So I have started another Sahara, this time in that amazing merino bamboo blend that I bought at the Knit Happens sale. I have decided to name it Route One, since the large amount of straight stockinette knitting has made it an excellent commuting project.  Let me explain what I mean. This is my sweater and I on Route 1 this evening, trying to get home. Take note of the Ford emblem that is most definitely at the center of my steering wheel. Yes, I am knitting and driving. Mostly knitting and sitting in traffic. Route 1 actually provides such an amazing amount of knitting time…dead stopped traffic that moves only a few hundred feet every few minutes… I have literally knitting most of what you see in my morning and evening commutes on Route 1. In addition, I even had time to photograph myself knitting in my car while sitting in traffic. Amazing, truly amazing this DC traffic.

Lets all thank this cop for pulling someone over (for what, I wonder, since it is nearly impossible to speed on Route 1 during rush hour) but deciding that it made sense to do so at this exact spot. (Maybe this person was knitting in traffic?  Is that a crime?) You will notice the large parking garage in the background. There is an entrance to that garage that will fit at least three cars wide… making me wonder why this cop car and the person getting the ticket decided to stop just three feet short of this entrance and block an entire lane on Route 1.

But thanks to them, I now have three more inches on my sweater! This project is, of course, a class. (What would I be doing knitting something that isn’t for a class). Its at Knit Happens starting April 21st on Monday nights (shop is closed on Mondays so we have the place to ourselves!) 703-836-0039

If you know me, you know that I love to promo small businesses, particularly clever ones started by women. In my search for a great gift to give the guests of my March 30th retreat, I tripped across Stuck in Illinois on Ravelry, who started a small business selling project bags to knitters through her Etsy site.

Pam from Yarny-Goodness sums up these little bags very well on her site:

“Lovely, well-crafted bags which are just the right size for your socks or other small projects. With a ribbon drawstring, they hang off your wrist to allow knitting while walking. They are also the right size to sit next to you on a plane or other crowded area without taking up valuable space. They will easily hold the materials needed for a pair of socks including needles, scissors, and yarn.”

So get on over to Etsy and buy some bags! (for those that didn’t know about Etsy, I sincerely apologize for introducing you to the most addictive thing online since the Ebay…)

I saw this great pattern on the Knit Happens blog awhile back and thought that it was beautiful fair isle.  (Don’t know what Fair Isle is? Check out this description on Wikipedia.) I decided to select some bold yarn for the project, thanks to the wonderful advice of Kel at KH.  I got started on it over the weekend. I have even created a class in its honor at Knit Happens, Mondays April 7th and 14th from 7-9 p.m.  I promise that you can do fair isle and half the fun is picking out your colors and being creative with what colors contrast enough to show off the pattern but still compliment each other. the pattern features a braid edge that is simple to create but looks much more complicated than it is. And if you haven’t yet learned to read charts, this pattern is a great way to start. The chart is done in full color, which makes it so much easier to follow.  I am trying to resist the temptation to finish this while it is still cold enough to wear it but I think you all might find it more useful on needles during the class than off…so I will try hard not to finish it

To register for this class, call Knit Happens at: 703-836-0039

Get in your car and drive into Old Town tonight and go to Knit Happens, who is having one of the biggest sales of the year: items will be priced from 50-90% off! They are making room for the new Spring yarns that are on their way. The sale starts when the doors open on Friday at 10:30 a.m. and lasts until they close on Sunday. And there is an advantage to going more than once…your best bet is to call off work on Friday, stop at the new le Pain Quotidien on the corner for an all organic and incredible breakfast (try the cheese muffin..trust me) and be at the front door of Knit Happens when they open at 10:30 and then go back on Sunday, when they will have put even further discounts on yarns that haven’t yet sold but must go.

AND, if you needed a reason to go on Saturday as well, Old Town is having their annual St. Patrick’s Day parade, so you can grab a beer at O’Connell’s, watch the parade and then stop by and purchase YARN!

Oh, and my favorite cosmetics store in the world, Bellacara, is having a Sue Devitt makeover on Saturday and I think there are still some appointments available, so why not stop by there as well?

THIS JUST IN: Holly may have slipped and told me that Koigu and most of Noro will be on huge discount this weekend….yikes that is super exciting!

So I finished the entrelac wrap last Friday and it was blocking on my floor for a few days.  This is the best of about five photos that Phillip took of me, a dog and a wrap.  Yikes.

For those who asked about blocking entrelac, here’s what I did:

1. clear the sink of all dishes (I opted not to actually wash them, just move them from the sink to the counter top. Phil was thrilled.) Then clean the sink because no one wants mac and cheese in their entrelac

2. add a bit of wool wash (Soak works well) and luke warm water and soak the entrelac. If you use Kureyon, which is an itchy scratchy sorta wool, this will help to soften it up.

