Wendy Bernard's Blog, page 5

Fancy Nancy Stash-Out; Nearly Done

I have to tell you: I have had so many kind messages about this de-stash I've been doing for Nancy. At first, I was so overwhelmed by all the yarn and all the emotions Nancy felt or told me about. She told me of her plans for all the yarn. It was as if, with every container she opened, she had a story to tell about how she acquired the yarn and her dreams. I don't need to go on and on about all this because I totally know that you know what I'm talking about.

Any rate, I'm getting down to the last several lots. There's one that will be in the next lot that weighs heavy on my mind. I'm not sure how to present it because Nancy's already knit part of it. It's still on the needles (I'll give the needles to whomever purchases the yarn), and the pattern book will be with it, too. I wouldn't dream of unraveling what she knit, so I'll just let whomever wants it to decide if they want to continue knitting, or unwind it and start over.

So, to keep the de-stash going, here's a doozy:

When she bought this, she meant business; that's all I can say. There are 12 whopping balls of Schachenmayr Nomotta GIGOLO in a dove gray. This is a mohair/wool/nylon blend that knits up to about 3.5 stitches per inch on size 8 needles or so (The label doesn't specify US or metric, so I'm assuming that it's metric and they're saying a US 8 or 9 will do). There are just under 100 yards per skein of the Gigolo (sorry for yelling GIGOLO before, but I couldn't help myself). And there's more!  There are also three nice balls of Austermann Flamingo. This is also a mohair blend, but this is what I'd describe as a fancy yarn and it has tufts of white, teal, and silver with black thread running through it. Each of these three 50g skeins have about 60 yards a piece.

Two of the balls of the GIGOLO are missing labels, but balls of mohair tend to spit out their labels. All of it is in great shape. The colors are gorgeous, so if you love this type of yarn, it's for you. Again, the mohair lends itself to a nice pin-up sweater or something of that nature. What you do with the Flamingo would be just guilding the lilly, if you ask me, but knowing Nancy, she wanted to add some trim. Therefore, it'll all be sold together as she had it in her bin. I wouldn't ever want to second-guess her.

Nancy paid $7.95 for each of the GIGOLO balls ($95.40) and she paid $11.75 ($35.25) for each of the Flamingo balls, or a total of just over $130.

I will let this amazing duo of Gigolo/Flamingo go for $67.95, including Priority Shipping. Again, US addresses only. SOLD!

Heh. Talk about gorgeous yarn: This Sinfonie is mohair, of course--because, as I've been going through her stash, I've decided that Nancy must have had some sort of penchant for mohair. I will probably talk to her next week and I'll be sure to ask her about it. Is it a Sandra Dee thing?

Mohair speaks to Nancy, is all I can say. Her stash tells us everything: Mohair. Fancy. Beautiful jewel colors. Lots of life. Yeah, black doesn't exactly yell "Life"! but what it tells me is that she dreamt of beautiful sweaters when she purchased her yarn. I know knitting with black or dark yarn can be hard without the proper light, but I can so see another cute shaped sweater with this. There are 8 skeins, so enough for a medium to large short-sleeve sweater or definitely some sort of cute shell in a larger size. Like the other Sinfonie in her stash, you can use pretty large needles--up to about a 10.5 US--and get a nice fabric.

Just over 100 yards in each of the 8 skeins. There are no price tags on these balls of yarn but my guess is she paid about $7.95 for each. 

I will sell all 8 balls for $31.95, including Priority Shipping. US addresses only. SOLD!

 

Here's the motherlode of Brown Sheep Lamb's Pride Super Wash before they changed the labels. She has 11 balls of this gorgeous Rose Blush. Each ball is pure wool and has about 100 yards, worsted weight. As a bonus . . . you guessed it: There are 3 balls of . . . a mohair blend called "Moonshine" by Larnartus, which is a company out of Frankfurt, Germany. This is a bit sparkly and has little magenta metallic threads running through it and bits of lighter pink and teal as well. There are silver bits in there, too, now that I look at it closer. 

