MKG Knitters’ Knews  1  February  2014 

The Madison Knitters’ Guild meets the second Monday of each month September through May. Doors open at 5:00 pm • Meeting starts at 6:30 p.m. • Bishop O'Connor Center, 702 South High Point Rd, Madison, WI 

The February 10 Meeting features Patty LyonsPATTY LYONS learned to knit when she was seven, and in 2005 she decided to leave her previous life as a Broadway stage manager to follow her passion and work in the knitting world. After managing a New York yarn store for a few years, she joined Lion Brand Yarn in 2008 to create the Lion Brand Yarn Studio in New York City, where she served as the Studio Director for five years. 

Patty now teaches nationally at guilds and knitting shows around the country such as Vogue Knitting LIVE, Knit and Crochet Show (the official show of TKGA and CGOA), and STITCHES. A certified knitting 

instructor, Patty focuses on helping her students see the 'why to' not just the 'how to'. She specializes in sweater design and sharing her love of the much‐maligned subjects of gauge and blocking.  

Patty’s popular classes can also be found online at Knitting Daily (Interweave Press) and Craftsy, where her “Improve Your Knitting” class was named Craftsy’s most popular class of 2013! 

Patty’s designs and knitting skill articles can be found in Vogue Knitting, Creative Knitting, Knit 1,2,3 and Knit ‘N Style magazines. According to knitwear designer Melissa Leapman, “Patty Lyons has done more to promote the pure love of knitting in New York City than anyone I can think of. Her enthusiasm for the craft is surpassed only by her dedication to quality education. The industry is lucky to have her.”  

Patty loves to knit, crochet, spin and has even dabbled on the knitting machine. She is currently attempting not to get sucked into another yarn craft, but weaving is looking pretty interesting.  

Patty lives in Brooklyn with her husband, a room full of yarn, and her rooftop garden. To find out where Patty is teaching next, visit: http://pattylyons.com/ 

Join us at the February 10 meeting when Patty will share tips and tricks of blocking. She has graciously shared with MKG members the handout she uses in her 3‐hour blocking class, and it is a good preview of what you will learn from Patty. Use this handy reference to add a professional finish to your knitted objects (full handout is on the MKG Website, condensed version on page 11). 

– Barbara Rottman, Programming Chair

Knitters’ Knews  Vol. 34, Issue 6        February 2014 

February Meeting: 5:00–6:30 pm:  Doors Open     Sign up at the Hospitality table, check out the Library, visit vendors, peruse Community Projects and seek out Knit Aid 

5:45 pm : Knit Connection   

Gather in the Dining Room to meet knitters from your neighborhood. 

6:30 pm:  Meeting Starts Business Meeting, Guest Speaker, Break, Show N’ Tell, Door Prizes in Auditorium 

In This Issue:    February’s Speaker – 1  Message from the  President – 2 

Library Notes – 2  A Peek at the March Meeting – 3 

Membership Count – 3 

Knitting in the News – 3 

Seeking Nominations – 4 

Upcoming Events – 4 

Treasurer’s Report – 4  Meet Our Vendors – 5 

January Guild Meeting Minutes – 6  

Knit‐In Update – 7  Community Projects and Free Pattern – 8‐9 

Ewe and Janine – 10 

Blocking Hand Out from Patty Lyons  – 11 

Sponsors – 12 

Angora Trimmed Top Down Sweater © 2011 by Patty Lyons

MKG Knitters’ Knews  2  February  2014 

Message from the President — Go Places with MKG! I love traveling, especially when I can make connections. Part of the reason I love knitting is that it offers me the opportunity of a journey – whether I’m just sitting on my couch or out exploring the world of yarn.

Begin Your Journey with Knit-In Reflect a moment how far you’ve come since you first picked up those two sticks. The skills you’ve learned, the people you’ve met, the yarn you’ve touched and maybe the “yarns” you’ve heard or told! Knit-In is a perfect place to continue that journey. Mary Jo Harris, Knit-In Chair, and committee have packed so much of the best into two days right here in Madison.

Instructors will offer you the opportunity to learn new skills or polish what you already know. You also have the opportunity to explore the knitting of other countries with Scandinavian Church Gloves, Latvian Scallop and Braid, or Nupps and Estonian Lace. Visit an entirely new world with Zentangle Basics. The 2014 Marketplace will offer temptations from as near as our own backyard to as far away as Colorado and Maryland.

Knit-In registration is now open to all. Be sure to share news about this great event with family and friends!