3.  squeeze (don’t wring) the water out of the wrap and lay flat on the floor or counter. I opted for garbage bags to protect my hardwood floors.

6. carefully pull and flatten the wrap until it looks even and flat. This took me awhile because I am neurotic and kept finding the slightest triangle out of place. Then let it dry…takes a few days.  The weight of the water in the fabric will flatten it. I didn’t find it was necessary to pin it at all.  Blocking the dogs away from the wrap helps too. Dogs tend to mess up the perfectly smooth edges.  Here’s a closer shot of the wrap and the colors. I do love it, and if it inspires a few other folks to knit entrelac, then all the better.  There are still a couple of spots left in the April class.

I am furiously trying to finish the Noro Kureyon entrelac wrap that you all have seen me carrying around the last two weeks. Last night, sick, I sat down to some American Idol and decided to finish it up. I am almost done…almost. I swear it just keeps going. Everytime I think I am done, I find another ball of kureyon in the darn Knit Happens bag. If you haven’t learned how to purl backwards yet, you really should. It definitely helps with being lazy and watching American Idol. There really isn’t much movement involved in making entrelac when you can purl back without flipping the work over.

And I don’t think that the dogs are helping. This is Kirby, my physically challenged italian greyhound who thinks that it is entirely appropriate to rub his back and butt on my kureyon. It’s an itchy yarn, of course, so I understand why he is so attracted to it. But really Kirby, really?

So why am I trying to finish this wrap sized project so quickly? Because another wrap waits in the wings. This fabulous box arrived from the Fiber Company last week. Its their new Organik yarn, made from wonderful organic wool, alpaca and a hint of silk and dyed with environmentally safe dyes. The stuff is gorgeous. This color is called “Jungle.” It’s going to become another wrap for a book being published next spring. Super exciting!

I am so excited to have finally finished my Hedera Socks. These are one of the patterns available for the February 12th sock class. I did a little fudging of the pattern since I knit so tightly on US#1 needles that I had to jump to #2 for this project.

I had to pick my entire outfit for work today around my adorable new socks! The pattern is great and really easy to memorize. I am still a bit resistant to heel flaps and do love short row heels but oh well.

Then, of course, I immediately cast on for another pair, using Socks that Rock “silkie” that I picked up at Stitches East last year. The color is Gingerbread Dude. Its awesome. I am in love. I hear the stuff gets fuzzy later in life, but that’s ok. Its worth it to have merino and silk socks!

There are some great classes starting up this month, including the lace fitted sweater from Stefanie Japel, one of my favorite knit-wear designers.  This sweater looks so different in short and long sleeves and yarn selection really makes a difference. Check out these various versions:

The first is knitted with Rowan RYC Cashsoft Aran which is available from Knit Happens.

And here is one in Rowan All season’s cotton, also available from Knit Happens:

The class starts at St. Elmo’s on January 28th and is a great way to complete your first sweater (and learn some simple lace as well!)

And then there is the lace sock class on two circular needles.   I’ve got my first one started.  This pattern really got me hooked on knitting socks on sock weight yarn, and many of you know that I have had a long addiction to worsted weight socks because I am too lazy to knit on sock weight yarn.  The lace pattern is easy to memorize and they went like a breeze on the circulars…I might have a new addiction.

Stay tuned to the supplies page for this toe up pattern, done on worsted weight yarn with size 7 needles.  Its a quick and easy holiday gift or treat for your home. 

I wrote this beanie hat pattern last year for a class and it has been a big hit. (with no purling whatsoever, it’s a great second project for a beginner). I cranked out a few last night for holiday gifts, as you can see by the pile:

So here is the super simple pattern in two sizes (beanie size and adult hat size)

Materials:
Debbie Bliss Cashmerino Superchunky – 1 skein
16” US #11 needles
Set of #11 double pointed needles.
1” diameter button

Directions:

Cast on 55 / 60 sts.
Knit in garter stitch for 3 rows, without joining.
Row 4: K2, YO, K2tog, knit to end.
Rows 5-7: Knit in garter stitch.
Row 8: cast off 5 sts at the beginning of the next row, knit to end of row, pm and continue working in the round until piece measures 4.5 / 5 inches from the beginning.

Shape crown:
Row 1: *K8 (K9), k2tog, repeat from * to the end.

Row 2: *K7 (K8), K2tog, repeat from * to the end.

Continue to shape the crown as set up above, decreasing 5 stitches each round, until only 5 sts remain. Cut yarn and thread through remaining sts, Attach button and weave in all ends.

I am posting my entrelac scarf pattern for those who want to take this one on as a holiday gift project.  I created this pattern from several other entrelac patterns but found that this particular size base triangles and blocks works best for Noro silk garden’s color changes.

