The Joys of Being a Knitter

With the passing of Thanksgiving into the Christmas Season, thoughts again turn for many knitters into what to make for loved ones for Christmas. Admittedly I have never done this (there is a reason I have test knitters beyond having another pair of eyes to look at the pattern). For example, my granddaughter Jessica is now 8 months old and I am still knitting her baby blanket. My stepdaughter Connie is very patient, thankfully.

I am thankful to be a knitter. Knitting, more than any other creative thing I have done (and there have been lots of interesting things) is what I would call a passion.

Here are my reasons for loving knitting:

1. Knitting is portable

2. Knitting fits a wide range of budgets.

3. Unlike smoking, you still have something when you are done getting your fix.

4. Knitting is soothing and meditative.

5. Knitting helps me to not fidget as I have something to do with my hands.

6. My mind likes being busy and knitting relaxes me.

7. With infinite yarn choices it is hard to get bored.

8. As a hobby it fits so many personalities due to the variety in yarn and techniques.

9. Knitting gives me an excuse to be occupied if needed. People are used to always seeing me with knitting in hand. I can escape if needed and no one is the wiser.

10. Having a stash is like having your own treasure chest.

11. Knitting is comforting. It is a warm and soothing craft.

12. With a little care in what I do, I can get very professional looking results for little effort.

So there you have it. My Baker’s dozen for thankful knitting.

Peace and Knitting, JoLene Treace

Cast-On, Bind-Off: Finer Finishes for Hand Knitting

Ang posted a comment asking about sources for Cast-Ons when I commented on the Channel Island Cast-On.

I commented on how I like that Cast-On (it is admittedly a favorite). It forms a row of nice fat little purls (not as in knitting, but as in Oysters) along the edge of the knitting. Now, they are not fat compared to the stitches, as they are only as fat as the yarn allows them to be (so the finer the gauge the smaller they are).

When working this cast-on, there are similarities to the long tail cast-on. I had my friend Katherine Misegades take photos of my hands when working this Cast-On, and even though I stay away from re-inventing the wheel, I think I can add something to some of the directions I have seen for it. I just need to get the photos and comments together…a good project for after Thanksgiving.

I have a number of books that have copious information on different cast-ons and what they are used for. The Principles of Knitting, by June Hemmons Hiatt (out of print and outrageously expensive), Knitter’s Handbook by Montse Stanley is exceptional, and Big Book of Knitting by Katharina Buss. The Big Book of Knitting has really good information on how to make your knitting look exceptional from the techniques that you use.

The plainer your knitting is (for example a Worsted or DK smooth plied yarn in a solid color, in stockinette) the more important these details become. Why? Because there isn’t much else for the eye to see. Those details become the main design elements. Since there isn’t contrast with anything else, that is what the eye is drawn to. The difference between a generic looking sock and one that looks downright couture.

If you type Channel Island Cast-On in Google, you will see some online references for it. Mine isn’t done yet.

I think I may have to do a little tutorial with some “regular” cast-ons as well, against stockinette, garter, purl (reverse stockinette), and ribbing, just so you can see the difference. Some of the regular cast-ons that we do have different appearances on the “right side” or “wrong side” (the first or second row after the cast-on). You may find for certain applications that you like the first row after the cast-on to be your right side or vice versa.

It is a liberating experience as you have control over exactly how your knitting looks.

Peace and Knitting, JoLene Treace

All I Want is Yarn

I mentioned several days ago I would write about some yarns I picked up at Stitches & Scones in Westfield Indiana. Whenever I am in Indianapolis, I make a point of going to this yarn store.

I was in search of yarns for a call for submissions from Interweave Knits for a book they have in the works. Sure, I have like a million odd balls of yarns of all kinds in my “yarn room” upstairs (it isn’t big enough to qualify as a studio, though hopefully I will have one of those by this time next year). To be honest, I wanted to play with something new. Something fresh. maybe something I really liked that I forgot about. Maybe something that I had tried but didn’t have enough of to swatch with.

I emailed Molly to ask about a few that I was looking for specifically, and when I left the store I had the following:

Savoy, a yummy silk and merino blend (in a lovely chocolate brown color and white), Wool Bamboo (two balls), Indulgence, Silke Tweed (two balls), Blue Sky Alpaca & Silk (two skeins), Linen Isle, and Princess (two balls).

Also purchased, but not at Stitches & Scones, Misti Alpaca DK 4 Ply (80% Baby Suri Alpaca and 20% silk), Classic Alpaca, Korella (a linen and acrylic blend form Gedifra), Sirdar’s Baby Bamboo, and Svale from Dale of Norway.

