Marly Bird's Blog, page 184

Refined Knits by Jennifer Wood

Refined Knits by Jennifer Wood was our focus today on the Yarn Thing podcast with Marly Bird.

This was the first time on the podcast for Jennifer so we all got to know her together. Originally from Texas, settled in Tennessee as a young adult. It was when her daughter was in middle school and was assigned to read the Witch of Blackbird Pond that she ventured into yarn. Her daughter was attracted by the young women in the story knitting and the copy she had included knitting patterns. She and Jennifer searched more information and learned to knit together, Jennifer pursuing it even further…

Her first project was a cabled scarf. She remembers her panic that her knit stitches didn’t look like those in the pictures and then realizing those were the backside of the stitch or the purl stitches. After a few scarves and a couple of sweaters, with which she ‘changed things up’ she thought if she could design things, she could sell patterns and make enough money to by nicer yarn! She sold a few on Ravelry and then her first publish pattern was in Knitty. (See the post from last TUESDAY! with Amy Singer of Knitty.) That pattern was Emmaline in Spring + Summer 2010.

Jennifer admits she had a learning curve, for instance with sizing. When she had a piece published that appeared in Interweave (Cardiff Coat, Interweave Knits Fall 2011) the sizing didn’t work. Learning to size garments by hand and then learning to use spreadsheets and various programs (she says she uses Stitch Mastery) was time was well spent, when you view her ideas in Refined Knits.

Jennifer says she never considered doing a book, but when Carrie Bogart at Interweave approached her about it, she spent a lot of time thinking about it, and e-mailing back and forth. Jennifer really wanted to focus on mixing cables and lace, she views that as an adventure, making the stitches balance with the garment shapes. Collecting the pieces together then dividing them into sections of Cables, Lace and a mixture of both in Aran Lace. Willa Cardigan (links to Ravelry so you can see all the pictures) featured circled cables, included in the knit-in button bands, saddle shoulders and incorporating seed stitches (which we are currently loving in the Free Kal with Red Heart Yarns and Marly Bird).  Adelaide is a reversible scarf which also shows her love of the nice yarns, this is merino, cashmere and silk blend. Idril is beautiful, feminine, v-necked with long sleeves pullover that began with the cables around the neckline that she loved so much, she wanted to incorporate them around MORE in the bottom of the sweater. Because of the finer gauge yarn, and the fiber being again a merino, cashmere and silk again, a hand-dyed so it has lovely marbling and great stitch dictionary. Maisie, is a round yoke, cap sleeves cardigan that features a combination cables with lace that are gradual in sizes, in a wool and silk blend that would transcend seasons. It was really the cable & lace pattern that inspired her to make that work. Camelia is a cardigan which features a pine-cone lace around the neckline to frame the face. The Corinne also draws attention up toward the face, but the back is extra special as it incorporates more of the oval cables, which also went down the sleeves. The cover design, Anwen is a rectangular shawl that is knit in different directions and grafted at the center, assembled with three different vintage lace patterns, frost flower, feather & fan and the fern stitch.

Such a beautiful book, we hope you’ll find a copy and fall in love with it as we did. You can follow Jennifer Wood at her website: www.woodhouseknits.com, her designer page in Ravelry, Pinterest and Facebook (when it’s working).

If you missed getting to hear this live, it’s still available where it aired live as an archived episode: http://www.blogtalkradio.com/yarnthing/2016/04/14/refined-knits-by-jennifer-wood or with your favorite podcast catcher like iTunes or Stitcher Radio.

Marly Bird Garter Stitch Shawl Knit-along Section 3

The Marly Bird Garter Stitch Shawl Knit-along  Section 3 is sponsored by Red Heart.

This is the very first KAL I’ve hosted that is based on my own pattern and includes a full set of HD videos of me demonstrating how to do each step of the shawl! Click HERE for Section 1, Click HERE for Section 2; you will find the full instructions for SECTION 3 below. 

Once the KAL is complete the full pattern will be available at MarlyBird.com.

Queue it up and Like the Pattern on Ravelry

THE PROJECT

A SHAWL! Something that is rather simple, uncomplicated and gauge isn’t something that is super important. The project for this KAL is a rather easy shawl but it packs a lot of punch. There are many learning opportunities for me to teach you while you make this garter stitch shawl.

THE DATE

The official start date is March. 30, 2016 – April. 27, 2016. There will be one video released each week along with the pattern instructions for that section. You will find a full schedule at the end of this post with links as they are available.

THE COMMUNITY

There is a dedicated Facebook group for this KAL that is monitored by me and several of the WONDERFUL sampler knitters who tested this pattern for me. We are all there to help you with this project. Please join us!

THE PATTERN

Below you will find the instructions for SECTION 3 of the Marly Bird Garter Stitch Shawl.

THE MATERIALS NEEDED  ETA 4-3-16: please note the yarn amount required for Color C has been changed to 2 balls. 

VIDEO PLAYLIST FOR KAL 

THE MEASUREMENT

THE GAUGE: 17 sts = 4″ (10 cm); 36 rows = 4″ (10 cm) in Garter st. CHECK YOUR GAUGE. Use any size needles to obtain the gauge.

