Wednesday, July 3, 2024, Issue 353: Happy Wednesday! What is on your needles?

Wednesday, July 3, 2024, Issue 353: Happy Wednesday! What is on your needles?

It has been too hot, too wet or too windy to be outdoors for long with the recent humidity and recent rain but it has been the perfect excuse to stay indoors and knit indoors!

 

this year’s 4 Day Knitalong

 

The 4 Day KAL has begun! If you registered with Olive Knits for this year's 4 Day KAL and purchased the pattern on Ravelry, the Knit-Along started today!

What started as a silly personal challenge has become an annual event drawing together a remarkable community of knitters from around the globe.

But it’s important to say this: this is not really about knitting a sweater in four days. It’s about challenging your own ideas about how long it takes to knit a sweater. This knitalong is about finishing a sweater faster than you thought you could — and doing it with the energy, enthusiasm, and support of community.

The originally scheduled livestreams  have been moved to Zoom. There will be prizes, tips, laughter and encouragement every week.
 
Wednesday, July 3rd — Cast-on party livestream! Join me live on Zoom at 8 AM
Pacific/11 AM Eastern for our knitalong kick-off! I’ll walk you through the key points in the
pattern, what to expect throughout the knitalong, and I’ll provide helpful tips for
success!
https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZUlcuurqDMoHt2H9tfQZ6ql00BaQAZbPwBa
 

Thursday, July 11th — Livestream, prizes* and Q&A on Zoom at 8 AM Pacific/11 AM
Eastern
https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZEkdOmqrz8sEtBCL1b-Gb1IThGe4KPpTAKK

Thursday, July 18th — Livestream, prizes* and Q&A on Zoom at 8 AM Pacific/11 AM
Eastern
https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZIvcOmpqTosGdCws0PU3DCbeBFkICe2Q3
DS

Thursday, July 25th — Livestream, prizes* and Q&A on Zoom at 8 AM Pacific/11 AM
Eastern
https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_tIn0MlTFTLuBssPAWVozWw

Wednesday, July 31st — Bind-off party and prizes! Join me live on Zoom at 2 PM
Pacific/5 PM Eastern to celebrate the end of the knitalong!
https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZUpdO2gpj8sG9UzoIrKUSPVdfTI3yLD5DJt


OLIVE KNITS PRIZE DETAILS
To be eligible for prizes, post your progress in the Knitalong with Olive Knits Facebook group or in
the Knit Camp app with #spilltheteakal. Prizes will be drawn weekly, and winners will have 7 days
to claim their prize or new winners will be selected. Check back often to see if you’re a winner!
 
 
I finished and blocked my Spill the Tea shop sample on June 15th!! The Olive Knits KAL starts July 3rd! Are you in?
 
 
It isn't too late to join in! There will be replays of the Zoom videos and the Tutorials are great. Spill the Tea Kits are still available. If you don't need the three full skeins in my kits, let me know and I will refund one skein before shipping or you pick up. I only needed 2 full skeins or approximately 800 yards for my size 44 following the pattern. Also, if you purchase one of the kits with the Koigu KPPPM, you will have enough yarn to knit yourself a pair of shortie 2 colour socks!
 
 
Casapinka’s new MKAL is the Sharon Road Trip Shawl starting July 12th
 
Casapinka’s new MKAL is the Sharon Road Trip Shawl starting July 12th.

She will open a discussion thread in the Casapinka group this week so you can discuss colors. There will be one clue per week for 6 weeks.

If you don’t know who Sharon is, she’s Sharon From Security, Casapinka’s snarky cat who smokes and owns a flamethrower. Sharon’s nemeses to date are: Jean from I.T. and her Chihuahua, Shannon, Chad, the Mongolian Death Worm, and Keith the Hiker (from last summer’s Camino MKAL and who still remains at large.) She has a cat employee (Fin from Interpol - in the bow tie) and a cat sister, Kit Kat (the resting hiss face) - both pictured at left.

Sign up for her newsletter here to see upcoming designs and more yarn offerings for this MKAL.

