DK the Nautical Knitter

A few weeks ago I officially began charting the next Secret of the Stole for the knit a long that will be beginning in August. The theme and name have been selected and the design seemed to flow onto the chart effortlessly. Which is not unusual when the muse awakens and stirs my imagination. Things were going so smoothly.

The test knitting began in earnest, and then everything came to a screeching to a halt! The chart was not right, something was amiss. Time to rip and rework from the beginning.

Five times I went through this process, one time was not the fault of a chart in error though. It was the fault of being on the boat and not paying attention to the stitch that was running down the ladder like a freight train without brakes! Blame it on the dolphins that were playing nearby!

Anyway, apparently the sixth time is the charm and now the chart and the test knitting are steaming right along. Whoo hoo! The issue I was having with the chart was due to pushing the limits of my knowledge and trying to learn more about design.

One of the reasons I work on these knit a longs is so that I can challenge myself and continue to figure out why a particular pattern is working out the way it is, or is not. Learning new things can sometimes be painful, but most of the time it is well worth the effort.

Here is a photo of Sots and the Secret of the Stole III in progress. He is happily cruising along now.

What’s that you say? You say you can’t see it? Hmmm, I guess you will have to wait until the knit a long in August to get a better look….

Sign-ups are not open for the knit a long yet, but if you would like to be notified when sign-ups begin for the Secret of the Stole III KAL, please join the Nautical Knitter Designs Yahoo group.

Happy Knitting…

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One thing I love about traveling is the ability to procrastinate for a valid reason. You see, I have been able, for the past three weeks or so, to put off doing many of the things I needed to do at home, because I was not “at home”. Ahh, but it always catches up with me and here I am swamped to the gills again. Somehow, it feels natural to me though. I am not sure it would be normal to not have “too much to do”.

I received a wonderful swap package from my friend Kimberly in Berlin. Here is the booty.

What a wonderful swap partner! She sent me wonderful sock yarn in two yummy colors, a German knitting/crochet magazine, and loads of little goodies, including a sheep cookie cutter. The cream of the swap, however, was the rare as gold skein of Wollmeise yarn and the truly thoughtful double point knitting needle case that she made for me! I also especially liked the stitch markers she and Alida, her daughter, made for me. I put the needle case to use right away. I filled it with all the double points I could find in my office and then rolled it up, tied it with the pretty black velvet ribbon, and put it away. Man, what a wonderful gift! I was going crazy with my double points all over the place and not having enough time to make myself one of these wonderful organizers. Thanks Kimberly, et al!

We have been so busy lately with traveling and the Secret of the Stole II KAL (and our day jobs) that it has been impossible to find time to do much of anything else. I did manage to finish one of the sleeves for my father’s costume while we were on the boat last weekend. This sleeve will be attached to the tuxedo shirt that I took the sleeves off of a while back. It will be gathered at the shoulder and the scalloped edge you see at the bottom will be finished off with black satin stitch. Hopefully all will go well with this project and I can move on to my skirt and all the vests I have to make. Look for lots of posts on the progress of the costumes coming up, because the festival is at the end of May and there is so much to do still.

Another finished project is my Secret of the Stole II. About half way through the Secret of the Stole II KAL, I decided to redesign the shape of the stole. This meant, that I needed to chart the changes, keep up with putting them on the group site every week, and knit an entirely new stole to reflect the new pattern design. I have been knitting like a madwoman (hence the lack of blog posts) to get the revised stole completed before everyone else and so that we can go do a photo shoot for the pattern cover this weekend. I am happy to report that as of today the revised shape stole pattern has been completed and blocked.

The original stole yarn requirements were lace weight yarn and size 3 needles. When I decided to knit the new version of the pattern I wanted a larger, thicker, warmer stole so I went with dk weight yarn and size 5 needles. The stole blocked out to 93″ x 24″. It is alpaca and luscious. This one is all mine!!!

The original pattern will be sold under a different name and will be similar to this one, but the shape is different. Right now, (until March 21) we have both patterns for pre-purchase on the Knitwith.us web site for $10. After March 21 the price for the patterns will be $7 each. If you would like to pre-purchase, the links to both patterns will be sent to you on March 21, 2008.

I mentioned that we were on the boat last weekend. It was so pretty when we arrived that Mr. K was able to pressure wash the boat while I sat on the dock and knitted. Right about the time he completed pressure washing and began peeling the vinyl letters off the side and stern of the boat (we are changing the name of her to Island Zephyr) the wind began picking up. By the time he was finished with the last letter the weather radio was reporting gale warnings for the next 24 hours. They weren’t kidding! We slept on a rockin and rollin boat that night. It was really pretty cool!

The next day when the seas subsided, we had two very special visitors into the very narrow channel of the marina. We think they chased schools of fish into the channel and had a feast. Afterwards, as they were leaving, we believe they were mating! Too cool!

Well, that is about all I can think of to tell you guys right now. More frequent posting should be on the way since the knit a long is just about over. As if there isn’t enough to keep us all busy and just in case you didn’t know already, Spring Knitty is up…..

