I’ve got lots of exciting new things to tell you about this week – and I think the easiest way to start to do that is with a screenshot of some of my events:
I’ve already told you about East Anglia Yarn Festival (in Norwich) that is in just a few weeks time (March 15-16) – where I’ll also be teaching my Introduction to Two-Colour Brioche Knitting workshop on the Saturday (15th, 1-3pm).
Then, on April 12th I’ve got a ‘trunk show’ at Yarn O’clock where I’ll be showcasing my designs – many of which were originally designed as mystery knitalongs (MKALS) for the shop. A trunk show is a one-person event and I’m really pleased and honoured that Anne has invited me to do this, following the success of Lottieknits‘ trunk show at Yarn O’clock before Christmas.
I’m exhibiting at Wonderwool Wales (at the Royal Welsh Showground in Builth Wells) again on April 26-27, which is very exciting and I’m teaching there as well this year! I’ll be teaching moebius knitting at Wonderwool – and it’s already sold out on both days!
In May I’ll be at Buxton Wool Gathering once more (May 17-18) at Buxton Pavilion and also at a new show one day in Shrewsbury (Yarnies at the Flaxmill) on May 24th.
And then after a couple of months without yarn shows, I’ll be travelling up to Newcastle for the North East Wool Show at the racecourse on August 9-10. I’ll be teaching my brioche workshop there too on the Sunday (10th), and if you want to book a place on this workshop please contact me directly.
Exhibiting at shows and teaching a workshop is only possible because of my lovely wife Sue who comes with me and holds the stand admirably whilst I am off teaching. If you come to one of these shows and I’m not there, Sue will be and she’ll show you all the patterns and kits and help guide you to the design(s) that can meet your needs. And if there are questions that are specifically technical ones for me to answer, Sue will always be able to tell you when I am due back on the stand!
There are another 3 or 4 more large events coming up later in the year to add to this list, once applications have been accepted and exhibitor lists have been revealed by the organisers.
Plus there are more in-person workshops coming up in May. These are not attached to a yarn show and I will be teaching sock knitting and lace knitting. More on those in the coming weeks!
And there should be news on this year’s Yarn Gathering in the next month or so as well, so keep your eyes peeled!
This morning I’ve spent a good hour or so working on part of a new garment design. I want to tell you a little bit about it. There are some unusual cables in it and the number of knits and purls in the ribbing varies so that when the knitting moves from the ribbing at the bottom to the cable pattern it is an organic shift, not a sudden break into something different. However, each size has a different number of stitches in between the different cable patterns and this has meant I’ve been working out exactly how to make the ribbing as smooth and elegant as possible for each size – each one is slightly different. This affects 3-7cm width of the ribbing in two places, but it’s important and was worth spending times on because it will affect the integrity and look of the whole garment.
This is an aspect of design that was emphasised during my City and Guilds course with the wonderful Loraine MacClean. It’s not enough just to plonk a 2×2 ribbing at the bottom of a jumper, then think about the main part of the body separately and call it done. To be a truly well thought through design that works as a whole piece, the sections need to link together and, if possible, develop organically from one to the next.
And did you know that each cable pattern will have its own unique tension that is different from stocking stitch tension (number of stitches/rows per 10cm)? This is because with cabled knitting, stitches are twisted across each other which pulls the knitting in so you get more stitches per 10cm with cable patterns than you do with stocking stitch (that’s just plain knit/purl fabric) and each cable is different because there are different numbers of stitches crossing each other.
So, if there are two cable patterns and some stocking stitch, that’s three different tensions to take into consideration. And if you decide (like I did), late in the evening that you need more space between two cable panels and therefore more stocking stitch (or reverse stocking stitch) stitches, that is going to change the size of the knitting. So, to keep the sizing correct (important for a garment), the stitch counts in other sections have had to change and essentially the whole body has been re-written!
It’s a good job I like playing with numbers!
Speaking of playing, I’ve nearly finished my cardigan that I’ve been knitting from deep stash. I had three skeins of dark grey and one of each of three other colours. You may remember that I tried knitting another Manu with it (lovely cardigan designed by Kate Davies), but this wool is a really hefty DK, so the tension was completely different and also, the colours didn’t play nicely together in small stripes.
However, in this design using blocks of colour it looks fabulous!
This is the Haori cardigan from The Slow Wardrobe (where I buy most of my ready-made clothes), and I’ve been combining the two sizes, so I’ve got the large circumference and the small length. The front neck edges are the same width, they’re just rolling in a bit before it’s had a wash (aka wet blocking!) I’ve really enjoyed playing with blocks of colour and I’ve been working on both sides/sleeves together, doing a section and then repeating it on the other side so they match. I’ve done it this way to make sure I don’t run out of a colour before I get to use it on the other side/sleeve.
I also find it fascinating how the same colours can look so wrong in one combination and then so good in a different one! I’m really looking forward to finishing this and getting to wear it.
So, I’m going to knit the cuffs and then contemplate weaving in lots of yarn ends! What are you going to do this week? K x