It is sweater time.

The leaves are starting to turn and the air is crisp.  The dog days of summer have past and I am changing my summer sweaters for my fall and winter sweaters; bringing out my fingerless gloves, mittens and scarves.  It is like discovering a wonderful treasure that you forgot you had.

Here is the tricky bit…. how many of us wanted to wear that sweater that we started last winter, we finished it right?  No, did you put it up for the summer?  Well it is time to finish it.  Take it out of the bag and just begin, don’t let those projects linger. You will feel much better completing it.

Here is what I do; if I have put something to the side I don’t put it away.  It is in my line of sight when I sit down and knit so I don’t forget about it.  How many of us have put a project away only to discover it a couple years later and we have no idea where we are, what we are doing and where did the pattern go?  Keep good notes, I use a blank sketchbook and write down everything I am doing for that particular pattern. 

Want to start a new project?  Don’t deprive yourself of starting that new project.  It will get you excited about knitting again.  Continue working on the old project for a little bit every day.  Even if it is just a row or two, set goals and stick to them.  It is amazing how just doing a few rows how that project progresses after a month.  You will feel such a sense of accomplishment finishing those old projects and you’ll have something wonderful to wear on these crisp fall days.

Colorful Knit Along

Our Fair Isle knit along is in full swing, so many colorful projects.  The average number of colors for a Fair Isle project range from four to as many as thirteen different colors. 

Fair Isle does not use hand painted yarns; instead we are using only two colors per row and changing those colors frequently.  With the frequent change of yarn, we get a design that looks very complicated but is very easy to knit.

If you would still like to join the group, you are more then welcome, come on in and we will help you choose your colors and a design.  The KAL will last until December of 2015.

The Fair Isle technique may be used in many different types of garments from hats and mittens, scarves, socks, and of course sweaters.  We use fingering weight wool.  I personally like Simply Shetland Yarn “Spindrift”.  This yarn comes in a wide variety of colors, so it is easy to get the subtle shade variation that gives your Fair Isle garment the depth and contrast you need to make a successful Fair Isle.  The stranding of the yarn across the back makes the garment light weight and warm.  

Knitting with the Fair Isle technique is very addicting.  You will find yourself saying just I couple more rounds and I will put down   Three hours later,you are still knitting because you want to see how the pattern progresses.  You are creating something that is very unique.  It will give you hours of enjoyment.

If you want to join us, we will be meeting Friday’s from 1:00 pm to 3:00 pm.  There is no cost for the KAL.  Remember we will be more then happy to help you pick out your color and help you get started on your project today.

Happy Knitting

Knit through the Pain

When someone falls ill in the family from a catastrophic illness, time seems to stand still.  There is much confusion, sadness and grief.  Then starts the hospital visits, the doctor visits and the myriad of other things that goes along with taking care of your loved one.

You spend the majority of your time waiting.  This is one of the most difficult things…. waiting.  We all know from being in a doctors’ office waiting, the reading material is less then desirable.  You can only read so many “People Magazines” without losing total faith in mankind.  Knitting is the saving grace in these times.

Studies have show that the rhythmic, mathematical nature of knitting keeps the mind absorbed in a healthy way, providing an escape from stressful thoughts.  It helps calms the brain down, lower your heart rate and lowers your blood pressure.

Knitting gives you something positive to focus on; taking your mind off the illness and the grief that is so overwhelming at times.  Whether it is a simple project or a more complicated project, it gives your mind and hands something to do together.  For a time you can leaveworrying and just focus on the progress that is being made, stitch by stitch.

If you are in this situation or know someone that is working their way through this process, I would suggest picking up those knitting needles and get started on a project.  It will ease the pain and make the time waiting a little more bearable.

What are you wearing?

The mornings in Montana are turning chilly.  Great time to throw on your wool sweater, go for a walk or just start your daily errands.  Funny thing, while starting my day observing what other people are wearing, I saw an astounding amount of “Polar Fleece.  

So Polar Fleece is made from something called polyethylene terephthalate (PET), a man made fiber.  They market it as wool like material.  In may humble opinion, it looks nothing like a wool sweater.  That being said, lets see what this has to offer as compared to wool.

Modern synthetic Polar Fleece comes very close to imitating the natural properties of wool, and is also very effective in trapping warm air. It’s a great alternative to wool.

Polar Fleece provides similar warming characteristics as wool in its warmth retention and also possesses the capacity to wick away body moisture while holding heat in its many tiny air pockets.

Polar Fleece still keeps warm when wet, and it will dry out quickly.

Polar Fleece fabric has a wicking property.

Be very aware (caution) that polar fleece is highly flammable.

Although Polar Fleece may have many of the properties of wool, it is still a man-made fiber leaving a greater carbon footprint.  Even if you buy poplar fleece made from recycled plastic bottles it is still leaving a greater carbon footprint then wool.  