Ticket to Ride We are so fortunate to live in a community that offers so many yarn and knitting supply choices nearby. You just have to look at our list of Sponsors to see the bounty. But sometimes it’s fun to go on a little adventure to see what else there is. Gael Boyd, Special

Events Chair, is deep into planning Safari. Safari is an annual bus tour that visits three to four knitting shops, with planned stops for meals. This year’s Safari will take place on Saturday, June 7. Reserve the date and plan on a full-day knitting adventure.

Personal Journey As I’ve shared with you many times, the Madison Knitters’ Guild is a wonderful organization, filled with talented knitters who have been to amazing places, do lots of interesting things besides knitting and have varied work backgrounds. Getting involved in the Guild will open that entire world to you. Please consider volunteering for a committee. At each meeting we list a few tasks for which we could use help with. Feel free to jump in – or if you’d prefer, seek out a board member and tell her what kind of skills you’re willing to share. The Guild is only what we make it – and we can certainly use your help to keep it great!

Explore, grow and knit on with the Guild! – Mae Knowles, President

P.S. A limited number of printed Membership Directories will be available at the March meeting. If you’d like a copy, please let me know via email at maeven@charter.net.

 

Library Notes: Inspiration is the theme for this month's new books, with three collections of creative designs inspired by the non-fiber world. In Op-Art Socks, Stephanie Van Der Linden credits her optical illusion designs to her collection of op-art ceramics. Tanis Gray finds inspiration in the raw materials and fine details of buildings in Knitting Architecture. Singer/songwriter Stephanie Dosen has published a collection of fairy tale inspired designs in her first book, Woodland Knits. All three of these books present new ideas for fun projects and remind us that inspiration comes from all over.

This month we are happy to add three new books on Estonian knitting to our collection in honor of Linda Loeffelholz and donated by her son, John. Estonian Mittens All Around the World by Aino Praakli catalogs hundreds of mitten designs. The Haappsalu Scarf and The Haapsalu Shawl both by Siiri Reimann and Aime Edasi showcase Estonian lace patterns. The three books together provide a deep resource of Estonian knitting.

The library gratefully accepts book donations. Please stop by the library table for more information on making donations.

– Marijka Engel, Library Chair

MKG Knitters’ Knews  3  February  2014 

Membership January Update: 

 We are now  

Members 

strong! 

Sneak Peek at the March Meeting: The Knitter's Life List is intended to be a book of discovery and inspiration for all fiber lovers, especially knitters, and author Gwen W. Steege hopes to evoke that spirit in her presentation on March 10. She'll describe how the book came about and a bit about how her own "life list" has changed and evolved over the decades since she first learned to knit. She will explain that though the book isn't about patterns or techniques, it includes a broad overview of yarns and fibers, ethnic and historical styles, and most important, interviews of key figures in the fiber world whose work has had a major impact on us all. Gwen will share anecdotes about some of those interviews, along with insights about the fiber arts that came about through her conversations with these very generous contributors. She'll also give examples of some of the fun lists that she developed to challenge readers to explore books, movies, festivals, museums and much more. These lists have made her, and she hopes others, become aware of how thoroughly knitting and other fiber arts are woven into our lives. This is not intended to be a static book – nor a static talk – but a prompt to develop and check off one's own "bucket list" of fiber opportunities to enjoy.  

Share the Fun!  The Guild has committed to teaching children to knit at the Madison Children’s Museum, Sundays, 2:00–3:30 p.m., through March 9. This past Sunday, three members taught about a dozen children, at least two moms and several staff members. We all had fun and received many thank yous. Please consider joining us. Ideally we would have four to five teachers at each session. Please email Bonnie Dill to volunteer: Bonnie64MKG@gmail.com

Adieu – Until We Meet Again Big Apple look out: Heather Black is New York bound! MKG members have benefited from her teaching at Sow’s Ear, her work as an assistant at Knitting Camp and as a valued adviser at the Knit‐Aid Station, as well as a Knit‐In instructor. Despite being busy with this big move, Heather has continued to look out for fellow guild members and recruited Sylvie Schuresko to take her place at the Knit‐Aid Station. We will miss Heather, but wish her well. The good news is she’ll be back for camp. If you go to Vogue New York 2015, be sure to look her up. You’ll get the insider tips on knitting stores in the Big Apple! 

MKG Knitters’ Knews  4  February  2014 

Seeking Nominations for the 2014‐15 Board of Directors The nominating committee of the Madison Knitters’ Guild has begun preparing a slate of three candidates for membership approval and vote at the May meeting. 

The board is organized so that approximately one third of the eleven board members are replaced each year.  When elected to the board, it is for a three‐year term. At the end of the term, the person may run again if she/he wishes. 

