I just noticed...

I have not posted anything on my blog for over a month. I've been writing patterns, hand outs, chapters for my book and did not notice that maybe I should share some of it on my blog. I'm always adding new chapters for my book, because I know I have a book in me. Weather I ever publish or not does not seem to matter. I just like the writing, the research and the fantasy of seeing it in a printed book some day.

I was teaching a couple of classes at Newton's Spring Fling, and at Studio 66 retreat. Both events were lots of fun for me and I think my students liked the classes as well. I was teaching short rowing techniques and another class all about dyeing wool with food coloring. When I first started to put the short row class together I looked around for a good pattern that utilizes lots of short rows. I found the "Wingspan" by Maylin, a very popular pattern on Ravelry.com.

I think last time I looked there has been over 7,300 projects knitted from this pattern. And by the way Ravelry.com just announced that they now have are you ready? 3,000,000 yes that is three million members world wide! Wow! Congratulations Jess and Casey!

This is a screen shot from my Ravelry.com projects page of the Winged Vest.

I jumped in and downloaded the free pattern and looked for yarn I had in my yarn cave to start this new project. Even though I have so many shawls and scarfs but the short rows looked like a lot of fun. So I guess I can always use another shawl. On Ravelry.com you can click on the number of the projects and see a whole list of projects knitted of this pattern. I love this feature of Ravelry. 

You can view what yarns other people used for the pattern and any notes or remarks about the project. So I decided that Noro Sock yarn would be the best choice. I love the long color changes and it's sock yarn so the yardage is generous.  462 yards (422 meters) Luckily I spotted a plastic bag with two balls of Noro sock yarn. Great I thought over 900 yards should be plenty for this project. 

I cast on with excitement, the beginning was a bit tricky but once I got the hang of it, easy peasy. I progressed rather fast. The Wingspan was taking shape. Then I decided to take a closer look at just how much yarn I have left.... yes I know I should have done this in the first place but... it was late and I had two balls of Noro in a plastic bag.

I had won this at my knitting guild raffle, who would guess that somebody would put two different color ways in the same bag? What kind of trick is this "Miss Brandi"? But tricked I was and it turned out that I only had one ball of Noro Sock yarn in this color way. The other ball of yarn was a totally different color. But it looks so nice, I'm not ripping this out, I'm making it work!

I still had enough yarn of to make another piece, maybe it can become something. Let me see....

Back to the yarn cave and look for more Noro. I did not have sock yarn but I had some Noro Silk Garden in the same color way. Oh maybe I'll add this piece that I knit a while back and put aside.

Turns out I have all kinds of Noro yarn in the same color way, it's a slightly different gauge but who will notice? Gauge is for suckers after all. Keep knitting, more short rows, keep trying it on, keep knitting. And here is the result:

You want the recipe? 

Send me an eMail bananaknits@gmail.com

Color Inspirations

There are so many wonderful colors in nature and it all inspires me. I love to dye fiber, it is perhaps the most enjoyable and satisfying part of my knitting. I love intense colors and none are more intense than this dragon fruit. And yes after I took the picture I ate the fruit.

The fruit itself is nice but has a very mild taste, contrasting with this intense color.

New Class I'm Teaching: Paint Your Project

Painting Yarn Painlessly.

Let there be color!
Turn that boring shawl into something spectacular.

Non Toxic Permanent Acid Colors
Right in your kitchen
Using Food Coloring

Have you ever knit a garment and at the time the colors seemed ok but you never wear it? Maybe the color is just not right. After spending hours and hours of knitting it's a shame to "frog" it or give it away hoping somebody else might like it. I have the solution!

Paint Your Project!

No need to worry about toxic dyes that you may have to wear your mask and dedicated utensils etc. You can easily dye or paint your yarn or project right in your kitchen. Food Coloring!

Not toxic yet it's a permanent pigment that tints animal fibers. It is a PERMANENT dye! That is the number one question I am asked, will it wash right out? NO it's permanent. 

Will it fade fast? Not any different than other acid dyes, some colors fade faster than others and it depends on the "wear and tear" and soaps, sun exposure and such. Some wool breeds hold color better than others and the technique you use may differ as well.

It will not work on cotton, rayon or acrylics. Only protein fibers but boy does it work on those!

The inspiration was this beautiful silk scarf I have and every time I wear it I get many compliments. Why not have a shawl with these colors! So I knit a swatch with natural wool and started painting. I left a portion un-painted so we could see the dramatic difference.

Save the date:

April 28, 2013

Where: Newton's Spring Fling Seminar
in Anaheim, California
(close to Disneyland)

Enrollment limited call to reserve a space: 714-634-9116

Why didn't I think of this?