Fair Winds, D

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Here are the first 29 rows of my Civil War Shawl KAL and behind me you can see where I work on it the most.  College basketball provides  a great block of 3+ hours of knitting time for me.  The shawl is growing slowly, stay tuned…

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The chart and instructions for the Secret of the Stole KAL knit a long have been posted. If you haven’t joined the fun yet, follow the link and find out what you are missing. Only 31 days until the secret begins to be revealed. Here are my swatches and the details of each.

Both swatches were created with Jaggerspun Super Lamb 2/24 on a cone from Sarah’s Yarns. The color is Khaki. The smaller of the two swatches was knitted on US 2 (2.75 mm) needles and measures 6″ x 4.75″. The larger swatch was knit with US 3 (3.25 mm) needles and measures 7″ x 5.5″. Both were dry blocked for the photo.

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Sots was delivered in my mail yesterday and I could not stop giggling every time I looked at him. He was made for me by a member of the Secret of the Stole KAL - Guinevere knit a long group. I was totally surprised at his arrival and just think he is the cutest thing ever. Thank you Deb, I love him!

He is about 6.5 inches tall, his tail is just as long, and he was created from the free pattern Baby Snow Dragon by oldbaglady. The best part is that he is knitting a Guinevere stole! Isn’t he the most adorable thing?

The Secret of the Stole I (Guinevere) knit a long has ended and the group is now open to new members who have purchased the pattern. We decided to keep the group open so that those who wish to continue to share their progress on the stole can have a place to do so.

We are now preparing, fast and furious, for the Secret of the Stole II KAL that officially begins on January 18, 2008. In addition to the pattern creation, test knitting, etc. that goes into a knit a long, we are also working hard to prepare the new web site that will provide a forum, a pod-casting section, a video section for techniques and more. Stay tuned…

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Now that the Secret of the Stole KAL is winding down and members are completing their stoles I thought it would be a good idea to compile a little of the information that I have found regarding the best ways to block a stole, scarf, shawl, or any other knitted item for that matter. Most knitting (pattern) books are conspicuously quiet on this topic, with more of a focus on the patterns and producing a finished product. So turning to the Internet for answers, a quick Google search will produce way too many various excellent results on this subject. I compiled my own list of top blocking tips here from those results and my own experience. Let’s get started.

Blocking Surfaces: Where do I block my item? What type of surface do I need?

There are many creative blocking surfaces these days. The most important things to look for in a blocking surface are:

1. Can pins be attached or stuck into to the surface?
   This is important because the item needs to be stretched out, pinned down, and left to dry. The best way to do this is to use straight pins and push them into the blocking surface.
2. Is the surface large enough for my finished piece when stretched?
   Take into consideration the finished size of the item from the pattern designer. This will give you a rough idea of how much surface area you will need to successfully block your finished item. Obviously, you will need less blocking surface for a pair of socks than a shawl or stole.
3. Is the surface in a place that it can stay for a day or so? Or, will it need to be portable? Do I have somewhere to store the surface when I am finished using it?Here are two of the surfaces that I find the most convenient and useful.

   Foam Insulation -
   If space and storage are not an issue (see below), the most economical surface to use would be the foam insulation board that is sold at virtually all home improvement stores. This board is almost always a pink color, is made of foam and is very light. The pieces are sold in 4 x 8 foot sheets and are very portable, even once the piece is blocked. These boards can be propped up against a wall after the piece is blocked out on them which keeps little hands and paws off. This surface can also be modified, made more portable and storable, by cutting it in squares and taping them together with Gorilla tape, found in the same stores (which is much stronger and more durable than duct tape).

   If you are so inclined, you can attach gingham fabric to your board like Yarn Maven did and have a square surface reference for accuracy of straight edges.

   Interlocking Play Mats -
   This is the surface that I use. These mats are a little more expensive than the insulation and can be found at toy stores and sometimes at the bigger warehouse stores. The foam that these mats are made of is very dense and they last much, much longer than the insulation. I live in a small house and an even smaller boat and the advantage of these mats is that when I need to block an item I can pull them out and “lock” them together in whatever configuration I need to attain the correct sized blocking surface for my item. When I am finished I can “unlock” them and put them away again.

4. Do I really need to purchase a blocking surface?
   No, if you have a bed or mattress, carpeted floor that is clean or that you can lay a sheet out on, or even a trampoline outside on a cloudy, non-freezing, day you can block your knitted item. All of these surfaces require attention to surrounding issues, like little people, animals, and in the case of the trampoline, weather. Additionally, there are several commercially available “blocking boards” out there and it just takes a quick Google search to find them. They can be pricey though and in the end are basically the same as the two more economical alternatives above.

Blocking Tools: What supplies do I need to block my item?

There are very few tools required to block a knitted item.

1. Blocking wires and rods, string and dental floss, which to choose?Blocking wires and rods -
   These two terms seem to be used interchangeably and they are basically stainless steel rods (or spools of wire) that are about .030″ in thickness are very flexible and come in a variety of lengths. There are many for sale on the Internet, sold as “blocking wires” for knitters. However, the more economical way to go (what I use) is stainless steel welder’s rods that can also be found on the Internet and in some hardware/welding supply stores for a fraction of the cost.