Many people work to keep our guild running smoothly. Six of those people (the president, vice‐president, secretary, treasurer, knit‐in chair, and programming chair in charge of hiring speakers) must be board members.  The other five board members serve as committee chairs.  There are no “at large” board members. Because we have more than five committees, we also have committee chairs who are encouraged to attend board meetings and whose opinions are appreciated but they do not vote. Some of them email their report rather than attend meetings.   

Board members have been asked what position interests them for next year. Committee chairs have been asked if they want to run for the board, continue in their current position, or take a breather from a leadership role. Guild members were asked to notify me if they are interested in running for the board.  This process seems to be working very well to ensure that people and their positions are well matched and all positions filled, resulting in a very hard‐working board.   

Mary Jo Harris, Mae Knowles, Jane Newman, Kathy Wedig and I make up the nominating committee. If you are at all interested in running for the board or if you wonder what would be involved, please contact me as soon as possible ‒ the nominating committee has begun its work! 

Connie Burmeister, Nominating Committee Chair connieburmeister@gmail.com or 608‐333‐5207 

    

 Upcoming Guild Events: 

February 10: Guild Meeting, program by Patty Lyons. Vendors: The Cat and Crow, Jenny Blasen Pottery

February 15: Neighborhood Knits Mattress Stitch class, 2:00–3:30 pm at The Sow’s Ear (Class is full.)

February 22 & 27: Basic Socks class, 6:00–7:30 pm at Stitcher’s Crossing (Pre-registration needed)

March 10: Guild Meeting, program by Gwen W. Steege. Vendors: Bleating Heart Haven, Firefly Fibers

March 14: Knit-In members-only event: A Night With Franklin Habit, 6:00–8:00 pm, Bishop O’Connor Center (Pre-registration needed)

March 15-16: Knit-In featuring two days of classes, marketplace, and silent auction, Bishop O’Connor Center (Pre-registration needed)

Other Knitting Events: 

February 8: Patty Lyons is teaching a class on demystifying knitting patterns at The Cat & Crow, Mount Horeb

February 9: Patty Lyons classes “Fantastic Cast Ons and Bind Offs” and “Best Buttonholes & Button Bands” at The Sow’s Ear, Verona

February 10: Patty Lyons class “Knitting Bag of Tricks” at The Sow’s Ear, Verona

Treasurer’s Report: Month:         December 2013 Membership:     478 Income:     $3,779.47          Disbursements:    $2,287.42   Checking:     $38,461.36 Savings:          $3,068.49 

MKG Knitters’ Knews  5  February  2014 

Meet the Vendors for February:  Jenny Blasen Pottery — As the Jenny behind Jenny Blasen Pottery, I work full-time out of my home studio on Madison's near east side. I specialize in functional pieces for everyday use, including yarn bowls and buttons.

Although I do not knit, I have many friends and family who do. I started making ceramic yarn bowls at the request of a friend and they are now one of my most popular selling items.

I love using texture in my work and use many found objects, including lace, fabric, stamps, and leaves. Buttons are a great canvas to explore these textures on. Despite their tiny size, much time and detail go into each and

every one, making them the perfect finishing touch for your knitting project.

My work is available locally at Hatch Art House, 1248 Williamson Street, Madison. My yarn bowls and buttons are always in stock, plus much more.

Website: www.jennyblasenpottery.com Facebook: www.facebook.com/JennyBlasenPottery

The Cat & Crow — Melissa (Mo) Brown and Rebecca Boelhower Santi opened The Cat and Crown in October 2009 with the goal of creating a store with a friendly and inspiring atmosphere that focused on local fibers, yarns and gifts.

We feature a mix of great local yarns (wool, alpaca, hand-dyed, etc.), including several Cascade yarns, as well as Madelinetosh, Knit One, Crochet, Too and a

huge selection of Manos del Uruguay. In addition, we have spinning, felting and some weaving supplies.

Our new venture, creating a house yarn, has gone well and we still have some of our first batch remaining in Chili and Moss colorways in both worsted and bulky weight. It is Corriedale wool from Mo's farm, Four Crows Farm, dyed in the fleece and spun into yarn at Blackberry Ridge Woolen Mill. Mo has been busy

dyeing the three new colorways that will be unveiled later in the spring.

Our winter featured class is with Patty Lyons, (MKG’s February speaker), on Saturday, February 8, from 2:00–5:00 PM. Patty is teaching "Reading Between the Lines," a great class for anyone who has had trouble interpreting a pattern. Patty will share many tips for understanding patterns and tools for using patterns more easily. There are still a couple spots remaining; please call or email to sign up. The cost is just $54 for MKG members (we offer MKG members a 10% discount on

classes), and request payment before class to hold your place.

