Home Again

(photo taken by Paula Emons-Fuessle of Knitting Pipeline)

Edited to Add: Due to high demand Susan has now listed the Tiki Bar striping sock yarn as a custom order on her shop. Here is the listing for the Tiki Bar Desert Vista Dyeworks sock yarn: Click right here! 

Hi, Knitters,

I am home from Nashville and the Super Summer Knitogether (SSK). What a fantastic and well-run event. I can't get over what a great job Laura and Leslie (The Knitgirllls) did with the planning and organizing of this huge event. Congratulations to them! I've been gone since last Wednesday and returned yesterday. That's a long time for me to be away from home. I'll post more on the retreat later but today I just wanted to pop in to say hello.  

I taught four classes filled with lovely, chatty, eager and fun knitters, really some of the best groups I've had. I had so many students, especially in the two-handed fair isle classes, trying new techniques and succeeding. I loved how the students kept me posted on their progress after class. I saw so many baby cardigans and fair isle hats (many of them finished!) for the rest of the weekend. Seeing people working on your class projects after the class is always fun and happy. I'll post more on this later, too.

The Knitgirllls curated a fantastic market on Saturday. The teachers got to come in early before the official opening to shop for a short while. I picked up a few select things to take home. One of the small treats I purchased was this self-striping sock yarn from Desert Vista Dyeworks, hand-dyed by Susan who lives in Arizona. Her booth was an explosion of creatively dyed self-striping sock yarns. It was very difficult to choose.

Click here to see the Desert Vista Dyeworks shop online!

The colorway is called Tiki Bar, which has 6 repeating stripes. I love the fresh mix of bright and subtle colors in this skein. I was looking for the swift and winder on Saturday but it had already been taken down so I hand-wound this ball separating it out by stripes as I wrapped.

I saw on my instagram that Susan is dyeing up more custom orders of Tiki Bar sock yarn for my followers who have made requests. Susan said her email has exploded with custom orders for Tiki Bar since I posted a couple of photos. Make sure you let her know if you'd like a skein, too.

This is how far I got on my sock. I am working on the heel flap now and the cuff is about 7 inches long. I really like this yarn and can recommend it highly to all of you. The stripes go from light blue to light green to raspberry pink to light gray to dark orange to light orange. It's quite beautiful.

Here is Susan's description of the colors (much better than mine): 

Tiki Bar is a Six Stripe Self Striping Sock weight yarn in the pattern: Silver Ice/Bloody Mary/Pineapple Daiquiri/Blue Curacao/Midori Green/Cosmo Pink.

One of the only other things I bought was this bag from Amy Beth of The Fat Squirrel Speaks podcast. It is a linen project bag with an SSK wooden tag attached. I didn't notice until later but the bag and my new sock yarn match. That's a fun coincidence. The new sock is of course being stored in this new bag.

I'll share much more from Nashville later in the week. Today I am wishing you a pleasant and productive start to your week. I really have to buckle down and work, work, work. I have project commitments coming out of my ears along with a brand new book contract that is now complete.... no slowing down in sight and I love that.

Happy knitting to you all.

best, susie

Fast and Furious Summer

Edited to Add: I forgot to mention an enormous thank you for the great response to my Vogue Knitting Live Chicago classes. The classes sold out incredibly fast so I contacted Vogue and we've added additional openings to both of my classes on Nov. 3rd, 2013! You can still get in if you register soon! Click here for the Vogue Knitting Live Chicago 2013 registration information!

Hi, Knitters,
This is going to be a fast and furious post today, no links, just photos and descriptions of what has been going on lately. Summer is flying by and I have been knitting and crafting up a storm amidst the chaos of my full and busy home. I've said it before but you think you are busy when your kids are little.... just wait. When your kids are older there is more of everything possible, more food, more laundry, more in and out of your house, more pick-ups and drop-offs, more activities to attend, more volunteering and working at those activities, more schedules to keep track of, more worrying and waiting up at night, but most of all there is more FUN! I love every minute of all of it.

I am packing and finishing up some swatches and demo samples for my classes at SSK (Super Summer Knitaway in Nashville). I leave tomorrow and I can't wait for this retreat. I have been looking forward to attending and teaching at SSK for almost a year now.

