Friday, April 23, 2021, Issue 195: Is it or is it not spring?

• Posted on 23 April 2021
• By Susan Wong-Tsang
• Posted in April 2021, MKAL, spring knitting
• 0

The weather has been just a little unpredictable...on Tuesday my daughter some pics of my grandsons in their pool on Tuesday and then we all got snow on Wednesday! I think we can say that it is still sweater weather!

Last weekend was Local Yarn Store Day 2021! I carried the celebration over until Monday and while no one could come into the shop was great!

Congratulations to Jocelyne (jocblais) for winning my LYS Day(s) draw! Thank you to everyone who support their local yarn shops.

Gnot just Another Gnome by Sarah Schira (@imagined_landscapes) MKAL will start May 7th. Pre-Order Ancient Arts Yarn Kits today! I will be taking Pre-Orders until Monday, April 26th!

Sarah - Imagined Landscapes: Gnathan is locally known for leading themed hikes. “Mossy Walkies,” “A 20k Keeps the Doctor Away,” and “Scree Slopes for Bees” are some of his highest-rated rambles. Like many gnomes, he loves the outdoors so much because a toadstool house isn’t somewhere to spend 24 hours a day, even though they’re bigger on the inside.

This gnome features textures and cables – hence the ‘gnotwork’ pun. Cables and textures and gnomes, oh my! (Oh, yes. It’s gonna be awesome.)

If you’re new to cables, don’t be intimidated! Cabling is just knitting and purling and you’re good at that already. Plus, I’ve got loads of tutorials to help you along the way.

The clues drop May 7-26th. When you buy this pattern, there’s a preKAL info PDF with dates, yarn needs, colour advice, and other tips.

Purchase the Pattern HERE.

Lisa Hannes (@malihadesigns)’s 4th Mystery-KAL starts today, Friday, April 23rd!

The pattern also marks my 100th pattern release!

If you want to get an idea of her previous MKAL patterns you can find them here:
Take It All
Slip Knit Love
Festival of Stitches

“Oh Happy Wrap” is a super fun & playful project that will keep you engaged from start to finish!
It plays with different sections that make it addictive and knit up quickly. Multiple colours in combination with different textures, stitch patterns and some mosaic colourwork elements are sure to create a wonderful, happy eye-catcher for your daily wardrobe with a shape that is versatile and easy to wear.

This pattern features an exciting interplay of colourwork (fun mosaic, so only easy slipped stitches), colour blocking and stripes.
No stranded / fair isle / intarsia / brioche or other complicated techniques are used in this pattern.

Each stitch pattern is provided in fully written instructions as well as charts so you can choose which you prefer to work from. Every section in this pattern is completely adjustable.

The Oh Happy Wrap is designed for fingering weight yarn in 2 contrasting colours plus 6 mini-skeins (or leftovers). Allow approx. 1200 m / 1313 yds total to get the sample size. Each section of this pattern is fully adjustable and works just as well for more/less yardages.

The gauge on her sample: 23 sts x 42 rows = 10 x 10 cm / 4 x 4“ in garter stitch after light blocking. Needles used for sample: 3.5 mm (US 4)

The Classic Tee by Kay Hopkins is a timeless V-neck pullover with a modern twist that is sure to become a wardrobe staple. Choose short or long sleeves, make it the length you want, and the angled hemline makes it a flattering top for many body types.

You can also choose to use 1 or 2 strands of yarn. The slightly heathered result from holding two strands together is fantastic, the color options are endless, and the cost is often actually lower than using a single heavier yarn.

The V-neck edges are finished as the yoke is worked so there is no need for finishing work after the garment is done. Simply block it and weave in your ends!

Construction is top-down, totally seamless, and has high raglan sleeves that almost look like set-in sleeves but are easier to adjust for that perfect fit. Since it’s top-down and seamless you get to try it on, make the sleeves and body exactly the length that you want, and be assured of no fit surprises at the end.

Choose a size that is 3-6 inches / 7.5-15 cm larger than your chest measurement.

You can hold 2 lace weight yarns together or use a heavier yarn (sport or light DK) held single.

Shibui Knits Lunar and Shibui Knits Tweed Silk Cloud, both lace weight yarns, held together as shown in the Bone color sample.