We will be bringing a Three Irish Girls trunk show with us on Monday, February 10. We will also have our house yarns and new Madelinetosh, as well as Mo's gradient sushi rolls (see photo at right). Sale yarns and some hand-dyed top for spinning

or felting will be featured too!

Website: http://www.thecatandcrowonline.com/ Email: thecatandcrow@mhtc.net Phone: 608-437-1771 Visit: 205 E. Main St., Mount Horeb, WI 53572

Store Hours: Tues–Wed: 10:00 am–9:00 pm; Thu–Fri: 10:00 am–5:00 pm, Sat: 9:00 am–5:00 pm. 

MKG Knitters’ Knews  6  February  2014 

January Guild Meeting Minutes:President Mae Knowles welcomed and introduced our guests and new members, as well as our vendors Hidden Valley Farm & Woolen Mill and The Woolgatherers. Mae shared that Stacy Parenteau had presented a great Ravelry tutorial at the MKG Knit Connection. Extra copies of the guide Stacy produced were in the library and a copy would be posted in the Member’s section of the website.

Announcements:

The Nomination Committee, headed by Connie Burmeister, would be meeting soon to recruit new board members. Those interested should contact her at ConnieBurmeister@gmail.com or 608-333-5207.

Knit Together at the Madison Children’s Center starts February 2nd for six Sundays. Volunteers can sign up for as many or as few sessions as they’d like. Contact Bonnie Dill at Bonnie64MKG@gmail.com.

The UFO Retreat will take place Jan. 24–26 at the Chalet Landhaus, New Glarus. It’s free for members and $5 for guests.

The MKG Knit Along is underway. Information is available at the Forums on the website.

Neighborhood Knits classes have gotten a great reception. Upcoming classes include: Teach a Child to Knit; Jogless Rounds; Survival Crochet; Knitting in a Circle; Seamless Cast On; Socks or Toys on Circular Needles. If you have these skills and are interested in being a teacher ($50/class) contact Barbara Rottman at Programming@MadisonKnittersGuild.org

Nancy Marchant’s brioche classes, sponsored by Susan’s Fiber Shop, have 19 (lucky) people registered.

Check out the upcoming Patty Lyons class opport-unities at The Cat and Crow and The Sow’s Ear.

MKG Members are awesome! The December sale netted $2,078 for Second Harvest Foodbank or over 6,200 meals. Special thanks to Rae Sprague and the Community Projects Committee.

February Community projects are mittens, hats, scarves for adults and children of Bayview Foundation.

Save the Date: Wednesday, June 18 is the MKG Stitch N’ Pitch with the Mallards!

Mary Jo Harris, Knit-In Chair, shared details of this year’s Knit-In. The weekend will kick-off with A Night with Franklin Habit, followed by two full days of classes and Marketplace. Registration will open Thursday, January 16.

Program: Nancy Marchant, fresh from a flight from Amsterdam, took us along the journey that has led to her crowning as the “Queen of Brioche.” From her first love, shibori, to some fun 80s projects – one sweater for a boyfriend featured basketball greats Larry Bird and Magic Johnson and made it to a Sports Illustrated fan page; another was created in exchange for physical therapy! In the early 90s she started noticing brioche, a fairly common European stitch, and was instantly drawn to it because of its movement and texture. Nancy had always wanted to write a knitting book and after several other book starts, was delighted to find the market had no books on brioche. Nancy will soon be publishing a second book which features many new brioche stitch patterns. She cautioned Guild members not to purchase the Kindle version of Knitting Brioche: The Essential Guide to the Brioche Stitch as it’s difficult to follow. After seeing all the beautiful slides of her patterns, Guild members may want to purchase Nancy’s Craftsy class. If you go through her website you will receive a 50% discount. Oh, and that good-looking guy modeling her Alex scarf? It’s her nephew!

Show ‘N Tell: Connie Burmeister shared the MKG KAL sweater Dansez by Amy Herzog and the modifications she made to make it a personal fit. Betty Ulanski displayed two shawls: Sunstruck & City Block Shawl by Laura Aylor; Julie Pluss-Smith showed off a fun octopus scarf: Neck Kraken by Annie Watts (left). Anne Evdaly presented a felted bag and a sweater she finished for her husband: Ranger by Jared Flood. Margot Fischer modeled a beautiful skirt that was designed and knit by her mother Hildegard Fischer (above). Susan Hill displayed a Color Block Ponchellini by StevenBe and Elaine Landy shared her cabled sweater. See more photos on the MKG website.

