Cardigans & Steeks, 4

Vickie designed this lovely shrawl.

The Cardigan Patterns
Because this is a big class, the focus needs to be very narrow; please choose patterns from Linda’s selection for help.Fair Isle technique will be low priority since cardigans are the focus. The following is a list of cardigans in order of easiest to hardest:
1. Checkmate Stripes
2. Modular Garter-Stitch Jacket and Baby Surprise
3. Mitered Squares
4. Double Play Raglan Cardigan

Baby Surprise Jacket
Several ladies had questions on this pattern, so Linda explained some of the instructions in class. Some of the notes I jotted down are:
In garter stitch, every 2 rows is a ridge.
Your right side row should be marked. Mark the outside row so you can tell front and back apart.
Decrease is on the odd rows.
If alternating yarn, “knit even 3 rows,” should be knit even 4 rows. “After 22 dec (90 St), work…” (bottom of front page).

Strategic Striping Placement
This helpful handout was given to us.

Stitch n’ Ride
Bea and Teri will be leaving Staples at 6 a.m. Totes will be given on the train again this year! Don't forget your tickets, chemo caps, and it’s a good idea to bring snacks, maybe water, and a notebook. The Girl Scouts will have a coat and tote check in area for a small donation. There are about 25 ladies participating.

Phone and Email List
Linda L. handed out the new phone and email list to anyone not receiving it by email. Check your spam if you did not find an email from Linda L.

Ballot
Louise made ballots, and voting took place in class regarding the money raised from calendars and note cards. Only one notecard set available. The bras came back from St. Louis and were returned to their owners. Linda announced extra torsos for sale.

Art Walk
Linda showed us examples from the “25 Knitted Icons” for ideas. The sign up sheet is on the table. More ideas listed this week are Cleopatra, Princess Diana, Queen Elizabeth I, Mary and Baby Jesus. Fictional characters such as the Lone Ranger or Robin Hood are permitted; Minnie Mouse, cartoons, or animals are not allowed.

Linda brought a mascot to inspire us for the Art Walk.

Happy Birthday February Ladies! Have fun at Stitches West!

Teri shared several good books with the class and made the darling bracelet from felted old sweaters.

This is the book that has the cute Hen pattern Louise made.

Cardigans & Steeks, 3

A beautiful sweater made by Lynn

Nancy made this lovely sweater.

A lot of material was covered in class tonight, and we spent quite a long time discussing ideas for the money raised and the new challenge for the Art Walk.

Steeks & Yarn
Linda demonstrated steeking by cutting between two rows with sharp scissors. The wool did not fray, and we learned where to pick up stitches. Also if you are picking up stitches on a bound off edge, it is 1 stitch for 1row (is this supposed to be row or stitch?). For neck and arm hole shaping, pick up 1 stitch for every diagonal row. It is 3 stitches for every 4 rows on placket rows (k3, skip 1), then it will not pucker.

The Cardigan Patterns
We went over a new handout, “Get to Know your Body,” and reviewed all of the cardigan patterns. Linda explained where to place markers and to use closed make 1s (left slanting) instead of open make 1s (right slanting) which is on one of the first handouts. Also, our order came in, and it was distributed in class. Judith shared that one knit shop she visited donates knitted baby garments to a women’s shelter; that’s an idea for the baby cardigans.

Gauge
It is important to make a swatch to check the gauge before starting any garment for good fit. A half a stitch makes a big difference around a whole sweater. “There is nothing sadder than doing all the work getting a garment done, and it does not fit.” Here are some guidelines we learned in class:
Make the swatch with the same yarn and needle to be used for the garment.
Make the swatch using the same stitch as for the main part of the garment. For example, if the pattern calls for seed stitch, the swatch should be seed stitch. The baby cardigan swatch should be made in garter stitch since the pattern is all garter stitch. Not all swatches must be done in stockinette only.
Measure your swatch in three places, and then take the average of the 3 measurements since we tend to loosen up as we knit.
Make sure your yarn is color fast by washing and blocking it when the swatch is finished.
Be careful mixing needles of different brands. For example KnitPicks Harmony size 8 dpns are larger than Denise Needles size 8.
Different colors within one type of yarn vary in thickness too. I think Linda said do not mix blue yarn with red yarn for this reason.