Sharon won a 2011 Toyota minivan in a back room poker game (we don’t ask and you shouldn’t, either.) She is working “very hard” to make it into a camper so she can experience Van Life on her road trip (and also pull her tiny camper which she hopes to fill with perps.) We will be sharing updates on the build as the month goes on as well as where she’s going on her Road Trip.

When you purchase the pattern before July 12, you will get a SCHEMATIC ONLY so you can play with your color ideas. It’s representative and not literal. You can color in your ABCD colors on the right of the schematic, and add them as you like, wherever you like. It is supposed to give you a general sense of how they look together. Please remember that this is a MYSTERY knit-a-long and we aren’t going to be telling you too much. (Sharon here, if you pay me nuff I’ll tell you everything!)

Yarn Amounts
Exact amounts have not been determined yet but the max is 400 yards per color.

We are size inclusive and there will be options to make it larger somewhere in the pattern. As we’ve said before: “Trust the Cat” and most people have found that to be a good rule of thumb.

Four colors of yarn were used, with one of them a contrast color. Don’t make the other colors “too” blendy, as you don’t want them to fade into each other. On the other hand, a gradient will work, just ensure you can see the difference in the shades. Variegated can work but realize that if it blends into one of the other colors you’re using, you may want to switch it around for certain sections but it is probably best as Color B. Sharon’s set is at the top left.

20 stitches = 4 inches in Stockinette knit flat after blocking
 
4.0 mm (US 6)
 
YARN SUGGESTIONS: SweetGeorgia Tough Love Sock, Ancient Arts Socknado
 

Agave by Yumiko Alexander uses three different sizes of the same lace pattern. The large lace pattern is worked at the bottom of the front which creates a wavy hem.

 

Agave by Yumiko Alexander uses three different sizes of the same lace pattern. The large lace pattern is worked at the bottom of the front which creates a wavy hem. The medium lace pattern is worked in the middle of the front and back. The small lace pattern is worked on the sleeves.

This pattern offers two sleeve options. The flutter sleeves are fun to wear and great for warm weather. The sleeve edges are wavy, fluttering each time you move due to the unseamed undersleeves. The regular, longer sleeves are perfect to wear for many seasons and occasions. The placement of the small lace pattern along the top of the sleeve creates an elegant look.

Optional adjustments (instructions included)
Sleeve style options (Flutter or Regular sleeves)
Sleeve depth/length adjustments (Regular sleeves only)

 

 Agave by Yumiko Alexander uses three different sizes of the same lace pattern. The large lace pattern is worked at the bottom of the front which creates a wavy hem.

 

FINISHED SIZES
Chest: 42 (46, 50, 54, 58)“/105 (115, 125, 135, 145)cm
Length: Choice of 18 ½”, 21” or 23 ½“ / 46cm, 52.5cm or 59cm

Choose the chest size for your ease preference and length.
Shown here chest 50” and 18 ½“ long on model with 33” chest and 5’ 5” tall.
Instructions include the following optional adjustments
Sleeve opening depth (Flutter sleeves)
Sleeve length

YARN
Flutter sleeves
18 ½“ long: 650 (698, 744, 794, 842)yds
21” long: 713 (767, 821, 875, 930)yds
23 ½” long: 777 (837, 897, 957, 1017)yds
Regular sleeves
18 ½“ long: 726 (773, 821, 868, 918)yds
21” long: 789 (843, 897, 951, 1005)yds
23 ½” long: 852 (912, 972, 1032, 1093)yds

15.5 stitches and 23 rows = 4 inches in stockinette stitch
 
5.5 mm (US 9)
 
 
 
FOs and WIPs
 
 
Here’s my latest sneak peak of Ambah’s MKAL! I am working on Clue 3.
 
 
Here’s my latest sneak peak of my Ambah’s This or That Wrap MKAL work in progress! I am using a Koigu This or that MKAL Kit for mine where I used the lighter colour for C1, the darker colour for C2 and I am using the mini skeins as C3 starting with the lightest colour.
 