– Joan Werla, Secretary Photos by Carol Spiegel

MKG Knitters’ Knews  7  February  2014 

There is Still Time to Sign Up for Franklin Habit and Knit‐In Classes! Franklin Habit – There are still spaces available for the 'An Evening with Franklin Habit' event scheduled for Friday, March 14, from 6:00 pm–8:00 pm in the Dining Room at the Bishop O'Connor Center. Tickets cost $20 each. Registrations can be made online at the MKG website or a registration form can be mailed to Mary Jo Harris at the address listed on the form. Registration is limited so don't delay in signing up so you can meet Franklin, get his autograph, talk knitting, and hear Franklin talk about 'Impractical Magic: The Other Side of Weldon's Practical Needlework'. Here is what Franklin has to say about this talk:

Beginning in the 1880s, and for decades thereafter, the editors of Weldon's Practical Needlework provided an enormous audience of amateur craftswomen with patterns for garments designed to be warm, strong, long-lived and, well, practical. But Weldon's had another side, too. A side that proposed the knitting of covers for tennis balls, of knitting whips for children, and of covering open flames with crinkled tissue paper. In this illustrated talk – not for the faint of heart – we'll take a look at what our great-great-grandmothers got up to after they'd already knit a sufficiency of Socks for Invalids. Warning: May induce seizures in persons with good taste.

Knit-In Classes – And if that wasn't enough, there are still spaces available for most of the classes taught by wonderful line-up of teachers that are being offered at the Knit-In. Check the website for the teacher’s bios and to see which classes are still available.

Silent Auction – Something new at this year's Knit-In is a Silent Auction being held to benefit Second Harvest Food Bank. The Sow's Ear has generously donated items that were used as display items in their store. More photos, such as the one on the right, and details about the items can be found on our website. Marketplace – Of course, the Knit-In wouldn't be the Knit-In without the Marketplace. We have over two dozen vendors coming from as far away as Colorado and Maryland. Some of the vendors will be familiar faces, but others will be new faces with exciting items you need to experience. So come and check out the most vibrant part of the Knit-In. It really is a 'must see' affair! VOLUNTEER! – Once you know your Knit-In class schedule you'll also know of any 'open spots' in your weekend activities. We would love to help you fill those open spots by volunteering. There are a variety of 'jobs' available that most often be tailored to fit the size of your 'open spot'. For more information and details contact me at harrismj07@sbcglobal.net or call 608-243-9057. – Mary Jo Harris, Knit-In Chair

   

Neighborhood Knits — Classes Available Soon:  Classes in March include “Teach a Child to Knit” and “Jogless Knitting.” April brings us “Faces on Your Critters,” “Cables” and “Mitered Squares” taught by Sandy Gordon, “Hats” with Cathy Baker, and Jane Grogan will share “Magic Circular Cast-On” using crochet, and Carrie Hafele will be “Picking up Stitches” in May. Watch the MKG website for upcoming information on class dates, locations. The classes are free for MKG members with pre-registration. 

MKG Knitters’ Knews  8  February  2014 

Community Projects:   Thank you for all your donations in January. Lap blankets and tactile balls were delivered to Agrace Hospice Care. This month members donated 22 hats, 33 pairs of mittens, 25 scarves, 1 cowl, 1 hat and sweater set, 1 hat and mittens set, 2 fleece children blankets, 10 lap blankets, 29 tactile balls (various colorful balls and the Accidental Toy pattern), and 17 critters. Feel free to bring in any knit or crocheted item and we’ll find a welcoming home for it. 

‘Ready to Knit’ kits were available with everything you need included to make a critter for the Monona Library reading program as well as kits for hats and scarves. Seventy kits went home to become mice, owls, hedgehogs, cats, bunnies, chubby chirps, scarves and hats. Please remember to return your finished creations at an upcoming meeting or stop by to pick up a kit.  

In February we will be providing mittens, hats and scarves to the Bayview Foundation for children and adults in their community. Learn more about their activities at http://bayviewfoundation.org/ 

In March we will focus donations to three programs: 

Columbus Community Hospital needs baby blankets for families with newborns supported in the education programs of the Women's and Childbirth Services Department. There are many patterns on Ravelry including 

the Super Easy Baby Blanket by Purl Soho. Another fun blanket is the Color Field Baby Blanket by Donna Herron (shown left). This free pattern is available at http://purl3agony.hubpages.com/hub/Free‐Knitting‐Pattern‐Color‐Field‐Baby‐Blanket. The following page has the pattern for another colorful option, Frankie Brown’s Ten Stitch Blanket, inspired by an Elizabeth Zimmermann blanket. It can be made in any yarn and only uses 10 stitches. 

