By: pamgrushkin
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Inspirational Projects

Michelle has 10″ of knitting on her Llama II sweater.  Then she works a minimal neckline and she is done.  That’s a good thing considering that this morning was almost sweater worthy.  Michelle said this is an easy knit and you can learn the short rows quickly. Yarn: Blue Sky Fibers, Extra (Aran: 55% Alpaca, 45% Merino, 218 yards) on the top and the Royal Alpaca (Worsted: 100% Alpaca, 220 yards) on the bottom.

Patti tried a reverse stockinette stitch cowl on the Easy Folded Poncho versus the stockinette cowl. Nothing ventured, nothing gained.  She didn’t like how it came out, plus she didn’t employ a stretchy bind off so the neck was too tight.  The final result, she decided she doesn’t want a cowl.  The plan is to rip out the cowl and crochet around the neckline and straight edges. Yarn: Misti Alpaca Tonos Pima Silk (DK: 83% Cotton, 17% Silk, 327 yards).

She loves the yarn and wants to knit up a sweater in it.  It’s between two Berroco designs she has knit before: Leilani or Pegasi. We will be modifying the sweater to fit the difference in yarn weights.  She will knit up a gauge swatch, block it and see if she likes the stitch definition before we proceed.

Next she tried her hand at casting on for a toe-up sock with Judy Becker’s Magic Cast-on.  She hadn’t knit a sock in a couple of months and was pleased that after a couple of tries she got it on her own.  The yarn is Meadowcroft Cross Creek Sock (Fingering: 75% Merino, 25% Nylon, 468 yards).

Randy finished her Exploration Station and it is stunning! She knit with three colors of Anzula yarns and 1 skein of Koigu PPPM

Upon seeing Randy’s Exploration Station, Patti commented that my students knit inspirational things.  I reminded her that she is one of my students. It was a feel good moment.
© Berroco, Inc.

Now Randy‘s revisiting Pietra in Berroco Ultra Alpaca (Worsted: 50% Wool, 50% Alpaca, 215 yards).  

There was a section in the pattern involving short rows that was very confusing. We puzzled over it for a while.  While explaining it to Danni for a second opinion, we realized that the sweater is knit side to side.  That illuminated everything.

© Jared Flood/Brooklyn Tweed

Karin joined us for the first time.  She is knitting the Shale Baby Blanket for a friend who had her baby early!  There were two stitches she wanted to get help with, a wrapped eyelet stitch and ssssk. (No, I didn’t hold my finger down on the “s” key, that’s the stitch abbreviation.)

She asked if there is a trick for estimating the tail in a long tail cast on. My preferred way is to make a double slip knot holding a strand from either two skeins or the inside and outside of a center-pull skein.  The double slip knot serves as an anchor for the cast on and does not count as the first stitch. Then I can cast on as many stitches as I need. When I’m done casting on, I cut one of the strands.

Another method is to wrap your yarn around the needle the number of times = number of stitches, then add a margin of error.  Make your slip knot and cast on.    
  

Jane T. set aside knitting the sleeves on her Essence Pullover and in favor of picking up the stitches for the turtleneck, so she can work on that later.

Linda was a sight for sore eyes, we haven’t seen her all summer.  Her reply, “I was youngish then”.  She finished the body of the Sock Yarn Sweater in Koigu PPPM (Fingering: 100% Merino, 175 yards) and picked up the stitches for the sleeve. 

Have we inspired you today?