Exciting News: Teaching Classes at Stitch DC!

I'm so excited about teaching classes at Stitch DC! The Shapely Tank class will be especially fun--the only problem is that I need to finish mine ASAP!!! I've been dallying around knitting other projects so the front took me WAY longer than it should have.

Now I'm on a roll (and a mission), so the back will be done soon. I've also decided to do a three needle bind off on the shoulders so the seams are exposed. And I'll tone down the four-row garter stitch edges around the neck and armholes, too.

Check out the Stitch DC Web site for classes--they have some really fun ones coming up. And you can e-mail me if you want to know when I'm teaching.

Meanwhile, my mom is here from California, and my sister is coming from Seattle in a week. This will be the first time the three of us are together in one place in 15 years!!! I will take lots of pictures, and will post them here...

Well, must get back to the work that pays for my knitting. By the way, here's what I'm knitting:

1) Shapely Tank--this is an amazing pattern! I love it. And if you don't fiddle around with five projects at once, like I do, it's also a quick knit.
2) Kitty Kozy(a garter stitch square of Lion Brand Home Spun). I started making one for Hugs for Homeless Animals, but my cats took over. Since we have two cats, I'm making a second one. Then I can cast on for the little homeless Fur People.
3) Leigh Radford's Multi-Layered Tube Shawl from Alterknits--the one that, when you're done, you slide chiffon through so it hangs out the ends. This is a long term project, slow going, good for times when you need mindless knitting.
4) Leigh Radford's Two-Cable scarf from One Skein (nice, simple pattern that I'm going to adapt for a Christmas present for a family member to be named later)

Well, back to writing and, later, some time with my mom (I can't wait to take her to some yarn stores!) and my adorable husband. Here we are in Cape May, NJ:



And, hey, let's hear it: Yay for three-day weekends!

Exciting News: Teaching Classes at Stitch DC!

Maryland Sheep and Wool Festival Report

Knit*Six

Yesterday Chris and I went to the Maryland Sheep and Wool Festival,
where I think I touched every skein of yarn and bundle of fiber in
every single display (it was held at a lovely country-ish fairgrounds).
I spent most of the day running around by myself, lusting over amazing
yarns, gadgets, and bags/piles of unspun fiber. Every hour or two we
met up for a break.

At the end of the day, after I gushed about everything, Chris said:
"Aren't you going to ask me how my day was?" So I did, and this is a
summary of what he told me: Chris spent the day eating every type of
lamb he could find (I don't know where he puts it.) He had a lamb
burger, lamb chili, lamb stew, and to top it off, a leg of lamb
sandwich. We also bought two large eclairs, which we had for "dinner"
with some coffee later that night, as we watched Poirot on DVD. There
was a lot of fairgrounds Food (I didn't get a corn dog...), and every
kind of cooked lamb you could imagine. Plus the ubiquitous fudge and
baked goods, which are seldom found in the city.

The temperature was about 80 degrees, the sky clear and blue, and the
people were great...it was so much fun! Many people, of course, were
wearing hand made creations. One woman had on a sweater of some kind
and the most amazing coat--long, knit with fine yarn in all kinds of
muted jewel shades, which was actually made up of what must have been
over a hundred 2-inch "mitered squares." (You'll have to google that
one if you don't know what it means...too hard to explain.) Another
woman, who I've met at a yarn store in Alexandria and who recently
published a knitting book called "Wendy Knits," was amidst a noisy
gang of young-ish knitting women on a hillside (obviously online and
in-person knitting groups meeting up for the afternoon). She was
wearing a lovely mauve knitted short sleeved top that--had I not known
who she was--would have made me wonder if she'd knit it or bought it.
So talented!

Of course, I came home with some great finds, including a drop spindle
that really WANTS to spin and spin. One of these days I'll find a used
spinning wheel and bring it home, but for now I'm content with
spinning "by hand." In fact, we saw the most outrageously gorgeous
throw made out of fine, lacy octagons--and the yarn had all been spun
by hand on a drop spindle. I love "antique" arts...it connects me to
my ancestors :-)

I also found amazing wool--enough for a sweater--for $8 a skein (475
yards)! To give you an idea of what a great buy that was, your typical
"yarn store" skeins are about 100 yards and cost about $11 to
start--going up well over $30 each. (There was plenty of the expensive
stuff around, too.) The best yarns (and prices) were obviously from
the small "spinneries" and sheep farms...it feels good to support
them, too. The big corporations don't really need much help.

