How do you block a sweater knit in the round?

Gimme your best ideas.
Please.
My Google search was less than fulfilling and I don't own a Wooly board. (Yet.)

Curious.

I was looking through a new knitting book the other day, and I came across this in the introduction:

Although I have been designing machineknitting for some years, I am not the world's greatest handknitter, so the patterns in this book are all for people like me -- who like beautiful designs, but are a little lacking in handknitting skills....

Later, in the notes, the author thanks So-and-So for "pattern writing."

Now apart from the fact that I'd love to get me one of these gigs -- I think up the designs and let someone else struggle with the patterns -- this struck me as a bit odd. From a common-sense standpoint, wouldn't you think that a book of handknitting patterns would of necessity be written by someone who is an experienced and excellent handknitter? And if you were a publisher, wouldn't you want to hire only good handknitters to write books on handknitting?

I thought about it further, and wondered if maybe "fashion" is different. Maybe if you are a designer of certain prominence, it is considered enough to have a vision or design style that you can sketch out, letting someone else worry about the logistics of how to make it. For example, if you're Isaac Mizrahi, is your name brand recognition sufficient ("This is an Isaac Mizrahi design!") even if you don't know a lot about how handknitting works?

I also wondered whether machineknitting is so closely related to handknitting that it doesn't matter. I've never done machineknitting, so it's hard for me to know. (On the other hand, I'd never try to write a book on machineknitting.) But if the distinction between machine- and handknitting doesn't matter, then why does the author go out of her way to point out that she is good at one but not the other?

When I think about all the things I've learned about handknitting over the years, and think about all the things I have yet to learn, this strikes me as very curious indeed.

What do you think?

Psst: want a free sock pattern by moi?

Then go to Rosie's Knitting Circle website. It's part of the Socksational July celebration at Rosie's. I don't know if the pattern will be up indefinitely, so don't delay. If you're in the neighborhood, stop by and see what other goodies Courtney's got on sale. (Word has it that fall stuff, including Noro, has started arriving. Yum.) And a huge shout-out to my wonderful, wonderful test knitter who did such a super job on the sample! (She knows who she is...)

If you can't make it, a large BBF update



just went live about five minutes ago.

I'm hoping to get back on a more normal schedule in coming weeks. And look for some more patented, trademarked No-Bull Book Reviews coming soon...

Bye-bye, Jaeger. (Sniffle.)

I just heard what I had suspected might happen for a while but was hoping I was wrong about: Jaeger Yarns is kaput. The Jaeger brand is being discontinued. I was particularly partial to the Extra Fine Merino stuff -- in fact, one of the sweaters in our book is knit of it -- but I also liked Matchmaker Merino, and have many Jaeger pattern booklets in my knitting library. I suppose the popularity of RYC Yarns made Jaeger less relevant, and if I were looking at it as a hard-hearted businessperson, I'd probably agree that the Jaeger line had become redundant. You can find a good quality yarn in the Rowan or RYC lines that does just about everything Jaeger yarns do. Rowan seems to be focusing on the younger, trendier set, while RYC appeals squarely to the next age group up, and Jaeger -- perhaps directed to the professional woman? -- seemed to flounder without a clear target audience. Recent dabbles in more novelty-ish style yarns (like Jaeger "Fur") didn't cut it either.

The good news, I suppose, is that you'll be able to stock your stash with oodles of great yarn at discounted prices. And the existence of RYC certainly sweetens the pill. But you'll have to excuse me for a minute while I light a candle (a flipflop votive?) in honor of the passing of a fine line of mostly natural-fiber yarns with excellent pattern support. [Insert "God Save The Queen" music here.]

Mixed Bag

This Kute Kid Story will give you a sense of where my head's at this week:

Child criticizes mother's grammar.
Exasperated Mother: I don't feel like being constantly corrected by a five-year-old!
Child: Five-and-a-half.

It's a crazy time chez Go Knit In Your Hat. The last book deadline is July 31st, and I've got a sweater -- at 7 sts to the inch -- to finish, and some text to write, and some patterns to draft. (Stop snickering.) The first photo shoot is August 1st through 3rd, which is extremely exciting.