Just a little humor for Friday!

Rusty Wings

I'm calling this project "Rusty Wings". Maybe not that original but naming projects can be an art in itself. It's another Winged Vest but in the orange & rust hues. I'm knitting this one so I can fine tune the pattern. I am determined to write this pattern for publication. I've had so many requests for it that this one may be worth while sharing. 

I write patterns of my designs but most of the time it's just for my own records. If in case I want to make another project I can refer back to my notes. That is why I started this blog, Ravelry.com was not available yet and I wanted access to my knitting notes online. I was tired of searching around for the bits of paper or notebook or napkin that I took notes on. Create a blog! Great idea!

They asked what I wanted to call my blog and AnaBanana was a nickname for obvious rhyming reasons so I went with BananaKnits. Some old friends still refer to me as "The Banana". I guess no matter how old you get certain nicknames stick. Like Shrimpie in Downton Abbey, I did not like the season ending by the way but I digress.....

Often it's just several photographs to track what I've done. I use the camera as a tool helping me to remember details. It's easier to search my iPhoto library than looking for notes on paper that I may or may not have filed in the right place.  I will photograph my progress and embed texted details. 

What yarn did I use? Where did I get it? In this case it was Etsy.com And what size needles I used. I have HiyaHiya.com interchangeable needles and have both metal and bamboo sets. (size 5) I discovered that I really like knitting with one bamboo needle and one metal needle. I'm not exactly sure why but it seems to feel better than bamboo against bamboo or metal on metal. Go figure. If it works I'm going with it.

I'

Falling in Love with the Latest

When you knit like I do and design on the fly, there is a lot of experimentation involved. Not every project turns out as a WOW piece. Some projects are just one color and not very much pizzaz to them at all. It's always easier to work on a project that I LOVE and is a bit challenging. This latest "creation" is just one of those that I'm currently in LOVE with. I was wearing it yesterday and it was warm cozy and the colors were up-lifting.

First I want to tell you in case you have not noticed that I prefer COLOR! The bolder and brighter the better. I have my favorite color ways and I seem to pick the same colors, I think most people are the same way. There are times when I step out of my "comfort" zone but usually I gravitate towards the same hues and colors. Through the years I've found what looks good on me and I stick to it.

The shawl was knitted many years ago and the whimsical squiggly "stash buster" edge was added a couple of years after the shawl was finished. When I added it together with my current "Winged Vest" they blended perfectly. Adding my Silver monkey pin for the closer it seemed to add just the right little accent.

Made with Noro Silk Garden, wool yarn with silk from my stash. Yarn that I've had for a long time patiently waiting to become something. 

Home Sweet Home

Love going away but sleeping in one's own bed is really sweet. I'm not sure exactly why I decided to drive but I made it. 790 miles round trip. On the way up we stopped over at Avila Beach. One of my favorite beaches, along the California Hwy 1 route, very picturesque. 

Stitches West was a lot of fun, lots of "crazy" knitters and the market place was overwhelming. People were really helping the economy buying yarn and goodies left and right. Great classes to learn new ways to do things and after sitting around telling each other what we were learning. The lobby experience at the hotel was half the fun. 

They served french fries with "Gilmore Garlic" (Gilmore Garlic Festival) that not just smelled incredible but the taste was out of this world too. We gathered in the lobby of the hotel between activities to discuss what we bought, what we saw and learned. And a few good laughs. A good time was had by all.

On Saturday evening they had the "Student Banquet" dinner. This is the event where you can submit 2 garments to show off to the rest of the attendees and organizers your designs and knits. Sort of a "show and share" on steroids. At the end they pick the best "Editor's Choice". There was a lot of beautiful knitting showed I'm honored to be picked. The editor is Rick Mondragon and I was surprised he picked my two shawls as his choice for the best. Thank you Rick!

BTW

This was my second time to Stitches I was there in 2008 I won that time too with this one:

Santa Clara, Stitches West here I come

Stitch Marker Swap

When I inquired, the organizers told me that last year they had 11,000 thousand attendees! This is a knitting event! Wow. 

The Hungry Machine!

It's still happening!
How does this happen?
Why has this been going ?
Where could the socks go?

I've been carefully collecting single socks hoping that eventually the other sock will show up. But somehow they never do show up they just disappear. I've made my husband take one of the old machines apart to see if all the single socks are trapped somewhere in the "insides" of the machine. No luck at all, not one sock was found.

Store bought socks are not so painful but a pair of hand knit socks disappearing is a whole different story. Thank you for letting me vent!

