It’s our November meeting on Tuesday (2nd November). I do hope you can come. We have got a hands-on evening planned. Chris will be showing us some more of her beautiful lace knitting and explaining how it is knitted from charts. (We will also be translating them into machine knitting terms as well.) Then it’s our turn to have a go.
Please bring some yarn with you and a pair of needles. For best results bring 4 ply or less and 3.5 mm (No 9) or 4 mm (No 8) needles. If you would prefer to work in thicker yarns and larger needles bring DK and 5.5 mm or 6 mm needles. I know instinct tells you that the needles are too big for the yarn, but when knitted lace it is knitted loosely. Choice is yours whether you bring straight or circular needles. Don’t worry if you forget, we will have some spares with us.
There will also be time for a bit of show and tell and I will have some bits and pieces for sale to raise money for the Marsden. So it will be another packed evening.
Visitors are welcome and as usual we will start the meeting at 8 pm.
Saturday, October 30, 2010
Thursday, October 21, 2010
October Show and Tell
This is Liz in her waistcoat. Knitted in 2 strands of Uppinghams 2ply cotton. What doesn't show too well is the band of tuck stitch which runs round just about where her hand is and the lower section has extensions at the side which hang down.
Another beautiful lace shawl knitted by Chris. This one is designed to be worn around the neck to keep you warm in the winter and also to look decorative and fashionable. Looks even better in real life than in the photograph.
This is another sampler scarf knitted by Chris. (The photo was the right way up when I loaded it, but somehow got turned!). This is a good way to try out lace patterns and still make something useful.
Another beautiful lace shawl knitted by Chris. This one is designed to be worn around the neck to keep you warm in the winter and also to look decorative and fashionable. Looks even better in real life than in the photograph.
This is another sampler scarf knitted by Chris. (The photo was the right way up when I loaded it, but somehow got turned!). This is a good way to try out lace patterns and still make something useful. Anne has knitted two wrap jackets by hand. The yarns felt really nice and I am sure they will be a great addition to any wardrobe.
More inspiration to knit from Iris Bishop
This was the first time some of our hand knitters had heard Iris talk and they were amazed at what she talked about and showed us. The machine knitters had heard Iris talk before and had made every effort to be there as she always gives us food for thought and inspires us to go home and knit. Well, maybe not straight away as it is a bit late to start straight after club, but we can start planning and then knit next day!
Iris told us how fair isle patterning is coming back, but with a new and different twist. It isn't all over the garment, just in selected areas, which for a machine knitter means it is quick and easy to do. So whether you choose to put your fair isle patterning just above the welt, or as a yoke you will find yourself in fashion. She also said that 3D is fashionable as well. Take a look at the picture below. The right hand side is just normal flat fairisle whilst the centre and left has been trimmed with i-cords which give a raised 3D effect.
In the next sample Iris has made use of the patterning on the punchcard machines. By changing yarn colour and ply (thickness) she has achieved what looks to be a very complicated pattern, but one that is easy to knit. The coloured section is knitted using thicker yarns and every other needle, whilst the black/white is knitted over every needle using 4 ply yarns. The hardest part is making sure that your punchcard and needles line up as you are knitting on alternate needles for part of the pattern.
Iris has also been experimenting with cut floats again. This time she has been knitting the thicker yarn in, rather than weaving it. Because you are only knitting a few selected needles in the thicker yarn, the machine seems to accept it and the adjacent stitches make room. In the next picture there was 4 needles out of the 24 stitch repeat knitting in the thicker yarn.
In this next picture Iris has taken the technique one step further and only used 2 stitches out of the 24 stitch repeat to knit the fairisle. This creates extrememly long floats, (something you don't normally want), but on this occasion you do. Cut the floats and you have long "shaggy" pile. The look will vary depending on which yarns you use. And because they have been knitted in, rather than woven, they don't pull out.
That's just a taste of what she told us. We could have listened to her all night! And I'm sure it won't be too long before we ask her to come again.
Iris told us how fair isle patterning is coming back, but with a new and different twist. It isn't all over the garment, just in selected areas, which for a machine knitter means it is quick and easy to do. So whether you choose to put your fair isle patterning just above the welt, or as a yoke you will find yourself in fashion. She also said that 3D is fashionable as well. Take a look at the picture below. The right hand side is just normal flat fairisle whilst the centre and left has been trimmed with i-cords which give a raised 3D effect.
In the next sample Iris has made use of the patterning on the punchcard machines. By changing yarn colour and ply (thickness) she has achieved what looks to be a very complicated pattern, but one that is easy to knit. The coloured section is knitted using thicker yarns and every other needle, whilst the black/white is knitted over every needle using 4 ply yarns. The hardest part is making sure that your punchcard and needles line up as you are knitting on alternate needles for part of the pattern.
Iris has also been experimenting with cut floats again. This time she has been knitting the thicker yarn in, rather than weaving it. Because you are only knitting a few selected needles in the thicker yarn, the machine seems to accept it and the adjacent stitches make room. In the next picture there was 4 needles out of the 24 stitch repeat knitting in the thicker yarn.
In this next picture Iris has taken the technique one step further and only used 2 stitches out of the 24 stitch repeat to knit the fairisle. This creates extrememly long floats, (something you don't normally want), but on this occasion you do. Cut the floats and you have long "shaggy" pile. The look will vary depending on which yarns you use. And because they have been knitted in, rather than woven, they don't pull out.
That's just a taste of what she told us. We could have listened to her all night! And I'm sure it won't be too long before we ask her to come again.Saturday, October 02, 2010
Iris Bishop visiting in October
Our October meeting on Tuesday 5th October will be very special. Iris Bishop will be our guest speaker for the evening.
Iris is always very entertaining and inspirational. She will be taking us along some of the avenues she has been exploring recently and showing us her recent work. No matter how often I see Iris I always learn something.
So come early, and make the most of what will be a very good evening. The meeting will be starting at 8 pm prompt.
Iris is always very entertaining and inspirational. She will be taking us along some of the avenues she has been exploring recently and showing us her recent work. No matter how often I see Iris I always learn something.
So come early, and make the most of what will be a very good evening. The meeting will be starting at 8 pm prompt.
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