I don’t know if any of you remember the Bugs Bunny cartoons? I am thinking specifically of Daffy Duck when he would get in a cave with hidden treasure, and he would gleefully say “I am a happy miser!!!” I suspect that is what I looked like when I was sitting in the middle of the hotel room, trying to decide what I wanted to play with first.

Seriously though, yarn is an important design element. I know that is somewhat of a “duh” statement, but I think we can at times forget that. Not every yarn is suited to every purpose.

One of the interesting discussions going on in Ravelry is about what knitting rule you are rebelling against. It is fascinating to see what makes us all tick. Some of us have a need to rebel. For whatever reason. Maybe we don’t like being told that a particular way is the right way or the best way (regardless of whether it is or not). Maybe we have this picture in our minds about ourselves and we are exciting, chic, independent, or whatever adjective you want to insert if we are “rebellious”.

For myself I have never felt the need to rebel. Perhaps it is because I do what I feel is best for the design. I am a self taught knitter so I don’t have any preconceived ideas or influences that prod me to say so there and metaphorically shove my knitting needle in its eye. That would explain why I am particular about my knitting. As I am self taught, I have had no benefit of a teacher to help me learn what “the right way is”. I have had to figure it out on my own.

There are certain rules I have learned from reading, that I follow as it makes for better knitting. There are times where I break with tradition. Not because I need to rebel but because, again, it makes the design stronger or makes my knitting better.

For example, I love the Channel Island Cast On. Who says you cannot use it on other things besides Ganseys? Using it in other applications is more creative than anything.

I will be happily finishing up my swatching for the call for submissions tomorrow. I have a little something that I want to knit up with the Korella, and I just may use the Channel Island Cast On, paired with a lacey stitch pattern. At least one with enough yarn overs to give it a lacey feel, even though at that gauge and with the amount of yarn overs that form the pattern I don’t think there is enough to truely classify it as lace.

There just are not enough hours in the day. Thanksgiving may just have to wait this year.

Peace and Knitting, JoLene Treace

Interweave Knits Winter 2006 Issue: Sells Out Soon!

If any of you are thinking of getting this issue, you may want to get one soon. I spoke with Jade Sapphire Exotics, and there are less than 30 issues left.

The Wine and Roses Mitts that I had in the Winter 2006 issue were out of their yarn, and I had called to ask about obtaining a color card of their Lacey Lamb, a luscious lace yarn that knits and blocks like a dream.

I will be putting this pattern in a leaflet at the earliest opportunity. Probably when the magazine sells out, as there is nothing stipulated in my contract with Interweave regarding when I can do so (I retained the rights to do so however, so that is not the issue).

It isn’t a good idea to put out a pattern too soon to when it came out in a magazine though. And while I retain the rights to my designs in Handknit Holidays I would not be putting the patterns in a pattern leaflet at this time for the same reason. The book is still in print.

Still, with the Mitts it will be soon.

Peace and Knitting, JoLene Treace

Now on Flickr

While waiting for my name to be linked to my user name on Ravelry, I went to flicr and uploaded pictures of my pattern leaflets.

Not on flickr yet: Lilly, Fei, Willow (scrolldown a bit, second from top), Hamefarin, Little Leaf Lace Shawl (scroll down on page to see), Keefley Mittens, River Forest Gansey, Evergreen Shawl (in Handknit Holidays), Wine and Roses Mitts, Forest Park Dresser Scarf (which just came out in 101 Designer One Skein Wonders), and BonBons.

I still haven’t made a list yet of all the wonderful yarn I bought in Indianapolis at Stitches and Scones (Congrats on the Indy A-list Molly!). I’ll have to see if I can do that tomorrow.

Peace and Knitting, JoLene Treace

Getting Started on Ravelry

Well, last night I finally went to Ravelry and got my profile filled out. I feel official now.

I also heard from a few of you who are there and read my blog. That was very nice of you and it made me feel quite welcome. I must say that I was quite honored to see a number of my designs there and look forward to posting pictures of them all.

I will be contacting David Codling of Simply Shetland for permission to post images from my designs in Jamison’s Shetland Knitting, as well as Louet Sales, Melanie Falick (Handknit Holidays), the new 101 Designer One Skein Wonders, plus one hat for Mostly Merino. 10 designs in all with these, almost half of the designs I have done professionally. I am not as prolific as some. Oh, I forgot the design in Interweave Knits (the Wine and Roses Mitts), and the design that I did in the British magazine Knitting, a few years back. An even split, 50/5o between pattern leaflets and other sources.

Stop by and say hello if you have not already.

