Friday, April 7, 2023, Issue 291: Happy Easter Weekend!!

• Posted on 7 April 2023
• By Susan Wong-Tsang
• Posted in April, April 2023, Happy Easter, KAL, knit-along, spring knitting
• 0

There is always a mixed bag weather-wise this time of year with snow, rain, cold and warm weather! Today the sun is shining but it is not really warm out so my fingers are crossed that we will have wonderful weather for my visit with my family this weekend!

Happy Easter, Happy Ramadan, Happy Passover. We are closed for in-store shopping from Friday, April 7 and re-open on Tuesday, April 11th to spend time with our families! The online shop is ALWAYS OPEN.

Irene Lin's Rota Sleeveless Top is worked by knitting the back first. Both fronts are picked up and knitted separately, some short rows are worked for shoulder shaping. After joining both pieces, front is worked flat. Then front and back are joined and knitted in the round to the hem. Pick up stitches and knitting in the round for the armholes and neck ribbing.

Gauge:
21 sts and 24 rows = 10 x 10 cm / 4 x 4” in 2x2 Rib Stitch after blocking.

Size:
1 ( 2, 3 )( 4, 5, 6 )
Sample of the cropped version at the top is shown in Size 2 with 24cm/9.5” positive ease.
Sample of the normal length version is shown above in Size 1 with 13cm/5.13” positive ease.

Bust circumference: 96 ( 100, 107 )( 121.5, 129, 136.5 ) cm/ 37.75 ( 39.38, 42.25 )( 47.75, 50.75, 53.75 )”

Yarns:
Approximately 500 ( 600, 700 )( 800, 900, 1000 )m, you may need more yardage when extending the length.

Needles:
4.0 mm (US 6) ; 3.5 mm (US 4) for the ribbing

Suggested Yarns: Sandnes Garn Line, Garnstudio Drops Belle, Rowan Cotton Cashmere

When I think of spring, I think of flowers! I also think of Caitlin Hunter’s Birkin. Her new and improved Birkin pattern includes expanded sizes, an improved yoke fit and a schematic.

The sweater is knit seamlessly in the round from the top down and the body is gently shaped into an A-line by changing needle sizes. The yoke design features a border of a delicate leaf pattern, which encases a 3-color floral motif and optional bobbles to provide subtle textural interest. The sweater has 3/4 length sleeves and a dropped back hem for a modern look. The pattern can also be knit in only 2 colors as shown in the brown version.

Sizes: 1 (2, 3, 4, 5, 6) {7, 8, 9, 10}
Recommended ease: 1‒5” [2.5‒12.5 cm] of positive ease at the bust and 1-2” [2.5-5 cm] of positive ease at the sleeve. See schematic included in pattern for full fit details.

Finished Bust: 32 (36, 40, 44, 48, 52) {56, 60, 64, 68}”
[81.5 (91.5, 101.5, 112, 122, 132) {142.25, 152.5, 162.5, 172.75} cm]

Needles:
Main gauge needles: US 3 [3.25 mm]
Ribbing (at neck and sleeves): US 2 [2.75 mm]
Body shaping needles 1: US 4 [3.5 mm]
Body shaping needles 2: US 5 [3.75 mm]
Notions: Stitch Markers, scrap yarn or stitch holders

Gauge:
26 sts and 40 rows = 4 inches [10 cm] in single color st st on main gauge needles.

26 sts and 40 rows = 4 inches [10 cm] in colorwork pattern with main gauge needles.

Note- You should always knit your swatch the same way that the pattern is knit—in this case, in the round. Block your swatch as you will your finished garment and allow it to dry fully before measuring. You may find that you need to change needle sizes when knitting colorwork to maintain the required gauge.

Yardage:
 Please note that yardage is estimated, and can vary between knitters. Refer to the pattern or Ravelry page for the multi-colour version or 2 colour version yardage requirements.

I always felt that the Birkin that I knit in October of 2019 was a little too big and the yoke just a little too long.

Although doing this is not really recommended, I am so much happier with my Birkin after I set it to soak in Eucalan for a few minutes and then putting it in my dryer with the small load setting for about 5 minutes.

I must caution you that doing this could backfire on you and really should be a last resort thing to do! Depending on the yarn used, you could end up with something tiny and felted on your hands!

Suggested Yarn: Garnstudio Drops Flora, Jamieson & Smith 2 Ply Jumper Weight, Tukuwool Fingering

FOs and WIPs

I finished my Weekender by Andrea Mowry! I used Arranmore Light from The Fibre Company in Rioga.

Do you remember me considering frogging sleeve one on my Weekender by Andrea Mowry because it was snugger that I liked? Blocking did not change the gauge much so I am glad I knit the second sleeve with the stitch count of the next size up (68 stitches instead of 60) and the bigger 4.0 mm needles (instead of 3.75 mm that I used for the body).

This was my WIP shot that I took on Wednesday of my Northerly by Caitlin Hunter.

This is the WIP shot that I took this morning! When I sat back down too finish the ribbing on the sleeve, I realized that I was using my 3.25 mm needles instead of the smaller ribbing needles so I frogged the cuff back to fix it.

I modified rounds 56-65 of the sleeve chart to a 6 stitch repeat similar to the body chart B. I decreased by 1 stitch on round 55 to 90 stitches.

Note, that there is an error in the sleeve instructions for the different sizes for the decrease round. The stitch counts listed need to be divisible by 4 for the 2x2 ribbing.

I am using The Fibre Co. Arranmore Light in St Claire, CC2 is Schoppel Wolle Zauberball Starke 6 in 2092, CC1 is Schoppel Wolle Edition 3 in 2299!

KNIT GROUP AND GALLERY

We will be casting on for an Any Kate Davies Pattern KAL on May 1st. I hope that you will join in? We are going to try to finish what we have on our needles during April!

Donna (Donna775) came in wearing this cardigan she knit using the Phrancko technique and Estelle Worsted.

Veronica (@xov.knits) knit herself her very first sweater! Pattern is First Raglan Sweater by Jared Flood to which she added some embroidered flowers to make the the slightly baggy, plain knit into a feminine knit!

Natalie (abrnat) finished her Killer Queen Cowl by Mary Annarella using Malabrigo Rios in Teal Feather and Arco Iris.

Lise (Mattedcat) hasn’t been knitting much recently but she has knit another Chamomile Cardigan by Lisa Chemery using Garnstudio Drops Baby Merino.

Here are three of the six scarves Angela wove on her Rigid Heddle Loom to use up much of her leftover yarn stash!

Here are the other three scarves Angela wove! They look so much more vibrant in person than in the photos!

Angela also brought this big felted pumpkin that she knit using Noro Kureyon Air.

These are not all but here are three of the finished and almost finished from our class knitting the Heart Warmer by Justyna Lorkowska using The Fibre Company Meadow.

A few weeks ago, Carolyn haad two...now has three Bunnies finished during our Bunny Class! Bunnies are knit using Bergere de France Ideal and Garnstudio Drops Lima.

Our Pressed Flowers Shawl Class has been rescheduled to Saturdays, Apr 15, 22, and May 27 – 1:00 to 3:00 pm. Will you join in and knit this beautiful shawl?

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