I can, without hesitation say that she was going to knit a sweater for herself in this and add the mohair for some flair. If I were a weaver, (well, I sort of am), I'd make a regular sweater out of the Lamb's Pride and then save the fancy stuff for a weaving project, but since I'm passing on Nancy's dreams, pretend you're buying this lot for a sweater with a bit of mohair flair and then, once you get it in the mail, do whatever you like with it.

Pretty, pretty colors. This is a happy lot of yarn. Oh, and the Moonshine has 137 yards in each ball.

The only stuff that has price tags is the Moonshine, which was $11.50 back in the day. I'm guessing she paid about $5.00 for the Lamb's Pride.

Eleven skeins of Lamb's Pride Superwash and 3 skeins of Moonshine: I'll sell the lot on behalf of Nancy for $47.50, including Priority Shipping. US Addresses only. SOLD!

Again, thank you dear readers for all of your support.

Nancy's Yarn, Continued

I have several more lots to sell for Nancy. I have saved the fuzzier stuff for this time of year since the weather is cooling and mohair and wool and silk will sound and feel more palatable, if you get my drift.

We've had a particularly dry year. Our summer hasn't been so bad, it's just that it hasn't ended in more than 18 months! (Or, at least it feels like it). Tomorrow, we will head to the beach and soak up the best of what we have. I look at others' pictures of porches, green trees, blueberry bushes (give me a break if I get that one wrong; all I know is that there are berries on bushes somewhere and it is not here), and a whole load of pictures of people already wearing stuff.

So here is the next installment of Fancy Nancy's Stash For Sale. Again:

I will only accept Paypal and send to U.S. addresses
If you send me an email at knitandtonic @ gmail DOT com and I respond with an address to which you can send Paypal funds and you don't get back to me within about 24 hours, I will offer the yarn to the next person in line. Many times, more than two or three people want the same yarn.
Priority Mail only. It is a bit expensive, but I price all yarn to include Priority Mail and in some cases, much of the money will be going to postage, which is a bit of a shame.
All of Nancy's yarn has been kept in a pet-free and smoke-free home. All of it without acception was kept in a Rubbermaid container. The only time that it has been exposed to pets is in my home and that was brief. Not to mention, neither Rocko, nor Loretta have a penchant for yarn. They'd rather eat grubs.

So here we go:

Six hanks of Noro Cash Iroha in a deep denim blue. The picture shows it as more of a brighter blue, but it is definitely more musted and a bit heathered. The Cash Iroha is made of silk, lambswool, cashmere and nylon. Each skein has 91 meters, or just under 100 yards. One skien has already been made into a cake. The label doesn't state gauge. I'm thinking you could easily use size 6 - 8 needles with this.

My guess is that Nancy wanted to make a tank or a shell or maybe a vest. If I were her, I'd make a gorgeous oversized cowl or maybe a fab scarf for myself or someone special, male or female. It is soft and although I haven't used this yarn before, I have a feeling it will bloom beautfiully and show off a nice stitch pattern or two.

Nancy paid $12.50 per skein, or $75.00 total. I will sell this lot for $43.50, including shipping. SOLD!

10 skeins of Berroco Juliet, a "luxury Mohair Tweed."

This is a medium magenta with bits of tweedy goodness. Like other mohairs, the balls are flattened, yet fluffy. I've knit a sweater or two out of this type of yarn and it transforms into a fantastic knit. You'd think it would be quite bulky, but it is not. It's very iconic, this type of mohair, and it'll make a gorgeous pinup short-sleeve sweater or a cozy wrap. There's a lot of yardage here: well over 900 yards, so you can do a lot with this. I'm even wondering if weaving with this sort of fiber will work.

This reminds me of Kidsilk Haze by Rowan, but with a kick.

At any rate, there are no price tags on this yarn. Based on the label style, I believe that she purchased this awhile back because the Berroco labels now look different. My guess is, she paid around $6.00 a skein. Label state 4 sts = 1 inch on size US #9 needles.

I will sell this 10-skein lot for $38.95, including Priority Shipping.

Now, this color is gorgeous. It's not quite seafoam, it's a bit darker. Not quite as bright as in the picture, but definitely heady, with a bit of oh-my-gosh.

This is Classic Elite La Gran Mohair. I remember, when I first started knitting, that this was quite popular. I kind of wonder if this was the precursor to Rowan Kidsilk Haze (but not by Classic Elite). If that is true, then this is a boon because Kidsilk Haze doesn't seem to have this kind of yardage or heft.

