Trish Knits.com

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  • Hobby-Knitter: Visions of Knitters Past

    Hobby-Knitter: Visions of Knitters Past

    On Friday, I received a new knitting gadget in the mail. No, that’s not true, really. The item I received is actually quite old, and best as I can tell, never used, or only very gently used. It is a Hobby-Knit I-cord machine, and it was manufactured in about 1949. Somehow a knitting vendor received some remaining new old stock of this device, and I’ve been eying it for a while. I don’t know why, but I-cord fascinates me, and I have collected all sorts of devices for making knitted cord for years. Yes, I know that I-cord can be made with knitting needles, by hand. But I love the cranky machines, antique spools, and all sorts of gadgets that have been created with the idea of making a simple knitted tube.

    Here’s a photo of the machine with all of its parts, including the original manual:

    Hobby-Knit with all parts shown
    Hobby-Knit with all parts shown

    And here it is, all set up and ready for knitting.

    Hobby-Knit machine set up for knitting
    Hobby-Knit machine set up for knitting

    Here’s a closeup of the knitting mechanism:

    Closeup of the knitting latches under the plastic yarn guide
    Closeup of the knitting latches under the plastic yarn guide

    Here’s a closeup of the original label on the machine… it looks like new! The label says, “Hobby-Knit, Pat. App. for Montello Products Co., Montello, Wis.” Even the abbreviation conventions are suggestive of its age.

    Label on the machine
    Label on the machine

    My friend Rachel and I made a short video of the machine in action. Check it out; it actually works!

    We didn’t use the yarn spool in our demonstration because we wanted to try knitting straight from the yarn ball. It works, but we found that we have to put additional tension on the yarn coming from the ball with a free hand, as shown in our video. Here’s a closeup of the yarn spool:

    Closeup of yarn spool
    Closeup of yarn spool

    And finally, here’s a photo of the cord as it’s coming out of the bottom of the machine:

    I-cord knit on the Hobby-Knit machine
    I-cord knit on the Hobby-Knit machine

    The resulting cord is a finely knit 6-stitch beauty, which I think would be the perfect size for jewelry making and other things requiring a not-too-thick cord. Isn’t it lovely?

    The truth for me is that I’m not sure how often I will use this machine. I’m betting I will use it for some jewelry making from time to time, but so far I find the machine fussy to set up and work with. I’m sure I’ll get better with practice, but there are other machines I have that I also enjoy but are a bit easier for me. That said, there’s something magical about this little beauty. It gives me a feeling of nostalgia to use it. I wonder how many people in the past actually might have had one of these and what they made with it. I’m thrilled that this machine is part of my collection. It makes beautiful cords, and makes me feel like I have something special.

  • The Fun Part

    The Fun Part

    See what this is?

    Closeup of Clapotis, showing beginnings of dropped stitches
    Closeup of Clapotis, showing beginnings of dropped stitches

    This week, I’ve finally begun the “straight rows” section of the Clapotis pattern. This means I get to drop stitches! Yay! On purpose. I’ve actually done this before (follow the link and scroll down for the evidence), and it is terribly fun at the outset. The problem, as I see it, is being able to maintain my mojo all the way to the end. I know this about myself, because this will be the fourth or fifth time I’ve worked on one. How many finished objects do I have to show for my efforts? Embarrassingly, none. That’s just how I roll, I guess. But, I pledge that this time will be different. To wit:

    • I am using a most favored yarn, Lisa Souza’s Sock! Merino in the colorway, “Wild Things.”
    • I’m having the good fortune of being able to show some newer knitters how this pattern works, and how it is so elegant in its simplicity. (Just don’t discourage the noobs by telling them how boring it is to knit after a while, ok? We don’t want to discourage their enthusiasm.)
    • I’m enjoying some really fabulous audiobooks to listen to while knitting. Right now, it’s the Outlander series by Diana Gabaldon. I’m only on the second book, and I’m completely addicted!

    So maybe this is the time that my long-suffering fantasies of wearing a Clapotis in public will finally come true. It’s about time that I owe this one to myself, right?

    Now, if only I didn’t have the distraction of wanting to cast on for Color Affection… It’s a sickness, for sure. Wish me luck.

  • The Increases…

    The Increases…

    …are done. Just sayin’.

    Clapotis in progress...
    Clapotis in progress…

    Onward!