Another of my finds were skeins of pure alpaca in a glossy chocolate
brown--each tagged with a photo of the alpaca the wool came from! They
have VERY cute faces...sweet and shy. And some silk/wool yarn in a
variegated rose/mauve/brown/plum colorway from a Texas farm (another
great buy). It's a "test product" (most of their other yarns are
merino wool and mohair blends), so the owner told me to e-mail him and
tell him if I like the yarn, what I like, and what I don't like. That
kind of attention to quality sets the small vendors apart, in my
opinion.

We spent the whole day out in the country with wool, dust, hay, and
who-knows-what blowing in our faces, and we each only had one
coughing-allergy attack. But when we got out of our car in the city we
were immediately assaulted by the DC pollen and were wheezing when we
reached our door. Hopefully city planners will soon learn how to plant
trees and shrubs in a more natural way, instead of choosing the male
plants only (which produce far more allergens). Out in the country
things are in balance...fewer people have allergies there. It's
interesting to see that played out in a physical way.

Well, that's the Sheep and Wool report...Great craic, as the Irish
say! (Look it up...)

Maryland Sheep and Wool Festival Report

Knitting: Spirituality or Art? (or "Why Knitters Knit")

Why do knitters knit? Why do we spend hours looping fibers around needles or relentlessly searching out THE pattern, THE yarn, THE needles? Because it's there? No, there's more to it than that.

On the other hand, the current "knitting as a form of spirituality" trend is slightly off track. To me, and most of the other knitters I know, knitting is an art form. For some, it's a craft or hobby. And for people around the world, it's a necessity. No socks, no sweaters, no mittens, no blankets = no survival. Lucky me, in comparison. I'm grateful for being able to spend my time passionately involved in something I love but don't HAVE to do.



Yes, knitting is meditative, and I can honestly say I've learned patience and acceptance (of all manner of things) through practicing this slow, detailed art form. I derive immense joy from caressing the yarns at Stitch DC (and, on occasion, other local yarn stores). The rich colors and amazing textures available to us now fill me with joy and inspire me to create. But is this a "spiritual" experience? To me, the answer is no. It's an artistic experience, and I believe they are different.

Not all knitters enjoy the entire process, from choosing yarn, to swatching for tension, to finishing and blocking. That's OK. Different strokes, as "they" say... What IS important is that they enjoy what they do, that they find creative fulfillment in it, that it satisfies their appetites in a way food, drink, work, drugs, or other excesses never could. Knitting calms, enriches, builds confidence.

After all, how could anyone finish a months-long project and hold the luscious finished item in his or her hands without a sense of achievement, pride, and fulfillment. "I created this from virtually nothing," the brain realizes. Buoyancy and lightness result. Self-esteem rises a notch or two. And, shortly, the knitter's fingers begin to itch for a new project, another creative "fix."

Looking back to when I first started knitting, I often smile at the image of my first "project." My trusty knitting book, a Leisure Arts publication I picked up in Joann Fabrics, guided me through the initial steps of casting on, knitting, and purling. When I achieved a bit of mastery over these concepts, the author told me it was time to knit a slipper. A simple pattern followed, a garter stitch "bootie" that wasn't meant to fit most regular-sized feet. But when I finished, that Pepto-Bismol pink bootie looked (to me) like the most amazing thing in the world! I showed if off with pride--"Look what I taught myself to do!"--and mailed it to my mother.

Now, I'm not a total fool. I knew then--as I do now--that the slipper was less than attractive, and that it was also quite funny. In fact, it's become a bit of a joke between my husband and me, comparing my current work to "The Pink Bootie." But beneath all the jokes and semi-jaded attitude, I feel a tenderness toward that crazy little article of un-usable footwear. I made it, with my own two hands, after teaching myself to knit.

It's that sense of accomplishment that draws new knitters into the fold. And from that point--whether a knitter moves slowly and cautiously through the stages of learning about the craft or immediately jumps into designing her own patterns--the sky's the limit.

So...why do I knit? I knit because I am compelled. Because I feel an obsessive longing to strand crisp cotton, supple silk, ticklish mohair, sweet alpaca, and lustrous wool through my fingers. Because I adore the sublime simplicity of a well-crafted knitting needle, beautiful, balanced just right, circular or straight, wood or metal. Because, when I'm knitting, I'm continually learning. Not just about the art, but about myself. Knitting touches me inside AND out at the same time, satisfying my senses and my craving for knowledge and understanding.

