Thursday, November 28, 2013

Craftsy Holiday Sale

Whether you think of it as a Black Friday sale, or just an easy way to get some of your end-of-year gift shopping done - and hey, you are allowed to buy a gift for yourself, you know.

Learning is a gift!

Craftsy is offering big discounts on their classes, including mine. Go! Buy it for someone as a gift!

Thanks. And enjoy whatever you might be celebrating this weekend.

Tuesday, November 26, 2013

Winners in the Doctor Who Knitting Party Photo Contest

I got some excellent photos, thanks!

Victoria and Matt - bonus points for wearing a scarf!


Rayna and Ten and her sock


KnitMairwen in the movie theatre, waiting for the show to start.


Sanja's Baby Blanket - and that's clearly the Alt-Ten in his blue suit in the background.


(Do you respect me more or less for knowing that?)

And Lea, also in the theatre.


Austen's Tea and Ten.


Here's mine, for good measure. Very silly expression on my face, but can you blame me?


Chosen by a very scientific method - well, ok, based on a poll of several key advisors - the winners are Victoria and Rayna. Victoria gets the yarn and Rayna gets the patterns! Thanks to everyone for playing!



I have to say though, that the best photo I saw was a little different: a sighting of my Bigger on the Inside Shawl on the BBC America pre-show that was broadcast Saturday afternoon. See the pic on Amy's Instagram feed.

Saturday, November 23, 2013

Doctor Who 50th Anniversary Knitting/Watching Party Contest


Tweet or email me (kate at wisehildaknits dot com) pictures of you knitting in front of the Doctor Who show (or in line for one of the cinema viewings) to win one of two prizes: a copy of both the scarf and sock patterns! Or a skein of Lorna's Laces Shepherd Sock in a beautiful chocolate brown.





Entries by midnight EST Tuesday November 26th. I'll pick two winners based on general awesomeness, and share the best. Thanks!

Tuesday, November 19, 2013

This coming weekend: Classes at Shall We Knit

Boy, I must really really love the team at Shall We Knit (spoiler alert: I do!), as I agreed to be teaching there this Saturday.

What's up with this Saturday, you ask? Oh, nothing much: just the 50th anniversary episode of Doctor Who. In which David Tennant is appearing along with Matt Smith.

Anyway, yes, I am teaching at Shall We Knit this weekend. This will be my last visit there until the spring, so if you've been thinking about a class with me, this is your chance.

I'm teaching some old favourites, and some new ones:

Introduction to Lace: The Rickenbacker Shawl  - Saturday morning
I designed this shawl as an easy lace project. The original intention was that it be easy so that you could knit it in dark colours; but the same details that make it easy to knit in dark colours make it an ideal first lace project. If you're confident with knit and purl, you know everything you need for this class. Along the way, I'll talk about some different types of increases, how to identify, fix and - even better - prevent mistakes in lace, and we'll demystify blocking. This shawl is a great way to use up a single skein of sock yarn, and would make an ideal gift...

Short Row Skills - Saturday afternoon
I'm doing this as a two-parter to address knitters of all skill levels: come for one of the parts, or both. In the first half, we talk about the whys and wherefores of that pesky "wrap and turn" manoeuvre, explaining why it exists, how to do it, and how to deal with hiding the wraps. In the second half of the session, I talk about alternative ways of working short rows, and the pros and cons for each, and discuss short rows as a method for adding bust shaping in a garment.

What Goes Around: DPNs, Magic Loop and 2 Circulars (And those tiny little circulars, too!) - Sunday morning
There are four ways to work in the round. All of them have their benefits, and in this bootcamp session I'll show you how to handle all them. We'll play with the needles to build confidence, and we'll talk about how to convert patterns and instructions from one method to the other. If you've always wanted to learn Magic Loop, this is the session for you! If you feel clumsy with DPNs, we'll fix that! And never seen a tiny circular - I'll show you!

Fearless Finishing - Sunday afternoon
Because you've got holiday knitting on the needles, and at some point you're going to have ends to weave in.
In this in-depth workshop, we cover all types of seams, weaving in ends, picking up stitches. We talk about blocking - why it's important and how to do it. We discuss appropriate cast on and cast off methods for different types of projects, and edge treatments to make your finishing easier. Because I'm a pragmatist, I focus on techniques that make it as easy as possible, and I'll share tricks for minimizing the work.

More details on the classes in the Shall We Knit newsletter.

The lovely Kim and Ron of indigodragonfly are also at the shop this weekend. Kim's teaching some classes too, and they'll have some yarn and other goodies. This is also the east coast launch of my Rock 'n Roll Collection, and Kim will have patterns and special yarn packs for the collection.

Even if you're not taking a class, come and say hello and see the Rock 'n Roll collection in person!


Oh, yeah, and about the Doctor Who special....If you're in the US, details here, if you're in Canada, details here, and in the UK, details here.

Luckily, the good people at Shall We Knit understand the importance of the event, and have arranged a special viewing for us later that evening. (Yay for PVRs.)

Thursday, November 14, 2013

Geronimo! Allons-y!

So very excited to see this tweet from my friends at Lorna's Laces this afternoon:



The yarn kits for my Time & Space socks and scarves are shipping today, just in time for you to get ready for your 50th anniversary special viewing.  If you're in the US, details here, if you're in Canada, details here, and in the UK, details here

I'll be wearing my Bigger on the Inside Shawl while I'm watching it, as will, I assume ScadianScout who had made this most excellent version with LED LIGHTS!

BLINKING LIGHTS.




Friday, November 01, 2013

When Travelling Through Space And Time

It's good to be well-dressed and warm if you're going on a journey. These might be just what you need.

Socks.  Toe-up knee socks.
The pattern is worked toe-up, and written for DPNs, Magic Loop and 2 circulars, as you prefer. Four sizes, finished foot circumferences 7 to 8.5 inches, fitting teens to XL women's.  A variation for calf-length socks is included, too.

Six colors, in rather fetching stripes.  The kit of Lorna's Laces Shepherd Sock contains special half skeins of the yarn - enough to make a pair of knee socks, or a two pairs of mid-calf socks, one pair for you, one pair for your companion. Or if you have full skeins, you can make two pairs of knee socks, and four pairs of mid-calf socks.



(Thanks to Claude La Rue for the excellent photos.)

And a Scarf.
Suitably long: 7 inches wide by over 80 inches! With tassels, naturally. 

Pattern uses about 90yds of each of six colors from Lorna's Laces Shepherd Bulky. A kit is available from your favorite Lorna's retailers contains special 3/4 skeins, just enough to make the scarf. Full-size skeins will make it even longer.

Pattern available for $5 here.



(Many thanks to Amanda Jarvis and her adorable hubby for the photography.)

Or a Shawl.  
If your lifestyle requires a more ladylike or subtle homage to your favourite traveller, perhaps the Bigger on the Inside Shawl? Free pattern on Knitty; uses two skeins of Lorna's Solemate Sock Yarn.