My new plan is not to make matching pairs of socks but cousins and brothers. As long as the sock is made from the same weight yarn, same size and similar color or harmonizing color. I think this is the only solution.

All Shook Up

Life is busy, trying to get everything done before driving up to Santa Clara is fun and exhausting. When I pack for a knitting event it's totally different than packing for just a vacation. First I would like to be a light packer but I never accomplish this. I fall into the what if I need this or that.

In reality I usually don't need everything I packed but if I did not pack it I need it and wish I had it. Then it makes a difference if I'm driving or flying. When driving I'm worse I take soooo much stuff it's comical.


Ok I have to stop posting this because this happened and I am all shook up!

I was at my local Staples making copies for a class I was teaching on Short Rows. Just standing there stapling the pages together. BAM! BANG, CRASH, KABOOOM! 

I thought that the meteor hit us, but no it was an old lady in a Cadillac! Drove right through the wall 2 feet from where I was standing. Scared me so that I started shaking like a bowl of jello. 

When I finally went outside to see what happened this lady was just sitting there cool as a cucumber saying that her brakes did not work. Although the witnesses said that she floored it, she must have stepped on the gas not the brakes.  I guess it was my Lucky Day! Lucky that she did not run me over.

TNNA, had a wonderful time!

Back from Long Beach, attending TNNA trade show. I told my husband that I was going out of town for a couple of days and he asked where I was going? I said Long Beach. Then he asked since when is Long Beach out of town? 

We live in Venice Beach and Long Beach is about 25 miles from our home. It takes about 30 minutes drive if there is no traffic. So it was sort of funny for me to call Long Beach out of town and staying at a hotel when I could have been in my own bed, silly me. I'll know next time. I think it would have been easier for me to just drive down each day..... oh well.

Got there on Thursday and took a weaving class. It started out really well then my eyes started crossing and my counting got confused and I got confused but I at least got the idea. I'm not the greatest weaver but I hung in there. All those stripes! Yikes my eyes!

Friday was "Sample it!"one of the most fun parts of the whole event. This is where the merchants put a small sampling of their wares together and you can purchase the items. I'll write about these in another post. The line to get in was looong, everybody loves Sample It. 

Saturday, Sunday and Monday is the actual show. The layout of the convention center was confusing to me but I was already tired and confusion came easily or perhaps all the wool fumes got to me. When I looked at the map it seemed pretty easy and straight forward but in person it seemed different. I carefully mapped out the booths that I was interested in first. 

The dark purple area to the left were the knitting related booths and the orange area are the Needlepoint stuff. I always check it all out because I love looking at all the pretty Needdlepoint canvases. And once in a while they stick a yarn or fiber related booth in with the Needlepointers. I always admire the needlepoint work but just can't seem to have the patience to do it. Needle felting maybe but not needlepoint. 

Unicorn Books, was my first stop they are my favorite part of the show. I wanted to say hi because they are so nice and to get tickets for the book signings I was interested in. We get to meet the authors of new books, which is great. I get to ask questions about their book, how long it took to write it, what inspired them, is this the first book they wrote etc. Love this part of the show. Of the 14 books they had my two favorites were:

The Artful Color Mindful Knits by Laura Militzer Bryant. As a dyer this book is full of wonderful information about color repeats, how to dye or pick yarns for "stacking" colors or "pooling" etc. The "magic number" how many stitches do you get from a color repeat. As I say, love this book and will get lots of use out of it. 

And the Principles of Knitting, revised and updated from the original version. A must have for a serious knitter. It's a huge book and full of Methods and Techniques. Those were the two books that I really appreciated getting. 

Next was Skacel, I always love visiting this booth because they have hands on "try this" and their products are of highest quality. Visiting with Karin and chatting about knitting and felting is always a lot of fun for me. 

They had the addi Quick Neelde Felting tool! I can hardly wait for mine to arrive. 

Last but not least I met the lovely lady from Kollage, square needles and Made in the USA! I cast on immediately to try these needles and I love the yarn also. 80% milk-20% cotton, so very soft!

Admire Your Work Often

Ooops!
Oh NO!
A mistake way down there!
12 Rows! Do I Frog? (rip back)

How did this happen?

How in the world did I not notice this?

This is setting the finish this project "goal date" way way back!

Hours and hours of knitting!
I hate when this happens!

But wait maybe all is not lost. I have a handy dandy little tool made just for this job.