  • If You’re Cold, Put On a Sweater; That’s What They’re For.

    If You’re Cold, Put On a Sweater; That’s What They’re For.

    Fibre Space, Alexandria, VA
    Fibre Space, Alexandria, VA
    This is going to be an exciting week for me. This weekend is the Maryland Sheep and Wool Festival, which is my second-favorite event of the year, next to Christmas. In fact, this week is kind of like that week in 1979, when I had the chance to see both of my favorite bands in concert in the same week. (Ok, I know you’re going to ask; it was the Bee Gees on a Monday and Little River Band on a Thursday.) And on Monday? I had the chance to finally meet the creative force behind my favorite knitting podcast–Brenda Dayne of Cast On.

    The event was held at Fibre Space in Alexandria, VA. I was afraid that I would not be able to attend the event because the store is in a section of Alexandria known as “Old Town,” old being the operative word. A lot of shops and buildings there date back to colonial times and much of it is not wheelchair friendly. Such was the case with this yarn shop when I called to inquire, but a couple of days later, the owner, Danielle, called to say that she needed a push to go ahead and buy a portable ramp for her front step. I’m glad I could be it. So I owe a huge THANKS to Fibre Space for understanding my need and filling it. Believe me, if I lived closer to that shop I’d go all the time. The atmosphere is cozy and kitschy, the staff is friendly and helpful, and the yarn? Oh my. Gorgeous. Even though I was there to see Brenda, there were quite a few things that decided to come home with me. More on that, later.

    Brenda Dayne, knitting a sock!
    Brenda Dayne, knitting a sock!
    Brenda Dayne is the host and creative force behind Cast On, which is my all-time favorite knitting podcast. The show’s been running since 2005, believe it or not, but I picked it up in 2007 when I got my first iPod. Her delivery is smooth and professional, conversational and informative. I have every episode saved on my iPod and when the rainy days hit, Cast On, knitting and a cup of my favorite cinnamon stick tea are the perfect antidote to grey weather blues.

    It turns out that along the way I discovered that Brenda and I had a couple of interests in common. We both started using WordPress as a blogging platform at about the same time, and for a while, at least, we used the same theme. (We’ve since outgrown it, I think, but it served us both well for quite a while.) So, it was fun to compare notes on our tweaks. That, and there were emails about other things, LOTS of other things over the years. So, I was excited when we finally had the chance to meet.

    Poor Brenda had just arrived in the States that day from Wales, and was, I’m sure, dead on her feet, but she jumped right in to the knitting circle that had formed in anticipation of her arrival and asked folks what they were working on. I had my long-suffering clapotis with me, but there were other projects that caught my eye. Especially this one:

    brightly colored newborn-sized sock in progress
    brightly colored newborn-sized sock in progress

    Someone named Katie was working on a pair of teeny-tiny newborn socks using a rainbow-colored Zauberball. While she was there she finished the first sock and made excellent headway on the second. That is one lucky baby to get some brightly colored socks!

    Brenda signs the book
    Brenda signs the book


    The reason for the gathering was a book signing for the book, What Would Madame Defarge Knit? by CraftLit podcaster Heather Ordover, in which Brenda has a featured pattern. Sadly, I didn’t get a copy of the book for myself that night, but now I wish I had and may do so in the future.

    Too soon, the evening was over for us, as we had to eat dinner and still head back to our home in Maryland before we turned into pumpkins. We stopped at a brick oven pizza place on the way home, that I can highly recommend. It was called “Red Rocks” and it was OMG delish. But of course, I couldn’t leave the event at Fibre Space without asking Brenda to take a photo with me:

    Trish meets Brenda Dayne
    Trish meets Brenda Dayne

    Oh and in case you wanted to know what I bought while there, there was some pink highlighter tape, a sock anatomy key chain, an ebony wood shawl stick, and these two things:

    purple self striping sock yarn
    purple self striping sock yarn

    and this:

    Jordana Paige needle binder
    Jordana Paige needle binder

    The Crafter’s Tool Butler by Jordana Paige, is almost an answer to a prayer. Aesthetically, it beats my ugly old worm binder, so I won’t be embarrassed to take my spare knitting needles on the occasional field trip to knit group. In fact, the thing looks very versatile, and as an added bonus, it comes in purple! But alas, it’s nearly 2:00 in the morning and I’m headed to the Sheep and Wool Festival after breakfast. So, I’d better stop for now. Besides, this thing deserves its own blog post. Really.

