Blocking Ribbing

I shipped off what I thought was the last of the yarn tasting stuff on Monday,  Berroco sent a skein of yarn for every participant plus two bags of Inca Tweed and books for door prizes.  Then, I heard from Madelinetosh that they want to participate.  That yarn arrives today and I will carry it to the conference.

STUDENT NEWS
I have not had a single lesson to review since my last post.  This has never happened before.  Don't worry, I've used the time wisely.  I guess my students are all on vacation!

TIP OF THE WEEK
One thing I have noticed when I review Lesson 1 of the Basics class is that many students over block ribbing.  In most knitted garments, the ribbing has a functional purpose, to snug up the garment at the waist/hips, wrists and neckline.  If you stretch it out when blocking, the ribbing is no longer function. It becomes decorative.  The photograph below shows two swatches which have exactly the same number of stitches and rows.  The only difference is how they were blocked.

Picture this at the bottom of a sweater.  It may be the look you were going for but if it isn't, you probably won't be happy with the sweater.  I've used ribbing both ways in projects.  I do like the embossed appearance of over blocked ribbing.

One place where ribbing is really helpful is on sleeve cuffs.  When you knit sleeves it is very difficult to get the length right.  Patterns aren't all that helpful.  They just tell you to make them a certain length.  After designing for Cast On where we use different models, I have learned there can be a great difference in arm length.  It is distressing to look at a photograph where the sleeve is 2" above the wrist when I designed it to be just at the wrist.  Another thing to consider when knitting a sleeve is that the length changes when you bend your elbow.  If you have ribbing at the cuff sleeve length is not as important.  You can make the sleeve longer and the ribbing will keep it at the wrist. (In my opinion it it better to go longer for a sleeve than shorter.)  

One place where ribbing can either make or break a sweater is at the neckline.  It is very important that you pick up the correct number of stitches.  Nothing looks tackier than a neck band that falls forward and flares or one that is stretched out.  I'll be discussing these topics in my next entry.

Notice in the photograph below how the swatches are pinned.  Use your fingertips to flatten the selvedge stitches.  Finishing will be much easier if you do this.

Here is the video:  Blocking Ribbing

KNITTING SALON
Salon will be on Sunday from 1:30-3:20.

CURRENT PROJECTS
While I was waiting for the yarn for my Cast On garments, I finished one of the many birthday presents I need to do.  This is a scarf with the wave pattern.  The yarn is Gleem Lace from Fyberspates.  It is wonderful to work with as I am doing a second one in the same yarn but in green.  
  

Dot not be fooled by this photograph.  I tried photographing this in several places but they all turned out the same.  The color is actually a gold color, not camel.  This will be a man's sweater with a shawl collar.  The Fashion Framework is about collars and this will be the sweater that accompanies the article.  I've redone it once.  I didn't like the stitch pattern I chose.

Vertical to Horizontal Seams--Garter Stitch

We had the selection meeting for the Winter issue on the 23rd.  We selected lots of pretty things.  I dragged up all of the yarn balls and yarn for the goody bags.  This was my second trip.  It looks like we will have 37 different yarns at the tasting.

STUDENT NEWS
It continues to be a slow week.  I only have had three lessons to review since my last post.  This has given me time to prepare for the conference which is good news.  I spent part of the week working on the MiniCourses which will be available on July 1st.  We will be adding to the curriculum every six months.

TIP OF THE WEEK
This week's tip was a special request.  I have done a video on how to seam a horizontal edge to a vertical edge but the sample I used was stockinette stitch.  I've had a request for garter to garter. Anytime you want to seam a bound off edge to a selvedge edge you have to deal with the difference between row and stitch gauge.  There are more rows to an inch than stitches and you must make use some sort of ratio to compensate.  What I have found works with garter stitch (if there are not wide gutters between the ridges) is that you can pretty much seam one bound off stitch to one ridge.  I used some of the homework swatches for my finishing course to try this out.  When you bind off garter stitch you have a choice.  You can bind off knitwise or purlwise.  The two sides look different. Generally it doesn't make a difference which is the RS or WS but if you are going to seam the edge, you would want the purlwise side to be the RS.  If you look at the photo below, notice that the top row doesn't look too great.  Compare it to the photo below which looks better.  



I think this one looks lots better.



If the piece you are seaming has a definite RS/WS, be sure to bind off so that the purlwise side is the RS.  This means you either bind off purlwise on that side OR you bind off knitwise on the WS.

For the bound off edge, the regular rules of seaming apply, insert the needle into the stitches immediately below the bind off edge.  For the selvedge, what I do is to insert the needle under the ridge and bring it up under the next ridge.  This is easier to see than to explain so here it the video:
Horizontal to Vertical Seam--Garter Stitch

Here are the seams in process.  Here is the one where I bound off using the purlwise side.

Here is the one where I bound off using the knitwise side.

KNITTING SALON
Salon will be on Sunday (June 28) from 1:30-3:20.  

