Friday, April 3, 2020, Issue 142: What is on your needles?

• Posted on 3 April 2020
• By Susan Wong-Tsang
• Posted in April 2020, Malabrigo KAL, spring knitting, virtual social knitting
• 0

The change in how we are living our lives in these strange times has been all encompassing. We are now trying to keep little ones busy and engaged, trying to work from home when you have kids or pets who don't know why you are there every day. Who knew just a few months ago when we were celebrating Christmas and New Years and making future plans that everything would change? Now we must stay home to keep everyone safe...Be kind everyone and more than anything be thankful and be grateful! Support your LYS and other local businesses.

We need to find projects to keep our hands and minds busy. Have you started any spring knitting yet?

Nurse Mates doll pattern by Esther Braithwaite was created with great respect and gratitude for all of the medical professionals who are working so tirelessly to keep us safe during this difficult time after receiving a request from a nurse in Denmark who asked if I could create a pattern for a nurse-style doll that she could share with her coworkers.

These dolls are my gift to her, and were created with great respect and gratitude for all of the medical professionals who are working so tirelessly to keep us safe during this difficult time.

They are knit in one piece from the bottom-up either knit flat on straight needles and seamed, or knit in the round. The optional face mask is knit flat on two needles. Simple sewing techniques are used to define the arms and legs after knitting. The finished size will vary depending the yarn you choose to use using a needle size 2 or 3 sizes smaller than recommended on the ball band to create a dense fabric that will keep the stuffing hidden.

Sandi knit this to put on her window to show support for health care workers through the Hearts in the Window movement! Pattern is Domino Heart by Johanna Mäki , a free Ravelry download.

Domino Heart by Johanna Mäki is knit entirely in garter stitch. At first you knit a basic domino square (also known as mitered square) and then add “ears” to two sides. It wasn't designed specifically for the movement but is being used.

Self Isolation Socks by Winter’s Weather Knits is free for month of April. Amidst the current pandemic our world is facing, there’s an underlying sense of panic. Everyone is asked to stay home and isolate, and many of us aren’t sure what to do with ourselves. On the bright side, it’s an introvert’s paradise, really. Let’s all knit socks in the comfort of our own homes and be grateful we have the internet to share our creations. She is also hosting a KAL on Instagram, and all participants who successfully complete their socks will be entered to win a free copy of one of my other designs. To enter, post at least one WIP photo and one FO photo of your socks with #SelfIsolationSocks. Details on Instagram (@wintersweatherknits).

The Habitation Throw by Helen Stewart is free for the month of April for anyone who needs a very relaxing knitting project just now using the code SHELTER. The Habitation Throw is a generous, warm, and cuddly addition to any home. Knit it using your stash of scraps, knitting in all the memories of projects past. Habitation was designed for fingering weight yarn, but it is endlessly adaptable, with its shifting colours, squishy garter stitch, strings of eyelets, and smart i-cord edging. Make it to suit your own life and your own home: big or small, one colour or two dozen, in whatever beautiful yarn weight you have to hand. The sample is approximately 40” Square. Sample used approximately 10g (40m/44 yds) each of 24 colours of fingering weight yarn or a total of 240g and 960m/1049yds and 4mm (US 6) needles.

Jen, on the other hand didn't want easy or soothing but something more complicated to keep her engaged. Painted Bricks Shawl by Stephen West is what caught her eye!

Painting Bricks is a splashy semi-circular shawl. Easy garter stitch is combined with stockinette stitch stripes and slipped stitches for an exciting new Westknits shawl project. Two skeins of the main color are combined with contrast colors in West Wool Bicycle. You can add as many contrast colors as you like to paint the bricks with your leftover color pops.

Jen has chosen to knit hers using SweetGeorgia Tough Love Sock and the Party of Five mini skeins.

WIP's and FO's

My Sirius by Camilla Vad is actually now up to the short rows at the back before the rib! If you are wondering why the front looks a little funny, it is because I added 7 stitches to the middle of the front as steek stitches. I will eventually be cutting open the front and picking up and adding front bands!

This is my Odyssey Shawl BEFORE blocking! Look at how little is left of each colour! I had 5g left of both colours 1 and 3. I had 12g left of colour 2.

Blocking it opens up the lace and straightens up that garter tab bump! It didn't look like that bump would disappear did it?

I finished my Malabrigo KAL sample of Joji’s Odyssey Shawl but unfortunately no one can see it in person!

MALABRIGO KNIT-ALONG

Sign up for the Malabrigo KAL! It starts April 1 using Malabrigo Dos Tierras. Are you in? Order your yarn to join in! It isn't too late to order yarn, start or join in!

