Knitting Pipeline is sponsored by my Longaberger home businessn and Quince & Co.

Knitting Pipeline is sponsored by Quince & Co. and Knitcircus Yarns

Friday, August 31, 2012

Episode 103 Hyla Brook


Listen here or use the Flash Player on this site for current and past episodes. If you cannot access the Flash Player in Internet Explorer 7 it is an issue with the new version.  The Flash Player is accessible on other browsers such as Google, Safari, and Firefox.

This show by sponsored by my Longaberger Home Business and Quince & Co.

The folks at Quince & Co confess to a strong bias toward natural fibers, be they soft and sensuous or rustic and sturdy. They also think businesses can be good citizens—should be good citizens—without making too much of a fuss about it.  The wool at Quince & Co is sourced from American sheep and other fibers come from earth friendly suppliers.  If you have not yet signed up for the Quince & Co newsletter be sure to hike on over to www.quinceandco.com to sign up. 

I enjoy your feedback, comments on the blog, and questions.  Feel free to write to me at Paulaef@aol.com or on Ravelry as PrairiePiper.  My business site is www.longaberger.com/paula

Pipeliner Notes

I read a note from Liz in Sheffield, U.K. about her new found appreciation for Elizabeth Zimmermann.

Nature Notes

The Spicebush Swallowtail flutters while it feeds.

 

The host plant for the Monarch Butterfly is common milkweed.  Monarchs also feed on milkweed as adults so they have a bitter taste to predators.  Viceroy Butterfly is a mimic of the Monarch.

Smithsonian Style & Design: A special issue.  September 2012  Better Living Through Imitation.  Biomimicry Engineers are fining the designs of the future in the greatest field laboratory of the past—the natural world by Tom Vanderbilt.


 
Blue-Butterfly Day

 
It is blue-butterfly day here in spring,
And with these sky-flakes down in flurry on flurry
There is more unmixed color on the wing
Than flowers will show for days unless they hurry.
 
But these are flowers that fly and all but sing:
And now from having ridden out desire
They lie closed over in the wind and cling
Where wheels have freshly sliced the April mire.

 

Robert Frost

Needle Notes

 

Hyla Brook KAL will start September 1.



Start Date: September 1, 2012

Ending Date: October 15, 2012 (or whenever you finish)
 


Calls for 2 skeins Quince & Co Tern which is 442 yd of fingering weight.

See the pattern notes if you purchased your pattern prior to July 19th. There is one small error that was corrected. If you purchased after July 19, 2012, then your copy is correct.

Tag your projects: hylabrookkal

Skill Level: beginner to experienced knitter who likes a relaxing knit

 
Schedule inspired by Mel of Singlehandedknits
I am dividing the design into weekly segments for those who wish to knit with me in little bites. I am going to be the pacer. Each week we will have about 20% of the shawl which is very attainable. You will have for example, a whole week to do the border. There are two extra weeks built in in case you fall behind. Part of the fun is seeing what others are doing so please chatter in our chatter thread and share!
I might be a little wild and do stripes on my Hyla.

Handy Hyla Brook Checklist on the Quince Blog!

Schedule for those who want to knit with me. Stitch count from Checklist is the easiest way to keep track.
Week 1/Sept 1-7: 101 stitches in row or to end of second band of lace.
Week 2/Sept 8 -14: 181 stitches in row or to end of fourth band of lace.
Week 3/Sept 15-21: 225 stitches in row or to end of fifth band of lace.
Week 4/Sept 22-Oct 5: Ruffle or garter border
 
Wearing Vodka Lemonade and sniffing my next project...Tern for Hyla Brook KAL!
 

