My prolific knitting students

My knitting students are becoming prolific knitters! A little over two months ago, they didn't know a knit or a purl and now they are creating fingerless mitts, hats and scarves with cables, lace patterns and tubular cast-on edges. Wow!

The Lace Knitting class project, a design-your-own sampler scarf, entailed three lace patterns and a scalloped edge that required the grafting of two pieces using Kitchener stitch. The fingerless mitts from the Intermediate Knitting class showcased a cable, a gusset, ribbing with an invisible tubular cast-on, and an invisible seam using the mattress stitch.

As a bonus, students also learned how to use a yarn swift and ball winder to convert yarn hanks into center-fed yarn "cakes." Look at that yarn fly!

Lace Knitting at Chattanooga State.

I know family and friends will be receiving custom designed, beautiful, hand knit items this winter from these talented knitters. My husband would say, "They are indefatigable." And I say, "You go, girls!" and be sure to keep something nice for yourselves, too!

New knitters and upcoming classes

Please welcome these new knitters to the wonderful world of yarn and fiber arts! These talented women were in my 3-week Beginning Knitting class at Chattanooga State which concluded last night. They were excellent students and successfully passed the course with flying colors!

New "Knitting Graduates" from the Beginning Knitting class.

From the first class, these knitting students had plans for projects and were full of questions and ideas—an ascot with a button hole detail, a doggie sweater, afghans, scarves and home dec items. The conversation was lively and stimulating. 

Beginning Knitting II class—Fingerless Mitts

The next class in the knitting series is Beginning Knitting II (see page 4 of the Chattanooga State course catalog). The techniques covered include making cables, ribbing, a gusset and seaming. We'll be making a pair of fingerless mitts—a perfect take-along project and a great holiday gift! The class meets November 1 and 8 from 5:30 to 8:30 pm.

Call 697-3100 to register now, before the class fills.

At the request of the current graduating class, a Lace Knitting class has been proposed to the Chattanooga State Continuing Education program. Proposed class dates for this 6-hour class are November 29 and December 6.
Stay tuned...

Knit vest with Inkle woven collar

This vest, the Four Seasons Vine Lace Vest [by Classic Elite], is a one-piece, knit-up-the-back-and-over-the-shoulder vest that was fun to make. The only finishing you have to deal with is the side seams, which makes it quick to finish.

The pretty lace motif is a four row pattern with purl on all the wrong side rows. My vest was knitted with Vickie Howell's ROCK (5 sts/in; 50g/100m), a soysilk-wool-hemp light worsted yarn. I picked up a 10-pack of this yarn at the Stitches South Expo at a good buy. (Nearly 5 skeins were used to complete this project.)

I decided to deviate from the pattern by dusting off my inkle loom to weave the shawl collar. The original pattern has a ribbed collar, but I chose to mix my fiber techniques.  The even, woven texture of the collar contrasts nicely with the organic openwork of the lace knitting. The woven collar also provides stability and structure to the garment. The band was woven using the same yarn and then sewn to the knitted fabric with an all-purpose sewing thread.

I like the combination of different techniques in a single piece—knitting with crochet, weaving with knitting, quilting with weaving, quilting with knitting, etc. Using different techniques to their best advantage can make a stunning and unique piece. Take the road less traveled every now and then. It's liberating and exciting to "color outside the lines."

What combos have you experimented with?

Lace Knitting—a sampler scarf

Have you tried lace knitting? Here's my first attempt—a sampler scarf—using two lace patterns with rows of garter stitch between. The yarn, Alpaca Prima by Plymouth Yarn, is a 100% superfine alpaca fiber. The scarf took only one hank (363 yards/100g) and the periwinkle blue is color No. 1600. This yarn also comes in several other beautiful, rich solids and heathers.

This sampler is comprised of two stitch patterns: Herringbone Faggot (a single row reversible pattern) and Trellis Lace (a four row repeat). Other lace patterns could be incorporated provided they had the same multiple of stitches. One enjoyable thing about working a sampler is the variety—if one pattern is not your cup of tea, there is another one coming up shortly. It keeps your mind engaged.

Our knitting instructor listed this project's skill level as "intermediate," but if you are a confident beginner looking for a bit of a challenge, give lace knitting a try.