CURRENT PROJECTS
My Finishing Class, both Days 1 and 2 are sold out with 22 students.  I decided sort of at the last minute that I can take 3 more students for each class.  Tickets will be available at only on site. Since any potential student would not have time to do the homework I decided to make 3 sets.  I do charge for this as it is a major pain.  That is what my current project is...finishing the homework.  I feel the pain of my students.  There is a TON of homework.

Yarn will be arriving soon for my Cast On projects...a man's sweater with a shawl collar, an asymmetrical jacket, a poncho and a hat/boot topper set (confident beginner).  What was I thinking?

Picking Up Stitches on a Cast On Edge

I had a productive visit to TNNA.  I picked up some products to review but I spent most of my time either thanking sponsors for providing yarn for the Yarn Tasting at the conference or lining up some additional yarn.  Boxes have been arriving all week.

Here is a photo of the new product tables as you enter the show floor.

STUDENT NEWS
Very few lessons have arrived which has given me lots of time to wind yarn balls.

TIP OF THE WEEK
I had a suggestion from Sue who suggested I discuss how to pick up stitches along a cast on edge. You would need to do this if you are picking up a neckband for a sweater knit top down or if you are picking up a border on a baby blanket to name just two examples.  The basic procedure is the same as for a bound off edge.  You pick up the stitch in the center of the stitch immediately below the cast on edge.  In this photograph, notice that the bound off edge is at the bottom.  The stitches will have been picked up are coming directly out of the stitches below.



The confusing think about this is that if you turn a piece of knitted fabric upside down what was the space between the two stitches is now the stitch.  What was the stitch is now the space between the stitches.  This really bothered me when I first started knitting.  For example, if I have 10 bound off stitches and I pick up stitches along that edge, I will pick up 10 stitches.  If I have 10 stitches in a cast on edge, and I pick up the stitches properly, I will only have 9 stitches.  (This is only an issue for flat knitting.)  In this photograph stitches are picked up on both edges.  The bind off edge is on top and there are 20 stitches.  On the cast on edge there are only 19.



For a neckband this isn't a big deal.  I've seen projects where you have to pick up a specific number of stitches on both the cast on and bind off edges.  You just have to fudge a bit.  Here is the video:  Picking up stitches on a cast on edge

CURRENT PROJECTS
I finished up the sample socks and mitts for kits to be sold at the conference.  There will be 75 kits produced and they will only be sold in San Diego.  There is enough yarn for both the mitts and socks. I knit the large size for the socks just to make sure.

I've turned in my proposals for the next issue but since the selection meeting isn't until the 23rd I will have some time to finish up preparing the yarn for the tasting and getting stuff ready for the classes I am teaching at the conference.

Open M1 Increases on of MK Level 1 Mitten

This is what I have been doing.



And this is what I've got to do.



And I've sent 12 bags to Charles, Binka and Suzanne.  So far we have 17 sponsors and 29 yarns to taste at the Yarn Tasting at the San Diego conference.  It should be a great evening!

TNNA is this weekend and I have a few stops to make there for the tasting as well.  (I also have to look at new products...poor me.)

STUDENT NEWS
This has been the slowest month I can remember.  Very few lessons have arrived and I only have three new students.  That gives me plenty of time to wind little yarn balls...

TIP OF THE WEEK
I had a special request to do a video on the M1o increases used in mitten cuff in Level 1 of the Master Hand Knitting Program.  I ran this past the co-chairs first as I tend not to do things that directly related to the program.  Since the mitten was an addition to the program after I completed it, I am ashamed to admit I have never knit it.  I really wondered why people had trouble with the increase. M1o increases are just about the easiest to work.  You just knit into the horizontal strand between the two stitches.  After knitting it, I see why.  The cuff is a traditional Estonian (?) technique that produces an entrelac effect.  The reason the increases are hard to see is that they are worked between a regular old knit stitch and a knit stitch created on the previous row as an M1o.  The horizontal strand is hard to see.  The next two photographs show the needle lifting the horizontal bar.  I used two photos.  Hopefully, you can see the strand.  You really have to dig for it.  The key thing is to make sure it is the strand coming out of the stitch on the left needle.  

Here is the video:  Open M1 in Level 1 Mitten

The other common mistakes in the mitten is that the knitter ends the cuff after Round 16.  There are 20 rows in the cuff.  Make sure you complete all of them.  Another mistake is not to measure accurately.  Remember to follow the pattern exactly.  That is the test.  Don't adjust it to fit your hand.

CURRENT PROJECTS
As the photos above show I haven't been knitting much.  I have been making labels, measuring yarn, winding balls, etc.  One of the things we are doing for this conference that we haven't done before is to have a kit for sale which features a pair of socks using the official colors of the conference.  (To see these colors, go to the website.  We worked with Kate from A Hundred Ravens to come up with the right colors.  She did an amazing job.  I got the test yarn this week.  The kit will come with the yarn and two patterns...socks and matching fingerless mitts.  There is enough yarn in the kit for both. The photo below distorts the colors somewhat but you can get a general idea.  Since one of the designs we use for the TKGA booth is a chevron, I used the pattern for my Rick Rack Socks in the Summer issue.  

