Monthly Archives: August 2012

Working On: Beatnik

Well, I finally found the time to cast it on.

beatnik sabine juniper moon farm

I’ve been knitting this while watching Game of Thrones, and, I’ve got to say, the plot’s just about as twisted and internecine as the cables.

Ba-dum-ching.

beatnik sabine juniper moon farm

Seriously, though, I was expecting to be twisting one column of stitches around another– I was NOT expecting to be cabling a cable. The chart’s just complex enough that I keep having to refer back to it, which doesn’t go well with television, and really doesn’t go well to my self-assured, never-rip-back, forge-boldly-on knitting style.

I guess it’s good, every once and a while, to knit a pattern that’s smarter than you are.

beatnik sabine juniper moon farm

The Sabine is doing nicely– springy like a wool, but cool like a cotton– and I particularly like this forest-green colorway, Foliage. It’s fun.


Vermont Dreaming

Vermont Dreaming Vermont Dreaming IMG_7918

This is the yarn I spun from the first half of the roving I dyed in Vermont a couple weeks ago. It’s very slow going as this is not the best roving to make laceweight yarn with but there wasn’t much and I really wanted enough yarn for a project. I’ve got about 270 yards from the first half so by the time I’m done, I should have enough for a little project of some sort.  Thanks again Kristen for an excellent and fabulously fun workshop!

Sweater Class!

Remember last week when I showed you this?

It’s pretty exciting. Not because I magically knit an entire sweater in a week, because I didn’t. In fact, the sweater still looks exactly the same. What’s exciting is that this is my pre-work for a sweater class I will be teaching in September!

Here is everything you need to know!

Project Class: O W L S by Kate Davies Skill Level: Adventurous Beginner – Intermediate
Six Week Class Meets Thursday, September 13, 20, 27, 2012 and October 4, 11, 18, 2012 from 7-9 pm at Potwin Presbyterian Churn in Topeka.
Cost $45

This iconic sweater by Kate Davies would make a great first sweater project, or a fun way to explore new techniques for an intermediate knitter. O W L S is a women’s sweater knit in the round from the bottom up. It include waist shaping and a ring of cabled owl around the yoke. Knitting this sweater will teach you how to knit, purl, increase, decrease, knit in the round, cable, bottom-up seamless sweater construction, and short rows.

The student is responsible for purchasing their own pattern and supplies. (If this is your first sweater, I highly recommend purchasing your yarn from The Wicked Stitch, The Yarn Barn, or other local yarn store where the employees can answer your questions.) The pattern can be purchased online at ravelry or from the designer’s website.

Supplies needed: enough chunky yarn to knit the sweater in your chosen size, 32-inch (or longer) circular needle in US sizes 10 and 10.5 or size to achieve gauge, cable needle, stitch markers in two colors, tapestry needle and waste yarn. Optional supplies, 5mm buttons, needle, thread.

Homework: please have your gauge swatch knitted by the first night of class.

I have long been wanting to knit this sweater. It is fun and simple. I hope to have a good, every day pullover when I am finished knitting it–and some cool weather to wear it in. (Right now I am pictured myself pairing it with a flirty skirt, my black boots, and the socks from the cover of Sock Knitting Master Class, knit in a grey instead of brown. It’s a funky outfit, but oh will I ever be warm!)

If you’re a local and on the fence about the class, take a look at all the projects on the ravelry project gallery page. It’s full of inspirational photographs, yarn ideas, and helpful hints. I guarantee you will fall in love. And if you aren’t local, download the pattern anyway. Kate Davies is a brilliant independent designer, and I promise, the $6 (or whatever the current exchange rate from the pound is) is entirely worth it. If I hadn’t been so focused on the pineapple socks, I would be well into the sleeves of this by now. I am not exaggerating, that’s how quickly this knits up.

So happyknittingfriends, I have 8 spots open for this class and you have one month to collect your materials. Won’t you join me?

(Also, check out what other classes the PFA is currently offering!)

We’ve MOVED…


Hi friends!  We've taken the blog over to the website, so if you're looking for the latest posts, mosey over to www.jacobsreward.com/blog and stay in the Farm Loop!  Thanks...

Stella makes some new friends

We started by making sure that Luna and Stella had some alone time so that they could bond and Luna could learn how to be a good mother. This morning we let both Luna and Stella interact with everyone else in their pasture. Luna started by munching down on some fresh grass while Stella explored and made some new friends.

Stella a Coconut look very good together.

This picture show how big and healthy Stella really is.

Soon everyone else wanted to see what was going on. Stella is already taller than Jack.

Everyone seemed to approve of the new addition to the farm.

At this point Luna had decided she needed to see what was up and came bounding over.

Stella decided now that mom was back this it was a great time for a quick snack. It is amazing how healthy and vibrant Stella is. Even when we are inside you can catch a glimpse of her sprinting across the field of kicking up her heels. We are so happy to have Stella and glad to see the rest of the animals are happy to have her around too.

 

Illumination Night …

My creation

Illumination Night is my favorite event of the summer on Martha’s Vineyard.  CLICK HERE to read about this celebration.  Illumination Night this year is Wed, Aug 15… if you’re on the Vineyard be sure to go and experience this one of a kind event.


More Sister’s Choice blocks

IMG_7893 IMG_7895 IMG_7894

Slowly but surely I am getting through these blocks. I have about fifteen more to go and then it’s time to think about final quilt top construction, sashing, borders and all that jazz.

