Kay's Korner - A Knitters Notes

All it takes is a few snowflakes and I am enamored.  These icy, cold days are just the thing needed to get me motivated for knitting pieces of yarnie warmth.  Snuggly scarves, cuddly cowls, and warm, wooly socks have been the favorite projects at Rare Purls so far this month.  Whether you choose a pattern from the many books and leaflets available, peruse the designs on Ravelry.com (join now, to be ready for winter knit alongs!), or surf the many yarn company websites for their latest offerings, you are sure to find plenty of inspiration for your next cold weather project.  Who can resist the warm hug of a bulky wrap or cowl?  Or maybe a fashion forward, super bulky, hand knit hat is your ticket to hours of happy knitting.  This chilly weather is calling us and we all know how to answer that call - cast on some wooly warmth.  So grab your needles and pick a pattern, and start knitting up a winter storm!

One of my favorites this season is the super bulky capelet.  Most of the luxury yarn companies have come out with uber super bulky yarns and accompanying patterns for super fast results.  If you would like to design your own, t's easy!  Just grab a #11 - 15 US circular needle and cast on with a super chunky yarn to knit a tube.  With the measurement from around both shoulders (mine are 48 inches) and the gauge from a super quick swatch, do the math and pick your stitch pattern.  Ribbed patterns and cables work best with this design, as they have natural elasticity.  Remember, when working with large gauge yarns, elaborate stitch patterns with long repeats are more difficult to plug into your size, so keep it simple.  Also, although I am always into generously sized accessories, preferring wider scarves and longer wraps, a capelet knit too long can impede arm movement.  A capelet that fits from the top of the shoulder to the elbow is the largest you will need.  If more warmth or a longer look is desired, choose a full sized cape pattern that incorporates either arm slits or low armholes to accommodate partial movement of the upper limbs.  For some examples of beautiful full sized capes, go to the free pattern section of VogueKnitting.com.  

Happy Knitting!

On Kay's Needles
The quick and easy success offered by bulky yarns had my needles flying last week.  My Snowboard Hat took one hank and one night.  Earflap hats look great on guys and dolls, so make an extra for those last minute gifts.  

The combination of a bulky alpaca/silk blend and an easy one row repeat pattern had me obsessively knitting this great scarf until it reached over 80 inches long.  But, oh, is it snuggly!

The project with the best reviews is Circular Shrug, a free pattern on Ravelry.  This has to be the easiest sweater ever!  

Yes, I am both an avid and prolific knitter. Even before I began teaching at Rare Purls, I always had several projects on my needles and this has been going on for many, many years. Even with all of my experience, I spend a fair amount of time ripping out my work. Ripping, frogging, whatever you want to call it, is when you take your working yarn end and unravel stitches to remove an error. Anyone who knits or crochets long enough will experience the aggravation of pulling out hours (and sometimes hours and hours) of work, to make our knitting the best it can be. It helps to maintain a good humor if ripping is considered a part of the process. Personally, I think that "rip" is an acronym for "rectifying imperfect pieces." Of course, no one enjoys watching row after row of stitching go up in string, so my New Year's resolution is to rip less in 2010. Perhaps you, too, think this is a worthy goal and if so, perhaps these tips will help both of us on the road to happier knitting.

Even though I always implore knitters at the shop to read through their entire pattern before casting on, this step is often skipped. The urge to knit can be strong and little details like pattern instructions can seem tedious. Please, do not let enthusiasm trump good practices. I once had to eventually reknit nearly an entire sweater and half of the problem was not reading ahead in the pattern. That the other half of the problem was the dear designer's notion that I could read her mind is a story for another day. Had I not been so enamored with both the yarn and design, the project would have been scrapped. Please do not be ambushed by the words "at the same time" or "see designer's notes." The dear designer is trying to lead you to success and she is giving some words to the wise. For example, knit pattern pieces in the order given. There is a reason why sleeves are knitted first in a striped pullover (so the stripes will match across the shoulders) and seaming is accomplished in a particular progression. Trusting your designer and following her lead can save hours of reknitting and perhaps, on occasion, your sanity.