SPECIAL STITCHES

(K1, P1) = Knit 1 and purl 1 into the same leg of a stitch. (1 increase made and seed stitch pattern is maintained)

(P1, K1) = Purl 1 and knit 1 into the same leg of a stitch. (1 increase made and seed stitch pattern is maintained)

Let’s Begin
NOTES

You can use either Color C or Color A for the body of the Seed Stitch Section.

Reminder: you should have a total of 305 sts on your needles after Stripes Stitch Section…

SEED STITCH SECTION

Row 1 (right side): (K1, p1) [see special stitches] in first st, k1, * p1, k1; repeat from * to marker, slip marker, k1, slip marker, k1, ** p1, k1; repeat from ** to last st, (p1, k1) [see special stitches] in last st – 307 sts.

Row 2: (P1, k1) in first st, * p1, k1; repeat from * to marker, slip marker, k1, slip marker, k1, p1, ** k1, p1; repeat from ** to last st, (k1, p1) in last st – 309 sts.

Row 3 (center increase row): (K1, p1) in first st, * k1, p1; repeat from * to last st before marker, (k1, p1) in next st, slip marker, k1, slip marker, (p1, k1) in next st, ** p1, k1; repeat from ** to last st, (p1, k1) in last st – 313 sts.

Row 4: (P1, k1) in first st, p1, * k1, p1; repeat from * to marker, slip marker, k1, slip marker, p1 ** k1, p1; repeat from ** to last st, (k1, p1) in last st – 315 sts.

Row 5: (K1, p1) in first st, * k1, p1; repeat from * to marker, slip marker, k1, slip marker, ** p1, k1; repeat from ** to last st, (p1, k1) in last st – 317 sts.

Row 6: (P1, k1) in first st, p1, * k1, p1; repeat from * to marker, slip marker, k1, slip marker, p1, ** k1, p1; repeat from ** to last st, (k1, p1) in last st – 319 sts.

Row 7 (center increase row): (K1, p1) in first st, k1, * p1, k1; repeat from * to last st before marker, (p1, k1) in next st, slip marker, k1, slip marker, (k1, p1) in next st, k1, ** p1, k1; repeat from ** to last st, (p1, k1) in last st – 323 sts.

Row 8: (P1, k1) in first st, * p1, k1; repeat from * to marker, slip marker, k1, slip marker, ** k1, p1; repeat from ** to last st, (k1, p1) in last st – 325 sts.

You’re halfway there! 

Repeat the last 8 rows once more, then Rows 1 and 2 only once more – 349 sts.

With B, repeat Rows 3 and 4 – 355 sts.

Do not bind off.

If you like to have the rows written out for you row for row…

guess what

…I’ve done that for you.

Click here to get the pattern instruction written out row for row. 

Click here for chart of this section (coming soon)

Video

Homework

Finish section 3 and be ready to start section three on April 20th, 2016.

Once you finish your section be sure to post pictures to the facebook group as there will be a prize given away from RedHeart.com to one lucky person (who is randomly chosen) that has finished his or her homework during the week of April 13, 2016 – April 19, 2016 @ 11:59pm. Goodluck!

OH, One last thing! 

Be sure to use the hashtag #MarlysShawlKAL when you post about it on social media

so we can find what you are saying

Amy Singer makes her first visit to Yarn Thing

Amy Singer Makes Her First Visit to Yarn Thing with Marly Bird was the EVENT of the Day!

Amy says she learned to knit when little and did some knitting in her teens. In college, she wanted to knit something for a particular guy, but since they weren’t dating and she didn’t want to be OBVIOUS, she made mittens for everyone in her group. She knit as a newlywed and for a quilting group, she knit hats for everyone in the group. This was about 1997, in the year before, she was discovering internet. She was working in Advertising, as a proof-reader, premiums coordinator, learning to create advertising MacIntosh. She met Jane Siberry and became her web-master. 

With her degree, creating great looking advertising content was a focus. Finding domain names became a challenge for many at that time. Amy realized early on that she missed out on the opportunity for Amy .com website. Feeling burned out after 20 years, she considered perhaps a quilt magazine or knitting. Searching domain names for the word Knitty, realized it was not being used and snapped it up before she had second thoughts. Her goal at first was to provide a platform for people to get their names out there, online, and to get stuff on her resume to get out of proof-reading!

At that time, Amy feels the knitting online was ‘sweetness and light’ with the discovery of Knitty.com (this link is to the current issue) and it’s first issue. And today, most of the feedback they receive is positive. They couldn’t see that they could make money from this, so it was available for free. After the first year, they noticed they were being approached by advertisers, which became a way to pay contributing designers. For the most part, folks realized they needed to pay the bills and didn’t mind. They have continued to work on the website to make it easy to view and download favorite patterns.

