Intarsia Time ~

Now that I know the name of our new baby, I need to get started on this project. If you were trying to guess what project it is, well, I can tell you now - it is a Christmas stocking for dear Connor. I am using two different patterns, one like my kids have and one that is similar in that traditional way.

 

I have never knit intarsia, and I admit to be a little terrified. Not the same terror as learning brioche with the brioche goddess, but a terror that goes with trying to knit a family heirloom that this baby might still have when he has babies of his own.

In other words, my Christmas stocking was knit by my grandma Agnes, an amazing knitter, and it is as beautiful and perfect as when she gave it to me before my first Christmas...many, many, many years ago..... what if Connor is about 7 years old and notices that his Christmas stocking appears to have been knitting by someone his own age?  No pressure, right?

Vogue Knitting ~

Just when we are having a blast at Vogue Knitting in Seattle, which is really in Bellevue, working at the Eastside Knitter's Guild booth, next to the Seattle Knitter's Guild booth, I am thinking that it can't get much better than this. We all won door prizes, yarn and pattern books and a big project bag! Yarn everywhere, from Indy dyers and Local Yarn Shops, plus a special spot where we could swatch many yarns with lovely needles. How could this get any better?

Brioche class, with Nancy Marchant. No kidding. Less than an hour before the class starts and Jitteryknitter says, "You have to take my place in this class, I just can't go." First thoughts, excitement and terror.

As Nancy walked around as the students were coming into class, I admitted to her that I was terrified, and she said that was a good thing. Well, ok then...... and we started class.  She said we would hate the cast on that she taught us first, and we all did. Then the set up rows and then two color Brioche. Then my head started exploding....it really did..... She only ripped out my swatch once, yes, just once, I know, I was lucky, and then I started to get the rhythm of two color Brioche. Not sure if I could keep going with this stitch without YouTube, or Nancy standing there to help. Fabulous class, fabulous teacher, and once my head stopped exploding it was super enjoyable!

Husky Pride

Remember the Brioche project for my New Year's Resolution? I was inspired by my post, "Bye Bye Brioche" to continue and finish it, so I took it camping. Before going to bed on Saturday night, I re-read the instructions so I would know exactly where to start, and how to do the stitch pattern ~ and I dreamt about it! I took that as a good sign and once I'd had my first cup of coffee on Sunday, I dove into the brioche ~ and I couldn't get the ribs to line up! After fussing with it and re-reading the pattern, I decided to begin decreases for the crown of the hat and be done. I decided to put an I-cord top on it to continue the whimsy look and was told by my audience that it really needed 6 of them ~ dubbed "who who"s so I put 6 of them on the hat, and here it is ~ Husky Pride for University of Washington. Do you think someone will buy this at our Church Bazaar?

Bye Bye Brioche?

I'm pondering whether I should rip out my brioche project. Learning the brioche stitch was one of my 2008 Knitting Goals. The Brioche Hat was a project that I worked on during spring break. The hat is pretty far along, and I'm not sure where I am on the pattern. It was a tricky stitch pattern, and I did make a few, ah, design features not called for in the pattern. I asked my daughter to take a picture of it, before I ripped it out...... and I started thinking that I should re-read the pattern and see where I am... and finish the hat. If I finish it, I can donate it to the Church Bazaar. That will be better than giving up on the brioche hat. Hmmmmm, I'll have to ponder this one.... as I do hate to rip....