This is Malabrigo's schedule for the KAL:

April 1, 2020: Cast on Party!  (Make sure that everyone is working at the KAL Suggested Gauge of 17.5 sts per 4 inches!)
 
Week One:
April 1-12, 2020: Work to the end of Lace Band 1
 
Week Two:
April 13-19, 2020: Work to the end of Lace Band 2.
 
Week Three:
April 20-27: Work to the end of Lace Band 3.
 
Week Four:
April 28: Picot Bind Off
April 29-30: Wash and Block Party!

May 5: Big Prize Winner Announced

Just a reminder, in order to be elegible for prizes and giveaways participants have to sign up on our form. Please remind them to do it or if you can you are welcome to do it for them. 

Click here for the sign up form

The shop has Malabrigo KAL Kits made up in 10 different colour groupings. If you want to make up your own colour grouping instead, please don't hesitate to ask!

Malabrigo KAL Kits - top row A, B, C; center row D, E, F; bottom row G, H, I

I am sorry but I really can't do justice to the colours! Malabrigo Dos Tierras is a cable-plied, DK weight blend of fine Merino and baby alpaca that is soft to the touch and has a fantastic drape.

Another great pattern using three skeins of Dos Tierras is Barnstable by Lisa Hannes. I knit mine using two skeins of Archangel and one of Pearl.

I love the Barnstable shawl that I knit using Malabrigo Dos Tierras!

KNIT GROUP AND GALLERY

The current Knit-Alongs are the Any Sweater / Shawl KAL and the Knit Your Project: the everlasting knit-along to encourage and support you to knit is running from April 1 to June 30, 2020. Don't forget to post your finished projects so that you will be included in our quarterly draw! We will also add the option of posting your finished project to Instagram using the #sue2knitskal so that I can find them!

Congratulations to Debbie (debsnubs on Ravelry) for winning the March 31, 2020 draw!

I bought this “A” Life from @timberyarns to support Autism Awareness Day (April 2). One set for the March 31st draw and one for me!

Debbie (debsnubs) knit this beautiful Lotus Flower Jacket by Marianne J. Bjerkman using Rowan Soft Yak.

Angela came to pick up a yarn order curb side and I had to snap a photo of her Marrakech Bazaar sweater by Charlotte Monckton (modified).

Linda started and finished Ginny by Andrea Mowry in 17 days!!! She knit it using Rowan Felted Tweed.

Sandi loves test knits! This is her Mega Tower test using US 13 and 15 needles and Bergere de France Recyclaine!

Ann knit this quick knit hat - Gimme All the Cables Toque by Andrea Kemper

Christina says that she has knit four hats already and has finally knit a hat that fits her husband - the Montane Hat by Whitney Hayward.

Jocelyne knit this simple garter shawl from a kit.

Another kit project knit by Jocelyne! This one is the Turtle Dove II by Espace Tricot knit with Garnstudio Drops Air. Kits available!

Diane (ladi-di) started Cruden by Ysolda Teague in 2018 but finally changed the started best into a cowl!

This is Connie (knitnut246)’s WIP - her second The Weekender by Andrea Mowry.

Jen sent me this photo of her Calla Sweater by Natasja Hornby WIP! It looks stunning already! Knit using Hikoo Rylie.

NEW IN!

New in is Kelbourne Woolens Perennial is a highly functional and versatile yarn that can serve a variety of needs for both knitters and crocheters alike. Kelbourne Woolens' signature colour palette of neutrals, blues, and a few pops really shines in this easy care staple yarn perfect for shawls, garments, socks, and fun baby and kid knits.

• 60% Superwash Merino, 25% Suri Alpaca, 15% Nylon
• Light Fingering
• 497 yds (454 meters) / 100 gram skein (3.53 ounces)
• 28-36 sts = 4” (10 cm)
• 2.25-3.25 mm (US 1-3)
• Hand or machine wash gentle, lay flat to dry

VIRTUAL SOCIAL KNITTING

Virtual social knitting using the Zoom app! It was 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. This week some of you asked if we are doing it again and yes, we will continue each week until we can meet again in person. We have however, changed our meeting room ID so please use this link below. Please note that Zoom has added new security enhancements going forwarded and if you log in via the link there will ne no change but if you join by manually entering a meeting ID, you will need to enter a password to access the meeting.

Join Zoom Meeting
Join our Cloud HD Video Meeting

Meeting ID: 407820804

Happy Friday, Happy Knitting, Crocheting and Crafting! Keep calm and stay safe!