Here's what is going on at home. Above, I am on the picot bind-off edge of the Lullaby Rain Shawlette by Paula Emons-Fuessle. She designed this for Quince & Co. It is so beautiful in the Chickadee yarn in the Frank's Plum colorway. I can't wait to block it when I get back from Nashville. I will share that process and the finished shawl with you on here.

I am knitting a pair of worsted weight socks, my first in this weight, out of Cakewalk Yarns worsted weight in the Brooklyn colorway. They are going to be great socks for the house, in clogs and for skating and hiking in the winter months. They are squishy. I am making up the pattern as I go along and I will share it with you when I am done.

I have been enjoying the lush green prairies in my area on my daily runs and hikes. It is really impossible to capture how gorgeous the prairie greens and flowers are with a camera. It is truly breathtaking. I am such a season person. Every season has something unique and beautiful and magical to offer. I can't imagine living without seasons. They add so much to my life.

As the afternoon sun winds down.... 

I don't remember all of the sunflowers last summer. I think someone introduced them to the prairie this year. This is a late afternoon photo. Gorgeous sky and lighting abound.

I am working on a new toy design for an independent yarn dyer. I have found a great design in an old sketchbook that I did awhile back and haven't used yet. I am going to revamp this design with this new yarn and it has loads of potential. Old sketchbooks are the best. This sketchbook contains every pattern and then some from Itty-Bitty Toys. I have yarn labels, handwritten patterns and notes, drawings, phone numbers, calendar stuff, a couple of photos, ideas that never came to be and more all crammed into these pages. I have an entire cabinet stuffed with all of my old and new sketchbooks. It is a slight obsession of mine, the sketchbooks.

I pulled my Slinky Ribs sweater back out. I decided to add cap sleeves to it, picked up and short rowed around. This little sweater is genius in construction, quite unusual. It is from Wendy Bernard's Custom Knits. You know all of the current talk about picked up sleeves in the round with short rows and various top-down constructions and necklines and shaping, flattering shapes for your figure and measuring? Wendy Bernard did all of this years ago, seamless-style, and it is all in this book! If you are a sweater knitter who loves seamless knitting this book should be in your library. Even if you don't love all of the designs the information alone is worth the price and more. Custom Knits is a treasure trove of sweater knitting information.

 My version of Slinky Ribs from Custom Knits in Elsbeth Lavold Silky Wool.

 I am knitting my son a pullover sweater out of Donegal Tweed. It is a bottom up, raglan construction. I am a few inches in so far.

I have started spinning Into the Whirled fiber purchased at the Loopy Ewe. It is lovely.

We went to the Madison Art Fair on the Square last weekend. It was inspiring to say the least. I enjoyed the pottery, weaving, painting, embroidery that looked like fine-art painting, hand dyed and printed clothing and kettle corn! It was a good day.

 Madison's beautiful capitol building.

We stopped by the UW-Madison Union to see the new pier. 

 The UW-Madison campus has a stunning setting along the edges of Lake Mendota. What a gorgeous campus. The Union is a favorite Madison spot for students and community members alike.

 The signature Union chairs are adorable and colorful.

The shadows are even happy.

 I don't know why but I never fully noticed the gorgeous tile work ceiling on the front of the Union steps. I can't get over how pretty it is. 

These old campus buildings make me so happy for some reason. They are tearing down and rebuilding many of the campus buildings which makes me cherish the old buildings even more.

 Here is the old Science Hall at the bottom of Bascom Hill, looking stately and academic as always.

This photo made me laugh. No, I am not giving any of you a gesture in poor taste but rather I am simply trying to proudly share my finished Opal sock on this hot, hot summer day. Please forgive and just look at the sock.

I'll take lots of photos at SSK in Nashville and share along the way. Join me on Instagram and Facebook to follow along up to the minute. I'll post right here on the blog, too, when I get back.

I hope you are all enjoying these fun and crazy hot summer days!
Knit on!
best, susie

Teacher Teacher

Edited to add 7/12/13: Thank you for the great response to the VK Live Chicago classes! The classes quickly sold out and I contacted Vogue and we've added more openings in both Sunday classes so you can still register. Hope to see you in Chicago!

Hi, Knitters,

I want to pop in to let you know about a couple of teaching events I have coming up. Next week I am off to Nashville for the Super Summer Knitaway or SSK with The Knit Girllls! I can't wait. I am teaching two of each of the Fair Isle Hat classes and the Baby Cardigan classes. Both classes are wonderful and fun. I have stacks of handouts with loads of patterns and tips and techniques on their way to Laura's house right now for the retreat. Each class gets a mini-book to take home with them. I can't wait to see the knitters in Nashville.

