Knitting

Dear everybody, Welcome to a weekend of remembering and celebrating the creative spirit and work of Kathreen Ricketson. For those just joining us, we are trying very hard to make some lemonade here out of the sourest lemons imaginable....

Every Friday we feature one of the garments from the magazine in a post about styling. We suggest different ways to wear the garment in question using mock-ups from Polyvore. We encourage readers to tell us what they think about these outfits via our Facebook page or Twitter, and if folks want to make their own outfits, please tweet them at us with the hashtag #twiststyle. You can find all of the Style Friday posts here.   It was a good day for wool in Toronto yesterday folks! I wore handknit socks and a scarf while working on the styling last night for this post. I almost packed away my wooly sweaters and accessories when I moved at the beginning of May, but spring here can be a tricksy sort of season.   If I had one right now, I would totally be wearing Alvinda. An all-over lace cardigan always looks pretty and put together, whether you pair it with an evening dress or with jeans. I'll admit to feeling very very lazy about putting together cute outfits (to wear myself) this week. I've been to three weddings in as many weekends, most of which had additional rehearsal dinners or Sunday brunches, and they were all extremely lovely, but I had to look cute pretty much all the time. On purpose! I will leave you with just one piece of advice from all these nuptial adventures; if a chef invites you to his wedding, you should go. The food will be marvelous. I took a picture of my plate, and I almost never take pictures of my plates.     Alvinda can go with you to a fancy occasion such as the wedding of a chef or other sort of elegant friend. Perhaps a whimsical teapot themed party? Brunch with friends?     I want all of those shoes, just so you know. You can also wear Alvinda more casually, with separates. Like so:     Now I better go get knitting. I give handmade gifts, and I am behind! The last of the three happy couples got an IOU.   How would you wear Alvinda?

Pattern: Simplicity 1614 Fabric: Rayon Challis (ebay purchase) Notes: I am seeing this high/low hem tops everywhere this season.  I made one last year, which didn’t turn out so well.  I didn’t like how much longer that top was in the back – I prefer the more gentle rounded hem of this pattern.  I also think rayon challis is a much better choice, as it allows the pattern to drape naturally. Because my torso is incredibly long, I haven’t found any hi-lo tanks in the stores that fit me.  They all cut off in the front at precisely the widest part of my hips, and I don’t find that flattering on me.  I knew I would have to lengthen this top, so I added 3 inches in cutting.  I was worried that was too much, but it turned out to be just right! I should probably mention that you won’t find this version of the top (rounded hem in with the front all one piece) in the pattern.  This version is cut in stripes on the front, but I taped the pieces together in order to have only one seam (the bust line, which is on all versions.) I was really excited to use my striped fabric – I’ve had it for ages, but it was too overwhelming for a dress.  Imagine my dismay when I realized that the piece was actually vertical stripes!  No matter, I cut on the cross grain.  In fact, in order to get the stripes to line up I had to cut the yoke entirely off grain.  Luckily, that doesn’t seem to have caused any issues, but I’m sure it would in a more fitted top. I cut a straight size 8, and I did not make any sizing adjustments (except the length) but for one.  I made the view with the single back strap, but after carefully assembling the straps I realized that the strap was really wide on me – several inches too wide!  Because it was already sewn into the seams, I ended up just folding under part of the strap and securing it under the armholes.  It’s invisible in this fabric!  I took out 2.5″ inches overall.  I probably have a narrow back: I am exceedingly proud of the back seam matching – I can’t even see it, can you? On the subject of the pattern – it was generally pretty good, though I had one issue.  The pattern has you staystitch the neckline, but unfortunately the front neckline has a 3/8″ seam allowance, which isn’t marked.  Be sure to keep in to a quarter inch or it will show and have to be removed! I think the pattern wanted a hidden bias finish, but I wasn’t thrilled with that on the neck.  The armholes have visible black binding, much neater imo! In all, a very successful top.  I’m not done with tops for the summer, but I need to pause to make dresses for a few events I have coming up… look for that soon!

We are loving the feedback we’re receiving on the Craftsy classes. I think everyone is enjoying the fact that they can take a class from Anne in the comfort of their living room. And they can watch the classes over and over! Thank you to everyone that entered the contest for a FREE Button Bands and Buttonholes. I have a winner! Drumroll please… Cheryl A, enjoy your free class and finishing your garments with the help of virtual Anne! Speaking of contests, I’m having a lot of fun with the Countdown to Father’s Day KAL on ravelry. Each day I post a knitting pattern ideal for dad that can be knit in time for his special holiday. There’s a grand prize given to someone that posts pictures of their finished object by Father’s Day. Right now, I’m awarding a $5 knitspot gift certificate to one lucky person that posts a pic of themself with dad in the thread, or their husband and child, or a daddy with his dog…by Sunday (may 26 midnight EST). I kicked it off by posting a pic of me with my dad and I’m loving all the cherished photos rolling in. You can see them all here and there’s still time to enter the contest! You can also check the daily countdown of knitting pattern ideas on facebook and twitter. I am turning in for the night. I just got back from a mani/pedi and I need to get my beauty sleep. Why? Because I have a lot of things to do over the next couple days. My brother is getting married Saturday!! And I’m in the wedding!! I am busting at the seams with excitement. He has found the perfect girl and I am so happy to be a part of their special day. There will be a lot of running around the next couple days and also down time in between things. I have cast on a Sculling in Yarn Hollow to keep my hands busy as I wait in the queue for hair and makeup. Have a great weekend everyone!

