A Whole Lotta Knittin’ Goin’ On

In early May Stephanie Pearl McPhee came over to play with us. Well actually, she taught us how to knit faster one day and taught us lots of ways to knit with color the next day. The above photo is the only one I remembered to take from the Knitting with Speed and Efficiency class.  It didn’t matter though. All you would have seen in subsequent pictures is blurry hands as we all learned to knit as if we were bionic or something.

Next was the knitting with color class. I loved this class.

That’s not my bunny. My intarsia didn’t turn out that well. It was a sheep that Stephanie said looked like a tree.

In addition to intarsia we also did Fair Isle, color knitting which included more than 2 colors in a row, and slip stitch patterns that look like more than one color is in a row but isn’t!

Stephanie brought lots of samples to show us and let me just say this, all of the sweaters and shawls are even better in person. The blog photos just don’t show the detail. If you have a chance to take these classes do it. There is a ton packed into these classes including some knitting history and technique that every knitter should know.

After Stephanie left I turned in the first draft of my book manuscript and then ran off to North Carolina to the Carolina Fiber Fest in Raleigh. This is a young show but there were tons of vendors and it takes place at the same time as the Agricultural Fair so there was lots to do and see. There were also funnel cakes. I’ll say no more about that.

The students in North Carolina were fabulous but a little too quiet. Is the the Southern Lady in them?

Since the book is in I started a project I’ve been wanting to do for months and months. It’s a sweater I’m knitting with no pattern other than a few guidelines from Barbara Walker, Elizabeth Zimmerman, Amy King, David, and Jillian. It’s my first sweater with no pattern. I’m a bit of a weenie about it but have decided to get over it.

So I’m starting simple with a round yoke top down. The fiber is Jacob which has been separated into 4 colors. I’m hand carding the fiber into rolags and the color will change from white at the top to black at the bottom. So far so good!  Tomorrow I plan on putting it on some yarn and trying her on for the first time since separating the sleeves from the bottom.

Next up on the first weekend in June is Abby Franquemont teaching us about designing sock yarns and also spindles all day. There are still spots left in both of these classes and details are here.

Since Abby is taking up the first Saturday in June, First Saturday Spinning is moving to the second Saturday. Come by and spin with us and see what the monthly challenge is. It’s always fun times.