Friday, June 12, 2020, Issue 152: What is on your needles?

• Posted on 12 June 2020
• By Susan Wong-Tsang
• Posted in June 2020, KAL, knit-along, make-along
• 0

I tend to spend a lot of time in front of my computer...this week I tried my best to sit outside and knit instead alternating from the front of the house and the back to catch that shade! Despite the humidity, I found there was usually enough of a breeze that it was great to be out.

If you watch Joji Locatelli's podcast, you saw her progress on her All Together Sweater when came out recently on Ravelry as a free Ravelry download.

I love the story of how the pattern came to be!

March, 2020
The whole world is suddenly taken by surprise. A threat to all humanity, a disease, makes us all take pause and stay inside.
We all go through this time differently. Each individual, family, community, nation… however, in my heart, I feel we were all going through the same, together. For the first time the whole world feels that the best you can do is to stay inside and protect others by protecting yourself. And everyone is expected to do the same. Amid this chaos and uncertainty, I feel there is unity...

On a lockdown day I looked down to my knitting and thought: ‘Where is this story?’ This is a story we will never forget, and it was not being documented with my stitches.

I cannot really tell how it happened. This sweater was supposed to be a plain one. Instead, I impulsively thought of these words and drew a chart. It’s almost as if it was already in my head. I just knew what it needed. I am not an experienced colorwork designer, and I can’t really draw. This sweater was building up inside me.

ALL TOGETHER

That is how we will get over this. This is what we need to fight for. Togetherness. To beat the pandemic and all the other diseases that threat and kill us: racism, hunger, discrimination…

This sweater brings a positive message to you. It’s a tribute to you, so it’s a gift, forever. It’s a message of gratitude, from me, for being there. For being a part of this togetherness. I hug you, in a safe, virtual, but warm embrace.

This sweater uses a very large colorwork motif for the letter section in the front and back. This pattern could not be resized to adjust for each individual size. The smallest sizes have more positive ease, otherwise the motif wouldn’t fit. However, every effort has been made to adjust the design so that the neckline and the sleeves fit perfectly.

For the larger sizes we us a very simple dotted floral chart on each side of the main panel to make up for the stitch count difference. The lettering panel is, however, the most prominent and visible panel in the sweater.

Recommended ease: Approx. 10” (25 cm) of positive ease, but could be more or less according to your preference..

Joji has designed the sweater to be knit using a strand of light fingering held double with a strand of mohair but you can repllace this with a heavy fingering or sport weight yarn. The gauge is 22 sts and 30 rows to 4” (10cm) in stockinette stitch on 4 mm (US 6) needles after blocking. The fabric should be airy and draped, not dense!

Berroco is continuing the fun and connection of their Berroco Cardi House Party with their Summer “Tee” Party - a knit or crochet a-long dedicated to making summer tees with Berroco yarn! Are you planning to join in?

Wool & Pine’s Summer Sorrel is a short-sleeved tee for effortless everyday wear!

The Summer Sorrel is their summer version of Sorrel with many modifications to the original. Knit seamlessly top-down in the round, the body of the tee is worked inside out for the ease of working in knitted stockinette stitch rather than purling, featuring an i-cord collar in a flattering wide neckline, short rows and slipped stitches. Dive into your stash, Summer Sorrel looks beautiful in your favorite color or faded, our stashbusting sample used 3 colors for a gorgeous summery fade! Knit it using Ancient Arts Socknado or Reinvent, Hedgehog Fibres Sock, Malabrigo Sock or Lichen and Lace 80/20 Sock!

If you decide to use this pattern for the Berroco Tee Party, why not knit it with Berroco Mantra or Ultra Alpaca Fine?

Purl Strings by Heidi Kirrmaier is knit top-down, in one piece beginning at the neck. Short row shaping is used to raise the back neck line, and then the yoke, body and sleeves are worked in the round. The textures are created simply by working a variety of purl stitches. Both elbow length and long sleeve instructions are provided.

It is intended to be worn with 2-5 inches (5-12 cm) of positive ease around the chest. The length of the body from the underarm is approximately 12-13 inches (31-34 cm). If you wish to lengthen it, you may need more yarn than suggested below.

