re-Joyce!

The opportunity to take a class from a skilled artisan is reason enough to rejoice.  But when the class is on knitting button bands, my heart goes all a twitter.  I just might "get it" this time.  Don't misunderstand.  I've knit button holes, added button bands and even advised a few along the way.

Unfortunately it has always been a struggle.  As in get out the reference book and put it along side of the pattern.  Tune into a clear video online and take it one stitch at a time.  Then rip back three stitches and try again.  Eventually I reach the "acceptable" look. 

This time I am determined to figure out those button bands and have it click in my little head.  I've taken class from Joyce Wyatt before and I enjoy her skill set and her attitude.  First, Joyce speaks both crochet and knit.  So we speak the same languages.  She is an artisan after my own heart because she believes that there are occasions - more often than we might want to admit - when it is necessary to fudge and smudge rather that rip and redo.    Gotta love that!

Here is my homework for the lesson.  A simple swatch and contrasting yarns ready to knit button bands.  The swatch has ribbing and stockinette.  I fear that we will be expected to pick up along that ribbing and knit in a button hole that does not pull, squish, look wonky or need a very expensive button to draw attention away from the messy stitching.  If anyone can calm my nerves, it is Joyce. 

Can't wait for Saturday.   Just one more benefit to be gained from belonging to a TKGA guild!

Mitered Madness

A good time was had by all! Isn't that the right saying? The Patchwork knitting workshop with Joyce Renee Wyatt was wonderful.

Joyce claims to be Los Angeles born. Well, maybe so. But that accent is pure south. At one point during the day, Joyce was holding forth on how she translates knit into crochet - and vice versa. She is bi-yarn you know. In talking about how to deal with the crochet slip stitch and picking up for the next mitered piece, she was so specific on which loop to work so that there was a line on the right side of the fabric.

Oh Wow! Exactly as my mama taught me over 40 years ago. I just had to open my mouth and tell Joyce that her crochet style was exactly like I learned in Louisiana and I questioned her belief that she is Los Angeles pure. Turns out that her mother was raised in Bunkie, Louisiana! Bunkie is only about 40 miles north of my beloved hometown of Eunice, La. We are practically related, in that way that only true southerners understand.

"Where yo' mama from?"

But don't go thinking this makes Joyce Renee Wyatt to be a Cajun. Everyone knows that if you come from north of Turkey Creek, you are bordering on being Red Neck. Which brings me to Joyce's hillarious story of rooming with Lily on "the cruise" and discovering that everyone - no matter your heritage nor your skin shade - must use sun block all over. Let's just say that Joyce had to wonder why her mother never told her that sunburn happens!

Oh. And we knit. We looked at the sweater that is featured in Great Garter Stitch. Not the blanket on the cover, but the triangle sweater inside. Joyce talked about how she creates via the fudge and smudge method but then has to get real exact when writing for publication.

Got a hole when you picked up for the next mitered piece? No problem - add a stitch and decrease it out on the next row. Fudge and smudge. I bet her mama taught her to think like that. It's a southern thing.

So this piece on the right is not going to have anything circular. That's just the needles making it look that way. The black part will be another 'L' shaped piece once it is finished. I only got this far before we started talking crochet . . . .and fiddling with hook sizes to get drape in fabric . . . . and looking at samples . . . . .and playing . . . . .and learning.

Yep, a good time was had by all.

Homework is Due

Today is the day. My homework is due. I'm off to a 6 hour workshop taught by Joyce Wyatt. We are doing patchwork knitting.

The homework instructions call for worsted on size 10. Well, what a shock when I could not find my 10s. Found 10 1/2 circulars and the 9s are currently busy. The 8 circulars were available. So it was decision time. Go up just a bit or way down. HMM. Tough call.

So I did both. You can compare the swatches for your self. I thought there would be a bit more difference in the two given that there are two needle sizes between the swatches.

I'm thinking that for the class the looser patch will be best. Much easier to pick up stitches along the side. As you would expect the patch done on the 10 1/2 is floppier. Well, as floppy as possible when you are made of worsted weight and only 3.25 inches along the side. (as always, click the photos to enlarge)

But I like the results of the 8's better. Stitches are more uniform right off the needles and it just looks better to me.

The real question - - - What will Joyce think?


Oh, managed to get a little laundry done this week.