ConnieLene – KnitDesigner

Miriam at Cologne

Miriam Tegels is the Guinness World Record Holder Speed Knitter 2006.

She is speed knitter extraordinaire and a teacher of many knitting skills from lace, double knitting, knitting with beads, illusion knitting and more as well as convenor of this wonderful knit retreat which is held in a gorgeous woodland setting with accommodation at the Groenewoud Countryhouse. The Finnish style Lodge is situated in the wooded area of Swalmen (Mid Limburg), right on the banks of the river Swalm.

Groenewoud Lodge, Swalmen

Link to the “Knitting in Nature” knit retreat. Do check out the workshops included as well as the wonderful activities available in this gorgeous location.

Further Information including links to photos from previous retreats here

I am delighted that I am able to teach my workshop “Freeform Intarsia” at Miriams wonderful knit retreat. Come and let your knit inhibitions fly away.

Purples Freeform Intarsia Batwing Sweater

I have been knitting for more than 50 years. Did you notice, I said that out loud. I have probably been knitting for more than 55 years, as the actual start date is lost in mists of time.

When I was a much younger knitter, Feather and Fan was used for baby things like shawls, matinee jackets and bonnets. I used feather and fan stitch when knitting for my own babies.

Since that time, until now that is, feather and fan stitch and I have not crossed needles and yarn together (or paths or swords).

Feather & Fan Waistcoat knit in one piece

Funky Full length (opera) Fashionable Fingerless Gloves

I really love the effect of it with the variegated yarns above and now as you can see, I am knitting with a cream yarn looking at the affect of the stitch on the edges of the knitting.

But my circular needle on which is sitting my wrap all excited and ready to go – BROKE – and I do not have another spare 4.5mm circular needle. And yes, I know the wrap is being knitted in cream; I know it looks like baby stuff, but when it is finished, if ever, it will look like a gorgeous, warm, sexy, delicious, and feather light wrap and I am or was enjoying the wavy affect on the edges.

Feather & Fan wrap Work in Progress with Broken circular needle

BUT it is raining and the wind is blowing, and to purchase another such needle will mean adding lots of layers and walking about 20 mins along narrow Haarlem streets, across a draw bridge over a canal (the Spaarne) and along and along to the wool shop Kleinvak van der Raad where they do not mind my lack of Dutch and probably giggle at some of the yarns I buy to try. But that is okay.

And today I just do not feel like it. In short I am really and truely hacked off. I might have to open the wine!

If you are considering “knitting in the round” these are the advantages as I see them.

Knitted in the round from bottom up.

Advantages:

1. No purling – you are always knitting on the right side, so unless you are ribbing or creating a pattern which requires purl stitches on the right side then you do not need to purl.

2. Little or no seaming / finishing

3. May use less yarn if the pattern is altered from a flat or pieced pattern. When altering a flat or pieced pattern one can reduce a stitch at each side of the body front and back – reducing the yarn required but not the finished size.

4. Speed – knit stitch is faster and your knitting rhythm works to your advantage.

5. Great knitting for watching a favourite TV program.

6. Less seaming is better for a knitted piece – it will rest better on the body without stresses and strains of a seam.

7. You can design as you knit. You can adjust length and shape as as you go.

8. You do not need to check that front and back pieces match exactly. Place a marker at the begining of the first row and you will always know exactly where you are and where to measure.

9. Using circular needles means that a large garment rests in your lap and not on the needles and your arms.

10. A garment can be altered – lengthened or shortened for another wearer later by unravelling and knitting down as required.

Disadvantage:

1. Boring knitting – Sweater done in knit stitch in the round can be boring.

2. Pieced or flat knitting is easier to create if starting with a sewing pattern.

Folk knitting was originally created circularly and seaming was very minimal so Knitting in the Round has been the “norm” in many cultures.

think tubes

Socks, arm warmers, body warmers, leg warmers, corsets, skirts, ponchos, cowls, hoods, boob tubes, etc and the leap to knitting a whole garment in the round occurs when one joins the knitted or crocheted tubes to create the desired garment.

Gallery of Examples of My “Knitting in the Round”

In New Zealand in my early knitting and designing days I was totally unaware of the movement toward knitting in the round as reintroduced to the US by Elizabeth Zimmerman. I was a busy young mother and wanted to finish my garment when I had completed the knitting whereever possible and so I worked on achieving that.

Fashion shaping may have been the impetus for creating flat pieces and joining them. I have worked on shaping my pieces when knitting in the round. The other area I have worked on is knitting a waistcoat, cardigan or jacket or sweater in one piece to the underarm or from cuff to cuff – again to reduce seaming requirements but that will have to be another post.

And then of course there is also top down knitting and steeks and ……

Did you look at the photos above? Now you know why I was driven to volunteer to knit replacement red socks. These socks had to go, and they did go into my washing machine, and then when dry into my reminder of IOU box. And of course that Best Beloved he had to get in on the act. If I can knit red socks for son, surely I can knit red socks for him as well.

Now he knows I have never ever knitted a pair of socks – babies booties, slipper things in garter stitch – YES; Socks – NO.

Why would he add to my misery or to my list of challenges?

Well he did, damn him, now I have this wretched IOU for red socks for 2 men. I only promised son (stupidly), I would replace his tatty, holey, stretched, and dangerous to his feet, socks so that he would stop wearing them. You can see the state of them. These socks should not be worn again.

So now you have the pictures of the offending socks and you know why I was compelled to offer to knit socks, and why I have a great big IOU.

Maybe someone has some pristine socks from the original “Red Socks” campaign? Now that would be good.

Wave Lattice Stitch is created over a multiple of 6 stitches plus 2 (6 + 2).

I worked my sample over 50 stitches to see how it would work as a jacket edging and I do believe it will work very well.

Cast on 50 stitches.

Row 1 (WS) knit 1, *knit 2, purl 4*. Repeat from * to last stitch, knit 1.
Row 2 knit 1, *slip next 2 stitches to cable needle and hold in front of work, knit 2, knit 2 from the cable needle, Purl 2*, repeat from * to last stitch, knit 1.
Row 3 (WS) knit 1, *knit 2, purl 4*. Repeat from * to last stitch, knit 1.
Row 4 Knit 1, purl 2 *Knit 2, slip next 2 stitches to cable needle and hold in back of work, knit 2, purl 2 from cable needle*, repeat from * to last 5 stitches, knit 5.
Row 5 (WS) knit 1, *purl 4, knit 2* repeat from * to last stitch, knit 1.
Row 6 knit 1, *purl 2, slip next 2 stitches to cable needle and hold in back of work, knit 2, knit 2 from cable needle*, repeat from * to last stitch, knit 1.
Row 7 (WS) knit 1, *purl 4, knit 2* repeat from * to last stitch, knit 1.
Row 8 Knit 5, *slip next 2 stitches to cable needle and hold in front of work, purl 2, knit 2 from cable needle. Knit 2*, repeat from * to last 3 stitches, purl 2, knit1

Repeat rows 1 – 8 to length required

My sample was created using 8 ply (double knitting) yarn. I do not have a label, but know that it has a component of possum yarn with merino. It is a bit hairy – so will not use it in my knitting, hence I am playing with it.

I will add a photographs of any pieces that I complete using this stitch.