Adventures in Knitting – Page 5 – Elliebelly Knit & Dye Works

April Catch Up: Knitting and Vacationing

Posted on April 29, 2015 by Joyce Makes Art

As most of you know, we spent two weeks in April on a study trip (cleverly disguised as a vacation) to Israel and Jordan. It was a wonderful trip and we learned a lot. And, because of lots of travel time and some wickedly long layovers, I got a lot of knitting done.

This is me during our five hour layover in Charlotte, after completing the first of three flights it took us to get to Tel Aviv. At the time I was not amused, but when I realized the husband had brilliantly snagged seats that reclined into flatbeds for the overnight segment of the trip, I felt better.

In my bag: Antarktis (the blue), Vodka Lemonade sweater (the green), my Frostline shawl (you can see a bit of red peeking out in the back), and a couple of squares for my quilt from hell that will never be finished Barn Raising Quilt, which you can't quite see in the photo. Although the full bag of knitting may seem like overkill, I finished two of the four (Antarktis and the quilt squares), worked on Frostline until I ran out of yarn, and got in a few inches on Vodka Lemonade. More on all of that progress after I catch up on the time change, but I did want to share two photos with you before I get some sleep.

This is me, happily knitting on our balcony in Jerusalem in sight of the walls of the Old City. This became my early morning routine every day, and I was grateful to have a project I could work on while looking around and drinking in the beauty of my surroundings, without needing to pay lots of attention to the knitting. It was amazing and moving, as was the entire trip.

This photo captured an unexpected moment of knitting poignancy, that would have taken my breath away if I had any left at all while visiting Yad Vashem, the Holocaust memorial. It was an extraordinary and emotional experience. We came upon this exhibit, which told the stories of those who had survived in the camps, only to be forced into a death march as Hitler's forces realized they were losing the war. One of the exhibits showed a beautifully knit, stranded glove, among pictures of some of the people whose stories were told. It noted that the knitter made items like this to trade for food and took it along with her on the beginning of the death march. I can't capture my feelings in words, but wanted to share this photo with my knitting friends. On so many different levels, it's both heartbreaking and hopeful.

Knitting: In My Carry On Bag For Spring Break

Posted on March 30, 2015 by Joyce Makes Art

A small confession. I jammed a couple of pairs of pants and some tee-shirts in my son's suitcase for spring break. This left my roll on board and my carry on bags free for knitting. Because that's what spring break is about, right?

I've got the following projects along with me:

March Monkey – I don't like the fidgety double points and color changes for airplane knitting, but I'll work on him once we arrive.
Frostline – I had to set this Plucky Knitter project aside while I waited for Dandy Lion and Sticky Toffee, the next two colors I needed, to arrive. Ultimately, I decided to substitute a skein of Cornucopia for Sticky Toffee, but now I'm all set to go.
Drachenfels – I don't expect to make lots of progress on this, but brought it along for "insurance" knitting (I know, I know).
Vodka Lemonade – I'd like to finish the shoulder increases, so I can work on the body on a long flight later this month. I love this sweater! The color, the yarn (Plucky Crew), just everything about it is wonderful. At the lighter dk gauge, it has been a slow, but very enjoyable, knit so far.
Tipperary – I had hoped to finish this, but a couple of busy weeks mean I haven't had much time for knitting, so I'm still a few rows shy. This is first up for airplane knitting, and hopefully I can finish it by the time we arrive.
Antarktis – The Adventurous April KAL starts on April 1, so although this yarn is currently tucked away in my suitcase, I can't wait to get started! I may even stay up late and cast on at midnight, because after all, that's what spring break is for.

Expect a few quick pictures and updates on knitting as the week progresses.

Monkey Back

Posted on March 14, 2015 by Joyce Makes Art

**if you are looking for the post about the Elliebelly Knit-Along and yarn giveaway, click here.**

I’m back to knitting Monkey. And Monkey now has a back.

I’m completely enamored with this knit and am starting to envision an entire zoo, full of knitted animals.