Does this make it a spiritual or religious experience? Maybe for some people. But for me, knitting is knitting. It's an art and an end in itself. How could I ask for anything more?

Knitting: Spirituality or Art? (or "Why Knitters Knit")

"Mason-Dixon Knitting" is Yummy!

I bought Mason Dixon Knitting last night. Oh, it's so much fun. Yummy patterns and the kind of writing that makes you forget you're reading a knitting book.


But Ann and Kay REALLY hooked me with their Rowan obsession. Anyone who calls Rowan's knitting magazines "knitters' porn" wins my loyalty forever. It's a winner. I'll give it a thorough review once I'm done gawking and can emerge from the pages...

"Mason-Dixon Knitting" is Yummy!

Why Hannah Knits (From Freelance Writer to Full-Time Fiber Addict)

Sorry it's been so long since my last post! Between my consulting work and chronic fatigue syndrome, I've been feeling pretty run down and uninspired. But even though I haven't been writing (my own stuff...I do plenty of writing for others), I've been knitting a lot! And when I'm not knitting, I can usually be found reading about knitting, talking about knitting, buying yarn/needles/books for knitting, designing ideas for future knitting projects, or (lately) learning to spin on a drop spindle.

It's a strange thing, having CFIDS/FM and longing to knit all of the time. For one thing, it's a lesson in patience and self-control, because when I knit too much my wrists and hands start to hurt quite a bit. People with CFIDS/FM are very prone to carpal tunnel syndrome (or repetitive stress syndrome). Nevertheless, I reach for my needles as often as I can, using any and all methods for preventing hand and wrist pain. What IS it about this particular fiber arts technique that so easily turns into an obsession?

Well, there's the shopping, of course, which appeals to material girls and capitalists. I guess I fall into those categories from time to time. I sure intend to fall into them during the Maryland Sheep and Wool Festival this year! But there's more to knitting than hoarding yarn and pattern books/magazines.

For me, it started with the ugliest pink yarn and some Boye aluminum 14" U.S.10 needles. And a pretty good little "teach yourself how to knit" booklet--all of which I bought at Joann Fabrics by Coventry Mall near Pottstown, Pa. I had just left one of the best jobs I ever had, working as a reporter on the police beat.

I covered three counties with more than a dozen police departments. God, it was fun! Murders, drug raids, and the like. And running around with CMERT (Chester and Montgomery Emergency Response Team, the tri-county region's "SWAT" unit). The cops were so incredibly nice to me, and I enjoyed every minute I spent working with them, talking with them, and writing their amazing stories.

But nothing lasts forever. I fell in love and lost my "edge" and became less interested in running out into the darkness where who-knew-what might happen. Suddenly I really cared about being alive and well, much more than I had before I met my one -and-only. Also, my health started to suffer, probably from the continual adrenaline generated by my job and by some other icky stuff going on in my life at the time. I had surgery to remove my gall bladder, developed an ulcer, and just generally felt horrible all the time. Of course, no one in that area is likely to diagnose patients with CFIDS/FM--it's too out of the ordinary. I needed a fabulous D.C. physician (Dr. Alan Pocinki) to finally, and definitively, do that.

Another paper offered me a job, making about 30% more money, so I accepted it and left my beloved beat (which has suffered at the hands of questionable successors ever since, in my opinion). But I hated working at the new paper, with its silent newsroom and surly staff. And even more, I HATED working a municipal beat. It was awful and boring. Every time the scanner started to buzz, I'd long to run out and cover the police beat, but it wasn't mine to cover. After two weeks of long commutes and depressing workdays, I thankfully quit.

So here I was, a writer out of work. Chris, my husband, suggested I finally move into full-time freelancing, which we'd both talked about doing. At first it was hard, building structure into my days, trying to find work and develop stories. On one of my earliest assignments I managed to total my pickup truck while crossing an icy bridge, injuring my previously injured neck. This left me not only out of work, but without transportation, as well. Dark times.

One day, though, Chris told me to take his car. He never let anyone drive it--it was almost brand new at the time. But he urged me to take it and go out, to have some fun... So I did. And then I did it again, and again. Until, one day, I found myself in Joann Fabrics (I've always loved textiles) holding some pink yarn, cold needles, and a knitting book. I had about $10 that day--enough to cover my purchases.