For those interested in it: Submissions require a finished item, that has been photographed, pattern written, so that the editors (primarily Amy) can see the quality of the design. Submitted items are reviewed by Amy, Jillian Moreno, and tech editor, Kate Atherly among other staff. Knitty publishes four times a year, with each season, so what’s published they first LOVED, then would work within what’s expected of viewers to the website. Sometimes pieces are chosen simply because they want to offer a variety of items, so it’s not all sweaters, or shawls.  Even patterns that are not accepted, you can self-publish in Ravelry, so it’s a win-win.

Kristi Porter was an early success who was on board with Knitty as the first tech editor, advertising manager and contributed quite a few pieces (knitting garments side to side!) until she got too busy. Jillian Moreno created in 2002 a scarf of Koigu and fun fur!  Amy Swenson created a hoodie in 1824 Cotton, that Amy really appreciated because she’s allergic to wool (really) which could be knit in the 18/24 wool. Stephanie Japel is now at Craftsy, but she first published leg warmers in Knitty 2003. Stephanie Pearl McPhee’s first published socks pattern was in Knitty. Kate Gilbert published a baby sweater, then Clapotis! Clara Parkes, Ysolda Teague… Cookie A’s Monkey socks (Amy thinks this revived sock knitting industry, we can’t disagree), Carol Sulcoski, Gudrun Johnson, Romi (or Rosemary) Hill’s first pattern was wire knitted napkin rings, Lee Meredith designed a scarf with fingerless mitts attached, Star Athena designed washcloths, Ann Weaver, Stephen West. (All of the links from Ravelry because you need to see how popular some of these first published designs became! Please follow them back to Knitty.com)

There came a dark time for many businesses as in around 2008. Last year, following another musician, Amy became aware of crowd-funding, specifically, through the Patreon Website. Amy admits that up to that point she had been afraid to ask for money for Knitty. However, she needed help to properly support her staff and contributors and so she took the leap get support. Doing so gives the community an opportunity to give a little bit to support the things we love. It doesn’t have to be everybody to work, either. With a lean infrastructure, it doesn’t take a LOT of people, those who can support it so that those who can’t can still enjoy. Knitty is a staple, it’s referenced often, many who were unknown have become known.

Amy Singer can be followed at her website of course, www.knitty.com (links to current issue) Knitty’s Facebook and Twitter. She blogs for knitty also. Instagram, Pinterest… Also, her Ravelry Designer page, Knitty Group. If you missed getting to hear this LIVE you can still hear it as an archived episode: http://www.blogtalkradio.com/yarnthing/2016/04/12/amy-singer-makes-her-first-visit-to-yarn-thing or in your favorite podcast catcher like iTunes or Stitcher Radio.

Knit My Skirt by Candace Eisner Strick

Knit My Skirt by Candace Eisner Strick made our HAPPY THURSDAY because Candace returned LIVE to the Yarn Thing Podcast with Marly Bird. This isn’t the first time Candace visited, but we’ve loved her for a very long time. We’re very excited about her new book Knit My Skirt, published by the Yarn Thing Podcast Sponsors XRX Inc, publishers of Knitters Magazine, host of Stitches Events.

Candace gave us a little bit of her background, how she met her husband of 41 years and acquired the name ‘Strick’ which in German means ‘to knit’ (PERFECT for a knitwear designer). Knitting for her began when her mother taught her at age 3, her father bought her a skein of Red Heart Yarns, the rainbow colorway. The first piece came out shaped like a triangle because of all the stitches she dropped. Knitting was on the back burner as she grew to play cello and then, as an adult, had a family and felt she had no time to knit. She received a Stitches brochure for the event happening at that time (1990-something) in Cherry Hill and thought this sounded like her people. Several books later, she is the teacher-designer-author we’ve come to know.

Candace spoke about finding the wall of yarn at the local Five & Dime as a young knitter. For many people, that was where many of us would find yarn. She says it feeds her soul, her creativity, her need for color and texture by it’s soothing rhythmic nature. She said her mom didn’t want to buy her yarn when she was little, but nowadays her stash makes her happy.

At a Stitches South event, Candace taught a How-to-Knit-Skirts class and Elaine Rowley (often introduced as the ‘R’ in XRX) sat in on her class and afterwards approached Candace and asked her if she’d like to write a book about skirts. At first, she couldn’t believe her ears, but Candace says there are a lot of problems to be solved with knitters. Her first skirt was inspired by a yarn she had in her stash for a long time and a pattern that she’d bought, that involved creating a casing for the elastic at the skirt waist. The problem is that the casing and elastic created a triple layer of BULK that nobody needs, and as soon as she tried it in, saw and felt that she looked fat. She found at a local store a pair of leggings, she hacked that bulky waistband off and attached her skirt to the top of those leggings so that she had a smooth layer from waist to hip and (YAY!) her skirt fit and looked good on her. 

This concept is what she was showing students in that class. Since she began to work on Knit My Skirt, she’s learned how to help people understand why THEY CAN wear a knit skirt, it won’t show every lump & bump if it’s YOUR size, if it’s knit of a fiber that drapes, a longer skirt will hide your legs if you’re uncomfortable, it doesn’t take forever to knit and no more yarn than most (and in fact a lot less), … Most of us have body image issues that can be resolved or forgotten with a skirt MADE FOR YOU!