Another habit that leads to ripping is an improper gauge swatch or completely skipping the gauge swatch. Only a couple of weeks ago, one of our loyal customers, a lovely woman, had knit her sweater back only to find it nearly double the size she had intended to knit. Yes, she had knit a gauge swatch, but she had overlooked that the swatch was to be knit in garter stitch, rather than the usual stockinette. This error had made her heftier yarn seem a good substitute and the outcome was a torrential Rip! She did not know that designers usually instruct that the swatch be knit up in the predominate stitch pattern, which can be anything from stockinette to cables, lace, or ribbing. Another swatch that can lead you down the road to disaster is one too small. Gauge swatches should be a minimum of 4 inches by 4 inches. When only an inch or two are measured, it is difficult to be accurate. Those fractions of stitches can really add up when knitting, especially in a large garment. For example, if one knits a 2" X 2" gauge and gets 8¼ stitches per 2 inches, if that ¼ stitch is overlooked in a sweater with a chest that measures 48 inches, that fraction of a stitch can reap a 6 inch difference in the finished garment. In a 4" X 4" swatch, most probably the gauge will be seen as 16 ½ stitches to 4 inches. Half stitches usually receive notice, especially since now you know they should. In the 2" x 2" swatch, the smaller fraction will most probably be overlooked, leaving the recipient swimming in extra wool and your pocketbook a bit slimmer. Remember, the bigger the yarn, the bigger an error in gauge will be.

By far, the practices that cause the most ripping are knitting when tired, stressed, or distracted. I cannot count the number of times when I have knit feverishly into the wee hours of the morning in an effort to complete a project and woke up to the horror of terrible knitting. Rip! Or when I try to multitask by watching a movie and knitting a lace project with shaping. Rip! Or the awful outcome of tipsy knitting. Rip, rip! Save projects with rows and rows of garter or stockinette to keep your hands happy during these times. You just cannot come out ahead in a project when the next day, most of your progress must be ripped.

As far as those times when we do the best we can and still our project leaves us most unhappy, please do not stuff it in a bag and stash it away, never again to see the light of day. Rip! Salvage the yarn for use in a more worthy project. One friend knit an entire sweater and on finishing, knew it would fit no one she knew. It was a gorgeous hand knit, perfect in every way, except that it was really very large. The finished bust measurement in her pattern had been more than generous for the stated size. Although not an outlandish investment, why waste all that yummy cotton/alpaca blend? I truly admired her courage as she Ripped! out her many rows of work. We are practicing an art, not a science, and there are so many variables. Though ripping is certainly something we want to avoid, isn't it wonderful that our work is not etched in stone?

Happy Knitting!

Kay Mather
Copyright 2010

On Kay's Needles
Oh yes, I have been snared by the late Christmas present snafu. I was so sure that I could finish my sister's mittens and hubby's vest by C-day. Thankfully, the mittens were delivered timely and I have a wonderful husband, so all the consternation over his late gift is mine alone. Now, let me get back to my knitting, so the vest is sure to be finished by Bill's birthday, January 5.

Most of us have favorite yarns and can fondly remember the projects where, in all the hours of working with these yarns, we experienced the merits and attributes of well spun fibers. I have to admit that I am a bit embarrassed that a yarn won my heart before I even cast it on. Queensland's Kathmandu Aran had me at "Tweed".

It all began when I saw Kathmandu at a meeting with a mutual friend, the Euro Yarns sales rep. Coming from a prominent family, I knew that I was meeting a quality yarn. Its card, which I slipped into my file, gave impressive references, my two, old, highly respected friends, silk and cashmere. Although I didn't see my new yarnie interest for months, one day a huge package arrived with the return address of EuroYarns. Every day since, Kathmandu has joined me at Rare Purls, though I have delayed any permanent commitment. After all, I am a busy gal and spend my days (and nights) with many yarns. There are not so many that I decide to take home and even fewer that I find worthy of an enduring relationship. Just because a yarn is a real looker and makes my heart skip a beat every time I lay my hands on its luscious plys, doesn't mean that I am going to wrap my body up in it. I do have a reputation to uphold and cannot be seen with every yarn that promises a fine hand and nice drape.

But then last night, I curled up on the sofa and really got to know Kathmandu. We were making an aviator hat for a friend of mine and in just a few hours, I felt that I had learned all there was to know about this handsome yarn. O-kay, so the two plys were a bit uneven. It only added to the rustic charm. The colorful flecks held my interest and the silk fiber content made me a little heady. Together, we made beautiful fabric and (dare I say it) - I think that I have fallen in love with this yarn.