McKayla’s Grace is an organization supporting families with a baby in the NICU and those who experience the death of an infant at hospitals in Wisconsin. They have requested coordinated sets of 2 items each: gowns, hats, booties and small blankets (2’ x 2’) or just two sets of blankets. Refer to the January newsletter for a gown pattern and Community Projects Patterns web page for more free patterns for hats, booties and an angel wrap. 

The Madison Downtown YWCA’s Third Street Program provides affordable apartments, a safe neighborhood for families, and support services to single mothers with one or two children. They can use clothing or toy items for infants and children under 5 years of age. 

In April scarves, scarves and more scarves are needed for Handmade Especially for You, a program that supports women entering domestic abuse shelters.  

Please refer to the MKG website for the complete 2013‐2014 Community Projects Calendar and pattern ideas. 

Thank you for all you do.                 

– Rae Sprague, Community Projects Chair

 Donations wanted! February: Scarves, mittens, hats for children and adults

March: Baby blankets, clothing and toys for infants to age 5, premature sized items in pairs

April: Scarves for adults (5” to 6” wide by 56” to 60” long preferred)

MKG Knitters’ Knews  9  February  2014 

Ten Stitch Blanket © Frankie Brown, 2008. Printed with permission. Click here for the full pattern.   

This blanket can be knitted in the yarn and needles of your choice and is a great way of using up odds and ends. My original blanket was knitted in Noro Kureyon on 5.5mm / US size 9 needles. I used 14 balls of wool and the blanket measures about 107 x 122 cm / 42” x 48".   

This blanket was inspired by Elizabeth Zimmermann’s baby blanket in The Opinionated Knitter which is made up of wide L‐shaped strips of garter stitch sewn together. I have used her technique for shaping the corners but have worked one continuous strip, joining it as I go, to avoid the dreaded sewing up. The pattern looks far more complicated written down than it is to knit – honest! 

DIRECTIONS: Cast on 10 sts.  Slipping all first sts, knit 9 ridges (18 rows). Now work an Open Double Corner: *Sl 1, K8, yfwd, sl 1 pwise, yb, turn. Sl 1 pwise, yb, K9. Sl 1, K7, yfwd, sl 1 pwise, yb, turn.  Sl 1 pwise, yb, K8. 

Continue as set, working one less st every ridge and wrapping the next st as you turn to avoid holes. 

When you only have 1 st to work, knit it rather than slipping it. Now reverse the process, working back up to 9 sts, still wrapping the st at each turn.  **Work one ridge with all 10 sts then turn another corner from * to **  (When working the 10 st ridge you might like to work sl 1, pick up and knit 1 st, psso at the end of the first row to neaten the join.)  

That was the hardest part. From now on you only turn the corner once at each corner! 

Now work back along the side of the original 9 ridges, attaching your strip as you go by following this two row pattern: 

Row 1: Sl 1, K8, sl 1, pick up and K 1 st from the side of the knitting (there should be a ‘bump’ there), psso. 

Row 2: K 10. 

When you reach the next corner work a single corner (from * to **) and carry on along the next side.  

That’s it! Now just keep going until you are bored or run out of wool. Depending on where you decide to stop the finished blanket will be a square, a rectangle or neither of the above with a sticky‐out bit on one side like mine. This is nice easy knitting with the corners to keep you interested so have fun with it. 

Row by Row Instructions for the Corner These instructions fit between * and ** in the pattern above. 

Row 1: Sl 1, K8, yfwd, sl 1 pwise, yb, turn. Row 2: Sl 1 pwise, yb, K9. 

Row 3: Sl 1, K7, yfwd, sl 1 pwise, yb, turn. Row 4: Sl 1 pwise, yb, K8. Row 5: Sl 1, K6, yfwd, sl 1 pwise, yb, turn.  Row 6: Sl 1 pwise, yb, K7. Row 7: Sl 1, K5, yfwd, sl 1 pwise, yb, turn. Row 8: Sl 1 pwise, yb, K6. Row 9: Sl 1, K4, yfwd, sl 1 pwise, yb, turn. Row 10: Sl 1 pwise, yb, K5. Row 11: Sl 1, K3, yfwd, sl 1 pwise, yb, turn. Row 12: Sl 1 pwise, yb, K4. Row 13: Sl 1, K2, yfwd, sl 1 pwise, yb, turn. Row 14: Sl 1 pwise, yb, K3. Row 15: Sl 1, K1, yfwd, sl 1 pwise, yb, turn. Row 16: Sl 1 pwise, yb, K2. Row 17: K1, yfwd, sl 1 pwise, yb, turn. Row 18: Sl 1 pwise, yb, K1. Now reverse the process, working back up to 9sts, still wrapping the st at each turn: 