Also exciting is the fact that Reynolds has commissioned me to do two sweater patterns and a sock pattern for their Spring '08 collection. So get yer asses to thy local knitting shop and buy some Reynolds yarn... Soft Sea Wool anyone? Whiskey? Revue? And I'm sure there are some new yarns coming soon for fall from our friends in Montreal, which I shall endeavour to tell you about if my sources come through with preview info. (V.? M.?)

In the meantime, the kids are all at day camp this week (N. and G. are at a morning art camp learning about... cubism. Do you believe it? I'm sure I was 35 before I understood cubism.) and I'm frantically preparing a Black Bunny Fibers update for this Friday. Sock yarn, one straggler of alpaca/silk laceweight, and some rovings. I'm still waiting for some more silk and some wool/silk blend (like Liz's Clapotis) to arrive.

And if you haven't heard about FibreFest North (is there a FibreFest South?) check it out. A weekend of fiber stuff -- knitting, spinning, maybe even some crochet? -- in lovely Ontario. I'm going, along with Mar and Fredda (we have a jacuzzi in our room -- rare and handy indeed) and I hope to see at least a few of you there.

Last but not least, it's Socksational July at Rosie's Yarn Cellar. Word on the street is that a fresh batch of Lorna's Laces has arrived (mmm!) and I'm sending Tom, a.k.a. Errand Boy in tomorrow with some BBF superwash merino and merino/silk. Courtney says there are also some great sales on top quality sock yarn to make room for fall (like Trekking, one of my faves), so stop by or call the shop. Maybe Courtney will entice Tom into bringing home some Lorna's Laces for me to knit -- I owe the poor man a pair of socks (or twelve).

Be back soon

As the old Chinese proverb says:

Better to light a single flip-flop



than to curse the darkness.

Off to the baby shower

but at least the baby sweater is finished.



Louisa Harding's Geordie Baby Jacket, knit in Plymouth Encore (purchased at Rosie's Yarn Cellar).

My mother told me an unbelievable story -- yet it did, indeed, happen, for my mom is simply not the type of person to make this kind of thing up -- about attending a baby shower in which one of the party games consisted of being given a disposable diaper, lemonade and chocolate candy. A prize was awarded to the guest who created the ickiest-looking faux doody diaper.

Rest assured that I will give you full details of any such hijinx upon my return.

June Book Report

This month I benefitted greatly from the recommendations of my readers (See nos. 1 & 3; also somebody recommended Ruth Rendell a while back). Thanks! And keep 'em coming.

1. The Welsh Girl by Peter Ho Davies. Romance between a German POW and a local Welsh girl set in the waning days of WWII. I enjoyed it.

2. Firewall by Henning Mankell. Another Kurt Wallender mystery, this time involving a computerized attempt to attack the global economy. Spare and suspenseful.

3. Complications: A Surgeon's Notes on an Imperfect Science by Atul Gawande. A surgeon ruminates on the medical system and his experiences -- good, bad, frightening, frustrating -- as a resident in surgery. Thanks to Dr. Mel for recommending this one! Scary in some respects (necrotizing fascitis - gah!) but reassuring in others.

4. He Who Fears the Wolf (Inspector Sejer Mysteries) by Karin Fossum. Continuing the Scandinavian detective theme. Oddly, I really wanted to knit a Dale sweater after reading these...

5. The Rottweiler by Ruth Rendell. A creepy psychological mystery from the master of creepy psychological mysteries.

Last batch of contest winners

Sorry I've been so erratic in posting lately. I'm having a bad patch with my tick-ness. But that's no reason to deprive you of the last batch of contest winners (first runners-up, then prize winner). We've got an eclectic mix today and since I feel like crap, I'm going to skip the happy chat and get right to it.*

Bereavement

Outside: In greatest sympathy
Inside: Death sucks.
(H.T.)