This contains mohair, wool and nylon and knits up to 4 sts to 1 inch on size US #9 needles. There are 4 balls, and each ball contains 90 yards.

I can only guess that Nancy was going to knit something for her daughter who is petite. Or, knowing her, she was thinking of blending with another lot of yarn and forgot to tell me about it.

At any rate, it's yours for $18.95, including shipping. (She paid $5.95 a ball.)  SOLD!

 

I kind of wish we chose to photograph the yarn with a white background because it is sort of difficult to see the heathered hue here. This is Sirdar Highlands & Islands Balmoral Double Knitting with Pure Silk yarn. It is quite nice and rather soft. Manufactured in England, this is the real deal.

There are five skeins of this dark grey heather wool/alpaca/silk blend and the label says it knits up to 22 stitches to 4 inches with size US #4 knitting needles. There are well over 600 yards here.

I imagine that it would be gorgeous in a cabled scarf or cowl. Even a fantastic cabled vest for a little person, meaning someone who'd fit in a kids' size about 6-8 or below. If you knit it plain Jane, then you could make a small vest for an adult.

Nancy paid $5.50 for each skein. I will sell this for $17.99, including Priority Shipping.  SOLD! 

Next Stop: More "Fancy Nancy Stash Sale"!

Okay. It's that time again! I'm ready to part with more of Fancy Nancy's stash! (Or, more well put: My schedule is open so I can spend some time at the post office.)

Just like in the past, here are the particulars:

I can only send yarn to U.S. addresses
Paypal only
All lots will be sent by Priority USPS Mail and postage is figured in the selling price
All monies collected will be delivered to my friend, Nancy
All yarn has been kept in Rubbermaid containers in a no-pet home. As you can see, I do have pets, so the few minutes the yarn spent on the stairs in their bags may have tainted the fibers. I figure it's all good but if you don't, then don't buy!
This is all first-come, first-served. So, if you want the yarn, please send me an email to knitandtonic @ gmail DOT com and once I respond and you send Paypal funds, the yarn is yours. If you send a querie and I respond and you don't send funds within about 24 hours, I will move onto the next person who is interested. It is not uncommon for me to recieve four or five interested parties in each lot
I am pricing this yarn so that it sells. In each case, there is a price tag attached so you can see how much she paid for each ball of yarn.
Let's get this party started!

 

This is an INSANE amount of yarn. TWENTY TWO balls of Unger Misty, which is described as a "light and lofty cotton blend."

I have no idea what Nancy wanted to make out of these 22 balls, but it's a cotton and acrylic blend and in total, you'll have nearly 1,700 yards of yarn here. Based on that, I'm guessing she was thinking funky cardigan or maybe a "light and fluffy" pullover, but whatever way you cut it, boy, this stuff would make such a nice baby blanket that I nearly want to keep it for myself. No, I'm not going to have a baby, but Dooze just did a week ago today and Arlo may just like one. Seeing that my fingers are a bit too busy for such an endeavor, then, by all means, take this off of Nancy's hands. 

This is a perfect cream color. It is basically a boucle, so maybe crochet may not be your first choice. But knit? YES! The label says that you can't dry clean, so whoa boy, sounds like a keeper! (Who likes to dry clean?)

Nancy paid $5.95 for each ball, and not including pesky taxes, she paid $130.90 bucks for this stuff. All I can think is that she must have had stars in her eyes when she bought it! I like it. It's springy. I's clean and it's light.

Suggested gauge is 14 sts and 19 rows on #10 US needles, so whatever you're knitting will work up quickly.

I will sell it for $82.50 including USPS Priority Mail Shipping once I recieve payment via Paypal.

Here are six balls of Katia Cotolan. In real life, the color is more of a terra cotta than in the picture with the black background. This is a blend of cotton and wool. Each ball has 110 yards, so we're looking at 660 yards of yarn, enough to make a kid's sweater or a women's small-ish tank or vest. The gauge is worsted and knits up on size six-ish needles (Even though I'm wearing my glasses, for the life of me I can't see the fine type on the ball band!). 