The blasted elves still haven't shown up here.  Not a single sign of them,  but with my wool as my witness, progress was made here yesterday, and the humans in my immediate vicinity (the ones who count on me to...

Sue is very imposing as she greets you at Chicago's Field Museum. Did you know she was discovered in the Black Hills of South Dakota? She lived about 65 million years ago. Numbers like those boggle this brain. We ate lunch with Sue today. Why is it that museums are so very interesting when one is not counting children's heads every ten seconds while chaperoning? Topic two without a segway: Al requested some dishcloths in Beach colors. I think this colorway will do. Simple garter, simple crochet edge.You could say I'm in training..oh yeah Ladies, I'm doing the Dishrag Tag again this summer. Emily at Yarn Miracle just announced she'll host the event yet again for all of us to enjoy. If you never have, it is crazy fun.

Dear Kay, A quick swerve into a new knitting project. I am still Knitting My Life, and frankly relieved to be beyond the Swerve. (Weirdly upsetting!) But I'm taking a break from that project to begin another one. The...

i’ve been wanting big iris in our flower beds ever since we moved here—i love their lush flowers. david has planted several batches of miniature iris, but their blooming gets lost among our other plantings. finally this year, we have at least one big fat iris and today, it bloomed. what a beauty, eh? love the brown and purple mix of colors and that little flame of yellow at the center. must. get. more while our neighbors have poppies that are already wide open, ours are still shut tight. typically, they don’t bloom until memorial day, but once that day arrives each year they bust open right on schedule. i’m looking forward to seeing many pink and red flowers this weekend. i do wish we had the orangey-red ones—another thing to add to the wish list for the yard. the bed where they live needs a complete overhaul; it would be good to have some lavender and rosemary there, along with the poppies and sage. speaking of gardens,  barb brought over this adorable fairy garden; she’s now selling supplies for them in her fly by night fairie gardens and made one each for susan and i. mine is in the sunroom where we can enjoy it when taking a break. barb has lots of great stuff on there to put together one of your own; this is a wonderful project to begin now with a child or an elder, so they can work on it throughout the summer months, maybe incorporating some reading, writing, and storytelling for good measure. i have not started yet another pair of socks to get in the way of the ones i showed you the other day—this is the cuff for a fingerless mitt to match those socks. well, to match them in design anyway, hehe. i’m knitting with our breakfast blend fingering yarn in the espresso colorway; isn’t it yummy? i’ve been wanting something in this color ever since it came in (what i really want is a sweater in the espresso DK, but i don’t have time right now to knit one). these will be a quick, cute accessory project, perfect for traveling. starting next week, i’m going to be away for half of every week until the end of june, except for the middle week when the book chapter is due. which means that bigger projects will most likely suffer a bit and small projects will just be easier all around (and better blog fodder). speaking of larger projects, i’ve swatched my sea pearl for the sweater i want to knit with it and all is in alignment to begin except that i need to make myself some charts. my wishes and plans seem always to exceed the actual work time i have each day lately, but i do want to get this on the needles in the next week or so, before all that travel starts. even if i can’t work on it a lot at first, it will be in a state where all i have to do is take it out of its project bag to settle in and get some work done. i can worry about pattern writing later on when i’m home for a stretch. oh wow, i stepped outside the back door this morning and found our climbing hydrangea covered with blooms. i can’t get over how big this vine is now—it looks sasquatch this year! seems just a few years ago that i was trying to train it to climb the bottom of the trellis. and another thing i can’t believe it’s time for already wherever does the time go?? this weekend we have a couple of special things for you—first we open sales of our new BNW cheviot sock yarn on friday and then on monday, a special memorial day surprise that you won’t want to miss; i promise it will be fun. have a great week; summer is almost here!

For Various Reasons I am in a Big Damn Hurry to finish spinning and plying the rest of the BFL in the colorway “Fig” that I bought from Etsy seller SpunRightRound. I am totally in love with this fiber and looking forward to buying more from her store. (I particularly have my eye on Lily Pond, Feather, and Potpourri but don’t let that stop you.) I finished spinning the first half of the fiber. Here is my incredibly high-tech and complicated set-up for Navajo plying on the drop spindle. The flower pot has a good weight to it, to keep the ball of singles from hopping around. I can be somewhat… enthusiastic… in my endeavors. This is the only thing that has worked for me so far. (Be sure to buy a flower pot that is glazed inside and out. Otherwise your yarn will be pulling across dry pottery. Just the thought of it gives me the willies.) As a bonus, the pot also makes a handy stand for the drop spindle when it’s time to pull the plied yarn off the spindle and wind it into a ball. I set the whole thing on the floor and pull the yarn straight up as I wind. You might be able to just pull it off the drop spindle horizontally like that, with the spindle turning in the flower pot hole. But any time I have tried it, I yank the whole thing right off. (Like I said; enthusiastic.) I LOVE THESE COLORS.

The new mint M and M's are dark chocolate fantastic. Anti-oxidants it is..... THe Manos wants to become a basket to hold yarn....how very functional and how very green. The impatients always win out on my north facing porch. It's easy to have a green thumb when you stop fighting your plant choices. Other greens in my day: Green with envy over Kathryn's pink fingerless over at Comfort ZoneGreen cilantro is coming up in my herb garden todayGuacamole wins out over salsa for me every time Green Goddess dressing is an old time favorite on my salad greensand finally Green Acres is the place for me.......(and there is a fun contest for yarn and books going on athttp://bookwyrmknits.wordpress.com/2013/05/22/contest-time/#comment-6627_) Go on over to Bookwyrmknits.wordpress and enter to win)