 

A question from a Pipeliner, Sarah:

Paula,
If I may impose a bit on your time, I have a question. How do I know how to substitute yarn for any given pattern? Some patterns that I like call for yarns that are very expensive and some call for yarns that I don’t like the look and/or feel of. I believe that I need to take stitch count and needle size into consideration, but I’m certain that there are other factors I am missing. For example, I am looking at the Merope Shawl from Rosemary Hill. How do I find a good substitute for the suggested yarn on the pattern? I went to my LYS and was told it is just trial and error. I am hoping that is not the case. Can you offer me any advice?
Thank you,
Sarah

Reasons to substitute:
  • Want to knit from stash
  • Budget
  • Fiber preferences
  • Availability.  Discontinued yarns, backorders

Easier when size and gauge are not an issue.

Look for:

  1. Similar weight
  2. Drape and fiber content
  3. Price
  4. Stash

Use Ravelry to see what yarns others have used. 

Vodka Lemonade by Baby Cocktails/Thea Colman


Calls for Zen Yarn Garden Serenity DK which is pricey. (Had kit but link no longer works so it may be sold out. )Wanted to use yarn in my stash.  Brooks Farm Solo Silk 2 skeins and Anzula CricketMCN.

Probably not a good substitute because it is too drapey.
Variegated yarn and color worked fine.
Sleeves are very fitted.
Like:
Lace detail
Sizing options although a schematic would have been useful.
Detail on selvedge
Top down seamless so very little finishing.
Tried on for Sarah, Charr, and Bronwyn and my niece and they all liked the back detail especially.

In the Piping Circle

Danvers Parade on August 19…lots of farm implements, tractors, and pick up trucks! 

Update on The Netherlands Military Tattoo.  We purchased tickets and there are 6 of us going.  5 pipers and one drummer.


Rotterdam Tattoo The Netherlands Military Tattoo


Dutch Pipes and Drums In Concert: available for purchase on their website.

Vodka Lemonade in Brooks Farm Solo Silk feels great but is a little floppy.  That is my fault!
 

Friday, August 24, 2012

Episode 102 Random Knitting

Listen here or use the Flash Player on this site for current and past episodes.  Note:  I'm sorry the Flash Player is not working at the moment.  I am trouble shooting and hope to fix it soon.

This show by sponsored by my Longaberger Home Business and Quince & Co.

The folks at Quince & Co confess to a strong bias toward natural fibers, be they soft and sensuous or rustic and sturdy. They also think businesses can be good citizens—should be good citizens—without making too much of a fuss about it.  The wool at Quince & Co is sourced from American sheep and other fibers come from earth friendly suppliers.  If you have not yet signed up for the Quince & Co newsletter be sure to hike on over to www.quinceandco.com to get your name on the list. 
Quince & Co Finch.  100%  American Wool. Fingering weight
We have a busy weekend with our eldest son and DIL coming from Arkansas and then Pete the hiker is coming on Saturday night.  He will just be breezing through and hopefully he will be telling about the long drive he has ahead of him.  Right now he is in Portland OR looking for a place to live.

Nature Notes

Autumn is in the air.  Children going back to school.  Butterfly report:  Not as many this year.  Spicebush Swallowtail.  Fairly common and probably often mistaken as a Black Swallowtail.

Let the rain kiss you. Let the rain beat upon your head with silver liquid drops. Let the rain sing you a lullaby.   Langston Hughes

Needle Notes



Hyla Brook KAL will start September 1!  I am going to break the knitting into manageable segments.  You will have an "assignment" that will be about 20% of the shawl each week.  Of course, you are free to go ahead on your own but I will be pacing with the 20% each week.  Check our Ravelry Board thread Hyla Brook Knit Along/KAL for details.

Sideways Shawlette from SSK Workshop by Wendy D Johnson

 

Sheldon and Leonard by Wendy D Johnson

Yarn: Gales Art Sinful in the SSK colorway.  Size ? needle.  Probably a 3.

My Hope by Laura Linneman

Color is terrible here but you can see the shape of My Hope.

This is the best photo showing the color of Cakewalk Footsie in Honeyboy colorway.  Love it!
Random color beads.

 Denver Oyster/Lynn Zimmerman

Cakewalk Yarns in Footsie/Honeyboy colorway.  Navy/purple with bits of red, green blue…

Flosser method

Crochet Method Disadvantages
  • Only one bead can be loaded at a time
  • Crochet hook is sometimes too large for beads.