OR

hold single a sport (or light DK) weight yarn such as Shibui Knits Twig as shown in the light green Glacier sample.

WIPs and FOs

I posted some pics of my Wilson Top by Allyson Dykhuizen WIP last Sunday when I was sitting outside to knit and enjoy the day and BEFORE I frogged it all back to the first set of increases!

I asked Rosemary (@coolknitsbyrose) to post a pic of her Wilson Top by Allyson Dykhuizen WIP... I noticed immediately that mine didn't look like hers at all so I looked closer at the pattern pics and then closser at my pattern! 

I had started mine last Tuesday and was at the first increase round in time to start our regular Tuesday afternoon Zoom group.. Well I did not even notice the "P" for purl! Ughhh...I tthought that I would leave it because I actually liked it that way too but since there are many of us knitting the Wilson Top, I thought I better not.

I re-knit my Wilson Top correctly this time around and here I was yesterday afternoon...a little farther than where I was when I frogged it back.

Now I am a few inches past the sleeve bind off! Whew! This top takes just one cake of Hikoo Concentric Cotton which has a whopping 929 yards!

KNIT GROUP AND GALLERY

The current Knit-Alongs are the Any Sweater / Shawl KAL and the Knit Any Project: the everlasting knit-along to encourage and support you to knit is running from January 1 to April 30, 2021.

Remember to post photos to the finished object (FO) thread HERE when you finish a project during the Knit-Along so that you will be included in the next draw! We will also add the option of posting your finished project to Instagram using the #sue2knitskal so that I can find them!

The top photo is Debbie(Debbiegodfrey)'s Alden by Jennifer Steingass using Baa Ram Ewe Titus for the #KLWknitalong2021. Here’s the back of Debbie (Debbiegodfrey)’s Alden.

This is Debbie (Debbiegodfrey)’s second woven project on her Ashford loom using a combination of her own hand spun and wool!

Linda (lmcnorton) finished this beautiful Pink Velvet by Andrea Mowry that she knit for the #drkmarch2maykal.

Dianne (DianneJL) finished Bean & Olive by Andrea Mowry for her adorable granddaughter.

Kathy (knotty64) was one of the test knitters for Jane by Lisa Chemery that has been released.

Veronica (@xovee.knits) decided to try something new! She added embroidery to some of bonnets that she knits!

Victoria (mamavictoria) finished her Hobbit Vest (with pocketses) by Lisa Chemery for her son!

Rosemary finished her stunning Wilson Top by Allyson Dykhuizen using Hikoo Concentric Cotton in Coral! Originally knitting too big a size, frogging and re-knitting her top in the smallest size, her top llookss fabulous on her!

Kay (@kayrobbins) finished these Sailing School Socks by Helen Stewart for her son. Yarn is Urth Yarns Harvest Fingering.

Sandi (sandima) test knit these colourful Circuit Socks by Cow From Mars. Yarn is Zitron Trekking XXL undyed and a mini set from Brandi of @thegreenbuttonjar!

Christina’s “4 year old picked out this yarn and asked me to make him a blanket from it. It is some of the worst coloured yarn I’ve ever used, but my gosh he loves it. So I present, one huge granny square blanket aka the worlds ugliest blanket.” I don't think it is ugly at all!

Angie (KnittingGrapeVines) finished this lightweight and drapey Avenue Laurier by Espace Tricot! Yarn is Shibui Lunar.

Rita (ritz) just posted her finished Drachenfels by Melanie Berg!

Rita (ritz) also posted to the Sue2Knits Ravelry group her finished Persimmon Branch by Tif Neilan!

VIRTUAL SOCIAL KNITTING

Virtual social knitting using the Zoom app! It has been a great way to knit together through social distancing! Join in with us either Tuesday afternoon from 2 - 4 pm or Thursday nights from 7 - 9 pm. We are continuing to hold our Zoom meetings each week until we can meet again in person. Clicking on the link will take you to our Zoom meeting.

Join our Cloud HD Video Meeting
 
Meeting ID: 407820804

Happy Friday, Happy Knitting, Crocheting and Crafting! Keep calm and keep on knitting and making!