Review: Knitting the Perfect Fit

Post image for Review: Knitting the Perfect Fit

perfectfit_011

First, the facts:

Title: Knitting the Perfect Fit: Essential Fully Fashioned Shaping Techniques for Designer Results

Author: Melissa Leapman

Published by: Potter Craft, 2012

Pages: 158

Type: Patterns and Design

Chapters:

1. Basics
Get Your Knitting into Shape: Fully Fashioned How-Tos
Knitting as a Foreign Language: Knitting Charts 101
Knitting to Flatter
2. Step Away from the Edge
Designer Workshop: Making Simple Stockinette Garments Look Extraordinary
3. Designer Details
Designer Workshop: Enrich Your Knits!
4. Figure Flatterers
Designer Workshop: Knit a Fine Figure

KS: Knitting the Perfect Fit

The In-Depth Look:

This book begins:

“It’s all in the details! The use of what designers call fully fashioned shaping marks the difference between an ordinary ho-hum sweater and an undeniably spectacular fashion garment. … Many handknitters already use shaping details in their garments: decreases for armholes, necklines or sleeve caps, and increases for sleeves. We don’t cut our pieces into shape, we knit them into shape! But most knitters do not understand how shaping works or how to use simple increases and decreases to add visual interest to their garments.”

And that’s what it comes down to, isn’t it? It’s not just about having one preferred method of shaping a garment, but knowing which one will not only work best, but will look best–especially if there’s a certain look you want, or a style you’re trying to emulate.

One of the nicest things about knitting is that the basics are simple to learn. And yes, you can get by forever with just one increase and one decrease under your belt–just like you can manage with just one cast-on and cast-off method.

But … why let yourself be limited?

Because one of the other nice things about knitting, one of the amazing things, is that the possibilities are endless. The right technique can take a garment from something ordinary that will keep you warm to something that will keep you warm but look extraordinary while doing it.

The author continues,

“In these pages we will explore simple fully fashioned techniques and how to apply them to create interesting designer elements and flattering shaping details in garments for any body shape. You will learn that just adding a few extra details can take a project to an entirely new level of sophistication.”

The book breaks into four parts: basic increase/decrease techniques, applying them to basic stockinette stitch pieces, using them for true designer details, and using them to make garments truly figure-flattering. Each chapter begins with instructional pages to elucidate the techniques, and then follows with actual sweater patterns to demonstrate. Each design (ranging from sleeveless tops through heavy jackets–and one skirt for good measure) comes with a guide suggesting the figure types it will look best on, as well as construction notes.

Overall, I liked the designs in this book quite a lot–stylish without being too weird. (Oops. Not that ultra-fashionable garments are weird. I would never say that. But I AM saying that these are NOT.) They look accessible and wearable and comfortable and I wouldn’t say no to any of them in my wardrobe.

It’s not really surprising. I’ve liked Melissa Leapman’s designs since her Cables Untangled book, and haven’t been disappointed yet. This latest book is not only filled with 19 nice designs, but lots of useful information to go with them.

You can check it out at Amazon.com.

Want to see bigger pictures? Click here.

This review copy was kindly donated by Potter Craft. Thank you!

My Gush: Yeah, I liked this one, too. Her designs are always appealing.

Other posts for this author:

The Beach is Back

I am happy to report that after 4 blissful days at the beach I am back and feeling great.  There really is something very healing about the ocean; just listening to the waves and feeling the sea breeze does something to your soul.

This year was my favorite beach trip.  Two of our lovely friends brought their new babies with them (both were born in December) and it was by far the most relaxing, stress – free and fun trip we’ve had. The babies were wonderful and I thoroughly enjoyed taking pictures of them discovering the beach and enjoying some time with their mamas.

There was so much good food that I may have put on a pound (or 5).  I brought homemade peach salsa, my friend Gabi brought a delightful Argentinian fruit spread that we ate slathered in large amounts on good hard cheese.  There was plentiful fruit and summer sausage brought by Jessie.

Of course we all splurged at the restaurants as well.

But the one thing I will really remember from this trip was the Stand Up Paddle Boarding that Diana, Jessie, Margie and I tried.  It was something that was a little bit outside my comfort zone, but I didn’t want to miss out.  I am SO glad I did it.  It was much easier than I feared and we had a blast.I wish I had pictures to show you, but I couldn’t bring my camera.

Little Liam was my seat buddy on the ride out and back.  He giggled and cooed and was a total angel both times.

Teddy was very much into exploring the sand.  And is so obviously in love with his mother it made my ovaries hurt.

Rainbow!  Fortunately the rain didn’t affect us too much – it was brief, and gave us a glorious rainbow.  UNfortunately, due to the cloudiness we were unable to see the perseids meteor shower.

The best beach crew you could hope for.

I’ve linked above to the company we used for the paddle boarding.  If you are ever in Virginia Beach, give them a try.  They were reasonably priced and a ton of fun.


Tagged: food, Trips

Beautiful Stella

You all don’t mind if today’s post is just a bunch more pictures of Stella, do you?

lineback calf juniper moon farm

 

 

 

lineback calf juniper moon farm

 

lineback calf juniper moon farm

 

lineback calf juniper moon farm

She’s been getting her fill of colostrum, too! In a few days, Luna will stop producing colostrum and start producing milk, and we’ll be able to start milking her! She and Stella will start spending 12 hours per day together, and 12 hours per day apart, so that we each will get half of Luna’s milk.