Episode 294 Gigi, Pockets, Eagle Crest

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This episode is sponsored by Quince & Co and Knitcircus Yarns.

Now available from Quince: A selection of our favorite projects, bundled with everything you need to get knitting! For our Project Bundles, we've chosen four lovely designs—each one includes a printed pattern, pdf download, and the skeins needed to complete a project, offered in 3 colorways:

• The Cave Point shawl by Paula Emons-Fuessle, with 3 skeins of sport weight Chickadee.
• The Lisse shawl by Bristol Ivy, with 3 skeins of our luxurious extrafine merino DK Phoebe.
• The Foliose throw by Ashley Hurst, with 10 skeins of Aran weight wool Osprey.
• And Bristol Ivy's May cardigan, which takes just 3, 4, or 5 skeins of soft merino/mohair laceweight Piper.

View more about our project bundles and get knitting at Quince & Co.

Big NEWS: Knitcircus will now have a new Store just around  the corner from the Studio! At last, we'll have a big, pretty space to showcase yarn, notions and more, with events and classes much more often! You're invited to the Store Grand Opening November 17th and 18th.

To celebrate this happy news and give your fall knitting/crocheting a kick, please use the code FALLSHIPPING at checkout for free shipping (up to $10 in the US and Canada only). 

Find us at www.knitcircus.com and be sure to join our Ravelry group and listen to our podcast.

Knitting Pipeline is a Craftsy Affiliate. Craftsy offers affordable online classes and supplies. When you use the link in the sidebar on my blog before purchasing I receive a small percentage of your purchase at no extra cost to you. Thank you!

You can find me on Ravelry as PrairiePiper and on Instagram as KnittingPipeline. There are two groups on Ravelry, Knitting Pipeline and Knitting Pipeline Retreats. Come join us there!

You can also find me here:

Ravelry: PrairiePiper Feel free to include me in your friends.

Instagram: knittingpipeline

Twitter: knittingline

Pinterest: Paula Emons-Fuessle

Ravelry Group

Knitting Pipeline Retreats Group.

Pipeliner Notes

Thank you to everyone who has been in touch with me in the past few weeks and a special welcome to our new Pipeliners who have introduced themselves in the Welcome Thread or to me in a personal message.

Gonza who is Rhea, Liz in Maine, GroovyD who is Denise is So Cal, Irish who is Maureen, and inklingspot who is Jessica in OK>

iTunes

Thank you, Pjvawyvk, for your review on 10/23/17

Events

Le Mouton Rouge Knittery in Bloomington IL

Sat December 2, 2017 10 Am to 4 PM

Littles KAL with JanMarieKnits starting Dec. 1.

Be Not Afraid Gloves KAL

#BenotafraidGloves KAL

#knittingpipelineglovekal

Nature Notes

Summer and Fall were playing tug of war and winter won. It seemed our fall was very short this year. We went from wearing shirt sleeves to coats. November brought out the reds along with the yellows in the woods. At the Eagle Crest Retreat we were surrounded by the glorious colors of the woodlands along with chilly temperatures. It got down to 19 F one night. There were wild turkey sightings and deer sightings. The stars were out on the cold nights and as we made our way back to the lodge rooms we could see a white half-moon hanging behind the trees.

November Woods

Here at home Bob has been out in the garden preparing his roses for the winter. He cuts them back and surrounds them with chicken wire.  Then he packs dirt at the base and fallen leaves to insulate from temperature changes. It isn’t as much the cold as it is the freeze and thaw cycles that will ruin many plants during our capricious Midwestern winters.

We are back to feeding the birds at all the winter feeders. Cardinals are back although not in full force. There are quite a few Red-bellied Woodpeckers and this morning I saw one of them take a seed from the feeder and hide it in the knot of our honey locust tree. He’s there right now checking out his seed supply. That locust tree is probably not long for this world but it’s nooks and crannies are a favorite for the birds so we hope it hangs on for as long as it can.

We have a Great Horned Owl in the neighborhood but I haven’t seen it yet, only heard it. The Great Horned Owl is the largest owl here, maybe in the US. In the 10 years we have lived here we have mostly seen and heard the Barred Owl. I read that the Great Horned Owls are predators of the Barred Owl. I hope that doesn’t happen here because I love them both.

In Hardwood Groves

The same leaves over and over again!

They fall from giving shade above

To make one texture of faded brown

And fit the earth like a leather glove.

Before the leaves can mount again

To fill the trees with another shade,

They must go down past things coming up.

They must go down into the dark decayed.

They must be pierced by flowers and put

Beneath the feet of dancing flowers.

