jane's finest moments. To me I look at the construction of this shawl and marvel her coming up with it, let alone designing it. I'm knitting mine in Blue Heron Rayon Metallic.
I'm trying to instill in my family a healthy fear for the green paper. I would like them to see that green paper and think, omg, it's a Jane pattern. Back quietly away and don't make any sudden movements. Green paper should act like a force field for interruptions.

Last night after kitchenering the long stretch together it was clear that something was just not right. There is no fudging in this pattern. I had grafted one motif incorrectly and it had a domino effect on the long strip (85 sts) that I had just worked. I wanted to cry. My husband tried to help and I had to explain the severity of this mistake. The irrational part of me wanted to chuck it. The other voice in my head said, put it away and see what Jane says/does.

I spoke with Jane today and she made an example of me (with my consent). On how to fix Kitchener gone wrong. It literally took us 2 hours to take apart the grafted seam, we worked in tandem like it was microsurgery.
I think I held my breath for much of it and when I was able to get up, my vision was blurred. At one point Jane asked for the Ott lights to be centered around us. We couldn't move or stop what we were doing, to set up the lights ourselves.

Everyone in the class was kind and supportive. I am phenomenally grateful for Jane's talents. She is a master.

Now I can graduate onto the lace border. Which by the way, took the other ladies in the class the better part of 2 hours to work two rows. Ahh the things we do for knitting.

Starry, Starry Night

This week at Jane's Starry Night Shawl class we worked on grafting (aka using the kitchener stitch) the hexagon motifs together.
The stitches on each end of the hexagons are left live and then lined up to kitchener together. It's the type of technique where you can't have any distractions, you need good light, and you realize when you're done that you've been holding your breath.

The result being a seamless join, it looks like it was knitted together.
The smallest number of stitches that were "kitchenered" together were 17 to 17.

The larger areas to join were comprised of 85 stitches to 85 stitches. It's really like walking a tight rope. You have to have exactly the same number of stitches on each needle. We were urged to count and recount because taking out the kitchener stitch is a bear.
This morning I finished adding three more motifs to the shawl. I have 6 more to add (3 to each side). I apologize to whoever called me this morning. You just don't get up while you're in the midst of kitchenering.

This shawl is one of my favorite's of Jane's. It is a marvel and it is magical.

Outside the Box Knitting

Last night was the first class of Jane Elliott's Starry Night Shawl at Westport Yarns. This is one of those fascinating garments that you look at and ponder it's construction.

The class was full (per usual with Jane). One of my co-workers, Fanone, and I sat in. Jane is a terrific teacher and very entertaining.

I'm knitting mine in Blue Heron Rayon Metallic. I originally bought the yarn to knit Jane's Renaissance Shawl. Then I became enamored with the Renaissance Poncho and bought different yarn to make that, and stashed the Blue Heron. I especially like my blue/purple sparkly colorway because it puts me in mind of the painting Starry Night by Van Gogh.
The shawl is constructed with 15 hexagon motifs that are kitchener stitched together. (Yes, you heard me right, kitchener stitched together.)

It will be a great adventure knitting this. Actually, the motifs aren't that difficult and the pattern quickly commits to memory. It's the kitchener and the lace border that will be Mr. Toad's Wild Ride.

The difference blocking makes

The thing I didn't like about lace before I got hooked on it, was that it doesn't look like much until it's blocked. Now I consider it magical.

Below is a picture of my Lacey Hooded Cowl unblocked.

I decided to have Judy, the finisher for Westport Yarns, block my cowl. She (as always) did an amazing job.
(Ignore the thread hanging on the side.) This is kind of like winter version of the Renaissance Poncho. I knit it in Blue Sky Alpacas Alpaca & Silk. It took 3.5 skeins.