Use any dk yarn that has good stitch definition and gives you the pattern gauge. The gauge is 21 stitches and 30 rows = 4 inches in stocking stitch in the round. The suggested needle size is 3.25 mm (US 3) and 3.5 mm (US 4). Knit it using LoftyFibre Euroflax Sport Weight, Rowan Creative Linen or El D Mouzakis Butterfly Super 10 Cotton. They are all great options!

If you decide to use this pattern for the Berroco Tee Party, why not knit it with Berroco Mykonos Stonewash or Remix Light?

Newbury is a Berroco pattern designed by Amy Palmer that is a top-down a-line tee with lace on the upper back and a v-neck!

Here is a view of the lace on the back of the Newbury. Knit it using Berroco Mantra - I don't carry the Stonewash or their Mykonos Stonewash! The gauge is 19 stitches and 28 rows = 4” in stocking stitch and 16 stitches and 27 rows = 4” in the Lace Pattern. The suggested needle size is 3.75 mm (US 5) or as required to get the gauge.

I purchased Summer Sorrel but am still undecided! And of course, there is this one that I want to knit as well...

I really want to knit another Deschain by Leila Raven it using Berroco Estiva instead like in jbtraveler's Deschain! Looks great without the sleeves too! A few people knit the back the same as the front and that also looks wonderful.

WIP's and FO's

Sock 1 is up to the heel flap and sock 2 still has a few inches to catch up on my Fruit Stripe Gum Socks by Leah Oakley using Timber Yarns Twin Socks in The A Life. My needles of choice for most of the socks that I knit are Addi 8" Turbo Circulars and Addi Flexiflips for the heel flap, gussets and toes in a 2 mm (US 0) but for these I am using 2.25 mm (US 1) needles so I am using my ChaioGoo Shorties Mini Set!

I cast on my Rock It Tee by Tanis Lavallee using Berroco Ultra Alpaca Fine and Drops Kid Silk. I could not believe how much yarn and colour combinations I had out before I decided but really wanted a white tee. I was undecided between several whites, one of which was Hikoo Cobasi.

I got all the way to almost Section 2 of the yoke when I saw that I had messed up about 20 rows back at marker 4 where it was too far back to easily drop stitches down to fix.

I was undecided about whether I should start over and use different M1's instead of the pattern's yarn overs. I was using my ChiaoGoo Interchangeables so I added another cable so that I could see the actual size and how it was really looking. Good thing that I did because I decided I did like the yarn overs so I pulled out my needles and only frogged back what I needed to get back to the row I made my mistake!

I passed where I was before I frogged it and am now on Section 2 of the yoke.

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!

Connie (maltesecross) finished and blocked her beautiful Habitation Throw by Helen Stewart but ended up with holes in two spots where she used Magic Knots...Never again! Not a lesson you want to encounter! Just think of all those YouTube videos telling everyone that it never comes apart! Yikes! She is hoping to salvage it but not yet...she is now working on a cardigan.

Carrie (CarrieEllis) also knit the Habitation Throw by Helen Stewart finding the project soothing and forgiving!

Sonia (@soniabknits)'s Lamimi by Camille Descoteaux - an elegant and understated beauty!

Sonia’s socks knit for Asher using Stray Cat Socks Essential Deluxe in Going Nude and Revolution for the heels and toes! Love these little socks...little socks are so cute.

Jocelyne (jocblais) knit these socks for her sister using Regia Tutti Frutti yarn and a modified vanilla sock pattern!

Carol (knittoatea) knit Emilia by Emilia Menéndez using LoftyFibre Euroflax Sport Weight. She found the linen yarn stiff and the stitches uneven but after washing on the delicate cycle the yarn softened and the stitches evened out.

Christina’s Beckley by Dee O’Keefe is stunning and lacy!

Debbie (debsnubs)’s Everyway Shawl by Andrea Mowry.

The same shawl (Andrea Mowry’s Everyway Shawl) can be worn many different ways!

Sandi test knit this Twisted Cables Hat using Cascade 220 stash yarn.

Another gorgeous knit for Lise’s granddaughter! This is Flight by Dani Sunshine knit using Hikoo Cobasi. I always wish I had a granddaughter to knit for:)

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 will continue 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

World Wide Knit in Public Day is this Saturday, June 13th! While we can’t knit together in person, we are going to hold a Zoom Knit (or make) with Friends Day from 10 to 4pm! Thank you Lucie (@alpomy) for the idea!

Zoom Knit With Friends Day
 
Meeting ID: 407820804

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

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