Workplace

Outside (drawing of perfect suburban home, station wagon, 2.5 kids and family dog) : We would like to wish you a happy birthday.
Inside: But quite frankly, we are fed up with your behavior thinking you can mistreat us because of what happened in your household growing up. If you don't cut it out, we will take legal action.
(Coco Schiaparelli Von Furstenburg)

Post-it Notes
"From the desk of: Asshole"

Pink Message Pads
While you were out:
You should have stayed out!

(both courtesy of some truly Irish person -- brilliant tie-in!)

Illness

(outside) Sorry to hear you're still in the hospital...
(inside) We were really hoping it was terminal.
(Rabbitch)

New Baby

(outside) We are happy to announce our commitment
(inside) To living in sin with the birth of a bastard.
(C.K.)

Outside: A new baby!
Inside: Just what the world needs! Another psychopath in the making.
(that same truly Irish person)

Wedding/Anniversary

Outside: On your wedding day
Inside: We celebrate the holy union of two souls, half a brain and the same blood-lines. Please don't procreate.
(Just a Knit Wit)

Miscellaneous

For the special graduate:
Outside: Congratulations on your amazing achievement!
Inside: Especially amazing considering the amount of drugs and alcohol you consumed when you were supposed to be studying.
(J.O.)

For that milestone birthday:
Outside: Happy 40th Birthday!
Inside: Today we celebrate that your life is half-over. Wow, haven't accomplished much, have you?

For the newly-minted Ph.D:
Outside: Congrats on your Ph.D.!
Inside: That'll look great on your McDonald's paystubs.
(both courtesy of Just a Knit Wit)

For the mom of your kid's schoolmates:
Outside: Great job on the bake sale!
Inside: While you were out, I slept with your husband.
(N.)

And today's prize -- a skein of BBF superwash sock yarn -- goes to W. for the aptly-named "For My Adult Brother on the Occasion of His Birthday":

Oh Brother dear, to you I must say,

You are a pain in the rear ‘most every day.

You were nasty and evil when we were young,

But as mom’s little angel, your praises she sung.

This only grew worse and became quite a bore,

As I got saddled with family chores.

Take Mom to the doctor, wash Grandma’s hair,

While you fucked around – so very unfair.

But Brother dear, I hold no big grudge,

Although I’m stuck being the family drudge.

For I am executor of the parents’ estate,

And I’ve got an idea I think is just great.

When the parents expire and I take control,

I’ll diddle the numbers in my executrix role.

And with a smile that is bright and sunny,

I will cheat you out of your half of the money.

Happy birthday!

Thanks, everyone!


*I'm too dull-witted to figure out how to show you the only multimedia entry I got; maybe Joe can help me later.

Update: Monday July 9th in early afternoon

Some superwash sock yarns, a few alpaca/silk laceweight and one or two merino/silk. It's been slow going here at Chez Black Bunny...

More winning contest entries

Let's turn now to parents, in particular, the dysfunctional kind. I think I did it backward last time, so today we'll put the prizeless Runners-Up first:

Outside: To my Parents
Inside: If it weren't for you, I'd be an orphan.
(H.T.)

Outside: To my parents: Thanks for the memories...
Inside: The ones I am desperately trying to repress.
(H.T.)

Outside: [picture of fairy tale princess] Dear Stepmother, you taught me that fairy tales really can come true!
Inside: I've got my happy ending, and you're a lonely bitch.
(E.A.)

Outside: [picture of mom warmly hugging children] Every child needs a mom who loves and cares for them.
Inside: But since you can't find it in your cold evil heart to do either, you shall die all alone and forgotten in some unregulated nursing home, but even that might be too good for you.
(W.Y.)

Outside: Happy Mother's Day!
Inside: Hmm, I guess that whole "step on a crack" thing doesn't really work.
(T.C.)

Outside: Happy Father's Day to the man who gave me life...
Inside: ... a nifty scar above my eye, low self-esteem and twenty years of therapy bills. Yours were truly the gifts that kept on giving! P.S. Dr. Rosenberg says "Thanks for the Mercedes."
(L.M.-W.)

Outside: On Mother's Day. Remember when you said you should have squeezed your legs shut?
Inside: Thanks for spreading 'em, Ma.

