Travelling SnB

This past weekend marked another successful SnB for the Saskatoon Knitting Circle. Jan and Gale livened up MacKenzie Coles Coffee with their stitching and laughing while other members (like Jeanette and myself) were there in spirit.

My nephew marked another milestone in his life...he turned 18. So Jeanette and I travelled off to Brooks, Alberta to celebrate his coming of age. Yes, we took our stitching with us. I was busy handing out a number of handmade gifts. Michael loved his Saskatchewan Rough Rider inspired afghan. Michael is now a man, but still needs to keep warm and agreed this is the perfect gift.




















Jennifer Kent-Thistle coveted her Hermione inspired winter ensemble and other hand made items came to rest under Shannon's Christmas tree. Jennifer's favourite colour is red, which makes this ensemble perfect for her. She looks just like Hermione in Prisoner of Azkaban!



















On our trip home (a 5 1/2 drive) Jeanette decided to give stitching in the car a try. She chose eyelash yarn and created a simple yet beautiful scarf. By the time we arrived back in Saskatoon, she had completed just beyond the 1/2 way mark. Quite the knitter she is becoming. She has already suffered startitis and Second Mitt Syndrome. She's knitting almost everywhere and every chance she gets. My next mission is to get her hooked on socks. I just may need the Knitting Circle's help with this one as she is not all that keen on starting with the DPNs.





















This past week saw the completion of one more Xmas item. The list is now shortening, much to my relief. This Hermione hat and Fetcher set worked up well with Red Heart Acrylic. Since the recipient is a teen it needs to be washable, so Red Heart in Burgandy is the perfect medium.

I now have another Hermione hat on the needles for myself! Yes, I do knit the occasional item for myself but tend to do it last. With all the chill and snow around these days it is time for me to update my own winter ensemble. I plan to stitch up a pair of mittens to match the hat and am using the Red Heart Aran Fleck yarn (a creamy natural colour blended with flecks of other yarns to mimick the look of real wool - great for an Aran knit sit like the one above).

That's all the updates for this week. On Sunday December 08, 2007 at 2 pm we will all reconvene our group at MacKenzie Coles Coffee here in Saskatoon. I can't wait to catch up with the girls, meet some new members and enjoy the coffee.

SnB - November 18, 2007

Another successful meeting of the needles! We laughed, discussed social issues, drank loads of caffeine (even though one of our members admitted a dislike for coffee...shame on you!) and even got some knitting done!

Gale, our dishcloth diva, had an end pulling session with the latest additions to her cloth collection. She loves the projects due to their ease of construction and portability - they are perfect companions at the movies and if you knit carefully enough no one is disturbed by the clicking heard as she knits them up at marathon speed. In a plethora of colourful creations, these handy little kitchen / bath accessories are sure to please someone. Once the ends were all tucked in nice and tidy-like, Gale turned her attention to this keyhole scarf that she's stitching up for her brother in law. I think we decided that it would benefit from a small fringe to add a bit of interest.

Jan is our regular knitter. She is a whiz at sock knitting, she is expert with hats and she is a joy to our group. Each week Jan has something new and interesting in her knitting bag. This week, Jan excitedly showed off her new yarn aquisition (Patons Decor) and eagerly cast on a shrug to keep herself warm and cozy. Over the past few weeks Jan has not only been to EVERY SnB, she has been creating wonderful creations that are coveting by many a family member.




Some of our regulars opted out of joining us this week (you know who you are!). Many reasons kept them from knitterly pursuits - the weather (yes it snowed and snowed and rained and snowed here in Saskatoon) as winter finally arrived and made the streets a little treacherous; the Grey Cup playoffs - what self respecting Saskatchewanian would miss their home team in the play offs as it only happens every 20 years or so (just kidding...they are a good bunch of young lads who try their best, I'm sure); and other obligations. However, I do have a bit of news to report: Jeanette (my lovely 15 year old) finally completed the first of her "mousy mitten" set (seen here with our family cat Mia). Jeanette was not in attendance today, but she certainly has done a nice job. Her stitches are even and she's already suffering from SMS (Second Mitten Syndrome) and Startitis (she has a number of projects on the go). I'm happy to report that the second mitten is OTN (On The Needles) and the ribbing is nearing completion.

The four of us busily worked on several projects as we laughed and drank coffee. We even had a show and tell. Here you can see both Allison and Jan proudly displaying their handywork. Self striping sock yarn is a god send, as we all agreed.

In keeping with the show and tell theme, I brought along a funky little Monkey back pack. The pattern can be found in the Stitch'n'Bitch book and is a breeze to whip up - especially on the knitting machine. Much to the chagrin of Gale, I do quite a bit of knitting on the machine. Miles and miles of stockinette stitch drives me insane with tediousness. Therefore, I invested in an Incredible Sweater machine years and years ago. I can now make it through sweaters, afghans, simple home dec projects and more in an instant. I often will construct the back and arms of swearters on the machine while accomplishing more intricate lace and cable patterns by hand. The machine is a wonderful invention, even though Gale asserts that is is cheating an just plain wrong. What can one do with those process knitters?

