Mary Jane

Sun! The first in weeks. Sunny, but still not warm, so Wee Fair Isle socks are just the ticket, not too tall, but enough to keep the draft off your ankles. I especially like wearing clogs with these, because then you can see the sassy Schiaparelli pink heels. I’ve used Harrisville Shetland, which comes in a great selection of colors. I’ve done something not quite according to the fair isle “rules” … can you spot what it is?  I’m all for breaking rules when it doesn’t  hurt anyone.

And guess what? I’ll be teaching a Fair Isle Sock class at Vogue Knitting LIVE in LA! Yes I will…going back home to the west coast September 23-25th. You can make some socks just like this…or design your own custom pair, I’ll show you how. Plus there are all kinds of fantastic classes ( I’m teaching 2 others) and glittering “knitterati” to swoon over; Kaffe Fassett, Meg Swanson, Trisha Malcom, Nicky Epstein, Cirilia Rose, Cookie A., Clara Parkes, Mary Lynn Patrick and on and on and on!! In a week or so,  I’ll be giving a way a FREE PASS to the fabulous Marketplace, held on Saturday and Sunday….so stay tuned and tell your friends!

Though it seems a far cry from Summer here in misty rainy Maine, it feels warm and sunshiny when I delve into the Summer Issue of Interweave Knits ! I am so happy my Cat’s Eye Tam is included in the lineup. I designed this hat for a summer spent on the water, where you need a bit of a hat when you leave early in the morning, steaming across the bay, heading for your favorite island. The old fashioned elastic Cat’s Eye lace pattern accomodates many head sizes and hair-dos. The fair isle peerie pattern is one of my favorites, and the colors! I love the the combination of Delft Blue and bright Crimson set off on a ground of natural Eesit…Thank You Jamison’s!

The Summer Issue has an article you won’t want to miss, by one of my favorite people in the world, Deb Robson, exploring fibers made from the stems of plants, called “bast”, such as flax and hemp. She is such a friendly writer, helping you feel like an instant expert – I’m looking forward to the release of her new book The Fleece and Fiber Source Book More than 200 Fibers from Animal to Spun Yarn due out next month. Ask for it in your local yarn shop!

I also enjoyed Melanie Rice’s wonderfully descriptive article on designing pictorial lace and Sabrina Gschwandtner’s profile of LA artist Ben Cuevas, he of the knitted Skeleton. There are couple of projects that have got me itching for the needles – I’ve got a special fondness for knit skirts and I love the look and clever construction of Annelena Mattison’s Swirl Skirt, and admire the lovely simplicity of Barnstead Pullover,  from Lisa Shroyer’s new book Knittng Plus.

I planted my Sweet Peas, I’m anxious for sun and summer knitting!

PS: I’m teaching at Interweave’s Knitting Lab!!!!!

Nilda Callañaupa Alvaez the director of the Center of Traditional Textiles of Cusco, and author of Weaving in the Peruvian Highlands went with us to Chahuatire, a community famous for the fact that the weavers are men, the women doing the fiber preparation, carding, spinning, dying and all the painstaking finishing techniques. I of course focused on the men who were knitting chullos,

who for the most part use the familiar Andean technique of purling from the inside with the yarn tensioned around their necks, using thin needles with little hooks bashed on the ends.

But lo….observe closely the gentleman in the middle.

He is knitting. Again, a maverick in the community!  (I don’t know why these images are so weirdly saturated or dim, depending on your browser.)

To facilitate working intarsia in the round, some of the men use the corded join technique.

While one man used “cruces” or crosses. He crossed or twisted the working yarns, before heading back in the other direction.

The pincher technique was also in evidence.

I showed them my knitting and we had a few laughs.

Mustn’t forget the women and children!

From Bolivia!

These gentlemen are fantastic knitters, creating amazing chullos. They knit with the yarn tensioned around their necks. Their circular intarsia is usually all purled from the inside, first heading left, like we do, and when they reach the end of the round,

they wrap the working yarns around a cord, and work the next round in reverse….

Note the pincer technique.

But look here! This fellow is knitting back, just like we do! He’s a maverick, the only one who does this.
So you see, different styles exist even within the same village.

Gorgeous alpaca, naturally dyed.

This beauty is acrylic.