Many of those issues Candace feels are avoided by being choosy with fibers. A pure silk or bamboo yarn will stretch and stretch. Linen, Candace says she loves to knit with, it washes up soft, can be worn in multiple seasons. (Right now she is knitting a skirt of a linen, so clearly she loves working with that fiber.) Also wearing a slip under the knitted skirt bears the brunt of sitting issues that many worry about.

Of the designs in the book, we spoke about the My Mondrian Skirt which she knitted with yellow, red, blue and green, but for authenticity, XRX photoshopped it so that is more in the colors that the Dutch painter would have used. My In the Groove is knit smooth till the slanted ruffle. Candace even knit it in Green Mountain Spinnery yarn and with a reverse stockinette and loves the result. My Look at it From from All Angles is mitred squares in a slow color change yarn and, like a lot of the skirts in the book, the diagonals draw your eyes away from the things we don’t like about our bodies. In the text, beyond the patterns, are suggestions for more variations on the skirts listed, so really, there are more ideas than the 25 published here. Candace has worked through all those issues we have, to encourage us to add another type of garment project in which we can feature our beautiful knitting stitches.

We can follow Candace Eisner Strick at her website: www.strickwear.com, she is in Ravelry with a designer page, which we will want to do as she’s designing a skirt for an upcoming issue of Knitters magazine. You may wish to attend a class with her at Stitches Midwest in Chicago, CLICK HERE. A demonstration of using leggings to lose the bulk of the waistband, see her YouTube videos. You can also hear her previous visit to the Yarn Thing podcast by CLICKING HERE. If you missed getting to hear today’s visit , it is still available where it aired as an archive: http://www.blogtalkradio.com/yarnthing/2016/04/07/knit-my-skirt-by-candace-eisner-strick or in your favorite podcast catcher, like iTunes and Stitcher Radio.

 

MORE Lovely Knitted Lace by Brooke Nico

MORE Lovely Knitted Lace by Brooke Nico was the featured topic of today’s Yarn Thing podcast with Marly Bird. We love hearing what’s new with guests we’ve had on the show before and Brooke is no exception. As a busy mom, yarn shop owner, teacher and designer, getting to spend time with her this way is something we all can appreciate!

Brooke taught herself to knit, using the book Knitting for Dummies, when she realized as a stay-at-home mommy, she needed a hobby. Then at one point, she offered to help run the yarn shop down the street when the owner fell ill and eventually became the owner of Kirkwood Knittery in Missouri. She met Trisha Malcolm, editor of Vogue Knitting, at a Yarn Market News conference (which is a trade show for shop owners) which resulted in Brooke submitting and having a design published in Vogue Knitting. 

After that, Brooke contributed designs to other collections, including Carol Sulcoski’s books. We featured Brooke and her earlier book, Lovely Knitted Lace, a couple of years ago and Brooke says she received lots of love from folks for the garments and the lacework.  She says the challenge with creating new designs with lace is to ‘make sure the garment design itself doesn’t compete the lace’. Sometimes it’s just fun to see what you can do with a simple shape like a rectangle or basically a scarf! She also says it’s fun for her to play with basic shapes and see what she can make with them.

We admired individual pieces in MORE Lovely Knitted Lace, like the Amaryllis shawl which is entrelac in construction but each square is a lace motif, Wanderlust includes ribbing, lace, and Brooke had in mind a heavier shawl that could be worn in place of a coat, Primrose Brooke says is really scarves assembled together. Marly put Brooke on the spot by asking what she loves or wears the most, and Brooke says she wears Montauk a lot, which is a long-sleeved raglan pullover which uses lace to create it’s lines, and does so beautifully!

What is really unique is that her designs are not confined to lace-weight yarns, in fact there are only three patterns in this book that are designed for those yarns. Brooke says her journey from conception through finished design relies heavily on swatching. Lace can be blocked to the size you need it to be, but certain yarns and stitch patterns don’t work together. She says she creates large swatches so that she can really see and discover what the yarn and the lace pattern do together. The other thing that’s really required with lace is blocking because on the needles it’s not very pretty. Brooke says even if you don’t use wire blocking methods, it must be washed and smoothed out flat to acheive anything close to the beauty of a lace pattern. The other thing she relies on for designing is the use of charts. It’s so helpful to her to see where she is in her work and how the lace design itself flows.

You can follow Brooke Nico through her shop’s website: www.kirkwoodknittery.com, she has a designer page in Ravelry. If you’d like to hear Brooke’s earlier visit to Yarn Thing CLICK HERE.  This was when she shared Lovely Knitted Lace shown there to the left.

If you missed getting to hear this live, this episode is still available as an archived episode where it aired originally http://www.blogtalkradio.com/yarnthing/2016/04/05/more-lovely-knitted-lace-by-brooke-nico or in your favorite podcast catcher like iTunes or Stitcher Radio.

Marly Bird Garter Stitch Shawl Knit-along Section 2

The Marly Bird Garter Stitch Shawl Knit-along  Section 2 is sponsored by Red Heart.

