A Love Letter

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The following is a love letter to my favorite cable needle. (Yes, I know I’m weird.  I’ll blame it on the fact I haven’t had my coffee yet.)

Dearest Cable Needle,

It feels like we’ve been together forever.  Could it be true, that I bought you in college, more than ten years ago?  OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA

You were one of a pack of three, but I knew you were special from the first.  The smallest of your siblings disappeared in minutes.  And the largest has been lost somewhere in my house (or possibly the car… or maybe somewhere out in the yard).  But you’ve stayed true, faithfully at my side (and in my knitting bag) for years.

You are such a simple little tool, just a under 4 inches long without any bells or whistles.  But therein lies your beauty.  Lovely blonde birchwood, tapered to rounded points, with a narrow waist to hold my stitches safely out of the way.  Perfection

You’ve been smoothed by years of use to a lovely satiny patina that slips into stitches with ease.  And, you’re beautiful enough to be used as a shawl pin.OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERAI love you, Cable Needle.  And if I ever lose you, I’ll be very, very sad.

-Allison

PS.  Do you want your own Perfect Cable Needle?  I really can’t recommend them enough.  Look online at the Brittany website for stores in your area.  (They make really excellent dpns, too.)

Podcasts, Knitting, and Knitting Podcasts

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Of course, I love my audio books, but about half the time, I’d rather listen to a podcast as I knit.  They’re less formal, usually require less devoted attention, and make me feel like I have a  friend hanging out in my ear while I’m working through a particularly tricky cable row.OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERAI’m a big fan of a bunch of shows produced by Maximum Fun.  My Brother, My Brother, and Me (a silly advice show) and Sawbones (a show about weird medical history) are two of my favorite.  And I’m loving one of their newest shows, Getting Curious (an interesting interview show with a very charming host).

I love big, funny show like The Flop House (where they watch bad movies and talk about them), and Throwing Shade (where two comedians talk about LGBT and women’s issues).  And I love quiet, weird shows like Lore (a podcast about the historical origins of old ghost stories) and Welcome to Nightvale (a radio play about a very weird and creepy (fictional) town called Nightvale).

But one thing conspicuously absent from my podcast routine is knitting.  I’ve probably tried a dozen different shows, but they haven’t stuck for one reason or another.  I listened to the Knit Picks Podcast for a while a few years back, but dropped it when they changed the format (I should probably give it another go).  And, I really liked the Cast On podcast from Brenda Dayne, but she stopped making new episodes last summer.

I guess it’s something about knitting that doesn’t lend itself too well to radio.  After all, knitting is a very visual and tactile art, and it’s hard to get that across over audio.  Heck, sometimes I have trouble getting knitting ideas across on my blog, and I can include pictures!

So, I guess I’ll keep trying out new knitting podcasts… I’m sure I’ll find one eventually!

Do you listen to podcasts?  Which ones?  Any favorite knitting shows?

Inspiration: Grace and Frankie

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I may be only 30, but I am a knitter, quilter, and gardener, and when the weather changes, my knee hurts.  So, I think that makes me an honorary old lady.   And this honorary old lady likes Netflix’s show Grace and Frankie.

Have you watched it?  It’s delightful!  Grace-and-Frankie-sæson-2-Netflix-420x414[1]Sure, it’s a fairly standard “odd couple” type of show, but it is actually really fun and fresh-feeling.  First of all, it stars two *gasp* women (in their *double gasp* 70s!) and they are totally amazing.  Lily Tomlin steals the show as hippy-dippy Frankie.  And Jane Fonda steals it right back as uptight ex-business maven Grace.  The two unlikely friends end up living together (because of complicated reasons involving their husbands leaving them to get married to each other), and figuring out what life is like living on their own.

It’s a funny show, but it’s also sweet and heartfelt (and has even made stoic old me cry a couple times).

But, the costumes.

26FRANKIE3-blog427[1]Oh the costumes.90[1]Grace hasn’t met a starched collar she didn’t like, and I think Frankie must shop in the ‘woodland sprite’ section of Macy’s.  They both always look amazing, and in totally different ways.

Grace rocks a selection of jackets and pantsuits that leave even me (who thinks wearing my “nice flannel shirt” is dressing up) with an itch to go shopping.grace-and-frankie-jane-fonda[1]If she were to ask for a knit garment, you’d be sure it’d be a structured cardigan like this one, complete with shoulder pads and princess seaming.

Nearly Chanel by von Hinterm Steinchanel-pattern_medium2[1]On the other hand, Frankie loves to play with flowy fabrics and interesting silhouettes.  Nothing makes it into her wardrobe without a beautiful print or a gorgeous color.GF_EP110_MM_103014_1071.CR2She’d love to try something a little out-of-the-box, like this really cool tunic, complete with an interesting hemline and pockets.  I think she’d wear it with a really huge crystal statement necklace and some sort of billowy, peasant skirt.

Still Light Tunic by Veera ValimakiDSC_8469_medium2[1]Have you watched Grace and Frankie?  What did you think of it?