Row 1: Sl 1, K1, yfwd, sl 1 pwise, yb, turn. Row 2: Sl 1 pwise, yb, K2. Row 3: Sl 1, K2, yfwd, sl 1 pwise, yb, turn. Row 4: Sl 1 pwise, yb, K3. Row 5: Sl 1, K3, yfwd, sl 1 pwise, yb, turn. Row 6: Sl 1 pwise, yb, K4. Row 7: Sl 1, K4, yfwd, sl 1 pwise, yb, turn. Row 8: Sl 1 pwise, yb, K5. Row 9: Sl 1, K5, yfwd, sl 1 pwise, yb, turn. Row 10: Sl 1 pwise, yb, K6. Row 11: Sl 1, K6, yfwd, sl 1 pwise, yb, turn. Row 12: Sl 1 pwise, yb, K7. Row 13: Sl 1, K7, yfwd, sl 1 pwise, yb, turn. Row 14: Sl 1 pwise, yb, K8. Row 15: Sl 1, K8, yfwd, sl 1 pwise, yb, turn. Row 16: Sl 1 pwise, yb, K9.

Abbreviations: st = stitch   yfwd = yarn forward, as if to purl sts = stitches   pwise = purlwise K = knit   yb = yarn back, as if to knit sl = slip    psso = pass slipped stitch over

MKG Knitters’ Knews  10  February  2014 

Ewe and Janine — February 2014 I'm Janine Kam, a shepherdess in New Glarus, Wisconsin. I love sheep, knitting, spinning, sewing, dyeing, and all things textiles, especially wool. 

Farm:   With sub‐zero temperatures, I worry about the 

animals being cold so I closed the barn door for the first time in three years. This is really to make me feel good, not the animals; they are fine with their fur coats. The sheep are accustomed to remaining outside and were outraged that I shooed them in the barn and shut the door. They were glaring at me, angry that I tricked them, and stamping their front hooves. As I walked through them to fill their hay feeders inside, they parted to let me through, a little paranoid thinking that maybe one of them was going on a one‐way trip to the “candy store” but no, I just wanted to sleep peacefully. So they all camped out as close to the door as possible prevent‐ing a draft from entering underneath. A few of the roos got a little frostbite on their combs but other than that, everyone was fine.  

Knitting: I like to have a project, or parts of a project, on almost every toy. My husband will even comment if I don’t have multiple projects exclaiming, “What?! Only one project going? Size 3 needle, right?” Yes, he can recognize needle size by sight. After 25 years of marriage, he really has the hang of Knitting Life: one project for the house lying around somewhere, one for social gatherings in a bag, one kept in my locker at work (when I worked), and one for the subway or dark places in my purse. If I could knit while I drive, I would, but I wouldn’t want the lace to get torn on the stick shift.  This past month was a busy. With snow on the ground I do things that are unique to this weather such as snow‐dyeing. Our water has a lot of iron in it so I use snow to obtain the color(s) that aren’t so dark. Having archetiers (stringed instrument bow makers) for friends, I have a lifetime supply of pernambuco wood already shaved and being a red‐oholic, I used it to dye as much wool as I could fit in my dyepot. In the second run, it becomes a royal purple and I can’t pass that up and dyed more. The 

first photo is the color I’d get if I used tap water, the middle photo is the first run in 

snow water, and the last photo is the second run. 

Then Helen, a violist in the Milwaukee Symphony, needed some black socks ASAP because her right foot is cold when driving so I found some superwash sock roving of merino, mohair, and nylon. I spun it, dyed it black, knitted it and sent it off as soon as they were done. Everyone else needed socks too. I miscalculated how much sock roving/yarn I needed because superwash is heavier due to the processing so I had to re‐knit them. In another pair, I had enough yarn for one sock in purple and one sock in silver, so I knitted these Fraternal Opposite Socks. My husband’s colleagues can only see him waist up on video conferences so he can wear these to work.  