This is the very first KAL I’ve hosted that is based on my own pattern and includes a full set of HD videos of me demonstrating how to do each step of the shawl! Click HERE for Section 1; you will find the full instructions for SECTION 2 below. 

Once the KAL is complete the full pattern will be available at MarlyBird.com.

Queue it up and Like the Pattern on Ravelry

THE PROJECT

A SHAWL! Something that is rather simple, uncomplicated and gauge isn’t something that is super important. The project for this KAL is a rather easy shawl but it packs a lot of punch. There are many learning opportunities for me to teach you while you make this garter stitch shawl.

THE DATE

The official start date is March. 30, 2016 – April. 27, 2016. There will be one video released each week along with the pattern instructions for that section. You will find a full schedule at the end of this post with links as they are available.

THE COMMUNITY

There is a dedicated Facebook group for this KAL that is monitored by me and several of the WONDERFUL sampler knitters who tested this pattern for me. We are all there to help you with this project. Please join us!

THE PATTERN

Below you will find the instructions for SECTION 2 of the Marly Bird Garter Stitch Shawl.

THE MATERIALS NEEDED  ETA 4-3-16: please note the yarn amount required for Color C has been changed to 2 balls. 

VIDEO PLAYLIST FOR KAL 

THE MEASUREMENT

THE GAUGE: 17 sts = 4″ (10 cm); 36 rows = 4″ (10 cm) in Garter st. CHECK YOUR GAUGE. Use any size needles to obtain the gauge.

SPECIAL STITCHES

kfb (Knit into front and back) = Knit next st but do not remove from needle, knit into back loop of same st and remove from needle.

Let’s Begin
SETUP

At this time, you will use your 36″ needle (or longer) for the next section of the shawl. You will do this by simply working the next row of your work on to the longer needle; at the end of the row your shorter needles will be empty and all your stitches will be on the longer need. Cool, huh?

Now, I wrote this section out row-for-row for the mini-section within the section. This is not an industry standard way of writing a pattern but I thought it might help you out with knowing where you are. I say this below but you will repeat this full mini-section a total of 3 times.

Reminder: you should have a total of 155 sts on your needles after Garter Stitch Section…

STRIPES SECTION

With Color C

Row 1 (right side…increase down center): With C, k1, slip marker, kfb, knit to 1 st before marker, kfb, slip marker, k1, slip marker, kfb, knit to last 2 sts, kfb, slip marker, k1 – 159 sts.

Row 2: K1, slip marker, kfb, purl to last 2 sts, kfb, slip marker, k1 – 161 sts.

With Color A

Rows 3 and 4: With A, K1, slip marker, kfb, knit to last 2 sts, kfb, slip marker, k1 – 165 sts.

 

With Color C

Row 5 (right side…increase down center): With C, k1, slip marker, kfb, knit to 1 st before marker, kfb, slip marker, k1, slip marker, kfb, knit to last 2 sts, kfb, slip marker, k1 – 169 sts.

Row 6: K1, slip marker, kfb, purl to last 2 sts, kfb, slip marker, k1 – 171 sts.

With Color A

Rows 7 and 8: With A, K1, slip marker, kfb, knit to last 2 sts, kfb, slip marker, k1 – 175 sts.

 

With Color C

Row 9 (right side…increase down center): With C, k1, slip marker, kfb, knit to 1 st before marker, kfb, slip marker, k1, slip marker, kfb, knit to last 2 sts, kfb, slip marker, k1 – 179 sts.

Row 10: K1, slip marker, kfb, purl to last 2 sts, kfb, slip marker, k1 – 181 sts.

With Color A

Rows 11 and 12: With A, K1, slip marker, kfb, knit to last 2 sts, kfb, slip marker, k1 – 185 sts.

 

With Color C

Row 13 (right side…increase down center): With C, k1, slip marker, kfb, knit to 1 st before marker, kfb, slip marker, k1, slip marker, kfb, knit to last 2 sts, kfb, slip marker, k1 – 189 sts.

Row 14: K1, slip marker, kfb, purl to last 2 sts, kfb, slip marker, k1 – 191 sts.

With Color A

Rows 15 and 16: With A, K1, slip marker, kfb, knit to last 2 sts, kfb, slip marker, k1 – 195 sts.

 

With Color C

Row 17 (right side…increase down center): With C, k1, slip marker, kfb, knit to 1 st before marker, kfb, slip marker, k1, slip marker, kfb, knit to last 2 sts, kfb, slip marker, k1 – 199 sts.

Row 18: K1, slip marker, kfb, purl to last 2 sts, kfb, slip marker, k1 – 201 sts.

With Color B

Rows 19 and 20: With B, K1, slip marker, kfb, knit to last 2 sts, kfb, slip marker, k1 – 205 sts.

ONE  Mini-Section complete

If you watch the video you know that those first 20 rows are a sort of mini-section within the full section. You need a total of three mini-sections. So…

Repeat from rows 1-20 twice more – 305 sts.

After all the rows are complete, remove first and last marker.