I have the Vogue Knitting Live Chicago extravaganza coming this November 3, 2013. I am only on the schedule for the Sunday of the event due to my family's schedule. Registration is now open for VK Live in Chicago so if you are coming please go register for any and all of the classes you are planning to take. It is important to do this as soon as possible because the class list will be culled.  

Also coming up September 28th and 29th, 2013, is the KnitEast retreat in New Brunswick, Canada. Two of my classes on Saturday are full but there are still some openings for the Sock Yarn Bunny Workshop on Sunday! 

I am teaching the Sock Yarn Bunny Workshop at both VKLive in Chicago and KnitEast. We will delve into seamless bunny knitting with our sock yarn, a very serious topic (really it's pure fun), but I want you to know that I am also bringing my new Little Dragon pattern (for free!) for my students at both of these venues! The Little Dragon is also knit out of sock or fingering weight yarn but it is held doubled throughout.  I'm really excited to be able to offer 3 patterns (original bunny, mini bunny and little dragon) to my students.

Here are the links for you:

Information for KnitEast!

Information for Vogue Knitting Live Chicago!

Opal Sock Yarn Bunny on Ravelry!

Little Dragon on Ravelry!

For the Sock Yarn Bunny classes I have designed a Mini-Sock Yarn Bunny to work on in class. It uses the exact same seamless top-down construction that the larger version uses. You'll get the patterns for both bunnies at the class. The workshop is packed-full with toy knitting techniques, demonstrations and tips that can be applied to all toy knitting in general. The construction of the bunny is unusual and you'll learn how this top-down technique can be applied to other toy patterns as well. 

(Build a Toy Workshop class samples)

The other class I am teaching besides the Sock Yarn Bunny at Vogue Knitting Live Chicago is my Build a Toy Workshop. I love this class for so many reasons but mostly because it gives the students endless opportunities to create knit toys of their choice. The class gives you the patterns, options and tools to create characters like a bear, bunny, puppy, snowman, owl, sheep, cat, etc. It's a great class once again packed full of tips and tricks and demonstrations for toy knitting. It's a fun workshop to teach for sure.

Click here for Vogue Knitting Live! 

I hope to see as many of you as possible in Chicago and in New Brunswick.

As a side note, the Build a Toy Workshop is going to be published and available for everyone. I am working on that now with a company. I don't know when it will be ready, not even a guess at this point, all I can say is eventually it will happen. I am only sharing some of the class samples in the photo above so people can get an idea of what the content of the class involves.

I'll leave you today with a quick view of the alphabet sampler I am embroidering. I am making it up as I go. Have any of you been embroidering this summer? I'd love to hear about it. 

I'd also love to hear if you are coming to SSK, KnitEast or Vogue Knitting Live in Chicago! Let me know.

best, susie

Salty.

Hi, Knitters,
I have been completely inspired by the spinning frenzy of late. As the Tour de France is going on, the spinners work on their own individual goals and spin along with the bikers for the Tour de Fleece. I am not officially participating but the photos of all of the handspun yarns and rovings have happily pushed me back to my wheel this past week.

I had started a Loop Bullseye Bump awhile ago. What a complete pleasure the Loop bumps are to spin. I think this is my second one. The fiber is smooth as silk and I love the way it pulls from the center of the bump. It's plain fun.

Click here to visit the Loop shop on Etsy!

(photo from Loop on Etsy)

Here is the bump before spinning. The fiber content is merino, nylon and angelina (that's the sparkle). The bump is a generous 5 ounces. You can see how the fiber is light and fluffy. I love the way the center pull bump starts with a light gray shade before moving into the greens. There is a very dark green section somewhat hidden in there.

I decided to spin the singles at a heavier weight. I knew I would Navajo ply the singles in the end to keep the gradient nature of the bump. I was hoping for something around a worsted weight yarn. 

The photo above shows the Navajo plying in action. I've become more pleased with my Navajo plying recently. I used to over-ply it terribly but I have learned to slow down the treadle so less twist comes into the plying. I have a dislike of under spun yarn, it seems so lifeless, but yet you don't want over spun yarn either. There is always a happy medium for most things in life and this is no exception. I am trying to hit that perfect spot and I'm getting there.