New Rule for Help
Not everyone had a chance to be helped in class last week. In order for Linda to help everyone, no more than two questions will be allowed at one time.

Stitch n’ Ride
A number of emails were sent out this week. See Irene for carpool arrangements and information.

Phone and Email List
The class email list was sent to our email address right before class.

Ballot
Louise is going to make a ballot for us to vote on what to do with the $400. We’ll make sure Liz in the morning class gets one. Linda informed us that her sister donated money raised from the bra display to breast cancer research. Diana suggested having men model the bras to auction off. Louise suggested having a poster made to give to mammogram centers.

Art Walk
Linda has a new idea and asked the class if we would be interested in knitting a doll resembling a famous person. The idea comes from a book entitled “25 Knitted Icons.” The main body of the doll is knitted and then embellished with anything to resemble someone that is known worldwide such as Abraham Lincoln or Elvis Presley. A sign up sheet will be passed around; Dolly Parton and Adam & Eve are already taken. No animals or fictional characters can be made, and it must be of high quality to be entered in the Art Walk. We were told the examples in the book were not well made.

Have a good week. Remember, have fun knitting.

How cute! A little hen made by Louise

A very creative modular purse design by Jesse

Nice, warm hats by Pat

Steeks & Cardigans, 2

Clever Ideas

Lynn turned the intarsia sampler into a cute hat.


Normal hat, Crazy hat! This hat can be worn inside out for two different moods.


Steeks
We went over the handouts on steeks and worked on our two Fair Isle projects. Note the two samplers need to be interlocked instead of stranded for steeks to work. Next week we will cut the two samplers; very sharp scissors are suggested for this process. Also bring sewing thread and needle for the acrylic sampler.

The Cardigan Patterns
Please use one of the patterns for the cardigan from Linda’s handouts. You are welcome to use any other pattern or project you like, but Linda will not be able to help with any questions or problems. It is too difficult to read and be familiar with 33 different patterns.

The garter stitch baby and adult cardigan patterns have been ordered. Linda used ww acrylic yarn with size 8 needles to make a toddler size cardigan. She used all of the two skeins of different colors on long cable needles. The pattern calls for two different sport weight wool such as 2-ply sheep’s wool, Shetland wool, and/or Canadiana (?) regal wool. You may want to wait until you read the pattern before buying yarn. There is no deadline on when you should have these supplies.

The whole piece before folding into a cardigan.

Although it is not fun, it is important to make a swatch to check the gauge before starting the cardigan project for good fit.

Linda also reminded us to think about embellishments. She brought books for ideas.

Stitch n’ Ride
A sign up sheet for coordinating the Stitch n Ride was passed around. If you have any questions about this event, click on Stitch n Ride 2008 on the left side column or contact Irene. Tickets are being sent by certified mail.

Phone and Email List
The class email list was passed around for a last minute check for errors.

Summer Craft Camp
Linda brought brochures of the summer craft camp she teaches in the Ozarks. A couple of students are thinking of participating this year.

Money
Suggestions are needed on how to spend the $360 raised from the sale of the calendar and brochures. Some ideas are purchasing knitting reference books and videos or inviting an internationally known teacher to speak.

Gift Idea for Valentine’s Day
If you want Denise Needles and your family does not know what to get you for Valentine’s Day, ask for Denise Needles. That’s what Rosemary did, and she is getting them from her husband for Valentine’s Day.

Knit on!

Cynthia shared with us this bargain book ($13) from Barnes & Noble.

Fran made this baby cardigan from the yarn at our cottage sale.

Sara made this beautiful sweater using two different yarn.

From the lace class, Pat finished this elegant sparkling bag.


Intarsia and Lace Scarves by Irene

Steeks & Cardigans, 1

Cute! The baby cardigan pattern most of us ordered.

One of the cardigans in our handouts.

Wow, this is our biggest class ever – 33 students! Welcome to all newcomers to the Thursday night Knotty Knitters. It is nice to see everyone. Linda had a lot to share tonight, so I hope I get it right.

Attendance
Our attendance is very important and helps keep the fees low. Placer School for Adults (PSA) receives money from the state for the number of student present. With the state budget problems as they are, Linda hopes PSA will be able to continue in the future, so please show your support for the adult program by making a commitment to attend class.