Pattern: Fraternal Opposite Socks   I used equal amounts of each color and stripe them any way I like as long as both socks have the same number of rows in the opposite colors. It’s a great way to use odd balls that don’t have quite enough yarn for a pair and it is easy to count the rows and knit exactly the same number with the stripes. I could even knit this in the dark at the last meeting sitting in the back of the auditorium! For this pair, I just used a basic sock pattern casting on 40 stitches with #4 needles and decreasing the toe until it has 8 stitches drawing them together to a point with a tassel. This yarn is chain‐plyed to a fairly hard grist at about a 30 degree angle in a DK weight. I find that knitting stripes makes me knit faster because I’m always aiming to change the color and with these opposite socks, I don’t get second sock syndrome!

HOW TO BLOCK YOUR KNITS With Patty Lyons It’s Not Finished until it’s Blocked! Blocking is an important step to making your project look perfect. It serves many purposes:

“Kills the stitch” Makes stitches even and perfect Sets the size of pieces

Sets straight lines or curves to the sides of pieces

Molds cables or textured stitches

Creates pieces that are ready to seam

Blocking Tips: Experiment with blocking

techniques on a swatch Block right side up Weave in your ends before

blocking Block pieces BEFORE seaming

(you can still steam out seams after seaming)

Use wires to straighten edges Gently stretch ribbing to “resting”

measurement Gently mold cables & textured

stitches Use flexible blocking wires for

curved edges or to create shaping

Don’t block highly textured or novelty yarn

Don’t wilt fuzzy yarns with steam (Mohair, Angora)

Don’t remove pins & wires before your knitting is dry

NEVER press iron to knitting NEVER Wring out your knitting

Blocking Methods: Wet blocking (soaking your piece) Steam blocking (using a steamer

or iron on dry or damp piece) Spray blocking (using a spray

bottle)

Tools for Blocking: Blocking board Blocking wires T-pins

Thin crochet cotton or thread (instead of wires)

Blocking cloth

Tape measure Pattern schematic Spray bottle

Steam producing iron or steamer

Large sink or wash basin

Other tools: Wooly Board (for

blocking sweaters knit in the round)

Blocking Frame (for blocking lace–HARD to find)

Objects around your house: plates, bowls, etc. (unusual shapes)

To block out seams after finishing with a tailor’s ham or seaming roll

How to Choose Your Blocking Method: Fiber Content Stitch Pattern

What you need out of blocking (add more length, even out stitches, etc.)

Dyeing method (color fast or not)

Wet Blocking:Wet blocking should not be used on fibers that can stretch out easily. Water is very heavy! Wet blocking is good if you need to add length to bodies or sleeves. Good for: Acrylic, Wool, Linen, Cotton/Acrylic blend (must be a 50/50 blend to not stretch out).

Dry Blocking w/steam: Dry blocking uses the heat and steam of an iron to shape the knitting. You’ll need an iron with a good steam output. Use steam to loosen up stitches on: Wool & wool blends, Cotton

Spray bottle blocking: This is the gentlest form of blocking. This method is good for fibers that are weakened or stretched out by water (Alpaca, Merino, Cotton) fuzzy fibers that can wilt by steam (Angora, Mohair), delicate fibers (Cashmere, Silk). Spray blocking good for: Alpaca, Angora, Cashmere, Superwash merino, Mohair, Silk

Blocking Unusual Shapes: Use curved blocking wires to assist any edge that is

not straight

Blocking Unusual Shapes, continued Use straight wires to run through side stitches of a

piece so you can use minimal pins Block tams and berets over small plates or wide soup

bowls A small beach ball is a great blocking tool for hats You can stuff rags or paper into plastic bags and use

them to fill out any shape (bags, mittens, etc.) Use Wooly board for sweaters knit in the round

Blocking Lace: Use thread or wire to pull out lace points. 1. Put thread on tapestry needle, pull through points

and pull out an extra loop of thread and double back into point and move to next point

2. Continue around the entire piece, if it’s round, cut thread and tie it in a loop

3. If it’s a square or rectangle, do it on each 4. Work piece out from center pulling out opposite sides

in quarters, pulling out the loops of thread on each point and pin them out

Contact Patty Lyons: Please stay in touch; let me know how your work is going, and don’t hesitate to ask me questions via email at brooklynknitchick@earthlink.net, visit my website: http://pattylyons.com/, or find me on Facebook, Ravelry, Twitter, and Instagram. © Copyright 2013 by Patty Lyons

 

Knitters’ Knews Sponsors: We thank our sponsors for supporting the Guild and encourage 

our members to support them in return when possible. Visit the Sponsors page for more info on each. 

Want to reach hundreds of knitters on a daily and monthly basis? Sponsor the Madison Knitters’ Guild Knitters’ Knews or advertise on our Website. Contact advertising@madisonknittersguild.org for details.