In terms of how this yarn feels, it's nice and soft, I don't really feel a wooly sensation when I touch it, but I don't really sense "cotton," either. This seems like a lovely blend and I wonder why Katia either stopped making it or why there isn't anything like it anymore. It's really, really nice. A bit heathery, too. If you do cables or knits and purls combos with this yarn, the stitch pattern will really pop!

Nancy paid $5.50 for each ball. I will sell all six balls for $19.50, including USPS Priority Mail Shipping once I recieve payment via Paypal.  SOLD!

Hmmm. This is nice stuff. Here are 12 skeins of Classic Elite Nature's Palette. It is double knitting cotton yarn that is completely certified organic. It is a light worsted weight (about 5.5 stitches per inch on US #6 needles) and each 50 gram skein has 115 yards.

Knowing Nancy, she purchased just over 1,300 yards so that she could make a short-sleeve pullover, but you could definitely use it for a generous baby blanket, a lap blanket, or a vest. The yarn itself isn't twisted. Instead, it is "linked," or "cabled." I wish my name were Clara Parkes because I would know exactly what to call it!

At any rate, this is lovely, lovely yarn and in pristene condition.

Fancy Nancy paid $4.95 for each skein, so she paid nearly $60 for the lot, not including taxes. I will sell this lot for $38.50, including USPS Priority Mail Shipping once I recive payment via Paypal.

Now, this is not what I thought I would find in Nancy's stash! She has six balls of cotton yarn that I'd put in the DK weight classification. It's 100% cotton and the ball band suggests size #4 US needles with a gauge of 22 sts per 4 inches. There are two balls of each: yellow, spring green, and a light peach. 

It appears to be mercerized cotton, so it has a bit of shine to it. It reminds me a bit of the Tahki Cotton Classic, but a bit lighter and it has a bit more shine, too. It is lovely and if it were mine, I'd make a snazzy striped poncho for a little girl or maybe a tank or skirt.

Each ball of this Grignasco California was $5.75. The total yardage is around 600 yards. I will sell all six balls for $18.75. This includes USPS Priority Mail Shipping.

What surprises me most about going through Nancy's stash is that she was never afraid to buy a lot of yarn. You know: a LOT of yarn. I can't remember the last time I purchased more than a handful of skeins. I guess I'm a cheapskate, or something like that, but Nancy? Not a cheapskate.

Here are 10 skiens of Brushstrokes Cotton by Euro Yarns. This is 100% mercerized cotton and while I haven't separated any yarn from the ball band, it appears to have reasonably short color changes, so it won't stripe. There are 119 yards in each skein, so we are looking at 1,190 yards of worsted weight yarn. The ball band suggests a gauge of 3.75 stitches and 5 rows per inch on size #10 US needles.

Here's another perfect baby blanket for you, or a lap blanket, or some sort of a poncho. I probably wouldn't use this for sweater yarn, but it could definitely be used for a fun spring-summer wrap.The color is much lighter in person. Again, this black background isn't doing the yarn justice. It is cotton-y and the colors are slightly dusky. Almost like a sunset.

The price spent on each skein was . . . oops! I lied. I can't find a price tag! I'm guessing that she spent around $5.75 a skein based on her other purchases, but I will sell all 10 skeins for $32.50, including USPS shipping.

Okay, that's it for today! Once this all goes, I have more to post. Stay tuned! I have a couple in-progress knits that will knock your socks off. She kept some books along with her in-progress projects, so showing it all off will be fun. There's even one still on the needles!

When People Knit They Open Their Mouths

When people knit in a group it's almost as if our mouths open and things come out that should or should not come out. I often wonder why, especially when I teach small classes, that we end up learning so much about each other.

The other day I was teaching a class and although I may not be able to recall every, single person's first name, I can definitely point to them and say something like:

"You're the one with the Native American ex-boyfriend who you still want to look up years and years later. He was a man of very few words. He never married. Lives in Arizona." (We told her to look him up.)  

Etcetera.

Maybe that is why, in so many yarn stores, that we hear of some sort of personality clash during knit night, or what have you. (I've heard some real doozies: knit night fights that have broken up deep decades-long friendships.) For a long, long time, I thought it was just the nature of women, that women, for some reason, didn't play as well together as mixed groups or all-male groups.

