SOB STORY
I know I don't normally post on Friday but I just had to share my misery. I posted about getting a few knitting books together to sell at the used bookstore. DH took in about 10-15 and made $35. One of those books was "Color in Spinning" by Deb Menz. I found out today that it is out of print and currently selling on Bookfinder for $150-$190. sigh All this work I'm doing to write and advertise a booklet to make money for our rabbit rescue and I could have just sold one book I didn't want anyway. sigh Oh well I like the used bookstore so I can think of it as my way of helping them out as well.
The good news is that I'm working on some fun Debbie Bliss baby items and next week I should have some photos and info on intarsia, duplicate stitch and possibly the Philosopher's Wool method of weaving in every other stitch. I'm going to try this method in a particular situation where the floats will be too long and the item is knit in the round. One of these days I really have to learn intarsia in the round.
And check prices on books before I take them to the bookstore.
FIRST-TIME COLOR KNITTING PROJECTS
I've been asked several times for suggestions about good designs for a first time color knitting project. If anyone else out there has suggestions for this list let me know. I'll re-publish it occasionally. These are patterns where the charts are easily memorized and there is not a lot of simultaneous shaping going on.
Mittens
1. One of my favorite Blackberry Ridge designs (and one I'd love to knit again) is
the Bosnian mitten kit. These warm mittens are knit from a thick wool and even include a third color for contrast. I had to force myself to give these beauties away. Definitely an easy knit. I had some of the extra third contrast color left over so I duplicate stitched it in the center of the chart design on the front of the mittens.
2. The Halland mittens from Folk Mittens are also a pretty simple knit with an easy peasant thumb. I did change the cuff slightly - I think I added a line or two of the darker color to make more of a contrast.
I also changed to vertical stripes for the fingers for some reason.
Hats
1. One of the very first colorwork patterns I ever did was the Mushroom Cap from Homespun Handknit. EXTREMELY easy to do and lots of solid color knitting in between the stranded color knitting. You can use more than two colors also for a wilder hat. No photos since I made this many years ago.
2. The Peruvian Hat from Vogue Knitting Hats (the first one) is pretty easy and a good way to use up bits and pieces of stash yarn. The hardest part probably isn't the colorwork, it is the shaped garter stitch ear flaps.
Socks
1. I know that Nancy Bush's Folk Knitting in Estonia designs look complicated but not all the designs are and if you like using thinner yarns, I recommend Laila's Socks. I've knit this design twice, once with Wildfoote, and the charts are very easy with lots of straight stripe knitting between color knitting to speed things up. These socks have a round toe so you don't even have to bother doing Kitchener stitch.
This design does have color jogs. Look at the bottom of the sock feet in the book
photo and you'll see that the stripes don't match up. In this situation I'd agree with the designer and say just ignore it. The pattern is done in a fine enough yarn and probably no one is going to have their face that close to your socks to notice.
I can't find my photo of the socks but do check out Saartje's gorgeous version using a solid color and a variegated color titled Marina's Socks HERE.
Sweaters
1. If you're ready for a Dale of Norway sweater knit circularly with steeks, I
recommend Sirdal. The color charts are very unintimidating as opposed to some
Dale designs and there are only two colors. I made the Sirdal cardigan out of
Nature Spun sport and I do want to say that the sleeve cuffs are a bit wonky. They are split slightly and have a buttonhole. The only warning I have about this classic design is that the fancy Norwegian buttons and braided trim cost more than the yarn for the entire sweater. There are specific trim and buttons for the sweater which I wanted to use. The photo HERE shows the pullover version.
There's also a cute baby version of Sirdal HERE.
I've been asked several times for suggestions about good designs for a first time color knitting project. If anyone else out there has suggestions for this list let me know. I'll re-publish it occasionally. These are patterns where the charts are easily memorized and there is not a lot of simultaneous shaping going on.
Mittens
1. One of my favorite Blackberry Ridge designs (and one I'd love to knit again) is
the Bosnian mitten kit. These warm mittens are knit from a thick wool and even include a third color for contrast. I had to force myself to give these beauties away. Definitely an easy knit. I had some of the extra third contrast color left over so I duplicate stitched it in the center of the chart design on the front of the mittens.
2. The Halland mittens from Folk Mittens are also a pretty simple knit with an easy peasant thumb. I did change the cuff slightly - I think I added a line or two of the darker color to make more of a contrast.
I also changed to vertical stripes for the fingers for some reason.
Hats
1. One of the very first colorwork patterns I ever did was the Mushroom Cap from Homespun Handknit. EXTREMELY easy to do and lots of solid color knitting in between the stranded color knitting. You can use more than two colors also for a wilder hat. No photos since I made this many years ago.
2. The Peruvian Hat from Vogue Knitting Hats (the first one) is pretty easy and a good way to use up bits and pieces of stash yarn. The hardest part probably isn't the colorwork, it is the shaped garter stitch ear flaps.
Socks
1. I know that Nancy Bush's Folk Knitting in Estonia designs look complicated but not all the designs are and if you like using thinner yarns, I recommend Laila's Socks. I've knit this design twice, once with Wildfoote, and the charts are very easy with lots of straight stripe knitting between color knitting to speed things up. These socks have a round toe so you don't even have to bother doing Kitchener stitch.
This design does have color jogs. Look at the bottom of the sock feet in the book
photo and you'll see that the stripes don't match up. In this situation I'd agree with the designer and say just ignore it. The pattern is done in a fine enough yarn and probably no one is going to have their face that close to your socks to notice.
I can't find my photo of the socks but do check out Saartje's gorgeous version using a solid color and a variegated color titled Marina's Socks HERE.
Sweaters
1. If you're ready for a Dale of Norway sweater knit circularly with steeks, I
recommend Sirdal. The color charts are very unintimidating as opposed to some
Dale designs and there are only two colors. I made the Sirdal cardigan out of
Nature Spun sport and I do want to say that the sleeve cuffs are a bit wonky. They are split slightly and have a buttonhole. The only warning I have about this classic design is that the fancy Norwegian buttons and braided trim cost more than the yarn for the entire sweater. There are specific trim and buttons for the sweater which I wanted to use. The photo HERE shows the pullover version.
There's also a cute baby version of Sirdal HERE.
I am very grateful to all of you who are purchasing the stranded color knitting booklet. Please let me know via the comments on this blog if you still have any additional questions on the subject. I can always update the booklet. I do have a page with more info on the book if you're considering purchasing it at http://home.earthlink.net/~nanetteblanchard/id6.html .
I'm currently working on the Friday Harbor socks from Knitting on the Road and should have them ready to show this Sunday. I'm also doing a striped sideways garter stitch scarf to be sold at the Denver rabbit shelter.
Here are some of the local rabbits that were featured on the Four Corners Bunnies web site in the past few years. Their stories started out sad but all are now living the good life with their new adoptive homes.
I'm currently working on the Friday Harbor socks from Knitting on the Road and should have them ready to show this Sunday. I'm also doing a striped sideways garter stitch scarf to be sold at the Denver rabbit shelter.
Here are some of the local rabbits that were featured on the Four Corners Bunnies web site in the past few years. Their stories started out sad but all are now living the good life with their new adoptive homes.
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