Minky Knits

Vogue Knitting Live 2012

2012-01-29T18:23:00.008-05:00

Estonian lace shawls in Nancy Bush's class

I cannot think of a better way to start the new year than spending a weekend in New York City with one of my favorite people, Mangokiwi, knitting and eating awesome food! It was so much fun that she and I might go to VKL in Chicago... I signed up for VKL in order to attend two classes with two instructors who do not offer classes on the East Coast very often: Nancy Bush and Ysolda Teague.

Saturday was a 6-hour class with Nancy Bush entitled "An Overture to Estonian Lace". She covered the history of Estonian lace and explained its characteristic stitches and construction using beautiful shawls as examples. We knitted a sampler that allowed us to perfect our nupps and understand the center motif/edging construction, which means that I am ready to tackle one of the shawls in "Knitted Lace of Estonia".

Estonian lace sampler

(Pardon the messy edging, I was so excited that I blocked the sampler in the hotel room with no T-pins)

On Sunday I spent six happy hours with Ysolda as she debuted a new class, "Top down beyond the raglan". Ysolda explained why the basic raglan is not flattering and how to remedy this deficiency by modifying the yoke of a top-down sweater to reflect our body shape. We went through the calculations necessary for each type of yoke (compound raglan, round yoke, saddle shoulder, set-in sleeve, increase yoke) and knitted a swatch to understand the construction of each yoke. My favorite was the top-down set-in sleeve: can you even tell it was knitted top-down and not seamed?

Top-down set-in sleeve swatch in Quince Lark

Of course, there was also the marketplace. I was excited to see the set of Addi lace with long tips and lifeline cords (I already placed an order with my LYS), leaf through the galley print of Knit Red, and get a healthy dose of autographed books such as Knit Local and Whimsical Little Knits 3. Below are some pictures taken with my iPhone as I was walking around the Gallery

Yarn bombing

The cutest afternoon tea

A battle in Mochimochi Land

A beautiful wedding gown by Julia Ramsey

Défi 13 de janvier: Accessoires maison

2012-01-08T19:36:00.005-05:00

Je suis allée à un atelier crochet au magasin local, Gather Here, et le résultat est un coussin "granny square" crocheté avec un assortiment de laines Cascade 220; le dos est en feutre et cousu à la machine (tuto de Katherine Codega). Je compte faire un autre coussin avec des couleurs vives pour cet été.

Bonne année et bonne santé! La galerie de janvier est ICI.

My holidays in pictures

2012-01-08T19:07:00.005-05:00

I ate some yummy Claramels

I learned to make buttonholes while sewing pajama pants at Gather Here

Did you know that merino is not just a sheep breed?

A store called Len (the pronunciation is the same as the French for wool, "laine")

Even when it's 35ºC/95ºF outside, Vietnamese people like to knit and crochet

Knitting results from my two-week trip:

- an almost finished Cedar Leaf shawlette (I will block it and post a decent picture before I mail it to my friend in California)

- 2.5 finished socks that unfortunately do not amount to a finished pair

- a tearful goodbye to three pairs of Addi needles at the Paris airport

Défi 13 de décembre: Froid, moi? jamais!

2011-12-13T00:01:00.005-05:00

Je l'avoue, je n'ai pas participé au Défi 13 depuis quelques mois. Mais je suis prête pour Décembre (et même Janvier!). Ce mois-ci ma création est une écharpe grace à un atelier crochet avec Katherine (qui a aussi écrit le tuto). J'ai utilisé trois pelotes de Noro Silk Garden pour obtenir cet effet multicolore mais je n'aime vraiment pas cette qualité à cause des noeuds et des drôles de fils présents dans la laine. J'aimerais bien refaire cette écharpe avec une laine toute douce de SweetGeorgia.

Tiens, puisqu'on parle des couleurs, ça ne vous rappelle pas une autre écharpe? Il va falloir que j'utilise une nouvelle palette de couleurs...

La galerie des copains et copines sont ICI.

FAQ

2011-12-11T17:53:00.003-05:00

Pardon my French

You might be wondering why some of my posts are written in French. That's because I take part in Défi 13, a fun challenge for French-speaking bloggers. The idea is to show a finished project on the 13th of the month (with a different theme every month) in order to ward off bad luck, but really it's about having fun and knitting/crocheting/sewing something outside of your comfort zone. If there's something in a post that you'd like to know more about, just say so in the comments.

Parlez-vous franglais?

Je suis née en France mais j'habite désormais aux Etats-Unis. Etant de nature paresseuse, j'écris en français pour Défi 13 et en anglais le reste du temps car la plupart de mes amies tricoteuses sont anglophones. Si vous avez une question, n'hésitez pas à me laisser un commentaire.

2011 KR retreat

2011-12-11T01:14:00.010-05:00

Canandaigua Lake

I decided that it would be wise to post about the 2011 Knitter's Review retreat while it is still 2011 (for those who are interested, there are more pictures on flickr). Every year I try to extend my time at the retreat to soak in the atmosphere, this year I arrived on Wednesday evening so I had plenty of time to mingle with others and relax on my own.

Without violating the rule What happens at the retreat stays at the retreat, I can tell you that there was (in roughly chronological order):

- a ride from the Rochester airport to the inn with the lovely Cat Bordhi

- a morning of fun doing prep work with Martha, Jane, and others prior to the registration

- a tasty tarte tatin at the nearby New York Wine and Culinary Center

- two great classes: Knitting on the Diagonal with Cookie A and Sweet Tomato Heel with Cat. My New Beginnings project is to knit a pair of socks where I will use the concepts from Cookie's class and Cat's new heel. Cookie's class was eye-opening, I have been fiddling with swatches so we will see what I come up with.

- a marketplace that was so tempting that I had to buy a large bag from Julia Hilbrandt to carry my purchases and make several trips back to my room to get rid of my loot. I plan on knitting a cardigan (perhaps Emelie) out of String Theory Caper Sock and Finial out of Foxfire CSA.

- a hilarious 10th anniversary retrospective of the KR retreat in pictures by Clara (this was my 6th retreat so I enjoyed learning about the retreats in Virginia)

- chatting with friends, old and new, jotting down the name of many patterns for future projects, and downloading Ann Budd's new iPhone apps as soon as they became available

I have a few meetups planned before the 2012 retreat so hopefully, the wait won't be quite as bad this time!

Cookie's rib class

Cat and her zebra socks

Knitters everywhere!

Knitters moving at the speed of light when the marketplace opens

(I know that many were disappointed that I was not the first in line this year!)

Kristopher, aka The Bodyguard, ready to protect Clara from unwanted yarn attacks

(Psst: if there was a Sundara-aholics anonymous group, it would not be very anonymous as Jane, Kristopher, and I would probably be the founding members)

KRR retrospective by Clara

Show and Tell

2011-12-03T22:39:00.008-05:00

I have been remiss in blogging due to a flurry of trips but whether I am travelling for business or pleasure, there is always some connection to fibery pursuits:

- London with a stop at Loop, where I was able to buy a signed copy of Alice Yu's book (aka Socktopus) and pre-order Juju's Loops

- Chicago with a stop at Loopy Yarns

- Rhinebeck where I attended the NY sheep and wool festival for the first time

- Canandaigua where we celebrated the 10th Knitter's Review Retreat (more on that later)

- Bermuda where I diligently worked on homework for a crochet class

In order to catch up, here's a little show and tell. The first two items are going to new loving homes:

Pattern: Sweet Bunting Cardigan by Laura Chau, Yarn: Dirty Water Dyeworks

Pattern: Baltic Beret from Vintage Modern Knits, Yarn: Fibre Company Canopy Fingering

Pattern: Rocketry baby cardigan, Yarn: Dream in Color

No, it's not a string of bikinis! It's a bunting for a friend's baby who will also get to wear the sweater above. Crochet bunting (pattern by Katherine), Yarn: Julia

Over the last few months, I have been taking many classes at Gather Here such as crochet with Katherine (bunting above, granny square scarf, and granny square pillow), embroidery basics and sewing with Virginia (napkins with mitered corners, box bag, Schoolhouse tunic). I am quite proud of what I sewed in the last class I took. Wanna see?

This is a Serious Canvas Totebag: it has an exterior pocket, a water bottle pocket, and two inside pockets (one of them with a zipper). It's big enough to carry my current knitting project (Quince's Belfast Hoodie) or materials when I go to the shop for classes.

Big Knitting

2011-10-18T21:29:00.004-04:00

You know it is sweater time when clothing stores display a giant knitting swatch with cables. Talbots even had a second window display with two mannequins winding a skein by hand.

A weekend of classes with Kristin Nicholas (part 3)

2011-09-19T22:45:00.004-04:00

This was a weekend of "firsts" for me: embroidery, steeking, and felting! I knitted the Sunflower Pillow top in the round as homework then Kristin showed us how to machine-sew over the steek stitches and I cut my first steek. I added some mitered edges but still need to embroider the pillow top and add fabric backing. In any case, Fair isle cardigans in the round, here I come!

I also knitted and crocheted some leaves and flowers following Kristin's pattern before the weekend. We felted all our flowers in one big wash load over the weekend, I am pleased with mine and plan on using them for brooches or to embellish some knitted hats.

Kristin was such a great teacher, energetic, patient, and organized. I can't believe how much she covered in just a weekend! If you have the opportunity to take classes with her, whether it's a one day class at the farm, a whole weekend, or a few hours at Vogue Knitting Live, sign up right away -- you won't regret it!

A weekend of classes with Kristin Nicholas (part 2)

2011-09-19T22:42:00.012-04:00

We first examined the flowers and decomposed the colors that appeared in them using many colors of Julia yarn (and sometimes artistic license in adding another color)

Lesson 1 for color-impaired people like me: take color combinations from nature

Lesson 2: look closely! there are more colors than at first glance

We then used these color combinations when embellishing our swatch with french knots, daisy stitch, chain stitch, and other embroidery stitches. We also learned to knit mitered edges and add bobbles. I am so glad that I tried embroidery! It's one of these things that looks finicky and hard but now that I practiced on knitted fabric, I am confident that I'll be using it on both knitted and woven fabric. Kristin showed us the projects from Colorful Stitchery and now that I know how to sew, I will be able to embroider napkins, placemats, and pillows.

A weekend of classes with Kristin Nicholas (part 1)

2011-09-19T22:32:00.012-04:00

Last January I lamented that I wasn't able to take as many classes at Vogue Knitting Live as I would have wanted. A knitting fairy (in this case, Melissa Morgan-Oakes) commented on this blog that not all was lost and that Kristin Nicholas was offering classes at her farm during the summer and fall. Fast forward to early September and there I was at the Leyden Glen Farm, a mere two hours away from Boston, ready to learn about colors, flowers, and many other things.

Kristin already blogged about the weekend so I'll add my pictures as a participant. I purposefully omitted pictures of the sumptuous food that Kristin, Cathy, and Cynthia fed us throughout the weekend (better not to be reminded of one's gluttony...). Saturday morning we started with a tour of the house soaking in the colors, textures, and details that make this "Kristin's world". We then picked flowers from the garden for inspiration and our color exercises.

The studio where classes took place

Pictures from our Saturday afternoon hayride: sheep and sunset

Défi 13 de juillet: Plage et bord de mer

2011-07-12T23:13:00.008-04:00

Iles Vierges des États-Unis - St John

Dipped Infinity Scarf par Laura Chau

Laine: Tanis Fiber Arts kit (Blue Label fingering in "blues")

Les nuances de bleu me rappellent la mer et la bordure grise ressemble à des galets. Cette écharpe circulaire n'est pas destinée à la plage mais je la porterai cet hiver, toute en bleu avec mes mitaines. Dorez-vous au soleil avec les autres créations...

Random Sunday

2011-06-12T18:16:00.003-04:00

Here's a set that I knitted for my boss and his wife who are expecting a baby boy in June:

- Kai cable sweater from Louisa Harding's "Natural Knits for Babies and Moms" and matching washcloth (Ballband Dishcloth pattern) knitted in Spud and Chloe Sweater

- tube socks knitted with self-striping Mybootee Sock Yarn that I purchased while in Utah

As much as I love knitting with Spud and Chloe Sweater, I wish they would come up with a DK weight in the same wool and cotton content because seaming a baby sweater in worsted yarn is painful. It was also the first time that I machine-washed this yarn and it pilled much more than when I handwashed it (not surprisingly) so do not wash several colors in the same load or you'll be plucking light-colored pills off the darker items...

Crochet Amigurumi Owl

(thanks to the class I took at Gather Here)

Seen at the Maine Fiber Frolic

(it's the same sign every year and it cracks me up every year!)

Back To School

2011-05-30T17:31:00.012-04:00

Over the last few months, I have been expanding my crafty horizons through classes. This is due in part to the opening of Gather Here, a stitch studio in Cambridge that offers knitting, crochet, and sewing classes in addition to having great workspace, yummy yarns and fabrics, and fun events.

My first class at Gather Here was the Sewing Clinic, where Virginia helped me with the Super Quick and Easy Baby Quilt (you can see a variation of it on the Purlbee here). The blanket is a present for a coworker who is expecting a baby in June and I think that the baby won't mind the uneven satin-stitch ovals and slightly crooked blindstitch.

Pattern from Last-Minute Patchwork and Quilted Gifts (Joelle Hoverson)

Blue fabric from the Nest Collection by Valori Wells, purchased at Purl Diva

White fabric from Happy Nursery Collection by Cloud 9 fabrics, purchased at Gather Here

My second class was the Crochet Basics class, where Carson walked two of my friends (who are now into knitting and crochet -- I've been recruiting!) and me through a potholder pattern. I am now signed up for the June Crochet Amigurumi class where we'll crochet a cute little owl.

On the knitting front, I've been learning more about lace construction and lace traditions. Gudrun Johnston of Shetland Trader taught a 4 hour class on Shetland shawl construction at Webs. We learnt each step of the construction by knitting a miniature version of the Aestlight shawl (you can see my unblocked mini-shawl below knitted in leftover String Theory Bluestocking) and I'm looking forward to knitting the full version.