Books & Cables

The book, Bottom Up Your Top Down, can be ordered through Auburn Needleworks (ANW), but the order must be made by noon tomorrow, 2/6. (It can also be ordered online through amazon.com.) The book is optional and, although the pictures of the cardigans look frumpy, Linda assures us that it is a great book.

It is also helpful to order either 40”or 52” long cables (Linda would choose the 52 inch). It is recommended to use Denise needles because it is so much easier to change needle heads and different cable lengths. Lisa from ANW can order the cable for you or it can be ordered online through Denise Needles. Don’t forget we get 10% discount at ANW for being enrolled in Linda’s class.

Diana bought these skeins for $5 ea at ANW in lieu of Fisherman's Wool.

Cards & Calendars
$360 was raised from the Bra note cards and calendars that were sold in the Spring session. Thank you to Louise who worked hard in making this possible. There are two more sets of note cards ($10 ea) and two more sets of calendars ($12 ea) available. Linda may write an article on the knitted bra project for Craft: magazine.

Swift & Ball Winder
A swift and ball winder is available in class every week for our use. It is kept in the storage cabinet.

Stitch n’ Ride
This event takes place on Saturday, Feb 28. We will meet in Auburn to carpool down to the Amtrak station in Sacramento to shop at Stitches West market place at the Santa Clara Convention Center. It is a great place to get new ideas and be among other passionate knitters. The train ride is so much fun too. Click on Stitch n Ride or Stitches West on the left hand column for information. Also details of our first experience are in the “Knit Trip” blog (see left hand column) under February 2008. Purchase your tickets online.

Steeks & Yarn
Steeks are extra stitches put into the knitting so it can be cut later. Steeks make it possible to cut an opening for a zipper, pocket, or edging. Traditionally it was for fair isle knitting that was done in the round. Handouts explaining steek and fair isle knitting were handed out, plus the fair isle chart for our first project. If you want to get started before the next class, you can start on this fair isle project. This is optional; you can wait to begin next week in class if you need help. There are two different fair isle projects on the handout with the checkerboard pattern. The top one is repeated six times, and the second one is repeated four times. There are errors on both charts; I hope you filled in the couple of squares missing while in class. Read the charts from right to left and use dpns; size 6 is recommended because the knitting should be tight. If you are a loose knitter, you may want to use a smaller size. One chart should be knitted with 100% wool, and the other should be knitted with acrylic so we can see the difference in how they unravel.

The Patterns
We received the class schedule and a lot of cardigan patterns, and we were able to review some other patterns for ordering. Linda strongly suggests that we start with a baby cardigan for practice. There is plenty of time in the semester to finish both a baby and an adult cardigan. Linda showed us a really cute Elizabeth Zimmerman baby cardigan using only garter stitch; most of us signed up and paid $3 for the pattern which Linda will order for us. Did you know that garter stitch uses more yarn?

Selecting Fiber
We also received a handout on “Selecting the Best Fiber for Your Garment,” and Linda shared a helpful little chart that tells you how much yarn one should buy for a sweater, cardigan, or vest. Cotton yarn is not recommended because it shows all the flaws in your knitting and starts to grow.

Phone and Email List
All newcomers, please sign the sheet to be on our class email list.

Yarn Donation
Liz from the Monday morning class is mentoring a high school student who is knitting for the homeless shelter and preemies at the hospital for her senior project. Liz is going to surprise her with yarn and hopes each person could donate one skein of yarn for this project. I will collect the yarn and keep it in the storage closet for Liz.

It was a fun night. Until next week, happy knitting!

Patterns that can be ordered.


All four skeins for $60 and the pattern by Knitorious is free.

Good idea, taping yarn to pattern in the order to knit.

Linda will bring these books to class for ideas.

Someone asked, "How many ladies does it take to measure yarn?"

Message from Linda P.

We are doing a steek exercise. I suggested the Fisherman yarn because it is inexpensive and could be shared by several people. In addition, and this is important, it mats together when knitted. An alternative is Lopi Light or any other scratchy wool yarn.

Look forward to seeing everyone on Thursday.

Linda P.

From Irene: Supplies list is on last week's blog. Class starts this week. :)