   String and dental floss -
   An even more economical way to block your items is with a string or even, dental floss. Here is a wonderful tutorial on how to block with string.

   Pins -
   Always use rustproof, stainless steel straight pins for blocking your knitted pieces.

Techniques: Steam, wet or dry blocking. Which do I use and how do I do it?

Blocking at different stages of a knitted item’s development require different techniques.

Dry -
I use dry blocking, almost always, when I want to take a progress photo. This is pretty much the only time I use this method. To use this method, you can use rods or just pins. Gently stretch your piece out on your blocking surface and pin in place.

Steam -
The steam method can be used for small projects, but I would not recommend it for larger pieces or for pieces that have been worn. This method uses a combination of heat and water to “set” the lace in a certain place. The reason I don’t recommend it for items that have been worn is that if there are any potential stains, grease, or that type of thing on the piece they will be permanently set in by using this method. This method is, however, handy for making a particular section of the lace item “behave” after wet blocking.

Wet -
This is the method I use most often and here are the basic steps.

1. Fill a clean sink, tub, or other container with cool clear water. If laundering or re-blocking a mild soap can be added and then you would need to repeat this step with another bath of clear clean rinse water.
2. Gently immerse your item in the water, making sure not to agitate the item.
3. Remove the item from the water and place in a colander to drain or place in between thick towels and apply pressure. It is very important not to agitate, squeeze or wring your item because it will begin to felt if you do this.
4. If the item is long, like a stole, scarf, or shawl, take it to a place where you can sit with it. There is no need to run your wires through your piece while hunched over your blocking surface. Begin to run your blocking wires along the outside edges through the yarn over’s or motifs.
5. Try to keep your “weaving” of your wires through the edge motifs consistent if possible. For example, go in one yarn over and come back out three down, repeat.
6. Once you have your wires in place, lay your piece on the blocking surface and begin to pin the edges down. I stick the pins on the inside of the wires, with the head of the pins at an angle away from the piece. This keeps the wires from popping up and over the pins.
7. When you finish pinning down one edge, move to the opposite side and pin down that edge. Continue this process until the entire piece is blocked or pinned down.
8. You will want to gently stretch your piece until it has equal and moderately tight tension throughout. Lace is amazingly strong and conformable during the blocking process, so don’t hesitate to stretch, pin, re-stretch, and re-pin until the piece looks the way you want it to.
9. If your piece has long straight edges you may want to use a yardstick or other straight edge of some sort to make sure the edges of your piece are as straight as possible. Keep in mind that however the piece dries it will stay until the next time you block it.
10. Allow the piece to dry. This can take an hour to a day or two depending on the piece, yarn used, etc.
11. Un-pin and enjoy!

Here are a few of the links that I found the most helpful when I was searching for information on this topic:

Knitpicks, Heart Strings, Blockheads, Eunny Knits

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Ok, for some reason the last post had the theme name of the stole attached to the photos.  Note to self, name files, especially photo files, something other than the secret name of the stole…

So, let’s do this again. 

Now that the final hint has been released in the Secret of the Stole KAL I can finally show the world my completed stole. Mr. K took photos of her while we were at a city park several weeks ago and I have been dying to show them to everyone. So without further ado, I give you *********.

Popularity: 7% [?]

Now that the final hint has been released in the Secret of the Stole KAL I can finally show the world my completed stole. Mr. K took photos of her while we were at a city park several weeks ago and I have been dying to show them to everyone. So without further ado, I give you *********.

OOPS - Photos will be back in a momet

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The secret is in the mist…

Check out the Nautical Knitter KAL page to find out more about this new knit a long that will be beginning in January.  Please join up and don’t miss out on any of the fun!  In addition, feel free to snag one of these cool new blog buttons Mr. K made for the new KAL.  He is so awesome!

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Many of you are participating in the Secret of the Stole KAL. I am thankful for that, but I also realize that most knitters relish variety, myself included. So if you are a member of one of the German knit-a-longs (Knitting Delight or Secret of Chrysopolis to name a few)that are going on now, like I am, you will probably benefit from the new series Claudia is doing on her blog. She has been taking one knitting term per post and giving the English to German translation.

Being a member of the German knitting yahoo groups is not a new thing for me and I realized the other day while skimming the emails that I was actually reading them in German without a translator. How cool is that? Check out Claudia’s blog and tell her I sent you.

How about some eye candy? Check out what Fleegle just finished. She does such amazing lace work. More photos and details of her progression on this knitted lace shawl can be found on her blog.

Last, but not least, Mr. K has added a pre-purchase link to the Patterns page for the Secret of the Stole finished pattern. The complete pattern will be available in PDF format on December 1, 2007. If you would like to be one of the first to receive this pattern in your inbox or you would like to gift it to someone special, please visit the patterns page for more info.

If you would like to be informed about the next Nautical Knitter KAL you can join the yahoo group Nautical Knitter Designs and you will receive the latest updates on new Nautical Knitter patterns and knit-a-longs.

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