[From the class description] The three-part construction of the shawl begins with a garter stitch triangle, which increases from the point outwards using yarnovers. Stitches are then easily picked up from the yarn overloops along the edges and the border is worked outwards from the triangle. The shawl is finished with an edging that is knitted sideways and attached to the live stitches of the border as it is being worked.

I was lucky enough to attend "Introduction to the History, Methods, and Styles of Lace Knitting" with Franklin Habit, organized by Lucy of Mind's Eye Yarns. Franklin covered a lot of material in three hours from reading charts to blocking. I also learnt about the origins of the Orenburg, Shetland, and Estonian lace traditions. My dream would be to attend a class with Nancy Bush or Galina Khmaleva but until it becomes true, I'll be watching Nancy Bush's DVD "Knitted Lace of Estonia" ;)

One repeat of the Parterre Broderie Scarf by Franklin Habit

Yarn: Tern by Quince and co

Défi 13 de mai: Stabilo

2011-05-15T11:02:00.022-04:00

Modèle: Pine Forest Baby Blanket (Ingrid Aartun Bøe)

5.5 écheveaux de Spud and Chloe Sweater

Un de mes collègues de travail et sa femme vont avoir un petit garcon au mois de juin. Lorsque j'ai demandé à la future maman ce qu'elle aimerait que je tricote, elle a suggéré une couverture (au moins le bébé pourra l'utiliser plus longtemps qu'un pull!). Finalement cette couverture est énorme donc je pense qu'ils peuvent la plier pour la mettre dans le landau ou la mettre par terre comme aire de jeu.

Allez en prendre plein les yeux avec les autres créations fluo!

String me along!

2011-03-28T21:37:00.003-04:00

A monthly knit-along started in the String Theory Yarn Lovers group on Ravelry. The project in February was the Surya shawl: though I started full of steam with some lovely ST Caper Lace in periwinkle, I got distracted by another shiny project (the Tangled Yoke cardigan) and didn't finish the shawl...

But I stuck with the March project and finished my Java socks on time! ST Bluestocking (80% Blue Faced Leicester superwash/20% nylon)is a great sock yarn, durable with good stitch definition. The pattern was quick to knit (2 stitch cables are easy to knit without a cable needle) and I liked how the designer integrated the cable pattern into the gusset shaping.

Pattern: Java socks by Cailyn Meyer (Knitty, Winter 2011)

Yarn: String Theory Bluestocking in "Jade"

Did you see this article, fellow Boston area knitters? Two new fabric and yarn stores recently opened, Gather Here in Cambridge and JP Knit and Stitch in Jamaica Plain. I'll try to visit them in the coming weeks but if they're anything like Stitch House in Dorchester, then I'll be one happy (and poorer) knitter and aspiring seamstress!

Bohus-Inspired Knitting with the Kelbourne Woolens duo

2011-03-27T18:35:00.006-04:00

At Vogue Knitting Live, Courtney and Kate mentioned that they would be at In the Loop in Norfolk, MA for a class as part of their book tour. Spend time with the duo of designers that distributes The Fibre Company yarns and just released "Vintage Modern Knits"? Go to a new-to-me yarn store? Learn about Bohus-inspired knitting? Please sign me up! (and that was before I learnt that Cheryl was going to provide us with breakfast -- homemade coffee cake, yum!-- and lunch)

Using the Baltic beret as the class project, Courtney (left) and Kate (right) taught us how to purl in fair isle and how to handle 3 color rounds. They were so helpful, giving tips and tinking back our mistakes! Even though I'm a slow knitter when it comes to two-handed fair isle knitting, it was quite addictive to see how the colors would play together especially with the little purl bumps. Can you spot them in the picture?

After the class, we got to try on the book samples (click on the picture below for details), appreciate the design details, and fondle the yarns. There are so many good patterns in the book but after this class and the Baltic beret and mittens, I feel confident enough to tackle another Bohus-inspired project, the Freyja sweater designed by Courtney (Interweave Knits, Fall 2009). I just need to choose which colors of Road to China Light to use!

Défi 13 de mars: Vintage

2011-03-13T14:37:00.011-04:00

Mon interprétation du thème de ce mois-ci est un peu hors-sujet: "vintage" comme "quelque chose qui durera longtemps"! Je vous propose le Tangled Yoke Cardigan d'Eunny Jang (Interweave Knits, Fall 2007) que je compte porter beaucoup dans les années à venir.

J'ai utilisé 7 pelotes de Rowan Felted Tweed pour la plus petite taille et j'ai utilisé des aiguilles deux tailles plus petites que celles préconisées. Le patron est facile à suivre: on commence par le bas, on tricote les deux manches en rond qu'on raccorde à la pièce principale et on finit avec les épaules et le cou -- pas de couture ou d'assemblage, c'est mon genre de tricot préféré! La torsade est moins difficile qu'il n'y parait, on ne répète le motif qu'une fois et il suffit de faire attention que sur un rang sur deux.

Allez admirer les autres créations "Vintage" ici!

(et je vous préviens que je vais manquer le défi corail car je serai en voyage au mois d'avril)

-------------------

Now on to the American-English portion of this post so that I get to brag about this finished object twice! It took me several months but I finished my New Beginnings project from the 2010 KR retreat, the Tangled Yoke Cardigan by Eunny Jang.

This cardigan turned out to be much easier than I thought, mostly because the cable portion wasn't long (I knitted it without a cable needle) and the neckband and buttonbands were quick as well. According to the "Fit to Flatter" class, this is the right type of sweater for me so I'm planning on wearing it a lot and knitting several cardigans of this type, perhaps at a smaller gauge (though I was already knitting on US3 needles).

Défi 13 de février: Bicolore

2011-02-13T17:18:00.004-05:00

Laines: Bourette Chinée (rain et tears) et Cachemire (fougère) de La Droguerie

Modèle inspiré par le bonnet de Fred

Les créations bicolores des copines, c'est par ICI!

Yarn shop travelogue: Paris (again!)

2011-01-31T22:00:00.004-05:00

Updating my list of Parisian yarn shops with two more stores.

Lil Weasel

This lovely shop is located in a passage couvert near Les Halles -- you will find European yarns (Anny Blatt, Bouton d'Or, Fonty, Katia, Plassard for example) and other brands (Malabrigo, Noro, Debbie Bliss, Cascade). There's something to find in every nook and cranny! I spent quite some time there fondling yarns, choosing buttons, and looking at sewing fabric (especially Liberty fabric and bias). There's a very comfortable couch if you wish to take your time and browse the book selection.

Le Comptoir

This is an old-fashioned mercerie meaning that you tell the salesperson what item you wish to look at and she will bring it to you. This store is packed to the brim with knitting, sewing, cross-stitch, and embroidery supplies. I recommend looking at the list of yarns on the blog before proceeding to the store for fear of missing out on something: Holst Garn, Fonty, Habu, Fleece Artist/Handmaiden, Rowan, Debbie Bliss,...

Vogue Knitting Live - Part 2

2011-01-30T18:03:00.009-05:00

Now let's move on to the "I can't believe I was standing this close to knitting royalty" part of the weekend.

- Anna Hrachovec of Mochimochi displayed some of her work in the Gallery and was signing copies of her book. I love to read her blog but seeing her work in real-life made me appreciate the detail that goes into all these little creatures, houses, skyscrapers!

- I got my copy of "Vintage Modern Knits" fresh off the press and autographed by Courtney Kelley and Kate Gagnon Osborn, of Kelbourne Woolens. They're on a book tour so try to catch them and maybe take a class too!

- While at the Knitty City booth, I bought a cute project bag with "Elijah" that Ysolda Teague was nice enough to sign. She had pictures of her upcoming book, Little Red in the City, to show on her iPad.

- When I found myself in the elevator with Kristin Nicholas, I started babbling about her book "Color by Kristin" and how it was too bad that the first issue of Nashua Handknits magazine featuring her was out-of-print. Seeing that she's in western Massachusetts, I'll try to take a class with her at Webs later this year to prove that I'm not usually that incoherent.

- Last but not least, I attended Clara's lecture entitled "The State of the Yarn Union Address". Cat Bordhi told me to record snippets on my phone but I don't think that snippets would have done justice to Clara's well-prepared remarks.

Having only taken up knitting seriously in 2004, I did not know about the knitting industry in the pre-KR and pre-Knitty days and how the yarn companies, knitting magazines, and designers interacted. The lecture gave me a lot to mull over on how to best support brick-and-mortar yarn stores and larger yarn companies along with indie designers and small hand-dyers...

Vogue Knitting Live - Part 1

2011-01-30T17:55:00.009-05:00

View from the Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis Reservoir

I am destined to blog about knitting events that occurred a while ago. My reason for not blogging about VKL until now? Snow. And more snow. And they're calling for more snow this week. So before I fly to sunny Charlotte Amalie, let me tell you about my weekend in New York City.

Saturday morning started with the "Luxury Yarn Workshop" taught by Margaret Radcliffe. Using our homework swatches knitted out of various non-wool fibers as guinea pigs, we tugged every which way to understand stretch, memory, and biasing. We then learnt techniques to stabilize the knitted fabric and the borders, what sweater constructions work best with non-wool fibers, and how to try all these nifty things on a swatch. Margaret Radcliffe was a great instructor -- well-organized, patient, and enthusiastic.

(Begin rant: I'd like more of my fellow knitting students to realize that teachers (yes, even knitting teachers) have material that they need to cover in the class which means sticking to a syllabus and schedule is important. Interrupting the teacher by asking questions not directly related to the class or having side conversations is not helpful. End rant)

At lunch time I met up with other KR members (or as Mary said, "the KR ladies who lunch"): it was nice to catch up, the next KR retreat seems so far away! We exchanged class info, market purchases, and project specs. After lunch, some headed back to classes, some ventured to the marketplace.

My favorite booths at the marketplace were:

- Kinokuniya: if you're ever near the New York Public Library and Bryant Park, you need to stop by this Japanese bookstore and browse the knitting/sewing books on the lower floor. The selection can be overwhelming so it was nice to have a small but carefully-chosen selection at their booth.

- Bijou Basin Ranch: I had already purchased some of their yarns (Bijou Bliss and Lhasa wilderness) but Kris and Jane were taunting us with a skein of Gobi at the retreat so I had to remedy that, not to mention that there were some great coupons on the Bijou Basin website. I even got a free Gobi cowl pattern and a cool mug with my purchases. If I had more time, I would have enjoyed their lovely set up where you could sit down and swatch their yarns.

- Knitty City: not only did I stop by the booth but I also went to the actual store on Saturday afternoon. Though I wasn't able to meet Felicia Lo of SweetGeorgia Yarns fame, I stocked up on her yarns at Knitty City. Pearl remembers me even though I only stop by her store once in a while when we visit NYC, she has an amazing visual memory!

Défi 13 de janvier: reines et princesses

2011-01-12T19:28:00.006-05:00

Patron: Barcelona skirt d'Amy Butler

Tissu: Free Spirit

Ma princesse ce mois-ci est Cendrillon! Le mois dernier, je suis allée à Stitch House pour suivre le cours "Sew Intensive" et réaliser mon premier projet de couture. J'ai appris à suivre un patron, couper le tissu correctement, coudre les pièces, assembler la doublure et mettre une fermeture éclair.

Alors, pourquoi cette jupe est-elle destinée à Cendrillon? La taille que j'ai choisie est trop grande pour moi donc cette jupe ne me va pas. Il va falloir que le prince trouve à qui appartient cette jupe! En attendant de savoir à qui la donner (à moins de rajouter des fronces), je n'ai pas fini l'ourlet pour le tissu extérieur et la doublure...

Les déguisements des autres participantes sont ICI!

Iceland Trip - Random cuteness

2011-01-09T19:56:00.005-05:00

And to finish, some random pictures of what we brought back!

Souvenir Bear with fairisle scarf and hat

Notecards with Icelandic stitch patterns

Three little elves by Kata

Two round-bottom glasses

A radish-paper bowl

For more cool Icelandic designs, visit the artists galleries at Kraum and Kirsuberjatréð

Iceland Trip - Knitting goods

2011-01-09T18:56:00.008-05:00

As I mentioned in my previous post, I bought some Icelandic sweaters. As a knitter, I tend not to buy other people's knitting ("hey, I could knit this myself!") but one makes exceptions when it comes to cottage industries and items of historical/cultural value such as the qiviut/silk hat I bought from the Oomingmak coop in Anchorage or these sweaters.

Alafoss is a big Lopi yarn outlet located outside of Reykjavik, I wasn't able to get there during my trip but they have a small store in the city where I spotted this vest. I think it was knitted with Lett Lopi and would look good with a black long-sleeved shirt.

Most of the cardigans at the Handknitting association were knitted with Alafoss Lopi or several strands of Plötulopi so they were a little too heavy for me. So I bought a lighter-weight cardigan by Farmers Market.

I saw many cardigans during the trip but this one stole my heart at the Keflavik airport as we were leaving: it has a hood with color details, it's not too heavy, it has snap-on buttons covered by a button band, and there's some blue in it!

On the yarn front, I got some Loðband to make a shawl out of Lucinda Guy's Northern Knits, several skeins of Lett Lopi to make fairisle mittens, and six plates of Plötulopi to make Freyja (free pattern on the Knitting Iceland's website).

All the books/DVD in this picture (except the Lopi pattern book) can be bought at the Handknitting association as well as Eymundsson bookstores.

- The two people behind Knitting Iceland, the online knitting magazine and knitting tour company, are Helene Magnusson and Ragnheiður Eiríksdóttir (Ragga). I found the English version of Helene's book in Iceland as "Icelandic Color Knitting". In the US, the book's title is "Iceland knitting: Using Rose Patterns" and was reviewed in KR here. You can buy Ragga's DVD on how to knit your own Icelandic sweater on the Knitting Iceland etsy store.

