The Spit Thing and Other Tales

How do you pick a pattern that is worthy of my knitting sensai Sarah??? NOT EASY!! I had lofty goals of picking out these very intricate cable and Celtic patterns that would make her mouth drop in amazement and invite me to me a master knitter. Alas, two newborn boys prevented this fantasy happening (read - using them as an excuse because I still am a cable novice).

This is a simple stitch pattern adapted from a dishcloth design. However, I did cable the cables without a cable needle - something she taught me in her Aran class but something I wasn't confident enough to try - this was my first attempt. I chose wool because of that whole spit and felt the yarn ends together thing that she taught me in her Entrelac class (don't worry Sarah, no DNA on this square - only had to use one skein). I also used purple - not my fav color but like Sarah, she knits for others and causes without always thinking of what she likes.

Sarah also taught me how to read charts - a skill that has really enabled me to try patterns that would have made me run in terror in the past. She has taught me confidence in my knitting - that is something that really is hard to teach or bring out in anyone.

I'm glad that I could be part of something to give to Sarah as she has given me so much.

Questions

KathyK said...

Are we supposed to incorporate some kind of border stitch on all four sides? most of the squares pattern I've seen have them.
I'm thinking of a cabled square too.

Up to you. I plan on picking up stitches on each side of each square and knitting them together with a 3-needle bind-off, and then knitting a 3-row garter stitch border around the whole thing. I haven't decided what yarn to use for the border, but it will probably be either worsted-weight Lamb's Pride or Baa Baa Joes. So far as I am concerned the weight doesn't matter much, but probably worsted is best--just because a finer yarn is more likely to stretch out with the weight of what is looking like a substantially-sized blanket!

A square is born

I picked out this pattern (the middle one) from Beautiful Knitting Patterns by Gisela Klopper. It includes cables and charts, two things I've learned from Sarah so far, and also it looks really cool.

I have about 2 inches done so far, and I'm hoping to get 2 pattern repeats total. This is the first time I've taken a stitch pattern and attempted to calculate the number of stitches/rows to get a certain size. We'll see what happens.

The yarn is plain ol' Cascade 200, but it's a very lovely dark heathered purple and me likes it a lot. I'm looking forward to seeing what the rest of you are planning (hint, hint)!

Welcome!

Welcome, participants in the great Warm Up Sarah 2007 Project!

(If you're wondering about the weird blog title, well... we wouldn't want Sarah to get suspicious, would we?)

This is the blog for participants, which means access is restricted to those who are planning on making an afghan square. Sarah, of course, doesn't have access, but she will get an invite when she gets the blanket. Please post your plans, progress, whatever, along with pictures if you have them--that way she will get the retroactive pleasure of watching the afghan grow.

Ground rules for the project are as follows:

1. Please knit a 12" x 12" afghan square. Any gauge, and any material that is compatible with wool is fine. The wool need not be superwash; if anyone is capable of washing wool, it's Sarah! Purple is encouraged.

2. Please attach a tag to your square, so Sarah knows who made which square.

3. Feel free to make more than one square.

4. Please, oh please, block your square to size before you send it.

5. If possible, try to do a pattern incorporating something you learned from Sarah.

6. When you're done, please send your square to me (uberimma) for assembly. If you're reading this, you should already have my address; if not, please email me at uberimma@gmail.com.

7. Deadline is March 1, 2007.

Let the squaring begin!