But there might be something about knitting that makes our big mouths open so stuff comes out that you wish hadn't. Kind of like the time I had met some old workmates at a bar years after we had all moved our separate ways. I had one tiny sip of wine and when someone brought up another person's name, the first thing I said was: "Does she still have really bad breath?" (And then I realized I was sitting right next to her best friend.)

Yes, I know we weren't knitting, but you get my drift.

(Maybe that is why I won't drink and knit, at least while I'm with other people.)

The yarn picture: I have to knit all of it. All of it. And not just because it is pretty yarn. I have a project that I will talk more about as I delve into it. But I guess I'll be making sure, that as I knit all of that yarn, that I'm not knitting it in a group setting just in case I blurt out private feelings or thoughts.

Spending Weirdness

I have a family member who will buy purses that cost her in excess of $1,500 yet can't bring herself to spend more than a few dollars on other things that I would consider more important like shoes or well-made clothing. She doesn't lack the funds, either. It's just something that she's known to do.

I, on the other hand, will save my money and buy some fantastic sunglasses that are a bit pricey, yet I rarely leave the house. Or, wear sunglasses.

Not to mention, I saw this fantastic sparkly aqua eyeshadow and I can't sleep at night because that's all I can think about. The palette costs $65.00 and I mean it when I write this: It will take all my might to not purchase that sparkly aqua eyeshadow that:

Will not be flattering
No one will ever see me wearing
Will sit in the drawer
I don't need
Is a part of a palette of 8 other colors that I won't wear, either

Which brings me to this:

We all have our weirdnesses when it comes to spending money and how we spend it. I'm sure yarn lovers understand this well. I don't have problems spending money on nice yarn, but I do have an issue with throw pillows. I love throw pillows, but this is another type of purchase where I have ambivalent feelings when it comes to spending money on them. They are simply too expensive for what you get.

I have two fantastic throw pillows--well actually three, the third being one that I made out of a funky leather purse--but the other two are standouts. Thing is, it took all my energy to fork over the money because, throw pillows? Really? Why are they so expensive? The two standouts that I do have are well made and are stuffed with down, so I get it. But even those purchases were difficult for me.

Why are throw pillows that you see in the stores rarely worth the price tag? I simply don't get it. Even at Target you will spend more than 19 bucks on a throw pillow that is just, well, meh. Is it because I know how to sew and understand how easy they can be to make? Or is it that I'm like my family member, and like her, I find it easy to spend money on things like sunglasses that I never really wear, but not on things like throw pillows?

Yeah, yeah, I know I'm supposed to talk about knitting once in awhile, but honestly. Throw pillows are on my mind. Right now, I'm alone in this house while HWWV and Girlfriend are out of the country and all I can think about are throw pillows and sparkly aqua eyeshadow that has the potential to make me look like an older lady at a tap dance recital. (Oh no. I mentioned tap dancing. Now I'll have to add that to my list of current obsessions.)

Which brings me to this: 

I re-covered my too-expensive-in-my-mind Target and OSH outdoor throw pillows yesterday. I went to Fabric.com and got a bunch of outdoor fabric on the cheap and went at it for a fraction of what it would cost me to buy new expensive-but-poorly-made outdoor throw pillows.

Here are my sad pillows:

 

Here are my happy pillows:

 

Do you have weird spending habits? 

I'm off to finish sewing a blankie for my sister. She's having a baby any day now. Maybe that will get my mind off of the sparkly aqua eye shadow for a few minutes--except the blues in the fabric match that eyeshadow exactly . . .

BTW: I'm gearing up for more de-stashing for Fancy Nancy. I was away for awhile, and now that I'm back, I'll be posting more yarn for sale. Stay tuned!

It Isn't You; It's Me.

I was given some great advice back in my corporate days. It was this:

"Never complain; never explain."

So I'll start out by saying that "it's not you; it's me," instead. I know I've been gone for awhile.

