3KCBWDAY6 :: Improving Your Skillset

"In knitting, steeking is a shortcut used to knit garments such as sweaters in the round without interruption for openings or sleeves until the end. After completing a tube, a straight line is cut along the center of a column of stitches, in order to make room for an opening or place to attach another piece. The steek itself is a bridge of extra stitches, in which the cut is made, and is usually 6-10 stitches wide. This technique was developed by the knitters of the Shetland archipelago and is particularly associated with Fair Isle sweaters, although it can be used for solid colors as well." Wikipedia

I mentioned in my hero post that Mary Scott Huff is a steeker. Steeking just seems so smart to me. You knit this fabulous fair isle sweater in a giant tube and then get out your scissors and cut it carefully and make something useful. This way all those carefully knit strands of yarn stay nice and neat and you don't have to fiddle with intarsia and all those awful bobbins. Also, knitting in the round is my favorite way to knit, no purling!

I have also seen it used by Susan B Anderson to add in buttons to a sweater that didn't call for it after she had already knit it up. Brilliant!

In the coming year I would like to bite the bullet and take scissors to my knitting. I don't have a pattern picked out yet, but I think it would be smart to start with something small, maybe something for Stomper. Here are a few that I like for him: green, vest, and yoked. I wish Mary lived closer so I could go to one of her classes!

3KCBWDAY3 :: My Knitting Hero

I have two knitting hero's Susan B Anderson and Mary Scott Huff.

Susan is, in my opinion, the best toy knitter ever. Her patterns are innovative, creative, fun, and easy to knit up. Her most recent toy book: Spud and Chloe on the Farm is sitting on my night stand. I've read it several times. The patterns are so simple and straight forward I wonder why I don't see more toy knitters. 

Mary Scott Huff is a brilliant designer and master steek(er). Her fair isle knitting is extraordinary and intricate. It just blows my mind. If I could die and come back as a knitted object of hers, I'd probably return as her Queen Bee Sweater.

Both of these designers inspire me to pay more attention to details, keep my designs simple, and strive to challenge myself.

3KCBWDAY2 :: Photography Challenge

The world is mud-luscious and puddle-wonderful.

e. e. cummings

Read more athttp://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/authors/e/e_e_cummings_2.html#pQAHgGRO0gJiL2Uc.99


If you're interested you can nominate photos here.

3KCBWDAY1 :: Color Lovers

At the prompting of this post prompt I went into my stash of yarn and pulled out every ball of yarn I had bought. Not balls I had inherited, but actually went to the store and website to buy. This is what I found.

Most of the yarn was purchased for gifts. These neutrals were used to make a cow (ravelry page) for my son.

These were used to make various hats for various people. Some of the hats were used in trade to purchase a photography shoot for my son. What a great use of yarn!

These I use in toy making. The greens were used to make a turtle for a baby shower recently and another ball of the gray is on my needles being made into a teddy bear.

I realized that I don't buy yarn for me. Most yarn I buy I buy for a purpose. I usually have a pattern in mind or a person in mind and buy for them. In fact I can count on one hand the things I have made for me: a hat and a pair of mittens. 

Jan 2010

Although the cow I made for Stomper I really wanted to make, but it's not technically mine. The only bits of yarn in the basket for me are some from a kit to for a mystery KAL, that I haven't knit. It will be a hat (ravelry page) once I get around to knitting it.

This beautiful yarn was going to be a sweater, but I lost interest in it I think because I had an infant in the house. 

Instead I made this out of it (ravelry page) and I hope to make the second one this summer. I hope I don't forget and use up the scrap yarn to make the top.

I tend to naturally gravitate to earth tones of green, blue, brown, and gray with maybe a pop of pink tossed in. This summer I hope to knit myself a new hat and a Christmas sock, I think I will treat myself and buy fresh new yarn for it!