Book Review - A Knitting Wrapsody by Kristin Omdahl

This book - A Knitting Wrapsody - focuses on wraps, shawls, and shrugs. It has the innovative feature of including a DVD that illustrates some of the special techniques used in the book. This is a fantastic feature.

Kristin is well known in the crochet world. I'm not a crocheter, so I'm looking at the designs solely from a knitter's point of view. This book is not intended for beginners, as it really requires a good foundation in basic knitting techniques. I'm fairly experienced as a knitter, so I'm attracted to new and different techniques and design effects.

There are eighteen patterns, categorized: scarves, wraps, shawls, and skirts. They go from lacy to quite dense, solid knitting. It's really hard for me to pick a favorite because there are a lot of great ideas in this book.
Overall, the book is well-produced: there are lots of clear photos of each piece; charts and schematics are sharp and usable; the design layout is visually pleasing. The patterns seem easy to follow.

On to the patterns:

Ring of Cables – a very cute shrug with lots of lovely cables. This design is on the cover. This would be adorable on a twenty-something, and it has a really interesting construction. I love the cables! This is the first project I started. I'll be making it for my daughter in law in a wool-silk blend yarn. I’ve done a gauge swatch and I’m on my way!

I Do - diamond lace scarf, is very pretty, wearable and appealing.

Echo - Mobius - has an original stitch pattern that makes me want to try it.

Infinity cardi-wrap - just breathtaking in its unique design. A figure-8 is knitted for the back, then stitches are picked all around it to make the rest of the sweater. So striking.

Finally, the Warrior wings shawl, with its pretty scalloped edges, is another winner.

I passed the book around at my knitting group, and these patterns got the most ooohs and aaahs.

As for the downside, I couldn't see knitting the Flamenco ruffled skirt, or the Gypsy wrap... Just not wearable for me or people I know.

With the inclusion of a technique DVD, this book is suitable for most knitters, because even if you are a beginner, you can work on the techniques until you have them down, then embark on one of the projects.

All in all, there is a very good proportion of things I do want to make, compared with other knitting books I have. So this book is a winner :-)

Note: I was supplied a copy of the book by the publisher.

Lots of Stuff!

I haven’t yet blogged about my trip to London in May and the fabulous Chelsea Flower Show. And I haven’t blogged about my vacation in the south of France in late August/early September. I will get to those in good time. But first I will talk about recent knitting-related stuff, especially something very exciting that just happened.

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Last weekend I attended Vogue Knitting Live in LA. A knitting conference 3 miles from my house ? I’m there ! I registered for a lecture by Franklin Habit and 2 classes, with Cirilia Rose and Shirley Paden. In addition I signed up to be a volunteer and help out with registration and such. So, I had a very busy 3 days.

I’ll go into detail on all of these, but first I’ll get right to the most exciting part -- one of my designs was shown in a fashion show! My design – up on the catwalk, worn by a real model!
I was super excited and actually got a little choked up afterwards.

It’s a simple cowl and matching fingerless mitts, done in a slip-stitch colorwork design. It will be available as a free pattern by the end of October on the Premier Yarns website. I’ll post the link here and on Ravelry when it comes out. http://www.ravelry.com/projects/goodstuff/super-secret-cowl-and-mitts

So, I thought the conference was really good. There was a huge variety of classes offered, to the point where it was very hard to pick just a couple. The vendor marketplace was large and extensive, lots of yarn stores had nice booths, and a few brand-new yarns were launched. In spite of my large stash, I succumbed to a skein of Rowan Kidsilk Haze, in a new variegated colorway designed by the famous Kaffe Fasset. http://www.knitrowan.com/yarns/kidsilk-haze-stripe
This was one of the new yarns introduced at the conference. I saw some items made from it at the Rowan fashion show and went right to the marketplace to buy some – it was that pretty.
Another one, Polaris by Universal Yarns, was gently variegated in ivory, grey and black with sequins sprinkled through it. I couldn’t resist those sequins, especially at just $10 a skein :-)

There was also a bag of half price Noro Shirakaba in a nice cranberry red semi-solid.
I was hoping to find the famous Signature needles that I had heard so much about -- because I had just about talked myself into buying some – but I wanted to try them first. I wanted to see whether they magically improve my knitting in some way. There are several different lengths and styles to choose from, so it would be best to test them out. But, alas, Signature did not have a booth, and none of the yarn stores represented there had them. I decided to pick up a circular Addi Lace Turbo needle instead. I’ve used it a little and I like it so far.