Thing is, saying "it's not you; it's me" hasn't served me as well as the whole "never complain; never explain" phrase. Somehow the former brings me back to many bad break-ups and boys who never liked me as much as I liked them. So, friends who are single, let me pass on a good one that has served better than the "it's not you; it's me" phrase, and this is totally independent from my current and forever relationship, yet it still works for most (your mileage may vary):

If you're dating your "type," and it hasn't been working, then stop. Just stop. Try dating guys (or gals) who aren't your type, number one, and number two, find those who like you just a tiny bit more than you like them.

Wow. I sound mean--but it kinda works.

Maybe I should just stick to knitting rather than being the next Dear Abby.

Another thing I don't necessarily like is when bloggers--knit bloggers--talk about all the exciting stuff that is going on but that they can't talk details because it is a secret. You know, the whole secret knitting thing. We all know that I knit. So if that secret stuff is going on, and I won't even allude to it, let's turn to what is really exciting to me now.

I discovered that Loretta and Rocko must have been posessed by Lois and The Bunny, our now-gone cats. You can see the dogs here taking over the fabric on the floor, the stuff that I'm trying to cut and pin together.

This sewing project brings me to this: Girlfriend and her dad are leaving the country for almost three weeks starting soon. This is killing me. Last year, when they left (or was it the year before?), I thought that I would die from being lonely. This time, I know what is going to come and I think I'm prepared. I have lots of knitting things going on--I'll list the classes and signings at the end of this post that are going on in the month of August--yet I know that I will feel that crushing on my chest. It's as if someone who I don't like very much is sitting on me and I can't get them off.

Or that someone has turned on the floor magnets and I can't walk right.

So I'm sewing a travel blanket for Girlfriend.

And before I go on about the travel blanket for Girlfriend, can you see that orange over-turned bowl behind Loretta and Rocko? Loretta dug in the backyard and brought in a grub that is twice the size of a Vienna sausage. If you don't know what a Vienna sausage is, let me just say it's basically a hot dog cut in a third and in a can with a top that comes off with a ring thingy that you'd find on an old-skool beer can. My mom used to eat them all the time. That grub on the carpet grossed me out so much that all I could do is call out to Girlfriend for the largest bowl she could find. I had her plop it on top of that grub and now we're waiting for HWWV to come home and remove it from the premises. (Ha. In the old days, I used to make her wear knits that she was too young to complain about and now I've got her dealing with the grubs and insects.)

What will I do when they're gone?

So this travel blanket: It's just two rectangles, about 55" x 60". One side is this batik quilting fabric she likes so much and the other is this soft stuff. I'm just going to tie it together here and there and then add on some sort of binding. I might try to figure out how she can fold it into a pillow casing, but that will come later when the tears go away.

Meanwhile, the day after I came home from a long working trip, we went to the beach. Here are two things:

I got to knit on the beach for HOURS.

I'm also doing some teaching and some book signings in the month of August. Here are some dates and locations:

August 3rd, 12:30 - 3:30: Anacapa Fine Yarns, (Ventura, CA)  Up, Down, All-Around Make a Custom Cowl Class

August 9th, 12:00 noon -  ? Yarnover Truck and Up, Down, All-Around Book Signing at Unwind Yarn (Burbank, CA) Event

August 23rd, 12:30 - 3:30: Anacapa Fine Yarns (Ventura, CA)  Up, Down, All-Around Design Your Own Scarf or Stole from Scratch Class. There will be a book signing after this class.

If you're local, check out the classes! I'd love to see you and meet you in person!

 

Making Your Own Cowl on the Fly - A Tutorial

I started a tutorial a couple of weeks ago but due to some technical difficulties with my blog host and elapsed time, I've put it all together in one post for you.

Using a stitch dictionary and especially one that gives you converted stitch patterns for in the round  knitting such as Up, Down, All-Around Stitch Dictionary (just came out), you can make a simple cowl on the fly without a written pattern. These make great gifts because you don't really need to know a person's measurements for it to fit.

Most cowls measure about the same as a cap--about 22 - 23 inches. But if you want a bigger one that someone could loop around their neck a couple of times, just take a length of yarn or even a tape measure and try it on, make note of your desired measurement and then go shopping through your stitch dictionary for some stitch patterns!

Once you've done some shopping, it's time to get some great yarn that you'd like to use and do some swatching. I had a braid of Blue Sky Alpacas Metalico in the Silver colorway. I had just one skein, so I decided that I'd do some swatching and shoot for a small-ish cowl, one that measures maybe only 22 inches around.