This is why I choose wool

Wool is a protein fiber formed in the skin of sheep, and is thus one hundred percent natural, not man-made.  Since the Stone Age, it has been appreciated as one of the most effective forms of all-weather protection known to man, and science is yet to produce a fiber that matches its unique properties. Wool is renewable every year.   A sheep will produce a new fleece as long as we have the grass for them to graze on.  Wool is biodegradable; at the end of it’s life, wool can be returned to the soil where it decomposes and adds valuable nutrients to the ground.

Wool constantly reacts to changes in body temperature, maintaining its wearer’s comfort in both cold and warm weather.  Wool garments are resistant to staining and with the recent introduction of washable wool, it is very easy to take care of.  In addition wool is far more efficient than other textiles at absorbing sweat and releasing it into the air before bacteria has a chance to develop and produce unpleasant body odor. 

Wool is naturally safe. It is not known to cause allergies and does not promote the growth of bacteria. Wool is naturally flame-retardant, and has a far higher ignition threshold than many other fibers.  It will not melt and stick to the skin causing burns, and produces less noxious fumes that cause death in fire situations. Concerned about UV protection, wool has a naturally high level of UV protection, which is much higher than most synthetics and cotton fiber. 

So choose wool.   It is the best all around fiber for our environment, health and comfort.

Crisp Days of Autumn

September is almost upon us; time to think of the cool crisp days before us.  Autumn is such a lovely time of year, the light softens and the earth prepares itself for the nice sleep of winter.  It sheds off the old and readies it’s self for the rebirth of spring, with the mediation of winter in-between.

I was reading the other day about the lives of villages associated with the sea, the men that made their living from the sea and about their women and knitting.  I was mostly interested in the women and their harsh lives.

Women who rose before first light to start her day’s work, work that included taking care of the household needs, which seem very daunting without out our modern conveniences.  They had to clothe their families.  For fisherman that meant Gansey or Guernsey sweaters, the name depending on the area of the British Isle you hale from.

The Gansey sweater is recognizable by their color and shape.  The style of the garment is boxy with no shaping at all.   Knit in the round, traditionally knit with five very long double pointed needles to accommodate the stitches.  This sweater was a working garment traditionally made from a 5 ply woolen spun yarn, usually a dark navy color.  With the tightly spun yarn and a closely knitted fabric, giving these sweaters wonderful weatherproof qualities.

Many women folk supplemented the income of the family by not only knitting for their own family but also taking on contract knitting.  Young girls where introduced to knitting as soon as they where able to hold the needles.  A young, less experienced knitter might start with “trails”.  The more experienced knitter was working on the plain area and the Mother working on the intricate design of the sweater. “ Trails” being what we refer to as ribbing.

Knitting sweaters for the family was a labor of love.  The gansey took many hours to knit and often contained the motif specific to their family or region.  Initials’ were often worked into the garment in the plain section at the bottom or sometimes worked into the underarm gusset.  These sweaters where meant to last twenty years or more.   They faded to a wonder light navy color with the exposure to the salty sea air and water.  Due to the constructions the sweater was easy to repair.  The sleeves are worked from the armhole down so the cuff could be unraveled and knit again to lengthen the life of the garment.

These sweaters are infused with so much history and tradition.  It is a sweater worth exploring and knitting.  It’s classic design means you can have it in your closet and take it out twenty years from now and it will still be relevant, I love that tradition and longevity wrapped into one.  Start your own tradition for your family today.

Memories

Memory is a funny thing.  The other day, my Mom was going through some things, summer cleaning if you will, and ran across some quilts that my Great Grandma had made and asked if I would like them.  Yes, of course I would. So my brother brought them over and the memories of my childhood came flooding back.

My Great Grandma took fabrics that were left over from garments that were made for clothing. She used the scraps to make these wonderful quilts.  She and her friends would get together and hand quilt all of their quilts.  When I was little, I would go to my Grandparents home.  They lived in a small two-bedroom home with a laundry shoot.  My brothers and I had great fun bouncing balls through that laundry shoot.  That home, though small, was filled with much love.  The quilts were on the bed that was downstairs.  The home was built by Grandpa and his brother-in-law.  The stairs to the basement were concrete and painted red with black treads.  As you came down the stairs, the bed was directly at the bottom.  As a child when I would sleep with one of those quilts, I would imagine  where those little scraps of fabric came from.   Was it a beautiful dress or a shirt my Grandpa wore.  I would spend hours being entertained by that quilt and my imagination.

The handmade articles can do much to hold memories.  As the creator works for hours on that garment, afghan, quilt, memories are being made.  The time, energy and love, and that something of yourself that you put into your creation will last many lifetimes.

My Great Grandma and Grandma have passed from this world, but for me, those quilts hold memories of their lives.  Time spent creating, time spent with friends, helping each other quilting those quilts to keep their families warm. 