Soup Knitting

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I feel like I have been consistently sick, under the weather, or allergy-ridden for the last six months.  I’m not sure if my immune system has just decided to give up, or if my students’ germs are getting stronger.  Either way, I am in no shape to be learning new stitches or doing complicated math.

So instead, I’m going to sit on the couch and think about my favorite Soup Patterns.  (I would say “Chicken Soup Patterns,” but I’m vegetarian.)  These are patterns that are tried and true, with simple construction and excellent instructions.  Patterns that I’ve knit over and over again.

Patterns like the the Hitchhiker, by Martina Behm.  Just learn a handful of rows, and you’re set.  You can use whatever yarn you’ve got on hand (a skein or two is plenty), and whatever needles you can reach in your Sudafed-addled state. Before you know it, you’ll have a lovely, comfy scarf with almost no thought required.OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERAOr, you could make the perennial classic, the Baby Surprise Jacket from Elizabeth Zimmermann herself.  This tiny sweater is a perfect way to use up leftover bits of sock yarn (stripes!), and a great excuse to go button shopping.  I like keeping a couple completed BSJ’s in my stash, in case I get asked to go to a last-minute baby shower (which happens more frequently than you’d believe).OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERAThe last one is kind of cheating (or at least tooting my own horn), but it’s totally a pattern I go back to over and over again;  Socks by the Numbers, by me.  It’s so totally simple to make socks of any size you want.  And, this pattern is so plain that it’s easy to modify.  Stripes? Lace? Cables? Yes, yes, and yes.  In fact, everyone in my family got socks last year, and they were all knit up following these basic instructions.Finished_Sock_medium2[1]What are your Soup Patterns (Chicken Noodle or otherwise)?  Why do you keep going back to them?

Still not Knitting

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Hoo boy, guys.

I think I may have bitten off more than I can chew…

This quilt is a beast.

I started simply enough, with a fairly simple (or so I thought) quilt square.  It’s just triangles and squares, in only 3 colors (dark blue, light blue, and white).

But then, as I tend to do, I started elaborating.  First I planned out the entire quilt so that I will have to make 12 blocks (which increases work by a ton).  Then I decided that instead of just picking one dark blue fabric and one light blue fabric, I’d pick 4 of each, and mix them up.

But still, while I was just cutting out the pieces, and sewing the first seams, I thought I was doing OK. I still was enjoying myself.  Sure, there was a lot of cutting and pinning and sewing, but it wasn’t bad.

Then I got to the ironing.

I forgot about the ironing.

So much ironing.  (I don’t like ironing.)OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERAWhat was I thinking?

Do you have the same problem with biting off more than you can chew?

Inspiration: Early Summer

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It’s weird outside, guys.  And it’s starting to freak me out.

We’ve been having ridiculously good weather here for the last month or so.  It’s been sunny.  The sky has been cloudless, and we haven’t had more than a sprinkle of rain in the last few weeks.  It’s even gotten over 80 degrees.  That’s August weather for Seattle, and it’s only the beginning of May.

If it wasn’t 8 in the morning, I’d want to be sitting outside sipping on a can of my favorite IPA and a reading good book.

Like I said, it’s weird.

But, as a former resident of Austin, Texas, I know how to knit for warm weather.  So at least I’ve got that going for me.

First, focus on light, flowy layers knit in thin-gauge wool, like this lovely summery cardigan with beautiful openwork detailing.

Summer Festival by Georgie Nicolsonfestival14_medium2[1]Or if you were determined to go big, instead of a chunky pullover, think about an adorable sundress, like this one.

Summer Sundress by Mari Lynn Patrickep1044_medium[1]But, sometimes, even the thought of knitting up something bigger than a handkerchief is too much in hot (OK- 70 isn’t actually hot, it’s just Seattle hot) weather.  In that case make something tiny and fun, like this ridiculously adorable floral headband.  (If only I could pull this off… sigh.)

Summer Girl- crocheted headband by Monika Sirna3-4_medium2[1]What do you knit when it’s too hot for sweaters and blankets?

Pattern: Snoqualmie Cowl

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New pattern day!  I’m excited about this one. (Though, I suppose I’m always excited about a new pattern.)

It’s a super simple cabled cowl in the most luxurious yarn have left in your stash.  (I don’t know about you, but I have a bunch of little balls of bulky wool and alpaca that I can’t bring myself to throw away.)OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERACovered in tons of simple cables, the Snoqualmie Cowl looks way more complicated than it is.  It’s a great way to practice cable knitting and play with colors.  And because it’s knit in super-thick yarn on great big needles, it works up in about fifteen minutes (OK, that’s an exaggeration, but it does go really fast)!OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERAIf you want to give this cowl a shot, grab a copy of the free pattern here:

Snoqualmie Cowl

Listening to stories

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I love audio books, and have since I was a kid.  Our family would always listen to books on tape (actually on tape, since it was the 90s) on road trips.  We had an old copy of Roald Dahl’s Danny the Champion of the World that we listened to over and over again- I bet I could still quote half the book.dannyWhen I got to college, I didn’t have time to read novels, since I was always reading big text books and scientific papers.  But, I did have time to listen to books on tape while I was riding the bus to and from class (well, they were books on CD that I got out of the library, then downloaded onto my mp3 player- it was a whole complicated production, but so worth it).