I made two swatches, but this is the one that won. It's the Checks pattern that appears on page 206 in the Lace chapter of Up, Down, All-Around Stitch Dictionary.

After washing and blocking the swatch, it was time to measure.

Not including the two-stitch garter stitch edging on each side of the swatch, I got 18 stitches to four inches' worth of knitting, which is four and a half stitches per inch. The Checks stitch pattern is a six-stitch repeat and I wanted to make a cowl that measures about 22 inches around.

Therefore, what I did is multiply 22 inches by four and a half stitches: 22 x 4.5 = 99 stitches.

The thing is, 99 stitches is not divisible by six (the stitch multiple required). I then fiddled around to find a number close enough to 99 that has a matching multiple. The closest number I could find was 102, because I'd rather round up than down with this cowl.

Here is my resulting cowl pattern: Cast on 102 stitches and join in the round (using the same size needle as I used on my gauge swatch); place a marker and work 3 x 3 rib for a few rounds.

Why did I choose 3 x 3 rib? Well, the Checks pattern, if you look at it, has three knit stitches and three purl stitches that are grouped together. To me, it makes total sense to pair that rib with the stitch pattern.

Then, I worked as many pattern repeats as I wanted to--or until it seemed long enough, which turned out to be three and a half--and then finshed up with a few more rounds of 3 x 3 ribbing. I cast off in pattern and, voila!

I hope you make lots of cowls using this simple recipe! Happy Knitting!

Knitting a Cowl Without a Pattern, Part One

One thing I love about stitch dictionaries is that you can take a stitch pattern and use it as inspiration for adding it to an otherwise plain garment or to use the stitch pattern as an allover motif on something like socks or a simple cowl.

If you've ever knit socks, you know that, at least in the calf part, it's mostly just a tube and you can work your stitch pattern in the round and incorporate a motif that strikes your fancy.

But if you want to make something truly on the fly for yourself or as a gift, a cowl is a great way to start. After all, a cowl is just a knitted tube that you can slip over your head and wear around your neck.

My new book, Up, Down, All-Around Stitch Dictionary that just came out makes it super easy to use practically any stitch pattern you like in your own custom cowl. Since I convert everything to in-the-round for you, you get to skip that usual step you have to take with other stitch dictionaries that present stitch patterns in one direction and flat only.

So here is how you start: 

Choose a couple stitch patterns that you like and swatch them flat or in the round in your chosen yarn (instructions are given on swatching in the round in the introductory section of the book). Since this isn't an item that has to have a perfect "fit," and I know that my gauge changes only a stitch or two over four inches when I knit in the round, I chose to knit my swatches flat.

This first picture is of my swatch in the Ripples stitch pattern after washing and blocking. Notice the knots that I placed in the tail? This indicates to me what size needles I used on my swatch. I always do this because if I don't write it down, I'm likely to forget!

The next picture is of my swatch in the Checks stitch pattern. Even though I do like the Ripples Stitch pattern, the combination of the yarn (This is Blue Sky Alpacas Metalico in Silver) don't play as well together as they do in the Checks stitch pattern.

My next step will be to measure my swatch and determine how many stitches to cast on.

Stay tuned for more!

BTW: Thanks for the tremendous support and kind words regarding Up, Down, All-Around Stitch Dictionary. I'm so excited about this book!

It's Here! Up, Down, All-Around Stitch Dictionary!

The day has come. Up, Down, All-Around Stitch Dictionary is officially released! I am so excited.

One thing that I discovered when I talked to people about this book is that, for some, it took a few moments for the concept to sink in. When I told them that this is a stitch dictionary, they nodded like, “yeah, I love stitch dictionaries”! But when I explained that I took 150 stitch patterns and converted them so that they could also be in the round and bottom up and top down (as well as presenting them in their flat selves), they got this look in their eyes that said, “You mean I don’t have to convert them anymore so I can knit socks and hats and cowls and all that stuff?”

Yup.