- I bought my copy of Iceland Knits before my trip directly from the authors. A second book already came out in Icelandic, I'm hoping that the English translation will be available in the near future.

- The book on the top right is all about knitting mittens. Although it is in Icelandic, I think that I can use a basic mitten pattern and use the charts provided in the book.

Iceland Trip - Knits Spotting (part 2)

2011-01-08T19:46:00.004-05:00

The Handknitting association of Iceland has several locations in Reykjavik. I recommend going to the location on Skólavörðustígur since that's the location that sells yarn, has the largest selection of hand-knitted items, and it is located on a street with many design/crafty stores.

The first three pictures are the window displays at the Laugavegur location.

Aren't these little felted elves cute? I liked them so much that I bought three of them in various colors (you'll see them in an upcoming post).

This last picture is of the Skólavörðustígur location. Click on it to see more details:

- in the foreground you can see the plates of unspun Lopi (Plötulopi)

- behind them, there are rows of many beautiful hand-knitted sweaters.

- all the way in the back you can spot the cubes of yarn for purchase (Alafoss Lopi, Lett Lopi, Loðband, and Plötulopi among others)

Iceland Trip - Knits Spotting (part 1)

2011-01-08T19:35:00.003-05:00

Almost every store in Reykjavik that I walked by was selling some item (hat, mittens, scarf, sweater) hand-knitted using Icelandic yarn. But the best part was definitely seeing all these beautiful traditional Icelandic sweaters with yoke colorwork -- I'll show you the hand-knitted sweaters that I bought in another post.

Varma is a popular clothing brand that sells hand-knitted lace scarves and hand-knitted fair-isle accessories.

Window display of Storkurinn

Unfortunately, most of the yarn stores were closed during our visit because of the end-of-year holidays but I was able to peek at Storkurinn (which sells yarn as well as fabric) and Erla. Both stores are easy to find on Laugavegur (one of the main shopping streets) or off of it.

Iceland Trip - Sights (part 3)

2011-01-08T19:02:00.004-05:00

Here are some pictures of the Southwest coast of Iceland.

Sólheimajökull glacier

If you're in good physical shape, you can sign up for a 3 hour tour and walk on the ice field with some glacier guides.

On our way to the glacier, we drove by many areas that were flooded due to the eruption of Eyjafjallajökull in April-May 2010 that stopped European air-travel for a while.

Reynisdrangar

These are impressive basalt columns visible from this black sand beach or from the village of Vik.

After a stop at the Skogar folk museum, we saw two waterfalls, Skógafoss (above) and Seljalandsfoss (behind which you can walk during summertime).

Iceland Trip - Sights (part 2)

2011-01-08T18:42:00.004-05:00

On our second day, we went on a day excursion for the famous Golden Circle.

The first stop is the Gullfoss waterfall area, which is really composed of two waterfalls. Part of the waterfall was frozen when we were there.

The second stop is the Geysir geothermal area, where you can see the original Geysir from which the word "Geyser" originated. It's not very active right now but you will also see Strokkur, a geyser that bubbles and erupts every five minutes, and the Blesi pool (above).

The last stop on the Golden Circle is the Þingvellir National Park. This is where the Eurasian and North-American tectonic plates meet and you can clearly see the rifts between the plates (you'll see two rifts as there is a no-man's land being created between the two plates that are several kilometres apart).

Iceland Trip - Sights (part 1)

2011-01-08T18:28:00.003-05:00

We spent four days in Iceland on our way back from Paris -- here are some pictures that I promised to share with my KR friends. We didn't take many pictures because of the lack of daylight (it was really bright only between 11am and 3pm) and the ones we took are not great because of the cloudy weather (we only had our point-and-shoot camera). But I hope it gives you an idea of what we saw!

Hallgrímskirkja at sunrise

Reykjavík house with festive lights

The Blue Lagoon

(My Christmas present from Boy was getting an in-water massage treatment. It was heavenly to float in the warm water and get pampered!)

The Blue Lagoon at sunset

Défi 13 de décembre: géométrie

2010-12-12T19:28:00.002-05:00

KR destash blanket
Originally uploaded by miminh3

Ma contribution ce mois-ci est un modeste carré composé de quatre triangles isocèles. Cette petite couverture est tricotée en rond avec des laines différentes donc on voit des carrés dans d'autres carrés!

Les laines sont toutes des laines Shibui Knits (ce sont des pelotes orphelines que j'ai trouvées dans le Swap lounge lors de la Knitter's Review Retreat l'année dernière et cette année)
- merino kid, merino alpaca, baby alpaca DK en "wasabi" laissés par la généreuse Clara
- silk cloud en "wasabi"
- merino worsted en "seaweed"
Pas mal pour un projet utilisant vos restes de laines, n'est-ce pas?

Il est temps d'aller réviser votre géométrie avec la galerie de décembre!

KR retreat 2010 - Sunday

2010-11-29T20:27:00.003-05:00

Sunday morning was all about "New Beginnings". There were door prizes and there was writing: notes to thank the people who had provided the riches in our goodie bags, notes to the staff at the inn, notes on the KR retreat memory book, notes to ourselves to be opened next year. Among my knitting resolutions, I promised to knit at least 10 minutes a day (dear Fran, you're still watching over me!).

Then Clara put on her sparkly tiara and her funny glasses and proceeded with the ceremony that would unite us with our New Beginnings project. My unlawfully wedded project is Eunny Jang's Tangled Yoke cardigan in Rowan Felted Tweed. Per Ann's class, I dutifully knitted a gauge swatch in the two stitch patterns and felt quite virtuous.

And then it was time for hugs and to say goodbye until next year!

PS: I feel that I must disclose what came home with me from the stash lounge because Vicki might blackmail me otherwise!

- 2 skeins of Sundara silk sport in marigold destashed by Rosi (Wendy was nice enough to pick them for me, what a nice roommate!)

- 1 skein of green Shibui merino worsted (which I am using along with the Shibui yarns in "wasabi" from last year's destash for a blanket -- I expect to be done this week)

- 2 skeins of Rowan purelife cotton for some charity hats

- "Modern top-down knitting" by Kristina McGowan

- "The Gentle Art of Domesticity" by Jane Brocket

- 2 old issues of Interweave Knits

And I won a beautiful skein of String Theory Caper sock yarn in "Blue Hill" as a door prize!

KR retreat 2010 - Saturday

2010-11-29T20:21:00.006-05:00

We reconvened bright and early on Saturday morning for our group picture. Above you can see our fearless leader Clara and our stash lounge tzarina Lanea. We then parted ways to go to our respective classes.

I took Ann Budd's class on Knitting Mathematics (aka Intro to Sweater Design). She might say that you shouldn't take classes with her but just ignore it! I learned a lot from her class and came out with the confidence that I *can* knit a sweater that fits me even if my gauge and yarn are totally different from what the pattern calls for. I also proved to myself that Cheryl Brunette's shaping formula is true, just because I like to figure out how mathy things work.

Cat and Melissa seemed to enjoy playing tricks on each other during their classes: here you can see Cat spying on Melissa's "Knitting with Beads" class. I think that their circular needles were separated at birth.

Saturday afternoon was all about the KR marketplace -- at least for me, the serious knitting shopaholic. I decided not to go to Storey Publishing this year since I had already bought "Toe-up 2-at-a-time socks" and "Sock yarn one-skein wonders", but other knitters came back with books for themselves and for gift recipients.

My favorite marketplace acquisitions were:

- 2 skeins of Foxfire Flock Sock in smokey plum (I had already received some Flock Sock as part of my Fall Sheep Share)

- 5 skeins of String Theory Caper Aran and matching green glass buttons for a Lady February sweater (Karen and Tanis had these button sets made to match their colorways)

- Quince Tern in various colors for a future fair-isle project bought from the lovely Pam Allen. That's the yarn I used during Cat's class and it is scrumptious for socks/shawls/fingerless mitts.

On Saturday evening, Cat told us a sweet tale and then it was time for the Knitter's Book of Yarn/Knitter's Book of Wool/Wool-along extravaganza! I just love this picture of Jane with her knitting friends and their Falling Leaves.

KR retreat 2010 - Thursday and Friday

2010-11-29T20:17:00.004-05:00

It's hard to believe that after so many months of waiting (im)patiently for the Knitter's Review Retreat, it went by so quickly and I now find myself already waiting for next year's retreat! Here's a quick recap of the retreat that occurred November 12-14 at the Williams Inn in Williamstown, MA.

My carpool buddy and roommate Wendy and I arrived on Thursday afternoon just a few hours before dinner which was exactly the right amount of time to unpack and:

- get a great big hug from Martha at the registration desk

- hand our destash items into the capable hands of Lanea, Purlewe, and team

- marvel at the contents of our goodie bags (I was able to knit an extra charity hat during the retreat with the ball of Zara that was in my bag, how's that for instant gratification?)

Thursday evening was a good time to welcome newcomers and catch up with old friends. The lovely Kathleen gave me a beautiful red Stepping Stones scarf that she knitted with Rosi's cashmere from last year's stash lounge. Cat Bordhi demonstrated a fun way of spinning using a rubber ball and rubber bands (you can see her plying in the picture below).

I attended Cat's class on Personal Footprints on Friday morning and early afternoon. I am now the proud owner of my very own monofoot and ready to knit socks that fit me perfectly. (Unfortunately, I didn't get to snap a picture of Cat playing Prince Charming to each of us and looking into our eyes to see if we were lying about how well our sock toe fit.)

While retreat attendees were trickling in, I got a "behind the scenes" look at the KR marketplace as some of the vendors were setting up.

String Theory

(both Karen and Tanis were able to attend this year)

Briar Rose Fibers

(Chris got mobbed at Rhinebeck but she still brought some lovely things)

Foxfire Fiber and Designs

(Barb and Holly brought the new Cormo sock blend, Flock Sock)

Spirit Trail Fiberworks

(don't worry, the ladies were adequately dressed with knitted samples on Saturday afternoon)

Friday evening was "Show-and-tell". Amazingly enough, Clara was able to ensure that we would describe our favorite yarn or express our undying love for multiple yarns in 60 seconds (or less) so show-and-tell lasted exactly an hour and a half, leaving plenty of time to welcome first-timers, explore the stash lounge, or ask fellow knitters what they were knitting.

Défi 13 de novembre: couleurs fanées

2010-11-13T01:00:00.005-05:00

Cowl from "More last minute gifts"

Les feuilles mortes se ramassent à la pelle...

Ce mois-ci ma création est un cowl qui arrive pile-poil car il commence à faire froid ici! Le modèle est tiré du nouveau livre de Joelle Hoverson, "More Last-Minute Gifts". La laine est Kashmir (80% merino, 20% cachemire, 180 metres), teinte à la main par Ball and Skein dans un beau violet sombre. La photo a été prise dans le Shakespeare Garden dans Central Park.

La galerie de novembre est par ici!

Défi 13 d’octobre: Petits motifs

2010-10-12T19:17:00.010-04:00

Le jacquard et moi, on est super copains! La preuve, c’est que j’ai réussi à tricoter ma création pour ce défi 13 en seulement trois jours (nous étions en vacances dans les parcs nationaux du Grand Teton et de Yellowstone donc j’ai passé beaucoup de temps dans la voiture pendant que quelqu’un d’autre conduisait).

Le modèle est “Transition Gloves” de Shibui Knits et j’ai utilisé l’une de mes laines préférées (Sundara sock yarn, un écheveau chacun d’Arabian nights et Winter skies -- il me reste assez de laine pour pouvoir utiliser ces couleurs pour ma Barn Raising Quilt). Au lieu de tricoter des gants jumeaux, j’ai tricoté des gants complémentaires. Je ne risque pas de me tromper entre ma main gauche et ma main droite!

Les créations des copines sont ici!

Everywhere I go... Yarn!

2010-10-09T16:21:00.002-04:00

Pictures snapped on the iPhone: clothes display at the mall and an upcoming Nintendo Wii game.

A crafty weekend

2010-09-26T19:35:00.006-04:00

My crafty weekend started Saturday morning at Stitch House in Dorchester with a sewing class titled 'Get to know your sewing machine'. There were three of us and under the expert guidance of Jen P., we reviewed the parts of our sewing machines, how to thread it, wind a bobbin, identify each foot, run a straight stitch, and how to do a blind hem stitch (which is important for short people like me who need all their pairs of pants to be hemmed). I am looking forward to taking another sewing class, perhaps an intensive class for beginners and new sewers so that I can make one of Amy Butler's Barcelona skirts.

In case you're interested in sewing but don't want to invest in your own sewing machine yet, you can use one of the machines at Stitch House for free during a class or use it for a mere $5/hour outside of class hours. Each sewing station has a nice machine, a lamp, and a box of notions and there's a central table to cut fabric and iron.

But there is much more than Amy Butler fabrics, Heather Bailey and Oliver + S patterns at this store, there's also yarn (Classic Elite, Lorna's Laces, Rowan, Berroco, Blue Sky Alpacas, Spud and Chloe, Madelinetosh, you name it). Oh, the madbird needle cases! the funny knitting-related buttons ("will knit for wine")! the pretty stitch markers!

But the weekend was just starting! Boy and I drove up to Maine stopping at:

- the Crate and Barrel outlet in Kittery

- my favorite yarn store in Portland, Knit Wit. Every color of Quince and co yarns was displayed including their new yarns (Tern and a linen yarn).

- the Portland Fiber Gallery. They had just received a scrumptious bag of 85%BFL/15%tussah fiber

- Vervacious on Commercial St. Clara, the Hot Chocolate Orange might want to meet your marshmallows at the KR retreat...

- 555 on Congress St, where we've had three flawless dinners so far

On Sunday, I attended Amy Herzog's class on "Fit to Flatter" at Purl Diva in Brunswick. I learned so much about my shape, why some sweaters work for me and not others, what neckline/sleeve length/sweater length I should wear, what modifications need to be done, and so much more. For example, I will undo a few inches from my Sundara wrap sweater to make the body and sleeves shorter. If you can't attend Amy's classes, you can always read her tutorials, available as blog posts or pdf files -- I promise you'll learn a lot from them.