At this point, I began to make future plans. I could imagine myself cuddled in a comfy cardigan with simple stitch patterns, made beautiful with Kathmandu's rich colors and complimentary tweed flecks. Yes, I had designs on this yarn! I even felt safe venturing my thoughts to include my family. My son Luke would look so handsome in a traditional, button front vest, made possible by my new love Kathmandu, and I know that my son Will would enjoy some new socks, knit with the soft comfort of cashmere and the durability made possible by a bit of nylon. You see, although this yarn is equally comfortable with knits for both men and women, I know my guys will relate to its traditional elements, the blend of strong wool and exotic silk. Yes, this is a family yarn!

But just as I was ready to commit to a great room throw, I got the news that Kathmandu has a new brother, Kathmandu Chunky. With all of the wonderful traits of the first born, Kathmandu Chunky requires less of my time, a quality that truly appeals to both my busy schedule and my need for speed in order to satisfy a long, holiday gift list. Upon hearing of the more magnanimous sibling, my fickle heart began to conjure up thoughts of warm hats and snuggly mittens, just meant to hold hands. Please do not make me choose between these yarns! After all, no yarn can be all things to all knitters, right?

For the present, I am enjoying projects a plenty. Two wonderful, reliable yarns are filling my days as partners in a rewarding collaboration, ending in beautiful and stylish garments and accessories. How long will this infatuation last? God only knows. Maybe there is an alpaca blend in my future that will steal my heart. I take it day by day. But my affection for Kathmandu will be remembered in rows of sweaters and rounds of boot socks. Yes, good, honest, and reliable yarns are hard to come by and this one is a keeper.

Copyright October 2009

Kay Mather

Four years ago, our family moved back to Metro Atlanta to be closer to family and the Southeast's cultural crossroads. At that time, my son Luke and I forecast that within 5 years we would open our own local yarn shop in the historic district of Duluth, Georgia. We began studying the yarn industry in earnest and morphed my love of yarn and his business prowess into a plan for a brick and mortar store. To be honest, there were times when our dream seemed a bit ambitious, especially when the economy took such a steep turn for the worse. An internet shop seemed far more practical and attainable, so Luke began Rare Purls as a "dot com" venture. But fate seemed to have a different plan for the Mather family. When a charming retail suite became available at the Knox House in Duluth's historic district in 2008, I peered through the French doors every time I met friends for lunch at the Park Cafe, my favorite local bistro. It seemed such a perfect space! We also became regulars at the Atlanta Knitting Guild and Gwinnett's own local group, the Noble Knitters. We saw that needle arts were alive and well in the Southeast and made plans to participate in the first Stitches South. By winter 2008, our inventory of luxury yarns was beginning to overflow our storage facility and it became apparent that we had enough yarn to fill that shop space on West Lawrenceville Street. We figuratively held hands and made the leap. In May 2009, Luke signed the lease for my beloved shop space and we began the creation affectionately named Rare Purls Yarn Boutique and Knitterie.

On opening day in June 2009, many friends and well wishers came to see the newest yarn shop in Greater Atlanta. In the weeks that followed, knitters from all over the Northeast Atlanta area visited our shop and some have already become repeat customers. I have to chuckle when the nonknitting naysayers peek in and just don't understand such things as fiber lust and yarn addiction. "A yarn shop? You're so brave!" or "Is yarn ALL you sell?" Then the second glance, often followed with "Do you give classes?" Ah, yes, the power of gorgeous fiber! I grab some needles and show them how easy this creative craft using simple tools is to begin.

Absolutely, this is my dream job. Surrounded by elegant fibers from around the globe, inspiration is nestled in every nook. Old friends and new friends come by to chat and cast on. We always welcome visitors to come in and just relax. Whether we are working through the latest lace knit along or finishing up the last few rows of a prayer shawl, the 110-year-old wood floors, walls, and ceilings are the perfect backdrop for an hour (or two) of creative bliss. There is a lovely view through the original old glass in the huge front window overlooking the enclosed porch. Our knitterie is the perfect place to experience the zen of knitting.

Of course, there is somewhat of a formula when opening a yarn shop. A large selection of good wool worsteds, DK yarns in a number of fibers and blends, their bulky cousins for quick and cuddly knits, and sock yarns in exciting patterning and colorways are the basics. Add to that a selection of uber lux yarns and unusual fiber blends, plus an exciting array of designer patterns and you have a good start up inventory. To keep up with trends, new yarns, and the latest in hand knit design, I personally read every issue of seven knitting magazines from cover to cover. I enjoy the meetings with our suppliers when they come by with new yarns and new colors of old favorites. Most importantly, I listen to the feed back from local knitters. It is the best guide as to what yarns we should order.

