Wool Free and Lovin' Knit

Review: Cowl Girls

Another new knitting book I got for Christmas this year was Cathy Carron's Cowl Girls: The Neck's Big Thing to Knit.  I might have bought this book just for the clever title, but I put it on my wish list because I'm a huge cowl lover.   (when hats don't look great on you, cowls are a lovely alternative with the added bonus of being a scarf/headcovering all in one).

But the book has more than cowls. There are patterns for the "Gaiter", "Dickey", "Snood", Balaclava, "Infinity scarf", "Donut", and even a knitted "Necklace" and a clear definition of each in case you don't know the difference!

Almost ALL of the patterns feature a wool or wool/blend yarn with two exceptions:

"Zig and Zag" (which is featured in Classic Elite Yarns, Verde Collection, organic cotton)

 

And "All that Glitters" (which is featured in Euroflax linen by Louet).

 

Cathy does note that "most of the designs are for cold-weather wear, but many could be adapted in silk, cotton or linen for warmer climes" and, I would add, for "wool free knitters".  

Regrettably she does not provide those wool-free alternatives in this book so, you'll have to figure them out yourself, but there's such flexibility in garments like these that I don't think it will be too hard. 

Cathy does provide excellent instructions at the back of the book for those who prefer to knit these patterns on straight needles rather than "in the round".   

All in all, a great collection of interesting and easily adaptable patterns that even a wool free knitter can work with. 

I've started in on the "Candy Wrapper" Cowl -- more on that tomorrow!

 

 

More Magic

Much as I love the mattress stitch, it only works for vertical seams.  That's why it's good to have the "Invisible Horizontal Stitch"  in your bag of tricks as well. 

 

With right sides facing, you simply insert your needle under the first "V" below the bound off edge on one side. Next,cross over and insert it under the first "V" below the bound off edge on the other side and pull snuggly.  As long as you are joining to pieces with the same # of bound off stitches, you'll just work V to V all the way across.  Studio Knits has a great visual tutorial on this stitch here. 

Notice how my seaming yarn just disappears even on the underside?  It's magic. 

So, the Lizard Ridge Afghan is FINALLY all seamed.  It wasn't really as bad as I thought it would be.  Now to decide on the color for the border. I'm going to try an attached I-cord border -- sure hope I like it!

The Magic of Mattress Stitch

I've finally started seaming the Lizard Ridge Squares and I have to say that I am really pleased with how they are coming together (literally) on account of the mattress stitch. 

I'm using the leftover variegated Berroco Comfort yarn and it really wouldn't matter what color I used because the seam is invisible. 

Even on the back where you can see the seam, you can't see the color of yarn I seamed it with.  It's magic. LOVE the mattress stitch, don' t you?

If you've never tried it before, there's a great video tutorial here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NvAS-HCWk9I&feature=related

 

Alan Dart's Knitted Toys

So I was knitting at the hairdresser's today (I've made it to the 3rd row of the Annis shawl and so far so good) when the woman next to me leans over to ask me what I'm making.

She tells me she's a knitter too but she knits toys. Knits them and gives them away.  She tells me that she knits from patterns by Alan Dart, have I heard of him?  I haven't.  She tells me I should look him up, that his toys are amazing.

So of course I come home and look him up. I've often toyed with the idea of knitting a toy, but I have never seen knitted toy patterns like this.  

Now I see the purpose for eyelash yarn. Isn't this bear pattern a beauty? 

And there's more, oh, so many more.  I want to knit toys, lots and lots of Alan Dart toys.

There's even an Alan Dart group on Ravelry!

Of course I cannot knit toys right now, not even adorable, to die for, Alan Dart toys, but as soon as I finish these 3 afghans, a handful of shawlettes, a few scarves and cardigans I'll be getting right on it.  

 How I'll ever choose my first toy, I don't know. They are all so cute.

 
I love Hanukkah Hiram and I'm not even Jewish.

You'll find Alan Dart patterns here.  You'll find the Ravelry Group here.

Check these toys out -- they are just amazing!

Dear Santa....

Thinking about Christmas knitting for others is only one-half of the equation. Thinking about what I'd like to put on my own Christmas list this year is the other.

I'd like my stocking to be stuffed with  lots of little knitting notions: stitch markers, a knitting magazine or book , small scissors, darning needles, T-Blocking pins, stitch holders and row counters.  It seems I can never have enough of these accessories as they get spread out over multiple projects and stored in multiple bags and locations.

Upgrading to this wooden ball winder  by  Strauch Fiber Equipment is certainly tempting.   All reviews claim it works wonderfully and you don't have the issues that come with the plastic winders.   Definitely not a cheap gift, but I think I'll ask Santa to watch for a sale.

Woolly Thoughts -- No Wool Required

Last month Eskimimi knits shared an interview on her blog with mathematicians and knitters Pat Ashforth and Steve Plummer, co-creators of Woolly thoughts.

I took one look at their website and I was hooked. Even though I rarely impulse buy, I immediately ordered a copy of their book from Amazon. I mean, just look at this stuff!

Woolly Thoughts: Unlock Your Creative Genius with Modular Knitting was waiting in my mailbox on my return home this week and I've already started knitting  garter stitch squares on the diagonal and it is just so cool (and addictive).

This is not a typical pattern book although there are some patterns shown. It is a tutorial on modular knitting. It might even be called a math book but I prefer to think of it as a knitting book.