Now, about the classes.
Franklin Habit was funny, informative, and charming as he talked about his interest in historical knitting patterns and how he goes about doing his research. He showed us some of the items he has made for his regular feature in knitty.com. There were some lovely pieces.
Cirilia Rose taught “Design with Confidence” and she covered a wide ranging set of topics relating to the design process, providing lots of insights into the industry. She is sweet and charming and fun.
The class with Shirley Paden was intense. We had to knit 4 large lace swatches as prep work, then in the 6 hour class we learned about the many styles of lace and the management of shaping lace to fit shapes such as sleeve caps or necklines. We knitted several complicated lace swatches in class to learn the different types of lace. Shirley showed us many beautiful samples of lace that she has used in her designs.

I had a chance to catch a few of the fashion shows. The one done by Rowan was one of the most beautiful; there were many lovely and wearable pieces. Skacel, Universal, and Premier also had good representation. A poncho/wrap that looked like a big tablecloth, and some unfortunate legwarmers that didn’t stay up, were the exceptions.
It was also great fun to chat with people too, like Wendy Bernard (Custom Knits) and Vicki Stiefel (The Laidback Knitter).

Oh, last but not least, there was a beginner’s lounge where you could learn to knit or crochet. I decided to take the plunge and learn to crochet. After 20 minutes of patient coaching I had the hang of single and double crochet. Woo-hoo! And they were nice enough to give me the crochet hook and the yarn I used to take home. My friend Ellen, an avid crocheter, was happy to hear this news, and has offered to help with any further questions I might have.

All in all, VK Live was an exciting, busy and educational time. It’s always nice to be surrounded by other knitters, and the hotel was swarming with them. Where else can you stroke a complete stranger’s shawl, and murmur “nice!” and not get into trouble? ;-)

New Pattern!

I haven’t yet blogged about my trip to London in May and the fabulous Chelsea Flower Show. And I haven’t blogged about my vacation in the south of France in late August/early September. I will get to those in good time. But first I will talk about recent knitting-related stuff.

My latest published pattern is the Terrigal Trio of Tops. It's published in the September 2011 issue of Yarn magazine. This Australian based magazine can be found at JoAnne's and other craft related stores. After one year, it will be available on Ravelry.com.

It’s a simple tank top that comes with a surprise – there are 3 different ways to wear it.
First: is a classic fitted tank top with a deep V neck. Great for summer weekends or going out at night, it lets you show a little cleavage.
Second: perhaps you want to wear the same top for work but find the V neck a bit much? Add a matching lacy insert which snaps or buttons in, and you’re covered up for the office. The lace can peek out when you’re wearing a jacket or cardigan over the tank.
Want more? Make another triangle in jaunty stripes and you’ve got a third sporty look, accented with bright silver buttons.
When the cooler weather comes, wear it as a vest with a crisp white shirt underneath. That’s version number 4!
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The design was inspired by the look of 17th century ladies’ dresses. At night they showed a deep décolletage, and by day they tucked a bit of lace over their shoulders and in the neckline, to make it a more modest day dress.
The design is done in stockinette stitch with occasional purl stitches for texture, and has waist shaping for a smooth silhouette. An attached I-cord is used for the edging along the neck and armholes. The buttonholes are cleverly hidden by the I-cord. Alternatively snaps can be used to attach the lacy insert. The hem is finished with a tiny ruffle. These design elements result in a clean modern look with texture interest.

I hope you like this design!

Busy busy week!

This has been a busy week for my knitting designs.

First, an exciting announcement, my pattern for the Belmont Park Child’s Hoodie is published. It’s available through Knipicks or through my Ravelry store. Yes I have a Ravelry store!
In other news, Vogue Knitting Live is going to be in Los Angeles this September. This is a new event, as the first one was in New York City this past January. Hope it's the first of many more knitting events in the SoCal area.

I gather it’s something like Stitches, with lots of classes, lectures, demonstrations, a marketplace, fashion show, and other special events. I am registered, and will be attending 2 classes and a lecture. I’m so looking forward to it!

Anyway, the super-exciting part is that I submitted some designs for the fasion show, and was accepted!! Cool!

I will be whipping up a cowl and matching fingerless mitts in the next few weeks. As soon as I finish the 2 sweaters on my needles. Yikes. I think I have got myself overbooked again.
And, even more news, a new knit magazine (Knit Now) is starting up in the UK and they have been asking for submissions, They seem to be focusing on smaller accessory type items, at least for now. I sent them a few of my ideas and they accepted 3 of them !
Wow!
Unfortunately I can’t do them all in the time allowed, one reason being I have vacation trip coming up and I won’t be able to knit (or write patterns) several hours a day as I sometimes do at home. But I think I can do 2 smaller pieces…. At least that’s the plan!