To end this weekend on a good note, I'll be spending time tonight reading my copy of "Brave New Knits". This was a great crafty weekend!

Défi 13 de septembre: Flashdance

2010-09-15T18:40:00.006-04:00

Pour commencer, je dois confesser que je n'ai jamais vu ce film mais il est désormais sur ma queue de DVDs à emprunter. Je ne voulais pas tricoter des jambières alors j'ai suivi les conseils de mes amis: un cache-coeur. Cela me rappelle mes cours de danse pendant les années 80: chaussons Repetto, tutu rose et cache-coeur assorti. Cette fois-ci, pas de rose mais un beau bleu de chez Sundara ("navy over slate" en sport merino). Le modèle est celui de Knitting Pure and Simple (patron # 263 "wrap cardigan top down").

La galerie Flashdance est ICI!

PS: J'ai réussi à tricoter ma création en jacquard pour le Défi 13 d'octobre lors de mon voyage au Far West (d'accord, par vraiment le Far West, juste les parcs nationaux de Yellowstone et Grand Teton). Juste un petit indice en attendant le mois prochain... (photo prise en attendant l'éruption du geyser "Old Faithful").

Yarn shop travelogue: Montreal

2010-09-07T22:22:00.004-04:00

I made a lot of progress on my Defi 13 sweater during our drive to Montreal (only two sleeves to knit) but until I reveal the finished project, let's talk about the yarn stores that I visited last weekend.

Ariadne Knits

This store is just a couple of blocks away from the Place St Henri metro stop so you can send your non-knitting travel companions to the Marche Atwater while you're yarn shopping. This store carries some great yarns (Louet, Reynolds, Estelle, Schoppel Wolle, O Wool, Hemp for Knitting, ...) but what I really like are the little maple leaf signs that highlight Canadian yarns such as Koigu, St Denis yarns (Nordique and Boreale), Lucy Neatby's Celestial Merino, local alpaca, and last but not least Projekt B.

The Projekt B yarns and fibers are hand-dyed in Montreal and exclusive to this store -- let's just say that I've fallen for them every time I've stopped by Ariadne Knits. How can one resist these gorgeous colors on the alpaca/merino/cashmere, silk/cashmere, mohair, or merino yarn bases? During this third visit, I bought some merino/bamboo fiber and cashmere/silk yarn.

Effiloche

This shop is within a few blocks from the Beaubien metro station in the middle of the Plaza St Hubert. It is packed from floor to ceiling with yarns, fabrics, buttons, and other notions. On the yarn front, you will find Colinette, Sublime, Rowan, Jaggerspun, Araucania, Louet, and Berroco among many other brands. Canadian yarns include Fleece Artist and the local indie dyer Tanis Fiber Arts in merino lace, DK, and sock yarn weight. You will love the store samples that are displayed throughout the store, especially the exclusive kid patterns by Celine Barbeau.

Biscotte et Cie

You will probably need a car to reach this store but it is definitely worth it to see the handdyed Biscotte et cie yarns and fibers in person. The yarns are dyed in semi-solid, variegated, and self-striping colorways in a diverse array of fibers (from merino/bamboo to lambswool/angora/cashmere) and weights -- you can even see the yarns drying in the back room! I bought two skeins of Felix sock yarn and some spinning fiber to make a pair of thrummed mittens and a pair of socks.

You can find Louet, Brown Spun, SandnesGarn and other brands, but the other thing that drew me to the store was the fact that it's the only North American store to carry La Droguerie products! You can buy the pattern books, some colors of Alpaga, Plumette, Baby Douceur, Kaleido, Lin, and Kid Mohair as well as an assortment of fabric and buttons. And if that wasn't enough to tempt you, you can always buy locally made project bags or glass pendants.

True Blue

2010-08-31T20:25:00.005-04:00

Artists go through phases, so do knitters (artists in their own way). I am in my blue phase: I finished the blue/gray beret in Nordique, knitted a couple of hats out of String Theory superwash merino in "Blue Hill", and am now working on my September Defi 13 project using Sundara sport merino in "Navy over slate". That's the work-in-progress on one of the white rocking chairs in the picture below taken on Monhegan Island.

In July, Boy and I stopped by Purl Diva in Brunswick and Ellen suggested Monhegan Island as a weekend destination. We followed her advice and spent last weekend hiking, taking pictures, enjoying the ocean view from our room at the Island Inn, and eating way too much. We'll be back!

I am hoping to make progress on this sweater during Labor Day weekend - we're off to Montreal so there should be plenty of knitting time in the car.

2010-08-22T20:57:00.002-04:00

I snapped this picture with my iPhone at Halibut Point State Park in Rockport last week. It reminded me of a zen garden, where each person can contribute a stone, big or small, round or square. The Knitter's Review forums are somewhat like that: each knitter contributes with questions, answers, advice, recipes, jokes, and personal stories.

This week Fran and Lucie joined Camille and Trish in a place where they can knit together as much as they want with any luxurious fiber they desire. We miss them all dearly.

I started working on the Barn Raising Quilt (using Sundara sock yarn) again, knitting at least ten minutes a day. To me, it will be Fran's quilt.

Reasons why I like my stash

2010-08-08T22:32:00.007-04:00

Sometimes my yarn/fiber stash weighs heavily on my mind. But it has some good sides too:

- When my aunt told me she was learning to knit socks, sock yarn, double- pointed needles, and patterns were sent her way.

- When Ellen posted the details of the fourth edition of "De-stash and Do good", a box full of yarns was set aside for a good cause.

- When one of my coworkers asked for a scarf in turquoise, I showed her a dozen skeins in the right color family and she chose the skein she liked the most.

Yarn: Farmhouse Yarns Bonnie's Bamboo (1 skein)

Pattern: Stella Bamboo Lace Scarf from Luxury Yarn One-skein Wonders

- When another coworker said she liked hand-knitted coasters, I had a dozen skeins that matched her living-room colors for her to choose from.

Twelve coasters in Spud and Chloe Fine (white), Zen Yarn Garden merino/cashmere/nylon (brown), and Spirit Trail Paivatar (green).

- When a fellow knitter wins a contest, I can find something in her favorite colors.

- When Clara announces that Shetland is the breed for the August woolalong, I can go directly to my spinning stash and start spinning (when Polwarth was chosen for July, the July fiber from the Sweetgeorgia fiber club turned out to be Polwarth -- how serendipitous!)

And if a yarn and I need to part ways, I can always destash it on the KR forums or bring it to the KR retreat. So really, it's not that bad!

Défi 13 de juillet: petit bal - guinguette

2010-07-12T20:41:00.004-04:00

Ropes and Ladders headband
Originally uploaded by miminh3

Pour ce mois de juillet, je vous propose d'aller au bal avec un bandeau/serre-tête et .... un béret à moitié fini.

Ben pourquoi? Tout a commencé avec une idée fixe: je voulais absolument que ma création de juillet soit un modèle de Veronik Avery, tricoté avec sa nouvelle gamme de laine, St-Denis Nordique. Pas de problème, j'ai une pelote en blanc, parfaite pour le Ropes and Ladders Headband, et une autre pelote en gris, destinée à devenir un béret à torsades. Les deux modèles sont tirés du nouveau livre de Veronik Avery, Knitting 24/7.

Le bandeau est facile à réaliser: il requiert moins d'une moitié de pelote et j'ai utilisé deux jolis boutons nacrés de La Droguerie. La prochaine fois, je monterai mes mailles de manière provisoire pour que le joint soit parfaitement invisible.

Pour le béret, ce n'est pas si simple. Il y a une petite erreur dans le livre et il faut deux pelotes pour ce projet donc je manque de laine à court de route et il me faut commander une deuxieme pelote. Voici où j'en suis pour l'instant (je vous montrerai une photo lorsqu'il sera fini)... Joyeux 14 juillet à tout le monde!

Tour de Fleece

2010-07-01T19:11:00.002-04:00

As a member of Team Superfleece, I will try to spin every day between July 3rd and July 25th. I just need to spin Spirit Trail Fiber, Briar Rose Fiber, or a breed from the Knitter's Book of Wool or KBOW Woolalong. I set aside more fiber than I will be able to spin in that period of time but who says that variety is bad?

First photo:
- Briar Rose Fibers Cormo
- Hello Yarn Targhee
- Winterwind Farm CVM

Second photo:
- Hatchtown Farm Coopworth
- Spirit Trail Teeswater/Cotswold/Corriedale
- Spirit Trail Merino/Silk
- Spirit Trail Cashmere/Silk

I'm off to Quebec this weekend so I'm packing my two Bosworth spindles but I'll be spinning on my Louet Victoria when I get back.

Sheep Shares Lamb Visit Day

2010-06-29T21:22:00.001-04:00

Bottle lambs_3
Originally uploaded by miminh3

I was lucky enough to spend some time last Sunday with the sheep that grow the wonderful wool I love to knit with, the people who take such good care of them, and the extraordinary woman behind the Foxfire yarns and fibers.

There were cormo sheep, border leicester sheep, angora goats (Butch and the tiny Gypsy), and llamas (Caitlyn and the freshly shorn Crackerjack). But the highlight of the day were Mistral and Georgia -- these bottle-lambs behave more like puppies than lambs! Mistral was especially curious and looked through our knitting bags.

More pictures HERE! Thanks again to our hosts for a great visit!

Contest #2: tell me about your favorite LYS!

2010-06-20T20:02:00.009-04:00

Boy and I have been tracking my yarny comings and goings: I've been to 124 yarn stores so far, like Liberty of London (above) and Purl (below). I'd like to celebrate local yarn stores, how much they bring to our community, and how much I love visiting them by having a contest.

Just post a comment to tell me about your favorite yarn store (name, location, and why you like it so much!). The deadline is whenever I make it to store #125 so it could be next week or it could be in a month. The winner (or winners if I get a lot of entries) will be chosen randomly from all the entries and will receive some yarn in his/her favorite colors handpicked from my stash. Thanks for participating and enjoy this picture of a Nantucket 'sheep'!

Edited to add: Shop #125 has been visited (Fil et Fibre in Quebec) so the contest is now over, thank you for participating and your LYS suggestions! The winner of the random drawing is NutmegOwl!

Défi 13 de juin: dentelles

2010-06-13T18:57:00.004-04:00

Flower Basket Shawl
Originally uploaded by miminh3

Lorsqu'on me dit dentelles, je pense immédiatement à Evelyn Clark. Ses créations, telle que le fameux Swallowtail, sont magnifiques, ses modèles ne comportent aucune erreur et elle révèle comment inventer son propre châle à forme triangulaire dans le livre, Knitting Lace Triangles.

J'ai choisi le Flower Basket Shawl, un modèle facile à tricoter même sur la route car les parties gauche et droite du châle sont identiques (et non symétriques). A celles et ceux qui veulent se lancer dans la dentelle, je vous conseille fortement ce modèle. Le fil est 'Ixchel' que j'ai recu lors du Spirit Trail Yarn Club l'année dernière. C'est le même alpaga que j'ai utilisé
ici.

Il est temps d'admirer les autres créations à trous-trous.

(Et va falloir aussi cogiter pour le défi de juillet car le thème me semble difficile et je me suis inscrite au Tour de Fleece, pendant lequel nous devons filer de la laine tous les jours du Tour de France.)

Knitting Memories of Alaska

2010-06-11T22:28:00.004-04:00

Haines, AK
Originally uploaded by miminh3

Our trip to Alaska went by too fast, as all great vacations do! Here are some knitting-related highlights from our trip -- Boy and I spent five days on our own to visit the Denali National Park and the Kenai Fjords National Park and then hopped on a seven-day cruise from Seward to Vancouver.

- In Anchorage, I stopped by the Oomingmak co-op and bought a beautiful Herder's cap from their Tundra and Snow collection. I talked to one of the knitters there and observed the meticulous and lightning-fast blocking of items. Tip: they use a cardboard sewing cutting board for blocking, it has everything you need to measure your finished item and the cardboard is fine for lace items.

- In Palmer, we visited the Musk Ox Farm which supplies the Oomingmak with its qiviut. It was great to see these imposing animals in beautiful scenery: some calves were born just a few days before our visit so there was some chasing to give one of them a shot, it was just like a rodeo.

- During the cruise days where we were at sea, I took five knitting classes, three with Lucy Neatby and two with Donna Druchunas.
*I had many epiphanies during Lucy's classes regarding the modified conventional bind-off, the garter stitch short-row heel, the toe chimney,... and the list goes on and on.
*Donna's classes on Japanese Knitting and Lace design opened up a whole new world of possibilities. I look forward to navigating japanese knitting charts and maybe even use some of those stitches in my own designs. Should I join 'Je tricote en japonais'?

- I had the opportunity to enhance my stash with some local finds
* sock yarn handdyed by Fireweed Dyeworks in the colorways "Alaskan Wildflower" and "Lupine"
* local qiviut purchased at the Far North Yarn Co. I was thrilled to see a knitted sample hat that only required a half ounce of qiviut, the Wavy Feathers Qiviut Hat, and a knitted cowl that required one ounce. Not only was it the only yarn store I visited that sold qiviut by the half-ounce, it was also the most affordable one ($38 per half ounce). I was slightly overwhelmed by their awesome yarn selection but regained enough consciousness to also purchase Donna's new book, Successful Lace Knitting.
* silk hankies to spin by Raven Frog Fibers
* SweetGeorgia yarns purchased at Three Bags Full: I know that I have plenty of Felicia's yarn already and that I belong to her monthly fiber club but one can never have too much of her vibrant colors
* yarn by Indigo Moon and Gourmet Crafter purchased at Urban Yarns

I might not get around to knitting or spinning these for a while but when I do, the memories of this trip will bring me comfort.

