Beth Ferrier’s Blog

Like many families, this year we decided to rein in our Christmas spending. While we’ve never been really extravagant, our budget had been slowly creeping upward. The truth is, especially when considering our siblings; we’re comfortable enough to be able to purchase pretty much anything gift-sized for ourselves. That means only one thing to me: time for handmade gifts. In years past I have baked my fool head off, providing holiday cookie trays for my sibs-in-law. Always well received, at first this seemed to be the perfect plan for this Christmas. But I just couldn’t get there. No, I wanted to do something new.

I’m sure it had a lot to do with this book, Color by Kristin, by Kristin Nicholas. I’ve been a fan since I discovered her first book and dove head first into a cardigan project (which is as yet unfinished, but that’s another story). Adding fuel to the fire, the fall issue of Knitter’s magazine had the cutest ever stranded hat and mittens.

So, off I trotted to the local yarn shop and loaded up with skeins of color. Just like shopping for fat quarters, I looked for happy colors in multiple shades where possible. I learned that knitters don’t have nearly the choices that quilters do, when it comes to a range of value.

 The knitting is done on the body of the cardigan. I pretty much enjoyed every minute of the knitting. Because my goal was to learn how to throw the yarns with both hands I was able to remain patient with myself as I struggled early on. Can you see the color change in the dot section? The only thing that changed was how I wrapped the yarn on the back of the work. After seeing a video clip on the Philosopher’s Wool Company’s web site I ordered the DVD. I’m glad that I did, it’s wonderful. And while the strands on the back of the body are longer I’m sure the embroidery to come will control them. But I’m sure glad that I will have almost no loops on the back side of the sleeves!

 One of the things that drew me to Kristin’s designs was the way she uses duplicate stitch and embroidery to spice up the simple designs. I find that I’m being drawn more and more to good old fashioned embroidery.

I’ll be really good at french knots before I’m done. I’m having a hot little debate with myself about adding some beads. Good idea? Not so good? There’s such a fine line between Rodeo Drive and trailer trash.

Probably the scariest part will be cutting up the middle of the front. The small checkerboard area is called a “steek”. It’s meant to be cut. Before this project I had never cut a steek. Now I’m a steeking fool. And I’m not afraid of it anymore. The circular needles that I cast on were quite curly. Despite my best efforts I ended up with a twist in the work. Rather than pull out the first twenty five rows I decided to cut the steek to remove the twist. It looks pretty sad, but it was good practice.

 I’ve started the sleeves and I can tell you one thing for sure: I don’t much like knitting fair isle on double pointed needles. I’ll be shopping for some really short circulars before knitting much more!

One day while terribly off task, I was clicking through my favorite blogs. Most days I just check in on my favorites and get on with work. Some days, when I’m into serious work avoidance, I click on the links to see what my blog buddies look at when they’re off task.

I’ve been a knitter since God wore short pants, now knitting is what I do so I know I’m not working. As a little kid I taught myself to throw the yarn without letting go of the needles. Dropping the needles, fumbling for the yarn, throwing the stitch and then grabbing the needles again seemed slow and inefficient. So I have my own strange little dance with the yarn that lets me knit quickly and neatly.

It’s funny how something will just catch my fancy and won’t let go. For forty-five years I’ve avoided Fair Isle knitting like the plague, figuring it was slow, slow, slow. Then somewhere online I saw a video where the knitter worked with a yarn in each hand. Of course I can’t find the original video, I don’t think it was this video, but it’s close enough to give you the idea. Oh, my, how cool is that? I had to learn it!

So what’s a goofy girl like me supposed to do? Off to my local yarn shop. With me went Kristin Knits, written by one of my favorite bloggers, Kristin Nicholas. The book is full of incredible projects with lots of color. I love how she adds details to her knitting with embroidery. The projects range from simple scarves to adorable mittens and socks to incredible cardigans.

Of course I decided make the most complicated cardigan in the book. What better way to learn how to knit Fair Isle throwing the yarn with both hands! I’ll surely be an expert by the time I’m done.

I’m not going to tell you how much I spent because my husband reads this blog. (Love you sweetie.)  The yarn is a wool/silk blend by Cascade Yarns called Venezia Worsted. It’s heavenly to knit. (Isn’t that the cutest planter holding the yarn? It’s actually shaped like a coffee cup but I forgot to turn it so you could see the handle.) I’m thinking the blend will be cooler against my skin (which always seems to be too warm what with my inner child playing with matches and all) than a 100% wool yarn.

I promise I’ll keep you posted on my progress/folly. Did you ever jump into a new technique in a big way? Did you finish? Would you do it again?