As a person who suffers from math avoidance, anyone who can get me interested in the subject is a genius and really,  Woolly Thoughts: Unlock Your Creative Genius with Modular Knitting is about using knitting to make math more accessible and fun.  

The sky's the limit for designing with these methods, but the thing I love best about their methods is that you can knit these designs in any yarn -- no wool required!

Perfect Beach Reading

I managed to read 4 novels while I was away and a couple of knitting magazines as well. I love it when the Spring/Summer issues start hitting the newstands. Finally, at long last, there's lots of projects, tips and yarn suggestions for the wool-free knitter.

I had a copy of Interweave Knits Spring 2010 issue.  They have a marvelous article on rediscovering cotton with a side by side analysis of several popular cotton yarns currently on the market.  The yarn spotlight is on Tahki Yarns Good Earth Cotton, and there are several patterns suggesting wool-free yarns.  There were several new(to me anyway) wool-free yarns suggested like Savanna Zitron by Skacel; Reynolds' Rise and Shine; Berroco Naturlin; and Reynolds' Saucy Sport to name but a few.  I was especially drawn to the jellyfish bag and that just might make it to my list of Christmas gift knits this year.

Creative Knitting's March 2010 issue was filled with wool-free projects as well. About half the patterns feature some sort of variegated or self-striping yarn. Some of the wool-free suggestions included Laurel from Schaefer Yarn Co.; Jasmine from Louisa Harding Yarns; Kollage's Temptation; and Cotton Supreme from Universal Yarns.   My favorite pattern, "Spring Greens for your Table" (a set of quick knit placemats) are done up in Super 10 from Kertzer.

So, plenty of wool-free yarns to try or try again in new patterns. It's amazing how many of these projects got knit up in my imagination while I basked in the sun.

I took the magazines out of my bag when we got home and they have the deliciously summery smell of sunscreen and salt air, there might even be a few grains of sand stuck between the pages. I think I'll be looking through them often!

In Praise of Colonial Rosewood Interchangeable Knitting Needles

Another birthday gift I received last month was a set of Colonial Rosewood Interchangeable Knitting Needles (spoiled I know).   I had read a lot of a reviews on a lot of interchangeable needle sets and there were pros and cons for each one EXCEPT for these Colonial needles -- all pro's and scarcely a con to be found. 

Now that I have the set in my own home I can see why.  The rosewood is so smooth  and the tips have lovely pointed ends that just slide so neatly under the stitches. Pointed ends are such a blessing to a tighter knitter like me.

  The cables are not the least bit stiff but they are very sturdy and the needle tips attach easily and seamlessly and there's no end of ways to combine cables to get just about any size you could imagine.  I haven't tried the adapters which turn the circular cable into a straight needle but I really like that added feature.

Of course I've only just begun using these needles so I'll have more to say after I've knit with them enough to produce significant wear and tear. But for now I think I made a really good choice.

I suppose the one thing I would change (and others have mentioned this as well) is the case. It's a lovely silk fabric but I would have preferred a color other than hot pink AND I worry about how it will survive the wear and tear of daily use. There's always some little thing to stand in the way of perfection isn't there?

alt fiber

There aren't a lot of knitting books written specifically for the wool free knitter, but Shannon Okey's alt fiber  from Ten Speed Press is a good one.  Included in this book are 25 projects for knitting green with bamboo, soy, hemp, and more.  Amy Singer says that if No Sheep for You had a sister book, this would be it. 

Like Amy, Shannon also takes time to educate the reader about the variety of plant-based yarns or "alt fibers" as she calls them. Unlike No Sheep for You  this book does not cover acrylic yarns.  

Shannon has also written an excellent section on natural dyes which I found fascinating.  Ingredients, processing and what "mordanting" means. Makes you want to try dyeing yarn yourself and also makes you a more ecologically aware consumer. 

There are some lovely patterns in this book as well -- skirts, socks, shawls and sweaters -- and each pattern is created for a specific alt fiber -- no need to search for a substitute. (Gotta love that). 

So, no, this is not a paid review, I honestly do think this is a great book for all wool-free knitters to own.  And I'm excited to have one more book in my knitting library that focuses on wool-free knitting.

But hey, if you plan to add this book to your collection anyway,  please feel free to click on the image over on the right. Amazon will pay me a small commission and that, my friends,  helps keep me in stitches. ( :

Knitting with Scraps

Do you ever wonder what to do with the little bits of spare, wool-free yarn you have left over from various projects?  Well, I've been on a bit of a mission to come up with some good ideas for mine and here's what I've found so far.

 

Little Cotton Rabbits is one clever blogger-knitter designer. Look at these darling stockings she's created out of left over bits of pure cotton 4 ply. You can download her free pattern here.

And she's got the cutest little Easter eggs from left over Rowan Cotton 4 ply which you can make from this pattern.  She has 2 more adorable patterns available for purchase through Etsy her Shop.  A hedgehog pincushion and a bunny egg-cup topper. 

Or what about these adorable little shamrock baby booties designed by  blogger-knitter Vickie Howell and knit from scraps of Vickie Howell Collection Love (a bamboo and silk blend)?  You can find the free pattern here.

And who could resist this beginners lace sachet bag by made from a small amount of cotton yarn.  Tina Hilton shares her free pattern here.

So what do you make with your scrap yarn?