Friday, May 21, 2021, Issue 199: Happy Friday!

• Posted on 18 May 2021
• By Susan Wong-Tsang
• Posted in May 2021, spring knitting, summer knitting, summer top
• 0

Summer feels like it finally arrived! Is it hot enough for you? We even had to turn on the air conditioner a few days ago so that it would be more comfortable in the house. On my deck we installed a gazebo...was it last year? It makes it cool enough under there to sit, relax and knit. I am sitting there right now writing this blog/newsletter!

It is the perfect time if you haven't already started to knit yourself a summer top!

The Birdwatcher by Casapinka is a slightly cropped summer top that looks great in a speckled or tonal yarn. It is constructed in the round from the bottom, up to the underarms (just knit more rounds to un-crop it.) You then knit back and forth (note - many people need to size down a needle size for this because their circular knitting is tighter), separately, and join with a three needle bind off (video link in pattern) to join the front and back. It is not difficult!

This top is designed to be worn with 4-6” / 10-15 cm positive ease. Determine your bust size and add 4-6” to determine the size you should make. If you are between sizes, size down.

Materials:

2 (2, 3, 3, 3)3, 4, 4, 4 skeins of fingering weight yarn - so choose your own speckled or solid! (of 400 yds/366 m per 100 g)

US 4/3.5 mm 32-40”/80-100 cm circular needle for the body and additional needles of the same size in your preferred method of small circumference knitting for the armhole finishing and three needle bind off. Adjust needle size as needed to attain gauge.

Gauge: 22 stitches and 36 rows = 4 inches in 22 st/4 inch in stockinette worked in the round, after blocking

Sizes available: 32-68" 

CathyG test knit her The Birdwatcher with Berroco Remix Light in 6977 Pool. Other suggested yarns include SweetGeorgia Yarns Tough Love Sock, Manos Alegria or Hikoo Cobasi.

A stripey and easy to knit and wear top is Striped Tee by Claudia W for EweKnit Toronto. The pattern is a free Ravelry download. It is knit with top-down in the round construction with raglan shaping and with its addictive stripe sequence, this short sleeve top literally flies off the needles.

The stripe pattern is worked throughout, and the bottom and sleeve hems are worked in a Yarn over Wrap Stitch pattern. A small section of wrap and turn short rows are worked at the back bottom just before the hem to help with fit. When changing yarn colours for stripe pattern, carry colour not in use loosely up in the back, or break yarn at colour changes and weave in ends as you go.

Needles:
3.75mm (US 5) circular needle, 16” / 40 cm and 32” / 80 cm long
A set of 3.75mm (US 5) Double Pointed Needles (DPNs) or needle in your preferred style for working small circumferences in the round or needles required to obtain correct gauge

Gauge:
22 sts & 31 rows = 4” / 10 cm in Stripe Pattern (stockinette stitch in the round) with 3.75mm (US 4) needle, after blocking

Errata:
After stitches are divided for body, there are 184 (200, 216, 232, 248, 264, 280) sts

Suggested yarns: Navia Bummull, Navia Silkiull, Garnstudio Drops Belle or Rowan Summerlite DK. The pattern is designed to be knit using Shibui Echo which while it is available in the shop, I don't have any light shades to stripe with the darker unless you stripe it with Garnstudio Drops Kid Silk, Rowan Kidsilk Haze or Malabrigo Silkpaca.

If you are a fan like I am of Julie Williams of Little Cotton Rabbits, her newest pattern is Dog in a Dress (girl) and Dog in a Sweater (boy)!

The pattern contains one basic head shape with 8 different colour-work treatments and this combined with 7 different styles of ear, also options for the colour patch design of the body, arms and legs and a few different tail options, gives you a lot of options to make different breeds of dogs.

So far she has made the following breeds and she still has a few ideas to play with that she’ll post here in the future; Labrador, Beagle, Spaniel, Dalmatian, Alsatian, Dobermann, Rottweiler, Dachshund, Pug, Boston Terrier, French Bulldog, Border Collie, Husky, Jack Russell, West Highland White Terrier, and quite a few of mixed parentage :)

In short it’s a very comprehensive set of instructions that will enable you to make many different types of dog.

Finished size:
approx 23cm (9 inches) from the tip of the toes to the top of the head.

The file is 37 (girl) or 39 (boy) pages long and contains over 100 detailed step-by-step photographs along with full pattern instructions and tips for stuffing, seaming and finishing neatly. It’s not necessary to print all of the pages in the pattern, you can print the first 10 pages of general instructions that apply to all, then the single page each for the head and ears that you’ve chosen, along with the just the pages for the outfit you’re going to make.

The girl pattern includes instructions to make 2 dresses, one with a stranded colour-work design and the other knitted in a single colour with a textured design. The socks, socks and panties are knitted as part of the dog and are not removable.

The boy pattern includes instructions to make 2 sweaters, one is in stranded colour-work and the other knitted in a single colour with a textured design.