And, when I moved to Seattle, I discovered that our library allows us to download audio books directly to your computer through Overdrive!  But their website is kind of clunky to use.  I mean, I used it (of course- I need my audio books to entertain me during my hours of knitting) but I thought, “There must be a better way!”Overdrive_LogoI was chatting with one of the gals at work a couple weeks ago, and she says “You know, there’s an Overdrive app, right?”

WHAT!?

I immediately got on my phone, and it’s fantastic!  video-devicesYou can download audio books and e-books directly to your phone with minimum weirdness.  The app will save your place, so you can listen to more than one book at a time.  And, there’s no need to go through all the complicated steps to transfer files from your computer to your phone, like I used to do.

It’s still a tiny bit clunky, since you have to sign into your library branch to get it to work, but once you save your library card number into your phone, you’ll be golden.

I’ve listened to more books since I got the app a month ago than I did in the last year, just because it’s so much easier.

I can’t recommend it enough!  Look up your local library  to see if you have access to Overdrive. It’s worth it!

A Different Kind of Stitching

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Sometimes I get an itch to do something else.  Something other than knitting (I know!  Heresy!)

This time, I was inspired by the kids I’ve been teaching in my Tuesday sewing class.  They’re all making quilts!  Some of them are making quilted pillows, some of them are making mini patchwork blankets for their dolls.  And two of them are determined to make full-on, usable quilts.  One girl has already made almost a dozen big quilt squares!

It’s so fun watching the kids put together their quilts, that, well, I was inspired.

(Also, I made the quilt we have on our bed almost 10 years ago, and it’s getting disreputable.)

I started the project (like any good Allison Project) with a sketch and a lot of math.  I decided to do a square based on a Carpenter’s Wheel, but a little simpler.  (You know, so the queen-sized quilt won’t be too much work.  Ha!)OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERAI took a trip to the fabric store and picked out 8 different prints- 4 light blue and 4 dark blue, along with white for the background and a royal blue for the back.OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERAI spent last weekend cutting out literally hundreds of triangles, and this weekend sewing them together.OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERAIt’s been a fun change of pace!  Of course, I’m still in the new-project-honeymoon-phase, so we’ll see how long I stay enamored.  (My last big quilt was started about 4 years ago, and still hasn’t been finished. Whoops!)

Have you ever made a quilt?  Do you have any tips or tricks for me?

 

The Library is Open- Part 2: Cables

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Let’s talk about cables!  They’re some of my favorite things to knit, and they look super impressive.  But here’s the secret- they’re actually pretty easy!  (Especially if you can read your knitting as you go, instead of relying on a row counter to keep track of your pattern.)

Here’s the little sample I’m going to talk about today.  (These cables are both pretty simple, but the concepts I talk about here could totally be applied to more complicated cables.)

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERAHere’s a cool thing about cables- 90% of them are done with knit stitches, and 90% of them only work crossover rows on the right-side.  That totally simplifies it, right off the bat!

First off, let’s figure out how wide these cables are.  This is super easy!  Just look at the widest part of the cable and count the knit stitches across, just like we did last week.OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERAThe cable on the left is 3 stitches across, and the cable on the right is 4 stitches across.

Next, we’ll determine how the crossover is worked for our cable.  Look at the narrowest part of the cable (where the two parts of the cable actually cross), and count how many stitches are on top.OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERAThe cable on the left has 1 stitch on top, and the cable on the right has 2 stitches.  This, combined with the width means that the left cable is a 1×2 cable, and the right cable is a 2×2 cable.

That’s all there is to figuring out the stitch count for a cable!  Next, we need to figure out how many rows each repeat takes.

Start by identifying the crossover row.  It should be the row where the stitches are all slanted sideways, instead of being nice, upright “v’s.”OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERAThen count the rows from one slanty v up to the next one.  I like to count the outside edge stitches- I think they’re easier to see.OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERAThe left cable has 3 rows in-between each crossover row, so it’s a 4-row repeat.  The right cable has 5 rows between each crossover row, so it’s a 6-row repeat.

If we combine all the information we learned, we can come up with the pattern:  The left cable is a 3-stitch cable, with a 1×2 crossover worked every 4th row.  The right cable is a 4-stitch cable, with a 2×2 crossover worked ever 6th row.

So, now that we know the pattern, what’s should we do next to continue the swatch?

Look down the cable to the most recent crossover row, then count rows up to the needle.OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERAThe left cable has been worked 1 row past the last crossover, so we need to work 2 more rows even before we make the next crossover.  The right cable has been worked 5 rows past the last crossover, so we can work the crossover on the next row.

Does that make sense?  Do you have any favorite tips for working cables?