Oh, and have I mentioned that I have a new weapon in my stash-busting arsenal? At last week's Maine Fiber Frolic, Boy bought me a Cricket loom as a birthday present.

Défi 13 de mai: rose

2010-05-12T10:00:00.000-04:00

Vu que je n'avais pas beaucoup de temps à consacrer à ma création de mai, j'ai décidé de tricoter quelque chose de petit. J'ai commencé avec l'écharpe Flora mais comme la fleur était trop grosse, il y a eu un changement de plan: l'écharpe devient symétrique et la fleur se retrouve sur un petit bonnet. Je n'aime pas trop le rose (je sais, la honte pour une fille!) mais l'une de mes petites cousines adore le rose donc je lui enverrai cet ensemble.

J'ai utilisé le fil Sweater de Spud and Chloe que j'adore pour les tricots pour enfants: 50% laine et 50% cotton donc parfait pour toutes les saisons, lavable en machine et disponible en coloris acidulés.

J'ai plein d'idées dentelle pour le mois de juin et beaucoup de temps pour tricoter... En attendant, allez voir la galerie de mai!

Yarn shop travelogue: coastal Maine

2010-05-05T22:13:00.005-04:00

Poland Spring, Maine
Originally uploaded by miminh3

I've been too busy to knit in the last few weeks but I now have some down time so I'm looking forward to knitting again. This funny "stress free zone" sign was taken in Poland Spring, Maine which brings us to today's post: yarn stores on the Maine coast that I like to go to!

Maine is close enough to us that Boy and I sometimes go there for the weekend during the spring or summer so I get to stop by some wonderful yarn stores. I'll just focus on four stores that I like but Clara outlined a great roadtrip through Maine.

KnitWit in Portland

You will find known brands such as Rowan and Berroco as well as yarns from Maine companies. In particular, they have the most extensive collection of Fibre Company yarns I've seen which makes me succomb every time. The last time I visited, they were selling a house-brand yarn made in Maine that looked great for colorwork and was very affordable (I believe that it was less than $4 for a 200 yard skein).

Portland Fiber Gallery & Weaving Studio

Just a block away from Knit Wit is the Portland Fiber Gallery. They carry yarn (e.g. Imperial Stock Ranch yarn), fiber (e.g. Ashford), and spinning equipment as well as buttons, jewelry, and finished items made locally. They also hand-dye their own yarns and fibers which you can buy at the store and on their etsy store: everything from silk hankies to batts, from silk lace to merino/tencel yarn. The store also carries weaving supplies (you can rent or buy looms) and I was sorely tempted to get a knitter's loom.

Purl Diva in Brunswick

This is the store that I wished was near me as in "I wished I lived in that store". But then I would spend all my money there and be broke so it might be better for me that I am two and a half hours away. Ellen has wonderful taste and carries a wide spectrum of yarns, from Berroco to Handmaiden, via Isager, Madelinetosh, Sweetgeorgia, and Three Irish Girls. She also carries things that are made in Maine, like cute Purlsana pouches or Done Roving yarns.

String Theory in Blue Hill

This is the home of String Theory Yarn, the yarn that is lovingly dyed by Karen and Tanis. The store is a gorgeous house and the last time I visited, Karen was outside setting the freshly dyed skeins to dry: what a lovely sight! Of course you can buy plenty of String Theory yarn in all of their yarn bases but they also offer handspun yarn, buttons, jewelry, and project bags made in Maine.

I'll be travelling for most of May. I'm hoping to visit Purl in its new location in Soho, the Oomingmak coop in Anchorage, Three Bags Full in Vancouver, and go to the Maine Fiber Frolic. See, it all comes back to Maine!

Défi 13 d'avril: végétal

2010-04-12T22:43:00.001-04:00

Bardini hat
Originally uploaded by miminh3

Ma création ce mois-ci est un autre chapeau mais pour l'été. Il est pliable donc il suffit de le mettre dans son sac a main et de le sortir quand le soleil daigne se montrer... C'est ce qui s'est passé ce weekend donc la photo a été prise à la plage -- Crane Beach.

Le modèle Bardini est tiré du livre de Kristi Porter, "Knitting in the sun", qui est consacré au tricot pour les régions estivales.

Le lin que j'ai utilisé et le lin de Louet se ressemblent comme deux gouttes d'eau mais celui-ci a été teint par Claudia handpainted yarns. Le coloris "just plum" est un joli violet nuancé.

Contrairement au chanvre, ce lin ne s'est pas assoupli lors du tricot mais je suis sûre qu'un bon lavage aurait fait l'affaire. J'ai préferé ne pas laver mon chapeau pour qu'il garde la forme d'un chapeau de paille.

La galerie d'avril, c'est par ICI!

Contest winner!

2010-03-29T21:38:00.005-04:00

Today is our fifth wedding anniversary! We went for dinner at a nice restaurant and came home to this beautiful bouquet from Boy's parents from our favorite florist.

But you want to know who the contest winner is and what was in the mystery box, right? No one guessed correctly, which I attribute to my somewhat misleading clue #2. Yes, I ordered from Spunky Eclectic but it was a special order so the item wasn't listed on Amy's website...

A new lazy kate! After taking a spinning class with Barb Parry, I realized that I was "fighting" with the lazy kate that came with my Victoria. This one has an adjustable brake so the angle is more convenient when plying and it still fits in my carrying bag. Now I can make 3-ply yarn!

I used Random.org to choose one of the 14 comments. The output was 10 and the 10th comment was Kathleen's. Congrats Kathleen! (I'll get your prize preferences via KR)

Thank you everyone for participating! (Anna, I really think you should mention to Louet your idea of a kit for making yarn lollipops for toddlers) Your guesses gave me ideas for future gifts and my birthday is not too far away...

Contest

2010-03-22T19:16:00.002-04:00

Mystery box
Originally uploaded by miminh3

In one week, Boy and I are celebrating our fifth wedding anniversary for which the traditional gift theme is "wood". Of course, I asked for a knitting/spinning related present and it arrived today!

The contest is simple: leave a comment with your guess as to what's in the mystery box by Sunday, March 28 11:59pm EST.
Clue 1 - it is a Louet product
Clue 2 - it was bought from Amy at Spunky Eclectic

I will pick from the correct answers (if there's no correct answer, I will pick randomly) and send the winner a box of goodies based on his/her preferences.
- If you're a beginning spinner, I'll send you a Golding spindle and roving.
- If you're a knitter, I will dive in my stash to find yarn in your preferred color family and preferred weight (lace/fingering/sport/worsted).

Thanks for playing!

Défi 13 de mars: Croisière

2010-03-13T14:08:00.010-05:00

La Novia scarf
Originally uploaded by miminh3

Hissez haut matelots! J'adore le thème de ce mois-ci parce que je vais partir en croisière au mois de mai. Pas n'importe quelle croisière non plus: une croisière en Alaska avec des cours de tricot! (cinq cours en tout, avec Donna Druchunas et Lucy Neatby)

Ma création est donc une écharpe pour me tenir chaud sur le pont, un merveilleux mélange de douceur (le fil est un mélange d'alpaca, soie, et de laine cormo de Foxfire fiber) et de vagues (modèle "La Novia" d'Anne Hanson). J'adore avoir des écharpes super longues, celle-ci mesure plus de 2m60! Grâce aux motifs de dentelle, elle n'est pas trop chaude.

Larguez les amarres et allez voir la galerie de mars!

----------------------------------------------

I used two skeins of Foxfire Cormo/Silk/Alpaca in "bluebird" and alternated them when knitting -- I bought the skeins from Barb at two different events (silly me!) so they were from different dye lots but luckily, they were quite close in color. The yarn is quite warm so a lace pattern is great for showcasing the color without losing warmth.

This scarf is the sibling of the "Patricia's shawl" (pattern by Lisa Lloyd) I knitted a couple of years ago out of Foxfire Cormo/Silk. I realized that I never posted a picture of it so here it is!

Défi 13 de février: Blanc

2010-02-28T20:13:00.005-05:00

Défi 13 de février: Blanc
Originally uploaded by miminh3

Ma création de février est un éloge à Clara Parkes. Les deux modèles sont extraits de son nouveau livre, The Knitter's Book of Wool et ont été tricotés avec la laine mérino organique de Swans Island.

J'ai suivi les conseils de Clara et tricoté les mitaines, "Sweet Fern Mitts", avec des aiguilles de 3.75mm. Pour le bonnet, "Hill Country Hat", j'ai utilisé des aiguilles de 4.5mm.

Verdict? Trente dollars pour une pelote de 230 mètres, ce n'est pas si cher si l'on considère les mailles presque parfaites, la douceur de la laine, et le fait qu'une pelote suffit pour un bonnet et une paire de mitaines.

Mille mercis à Emma, Faustine, Aurélie et Fred d'avoir tout organisé. Vite, je file voir les créations de tout le monde ICI!

-----------------------------------

Défi means "challenge" in French. The idea is to show a finished project on the 13th of the month (with a different theme every month) in order to ward off bad luck, but really it's about having fun and trying something outside of your comfort zone. Défi 13 is the sequel to Trico'13 which occurred in 2009 and only involved knitting. For Défi 13, you can either knit or sew. The theme for February was "white".

My February finished object is a tribute to Clara Parkes. The two patterns are taken from her new book, The Knitter's Book of Wool, and were knitted with Swans Island Organic Merino. I followed Clara's advice and knitted the Sweet Fern Mitts using US 5 needles. For the Hill Country Hat, I used US 7 needles.

My opinion? Thirty dollars for 250 yards is not so bad once you take into account the stitch definition, the softness of the yarn, and the fact that I was able to get a pair of mitts and a hat out of one skein. Many thanks to Emma, Faustine, Aurélie et Fred for organizing this. I'm off to look at everybody's finished projects HERE!

A typical weekend day

2010-02-13T21:55:00.006-05:00

Fiddlehead mittens at Quabbin
Originally uploaded by miminh3

I finished the Fiddlehead mittens during the snow storm that never materialized while watching an episode of Foyle's War. These mittens are toasty and sinfully soft on the inside.

Today, I took the mittens for a little roadtrip. Actually, it wasn't so much a roadtrip as a typical weekend day for Boy and me during winter time. February is the best month for Boy to spot bald eagles and I come along on his birding trips on a simple condition: each birding trip must include a stop at a yarn store.

After meeting Shaili for brunch, the mittens walked around Harvard Square and visited the Old Burying Ground. We then headed to western MA to go birding at the Quabbin reservoir. We finished the day in Northampton at Webs (yarns and books were purchased, courtesy of a gift certificate from my in-laws).

Among my purchases was Gail Callahan's book Hand-Dyeing Yarn and Fleece. During Melissa's class at the KR retreat, I was able to see some of the gorgeous yarns and fibers that Gail (aka The Kangaroo Dyer) had generously donated. Gail happened to be in the store this afternoon, she was all smiles, and signed my copy of her book!

Unfortunately I'm not able to attend her dyeing class at Webs this spring. My schedule is also in conflict with the spring classes taught by Melissa Morgan-Oakes and Kristin Nicholas but I hope that their classes will be offered again in the fall. I don't know if I will hand-dye much in the future but it is something that I want to try at least once so I signed up for Barb Parry's two-day "Dyeing to Spin" class this summer. It promises to be a lot of fun!

Yarn shop travelogue: Paris

2010-02-04T22:55:00.008-05:00

Paris
Originally uploaded by miminh3

You would think that having spent the first 20 years of my life in the Paris area, I would know the Parisian yarn shops like the back of my hand... Unfortunately I only really took to knitting after moving to the US so many of these shops remain unchartered territory. I do go back once a year so I hope to explore more locations. Until then, here are some stores that I am familiar with.

In the "most accessible" category, the winner is ... Phildar

Phildar is a yarn brand with many stores throughout France but it is also distributed in other countries. There are plenty of locations in the Paris area but the location I prefer is the one on the Rue Monge, as it is close to the Rue Mouffetard and the Jardin des Plantes.

They used to mostly carry blends containing acrylic (yet very nice to the touch) but started carrying natural fibres such as silk and cashmere in the last few years. Even though you can flip through the pattern catalogs and pet yarn at the store, I would recommend looking at their website before going to the physical store in order to narrow down choices.

In the "most diverse" category, the winner is ... Le Bon Marche

Le Bon Marche is a department store whose setup is reminiscent of Zola's "Au bonheur des dames": each yarn brand has its own counter, the counter's salesperson writes up a sales slip then you go to the cashier station to pay for your purchases. The advantage is that you get to see many brands in one spot (Anny Blatt, Rowan, Bouton D'Or, Noro, Plassard, Phildar,...). The drawback is that a given counter has a smaller selection than what the corresponding "brand store" would carry.

Warning: the counter of "La Droguerie" does not sell yarn except in a small number of kits. They do sell pattern books, ribbons, buttons, and all the supplies you need to make jewelry. If there's a line, write your name on the list and the salesperson will call your name when they're able to assist you. I've always had a very good experience there, especially when they helped me customize jewelry.

In the "eye-candy" category, the winner is ... Entree des fournisseurs

This gem carries fabric (such as Liberty), awesome haberdashery, and yarn. If you're like me and need time to shop, just send your traveling companions to one of the cafes at the Place des Vosges. The last time I was there, you couldn't pet the yarn to your heart's content unless a salesperson handed you the skein behind the counter. But the people are awfully nice, there's a nice selection of yarns (Fonty, Plassard, Anny Blatt, Debbie Bliss,...), and the store is just lovely.

In the "one-of-a-kind" category, the winner is ... La Droguerie

There are several La Droguerie stores in France and Japan. They sell their own yarns (available in a very wide range of colors) as well as buttons, ribbons, jewelry supplies, and fabric. Yarns are sold by weight, which means that you tell the salesperson which yarn, which colorway, and which quantity you want. Single patterns are only available with yarn purchase, but you can buy their pattern books without the yarn.