Prize winner in the Dysfunctional Parent division goes to Big Alice, for this sentiment (which I heartily endorse):

Outside: For my dear Mother-in-Law: A toast on your birthday!
Inside: Because really we both get along much better when we're drunk.

Email me, Big Alice, and I'll give you your choice of prizes.

One more batch tomorrow, including siblings and new babies...

Blog Contest Winners -- part 1

Holy crap. I did not expect the robust response I had to my first real Go Knit In Your Hat contest: something like 60+ suggested cards. Nor did I expect to hit such a chord with so many people. It's comforting to know that I'm not alone. Because there were so many good ones -- and it was hard to choose, believe me -- I've decided to pick winners in various categories. I've used only the initials of the winners, to reduce the chance that you'll be tracked down by a bitter Hallmark employee. Today's entries are in the Romantic Relationship category. Well, allegedly romantic.

Prize goes to M. for this lovely anniversary card:
Outside: Happy anniversary to the man who taught me the meaning of true love
Inside: Now could you please go away so that I can find it?

M. wins a copy of Handknit Holidays, by Melanie Falick.

The runners-up (sorry, no prizes for runners-up) are:

(outside): Sorry to hear that your relationship is not working out...
(inside): You can go wank yourself. I am not your sexual backup plan.
by D.P.

(outside): To my dearest one, it's Valentine's Day
(inside): And sleeping with you has turned me quite gay!
by KnitWit

(outside): Happy birthday to the man who made me everything I am today...
(inside): Including, apparently, syphillitic.
by Rabbitch (who, it must be said, is not syphillitic.) (Anymore.)

and

(outside): Best friends forever (with a sepia-toned photo of two little girls wearing floppy straw hats in a field of flowers)
(inside): I guess forever doesn't last as long as it used to. Thanks for stealing my husband; now you're stuck with him!
by C. in Oregon

which puts me in mind of one I'd like to send to someone I know on behalf of a dear friend:
(outside): Congratulations on your marriage to my adultering ex-husband!
(inside): I'm sure he'll be different with you.

Stay tuned, my pretties: more winners are coming tomorrow, including the exceptionally popular Dysfunctional Parent category...

Happy 4th of July to our Amurrican friends!

(Now I've got to get the red, white and blue sequined tiara back to my favorite drag queen before she kicks my ass.)

Okay, I lied.

Please excuse us while we experience technical difficulties. We hope to return to our normal posting schedule very soon.

The times, they are a-changin'

Conversation at lunch, during an extensive discussion of The Little Mermaid:

G: I like Prince Eric's dog.
Mommy: Oh yeah, the big hairy one. What's his name again?
G: I don't know. [looks downcast]
Mommy: Don't worry, hon, we can find out the dog's name.
G: [emoting] How, Mama, how? How can we find out his name?
N: I know how to find out his name. Google it.

My five-year-old son has grasped something that has eluded eighty percent of the adult members of any message board on the Internet.

God, I love my kids.


Next post: Blog Contest Winners

I'm a little late (and maybe a little sappy?)

For all of those who've been discriminated against
Who have been bullied or teased by other kids
Who have to go to a different jurisdiction to marry the love of their life
Who have to keep their family and romantic life secret
Who are whispered about and speculated upon
Who are denied access to health care and deprived of legal decisionmaking for their partner
Who have been told they are going to hell
Who have been rejected by their or their partner's relatives or friends
Who have been stereotyped
Who have been the victim of violence and/or emotional abuse
Who have to adopt their own kids
Who've lost a job or an apartment or a church or a friend
Just because of who they are...

I'm sorry.
And I'm proud to be on your side.

Happy Gay Pride Weekend.

(Thanks to Ted for the reminder.)

No-Bull Book Review: Wrapped in Comfort: Knitted Lace Shawls, by Alison Jeppson Hyde

I hadn't heard that another lace shawls book was coming out until I saw a preview for Wrapped in Comfort: Knitted Lace Shawls, by Alison Jeppson Hyde, while surfing the internet.