Major Update posted in video notes and on Facebook Group:

Incase you missed it, 4-3-16 ETA: MAJOR NEWS AND UPDATE: I just ran out of Color C while working on the 3rd section of the new shawl I’m making!

**Does that mean you are going to run out of yarn?!? Yes, we just figured out the problem! The sample knitters were assigning the wrong letter to each color and what I was calling Color C they were calling Color A, thus the mix up. But no worries!

This is going to turn out to be a great teaching tool and a happy accident. Life gives you lemons, make lemonade**

So in the interest of giving you a heads up, it would be a good idea to be on the safe side and get one more ball of Color C if you can.

Or if wish to use color A in the last section _you could do that instead of buying another ball_ and that would look great! I’m actually going to tink out what I’ve done in Color C in this section and do this option (use ColorA) so you can see what it looks like. It’s actually very pretty.

I know this is last minute and a pain but I decided I would rather tell you early about my situation so that you can prevent it from happening to you. Sorry everyone but at least you know early!

Video

Homework

Finish section 2 and be ready to start section three on April 13, 2016.

Once you finish your section be sure to post pictures to the facebook group as there will be a prize given away from RedHeart.com to one lucky person (who is randomly chosen) that has finished his or her homework during the week of April 5, 2016 – April 12, 2016 @ 11:59pm. Goodluck!

OH, One last thing! 

Be sure to use the hashtag #MarlysShawlKAL when you post about it on social media

so we can find what you are saying

THE SECTION SCHEDULE

 

New Knitter and want a little class? Well, check this out:

 

Marly Bird Garter Stitch Shawl Knit-along Section 1

The Marly Bird Garter Stitch Shawl Knit-along  Section 1 is sponsored by Red Heart.

This is the very first KAL I’ve hosted that is based on my own pattern and includes a full set of HD videos of me demonstrating how to do each step of the shawl! You will find the full instructions for SECTION 1 below. 

Once the KAL is complete the full pattern will be available at MarlyBird.com.

Queue it up and Like the Pattern on Ravelry

THE PROJECT

A SHAWL! Something that is rather simple, uncomplicated and gauge isn’t something that is super important. The project for this KAL is a rather easy shawl but it packs a lot of punch. There are many learning opportunities for me to teach you while you make this garter stitch shawl.

THE DATE

The official start date is March. 30, 2016 – April. 27, 2016. There will be one video released each week along with the pattern instructions for that section. You will find a full schedule at the end of this post with links as they are available.

THE COMMUNITY

There is a dedicated Facebook group for this KAL that is monitored by me and several of the WONDERFUL sampler knitters who tested this pattern for me. We are all there to help you with this project. Please join us!

THE PATTERN

Below you will find the instructions for SECTION 1 of the Marly Bird Garter Stitch Shawl.

THE MATERIALS NEEDED

VIDEO PLAYLIST FOR KAL 

THE MEASUREMENT

THE GAUGE: 17 sts = 4″ (10 cm); 36 rows = 4″ (10 cm) in Garter st. CHECK YOUR GAUGE. Use any size needles to obtain the gauge.

SPECIAL STITCHES

kfb (Knit into front and back) = Knit next st but do not remove from needle, knit into back loop of same st and remove from needle.

Let’s Begin
SETUP

Using 24″ needles and with A, cast on 4.

Row 1 (wrong side): K1, kfb, kfb, k1 – 6 sts.

Row 2: K1, place marker, kfb, place marker, k1, place marker, k2, place marker, k1 – 7 sts.

Place a removable marker to this side of the shawl to signify the right side.

Row 3: K1, slip marker, kfb, kfb, slip marker, k1, slip marker, kfb, kfb, slip marker, k1 –11 sts.

GARTER STITCH SECTION

Row 1 (right side): K1, slip marker, kfb, knit to last 2 sts, kfb, slip marker, k1 – 13 sts.

Row 2: Repeat Row 1 – 15 sts.

Row 3: K1, slip marker, kfb, knit to 1 st before marker, kfb, slip marker, k1, slip marker, kfb, knit to last 2 sts, kfb, slip marker, k1 – 19 sts.

Row 4: Repeat Row 1 – 21 sts.

Repeat the last 4 rows 3 more times – 51 sts.

CONTINUE…

With B repeat Rows 1 and 2 – 55 sts.

With C repeat Rows 3 and 4 once, Rows 1–4 4 times, then Rows 1 and 2 once – 105 sts.

With B repeat rows 3 and 4 once – 111 sts.

With A repeat rows 1–4 4 times – 151 sts.

With B repeat rows 1 and 2 once – 155 sts.

Video

Homework

Finish section 1 and be ready to start section two on April 6, 2016.

Once you finish your section be sure to post pictures to the facebook group as there will be a prize given away from RedHeart.com to one lucky person (who is randomly chosen) that has finished his or her homework during the week of March 30, 2016 – April 5, 2016 @ 11:59pm. Goodluck!

OH, One last thing! 

Be sure to use the hashtag #MarlysShawlKAL when you post about it on social media

so we can find what you are saying

THE SECTION SCHEDULE

 ETA: I will make a paid for PDF available soon but the free pattern will always be available here on the website.