However it is in some other world

I know that this is the way in ours.

--Robert Frost

Needle Notes

Antler Cardigan by TinCanKnits UPDATE! Do the Simple. Wear it. I realize I made a made a major mistake on the yoke but I still like the sweater!

Gigi by Devin Ventre

Gigi by Devin Ventre

Tracy, isew4dance, and me.

Kit by Barrett Wool Co

PrairiePipers Gigi

10-25-2017

Knitted on pockets. Instead of knitting pockets and stitching them on, I used the Elizabeth Zimmermann method of picking up stitches and knitting up from the bottom. First I marked where the bottom of the pocket would be by counting 10 stitches up from the top of the ribbing and 9 stitches in from the side edge which was about 1.5” from top of ribbing and 2” from edge. Using a size 0 circular needle (any small size needle will do) I picked up the left leg of each stitch horizontally across the row. Then I checked to make sure I stayed in the same row, which I did not do the first or second try. After doing the same pocket placement on the opposite side I started knitting with the proper size needle. The very small circular needle acts as a place holder and since you are knitting off the small needle onto the proper size needle, it does not affect the gauge.

Knitty McPurly tutorial on pockets

11-02-2017

Modified collar attachment as follows. RS Work to last stitch of collar, slip this stitch as if to knit. Knit stitch from body and PSSO. Slip back to left needle and turn work. This makes a neat join.

11-08-2017

Pockets were tricky to sew on and I had a few attempts before settling on one that looks decent. I looked at the section on pockets in The Knowledgeable Knitter and found out that you can knit the whole pocket directly on. I may try that next time. Since I picked up along the bottom I only had to sew the two sides to the body of the sweater. In making the pocket I slipped the first stitch of the row so it looked smooth. Sewing…came up through body of sweater and then through the underside loop of the slipped stitch. This looked better than sewing up through both loops.

Good pocket information in The Principles of Knitting by June Hemmons Hiatt and The Knowledgeable Knitter by Margaret Radcliffe.

Next time I would make the pocket a little smaller near the top as it seems it will stretch out.

In The Blethering Room

Rhinebeck Flashback

Uki from Japan

Amy AmosG

Eagle Crest Retreat

Mittens for Threads, Hope and Love. Thank you for the mittens and hats! 24 plus some from Laurie (Serenitty) and I have another pair in the works. Thank you!

Scrappy Mittens by DebR57

Veronika Cardigan by Shannon Cook

isew4dance’s Veronika Cardigan

Boomerang Workshop by Steve Fegert, DramaticKnits on Ravelry and his podcast, Dramatic Knits.

Leading Men Fiber Arts

Steve teaching Boomerang workshop

Gorgeous Leading Men Fiber Arts wool

I bought 5 skeins of fingering weight in various bases. All autumnal colors.

Winter City by Christopher Salas

Thank you, Steve, for vending at Eagle Crest and for the wonderful workshop!

In The Pipeline

Project Knitwell

Project Knitwell is reaching out to the knitting community, and we need your help in spreading the word.  We are asking the knitting community to help spread #KnittingLove this #GivingTuesday by donating $5.00, the average cost for a ball of yarn.   It doesn’t sound like much, but to those facing homelessness, cancer, bed rest, or abuse that ball of yarn is priceless.   It means wellness, comfort, and community.  These donations will help Project Knitwell continue to serve individuals in the DC Metro area and help inspire others throughout the country and beyond to use knitting as a wellness tool.

Occurring this year on November 28, #GivingTuesday is held annually on the Tuesday after Thanksgiving  and the widely recognized shopping events Black Friday and Cyber Monday.  The purpose is to kick off the holiday giving season and inspire people to collaborate in improving their local communities and to give back in impactful ways to the charities and causes they support.

Those who are interested in joining Project Knitwell’s #GivingTuesday initiative can visit ProjectKnitwell.org/Donate.  For more details about the #GivingTuesday movement, visit the #GivingTuesday website (www.givingtuesday.org), Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/GivingTuesday) or follow @GivingTues and the #GivingTuesday hashtag on social media.

Project Knitwell has been recognized as a national leader in the therapeutic knitting movement. We have been featured in Vogue Knitting, The Washington Post, and U.S. News and World Report, among other publications.  In conjunction with Lion Brand Yarn, we published The Comfort of Knitting, a unique knitting resource book aimed at care-givers.

Thank you so much for considering!

Helen Stewart/CuriousHandmade Holiday Gift Planner

KnitVent 2017

Land of Sweets Cowl

Haste ye back!