I took them home and, about two days later, began teaching myself how to knit. At first it was hard... all of my fingers felt like left thumbs, the needles seemed to fight back, and the yarn wouldn't stay where I needed it to stay. But I managed to cast on and to knit a few rows of garter stitch. After that, the bag of knitting stuff sat untouched for about two months.

My freelancing started to pick up and I did a lot of reading in my spare time. This was fine for a while, but as the weeks wore on I started to realize that my whole life was about words. Reading words, writing words, talking words. It was depressing. I knew I needed to do something that was the polar opposite of writing (I already worked out for more than an hour every day, so I was looking for something less strenuous). After a few crying spells I found myself reaching for the knitting bag again, determined to give it another try.

With the book opened to the page where I'd left off, I picked up the needles and continued knitting my garter stitch strip. But something wasn't right... when I did what the book said, my stitches looked strange, not like before. I studied the stitches and the photos and suddenly it dawned on me--I had instinctively picked up the yarn in my left hand instead of my right. Since I've always been pretty ambidextrous, it wasn't a shock. Actually, it was more of a revelation: I was a Continental Knitter!

That was it. I was off and knitting and never really looked back. Of course there were times when I did more and times when I did less, but I was well and truly hooked, despite the fact that the only yarn available in the area came from WalMart and Joann's. But I made the best of it, and churned out "Lion Brand Homespun" scarves with the best of 'em. It wasn't until we moved to D.C. that I finally got to shop in a real live yarn store...

(Story to be continued another day.)

To get the image of that original skein of pink acrylic yarn out of my head, I'll post some pictures of two of my favorite, long-finished knitting projects. These are among the very few I've actually kept for myself and worn (and worn, and worn)...

This is Katja (and Maggie in the background), wearing a scarf I knit out of the most beautiful variegated shade of Bunny, from Tahki/Stacy Charles:


And here is my first pair of fingerless gloves (one of my favorite items to make). The pattern was in Vogue Knitting's K.1 magazine. They recommended Lion Brand Microspun, which actually IS nice and soft and drapey, but I made these in a really luscious eggplant color from Karabella 8:


So, there you have it. A new post. And another one due sooner than you might think... Thanks for reading, and for passing along word of this blog to other knitters and fiber lovers! And, hey, feel free to comment! It's pretty quiet, writing here all by myself...

Why Hannah Knits (From Freelance Writer to Full-Time Fiber Addict)

My First Fulled (felted) Bag: Mag-Knits Sophie purse in Unikat yarn

I never really "got" the whole fulling/felting thing.

Some people say they knitted and felted one item and were absolutely hooked, couldn't stop felting everything they made, or making things that called for felting. The fact that it was becoming the "in" thing to do, bordering on a fad, is what made me hesitate to try a fulled-purse (or anything) pattern. But a friend's cute red bag changed my mind, and I finally gave in.

Well, I have to say I love this bag. And I LOVE the Unikat yarn, both to work with and in terms of the colors they offer. MagKnits' "Sophie" purse pattern is wonderful... chic without being too complicated or overdone.

And in the end, isn't that what chic really means? Some people say, "It's all in the details." And that may be true. But I like to keep details to a minimum and let the design and the yarn speak for themselves.

Here's how it turned out, after felting and blocking (shown, of course, with Maggie, who almost never plays with my yarn while I'm knitting!):



So in the end, I think my opinion on fulling (felting is actually what you do to unspun fibers) is that it's lovely for certain patterns. I can imagine the fulled vest in Sally Melville's Purl Stitch book, for example, would be cozy and would look great on my husband. And who knows, I may come across (or design) another pattern for something that needs to be fulled.

In other words, I like it. Fulling is fun, and the results look great. But I'm not likely to become a fulling fiend, throwing all of my hand knits into the washing machine. Unless I make something with a hideous mistake (like a hole) that needs to be covered up!

My First Fulled (felted) Bag: Mag-Knits Sophie purse in Unikat yarn

Hand-made Knitting Bag (photo!)

In my first posting, I wrote about a knitting bag I made that had received a lot of compliments. Here's a picture of the bag, with Maggie alongside...



And here's a close-up shot of the inside of the bag; you can see how I created the buttoned yarn-feeder...



Since I made this bag, I've bought pounds of different fabrics, so I can make more. That way I can have my knitting with me all the time without looking like a bag lady...

Hand-made Knitting Bag (photo!)

And here they are!

Here's a picture of the gloves I knit for my sister, from AlterKnits... I think they turned out really well! (In fact, I'd like to keep them... but I've mentioned that before, haven't I?)

And here they are!