At Loose Ends

This week I finished 3 big projects. My Not Just Plain Jane "Lacey hooded cowl". I've given this to the finisher at Westport Yarns for blocking. Quite frankly, I didn't want to block the lace in the round and Judy does an amazing job.
I also finished the Not Just Plain Jane "Renaissance Poncho" in Debbie Bliss Prima (Bamboo). This I blocked myself. Yes, I know it's in the round too. I got nothing, this one just seemed easier to block and it was.
I finished a new design, a stole/scarf/shrug named "Go with the Flow". It's knit in Be Sweet Bamboo, which was an absolute pleasure to knit with. This pattern will be available shortly. Danni is going to proof/test it for me.

That was a long introduction to the fact that now I am at loose ends (pun intended). I am totally captivated by Doris Chan's new book "Crochet Lace Innovations". There are several things in there that I want to crochet.

This is the Melisande Vest in Broomstick lace.

This is the Ming Jacket.

I realized that I have several projects lurking about that I feel the need to finish. At least a couple of them before embarking on another garment. Plus, I'm going to take Jane's Starry Night Shawl class coming up. (It's not on the calendar, so if you're interested, it starts Tuesday, July 13th - call the store for more details 203-454-4300).

I'm not as excited about these as I was when I started them. Now it feels like finishing dinner so I can have dessert. So now you know what I'll be working on over the holiday. I think I'll swatch for the crochet garments so I know I'm ready to start.

Renaissance Poncho

I actually took a pre-blocked photo, and measured it and wrote down those measurements. The neck was 7" across, the sides were 13", the center front was 14", and the bottom was approximately 24".
Jane's instructions called for you to immerse the poncho in water and then pull the lace out. These were the finished measurements: the neck was 10" across, the sides were 17", the center front was 17", and the bottom was approximately 40"!

When I tried it on, the neck definitely grew bigger than I wanted it to so when I did the crocheted finishing, I decreased around the neckline.
I'm really happy with how it came out. I loved working with the Prima Bamboo and Jane's patterns are a delight to see manifest themselves.

I've finished a couple of big projects this week and now I'm at loose ends (unavoidable pun) as to what to start next. I love Doris Chan's new book Crochet Lace Innovations. Then there are 2 hibernating summer projects that I could revisit. And yes, I know there's that cabinet of yarn all neatly organized into bags with patterns. I just don't know what I want to make now. Any ideas?

Something was just not right

Michelle made it in first and was having difficulty with the beginning rounds of the Renaissance Poncho. Something was just not right. (Do you remember your Madeline books? I don't think it would take much to reactivate my memory to recite it almost by heart. But I digress...)

She asked me to work on the first couple of rounds. I was giving it a go amidst the rest of the group arriving and talking. Lace is not a convenient talking going on around you type of thing (for me anyway). Turns out that the yarn overs were traveling and that was why it wasn't working.
While I worked on the poncho, Michelle worked on a Noro Shell in Cash Iroha, YS-490. It's done it 2 separate halves.

Anytime someone would begin to talk to me, Michelle would run interference.
Elizabeth was working on a Noro tank, YS-480. She recalculated the number to work with her gauge.
Robin is cranking through the Wallaby. I'm really proud of how well she's navigating the pattern, it shows just how far she's come. The next Wallaby is going to red with a blue racing stripe. We had a hood debate: garter or stockinette. Stockinette won.
Linda finished sewing the shoulders, side, and arm seams on her Ann Norling #29 sweater. Next time we meet she's going to work on the neck ribbing.
And Linda F. came with her Chloe baby sweater (Never Not Knitting). She had started this a couple of weeks ago with Michelle and Robin's help. Michelle had made it already.
Something just wasn't right. She rerouted her increases (the sweater is top down and she's doing yarn over increases around the raglan lines).

Linda decided that there should be Special Ed. knitting groups and that she was a prime candidate. When this elicited a chuckle from Robin and Elizabeth, she asked if they would be chuckling if she had a math/english problem. Point for Linda.
She also got a bit of ribbing (pardon the pun) because she is/was making the newborn size and the baby is 2 months old. All things considered, she ripped it out and started again to make the next size up.

