I returned Monday night from Meg Swansen's Knitting Camp. What fun was had! Old friends met last year were there (including Sallie, proud new owner of Knitters Mercantile, and glass artist Caitlin), and new friends were made. I had a fabulous roommate who had on the exact same pair of green shoes I brought. Of course we were to hit it off! She and her friend drove down from Montana and I had the best time with them. Hopefully we'll return to do it all over again next summer.
Camp began Thursday night with a supper buffet and then, after each camper had a chance to write down a question regarding knitting for Meg to cover during class, the classroom was opened up for us to ooh and ahh over the sweaters laid in abundance on tables, to select wool, to choose books, to peruse Meg's personal knitting book collection. Friday morning began with Meg addressing campers' questions which ranged from how to compute even increases across a row to mirror-image increases (three different sorts) to that elusive weave for some knitters, the kitchener stitch. Friday also included an introduction to Bavarian Twisted Stitch (this red cap was knitted up last winter after learning the method at last summer's camp), Two-End knitting, multiple methods of casting on, and short rows. All the while Meg's support teachers Amy Detjen (technique guru and an absolutely hilarious woman) and Joyce Williams (a fabulous designer, she has a wonderful sense of humor and always smiles with a twinkle in her eye) were present to add to the instruction and discussion. Each day after lunch we reconvened for show-and-tell, a time for every camper to show off accomplishments or present problem pieces to the group for advice. After afternoon time to relax and dinner out, the classroom filled up again as campers spared no time to do that which we all crave time for, time to sit and knit.
Other topics covered over the course of the weekend included proper trapping when knitting in two colors, shadow knitting (both demonstrated by Amy), and Armenian knitting (shown by Joyce). Both Meg and Joyce had original pieces worked in the Armenian way and I am inspired to try my own hand at this interesting method.
Meg's overwhelming support and gracious manner, Amy's quick wit and practical solutions to problems, and Joyce's quiet brilliance all made for the most wonderful of weekends. I feel lucky to have attended and can't wait to return.
Wednesday, July 27, 2005
Tuesday, July 26, 2005
Ellen's Stockings, front
Just returned from knitting camp (more on that later--had a fabulous time!) and have begun my socka-pal-2-za socks. This is the front...
Ellen's Stockings, back
and this is the back of the leg. Buttery-yellow Satakieli on (gasp) size 0's. Pattern from Nancy Bush's Folk Knitting in Estonia. (To clarify, "Ellen's Stockings" is the name of the pattern, not the name of my secret sock pal. Sorry, you Ellens out there!)
Wednesday, July 13, 2005
Twined Knitting
I took out Anne-Maj Ling's "Two-End Knitting" book again and managed to figure out the cast-on. I'm working on a cap--will post a closer photo once I'm further along. Trying to find people who have worked this technique before, so I can see if I'm doing it correctly. I plan to take it to Camp next week and hopefully can get some advice then. Winding the colors together, with one pulling from the center and the other pulling from the outside, definitley helps--I tried knitting along without doing that and finally gave up. It's quite fun to watch the ball untwist!
Monday, July 11, 2005
WIP
Another WIP...the last bedroom to be overhauled in our 1905 house. Still working on the hiking gansey (about 11" done so far) and trying to do at least two rows a day on Birch in the interest of not losing my place. 10 days to knitting camp, and counting...
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