New Knitter and want a little class? Well, check this out:

 

Host of Knit and Crochet Now, Deborah Norville

Host of Knit and Crochet Now, Deborah Norville was today’s guest on the Yarn Thing podcast with Marly Bird. 

If you Googled Deborah Norville, you’d read that she’s an American TV Journalist, has been an anchor of Inside Edition since 1995 and previously was a known as an news anchor and correspondent. One of the earliest landmarks in her career was a live interview with Jimmy Carter in 1979. What a lot of people may be surprised to learn is her connection to the world of fiber and yarn, going back to her Grandmother Norville who made and sold chenille blankets during the depression to support her family.

It was Deborah who began today’s conversation, by remembering how she first met Marly at a Craft Hobbies show, in the Premier Yarns booth (who offer Deborah’s line of yarn) and was amazed to see her standing in the booth, chatting with everyone WHILE crocheting. Today, we jumped into the exciting news that Deborah is the Knit and Crochet Now‘s host beginning season 7, which airs in most areas next month. Others on the program this season are Robin Chachula, Ellen Gormley, Lena Skvagerson, Kristin Nicholas and Rohn Strong. Candi Jensen is the producer… these are all names well-known in the yarn industry, so we know we are going to see wonderful new project ideas, techniques and fall in love with our craft all over again. 

Deborah herself loved various projects from this season, Robin Chachula created a knit or crochet Dog Sweaters, Ellen Gormley created a mosaic stitch scarf… She shared that she really wants us to know, she’s not just a BIG NAME hosting this show. Deborah also tried out techniques and is intrigued with things she hasn’t tried yet like tunisian crochet.

When she was about 8, her mom and grandma tried to teach her to knit but it didn’t take. It doesn’t seem to have stopped her though, because the next year she made her own pants! (NOT an easy project.) In Home Ec, they were supposed to crochet a potholder and Deborah made a whole afghan, for which she got an A+. Since then, she’s made everyone in her family Christmas stockings and afghans… One year, she made an afghan for one of her sons, and asked him to remember, even after she was gone, the love she has for him, as if it was a hug. This compelled her other son to ask for an afghan, too!

CIRCLES is how Deborah thinks of where she came from and how she got here. That she is Third Generation in the textile business, Daddy was in the carpet business, Grandma Norville made chenille bedspreads during the depression. Deborah says her sisters are also in the carpet business…. When she began in journalism, she actually sewed a lot of her wardrobe, including a blouse that she wore in a headshot used for a long time when she did NBC News at Sunrise. Sewing kept her afloat, she says. Having her yarn line through Premier Yarns and hosting Knit and Crochet Now is a circle completed. She feels that she is a CONNECTOR to help people find more in their own lives, part of a higher purpose.

Deborah advised us to check our local PBS channel listings to find when the episodes air, but also Create TV will feature episodes on their YouTube channel. Deborah Norville has been a guest on the Yarn Thing podcast twice previously, in 2013 and in 2014. You can follow her through her website: DeborahNorville.com, she’s also on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest and Instagram and also has her own YouTube channel.

If you missed getting to hear this visit live, it is still available to hear as an archived episode where it aired originally at this link: http://www.blogtalkradio.com/yarnthing/2016/03/29/host-of-knit-crochet-now-deborah-norville or in your favorite podcast catcher like iTunes or Stitcher Radio.

Radiating Ripple Stitch Pattern Video

The Radiating Ripple Stitch Pattern Video by Marly Bird uses a shortened version of the stitch pattern used in the Radiating Ripple Throw (free pattern on RedHeart.com)

*this post contains affiliate links

 

 

Red Heart Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/redheartyarns

 

 

Marly Bird Facebook age: https://www.facebook.com/MarlyBird/

To follow along with the swatch in the video, use the instructions below.

Materials in the video:

Yarn:RED HEART® With Love®

Hook: Size I/9 (5.5mm)

Stitch Markers: any removable stitch markers will work

Yarn Needle: Bent Tip Steel Yarn Needle

 

Special Stitches

dc3tog: *Yo hook, insert hook in next ch/st , yo hook, pull up a loop, yo hook and draw through 2 loops; repeat from * twice more, 4 loops on hook, yo hook and draw through all loops.

 

PATTERN

Ch 36, place a marker in the last chain (not the one on your hook)

Row 1: Dc in 4th ch from hook (the skipped 3 chains count as a dc now and throughout), dc in next 6 ch’s, dc3tog (see special stitches), dc in next 6 ch’s, 3 dc in next ch, dc in next 6 ch’s, dc3tog, dc in next 6 ch’s, 2 dc in last ch, ch 3, place a marker in the last chain, turn –33 sts.

Remember that the dc3tog count as only 1 stitch

Row 2: Dc in first dc and in next 6 dc’s, dc3tog, dc in next 6 dc’s, 3 dc in next dc, dc in next 6 dc’s, dc3tog, dc in next 6 dc’s, 2 dc in last st (this is the marked chain), ch 3, place marker in the last chain, turn.

Repeat row 2 to desired length.