All pieces of the dog are knitted flat with worsted weight yarn on 3mm or with 4ply yarn and 2.5mm needles (for the shoes, socks and panties) and all pieces are seamed afterwards.

Clothing is knit using 4ply/fingering weight yarn on 2.75mm needles.

I have knit all of the ones I have made using Bergere de France Ideal for both the animals and the clothing using 2.75 mm needles. Other suggested yarns include Berroco Vintage DK, Berroco Vintage and Cascade 220 Heathers and Solids.

WIPs and FOs

My ADVENTuresome Wrap by Ambah O’Brien is off my needles! My main yarn is Ancient Arts Yarn Revival in A Midnight Clear and Koigu Advent Kit of 25 demi skeins in Mica.

I have a lot of yarn from my kit left! If I had realized this at the beginning, I would have tried to figure out the repeats in order to double the width for a throw! I knew that my blocking mats would not be long enough so I did not block it aggressively. I also didn't use my my blocking wires. I lay it flat and folding in half on the bed in the spare room so that the long edges were as straight as I could get them and pinned the waves down.

The before blocking size was 15.75" by 72'. The finished blocked size is 16" by 81.25".

I cast on Baby Bear by Cocoknits! The Baby Bear onesie swaddles a precious little one in warmth and softness. Like a gentle hug, it’s the perfect way to welcome a special baby into the world. The pattern is a top-down, seamless raglan, with diagonal front opening. Snap tape is sewn inside the fronts for easy-access and practicality! The only seams are the crotch and underarms. Note: Snap Tape has been ordered and will be available by the yard.

I decided to modify my sample to make it a sock monkey style with ribbed cuffs. Yarn is Navia Faroese Sock, a worsted weight yarn.

Isn't it the sweetest little onesie?

SHOP UPDATE

Laine Magazine, Issue 11 landed in the shop this week! Shown is Visiting Cardigan by Stella Ackroyd, Sea Mist by George Cullen and Trelissa by Paula Pereira (clockwise from the left).

More Tukuwool Fingering arrived! The top are the colours I received a while ago and the bottom row are the colours I received this week!

The yarn is 100 % light and airy finnish wool (a blend of Finnsheep and Finnsheep-Texel crossbreed). Each skein is 50g and 200 m. The woolen-spun 2-ply yarn is twisted tightly but becomes even and smooth after washing. Tukuwool Fingering works well with different gauges whether you want drapier or denser fabric and has the original, natural hand and scent. One 50 g skein is plenty for a loose-shaped hat or basic mittens. The yarn is non-superwash yet easy to care. Finnish wool is soil-repellent so there is no need for washing your hand knit too often.

• Fingering weight

• 100 % Finnish wool (a blend of Finnsheep and Finnsheep-Texel crossbreed)

• 213 yards (195 meters) per 50 grams (1.76 ounces)

• 28.0 to 30.0 sts = 4 inches on 2 - 3.5mm (US0 - 4) needles

• Hand wash, Dry flat

Tukuwool fingering in Runo, Selja and Sake are used in Thistle shown on the cover of Strands of Joy by Anna Johanna.

KNIT GROUP AND GALLERY

The newest 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 May 1 to August 31, 2021. I will get a thread started soon!

Remember to post photos to the finished object (FO) thread 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!

Jen (zjewell) finished this scrappy Sorrel by Wool & Pine using the Hidden Pond Yarns leftover from the Comfort Fade Cardi 2 by Andrea Mowry that she finished a few weeks ago!

Christina knit herself this summer top - 202-5 Raspberry Kiss Jumper by Drops Design. Yarn is Garnstudio Drops Belle.

Kay (@kayrobbins) finished this Dark Moss Pullover by Teti Lutsak (Nutsknitwear) using Briggs and Little Heritage in her stash.

Kay (@kayrobbins) knit Purl SoHo’s Bobble Sheep Pillow to ship to her new grandbaby!!

Brandi knit these fun Rainbow Pop Shorties from Summer Lee’s Summerland Sock Set. She even made up kits in her @thegreenbuttonjar shop (not including the pattern that available on Ravelry.

Natalie (abrnat) finished this elegant Vinelle Keyhole Scarf by Emily Johannes using yarn stash.

Natalie (abrnat) finished her third pair of Rose City Rollers by Mara Catherine Bryner. She knit ribbed bottoms for a snugger fit.

Leslie (lcritch) knit Over the Sea to Skye by Kalurah Hudson. Yarn is Rowan Creative Linen.

Anna (@kollar.annie) finished a pair of toe up socks with afterthought heels and fun stripes.

Patti (@patnelann) knit a pair of The Willow Socks by Knit on Designs using Hedgehog Fibres Sock left over from knitting a shawl. Sock blockers are Burning Impressions Dubblzz! Hearts.

Patti (@patnelann) crocheted this awesome Toronto Maple Leafs sets for photos for twin boys born on Mother’s Day.

Veronica (@xovee.knits) knit the two Cave of Wonders Beanies by Ellie Mack (@banditknits) using Malabrigo Mecha.

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!