    Over and out…

    Goodnight.

  • Homespun Yarn Party, 2012

    Homespun Yarn Party, 2012

    Today was the annual Homespun Yarn Party, in Savage, MD. I’d never been to this event before, but this year, my friend Lynne from Knit Group decided that I had to attend, and offered to drive my van there. It was a little like the Maryland Sheep and Wool Festival, but in miniature, and it focused on small, local vendors with unique yarns and products. I went there not knowing what to expect, and I loved it!

    Of course, I couldn’t have attended an event like that without having some yarn follow me home. I tried to focus only on yarns I had never seen or heard of before, and colors that pleased me, but WITHOUT focusing on purple for once, because that would have made things too easy. And I think I succeeded. Without further ado, here are my purchases:

    This yarn is from Feederbook Farm. I like it because it has little bits that look like flowers in it. Not sure what I’ll do with it yet, but I love this.

    Feederbrook Farm Yarn
    Feederbrook Farm Yarn

    This one is Biggie, by Dancing Leaf Farm. It’s mostly blues and greens, and it reminds me of looking up at a blue, blue sky at billowy clouds while lying on cushy green grass. I was also lucky enough to find a matching felted button in the button bin. I’m sure it was no accident that it was there, but I felt lucky to find it! I’m seeing myself in some kind of wrap with this:

    Dancing Leaf Farms Biggie Yarn
    Dancing Leaf Farms Biggie Yarn

    This yarn is Chunky Bump by Mid Valley Fibers. I had never heard of this vendor before, and I just read their story when creating the link in this paragraph. You should check it out. I’m going to do something fun with this! (I also got a button pin kit, which I know will one day adorn one of my hats!)

    Mid Valley Fibers Chunky Bump
    Mid Valley Fibers Chunky Bump

    This last one is Taffy, by Folktale Yarn. The vendor told me that the yarn in this one came from one of her own goats. And, looking at the tag on the yarn, there are all sorts of yummy bits mixed in, including sparkly sari silk threads. I just love it!!

    Taffy, by Folktale Yarn
    Taffy, by Folktale Yarn

    I doubt I could have found such interesting and rich things at any other event. Plus, the best part? It was like being around old friends all day. It was crowded, but filled with local artisans and local spinners and knitters, so I was among friends. I saw lots of people in my knitting world who I know mostly online, but only see at these events, and friends that I see all the time at my own knit group. It was SO fun, and I’m glad I went.

    Thanks, Lynne! It was great. Love you.

  • FO Report: Going in Circles Hat

    FO Report: Going in Circles Hat

    Going in Circles Hat, Completed
    Going in Circles Hat, Completed
    Project Name: Going in Circles Hat
    Source: My Own Improvisation
    Yarn Used: Vanna’s Choice Worsted
    Needle Size: G,E crochet Hooks
    Date Started: January 20, 2012
    Date Completed: February 18, 2012

    Notes:
    It took me something like 10 years, but I finally created the hat I’ve been seeing in my head all that time. I once bought a hat at a craft fair. It was simple, crocheted with basic acrylic yarn. At the time I hadn’t yet discovered any other fiber so this didn’t seem unusual to me. What I liked about the hat was its shape, and how it was stiff enough to hold its shape, despite ridiculous amounts of abuse and years of being balled up in the hat and scarf box at the bottom of the coat closet.

    I tried, over the years, to emulate that hat, but never succeeded. Until now. It is crocheted, with two strands of worsted weight yarn held together, with a hook I would normally have used for only one strand of that same yarn. It was hard on my hands, but my goal was to create stitches so stiff that the hat would hold its shape on its own. And I did it.

    My mother-in-law chose the velvet ribbon and flower bow and helped me by sewing them on. For that I am grateful, because I am so terrible at sewing!

    And now I am making a second one, so I can be sure that the idea for this hat wasn’t luck, but logic, so that I can write up the recipe and share it. Look for that soon, I hope. (Yes, it’s a recipe and not a true pattern; I made it up as I went and can be made to fit by taking measurements and then crocheting until the right size has been achieved. Therefore, a typical pattern with exact sizing and numbers of rounds and stitches just won’t work in this case.

    Either way, stay tuned. It’ll be soon.

    Bye for now!