Fortunately, I’m not the only one. We’ve decided to include a group for knit stuffed animals and monsters as part of the Adventurous April KAL. I’m planning a cat or bunny to follow Monkey.

There are an amazing variety of fabulous knit stuffed animal patterns on Ravelry, many of them free.

If you’ve never knit a stuffed toy, you should come join us in the KAL. And if you have made one or more in the past, you should come knit with us and share your ideas and expertise. Toys are not something I ever saw myself knitting, but my best friend and I have a 30-year tradition of exchanging gifts, so when I saw the original Monkey Jacobus pattern, I couldn’t resist. And now, I’m hooked!

Adventurous April KAL & Yarn Giveaway

Posted on March 12, 2015 by Joyce Makes Art

As may of you know, in April, we have a knitalong on the Elliebelly Ravelry Group. Adventurous April is a chance to knit with old friends, make new ones, and end up with a fantastic finished knitted object, because with the support of this group, you can get all the help you need with your knitting.

We knit for the fun of it and have very few rules. Our start date is April 1, but you can and are encouraged to gather your yarn and needles, review your pattern closely, and swatch before then. You can knit with any yarn you like, and since Elliebelly is no longer sold, there will be a few giveaways to make sure those who would like to try it have that chance (see more below). We have an Adventurous April Chat thread here if you have any questions about joining, the KAL, the patterns, or, if you just want to introduce yourself.

This year, the KAL has three categories. First, there will be a group knitting Antarktis, Janina Kallio's clever one-skein shawl pattern, which works in any weight from fingering up to a light worsted (I'm thinking about you, Plucky Primo Worsted). The sign up thread is here.

Next up is the stuffed animal/monster thread. We started out talking about my March Monkey, everyone shared their favorite toy pattern, and in the anarchy that always characterizes our KAL, we've decided to have a "knit the stuffed toy of your choice" group. The sign up thread is here and it includes lots of ideas. I'm thinking about the Wild Thing, but am equally tempted by C is for Cat.

Our last KAL sign up option is for people who want to try a new technique, but with a friendly, supportive group around them. I have always sworn I would never attempt steeks, but with Adventurous April, you never know. Any technique of your choice is the order of business here — a new cast on, first attempts at lace, beading, magic loop — challenge yourself and have an adventure. Sign ups are here.

To get you started with KAL yarn, we've got a little giveaway. First up is yarn for Antarktis. Sign up for the KAL, and then come post here in the replies. We'll have one drawing Sunday night and then two more on Friday the 20th. Winners will get their choice from among the new colorways I've been experimenting with — I can't wait to see some of them knit up! (And yes, the deep blue colorway, which is a new one, Homemade Dress, is dyed on the return of Elliebelly's Angel sock yarn if you're after some luxury.) In addition to those pictured above, there is a glazed gray colorway called Crake, and an edgy gold called Oryx. If you need a little encouragement to take the plunge and sign up, I hope this will do it.

In addition to this giveaway, there will be at least one more with yarn for the stuffed animal category. Come along and adventure knit with us!

Malabrigo March KAL

Posted on February 28, 2015 by Joyce Makes Art

Do you remember the 2014 Malabrigo March Knitalong? I amassed stash, cast on all the things, finished two cowls, a hat, and a sweater, went to Iceland, knit a lot while hiking, and finished one last hat just in time for Ellie to wear it home. All in all, it was a wonderful month. Knitting in Iceland! Knitting with Malabrigo!

This year, my goals are a bit more modest. I have two projects to knit and a longer term project to cast on and get started with, and then finish up later this year.

First up, Blue Mittens. Because it's surprisingly cold for Alabama in February. I plan to cast these on right at midnight on March 1 and have them knit up in time to wear for the Selma march anniversary the following weekend, because I hate having cold fingers and this bulky Malabrigo Rasta yarn is an amazing chill chaser.

Next up, Monkey Jacobus. He's going to be my first knitted stuffed animal. He's going to be adorable – you're just going to have to trust me on this one. And, I get to learn a new technique, intarsia in the round, along the way.