I plan on finishing the other socks and the mitts at TNNA so I can send them off to the office for photography.

Remember, I won't be posting again until two weeks but I will have a report about TNNA.

Right and Left Slanting M1 Increases

I didn't think I would make it but I did get everything finished for the photo shoot.  I did quite a few videos of the shoot which I have included in my blog for the TKGA site.  It should be posted next week some time.

I am going to start posting every other week, starting in two weeks.  My next entry will be May 29,  right before I go to TNNA in Columbus.

STUDENT NEWS
I think I will start tracking how long it takes for lessons to arrive from outside the US.  I can report it takes almost two weeks from Chile.  I think the best service is from Japan.  I feel like a broken record but it is a good idea to photograph your swatches, front and back, before sending them to me.  I send my letter by email the day I review the swatches but it can take weeks for the lesson to get back to you!

TIP OF THE WEEK
The tip this week is about Right and Left Slanting M1 increases.  The"right" and "left" do not refer to the side of the piece where they are placed by rather the direction the top leg of the increase slants. To make an M1 increase you use the horizontal strand between two stitches.  If you just knit into it, a hole results.  It produces a small yarnover, basically. To make a right or left slanting M1 you need to twist the horizontal strand.  Look carefully at the photograph below.  Notice that all of the increases are mirrored.  The first three increases at the bottom have the right slanting ones at the right and the left slanting at the top.  The top three increases reverse this.   



If you have trouble seeing the increases, this photograph has them marked.  



This photograph indicates the type of increases.



Unlike the lifted increases, I think both placements look pretty good.  It is just a matter of personal preference.  Here is the video which discusses this and shows how to make them.  Right and Left M1 Increases

CURRENT PROJECTS
I did finish the jumper in time for the photo shoot.  Here is a photo on my dress form.  

This photo is from the photo shoot.  We include 360 videos of the garment in the on-line version of some of the garments.  This is the set up shot of the 360.  (The model doesn't normally look so stiff!)

Notice I am not including any photos of things I am knitting as all I am doing right now is getting yarn ready for the Yarn Tasting.  I took 9 boxes of yarn for the goody bags up to Zanesville with me. Now I have to organize the tasting yarns.  (I've got 22 different ones so far and more boxes are arriving every day!)  Charles Gandy, Suzanna Bryan and Binka Schwan (who will man the Brilliance Bar at the conference) are helping me wind the balls.  Since we upped the number of participants to 100, this is quite a bit of work!

No Post This Week

I was so busy finishing off things for the photo shoot on Tuesday I didn't have time to make an entry this week.  Next week I will be back!

Right and Left Slanting Lifted Increases

It was a productive week.  I feel much better about having things ready for the photo shoot for the Fall issue.  I shipped off three garments & accompanying patterns...Wine Dark Sea, Long and Loose Cardigan and Easiest Sweater Ever!.  I've started the jumper which I think I am really going to like.  I will have more sense not to propose so much for the next issue.

STUDENT NEWS
Lessons have been arriving regularly and so far, I've been able to send them out the day I receive them.  I may procrastinate about many things but never my correspondence course lessons.  I think my students want their feedback immediately.

TIP OF THE WEEK
Last week I discussed right and left slanting decreases since my students had some difficulties with them.  This week, I will do right and left slanting lifted increases.  I have done several videos on how to make these increases so you may want to check the index page for more blog entries if you haven't used this type of increase before.  

Right and left lifted increases get their name from how they are made.  Right slanting are made in the right leg of the stitch below the stitch on the needle.  The opposite is true for the left slanting. When they are mirrored, the right slanting is worked on the right side of the piece and the left slanting on the left side.  I never reversed this until today.  Here is a photo of how they look with the right ones on the right and the left ones on the left.  



Notice how the right leg of the stitch used for the increase is elongated and how these elongated legs form a line slanting towards the right.  The same is true on the left.  These increases should be mirror images of each other.

Here is the swatch where I worked the left ones on the right side and the right slanting on the left side.  I was surprised.  It doesn't look all that bad.  The overall effect is the same until you look closely.  The right slanting side looks pretty good.  I like the ropey look to the left side.  However, you can't mirror this on the right side with the left slanting increases.  It just looks different.  The video discusses this further and shows how to make the increases as well.  Right and Left Slanting Increases



CURRENT PROJECTS
Here is the Long and Loose Cardigan, back and front.  The band around the neck and fronts is a reversible cable pattern. 

This is the Easiest Sweater Ever!, the Confident Beginner pattern.  The front and backs are just rectangles.  There is some shaping for the sleeves.  All the edges roll.  It is a quick knit.  The article focuses on how to finish it.  I wanted a very wide boat neck but you could make it more narrow.

I'm making progress on the jumper.  There is a Half Linen Stitch bottom band which will match the pockets.  Anyone who has done Level 2 of the Masters Program will recognize the pocket technique. There will be exposed zippers at the top of the pockets.  I should have it finished by next week.