I highly recommend doing the smaller size if you want to get it done it time!

Entrelac Scarf or Wrap 

Yarn: Noro Silk Garden or other worsted weight wool blend, 4 balls (400 yards) or 8 balls (800 yards)

1 pair size US 8 needles

Work base triangles, followed by left side triangle, tier one, right side triangle and tier two.  Work tiers one and two until desired length, end with one more tier one section, followed by the final tier triangles.

Base Triangles:
CO 20 (50) sts.
*Row 1: (RS) k1, turn
Row 2: and all WS rows: purl all sts in that section
Row 3: sl 1, k1, turn
Row 5: sl 1, k2, turn
Row 7: sl 1, k3, turn
Row 9: sl 1, k4, turn
Row 11: sl 1, k5, turn
Row 13: sl 1, k6, turn
Row 15: sl 1, k7. turn
Row 17: sl 1, K8, turn
Row 19: sl 1, K9.  Do not turn.*
Repeat from * to * to end of row, turn.

Left side triangle
Row 1: (WS) k1, turn
Row 2: kfb, turn
Row 3: k1, p2tog, turn
Row 4: k1, m1, k1, turn
Row 5: k1, p1, p2tog, turn
Row 6 and all RS rows: knit to last st, m1, k1
Row 7: k1 p2, p2tog, turn
Row 9: k1, p3, p2tog, turn
Row 11: k1, p4, p2tog, turn
Row 13: k1, p5, p2tog, turn
Row 15: k1, p6, p2tog,
Row 17: K1, p7, p2tog,
Row 19: K1, p8, p2tog, do not turn, work tier one:

Tier one
Row 1: (WS), With wrong side facing, pick up and
purl 10 sts along selvedge edge of next triangle. Sl last st
picked up onto left needle and p2tog, turn.
Row 2: k10, turn
Row 3: sl 1, p8, p2tog, turn
Rows 4-15: repeat last two rows eight more times. At the end of row 15, do not turn.  Work additional tier one squares until reaching right side.  Work a right side triangle as follows:

Right side triangle
Row 1: (WS) Pick up and purl 10 sts along selvedge of next triangle or square, turn
Row 2 and all RS rows: knit to end of sts in this section, turn.
Row 3: sl 1, p to last two stitches, k2tog, turn
Repeat last two rows until only 2 sts remain.
On next odd row: k2tog
The remaining st will be counted as the first st picked up for the first square in the next tier.
Turn and transfer this st to the right needle.

Tier two
Row 1: (RS) With right side facing, pick up and knit 10 sts along selvedge of next square or triangle. For the first square only, the remaining stitch from the last tier counts as 1 picked up stitch. Sl last st picked up to left needle and ssk, turn.
Row 2: p10, turn
Row 3: sl 1, k8, ssk, turn
Repeat the last 2 rows until all sts have been worked.  Do not turn.

Final Tier Triangles
Row 1: (RS) With RS facing, pick up and knit 10 sts along selvedge of next square or triangle. For the first triangle only, the st remaining counts as the first picked up st. Sl last st picked up to left needle and ssk, turn.
Row 2 and all WS rows: purl to the end of sts in the section. Turn.
Row 3: k2tog, k7, ssk, turn
Row 5: k2tog, k6, ssk, turn
Row 7: k2tog, k5, ssk, turn
Row 9: k2tog, k4, ssk, turn
Row 11: k2tog, k3, ssk, turn
Row 13: k2tog, k2, ssk, turn
Row 15: k2tog, k1, ssk, turn
Row 17: k2tog, ssk, turn
Row 19: sl 1, ssk, psso, do not turn. The rem st will count as first st picked up for next triangles. When all triangles have been worked, fasten off last st.

Block and add fringe, if desired.

This adorable pattern came from the Stitch Marker it’s the cutest little thing and so fast to knit. (well, the flowers are annoying, so I made those in reverse).

I used US #8 needles and Di Ve Zenith yarn. Takes about an hour or so to knit. Great little pattern…

The heirloom blanket class starts next week at Arlington Adult Ed and I thought I would post some photos of my version of the blanket, knitted from 1200 yards of a custom color by Neighborhood Fiber Company (it pays to be friends with hand dyers)
The center square is not covered in the class but is available.

A friend sent this to me today and it is the coolest thing I have ever seen on a cupcake!

Our favorite locally dyed yarns are set to arrive at Knit Happens next week and the excitement is building! This is the only local location where you can pick up Karida’s gorgeous colorways in silk and even sock weight yarn. If you have been knitting with her worsted weight yarn in Knit-a-Gogo’s classes, you might want to check out the other fibers and guages that will be available at Knit Happens in the coming weeks. (Although the worsted merino is still only available locally with yours truly)