Peace and Knitting, JoLene Treace

A Matter of Perspective: Design and the Unexpected

One of the things I do a little differently in knitting design, I have been told, is how I take inspiration from things and apply that inspiration to all the parts of the design process. I use a rather Fine Arts approach.

I recently received a call for submissions from a publisher whose list I am on, for designs for a book focusing on items that are simply elegant. That is a tough one for me, as I have a love of detail. Nevertheless, it can be done and I have some great ideas.

Looking up the meaning of the word Elegant is quite instructive. I love things that are a little unexpected, things with a little something different that make them special.

I haven’t shared a photo for awhile, and here is one of a Giraffe that I took at our local zoo. The composition of this photo is, in my opinion, quite unique. How often do we see Giraffes in this position? Sometimes looking at things from a different perspective or view point makes the difference between cookie cutter design and unique or artistic design.

A different perspective might mean focusing on a different part of the stitch pattern for color changes in a fairisle, or it might mean changing the way the eye is drawn through the design by changing the line of the stitch patterns (which gives a feeling of more energy or more rest, depending on what you do).

I have fun with perspective in photography, and my fun runs the gamut of extreme close-ups to different vantage points. It gives me an appreciation for detail and focus and how that affects a composition (or my designs).

Peace and Knitting, JoLene Treace

My Invite to Ravelry

Well, I received my invite from Ravelry about a half hour ago. Right now I am unwinding after an evening shift at the hospital. One of the things I love about nursing is I love helping people. But, my creative self would rather be working on a new knitting design.

I had rather wondered as an independent designer whether anyone on Ravelry would be working on one of my designs. Chrisknits, an online buddy I met on one of my knitting lists was one of the folks with a picture of a design (the Keefley mittens from Handknit Holidays by Melanie Falick). I was really rather suprised to see the number of projects out there.

I will be looking through the site and figuring out how things work as the days progress. One of the things that I will like about it is being in more of an interactive environment. I am fairly isolated in my knitting world. I belong to the Dayton Knitting Guild, but that is a good 2 hours one way. The Fort Wayne Knitting Guild meets once a month in the evening, and that may be an option.

One of the things I love about events like Stitches is the opportunity to get together with other knitters.

For those on Ravelry already, maybe I will see you there. My user name (although I don’t have anything entered myself yet) is JTreace. Can you believe the name JoLene was taken? What are the odds of that? Not a common name, to be sure…plus the uppercase L in the middle to boot. Amazing how many people have thought, over the years, that my middle name was Lene.

Peace and Knitting, JoLene Treace

Knitting Kudos: Stitches and Scones, & Sheepy Yarn Shoppe

I am not afraid to tell you my favorite yarn store is Stitches and Scones, in Westfield Indiana. They are number 1 on the A list in their area (an honor recently received). Oh, there are others that are a very close second. Shuttle Shop in Warsaw Indiana, Knitting Today in Wolcottville, Threadbear in Michigan, and others that I like for various reasons.

Stitches and Scones is about a 2 hour drive from my house, so I don’t get there as often as I would like, but if you are in the area they are well worth a visit. They have a fantastic range of yarns that are luscious and a broad range to appeal to probably every knitter. They are friendly, helpful, and inviting.
I was in Indianapolis this weekend, and in my next post I will tell you about the yarns that I bought and why. I also went to the Knit Stop, another great yarn store. The atmosphere in the two shops is completely different, and you would really have to experience both to determine which is your favorite.

I love visiting yarn stores when I am out of town.

If I ever get to White Bear Lake, in Minnesota, I am going to look up Sheepy Yarn Shoppe. They recently contacted me as they are having a class using my Elizabeth I scarf pattern and wanted to order the pattern.

I am always tickled to hear a shop is having a class using the design, as when I worked it up I pictured those new to lace knitting as having a project they could learn the basics on.

Also, I want to applaud them very openly for doing the right thing. While I certainly would not have known about their class if they had ordered the pattern from my distributor, I am thankful that they are not among those who think nothing of making a photocopy for class purposes (which as many of you know is a copyright violation). Sadly in this day and age, there are many shops that will make photocopies for their customers as their customers expect it, since they just spent all “this money” on yarn. I think this is probably the exception, rather than the rule, but I can tell you I would be a loyal customer because of this if they were close enough for me to visit.

Sometimes designers hear about copyright infringement from loyal knitters, and sometimes they do not. Stories circulate among lists for designers about bad experiences related to copyright infringement.

So Kudos to Stitches and Scones, my favorite shop, and Kudos to Sheepy Yarn Shoppe for supporting designers by honoring their hard work.

Peace and Knitting, JoLene