I soaked the yarn and let it dry outside for a day. There was absolutely no running or bleeding of the colors. When I brought it inside late afternoon it was still damp. I hung it in my studio and it remained damp for much of the next day. It's pretty humid here. Finally, it dried and plumped up beautifully. 

In the end I got 242 yards of a hearty worsted weight yarn. It is plump, squishy and soft. Yum.

Most of all, it is gorgeous. 

The colors are lovely together. How you could you ever go wrong with gray and green together? Steph Gorin, of Loop, is a color master. I am impressed every time. I have another one of her bumps still in my very small fiber stash. I'll have to get going on the next bump very soon. 

I'm pleased as punch with this fun skein of handspun. I am not sure what I will knit with it but I am thinking about a shawl that is wide and shallow.... we'll see what happens.

Now newly on my wheel is this Into the Whirled that I got from The Loopy Ewe (click here to see more!) It is 4oz. of Polwarth in the Chromatic Composition colorway. Here is my plan. I weighed the braid out into three equal sections. I am spinning each section into very thin singles and then I will make a traditional 3-ply yarn. Other than that I have no plans and I'll just wait and see what happens in the end.

I love the bright and unusual color composition in the braid. Buttery light yellow, magenta, brown and purple all jumbled together. I can't wait to see how this plays out. I'll keep you posted.

By the way, I am still stitching away on the Alabama Chanin Swing Skirt kit I started a few months ago. I have finished stitching around the motifs and cutting out the centers. This is reverse applique. There are four panels and I have finished two. I love it and the layered and textured fabric looks and feels so good. It looks tiny so I am slightly concerned that it won't fit me. I ordered the medium size thinking it would be generously fine but I'm unsure. I will keep my fingers crossed that it will fit (or at least stretch a lot) when I am done.

Have a great weekend! I hope you are getting in lots of fiber-y good activity this summer.

best, susie

Yarn Share

Hi, Knitters,

When a knitter travels she picks up yarn along the way. I haven't been sharing my recent finds in various cities, shops and retreats lately so today I thought I would share a few new cherished skeins I've gathered along my recent knitting journeys. 

Back in March I went to Washington, Illinios to attend The Knitting Pipeline Retreat hosted by Paula Emons-Fuessle. The retreat took place in Paula's church. There was a small market on the last day of the retreat with maybe around 8-10 vendors. I purchased a few skeins of yarn while I was there.

Above is a big plump skein of Fat Squirrel Fibers. Amy Beth is the dyer/video podcaster/sewer behind The Fat Squirrel. Amy Beth has started a Big Cartel shop where she sews beautiful project bags in fun fabrics and dyes coordinating yarns and it is all beautiful and well-done. I think she updates a couple of times a month and you have to act fast to get your hands on any of her products.

Links:

thefatsquirrel.com

fatsquirrelfibers.bigcartel.com

knittingpipeline.com

Paula Emons-Fuessle's designs

The yarn above is Fat Squirrel Fibers in the Tree Swallow colorway, Hazelnut Base, Fingering Weight, 80% superwash merino, 10% cashmere, 10% nylon, 150 grams/600 yards. The skein has huge yardage. It will become a shawl of some sort.

I snagged one more skein of Fat Squirrel Fibers called Spring Leaf in the Pecan Base. It's fingering weight, 100% superwash BFL, 100 grams/438 yards. This one is definitely becoming socks, no question.

I love these skeins because they remind me of the time at the retreat.

Next up, when I was in Virginia at Fibre Space they happened to be unloading a gigantic trunk show of the elusive Plucky Knitter yarn. I was in a bit of a hurry after the class and signing, but I just had to grab a few skeins before running out the door. As I was picking out the yarn to take home with me Sarah, the Plucky Knitter herself and her adorable sister and business partner, showed up at the shop to meet me. I was so thrilled. We may even be working on a little project together in the future!

The yarn in the photo above is a brilliant glowing purple called Sweet Nothings (how cute is that?). The yarn is so gorgeous, there is no photo that could capture it accurately. The yarn is in the Plucky Feet base, 425 yards of fingering weight, 90/10 merino, nylon. I can't wait to dig in. I seem to be liking a lot of purple lately. That's new.