 

Here’s my latest sneak peak of Ambah’s MKAL! I am working on Clue 3.

 

I didn't get as much finished on my Clue 3 this week because I cast on another project!!

 

 I cast on something new!! I cast on the Seaside  Tee by Cheryl Mokhtari

 

I cast on something new!! I cast on the Seaside Tee by Cheryl Mokhtari.

 

 I cast on something new!! I cast on the Seaside  Tee by Cheryl Mokhtari

 

I am knitting mine with Sandnes Garn Line in the colours used in one of her sample - in shade 3021 Beige (Main Colour) and shade 4234 Terrakotta (Contrast Colour). unfortunately 4234 Terrakotta has been discontinued and I am using the last three balls that I had in stock.

 

I cast on something new!! I cast on the Seaside  Tee by Cheryl Mokhtari

 

I tend to change the length of the cables as I go because I prefer to not have my knitting bunched up on my needles and usually I have changed them before it gets this bunched up.

 

 I cast on something new!! I cast on the Seaside  Tee by Cheryl Mokhtari

 

Here I have everything on my 4 inch tips with my 50 inch cables.

 

 I have separated the sleeves and the body and am knitting the body!

 

Now that I have separated the sleeves and the body and am knitting the body, I am back to using my 37 inch cables.

 

KNIT GROUP AND GALLERY

 

 Isabelle finished this gorgeous Love Bote by tincanknits using a kit from the shop. Yarn is The Fibre Co Cirro.

 

Isabelle finished this gorgeous Love Note by tincanknits using a Love Note Kit from the shop. Yarn is The Fibre Co Cirro.

 

 Debbie (@love.knit.spin.weave) finished this amazing Your Outdoor Adventure by Sarah L Kelly. She chose the camping motif and knit it using BC Garn Bio Balance.

 

Debbie (@love.knit.spin.weave) finished this amazing Your Outdoor Adventure by Sarah L Kelly. She chose the camping motif and knit it using BC Garn Bio Balance.

 

Debbie (@love.knit.spun.weave)’s newest hand spun…633 yards of this beautiful Corriedale!

 

Debbie (@love.knit.spin.weave)’s newest hand spun…533 yards of this beautiful Corriedale!

 

 This is the pretty pair of socks that Chelsea (@woods.and.wool) finished for our Magic Loop Sock Knitting Class.

 

This is the pretty pair of socks that Chelsea (@woods.and.wool) finished for our Magic Loop Sock Knitting Class.

 

 This was Chelsea (@woods.and.wools) very first pair of socks that she knit.

 

This was Chelsea (@woods.and.wool) very first pair of socks that she knit.

 

 Beverley finished this blanket for a baby who arrived 2 months early. Yarn is Estelle Breeze using their Chevron Stripes Baby Pattern but with five colours.

 

Beverley finished this blanket for a baby who arrived 2 months early. Yarn is Estelle Breeze using their Chevron Stripes Baby Pattern but with five colours that she chose instead of buying the Kit so that sshe could make more than one.

 

Sandi (sandima) knit a total of seven of these marled hats similar to Snap by tincanknits using stash yarn.

 

Sandi (sandima) knit a total of seven of these marled hats similar to but isn't Snap by tincanknits using stash yarn.

 

Kathy (chantrykathy) when she isn’t here in Windsor, knitting, weaving or teaching some of my classes follows the instagram hashtag #roxysjournalofstitchery. Here she is embellishing a denim skirt.

 

Kathy (chantrykathy) when she isn’t here in Windsor, knitting, weaving or teaching some of my classes follows the Instagram hashtag #roxysjournalofstitchery. Here she is embellishing a denim skirt.

 

Happy Wednesday, Happy Knitting, Crocheting and Crafting!

 

Comments

  1. Susan Wong-Tsang Susan Wong-Tsang

    Hi Sandy, YES, there will be but it won't be until later in the fall. My teachers are not available to teach the end of May until mid to end of October.

  2. Sandy Duncan Sandy Duncan

    Is there going to be another class for socks on the magic loop knitting needle this fall

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