Let me explain the shopping process at the Paris store as it can be confusing for novices. If you want to buy yarn, wait in line on the left part of the store. If you want to buy beads, wait in line in the right part of the store. While you wait in line, you can look at the yarns or the knitted samples. This works much better as a two-person operation, provided you find a sympathetic non-knitter who can stand in line while you browse. Once it's your turn, tell the salesperson what you want and he/she will go in the back to wind the yarn for you.

If you want to minimize your wait time, don't come in November or December, avoid Saturdays, and come in the morning. Unfortunately, I don't really get to choose when I go there -- the last time I shopped there was on the first day of "les vacances de la Toussaint" and I waited for over an hour. But it's worth it! To make this experience as painless as possible, I recommend:
- looking at the yarns and colors posted on the blog
- browsing French blogs and Ravelry for patterns you might be interested in
- bringing Ann Budd's The Knitter's Handy Guide to Yarn Requirements so that you know how much yarn to buy if you don't have a specific pattern in mind

Road work ahead

2010-01-18T22:57:00.001-05:00

Fiddlehead mittens in progress
Originally uploaded by miminh3

The outer part of the Fiddlehead mittens is knitted, so it's time to weave in the ends... now I understand why Purlewe was working on weaving the ends of her multiple pairs of Fiddlehead mittens at the retreat! Tanis' kit includes merino yarn for the lining but I have two skeins of Rowan Kidsilk Haze in dark blue in my stash so I will use those for the lining. I have enough leftover yarn in the contrast and background colors that I can use them along with the unused lining yarn to knit a cute child hat.

My next project is a secret! I was sitting on the sidelines of Trico' 13 in 2009 but decided to join in the fun for Defi 13 in 2010.
- I'll have a finished object every month
- the monthly theme will force me to think outside the box
- I'll be able to connect with the French-speaking knit-bloggers that I've been admiring from afar and discover some new ones
The first theme is white and I've already chosen the yarn and the pattern. The secret project will be uncovered on February 28!

Yarn shop travelogue: Hawaii

2010-01-04T21:22:00.003-05:00

Yarn purchases while in Hawaii
Originally uploaded by miminh3

To me, a trip to a new location requires a visit to the local yarn store. This might explain why I have been to 107 yarn stores so far!

I would like to record my impressions of some of these yarn stores on this blog. Keep in mind that my perspective is that of the travelling knitter who might want to pick up some souvenir yarn, rather than the local knitter who needs sweater quantities of yarn in various weights and fibers.

The first destination in this yarn shop travelogue is Hawaii where I just spent ten days. You might not associate Hawaii with knitting but I was able to stop by four yarn stores on three islands!

The Needlework Shop in Lahaina (Maui)
You will find knitting, cross-stitching, and quilting at this store. The yarn selection emphasizes bamboo and other non-wool fibers and was on the small size *but* there were lots of nice goodies such as project bags that are quilted by the shop staff. The store is located in downtown Lahaina; as a tourist would undoubtedly walk around in that area, it would be a shame not to visit this store.

I picked up a skein of merino wool by Maui Yarns (right skein in picture), one yard of batik fabric (background of picture) that I might ask Amy to use for a custom bag, and some turtle-shaped buttons made out of coconut.

The Yarn Basket in Hilo (Big Island)
Holy moley, this store has an inventory larger than many of the East Coast yarn stores I've been to! I'm pretty sure that you could find there a yarn that is not carried at your LYS (except if your LYS is Webs perhaps). I was especially impressed by the wool section and the sock yarn selection. Once the owner mentioned that some of her customers spend time on the mainland or have grandchildren on the mainland, her wool inventory made sense to me.

Before my trip, I realized that I would not be able to see the Hawaiian Homegrown Wool Company at the farmers' market but lo and behold, there was some of their Romney wool that is raised, handspun, and handdyed on the Big Island at the store (middle skein in picture).

Tink and Ink in Kailua-Kona (Big Island)
This yarn store just opened a few months ago but it already has a nice selection of Aslan Trends, Berroco, Blue Ridge Yarns (from Virginia), Freedom, Noro, etc... When I was there, the ladies were sampling the various Malabrigo yarns (the chunky yarn is so squishy) and talking about which ones to order. I bought some Freedom Sincere organic cotton, Blue Ridge alpaca lace, and a pair of oak DPN needles made in Hawaii.

Hanalei Music's Strings and Things in Hanalei (Kauai)
This is a store that combines musical instruments (ukeleles) and yarn -- how fun! The owner has excellent taste and was able to pack this space with a lot of yarns: Frabjous fibers (from Vermont), Aslan Trends, Artyarns, Berroco, Noro, and many many more. There are many beautiful pins, unique buttons and handles for knitted bags.

What caught my eye was a line of yarns that are handdyed in Kauai using botanical extracts. There was cotton and merino but I bought a skein of baby alpaca with silver thread dyed with hibiscus flowers (left skein in picture). It is sinfully soft and will make a gorgeous buttoned wrap with the matching coconut buttons I got there.

Well, that's it for my knitting adventures in Hawaii. Aloha and Mahalo!

Mischief managed!

2009-12-15T23:01:00.003-05:00

Right twist cable socks
Originally uploaded by miminh3

My only holiday knitting project was finished with plenty of time to spare! The pattern, "Right twist cable socks" by Ann Budd in Getting started knitting socks, was easy to follow and the yarn had great stitch definition as well as a high "squeeze factor". I am definitely starting a love affair with the yarns dyed by Tanis. First there were these socks. The Fiddlehead mittens kit is currently on the needles and I've already received the matching Dipped Infinity Scarf kit.

I've received the advice of spinning a little every day to reinforce my muscle memory, so I've been spinning more often. I spun this Corriedale top dyed by Spunky Eclectic (in the "orchard" colorway) using a short forward draw and then plied it - all in one evening. The yarn is not as balanced as I would have liked but the colors should be nice for a child hat. I am signed up for a handspinning class with Barb Parry at Webs in February so I am very excited!

Boy and I will be off to Hawaii (or more precisely Maui, Kauai and Hawaii) over Christmas and New Year's. I might be able to visit a yarn store or two while we're there...

The loot of the century

2009-11-29T20:33:00.001-05:00

Marketplace
Originally uploaded by miminh3

Since we (Wendy, Luann, and I) had filled the car on the way to the retreat with our contributions to the Stash Lounge, any non-knitter would assume that space would not be an issue on the way back. This assumption is unfortunately flawed: yarn, like gas, fills all the space available to it.

We visited the Stash Lounge and shopped at the marketplace. We brought back yarn and fiber donated by Martha to raise money for KR (little plug here: please go to the KR forums and see if anything strikes your fancy). As Luann said, I definitely tried to break several laws of physics to make my acquisitions fit in my luggage. Among them were:

- from the goodie bag: a skein of Sundara worsted merino in "crushed cherries" destined to become either a Koolhaas hat or Thanksgiving Day Mitts
- from the Stash Lounge: a trio of Shibui yarns in "wasabi" left by Clara that I hope to use in a textured shawl, as I did a couple of years ago with various Mountain Colors yarns
- from my Winter share and the marketplace: Foxfire Fiber cormo alpaca lace in two different colors for an Ishbel and a Swallowtail shawl
- enough String Theory caper sock in "viola" to make a sweater or a vest
- Spirit Trail's new yarn "Sunna" for a pair of socks and some "Frija" for a pair of Hedgerow mitts for myself

I set aside my new goodies as I am working on a Christmas present. When my in-laws were visiting us this fall, I lent my mother-in-law a pair of socks I had knitted out of STR lightweight. She liked them so much that I offered to knit her a pair of socks for Christmas. She wanted a soft variegated green so I found a skein of fingering weight yarn from Tanis Fiber Arts in "spearmint" in my stash.

The pattern is "Right Twist Cable Rib socks" by Ann Budd. When trying to lure non-knitters to the dark side of handknitted socks, I think it's better to start with a simple non-lacy pattern. This gets them hooked on the warmth and softness. After that, you can sell them on the color-coordinating possibilities and the coolness of the designs. If all fails, I can always buy the pin that Kathleen was wearing at the retreat "yes, I know that I can buy socks for $2 at Walmart".

Once I am done with these socks and the Fiddlehead mittens, I would like a matching Tanis kit for the Dipped Infinity Scarf by Laura Chau. I also want to tackle La Droguerie's latest hit, le Carre Magique Dentelle (in purple, of course!).

KR retreat - part 3

2009-11-27T20:38:00.002-05:00

"Wedding" ceremony
Originally uploaded by miminh3

During Sunday breakfast, I tried to take pictures of all the tables (wedding style) so that I would be better at remembering names and faces. I wish we could mouse over the pictures to see the name of the knitter and the pattern/yarn used in the garment he/she is wearing... Next time perhaps!

That morning I was lucky enough to win an antique darning egg as a door prize (it is rather heavy so I'll have to figure out how to use it without damaging it nor the sock). And I got the courage to ask Ann Budd to sign my copy of "Getting Started Knitting Socks". She's such a fun down-to-earth person! I hope that she will join the retreat again next year, perhaps as a teacher.

(I tried to explain to Boy how much Ann has contributed to the knitting community with her books and while working for Interweave. I said "imagine the KR retreat is like a violin master class with Gil Shaham and Anne-Sophie Mutter. Having Ann Budd there is like Itzhak Perlman coming at the last minute". I think he got the picture.)

I chose the Fiddlehead mittens by Adrian Bazilia (kit by Tanis Fiber Arts) as my New Beginnings project. We all cast on (OK, maybe not everyone since some people were "protesting" and some people had already cast on) while Clara presided over a very special wedding ceremony between us and our projects. Let's see how that relationship blossoms over the upcoming year!

The Spirit Trail tailgate sale morphed this year into a full-fledged marketplace as we were able to buy from the vendors who had not yet packed up (is there anything as heartbreaking as the thought of the yarn you let go?). I hugged everyone one last time and promised Mary and Louise that I would do the dance of the seven veils next year (if sufficiently liquored up and in exchange for a bird house).

I remember how (unnecessarily) scared and shy I was at my first retreat. As each year passes by, I become more outgoing and get to learn more from the knitters around me. This is the weekend where I fill up with the good vibes from my knitting friends and they keep me knitting throughout the year!

KR retreat - part 2

2009-11-27T20:08:00.005-05:00

Clara signing copies of KBOW
Originally uploaded by miminh3

Almost all the retreat participants had arrived by Friday dinner and we had our usual "Show and tell" after dinner. Clara asked us to describe our philosophy of knitting and where we were at with our knitting. We heard the themes of knitting for community, having too many projects at once, wishing we had more time to knit,... all of which I can sympathize with!

On Saturday morning, we gathered outside to take our group picture and an additional special picture for Fran. We then proceeded to our classes, mine was Melissa Morgan-Oakes' class on finishing techniques. I really liked her sock class last year and since I have issues with finishing (let us not speak of the sweater that only needs to be seamed and has been languishing in a basket for the last year), this was the right choice! Our homework had us knitting nine swatches in various stitch patterns and we worked through the different seaming possibilities during the class (horizontal stockinette, vertical stockinette, ribbing, seed stitch). I just have a few more seams and I'll have a snazzy pillow cover!

I was (of course) first in line for the afternoon marketplace: don't let my small stature fool you, I can be pretty feisty if you come between me and the yarn I love! (I will post about my loot in another post). One of the highlights of the marketplace was Clara signing copies of "The Knitter's Book of Wool" (while we petted the sample garments from the book). I was a little star-struck when asking Melanie Falick (former IK editor, author and designer extraordinaire, the force behing STC craft books) to sign my copy of "Weekend Knitting". Melanie also had the swatches from Lynne Barr's new book, "Reversible Knitting", for us to look at (the techniques in "Knitting new scarves" had already bowled me over, wait til you read her new book).

Storey Publishing was kind enough to open its doors to us for a few hours so I was able to buy various knitting ("101 Designer one-skein wonders") and sewing ("101 One Yard wonders") books at wholesale price. I also bought a birding book for Boy so that he wouldn't feel left out.

After our traditional Thanksgiving dinner, we reconvened for Melanie's presentation. I dutifully took notes as she explained how she got into knitting, her path from writer to editor, and how the books at STC Craft come to life. We even had a preview of the 2010 books (seen here - I am looking forward to Veronik Avery's "Knitting 24/7").

After the presentation, Luann happened to be at the right time at the right place (aka in front of the locked Stash Lounge as Karen of String Theory was dropping off her destash). Somehow Sara, Vicki, Luann, and I found ourselves huddled in the dark corridor using Luann's little flashlight to identify the various balls of yarn ("is this Rowan Felted tweed?" "No, I think it's Elsebeth Lavold Silky Wool." "This is so soft, it has to be Malabrigo lace!"). Vicki even took what I thought were "blackmail" pictures, which would make a lot of sense had she not been guilty of taking some of Karen's yarn like the rest of us!

For next year I propose a "Yarn Off" (TM): 10 unlabelled balls of yarn which need to be identified.

KR retreat - part 1

2009-11-27T19:19:00.004-05:00

Stash lounge
Originally uploaded by miminh3

A week has passed since we left Williamstown but I'm still high from the wonderful (extended) weekend I spent in the company of my fellow knitters.

The excitement about the retreat started long before Thursday afternoon, as Wendy, Luann, and I were emailing back and forth about our carpool. Luann had warned us that her destash would be of gigantic proportions and indeed, I think it was probably only second to Rosi's destash. In any case, we were able to make everything fit in Wendy's Camry though we could have spared ourselves some of the trouble (at the end of the weekend, we realized that the three of us just took from each other's destash in a very nice cyclic permutation).

Being part of the Thursday extension not only allows you to take one extra class but also to relax and fully enjoy the atmosphere. There's nothing quite like arriving at the retreat, being welcomed by Martha and Kendra with our generous goodie bags (more on that later), and being hugged by fellow knitters whether you have met them in previous years or only online. You let go of anything that your mind is preoccupied with (work, family,...) and just happily chat and knit away. You giggle as you go one more time to the stash lounge ("I'm walking there purely to get some exercise"), pet other people's garments and ask them what yarn and pattern they used.