I will confess that I am not familiar with Hyde's work. Her blog is here but despite some Googling, I haven't found any specific information about her prior designs. (There are some free patterns on Hyde's blog/website, if you are interested.) Wrapped in Comfort is hot off the presses; it is a paperback, MSRP $24.95 (available at the time of this writing between $18 and $19 via the link), color, and approximately 80 pages. The book is published by Martingale Press.

I'll get straight to the point: this book contains 12 patterns for circular lace shawls and 4 patterns for rectangular lacy scarves.



All of the shawls are shaped as nearly full circles, with an opening for the head and a slit down the front for wrapping, like so:



(as opposed to the kind that are a true circle and draped or folded when worn). So if you don't care to knit circular lace shawls, be aware that's all you're going to find (with the exception of the four scarves) in this book.*



If you love circular shawls, then you'll definitely want to take a look. The shawls are done in yarns that range from sportweight to laceweight. Several of the patterns are done in an alpaca from a small northwestern alpaca farm and were dyed or overdyed by Hyde. If you like to use exactly the same kind and color of yarn as the sample, this will present a bit of a problem for you. Me, I think it is extremely easy to substitute yarns, particularly for a shawl where gauge and exact fit is less of a concern. There are many, many yarns from sport- to laceweight out there that are more easily obtainable and would be perfect for these patterns, but I mention this in case it's a nonstarter for some.



I will be honest and say that it's very difficult for me to make more specific comments about the designs; yes, there is a repetitiveness to the fact that they are all shaped exactly the same way, but on the other hand, it's the nature of a very specific type of garment. I don't feel like I have the extensive laceknitting experience needed to accurately comment about, for example, whether an average knitter will find these challenging or easy, or whether a die-hard laceknitter will find these original or not. I recognized one variant of Feather and Fan, and some other stitch patterns from Barbara Walker's treasuries (and don't worry, intellectual property-heads; they were attributed in the book). Maybe some of my esteemed readers can help me out if they become familiar with the specific patterns.



One of the other significant things about this book is its very anecdotal nature -- folksy, one might say. The book begins with a page titled "My Story," containing autobiographical information in a chatty, personal style. Each pattern is preceded by a full-page explanation of how the item was inspired, for whom it was knit, and why. So here's your second caveat: if you like folksy, conversational books with lots of personal anecdotes about the designer's inspiration and loved ones, you'll find a lot to enjoy. If you don't, it's easy enough to skip those pages, focusing on the patterns.



Finally, it's also worth mentioning that the book features a brief tips section for laceknitting, discussing blocking, shape, diagramming yarnovers and decreases, and a paragraph or two on designing one's own circular shawls.

Wrapped in Comfort is typical of Martingale books: full color, paperback binding, lots of charts, clear printing, styling and models that seem more girl-next-door than fashion model. The sensibility isn't as contemporary or urban as, say, Teva Durham's recent book. There are lots of color photos, including an overview of each shawl, blocked and spread out so you can see the overall effect of the lace; there are also inset photos that show close-ups of the pattern stitches. Kudos for both of those thoughtful touches. Each design is given in both chart and written-out form, also a thoughtful touch so that no matter which you prefer, conversion is unnecessary. The patterns are also graded by skill level to help the knitter choose and joy of joys! because they are shawls, sizing is not necessary (although Hyde does suggest that a shawl's size can be increased by using thicker yarn).



You might complain that a MSRP of twenty-five bucks is a bit steep for only 16 designs and eighty pages, but considering the amount of work involved in the design and knitting process, I think that would be ungracious. These are time-intensive to design, knit and proofread, and so I don't think the price is at all unreasonable.



All in all, a tentative thumbs-up for Wrapped in Comfort: A thumbs-up because these are technically challenging or interesting patterns; they were labor-intensive to design and knit; and the author has created lovely lacy works, eschewing the fast and easy; tentative only because the appeal of the book largely depends on how you feel about circular lace shawls, and whether you'll like these particular ones.


*Given the small number of scarves, and their relative lack of complexity, I wouldn't suggest buying the book for the scarves alone.