And when I’m back from my trip, I have a shawl to work on – for yet another magazine! So things are really bubbling along!
And yes, I do finish things sometimes, I have a project ready to mail off to yet another well known US based knitting magazine. I can't show it to you yet, but it's a new "slant" on the old favorite garter stitch scarf. I can show you the yarn, though. It's from Green Mountain Spinnery, and it's luscious! This is the Pumpkin colorway.

I’ll close now and get back to the travel part of the knit and travel blog next time !

Where Have I Been? (part 1)

Lots of travel and lots of knitting has been going on !

I have had a few patterns published: Picasso Cardigan in Creative Knitting; Vintage Paris Sweater, also in Creative; Elise girls’ dress; and Le Marais Vest in Yarn magazine. See them here. I was also thrilled to have an article published in the Summer 2011 issue of Interweave Knits. It's called "The Slowest Knitter in History" and it's based on one of my earlier blog posts.
In April I attended CampKIP, a knitting retreat held at Cedar Creek in the St-Louis MO area. It was fabulous! Lots of time for lounging around, enjoying the sunshine, and knitting. There were raffles and games, wine tasting, beer tasting, S’mores around a campfire, and so much more. There were a few classes, such as spinning, carding, and yoga (thanks, Rachel!) but mostly just relaxing time. For many of us who lead hectic lives with jobs, kids, husbands and pets to look after, it was a huge treat to have time for ourselves. Quite a few knitting podcasters were there, so it was also a chance to meet these folks in person. Jackie did a fabulous job!

I worked on this hat while there, my own design. It's for my darling granddaughter. She is in Australia, where it's winter now, so she needed warm hats!

Next time I will talk about my trip to London in May, to see the Chelsea Flower Show, among other things, and my trip to Australia in June.
(to be continued)

Story of a Sweater – Water Lilies

It all started with winning a raffle. My LYS (KnitCulture) was having an open house, customer appreciation event, and at the event I won a raffle prize. It was 2 balls of Classic Elite Firefly yarn, in a pale pink, along with a pattern booklet. Firefly is a warm-weather yarn made of rayon and linen. It has a lovely texture and a pretty luster.

I loved the yarn, but the color was too pale for my complexion. So I put it aside, with some vague thoughts of dyeing it one day.

A few months later, another great LYS (Unwind) was having their anniversary party, and amazingly enough, I won another raffle. (I know! What are the odds?) And it was Firefly again! This time 2 balls of yellow-lime-green and 2 of soft blue. Once again: lime green – great color, but not for me. (Heck, I have green paint on my walls – I’m not anti-green! It just doesn’t look good on me!)

So, for those keeping score, I now owned 2 balls of pink, 2 of blue and 2 of green. And only the blue looked good next to my face. But I really wanted to knit with this yarn.

The solution came to me – STRIPES! Not just any stripes, but the kind designed to flatter: wider at the yoke, skinny ones in the middle. I could place the most flattering color near my face. Add some interesting colored welts at the lower borders, and I-cords used to drape the hem into soft folds. The design helps to camouflage an imperfect tummy area. (Now you're looking at my tummy, aren't you?)

I chose an easy top-down tunic shape, fresh and cool for the summer. It is knit in the round, with some uncomplicated texture stitches to show off the glow of the Firefly yarn. After swatching a few ideas, I settled on 2 rows of seed stitch, 2 rows of stockinette stitch. Easy-peasy! It gave me the kind of “crunchy” look I was searching for. The stitches are simple enough to keep this an easy knit.

I had started knitting it for myself and was really enjoying the yarn when I had the brainstorm to contact Classic Elite Yarns to see if they’d be interested in using it. Well – they were!
I finished knitting the sweater, wrote up the pattern and sent them both off to CEY. The rest, as they say, is history.

The pattern is being featured on the CEY website and their Web-Letter this week, and is on Ravelry too. See:
http://www.classiceliteyarns.com/WebLetter/199/Issue199.php

http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/firefly-water-lilies-top
If you like the sweater, feel free to choose your own favorite colors.

By the way, I think it would be great in one solid color too. I look forward to seeing many versions of this on Ravelry (my id on Rav is Goodstuff).

The model wears it well, too, don't you think?
I almost forgot to add: I named it Water Lilies because the pastel colors reminded me of Monet’s paintings of water lilies. These pictures are among my favorites. And a few years ago I had the opportunity to visit Monet’s gardens at Giverny and see them in person. Gorgeous!

Here is one of the Monet paintings, as well as a photo of the actual garden.

All Money from pattern sales will go to Japan Earthquake Relief

Hi,

Just a quick note to say that from 100% to 200% of my pattern sales from now until April 7th, will go to Japan Earthquake Relief.

I'll donate between $3 and $5 for each pattern sold - that's more than I make from each one :-).

I've already donated $100 to get the ball rolling.



Click on the pattern pictures on the right to find out how to buy them.



Thanks for looking!