On Friday morning, I took Shelia's beginning/intermediate spinning class. It was a lot of fun to see people have a "aha moment" when doing park and draft with their spindles. Shelia lent us square spindles from Spindlewood Co. (which I had never tried before, they're beautiful and perfectly balanced) and gave us different fibers to use including roving from her own Shetland/Gotland sheep Ingamar (who now has many fans -- let's hope it won't go to his head). I reacquainted myself with my wheel and Shelia showed me how to spin long-draw. I hope to practice often enough that I'll be able to spin both short forward draw and long-draw.

On Friday afternoon, Eva and I were lucky enough to help Jen of Spirit Trail set up her booth for Saturday's marketplace (what passes as an act of altruism is really a self-serving way to fondle the yarns and "pre-shop"). Chris (Roosien, not to be confused with "the other Kris") and Anne Hanson of Knitspot made a homey Briar Rose corner by the fireplace, Kathryn Alexander showcased her colorful bundles of yarn, her books, and her sock pattern in "The Joy of Sox", Jane was setting up the book signing tables for Clara and Melanie Falick while Barb and Holly took care of the Foxfire booth (including the luscious new Cormo Alpaca that was part of my Winter Sheep Share).

Lost in translation

2009-11-15T21:40:00.002-05:00

Back in February, I heard Jenny and Nicole's podcast on Japanese knitting patterns and was quite intrigued. Clara has reviewed Japanese stitch dictionaries in Interweave Knits. Knitters post on KR about beautiful lace patterns or aran sweaters they have seen in Japanese books. Several of the French blogs I read regularly use Japanese sewing patterns. Judy Sumner mentions in her book, Knitted Socks East and West, some never-seen before stitches. Here was this wealth of resources that I had not yet looked into, I had to remedy to it! So I'm signed up for a class entitled "Explore Japanese Knitting from Charts" with Donna Druchunas next May, during our Alaska cruise.

But before then, there are plenty of things for me to explore. Because Japanese patterns only give one size, the easiest thing is to start with accessories: there's just one size and gauge doesn't matter as much as for sweaters. So I am building a library!

While visiting String Theory this summer, I picked up a copy of Aran Knit. As I was already ordering yarn from Julija's shop, I had to order this book of socks. De Afstap in Amsterdam had a copy of the very handy Clear and Simple knitting symbols.

On the fence

2009-11-15T21:36:00.001-05:00

Fence row socks
Originally uploaded by miminh3

While in Europe, I knitted nine swatches (my homework for the KR retreat) and finished a pair of socks, the Fence row socks. The pattern is by Lisa Lloyd and the yarn is Fox Sox from Foxfire Fiber designs in "Willow".

The 4 round repeat is easy to remember and I am looking forward to knitting more patterns from Lisa Lloyd, especially the ones from "A Fine Fleece". Unfortunately, I haven't seen her patterns in Wildfibers magazine lately but I hope she will be back with more patterns.

I believe that Barb Parry is no longer dyeing the Fox Sox yarn, as she is focusing on her Farm Yarn collection from her own flock. The textured stitch of the socks showcases the yarn color beautifully as the little purl bumps reflect the subtle color changes. Taking a dyeing class with Barb is on my wishlist for 2010!

I had plenty of Fox Sox yarn leftover so I was able to knit a charity hat to bring to the retreat. That's four hats so far so I'm hoping to knit a few more between now and the end of the retreat.

"Purple is a fruit" (Homer Simpson)

2009-11-13T21:13:00.001-05:00

Waves in the square shawl
Originally uploaded by miminh3

I was going to post about this project earlier this week but my laptop screen unexpectedly died after six years of faithful service. Also forgive the horrible indoor picture -- I will try to take a better picture of the shawl outside this weekend (it gets dark around 5pm in Boston so no sunlight when I get back from work),

I started this shawl almost two years ago as my New Beginnings project at the KR retreat. It was the lack of portability, not the pattern, that made this such a long process: I needed to see the chart, the rows were very long, and silk lace is slippery. I credit Fran and her "ten minute rule" for helping me see this project to completion.

The pattern is "Waves in the square" by Sivia Harding. Like the Diamond Fantasy shawl, it is very clear and easy to follow with both charted and written directions. The construction is quite clever: this is not your regular triangular shawl but a trapezoid with two adjacent triangles (but knitted in one piece). The triangles allow you to tie the shawl in the front and the trapezoid corresponds to your back (the straight edge doesn't empasize one's behind, as a triangular shawl of this size would).

The yarn is Sundara silk lace in "black over violet" which first intimidated me because of its fineness and slipperriness. But I got used to it and switched from the Addi lace needles to the regular Addi turbos to knit faster. Sundara did a fantastic dye job (as usual), there was no excess dye when I was knitting. When I blocked the shawl however, a large amount of excess dye came out. Following Sundara's recommendations, I left the shawl soak in very hot water for at least an hour and rinsed it afterwards. The water was still colored after a dozen of rinses but I had no dye on my blocking board.

I am quite happy with the finished project and will proudly wear it with my new purple coat to the KR retreat next week!

Next post: a pair of finished socks and my foray into japanese knitting books.

Bling bling

2009-10-20T20:53:00.002-04:00

Gilet a rangs raccourcis
Originally uploaded by miminh3

I finished my GRR (the famous Gilet a Rangs Raccourcis) months ago but I only made the fastening brooch yesterday so at last, here's the finished set!

I haven't dabbled much in wire/jewelry/beads things except for making stitch markers. The brooch only took me a couple of hours so I'm hoping to make the matching necklace before the end of the year.

The gilet is knitted with La Droguerie's "alpaga" and "plumette" yarns. "Alpaga" is of course 100% alpaca, it is very close to Drops Alpaca and available in many colors (the heathered ones are especially stunning). "Plumette" is a kid mohair/polyamid blend whose colors often match the alpaga. The alpaga/plumette mix was soft but my fingers tell me that if I'm going to knit with a mohair blend, then I might as well knit with Kidsilk Haze so I will probably knit La Droguerie's patterns with an alpaga/KSH mix from now on.

I'm heading to Paris and Amsterdam in two weeks. It just so happens that:
- La Droguerie is releasing a new book at the end of the month (you can see a preview as an Advent calendar here)
- Amsterdam's main yarn store is the Rowan distributor for the Netherlands. Perhaps Kim Hargreaves' new book, Winter Blooms, will be out by then?

Stepping Stones scarf

2009-10-18T17:53:00.002-04:00

Stepping Stones scarf
Originally uploaded by miminh3

Someone I know is taking a two year sabbatical so I wanted to give her something to wish her good luck. She's always commented on my knitting -- I even knitted her a pair of Mac and Me yoga socks a few years ago. I wanted a scarf that would be soft like a big hug, something that she could wear indoors as well as outdoors. The answer was a Stepping Stones scarf.

I finished it way ahead of the deadline: it only took me two weeks. The pattern (by Jane) was easy to memorize and the yarn (Ixchel by Spirit Trail) produced a nice and colorful "meandering". I hope the recipient likes it!

Notice the nifty blocking contraption? I was getting tired of using the guest bed and wet towels every time something required blocking so when I saw the Knitter's Block at a LYS, I splurged.

My next blocking adventure: the shawl that was two years in the making...

2009-10-12T22:38:00.002-04:00

The Quad
Originally uploaded by miminh3

Don't you wish you were sitting in one of those Adirondack chairs and knitting? I do!

In my next post: two finished projects!

Mmmm... Fall

2009-10-04T00:22:00.006-04:00

Foxfire Fiber studio
Originally uploaded by miminh3

It's fall foliage time in New England - though I am sad that the summer was so short, I love fall as it means perfect knitting weather, new yarns in the shops, and the KR retreat (among other things).

In between day trips to admire the leaves and studying, I've been able to stop at the Green Mountain Spinnery (their new book, 99 Yarns and Counting, is out and I highly recommend it) and attend the autumn open house organized by Barbara Parry for the Sheep Shares members.

Unfortunately, I came a little late so between that and the rain, I did not get to see the sheep but I caught a glimpse of Caitlyn (I think), one of the two llamas. It was great to hear Barb talk about the year and the exciting plans she has lined up for next year. She had many treats for us, both of the sugary kind and fibery kind (I won two skeins of Cormo Silk Alpaca in variegated purple/brown)! I touched some of Teaberry's winning fleece... I might have to add a fiber share in 2010 :)

Project-wise, I'm knitting on a deadline! The goal is to have a finished Stepping Stones scarf by the end of October. The pattern is by Jane Cochran and I'm using Spirit Trail "Ixchel" in a beautiful blue/purple. I'm about halfway done so let's see if I make it on time!

The virtues of stashing

2009-09-07T21:00:00.001-04:00

Tulip cardigan
Originally uploaded by miminh3

The latest finished object chez Minky is the Tulip cardigan by Dream in Color, made famous by the Yarn Harlot. I purchased the kit at Purl Diva a few weeks ago. Since it was the 6-9 months size, I was wondering if I could knit it in time for baby Madison's arrival. Ellen said that I could knit it in a weekend and indeed, it took me just over a weekend!

I didn't use an i-cord edging but instead picked up the neck stitches and knitted a few rows in moss stitch. Notice anything weird about the sleeves? No, they're not symmetric! I ran out of yarn for the second sleeve but thanks to my humongous stash, I was able to find pretty good color matches in String Theory superwash merino DK (Boy says he can't tell the difference).

Currently on the needles:
- Waves in the square shawl: only 20 rows to go (each row is now about 550 stitches long)
- a pair of socks in Foxfire Fiber's Fox Sox

Adventure in fair isle

2009-08-23T21:00:00.003-04:00

Fair Annika's hat
Originally uploaded by miminh3

In an attempt to prevent my stash from growing too fast, I have been knitting furiously. I may have purchased a few things at Purl Soho, Knitty City, String Theory, and Purl Diva but let's think of those as "souvenirs" rather than "yarn purchases", shall we?

Projects finished during July and August 2009:

- the Gilet a Rangs Raccourcis from La Droguerie. I actually bought enough supplies at La Droguerie to make a necklace/brooch set to wear with the GRR (it closes with a brooch) so I'll post pictures once I get started on the matching jewelry.

- the Blue Fish from Blue Sky Alpacas for baby Madison (expected arrival date: October 29). How wonderful to have jury duty and get uninterrupted knitting time!

- an easy baby hat from the leftover Blue Sky Alpacas Cotton

- the Sugar Plum Cardi from Sublime also for baby Madison. Note to self: do not knit baby sweaters that need to be seamed. The seaming will take as long as the knitting.

- the Fair Annika's hat from String Theory.

This is my first "real" fair isle project and I'm rather pleased with the results. It is a present for my great-aunt but I really enjoyed this project so I will definitely knit another hat for myself but in different colorways. Some ideas for next time:
- I was not consistent with the way I held the background and contrast yarns, I should remedy that next time.
- I should reread the IK article on jogless stripes.
- I can't count to 120 apparently so I must use stitch markers for the picot edge

Next in line: Sivia Harding's Waves in the Square shawl. I can't believe I started this in November 2007. Only 50 rows to go!

I won, I won!

2009-07-16T22:40:00.003-04:00

Baby pants
Originally uploaded by miminh3

There are days when you don't want to get out of bed and there are days when you are very happy you did get out of bed! I entered the contest on Amy O'Neill Houck's blog to win a Spud and Chloe kit for her Aztec scarf pattern. Lo and behold, I won! Many thanks to Amy and the people at Blue Sky Alpacas! I hope my burgeoning crochet skills will do justice to the beautiful pattern and yummy yarn.

The same week, I read Clara's review of Spud and Chloe and ordered some Fine and Sweater yarn from kpixie. I knitted a pair of toddler pants in two evenings and fell in love with Sweater. I'm not a big fan of cotton but this is different. It's cotton and merino. It's squishy. It comes in awesome colors. It's machine washable. It's my new best friend for handknitted baby items.
(Edited to add: the pants are a loose adaptation of Alison's baby bell bottoms. The cherries bag, purchased from the KR boutique, will hopefully be full of baby knits for a friend who's expecting a little girl in October.)

I was in California earlier this week and was able to stop by the Purlsoho.com warehouse. Even though it was a warehouse, the fabrics and yarns everywhere made the whole place magical. I have never seen so many colors of Koigu KPPM (I don't think there are as many colors in the Purl location in New York) so I picked up a couple of Koigu skeins and... two more skeins of Spud and Chloe Sweater. This might become as addictive as sock yarn.

Il y a un début à tout

2009-06-29T20:36:00.004-04:00

Hedgerow Mitts
Originally uploaded by miminh3

Since I started knitting "seriously" a few years ago, I have never knitted anything for Boy. It's not that he's not supportive of my hobby (some might say "obsession") but I couldn't find anything that
(1) I would like to knit (because black dress socks don't sound exciting to me)
(2) he would like to wear more than once
until Amy's Hedgerow mitts.

Boy will be glad to wear these when looking at birds with his binoculars or taking pictures. I was happy to knit the mitts especially because I had one skein of the yarn that they called for, Frija from Spirit Trail (this skein was acquired via Jen's yarn club). Boy and I agreed that the color was manly enough for him, but the subtle variegation and the cashmere content kept me happy while knitting.

Notes to self for future pairs of Hedgerow mitts:
- make sure that the decreases and increases occur between the 2 purl stitches so that they blend with the rest of the pattern
- when picking up stitches after the thumb gusset, knit them through the back loop to prevent holes

Two FOs before I forget

2009-06-21T16:37:00.005-04:00

I've been reminded that I forgot to post pictures of some recent finished objects.

Project #1: Morning Surf Scarf by Jackie Erickson-Schweitzer (free pattern here) using Funky Carolina's handdyed and handspun merino.

This was a very quick and easy knit and will make a nice spring/summer scarf to showcase the handdyed and handspun yarn.

