Fiber Fool

Here is a peek of what I’ve been playing with this week. I’m busy working on writing the MSK July newsletter and getting some other patterns ready to go out to test/sample knitters so there hasn’t been a lot of knitting time this week. Though to be honest, I’ve knit this little piece of fair isle a couple times.

Your eyes are not deceiving you. This is stranded colorwork knit flat. I know that is practically unheard of. We all know I like nothing more than a big challenge though, right? In truth, it isn’t terribly difficult. I wouldn’t want to knit an entire sweater this way. Steeking is definitely the way to go. But, thanks to knitting backwards, working colorwork flat is not too difficult. I’m glad that I had learned to knit backwards and knitting entrelac though. It probably would be a tad more tedious if I was also learning how to knit backwards. I taught myself by turning the work and getting the needles and yarn into position than turn it back to have RS facing. I’m glad I did that because I almost always have to refresh myself on how to do it when I do use it. It isn’t something I use regularly.

Knitting backwards is a great skill, as I mentioned, for entrelac, or anything that is somewhat narrow and annoying to keep turning your work. One could even do it for heel flaps! Also, if you hate purling you might find backwards knitting (knitting from left to right) more enjoyable. If you’re curious about knitting backwards there was an article in Knitty back in 2006 and there are a few YouTube videos as well - for throwers like me (with voice instructions) & for continental knitters (with no voice instructions). In actuality, for stranded colorwork I use both techniques because I prefer to carry a yarn in each hand when knitting fair isle.

I thought maybe this weekend would be for lots of knitting, but it has filled quickly. Though, oddly with no plans for the actual holiday. So, perhaps Sunday will be full of lots of knitting. I can hope anyway :-) The heat wave is supposed to break then so that would be great actually.

I’m working on a mini-theme for my ECFs for the upcoming weeks. I’m hoping I can maybe keep the idea going through the entire summer. If it looks like it is going to pull together I’ll share it with you and hopefully have the first in the series next Friday. I’m kind of excited about it and the list of “possibilities” keeps growing and growing.

To all my fellow Americans - Happy Independence Day! Please be safe and enjoy yourselves!