New knitting friends -- and some helpful hints (one knitting, one not)

I have never really belonged to a knitting group. Mostly because my commitments -- first a time-intensive job, then labor-intensive kids -- have made it hard for me to consistently attend. And I love the folks at Rosie's knitting circle, but just can't get into the city by 6 p.m. on a weeknight to go there on a regular basis.

So when Liz asked me to come to the knitting group founded by the inimitable Anne Marie in Philly, I was excited. Now, those of you who don't know me, and even some of you who do, may be surprised to know I have a teeny touch of social phobia. [stop the snickering] I find myself a bit nervous meeting a group of new people, self-conscious, and all that. What made meeting this group such a pleasure was that I immediately felt very comfortable and at home with them. This is my shout-out to them, thanking y'all for welcoming me to your group. I hope it will become "our" group soon...

Meanwhile, back at the ranch

The projects that I'm working on right now -- one knitting, one home -- have inspired me to share with you two helpful hints. The first is knitting-related: blocking is a gift from the gods. Many of you already know this, but if there are any new knitters out there, trust me on this one: you need to block your stuff. There are many tutorials and how-tos both on-line and in the knitting literature (Mar's Blocking for Blockheads is my fave) so I won't waste time telling you how. But every time I block, it's like another little miracle. I am blocking some sweater pieces and assembling them, and the before and after is amazing. I recently obtained a set of blocking wires, which I had been procrastinating about getting, and they are a huge help. Put them on your knitter's Christmas (Hannukah, Eid, Winter Solstice) wish list. And block, dammit!

My non-knitting helpful hint involves stripping wallpaper. Yes, it's a wretched job, isn't it? We are converting what used to be the twins' shared bedroom into one for N. and the one next door for G. The wallpaper is suitable for babies but not kids who proudly tell you that they are not merely five, but five and a half. Having steamed many, many walls of wallpaper -- when we bought it, our house had been untouched since the Nixon administration -- I have discovered the best way to steam wallpaper is to get a cheap warm-mist vaporizer (less than ten bucks at Target) and direct the flow of the steam onto the paper. You have to move it around the room slowly, and elevate it on boxes to get the steam up high, but after about 20 minutes of steam you'll be able to peel the wallpaper right off, with most of the glue. It's better than trying to razor it off, it's better than those gel or liquid glue removers, it's better than painting over it and it isn't as messy. And it's not stinky or chemical-y.

Now I'm off to sneak a whole bunch of outgrown toys to the twins' nursery school for a donation. Nothing more excellent than getting rid of stuff you don't need on the first day of summer. (Or winter, if you're M-H.)

Add another project to the queue

I got invited to a baby shower yesterday. Normally, I love the idea of a new baby in the world -- it's a vote for the future, as T.'s dad often says -- but this baby is, sadly, being born under a bit of a shadow. The father (putative father?) is a good-hearted soul but one of those excessively unmotivated people. The mother is, um, well, let's just say that she is not what you dream of for your son's baby-mommy. The baby wasn't planned.

In fact, this whole thing would be a perfect scenario for a How I Really Feel card: [cover with baby rattle] Congratulations on your new baby! [Inside] Mind giving the infant a paternity test? or [cover with baby basinette] Wishing you well on the birth of your son! [inside] In his honor, I have bought fifty shares in the Trojan corporation. or [cover with baby bottle] A new baby! [inside] Now will you get your tubes tied?

Looking at the bright side, this does present a wee baby to knit for. And my heart aches for this baby, being brought into a world that is already fucked up, to one parent who doesn't particularly want a baby and another who looks at the baby as a way to prevent her boyfriend from dumping her. Babies deserve to be born into families that want them for their own sake, into a stable and loving environment.

So I've really got to knit this kid something.

This presents a bit of a dilemma, given that the shower is in a couple of weeks and I'm cutting it really close as it is for my June 30th deadlines. It's gotta be something quick -- really quick -- yet cute, and it's gotta be in Encore.

Just keep your fingers crossed I don't throw a pack of baby-blue-colored condoms into the Wishing Well.