Project #2: Elfine Socks by Anna Bell (free pattern here) using Sundara sock yarn in sea green over willow.

These are knitted toe-up with a wrapped short-row heel. I didn't realize how stretchy the pattern was so they are a little too big for me. I'm not 100% satisfied with how the short-row heel came out so I'll have to work on that in my future sock projects.

The Maine fiber frolic was great: glorious weather, nice vendors, and not too many people -- I even got to see a sock knitting machine in action. I made my planned stops at Spunky Eclectic (if you're a spinner, have you ordered Amy's book yet?) and String Theory (Karen just started a blog). I discovered a new hand-dyer, Dye Dreams, who was selling Blue Faced Leicester sock yarn. I've never knitted with BFL before (though I've spun with it already) so this will be a new experience.

May in a snap -- part 2

2009-06-02T21:33:00.002-04:00

Roman forum
Originally uploaded by miminh3

The vacation in Italy was great despite the lack of knitting focus (unlike our vacation to New Zealand). But knitting is everywhere around us so when I saw this building near the Roman Forum, my first reaction was Koolhaas Hat!

While travelling by train between Rome and Florence and taking the plane, I started a pair of Anna Bell's Elfine socks with Sundara sock yarn in "sea green over willow". The first sock is almost done, I'm hoping to finish the pair by the end of this weekend after going to the Maine Fiber Frolic.

I'm also halfway done with La Droguerie's gilet a rangs raccourcis (i.e. short row cardigan). Not the most thrilling knitting project since it's all garter stitch but it is the perfect project for knitting in the dark because you only need to count stitches from the edge once in a while (which you can do in the dark by touch). The alpaga/plumette mix is highly squeezable too!

May in a snap -- part 1

2009-06-02T21:05:00.002-04:00

Diagonal lace socks
Originally uploaded by miminh3

May went by quickly between the New Hampshire sheep and wool festival, an exam, a visit from my parents, and a trip to Italy.

The NH sheep and wool was a lot of fun. This time, I got to see the most experienced dogs during the sheep dog trials and they were very impressive. Almost perfect scores and plenty of time to spare. Of course, I didn't come home empty-handed thanks to stops at the Foxfire fiber, Grafton Fibers, and Ball and Skein booths.

It was nice to see Barb Parry again and have my copy of her book autographed. I discovered her yarn at the NH S&W two years ago and am always looking to get my hands on more of her yarn and fiber at the Maine Fiber Frolic, Massachusetts Sheep and Wool, Knitter's Review Retreat, and now her Sheep Shares Club. Can you tell I'm hooked?

Despite the flurry of activity, I finished my Diagonal Lace socks and am pretty happy with the fit.

One sock in April, one sock in May

2009-04-30T19:58:00.002-04:00

My pair of socks for April/May is from Wendy Johnson's "Socks from the toe up": it's the Diagonal lace socks which I'm knitting out of Sundara sock yarn in "Denim over Prussian" acquired ages ago.

I'm knitting with 50 stitches rather than the recommended 66 stitches so there are fewer pattern repeats around the foot and I also had to fiddle with the stitch count for the gusset heel. It's my first gusset heel and I can't help looking at it thinking "a gusset heel for a toe-up sock is like a heel turn for a cuff-down sock". Put that together with "an afterthough heel is like a toe" and then you start thinking that foot anatomy is very strange indeed.

I accomplished one of my KR retreat goals: knitting with handspun yarn (no, it wasn't spun by me but by the lovely Carrie at Funky Carolina). After trying several patterns, I decided on the Morning Surf Scarf that I had seen in the Summer 2008 Spin-Off. I'll post a picture once it's blocked.

Mademoiselle Dentelle

2009-04-13T20:56:00.002-04:00

Echarpe dentelle
Originally uploaded by miminh3

I finished this lace scarf a while ago but only got around to blocking it this weekend. It uses La Droguerie's Alpaga in "erables" (maple) which is fortuitous since the recipient is Canadian. The pattern is really just one row to memorize so it was the perfect knitting project to carry around.

Now it's time to choose a new sock project! I'll be poring over Cookie A's Sock innovation and Wendy Johnson's Socks from the toe up...

Trying something new...

2009-03-31T20:56:00.001-04:00

crochet swatch
Originally uploaded by miminh3

Crochet. Who would have thought??

I'm learning the basic stitches so that I will be able to seam and finish my knitted projects painlessly in the future. This Rowan book is great for beginners like me.

Am I the only one who thinks that crochet is harder than knitting? I have to look up the description of every stitch as I tend to confuse them in my head. That, and I also can't remember if I should count the turning chain stitches or not on a given row. But as for knitting, I'm sure that I'll eventually get it :)

March Phat Fiber box

2009-03-19T20:08:00.001-04:00

March Phat Fiber box
Originally uploaded by miminh3

What's better than getting yarn or fiber from an indie producer? Getting yarn or fiber from 20!

I was lucky enough to get a Phat Fiber Sampler for March after reading the review on Knitty. Plenty of fiber to spin (probably on one of my spindles rather than the wheel in order to get a better feel for each fiber), handspun or hand-dyed yarns to swatch with (maybe the cute crochet pattern that was in my box), a stitch marker, a yarny bookmark, a pretty notecard, and many coupons.

More knitting presents!

2009-03-16T21:17:00.004-04:00

I just rotated to a new department but it was with a heavy heart that I left my coworkers of 15 months who are now my friends. They know about my yarn addiction and my knitting obsession (the KR calendar on my desk might have been a tip off) through my frequent mentions of knitting blogs, knitting podcasts, and knitting retreats. One of them, the only woman, is a knitter but the guys don't get it so I was really surprised when they gave me some wonderful goodbye gifts: "The Opinionated Knitter" by EZ, a skein of Jade Sapphire Cashmere (who doesn't love cashmere?!), and a matching pattern (Dragon Scale scarf by Bad Cat Designs). So now I have to plan some knitting gifts for them, though one of them already received the Koolhaas hat I was knitting during the last KR retreat.

Square 2 of the Barn Raising Quilt is finished: 2 down, only 40 to go! I'm hoping that the Rowan's Crochet Workshop will teach me some good crochet finishing skills so that putting the squares together won't be painful.

I'm almost done with a lace scarf from La Droguerie and will post a picture when it's done and blocked.

A Yarny Valentine's Day

2009-02-18T19:53:00.001-05:00

zengarden
Originally uploaded by miminh3

or "Singles awareness day" as one of my friends likes to call it.

I received this lovely yarn bouquet from Boy. Why give flowers that will not last long when you can give yarn? ;)

True blue

2009-02-16T20:08:00.002-05:00

Duet sock
Originally uploaded by miminh3

My February socks are a pair of stockinette toe-up socks with an afterthought heel in Duet sock yarn. This yarn is DK weight so it knits up quickly and will keep me warm and toasty this winter.

I'm planning on keeping my leftover sock yarn to make a Barn Raising Quilt. This first square is knitted out of Sundara sock yarn in "Denim over Prussian". Wouldn't a quilt made entirely out of Sundara yarn be awesome?!

First FO of the year

2009-01-18T19:56:00.003-05:00

Hedgerows socks
Originally uploaded by miminh3

I'm on the right track to keeping my knitting resolution of knitting 6 pairs of socks this year -- I present to you a pair of Hedgerow socks, designed by the lovely Jane, in the yarn it actually called for (Sundara sock yarn in "green over apricot").

I knit these two at a time on one circular needle following Melissa's book (and her class at the KR retreat). If you're going to do the same, just pay attention to the distribution of stitches for the heel flap before you start knitting. Since Jane cleverly makes the stitch pattern continue onto the heel, you might want to have the corresponding number of stitches on each side of the cord so that you don't need to move stitches around when you get to the heel flap.

Our trip to London and Paris was very nice. It was hard to come back to work and I still haven't full readjusted. I bought many cute buttons while travelling and purchased enough yarn for the two coveted sweaters at La Droguerie. The gilet a rangs raccourcis is fastened with a brooch so I bought all the pearls/buttons/wire needed to make a brooch and a matching necklace at Le Bon Marche (La Droguerie stand).

I have many pictures of London but their public transport campaign was so cute that I thought I'd share a couple of pictures with you. Just click here!

Putting your money where your yarn is

2008-12-14T23:14:00.003-05:00

Fingerless mitts
Originally uploaded by miminh3

If you haven't listened to David Reidy's essay on how to spend your knitting money in these troubled times, do so now!

I'm not as eloquent as David but I have been thinking on how to be a responsible knitter during this recession.
- give money to charities like Heifer
- knit for charity and give extra yarn to charities
- knit from the stash as much as possible
- buy yarn only if it's special or one-of-a-kind
- buy from small indie producers and if possible, sign up for a monthly club (the regular payment is good for everybody!)
- ask for gift certificates to the LYS from lovely relatives (I got a gift card from my in-laws to spend at Knit a round!)

These rainbow mitts were a quick knit. I bought them last year as a kit from La Droguerie (the brown background is bamboo and the color stripes are alpaca). I would definitely put yarns from La Droguerie in the "special/one-of-a-kind" category since they're hard to get by for me. I'll be in Paris over the holidays so I have been thinking a lot about what I should stock up on there. I've been eyeing these two projects:
-Veste trapeze en alpaga et bambou
-Gilet a rangs raccourcis en alpaga et plumette

I give thanks to the KR retreat!

2008-12-14T22:46:00.003-05:00

Williamstown
Originally uploaded by miminh3

The weekend before Thanksgiving was spent in Williamstown at the Knitter's Review retreat. Though it was my third retreat, I still have doubts when I go spend a weekend with strangers. But here's the thing, these people are not strangers! They're friends that I've met online or in real life (at sheep and wool festivals or prior retreats) or soon-to-be friends. Instead of an imaginary husband, I was accompanied by an imaginary roommate as Rho unfortunately broke her arm a few weeks before the retreat :(

I was lucky to get in the Thursday extension and this made a big difference for me. More time to relax, more time to get to know people, 2 classes instead of one, and the opportunity to see the "behind-the-scenes" (Jen from Spirit Trail and Barb from Foxfire fiber are probably tired of it, but I thought it was great to pack/unpack the booths for the marketplace!).

My list of knitting resolutions is more realistic this year so I'm determined to make it work!
- knit at least one charity item per month
- knit 6 pairs of socks
- finish one lace item (my New Beginnings project from last year!)
- finish one color item (this year's New Beginnings project: Kate Gilbert's Bird in Hand mittens)
- finish one sweater (the Kim Hargreaves top that just needs to be seamed...)
- knit one item from handspun yarn (not necessarily handspun by me)
- have a stash that I feel comfortable with

Finding the right sock

2008-11-09T21:50:00.002-05:00

For the past two months, I've been exclusively knitting small projects for charity:
- hats and squares for the 7 Long Project from Stash and Burn. I even won a prize in their drawing, woohoo!
- hats for the KR retreat charity
- washcloths for Friday Night Supper (I am putting together some toiletry packages with soap, shampoo, toothpaste/toothbrush,... and a handknitted washcloth!)

These projects make me feel very productive but it's about time that I go back to my favorite stand-by: knitting socks! So I am now on the hunt for the pattern to get back on track.

On a hat roll

2008-09-30T20:55:00.003-04:00

Yesterday, I sent 4 basic hats and 3 squares for the 7 Long Project. Jenny and Nicole said that it would be an ongoing project so I plan on sending more hats throughout the year, but using varied patterns and always superwash yarn.

I also have hat #2 on the needles for the KR retreat. These hats don't need to be machine washable so I've been using baby alpaca, silk/wool, and cashmere. Hmmm, cashmere...

Boy and I are going to San Diego next weekend so I'm looking forward to stopping by an In-n-Out burger and escaping the rainy weather on the East Coast. I'll have a copy of the new Stephanie Pearl McPhee book to keep me company on the plane as well as my knitting, of course.

Back from the land of chocolate

2008-09-12T20:02:00.003-04:00

View of the Matterhorn
Originally uploaded by miminh3

The trip to Switzerland was a blast: crystal-clear lakes, glaciers at 4,000m of altitude and awesome food. This picture of the Matterhorn was taken from our hotel balcony in Zermatt.

I was even able to do some yarn shopping! Some highlights were
- HandArt located in the lovely neighborhood of Niederdorf in Zurich
- Vilfil (also in Zurich) which was overwhelming by the sheer quantity of yarn available
- the crafts market in Luzern where I was able to purchase some handspun yarn (the fleece came from the local milk sheep).

I am currently knitting hats for the 7 Long project organized by Jenny and Nicole from Stash and Burn and for the KR retreat. Let's see how many hats I can knit by the end of November...

Yarn stores I mail-ordered from

2008-08-18T19:22:00.012-04:00

For completeness, here's the list of yarn stores I've ordered from over the phone or over the web.

Brick-and-mortar stores

The Fold, Marengo IL
Jimmy Beans Wool, Reno NV
Knit-Purl, Portland OR
Lettuce Knit, Toronto ON
Loop, Philadelphia PA
Modern Yarn, Montclair NJ
Purl, Tustin CA
String Theory, Blue Hill ME
Three Bags Full, Vancouver BC
Webs, Northampton MA
The Yarn and Fiber Company, Derry NH
Julija's shop, Antwerp Belgium

Online yarn stores

Angelika's Yarn store
Knitty-Noddy
kpixie
Little Knits
Loopy Ewe
One Planet Yarn and Fiber
Pick up sticks
simplysockyarn
Sonny and Shear
The Sweet Sheep
Two Swans Yarns
Woolgirl
Yarnissima
Yarn4socks
Yarnzilla

Indie dyers

Blue Moon Fiber Arts
Briar Rose Fibers
Funky Carolina
Hello Yarn
Knitterly things
Solitude
Spirit Trail
Spunky Eclectic
Sundara
Sunshine yarns
Sweet Georgia
Tanis Fiber Arts
Tausendschon
Yarntini
Wollmeise
Wool Candy