A Classic Lopi Yoke Sweater, Mom and I.

20 years ago, Alafoss published Book 18, containing most garments made with what we understood as classic Lopi yarn. A full chunky for the 6 mm needle and a gauge of 13 stitches to 4 inches.  One of the other versions Lett Lopi was new to us with Einband and Plotulopi not available to the Canadian market. The company introduced lovely tweeds that year, so my mom, (Mrs Ferguson to the Whitby knitting public) decided to try it. This week, we received Book 37, with the complete range of yarn Alafoss makes. It is a new world, with designs and materials worked into so many wonderful designs.

Mum chose the model with a very cute light teal rolled hem, innovative at the time and the rich colours which perfectly complimented the tweed flecks in the main yarn.

I don't remember who she was knitting it for, however, also at around that time, she decided to retire and we moved the shop from downtown Whitby to Myrtle Station. The project was bundled up and put away along with many other materials. A Sleeping Beauty you might say.

In July, my mom passed away, quite suddenly actually, after a short illness. A few weeks later, while beginning sort we found the Lopi project. The body, and one sleeve complete.

In honour of my mom, who by the way, was the best stocking stitch knitter I ever knew, I decided to have a go at finishing it. I figured that because it was in the round, it was possible for me to work the material in a tension that although definitely not as smooth as hers would nonetheless turn out "not bad".

What I can say to our fellow knitters is, finishing this sweater, remembering mom's hands making the stitches as I made mine, was comforting, and very helpful to me. Our connection through skill and interest remains with me, solid and wonderful. Thanks mom.

Modular Knitting

This lovely waistcoat is a pattern I have been thinking about for a long time. Hayfield 4299, originally designed to use the yarn "Cotton Rich DK" a blend of cotton and acrylic.

In my archive, (which title I bestow to yarns I have treasured for over 20 years), my goodness, I hold some lovely Mandarin Classic, Pingouin Tweed, Avanti and a precious scrap of Noro silk.

Now is the time to make this waistcoat, one square a day, and as my mum used to say..."Every Mickle Maks' a Muckle" It has become the morning mediation.

Hayfield 4299 is a classic style of written pattern, in columns, requiring a particular kind of focus. To make progress even more likely, I have made further modifications to my working space. First I photocopied the pattern.

I cut each unique section of the pattern apart and pasted them on to index cards

The main and most important stitch pattern is on pink cards.

I taped only the pink cards (main motif) into a continuous strip, leaving an eighth of an inch between each card to create a sort of hinge effect and help the cards fold better.

Then I used a colouring pencil to highlight the two rows within the pattern that I notice required more focus on my part.

Here are all the cards ready to pack in an envelope for a tidy or travel.

Another modification I made is to begin and end with waste yarn in a clearly contrasting colour, all the better to graft the pieces together my dear. Maybe I will use a completely different yarn.

Byron made this handy very Canadian yarn holder for me.

Practice make progress as Brandy Agerbeck says, and it is so true, many thanks Brandy.

featherweight chunky

We have this amazing stock of Regia sock yarn, designed by Kaffe Fasset in the texture and colours of hand spun, hand dyed knitting yarn.

However it is sock yarn, requiring very small needles and a particular amount and kind of time. I found this book, written in 1910 by Arnold Bennet, available (and free) on the Gutenberg site, called "How to Live on 24 Hours a Day.The author suggests dedicating 90 minutes 3 times a week for self improvement in a practical and so very charming way.  I firmly believe, knitting can be a wonderful character building exercise, and feel the habit falls perfectly into Mr. Bennet's philosophy.

Just this very spring I completed a cabled Debbie Bliss cardigan using Mr. Bennet's method. I loved working on it, and had lots of opportunity to practice perseverance. Focus and discipline are a must for me living every day in immersed in colourful, textured yarn wonderfull-ness .

Wanting to knit the Regia moved me to create a featherweight chunky by using used one strand of Kaffe's yarn and one strand of Drops Vivaldi mini mohair on 6 mm needles. The increased thickness and loft combined with an elegantly simple stitch pattern worked very well.

I have 28.2 grams remaining, creating a bonus stripe candidate for the The 12 Baby Jumpers of 2018.

I used the One Row Scarf pattern, by Stephanie Pearl McPhee.

and blocked it just like the Wisp scarf I knit in the winter.

Congratulations to me, another soft and wonderful knit lives here.

The 12 Baby Jumpers of 2018

I don't know about you, my fellow knitters, but I have a lovely collection of one or two balls of DK yarns in my collection and think now is a perfect time for enjoying a colour exercise.

I decided on a 3 month old size, raglan jumper, with stripes as the perfect opportunity to play with colour. I remember my babies growing out of the first side very quickly and having many nearly new clothes to share with other new moms of my acquaintance. The bigger size also works for the cooler weather. They are 18 inches around and 10 inches in length.

Previously I knit 12 hats to colour play. This time the project is grandly titled as above, (imagine the sound of trumpets) "The 12 DK Baby Jumpers of 2018". If I needed additional motivation there is also the fact that many new babies arrive in our neighbourhood this summer.

It fascinates me how the moms to be know if they are having a "boy or a child" as my mother used to say. It makes for a completely different kind of anticipation on the part of the family. I noticed too, the little ones on the way are mostly boys.

There are tons of super cute patterns for little girls, especially from Sirdar, but not so much for little boys. One of the many reasons I like Sandnes yarns and patterns from Norway is their gender equality

For my first 3 attempts I used Cascade Cherub, a yarn optimistically rated as a DK.  I found one of white and 3 others in a sort of bottle green. I achieved a tension of 24 stitches to 4 inches.

I added Marks and Kattens Clown sock yarn. A lively variegated, speckled mix of 40% wool, 45%cotton and 15% nylon and measuring 190 meters per 50 grams.

The front and back have no neck shaping at all and are finished with a roll collar cast off in a very stretchy way, in order to avoid adding a button opening. We used to call this style "a bagel collar" back in the 80's.

Even after making 3 jumpers I still have 12 grams remaining. By my calculation therefore:
190 meters divided by 50 grams = 3.8 meters per gram.
50 grams minus 12.8 = 37.2 grams to make the stripes in 3 jumpers.
so each jumper used: 37.2 divided by 3 = 12.4 grams of yarn per jumper or
12.4 grams times 3.8 meters = 47.12 meters per jumper
so... I have sufficient Clown sock yarn left to make another jumper... pretty exciting news should I choose to make another jumper with the remainder, leading me to ask:
How many grams or meters of yarn are left after a knitter makes a typical pair of ladies size 9 socks out of the also typical 100 gram ball?