My last project is Hannah Fettig's Featherweight Sweater. Yes, that's a sweater knit in a fingering yarn, Malabrigo's new Mechita. I love their single-ply yarns, and I fell hard for Mechita in the Diana colorway. I'm willing to accept that this one will take a while. I'm calling it "I want to go to Marz," a goofy homage to the fact that Marz means March in Icelandic and our tour guide in Iceland played the John Grant song of this name over and over while we were in Iceland last March.

I'm looking forward to this year's Malabrigo March KAL festivities, which are hosted here on Ravelry.

New Knitting Project: Tipperary

Posted on February 8, 2015 by Joyce Makes Art

I liked my last Norah Gaughan project, this capelet, so much, that I decided to try another. This one, straight off of her beautiful new website in her Volume 15 pattern book. It's called Tipperary.

In a mere five more repeats, this small start will grow into a beautiful, full shawl, that I intend to wrap around my neck like a large bulky scarf — there seems to be a lot of that going on in my life this winter, proportionate to the amount of time I'm spending up north this year.

The yarn is my new and continuing favorite, Plucky Snug. Swoon.

This is in the Steel Cut colorway, and it is still like knitting with butter. I really adore the merino/alpaca blend with just enough cashmere to make it perfect. Alpaca sometimes makes me sneezy, but in this blend, I have no trouble with it at all, and none of the hairy halo that I have found annoying in other Alpaca yarns. Five skeins of snug, or roughly 550 yards of this yarn, should do it.

I'm doing something new with this one, and using an app on my IPad called Knit Companion, which makes dealing with patterns a snap. Although I'm just learning to use it, it lets you blow up those tiny lace (or cable) charts so you can actually see them, and keep your place in the pattern with a row marker. Some kind Ravelry knitters pointed me towards Knit Companion and I'm really glad I tried it. You can download a free version and do a couple of tutorials to see if it's something that might work for you. I'm really glad I found it!

Knitting Catch Up

Posted on February 5, 2015 by Joyce Makes Art

With apologies — my long lovely weekend with this child

kept me from blogging. But, not knitting. In addition to reporting that she thoroughly enjoyed visiting Georgetown and had a great time auditioning at the Washington Ballet, I have some knitting progress to share.

One thing I have come to accept about myself is that although I can pack a week's worth of clothing in a carry on bag, my "personal item" — the second carry on airlines allow — is exclusively devoted to knitting. For this four day trip, I had four projects along with me.

Top to bottom you can see my newly cast on Tipperary Shawl, the French Laundry colorway portion of my Sugarloaf Cowl peeking out, a wee bit of my Vodka Lemonade sweater in the bag with the green zipper, and Olivia, which grew a lot on this trip.

I'm indulging my inner geek here, and sharing my Da Vinci drawing style Dr. Who meets the Daleks project bag, which is Olivia's home.

My big knitting news is finally finishing the fisherman's rib portion of Olivia, and moving on to the short rows. For some reason, short rows and I have never been friends before, but we are getting along famously this time.

There was, however, the predictable knitting disaster without which no trip would be complete. Forgive the late night/hotel room/bad lighting photo, but it portrays the exact moment at which my lurking suspicion that the game of yarn chicken I was playing with my third skein of Plucky Primo Aran was going to end badly. See the little bit of yarn that trails across the right front side of Olivia? That would be the 12" of yarn left from my last skein. And, at this point, I still have 50 short rows left before I get to the lengthy cast off row.

This was the first project I cast on with Plucky yarn, and I didn't stop to realize that the yardage for the pattern yarn, Plucky Traveler Aran, is different than the yardage for the Primo Aran that I substituted. Several other knitters noted the need to shorten the rib when knitting in Primo to conserve yarn for the garter portion of the pattern, but apparently oblivious, this girl knit a fulsome seven inches of rib and then came up short on the garter.

Thankfully, a kind knitter has already put one of her precious skeins in the mail to me. I'm hoping for a good match and a bit of time this weekend, as I'm ready to wrap Olivia's squishy goodness around my neck. Love, love, love this pattern.