Links:

fibrespace.com

thepluckyknitter.com

Here is my second Plucky Knitter find. I have 2 skeins of Primo Fingering, 385 yards, 75/20/5 merino, cashmere, nylon. The colorway is Skies of November. Since Sarah dyes in Michigan I think we have the same November skies and this reminds me of our Midwestern late fall skies for sure. Everything carries a hint of gray. Skies of November is a dusky blue that I can't resist. 

I don't know what I will be making with my Plucky Knitter treasures but rest assured it will be something good.

The Loopy Ewe has more Madelinetosh on the shelves than I have seen anywhere else. I couldn't believe the selection. In April I taught and had a book signing at The Spring Fling and at The Loopy Ewe shop. I had so much fun and of course I got to spend a little time shopping after my book signing at the shop. 

Link:

theloopyewe.com

I had to get some Madelintosh to bring home. I immediately was drawn to the skein above. It is Tosh Sock in the Nightbloom colorway, a purple/gray tonal. Tosh Sock is 100% superwash merino wool, 395 yards. I think this color is interesting and smooth.

I wanted to find another skein of Tosh Sock to stripe with the Nightblooms. I couldn't get over how much I liked the Whiskers colorway. It is creamy gray, tan and eggshell. I love it. I am really pleased with this pairing.

Later when I was catching up on Snappy Stitches with Chrissy, I realized that she knit a large Daybreak shawl in these exact two colors. I had to laugh because I had no recollection of this when I bought these at the Loopy Ewe but I am sure somewhere in my brain I had registered my love for these colors together when Chrissy was sharing her shawl. Thank you, Chrissy!

Link:

snappystitches.com - Go watch this video podcast! It's such a good one. 

These skeins are a later purchase online but still from The Loopy Ewe. JavaJennie (rav id) and maker for the Kitchen Counter Crafter on etsy was knitting and wearing the same cardigan at the Knitting Pipeline Retreat as Minerva Turkey at the Spring Fling. The cardigan is Navona by Linda Wilgus and I am knitting one in Malabrigo Sock in Ravelry Red, the perfect red for the main color, and Persia for the stripes, the best blend of gray and denim blue. I can't wait. This is a beautiful cardigan.

Links:

Navona (see Minerva Turkey in her orange version)

Click here for the Navona pattern page

The Loopy Ewe

Minerva Turkey Knits blog

JavaJennie's Kitchen Counter Crafter etsy shop

Then one of my tried and true yarn loves, Cakewalk Yarns, was at the Knitting Pipeline Retreat. I got to spend time with Rose, the one and only splatter dye genius. Rose is lovely and fun. Her shop is currently on vacation while she moves from Michigan to Illinois this summer. 

The yarn is just the best. I have knit several pairs of socks from Cakewalk along with a My Hope Shawlette by Laura Linneman. These are some of my favorite knits ever. The yarn from left to right above is all fingering weight in a variety of bases, in the following colorways: M&M Cookie, Fletcher, Vernon, and Chalkboard. 

These will all become socks or shawls at some point!

Links:

Cakewalk Yarns

My Hope Shawlette

Now I am going to share a few quick projects I am working on.

Opal Vincent Van Gogh socks in the Die Brucke von Trinquetaille colorway. This one may just be my favorite Opal Van Gogh.

Of course I had to cast on Paula Emons-Fuessle's Lullaby Rain Shawlette from Quince & Co. I am using Chickadee in Frank's Plum. It's a lovely knit.

I'm still stitching away. Miss Molly asked me if I would help her with some stitching so I made her up a kit to get started. I have ordered her an Original Sampler by Rebecca Ringquist but we haven't received it yet. In the meantime she is just practicing on a piece of cotton and a piece of linen I had in my studio. She has a good start and I will share more on her progress later.

Rebecca Ringquist is still having a 20% off sale in her shop, Dropcloth! The code is: MICHIGANSUMMER

I am stitching an alphabet sampler that I am making up free-hand. I am using the sewing machine to put in subtle quilting lines with thread and I love the way it is making the fabric feel while I embroider. I think this sampler is going to become part of a bag. That's my plan at least.

I pre-thread my embroidery needles in a sitting and then I can stitch for a very long time without having to stop to thread needles. It is a satisfying way to work.

I am almost done (not in this photo though) with my second panel of the Alabama Chanin Swing Skirt. I only have a few more motifs to go before I cut out the centers. That's always fun. I can't wait to finish this up and wear it!

I hope you are all well and knitting away the summer. I'll be back soon with more....

best, susie