Book Signing: Chris de Longpre and Timeless Knits for Kids (Size 4-14)

I am having an incredibly fibery weekend - and I am loving every second of it. This morning I went to the Ann Arbor Fiber Expo (more on that in my next post) and experienced the joy of fiber festivals all over again.

I got home with just enough time to drop off my packages, bolt down some lunch, and head out again for my LYS, Woven Art.  Chris de Longpre of Knitting at KNoon was there doing a book signing and had a trunk show too!

Chris de Longpre and me with the trunk show.

Her designs are simple and classic, with little details that really make a sweater - a little girl's sweater with a String of Pearl's cast off edging - a boy's vest with garter bumps from a slip stitch pattern.  Timeless Knits for Kids (Sizes 4-14) is a fantastic book for that difficult age range in kids.  It isn't hard to find patterns for little ones, but anything smaller than adult can be a real challenge!  Plus, Chris's patterns wisely call for easy care fibers - Plymouth Encore, Kraemer yarns, and Cascade 220 superwash.  Dirty? Just throw into the washer AND dryer with jeans, turtlenecks, and socks.

Timeless Knits for Kids size 4-14

I know I need to make several vests for my ever increasing herd of nephews - and easy care yarns (I am thinking Plymouth Encore - such a nice light grey!) will take the terror out of the gifts for my sisters-in-law.

The photos in the book are beautiful - I think I even recognize some of the locations in Michigan - and Chris took them all! (Except for her author photo, that is.)  All the models are her grandchildren, and you can tell that this book was made with joy and love.

I can't wait to knit some projects out of this book - but I can take my time - with so many sizes to choose from, I can use this book for a decade for each child!

Autumn around the Little Yellow House

Gingko Leaves

Sugar Maple and Oak Leaves

Foliage at Lake Lansing

Milkweed Pod, Lake Lansing

Rhinebeck Photos

I drove east with a small contingent of Michigan knitters.  It was wonderful.  I got to see my parents (briefly) and I soaked up the goodness of coming home.  It is lovely going to places where you don't have to consult a map constantly.  I miss the familiarity of Fairfield and Westchester counties.

Crowds at Rhinebeck

Mums at the fairgrounds

View of the Catskills from the fairgounds

Rhinebeck haul - sport weight wool from Bartlett Yarns,
a yarn bowl from Jennie the Potter,
handspun/handyed by Stonesthrow Farm,
Darling Basket by Ellen Hotis and
Handwoven placemats and dishtowels
by two separate weavers.

Charity Challenge Complete

Saturday was the last day to drop off knitted charity goods at Woven Art.  I finished a few more hats that are headed to the Black Child and Family Institute just in time for the cold weather.  Each hat was made out of yarn that was in my stash for well over four years.

A Very Warm Hat by EZ - outside

A Very Warm Hat - inside

Orange Hurricane hat

Grey Hurricane

Raspberry Hatto

Embossed Chevron Hat

I am so glad I could knit so many hats to keep kids warm this winter.  I am hoping that I can knit one hat a month for a full year.  This will let me knit other projects, knit for charity, and decrease my stash - an ongoing project in itself.

Last year at this time I made a commitment to knit from my stash for the entire year, adding yarn only under the most special of circumstances.  Next week is Rhinebeck and I am not holding back. I won't be out of control, but I fully intend to enjoy myself. And maybe THIS year I can get a pot pie!

State Fair Cowl

Since returning from the retreat I have been laid up on the couch with a head cold.  With cold medication in my system I could only really knit in garter stitch.  So I dug out some handspun I bought at the New Mexico State Fair five or six years ago and started knitting.  On my second day on the couch, I have a finished cowl.

State Fair Cowl

And you can just make out Zeby on the inside of my front door.

Yarn: Handspun yarn in natural colors, and dyed yellow from the New Mexico State Fair, in 2004 or 2005.
Needles: size US 10.5
Notes: cast on about 40 stitches, knit every row, throwing in random stripes of yellow.  Knit for 22 inches, graft into a tube. Fold in half, and ta DA! Cowl.

This is not a soft yarn. It is a wooly wool, a natural wool.  And I love it. I love wearing it against the skin of my neck.  It still has a faint lanolin smell, and I love that too.
Time to make some more tea. And have a snuggle with my dog while I am wearing my new cowl.

Woven Art: Retreat at Macatawa Lake

I am just back from working the weekend at the Woven Art Retreat in Holland, Michigan.  Aside from presently being sick, I am riding high on the energy and passion that is exuded by 24 other passionate knitters.

I had such a wonderful time getting to know my knitting community better.  Friday night Sarah Peasley taught a workshop on gauge. I know, I know, GAUGE. But it is the basis on EVERYTHING that we do.  Gauge is critical, and too many knitters turn a blind eye to their best chance to making a project successful.

I got to hand out the goodie bags Friday night, and it did indeed feel like an Oprah moment.  For one, the bags are stinkin' cute!  But they were stuffed with wonderful things.  A copy of EZ's Knitters Almanac, a set of straight Kollage square needles, a ball of Kollage Fantastic yarn (yum!), a ball of Punta Merisoft, a wonderful felted notions bag from Frabjous Fibers, and a sample of Soak wool wash.

Saturday morning Sarah led a workshop on double knitting, a technique that I really have wanted to pick up.  I learned a super simple way (once you get the rhythm down) to do a tubular cast on, and then I knit a little phone cozy in the round with only two double pointed needles!  There was a bad moment when I bound the double knitting closed, but with a dropped stitch and some dexterity, I was able to fix my own mistake.

Retreat House at Macatawa Lake, Holland, Michigan

The rest of Saturday was nearly a blur for me. I know that at one point I led a teaching session on Elizabeth Zimmermann's mitered mittens, and got to show the afterthought thumb that involves cutting a stitch in your knitting. (I could hear the gasps and whimpers all around me as I snipped that stitch!)  I missed both of Jill Bigelow-Suttell's workshops on converting from flat to round, and on knitting shapes.

After that the day kinda blurred on by as I was in the kitchen, answering questions, and teaching magic loop.  Dinner was on the other side of the lake, and I had a lovely Pasta Primavera that way heavy on the vegetables and light on the pasta.  It was perfect.  Especially with a glass of white wine.

Sarah Peasley and Erica Owens, Saturday

Sunday morning dawned bright and beautiful.  The lake was like glass, and I enjoyed my breakfast on the three season porch.

Breakfast in Retreat House

I was really wishing I had brought my yoga mat with me so I could have done some sun salutations on the dock that morning.  Ah well, next year!

Nancy led the last workshop of the retreat on Elizabeth Zimmermann's Ganomey hat.  Knitters were working on any of the projects from the previous sessions, and last minute questions were flying right up until the moment people were leaving. I think I was even asked some questions in the parking lot!

Mist rising on Lake Macatawa

It was a fantastic weekend.  Truly lovely.  As Nancy and I drove back to East Lansing (and left the sun behind - what is it with mid-Michigan, anyway - I feel like I would see more sun in the Pacific Northwest!)  we began to brainstorm about next year's retreat.  

Suffice it to say it will be even better than this year's retreat.  I can hardly wait!

Bramble Stitch Scarf

Bramble Stitch Scarf

Many years ago I wrote up a little scarf pattern that is still available over at Nepenthe's Misadventures.  This scarf was a Christmas present for my sister.

I still get hundreds of hits a week for that pattern, but because I can't update all the links that head my way, and because Blog-city will be disappearing in 2011, I have a handy-dandy link to the new pdf!

download now

Enjoy!