I realized several rows in that she missed sleeve increases and would have to start over (again). With a straight face she asked if this was "hazing the dumb kid on the block". Not so Linda.

Poncho Day

So here I am. All geared up to start the Renaissance Poncho. Jane suggested we use a size 9 needle because we want it larger than the sample. She also suggested we cast on with a bigger needle, therefore a size 10. (Yes, I do the high math.)

Considering that I must have accumulated every needle size created in many different makes and models, it did not occur to me that I wouldn't have the needles I needed when I needed them. Foolish I know.

First off, I did find the size 9 24". That's good you may say. Well, yes and no. I needed Size 10 16" circular to start. Can I find those? No, of course not. I have a feeling I lent those out. Scrounge through all the different organizational places for needles. No size 10 16". Okkkkk. I remembered that you don't join in the round right off. Well then. Found #10 signature straights. Cool, I like those. No size #9 16" circulars. Hmmmm, dpn's! I have size 9 dpns.
That's the long preamble to getting it all together to start. Is it nap time yet?

Crazy Quilt Pillow

This week I finished the diamond in the center of the pillow. I'm really enjoying my colors and it's very satisfying to make something like this entirely from leftover stash yarns.

See, there is a reason for keeping all the bits and pieces left over from finished projects.

Now I have to plan the color placement of the yarns for the top half of the pillow. To see the progress of the other women in the class, click here to view the Westport Yarns Blog.

So Joe Wants a Sweater

Joe has decided that he is long overdue for a sweater. It's not like I haven't made him sweaters over the years (one of which he lost!) I even designed a couple for him. The last sweater I made him was probably about 6 years ago. A bulky hoodie in Sirdar Denim something.

So, we talked about what he wanted in his sweater. Here goes (in no particular order):
A looser neckline
The waist band should hug the body
The arms should be roomy (he flapped his arms to demonstrate how much ease there should be)
The wrists should be on the snug side
Longer body so it can bunch up
Thin yarn
Thin strips or abstract colors.

Oy!

There is a reason I haven't knit him a sweater in a while. My darling husband likes his sweaters big, 3X in fact. He also likes the sweater to be lighter, so dk weight. Do you have any idea how long this will take me????

Sheesh. I'm thinking top down for sure. Other than that, I don't know. This is going to require a lot of thought and planning.

Maybe Jane Elliott can design a Crazy Quilt Husband's Sweater? That would be fun.

Crazy Quilt Pillow update:
I caught up with Laura at Westport Yarns and we traded more yarn for our pillows/bags. When I came home I worked on the small leaf triangle. I used a funky green multi-textured yarn for the side leaves and purple chenille for the center leaf. Now the 2 triangles are joined together awaiting further instructions.

Crazy over the Crazy Quilt Pillow

I know I said this before, I really do forget how much fun knitting "Not Just Plain Jane" patterns are. I'm taking the Crazy Quilt Pillow class at Westport Yarns. The first class was Thursday. We lost track of time and before we knew it the class was over. (The pillow pictured above is Beth's pillow ~ and yes I know my colors are remarkably similar.) I finished the Main Triangle.
Her patterns/projects are like a addictive. Between picking your different yarns (for multicolor versions) and the intrigue of row x row patterns... I just want to knit the pillow. What? Project monogamy? Me? I have to talk myself into working on other knits that have to be done: I have designs in progress and classes coming up. All of which I love to do. It's just that seeing how the pillow manifests itself is so much fun.

Jennifer was in the other day and Beth helped her pick out and organize her yarns. She decided to make a sketch of the pillow to lay out her colors plan. It was an inspired idea. Here is her plan:
Ann taught me how to use google docs to sketch out the pillow. She used it for a cool schematic for a sweater she's designing.
I don't know if I can wait for the next class to start the next section.