As the afternoon wore on, I received a round of applause for the completion of the Xmas Sweater. In a beautiful aubergine Patons Decor wool blend, the sweater knit up quite quickly. I completed the insertion of a zipper today and Allison was kind enough to model it for me. Thanks, Allison! As some of you know, Allison is our "invisible" member. For weeks, she promised to join us and for weeks the real world kept her from us. We welcomed her to our happy group today and enjoyed her style and watched her accomplish a couple more inches on her sweater (another project from the Stitch'n'Bitch book). Of course, the back (done on the knitting machine) is just miles and miles of *yawn* stockinette stitch. Once you see the front, that's where the magic is. A band of variated cables lies on either side of the zipper and hems the hood to add a bit of beauty and interest to this sweater that, I'm sure, a certain 15 yr old is going to love for a long time to come.

Our next meeting will take place at the regular time and regular place. Here's hoping that our missed members will be there to brag about their projects, update us on their progress and enjoy the company of one another. Our group is growing and includes house wives, accountants, youth workers, writers, and a host of other types. Blossoming friendships and a love of knitting are the threads that bind our group together. We are a diverse group who welcomes any and all interest (IN FACT, the hostess of McKenzie Coles expressed an interest in learning our craft and, when she has a Sunday off, has promised to join us!!!! - Yes, Pinky, this is how we will take over the world and dominate all with our sticks and string)!!!

So come on over and knit a round or two and have a blast!!!!!!!

Next Meeting:

McKenzie Coles Coffee
Gray Avenue and Central Avenue
Not so Sunny Saskatoon, SK
2 pm
November 25, 2007

OTN (On the Needles)!

Greetings to all! It would seem our little group is growing as we welcomed a few new stitchers into our ranks. Mothers, Daughters and Friends joined in the fun as the Saskatoon Knitting Circle met once again this past Sunday! OTN (on the needles) were several hats, mittens, scarves and a dishcloth. Progress was made amidst the laughter and copious amounts of coffee were drunk. Most importantly, fun was had by all.

My own knitterly adventures have been been ripe with enjoyment, challenges, unexpected jewels and much clicking as the needles and digits never rest. Amidst cries of "I'm hungry," "Are there any clean clothes," and "What about me's?", the members of TAKE (Those Against Knitting Enjoyment) have been active and well in my home. BUT, I'm smarter than they and trickier too! Through all their efforts, I've still maintained steady progress in working through projects on the ever expanding Christmas list.

Currently OTN:

Another Hermeione inspired toque...(So far a purple and red version have been completed).

My Afghan that incorporates someone special's favourite colours is almost complete but awaits patiently rolled up in my knitting corner for the addition of more rows. Crocheted in a 1/2 double stitch on a size 4mm hook it is growing far faster than I can supply yarn to it. Who was it who noted that crochet uses up 3 x the amount of yarn than knitting? As a saged crocheter / knitter, I must agree. It has already eaten several super saver red heart skeins and now needs more. Although if the recipient was shorter, I probably could bind off now and save myself the efforts by creating a lap throw. Alas, this crocheter is not so lucky. On the upside, Oliver, our resident Knitterly Familiar, enjoys the progress thus far.

Other recently completed projects include a passel of toques to keep the heads of my loved ones warm throughout our long and chilly winters. I've recently rediscovered my love for Faire Isle. My current Fair Ilse hat jag has brought me a newfound love for the building of a pattern based upon stitching two colours together in sequence. Although, the technique is not new to me, it was made much easier by the inclusion of Continental (European or left handed) knitting. I have become quite proficient and comfortable with carrying my secondary colour in my left hand. This ultimately avoids the pitfalls of twisted yarns and the challenges in keeping the colours from mixing up and makes the reading of the chart all that much easier in that each colour resides on a separte side with the pattern cradled comfortably in my lap. Why didn't I ever teach myself to knit left-handed before?

My most recently finished toque incorporates this technique in a traditional motif built with burgandy and orange. What little guy in the midst of a Canadian would not love to show off this piece of art?

His sister will be equally as warm and stylish in this charming pink/peach coloured traditional Mediterranean/Arab motif.





Other completed projects have been discussed and described in earlier blogs. However, you might enjoy viewing my passel of toques completed thus far. As each one receives the final touches, my list seems to grow. Requests for Harry Potter inspired adornations and warm woolies keep coming in. My fingers remain ever vigilant to the quest of someday reaching the end of the list. Each year I start my Christmas creations earlier and earlier and each year the list grows longer and longer. This year, though, I have a secret weapon...I have taught my teenager to knit too and surely she'll help her Mom in completing the quest!

Happy Stitching!

Next Knit & Knatter:
Sunday October 7, 2007
McKenzie Coles Coffee
Saskatoon, SK
2 pm

Calling all Stitchers!!!!

A new group has appeared...The Saskatoon Knitting Circle! Come and
join us for a stitchin' good time.

This is the URL http://groups.yahoo.com/group/SaskatoonKnittingCircle

This is the e-mail SaskatoonKnittingCircle@yahoogroups.com

Join up, pass the info on to friends who are interested in good
company and great stitching.

We meet regularly and always welcome new stitchers, experienced queens
of the thread and those who want to learn. If it can be done with a
needle and thread mixed with love and devotion then it will be there!



alt="Click here to join SaskatoonKnittingCircle">
Click to join SaskatoonKnittingCircle