I've had this little tool in my "knitty" bag for a long time and this is the first time I'm actually using it. I see it when I open this Namaste magnetic "buddy case" (one of my favorite holders of tiny tools) but have never used it before. I somehow knew that one day it may come in handy. When I go to a yarn store I usually look at their tools and gadgets wall first. I love finding little tools that help to get the job done.

I love all gadgets and good tools. A well designed tool makes or brakes the ease of the job. Picking up dropped stitches is tricky but when it's over ten rows and in garter stitch it can be a nightmare. In the first place I am hugely surprised that this happened. It's such an obvious mistake. Why in the world did I not pay closer attention? I know better that this! Shish..... Often I get mesmerized with the stitches and forget to pay attention to what I'm doing. I don't know why I'm so surprised I make mistakes all the time. I guess the reason I'm so surprised is because it's such a blatant blaring mistake.

If the mistake happens in a place where it's not that noticeable I usually leave it but when it's so up front and center.... well I just can not leave it.

When I teach a class and prepare my handouts, I always put this quote on every page: "Admire Your Work Often". By this I mean stop and look at what you are knitting catch mistakes early. Obviously if I had caught this mistake earlier it would not be this huge fix.

So you are as good as your tools. If I did not have this little handy hooky tool picking up these stitches from stockinette to garter stitch would not be as easy as with this brilliantly designed tool.  I have no idea what this little tool is called and also have no idea where I got it. (sorry).

As I was writing this post I ran across this handy little tool called "fix-a-stitch".  

I've never seen this tool used before but if I see it somewhere I will pick one  up.

Who know I may make a mistake again someday ;-)
Although I think the latch hook tool seems more efficient.

Because it sang to me.

Currently on the needles, close but "no cigar". I'm frogging.

Why do I pick one project over another? Simply because it sang to me.! No logic no rhyme or reason it simply caught my fancy. I will not knit on commission and have a hard time knitting for others. Unless the person is very dear to me and most of all a knit appreciator. Someone who really knows how much actual work goes into a hand knit item.

I'm lucky in my immediate family they just don't like hand knitted items. For whatever reason I don't know because I so love wearing them. This turns out to be lucky for me. Other than once in a while I will knit a pair of wool socks or a wool hat that is it for my immediate family. If I'm wearing something and a dear friend admires it I have happily given them the piece. But no knitting on command or commission it seems to take all the fun out of it.

Many many years ago, I was around 18 and a bit inexperienced with these matters but I was young. I was knitting a shawl for myself and my roommates boyfriend asked if I would knit him a cabled "fisherman" type sweater. Somehow he talked me into it offering to buy all the materials and paying me to take on this commission. I guess I was flattered that he would pick me to knit him a sweater. I told you I was a bit naive about this stuff.

We went and bought the materials and I got started right away but I was young and there was some partying to do so the knitting got put on the back burner. I think I finished the back and halfway up the front. And the project slowly became a night mare. I hated knitting on it and the boyfriend started to get inpatient. Why aren't you knitting? He would ask me periodically. First it was kind of polite "oh I'm busy with some other things" and slowly but surely it became an issue!

One night I was getting ready to go out and "the boyfriend" (I really have forgotten his name) demanded that I stay home and finish his sweater! Are you crazy? No he says I'm paying you! To which I said if I pay you will you leave me alone?

Out of Sight Out of Mind

Not being a monogamous knitter I have several projects on Hiatus. All different stages of progress' and my organization of these projects leaves much to be desired. Seems when I put a project on a time out they seem to get forgotten. This is a little scarf I started a couple of years ago and I took it out again hopefully to finish this winter while the weather is still cold. When the weather is warm it's really hard for me to knit something so warm and Alpaca is a very warm fiber.

I'm using a size 4 addi turbo lace needle. With a piece of felted strip. I was at Madrona Fiber Fest and there was a lady from Skacel demonstrating "artfelt". I made this little piece and did not know what to do with it. When I got home I decided to pick up some stitches and start a scarf.

From the Skacel web site:
"It’s not needle felting. It’s not wet felting. It’s not fulling. It’s artfelt® – and it is revolutionizing the way we felt."

I often like to mix it up and use felted material with hand knitting. I've made several other projects this way and I'll share  more of this technique as I progress. The knitting part I'm using a technique called Shadow Knitting. 

I just checked the weather and even though it's looking warm and it's telling me that it's nice, I'm cold there is a cold breeze from the ocean and if this scarf was finished I'd be wearing it. Then do you see how it's telling us that it's warming up? That is very deceiving it's winter warm, when it will reach the "high" but maybe for 5 minutes at noon, and it gets cold. I apologize for those who are suffering from a "real" winter but we are just not used to this stuff here in Southern California.