Plus, everything in the book is both written out and charted. And, with all the iterations, there are nearly 400 ways to knit the original 150 stitch patterns that I began with. One other cool thing is that it is spiral bound, so as you work from the stitch patterns, the book will lay perfectly flat...no more putting something heavy on top of one side to keep it from flipping closed. Also, there are patterns that accompany each chapter so you can swap in your favorite stitch patterns to add your own personal fingerprint.

Anyway. Whew! This one took awhile but I am so happy and proud. This is a beautiful book and I couldn't be happier.

There are some blog tours going on, so I’ll be tweeting about them on Twitter. Check out my feed at @KnitTonicWendy. We’ve had some issues with my blog host lately, so if this blog is wobbly, you’ll get the latest there.

Stay tuned for lots of book giveaways and a tutorial about using the Dictionary for yor own custom cowl using any yarn you want. I have swatched for the sample and I'm getting everything ready to go. Due to my blog host's latest issues, I will save my book giveaways for a little bit later when you're able to comment with gusto.

Thanks, friends, for being so supportive through the years. If it weren't for all of you, this wouldn't have ever happened.

A De-Stash Break and Some Good News

Thanks for all your support for Fancy Nancy's De-Stash. I spoke to her yesterday and she is overwhelmed that I have been able to send her yarn to people who will knit or crochet (or yarn bomb) with it.

I was away a couple weeks ago at a Needle Arts convention. While there, I did four book signings. My new book, Up, Down, All-Around Stitch Dictionary was a huge hit, and I got some great news about it: It was named one of May's Best Books by Amazon.com! I was floored when I heard that. At any rate, the book distributors are reporting that they're already having to restock it even though it hasn't been released. I think that the reason it is getting such a good response is that is unlike any other stitch dictionary out there. In it, I have converted over 150 stitch patterns to flat, in the round, top-down and bottom up! I just checked, and it is #2 in Craft Books and it hasn't been released yet. Yay!

Here I am, signing books (photo by the talented Jill Zeilinski).

You can see that I am smiling here.

Today, I am not smiling despite the good news.

I will tell you a short story about what happened about three hours after this picture was taken.

I apologize in advance to Somali Pirates.

I got in a taxi headed to the Indianapolis Airport.

We got there. I handed the driver some bills.

He fanned them out.

I realized I underpaid him. I said, "oh! hand the money back to me! I miscalculated!"

I added some more bills to the wad. Handed them back to him there in the front seat.

He fanned them out again and gave me a huge, long scary side-eye.

I realized I still didn't pay him enough, again. So, I said (again): "oh! hand the money back to me! I miscalculated."

He slowly handed it back to me. And oh, the look in his eyes. I took a deep breath. Tried to calm down, and re-calculated and added a five-dollar tip (10-min cab drive--and their ads said that the trip would cost 10 bucks less than his meter said, but who cares at this point?). 

For the third time, he fanned the money out slowly--I tell you what, he could play a lead role in a Somali Pirate movie (again, no offense to Somali Pirates)--gave me an even stronger side-eye and just kept staring at me, and this time sorta waved the money as if the money was his tapping foot.

And then I said in what I meant to be a nice voice but it came out sort of flip: "I have luggage in the trunk."

Whoa boy.

Let's just say he did something to make the trunk open and then I knew I had better vamoose. I got myself out of the taxi, scooted over to the trunk and yanked my luggage out.

Friends, I have a serious back injury.

The ride home was agonizing. Let's just say a two-year old frolicked for five hours in the middle seat while her mom slept and I frantically thought of ways I could escape. If I had a hari kari knife I would have ended my misery. Seriously.

The last two weeks have been a blur.

P.S. I did a little research and Somali Pirates aren't as bad as I'm making them sound. From what I understand, they rarely kill people, they have friends in high places, and what they do isn't necessarily illegal. Find out more at "10 Things You Didn't Know About Somali Pirates."

Stay tuned. Next week, I will be posting some ideas for making a cowl on the fly with my new book as well as clueing you into blog tours and book giveaways. I'll also be doing a giveaway on my own, and follow it up with more De-Stash for Fancy Nancy.

And if you're interested in podcasts, check out Episode #62 on the Yarniacs web site. Sharlene and Gayle are lots of fun and I had a great time talking about yarn, knitting and what I've been stalking on the Internet (other than Somali Pirates).