WHAT’S YOUR STITCHING HISTORY?
What’s your oldest project? I no longer have possession of the first two I can remember—a garter stitch scarf in bright blue and black Lion Brand Wool-Ease knit on straight metal needles, and a pair of Blueberry Waffle socks knit on size 5 bamboo double points using Brown Sheep Nature Spun in the Red Fox colorway. Not knowing any better, I knit the socks inside out, and was thoroughly confused by the heel flap instructions. A kind knitter on the internet sorted me out.
Above is the first garment I knit, Cheryl Oberle’s Clock Vest, which was way above my pay grade, but the pattern was clear, and I wanted to make it. I can’t recall exactly what the yarn was—only that it was a rayon and wool blend, and I probably bought it from Patternworks via catalog. I made it sometime during the first few years we lived in Roslyn, and the nearest yarn shops at the time were in Seattle, and I had a tiny child…
Do you remember your first knit or crochet project? I’d love to know what it was!
…to learn (and do)
CURRENT CLASSES & EVENTS
Hinterland KAL
Fridays in February & March (February 7, cast on party), 5:00-7:00pm | materials only
Knit along as we work on Jennifer Steingass’ beautiful Hinterland sweater.
Project Circle
February 28, 5:00-7:00pm | no charge
Join us to work on your longer term projects!
Basic Wet Felting - Felted Wool Soap Bars
March 4, 5:00-7:00pm | Instructor: Katie Hurlburt | $20 + materials
Learn the basics of wet felting wool while creating felted soap—no artistic experience necessary.
Wet felting is the process of binding wool fibers together to form a fabric using soap, water and agitation. The end product becomes what is commonly known as felt.
Katie will take you step by step through the wet felting process as you transform fiber to fabric around a soap bar, creating a built in washcloth that is naturally antimicrobial, gently exfoliating and helps your soap last longer!
Advanced Tink
May 16, 10:00am-1:00pm | Instructor: Michele Lee Bernstein, PDXKnitterati | $40 + $3 materials fee
Join Michele and learn how to fix common mistakes in your plain and lace knitting. You’ll play with a cable, too! Class will focus on reading your knitting, unknitting stitch by stitch (tinking), adding or removing a decrease, tearing out rows at a time (frogging), and other common lace mistakes.
Prerequisites: For this intermediate class, you should know basic increases/decreases and have the ability to read and work from a simple chart.
...to anticipate
It’s always a good day when I get to unpack a shipment from Leading Men Fiber Arts! The Show Stealer is fingering weight, 80% Merino, 10% cashmere, and 10% nylon. Maybe you need to knit Flax Light for a special wee one, or a Droplet Capelet or Breezeway tee for yourself!
…to inspire
I don’t know that a person could pull off a project of this scale without relying on commercially produced felt, but oh my goodness, enjoy this article about artist Lucy Sparrow’s NYC 2017 art installation at The Standard, High Line hotel. She created a full-size replica of a New York City bodega entirely out of felt—and every object was for sale. As a result, the exhibition closed two weeks early, as all 9,000 items it was stocked with sold. Lucy’s website is sewyoursoul.co.uk.
...to stitch
Hard Cider
Hard Cider has TWO sleeves, and I’m close to being able to begin the pretty lace stitching on the lower part of the body. I even wove in a few ends (for extra credit) so this will be ready to wear soon after the knitting is complete! (Meanwhile, I’m drooling over the gorgeous cables on Thea Colman’s most recent sweater, Peated Whisky.)
Chonky Kitty
Yes, I knit a cat out of super bulky yarn for an Instagram post. Pattern is Family Purr, and I used Encore Mega. I stuffed it with a combination of fabric scraps and yarn ends, solving two recycling problems at once.
