TKGA 2007

Must post.  Should have posted before everyone else said what was to be said.  Now it is said, and I have nothing to say that opens new vistas.  I DO like new vistas.  That's why I signed up for four classes at the TKGA conference last weekend.  The best part of the weekend was exactly what you expect me to point out next.  Hanging out with the knitbuds was just more than fine.

Class 1.  Seven tips to make better sweaters:  Among other tips, the instructor made raised increases suddenly simple.  I smiled.  Now I can attack Mr. Etherknitter's Elsebeth Lavold sweater anew.  Every increase had me squinting at the picture in the first Viking Knits book.  I knit at the pace of glacial epochs.  Now I can take it out of time-out.  Then buttonholes!  I did my first buttonholes!  Now cardigans are in the viewscreen. 

The instructor also debunked the myth of picking up three stitches for every four rows on buttonbands.  She, instead, substituted a formula of stitch gauge vs row gauge which works more consistently to prevent holes or puckering. 

Class 2.  Continental knitting with Galina Khmeleva:  She is funny.  Charming.  Smart.  I harbored deep in my English knitting soul, a fantasy of switching to Continental technique.  The knit stitch was possible, the purl stitch frustrating ("now ve doo poorl stitch" and I heard my Russian grandmother's voice, who sewed but never knit).  One of my knitting confreres was heard to mutter, "Now I understand why knitters would rather steek."   She taught Granny purl (Eastern uncrossed), and traditional purl (gymnastic at best).  I suspect I will practice lefty for two color knitting.  I'm not sure what will happen beyond that modest goal.

Class 3.  Russian grafting:  I think everyone's mouth gaped open when they grasped the simplicity and beauty of this technique.   Bring two swatches in st st, about 20 stitches x 10 rows and I'll show you how at Rhinebeck.  Slip the first stitch of each row purlwise wyif.

Class 4.  Four stitches - smocking, traveling twisted, brioche, elongated:  Fun to learn, some simple, some not so much.  Traveling twisted opens up the world of Japanese patterns. 

The fibermart was fun.  Three booths swept me in, as they swept in the rest of our band of knitskateers.  Habu, Just our Yarn, Tess seduced with unique colors and fibers.  (Tess [Melinda Bickford] is opening a store in Portland, Maine next week.)  I heeded the call of the stainless steel yarn at Habu.  Steel and silk for a scarf for the MIL, in steel (of course) grey.  And steel and wool in Terra Cotta (terra cotta?  Me?) for sampling a wall hanging for the master bedroom.  Big needles, teensy yarn, interesting possibilities.

Just our Yarn sock yarn, in a unique colorway.  I suspect this may be LIFO in the always lengthening queue.

Re-entry was hard.

Comments

[margene]

The 'Just Our Sock' yarn is gorgeous.
You learned much, gained insight into new possibilities and hung about with pals... sounds like a perfect weekend.

[Catherine]

You gotta share that stitch gauge/row gauge thing, too! And I'm so glad to see you haven't given up on Tess entirely after that unfortunate ribbon experience. ;)

[Marcia Cooke]

Sniff, no one told me you guys were all going! I'd have tried to go. Next year. Isn't Galina a hoot...I took that class at Rhinebeck several years ago, then her lace knitting class the following year. The way she says "pee-yural" still cracks me up!

[Sylvia]

Have you seen what Francesca did with the Habu steel? fluffbuff dot com. Neat person.

I've been known to knit Continental on the RS and English on the the WS. for me, purling English is mach speed and a delight. Actually, my English knitting has become faster, too, since I changed the way I hold my hands.

Did you see Galina's lily of the valley shawl? There is one version in particular that calls my name...

[--Deb]

It sounds FABULOUS. I've never, not once, been to a knitting or spinning class, but I love hearing all the tips! (grin)

[Beth S.]

Everything sounds marvelous! I've heard of the Russian grafting technique, and even tried it once, on the fly and without the benefit of instructions right in front of me... well, I'll probably corner you at Rhinebeck with some swatches. ;-)

[Chris]

I'll make sure I have my knitting swatch. And a class with Galina is on my must do list. Someday! Glad you had so much fun and learned a lot.

[Kathy]

I LOVE that picture with Galina! Yes, re-entry bites.

[Monica]

Sounds like a great time! The Habu are my alma mater colors. Heh, not like it ever affected me in any way.

[Carole]

Your class reviews are new information. Love the idea of continental knitting but can't get the hang of purling that way either.

[Kris]

Sounds like a great time. I am very curious about the Russian Grafting, any chance of posting something about it as I can't travel halfway across the country to Rhinebeck.

[Lucia]

As a successful Continental convert, I think it's like anything else involving muscle memory: you just have to do a whole project (a small one) that way, accepting the fact that you will feel slow and klutzy and your knitting will be less perfect than you're used to. Alternatively, you can accept the fact that you won't be doing much Continental knitting -- but it is *so much easier* for ribbing and cables and colorwork.

OK, off the soapbox: I'll trade you short-row heels for Russian grafting.

[Cassie]

The red/orange Habu yarn doesn't count, because you negated it with the blue gray. (because I say so)

And? Jealous. Wanna see Russian grafting...

[julia fc]

it's also much much faster.

[Roxanne]

Hee hee...I snuck over here after reading your comment on Claudia's blog...just what colours would you put in a Etherknitter colourway? Wink wink! I see some pretty nice blues and grays in your blog.

[Lorette]

I'm taking a class this fall on gansey knitting, my first-ever "real" knitting class. I can't wait.
Your comment "substituted a formula of stitch gauge vs row gauge" made me blink, then think, why the hell didn't I think of that? That is such a damned brilliant way to think about picking up stitches along an edge. And I want to see the Russian grafting. It sounds intriguing.

[Kim]

Reading your comments....I am SO wishing I were there! You will have to show me the picking up band formula as that is something I always say a prayer and hope while I am doing it.....and Russian grafting....i will have my squares at Rhinebeck....grin :-)

[vanessa]

color me green.

[bev]

Come on out to Taos and show us these techniques! If you do, I can show you a way to make the Continental pooorl st doable.
Your writing is always so much fun to read. It makes me giggle. Thanks for alway being here!
Now, come out for the Taos Festival!

[Cindy D]

I'll be bringing my swatches to Rhinebeck!!

A few years ago I took a workshop with
Galina Khmeleva. A wonderful teacher....loved all those Orenburg shawls!!