Changing Colors–if you want to change colors simple use the new color on the last yo and draw through 2 of the last dc of the row before you want to use the new color.  If you want more instruction on changing color here is another video dedicated to showing you how to change colors if you have questions.

Remember do NOT crochet over your tails! Take the time to weave in your ends with a bent tip tapestry needle.

 

 

Ann Budd brings her new book New Directions in Sock Knitting

ANN BUDD brings her book New Directions in Sock Knitting: 18 Innovative Designs Knitted from Every Which Way was today’s HOT TOPIC on the Yarn Thing podcast with Marly Bird. This was Ann’s first visit to the Yarn Thing podcast, probably because she’s such a busy individual in our world of yarn.

Ann says she has aways been crafty, learned to knit at age 12, when her family lived in Switzerland for a year. In school, divided into gender specific crafts, she learned to knit ‘by accident’ because she didn’t speak the language but enjoyed these classes. The first projects included a sweater that first year and she says the experience saved her life at that time.

Coming back to the states, knitting was not thought to be cool, something one didn’t talk about, but her parents supported her as a closet knitter. Without knowing, she made things we might think difficult to make, patterned knicker socks for cross-country skiing for her supportive parents. Yarn shops at that time was the experience of visiting where the little old ladies were knitting, she acquired yarn and knit one project at at time. Another yarn shop opened and she upgraded her skills to include steeked sweaters. As she neared college, she decided to study geology. Oil companies at that time, the late 1980’s, oil companies were laying off people, she worked for a company that created reports of where to drilled for oil, but who were really suffering with that downturn. Her husband said, if it’s not what you want to do in the long-term, and they are not paying you in the short-term, why are you staying?   Her spirit lifted and she called her friend that she worked with in a yarn store, who asked what did she want to do. Ann’s response was, I don’t know, perhaps publishing? She applied the next day for an editorial assistant job with a weaving publication we know as Interweave.  Life continued and she worked there in various capacities, even editing books. About ten years ago, she went free-lance (because she wanted to be more involved with family) and she says she has been living the good life.

I stole this picture off Ann’s Instagram. It puts a face to the voice we learned about today and stresses the subliminal need we all have to be sure we get enough rest! Love, ~tammy

Designing life began for Ann was either with the publication of her patterns ‘A Scarf of Your Very Own’ or ‘The Grand Plan Mitten Chart’ which became the ‘Knitters Book of Patterns‘ (Marly says she owns three copies of that wonderful resource!) For Interweave she did that Mitten Chart, then Tams, Vests … about then Interweave suggested a book. There was so much information, because these included was multiple sizes and multiple gauges. Encouraged by Melanie Falick, then editor of Interweave Knits, she was able write the Knitters Handy Book of Patterns without imploding, she says, and that most likely has led her to become the helpful editor many book authors know today.

The newest book New Directions in Sock Knitting, came from her own ‘Style…’ series which included Scarf Style (these are the links in Ravelry), Wrap Style, Folk Style, Bag Style, Color Style, Simple Style…. She wanted to make a Sock Style, but with projects that are so unique from other socks, she says for people who want new adventures. She says she wasn’t smart enough to create all of these, but is smart enough to find people by strolling through the internet for these individual adventurers. She also says she meant to include a design of her own but she broke her arm, then it was set wrong… there was just no way she could contribute to her own book this time. She is blogging her way through the patterns, she began with Boomerang, designed by Louise Roberts, which uses a self striping yarn beginning with the back of the leg and sole the shape initially resembles a boomerang, then working up the top of the foot from the toe to the cuff. Currently she’s working on Anne Berk’s Harlequin Socks, using Intarsia-in-the-Round, her ‘Annetarsia’ method (Anne Berk has shared a bit of Annetarsia with her book on this program). The book begins with Mirrored Socks (by Kate Atherley, who was on the Yarn Thing podcast a few months ago with her own sock book) which are created ONE SOCK INSIDE THE OTHER, of two different colors so you can see which is which on the needles. Ann says she’s not a two-at-a-time sock knitter so she’s putting that off for a while, jumping around the book. We support her right to do that, it’s her socks, and her sock book!

Ann Budd also gets to teach on occasion and Craftsy gives us all the opportunity to learn from her. Her first class is called Save Our Stitches: Fixing Knitting Mistakes, and for Sock Fans, Essential Skills for Sock Knitters. She says she will be filming another class later this year!  Ann can be followed at her website, AnnBuddKnits.com which features a blog. She can also be followed in Facebook, she has a designer profile in Ravelry, and a fan group Budd’s Buds, also she’s in Instagram. Marly mentioned that Ann’s classes are the first to fill up, because she’s one of those teachers that everyone wants to learn from. She does host retreats twice a year called Knit for Fun Retreats, CLICK HERE for more information about those learning opportunities.

If you missed getting to hear today’s visit you can still catch it as an archived episode where it aired orginally: http://www.blogtalkradio.com/yarnthing/2016/03/24/ann-budd-brings-her-book-new-directions-in-sock-knitting or in your favorite podcast catcher like iTunes or Stitcher Radio.