I hope that with my knitting when I give a gift, I, too, am creating memories.  The memories that will bring happiness and love for generations to come.  We have become such a throw-away society, but when we create by hand, we can create memories.  Memories that can be passed down and not thrown away, so when you are frustrated by the project that is taking forever to get done, just remember you are creating a memory for all time.

Christmas Knitting

It is the middle of summer and the temperature is rising.  We have had our fair share of 95 degree weather…plus forest fires, a few in Glacier Park. All in all, it is not my idea of fun.  I am dreaming of those cool crisp autumn days so I can get back to wearing my sweaters and fingerless mittens.

So, no one is thinking about Christmas knitting now. That is several months away right?  Well, yes…a little more then four months away.  If you are planning to knit that special sweater for someone, it is time to get started.  You don’t want to wait to the last minute and have to wrap your gift  still on the needles with a promise to finish it soon.  Let’s be prepared this year and start early.

Do you have a new little one in your life, what about knitting a Christmas stocking.  I have a new grandson and he will need a stocking for Santa to fill.  I am working on a white and red sock several inches long, so Santa will have room to put many wonderful gifts inside.  Christmas stockings are such a wonderful gift that will remind that someone special every year of how much they mean to you.

Hats and mittens are wonderful gifts.  It is nice to have several on hand for those unexpected gifts you will need, gift exchange at work, women’s group, men’s group.  You never know when someone is going to pop up with a gift so it is great to have several of these in the closet just in case.

Scarves are always a great gift.  Warm and cozy and great for your college student… my children would wear sweaters and scarves and forgo their coats in college.  So if you want those young adults to be warm create a funky chic scarf.

Let’s get started today even when the thermometer hits those ridiculously high temperatures.  Find a nice cool space and start your Christmas gift.  Be prepared this year.

Why Do We Create

I am a walker. I love to walk and walk up to six miles a day.  When walking, I usually have some type of question that I am pondering and it came to my mind this question…why do we create?

I spend most of my day creating knitwear.  I get up before the sun and start knitting or designing.  It has become a part of my life.  I don’t know what to do without it.  I don’t sit and have a conversation with someone without my knitting.  Of course my family thinks this is perfectly normal, I have been doing it since they were babies, although I wonder sometimes if others think me a bit odd.

So walking the other day, I thought, where does this need come from?  Is it a form of self-expression, a way to tell the world who I am without words?  Well, yes, that might be part of it, but somehow I think it should be more, this thing called knitting is all consuming it take up 99% of my life and I love it. 

So, did I come into this world with the knitting gene and it was just turned on at some point? Maybe… would I have felt the same about some other form of artistic expression, I don’t think so.  I have tried other things, quilting for example.  Yes it is fun but it doesn’t provide me with the same satisfaction, I don’t come alive.  And maybe that is the answer.  Knitting makes me feel alive and that is why I create.

It has been there when life has been a struggle and I need to get through the day.  It has taken away the loneliness and heartache.  It has put smile on someone’s face when I give it as a gift.  And I know that a little piece of me is with them when they wear that garment or work the pattern.  It is my way of sharing myself with others in a quiet gentle way.

Summer Knitting

Summer Knitting?

Every June, my brother and his family make the trek to Montana to spend the summer. , My brother’s beloved dog, Maggie, is the first to arrive because they have to send her out before the weather gets too hot for her to fly. We are always glad to see her when she arrives and she is very glad to see us after such a long flight. She enjoys her with her Grandma and Grandpa, as well as her Aunt Tammy, while waiting for her family to arrive.

For me, Maggie’s arrival signals the advent of summer knitting. I love summer knitting. I usually pick a series of small projects and focus on the completion of these projects by summer's end. Though I usually design and knit a couple summer sweaters from cotton or linen, I mainly concentrate on mittens and socks.

I enjoy working with cotton; it absorbs moisture quickly and dries rapidly, which gives it a nice cooling effect for hot summer days. Cotton is also non-allergenic. The only drawback to using cotton is that it lacks resilience and is not as elastic as wool, so it has a tendency to stretch out and show any flaws in one’s tension.

Linen is one of my favorite plant fibers. It is derived from the stem of the flax plant. The process involved in producing linen is quite extensive, but the result is a lustrous, sturdy yarn. It has many of the same traits as cotton: it absorbs moisture quickly from the body and dries rapidly, but it also lacks resilience and has a tendency to wrinkle. Many people do not want to use linen because of the stiff feeling of the skein, but once it is knitted, washed and worn, it softens very nicely.

I like to knit mittens during the summer because they are small and very portable. I always have a sock or a mitten project that remains in the car in case of "emergency" (i.e., a long line at the bank or the coffee shop drive-thru!). My mitten projects also accompany me to picnics, the lake, Glacier Park and on hikes -- I never know when I'll have a quiet moment to knit, so I try to always be prepared. It is amazing sometimes how much I can get accomplished just by doing a row here and there.

So don’t give up knitting during the summer. Get those smaller project out that have been lurking in the back of your closet and put them in the car and see how much knitting you can get done this summer.