Spring Round-Up

This idea has been hovering in my mind for the last couple weeks…..Spring Roundup – a bit like Blast from the Past featured in Dec 2012…..time to share those photos that didn’t make “center stage” yet. The only reason they haven’t is that often my ambitions are greater than my time. Now having “whined” about that, here’s the deal. I am going to post photos of Skein Lane knitters….I invite each you featured to pop back into the blog and make comments about your project or activity. This will be truly the personal touch. Here goes!

The “dress alikes” have appeared here before…..but they are so much fun it’s hard not to post again.

Jan

Kimberly

Bonnie

The trio

Late for last Easter..early for next!

What’s up!

Kimberly – A cowl!

Karen – her pink sweater jacket

Margot – It’s done

Marsha – another new knit!

Terry – another heart blanket!

Cameron – Ready for a baby!

Sheri – A Stephen West scarf

February 2001 – Yes 2001!

It’s Hip to Knit

Check out this newspaper article! Skein Lane was featured in Trends of Bay Area Living in 2001. (angnewspapers.com) I remember the photo shoot well….it was a lot of fun.

We worked hard, we played hard, we knit!

• It’s Hip to Knit
• It’s Hip to Knit – cont’d

Steeking, Cardigans, Jackets, Gauntlets

What do these all in have common? Last Saturday morning was abuzz with projects and techniques.

Betsy

Katie

Betsy just finished one her gauntlets…..a bright spring green that matches her zest for taking on life’s challenges. She has decided to move back to Kentucky….she will be greatly missed. The good news is that we have the pleasure of her company through the summer. Love that gauntlet Betsy!

Recently Katie finished a beautiful scarf….the ever popular multi-directional pattern. I believe her yarn choices came from Art Fibers. This past Saturday found her making major progress on her first sweater….Noro yarn and Noro pattern. It will be lovely.

The cardi/cape/poncho knit with Cascade’s Pastaza (now discontinued) that Nina has draping from her needles is another beautiful piece….that beauty came with some pain. She began this project at a time when her time was stretched thin with work and home care responsibilities….and she knit! She was nearing the end last month when when she discovered she had one panel too many on one of the fronts…….the solutions available were to rip it all out – an option that was not okay….so we opted for the practical solution – to isolate the stitches so there would be no more knitting on that end piece/section. Then what? Steek….that means sew and cut. Nina sewed along the section…I then crocheted next to the stitching…and I cut! It was a miracle solution…Nina will be modeling the finished garment soon. By the way, I actually love to cut as a solution for knitting problems. Hmmmm…..think I’ll tell the story soon (for those who have not heard to talk about it) about cutting an elephant out of a sweater.

The Pattern

Cut….

Cut in process

Cut, cut

Nina – it’s almost done

One more story tell from this past Saturday…..Marsha arrived wearing her stunning purple MaggiKnits Linen Sweater. Marsha was inspired by a sweater in her closet….that became the pattern. I helped her design from that model. Now Marsha has knit this sweater almost twice…she got off in the setting up in her false seams…and uhoh the fronts were off. There was not steeking option here! She and Susanne ripped it out about 6 weeks ago….and I would Marsha had that cardigan reknit in a month. We call her the marathon knitter. Notice Marsha’s matching shoes….she has the best and most interesting color coordination. Her next project is another cardigan knit with Shaefer’s Cotton Laurel (love this yarn now Shaefer is closed/retired)….the yarn is wound and is already on her needles.

Check out the buttons!

Notice the matching shoes!

The neckline rolled back!

Her next project – ready to begin!

It’s been a fun knitting month!

The Wool Winery

When PJ and her husband Marty travel they always take great photos….here are two that are particularly special for us knitters! (This particular photo takes me back to when I visited my relatives in Napier in the early 1990′s. Could it really be that long ago?) Thank you for sharing PJ!!

Napier, Hawkes Bay, NZ 2010

PJ says this last week or so…..

Carolyn,

Taken just for you in February 2010. Never too late!

PJ

Store Front – Ireland 2012

Debbie’s Version – The O’Doyle Wrap

We had way too much fun at Thursday knitting…Debbie and I were over the top comparing our wraps…..the O’Doyle Wrap designed by Maggi Jackson of MaggiKnits.  We each put our knitting “stamp” on our designs. Debbie added decorative pieces under her buttons….she inadvertently changed the line up of her pieces before seaming…it works! I changed the collar to seed stitch rather than the loops. Debbie and I have more in process to share re: MaggiKnits designs. The end result is so fun…along the knitting path we always make change….because we are knitters and that is what we do!

Proud Debbie

Front View

Back View

This collar follows MaggiKnits vision. ….I knit mine in seed stitch as I am that simple kind of gal!

Notice the button detail….Debbie added some “glitz” behind the button.

Our versions of the O’Doyle Wrap

Pat’s a Star!

Besides being connected to Pat through her son and my niece’s marriage 23 years ago,  Pat has also become a friend. I’ve forgotten exactly how long ago, but  at least 15 years, Pat and her husband Don moved from Fremont, CA to Arnold, CA shortly after they retired from their work careers. Pat then took up watercolor painting. I fell in love with one of her first works, the Aspens – it hangs in the knitting studio of my home.

Here’s what is really exciting! Pat  is the featured artist  in this month’s “The Calaveras Chronicle” – her art is featured throughout the newspaper. And her art  is on display at Ebbetts Pass Visitors Center – one of the art pieces has been selected as the logo Ebbetts Pass website.

I couldn’t be happier for Pat. I invite you to look at some of her watercolors featured in the newspaper. You will find them on page 9, two after page 15 and on page 26. I also invite you to see the Aspens. This watercolor never fails to warm my heart!

It’s done – the O’Dolan Wrap

A whole week plus has passed since I completed the O’Dolan Wrap (design by MaggiKnits). I did show/model the garment with Skein Lane knitting groups but I had to get over shell shock from this photo that truly showed that I need to hit the road for more exercise before I shared the joy. I’ve adjusted…and now I share the joy with all of you!

This was a fun knit and completed relatively quick. From the moment I put it on, I knew that this is a garment that I will wear a lot. It not only fits perfectly but it feels good on the body! I am really excited about this!

Note that I have knit this wonderful design with my own trademark stamp…I rarely knit a pattern exactly as presented. So…what did I do differently? The pattern calls for the striped area to be tartan design which means the knitted stripes would be intersected with embroidered stripes. I dress simply to say the least…and the tartan (while beautiful) was too much for me. I made yet one more change…the collar called for a loop knit stitch design…beautiful and yet another feature too much for me. I changed the collar to seed stitch that matches the bottom edges. I love my rendition of Maggi’s vision.

I have photos to share here about the progress points in this project as well as Debbie’s progress in her project. She is knitting the O’Dolan Wrap in the colorway of Red/Black and she is following the pattern design. She will look lovely in the original design.

Debbie’s 1st 3 pieces.

The layout of this work in process…and my trusty iPad

Notice my iPad in one of the photos. As many of you have already discovered for yourselves, I have found the iPad to be such an invaluable tool. I have patterns, books, patterns, and more books at my immediate view. I am now building my own personal library in iBooks.

If you would like to knit this design it retails for $119 at Skein Lane. I haven’t listed it on the online store yet…for now you can contact Skein Lane directly at skeinlane@aol.com.