As Luke handles the paperwork and all the finances, I find the only drawback to working at Rare Purls is that I have less time for my own personal knitting, but I must admit I love teaching and our customer's creative pursuits, a kind of vicarious knitting. On Monday, our one day off, I find myself missing the shop and its inspiring atmosphere. This is when I catch on on paperwork, correspondence, and work my new designs. I give my own house a lick and a promise, then sit in front of the TV, the TIVO filled with simple plot programming, and work on projects that require little concentration, using the pause feature if something begs a bit more attention. This multitasking allows me to enjoy what I otherwise consider a guilty pleasure. It is a good life.

Yes, this is truly my dream job. The fact that our Yarn Boutique is a family business is a joy. I am able to work with both Luke and my husband, Bill. Bill took an early retirement from anesthesiology, and he has not only helped Luke build all our fixtures, but also works in our separate office space. As we rework the retail section of the website, Bill is assuming the responsibility of new listings and filling orders. Each of us are a key figure in the operation of Rare Purls.

We do want to thank all of our fellow yarn lovers for the encouragement and support that helped us to make that leap. The Mathers have begun a new phase in life, new job titles, new challenges, but best of all, a bevy of knitters as new friends.

Happy Knitting!!

At my knitting group, the Noble Knitters, there are always a few crafters knitting socks. Until you actually knit a pair, the appeal of sock knitting isn't so apparent. Why spend $10 to $25 to knit socks when discount and department stores have oodles of pairs for a fraction of the price? First, the wide variety of sock yarns give us an abundance of color options and fibers. Hand knit socks can be as unique as a fingerprint. Also, socks can be knit in fair isle, solids, lace patterns, cables, or basic ribbings, choices not available in store bought varieties. Hand knit socks are a fairly quick knit, very portable, and very enjoyable. They make great gifts, but surely you will want to keep a few pairs for yourself.

When first exploring sock knitting, it is important to learn about the commonly used materials. Sock yarns fall into the #1 category on the yarn standards (yarnstandards.com) chart. That is they are usually knit on size 1-3 US needles with 27 to 32 inch stitches per 4 inches. But sock knitting need not be limited to fingering weight yarns. For socks to brave very cold weather and hiking boots, worsted weight yarn can be used with an appropriately gauged pattern. DK weight or #3 yarns are considered "heavy weight" sock yarns and medium weight usually falls into the #2 or sport yarn category. You can choose whichever weight yarn suits your needs and dive right in. Personally, I prefer fingering weight, as the socks knitted with this yarn are not so bulky as to make my favorite loafers too snug.

When choosing a sock yarn, the fiber or blend of fibers used to spin the yarn determines not only the look and the hand, but also the laundering method of the finished socks. My preference is a machine washable (superwash) wool blend that includes 20% nylon for durability. Bamboo, soy, alpaca, wool, nylon and cotton can all be used in sock yarn fiber blends giving a variety of desirable characteristics. Currently, self striping and self patterning yarns are all the rage and hand painted sock yarns are flying off the shelves. Expect to see some beautiful, colorful, hand knit socks worn with both tie up shoes and sandals this summer. The cotton blend sock yarns are absorbent and comfortable, even when the temperature is in the 90's.

There are several techniques available when choosing a basic sock pattern. You may use double point needles (dpn's), two circular needles, or one circular needle with a 40 inch cord. When using dpn's, the stitches are divided on multiple needles, usually four, and worked with a fifth needle. Each needle takes a turn being the working needle as the stitches are worked in the round. My favorite technique utilizes two 16-29 inch circular needles. One needle works why the other rests, working one side of the stitches, then the other, when working in the round. The magic loop technique uses the cord to separate parts of the round and makes it possible to knit both socks simultaneously. There are an abundance of books on sock knitting, some available teaching the various techniques. I suggest that you choose a technique and a simple basic pattern for starters. Eventually, you may want to experiment with all of the different techniques. They all have their strengths and all make beautiful socks.

Yes, sock knitting is a creative, practical, portable, and just plain fun project. The next installment of Kay's Korner will explore basic sockitecture and the two circulars method of sock knitting, based on Cat Bordhi's book Socks Soar on Two Circular Needles.

Happy knitting!

Copyright Kay Mather 2009