Fleegle Beader.  $13.50
Can load quite a few beads on it. Has a slight learning curve.  End has a small notch in it.  Yarn has to go into notch and then slide bead over it.  Now my favorite beading tool.

Comes in a case.  Fast Shipping!  Ordered on Thursday and received on Monday.

Book Notes

Knit Red Stitching for Women’s Heart Health by Laura Zander  Recommended.

Expand your Knitting Skills by Kim Haesemeyer  Leisure Arts.  12.95  Recommended for beginners, as it is intended.


The Blethering Room

Bob joined me for a discussion of random numbers, probability and Percolation Theory.



Friday, August 17, 2012

Episode 101 Stitches Midwest 2012

Listen here or use the Flash Player on this site for current and past episodes.
This show by sponsored by my Longaberger Home Business and Quince & Co.
The folks at Quince & Co confess to a strong bias toward natural fibers, be they soft and sensuous or rustic and sturdy. They also think businesses can be good citizens—should be good citizens—without making too much of a fuss about it.  The wool at Quince & Co is sourced from American sheep and other fibers come from earth friendly suppliers.  If you have not yet signed up for the Quince & Co newsletter be sure to hike on over to www.quinceandco.com to get your name on the list. 
Hyla Brook in Quince & Co Tern. 
I enjoy your feedback, comments on the blog, and questions.  Feel free to write to me at Paulaef@aol.com or on Ravelry as PrairiePiper.  My business site is www.longaberger.com/paula

Hyla Brook KAL/Knit Along
Starts September 1, 2012!
Hyla Brook is a garter stitch shawl with bands of lace and a very light ruffle, or choose to leave the ruffle off and finish it with a plain garter stitch border.  There is now a thread on our Ravelry board so you can share your yarn and ask questions before we start the KAL.  Thanks for your patience in waiting for more yarn from Quince & Co.
Nature Notes

We had a big storm and then rain all day!  Keep it coming.  It was scary when the sky was dark as night at 8 AM but the rain is welcome.

The Blethering Room/Stitches Midwest

There were many references to patterns and businesses in this section and I am not linking all of them.  If you have questions feel free to send me an email or pm on Ravelry.
My Stitches Loot: 2 sweaters worth of yarn and 5 skeins of fingering weight.  Beads, needles, gadgets.
A Heart Full of Love: Johnny’s Socks.  $25  100% goes to Genesis Cardiac Institute
Johnny’s Heart Full of Love Socks KAL
A Heart Full of Love: Johnny's Sock Kit

 
Thank you to everyone who helped Bronwyn get through her surgery!  We are very touched and grateful for all Pipeliners!
Garden Party by Carol Sunday.  My wild card purchase.
It was great meeting so many Pipeliners!
Bronwyn, Carey, Paula, Kelly


Piper's Journey meets Hyla Brook!
Ellen with well-worn and well-loved Knitters Almanac.
Paula and Kelly

Needle Notes
Bronwyn’s Finished Projects

High Note/Low Note
Bronwyn:
Low: Trying to get to Paula’s house with four trucks blocking the road.
High:  Feeling much better and still enjoying the kindness of knitters.
Paula
Low: Long prologues in books.  (If it is important just put it IN the book.)
High: Farmer’s Market, particularly the one on Saturday mornings on the Riverfront in Peoria.  For more Farmer’s Market photos visit my personal blog. www.apiperknits.blogspot.com.
A trip to the Peoria Riverfront Farmers' Market usually means a visit to The Fiber Universe.  That is Erin on the left and Bronwyn on the right.
 Thanks for listening and haste ye back!
Hyla Brook KAL/Knitalong starts Sept 1, 2012.

Thursday, August 9, 2012

Episode 100 Two Letters from Elizabeth Zimmermann

Listen here or use the Flash Player on this site for current and past episodes.  Subscribe on iTunes!
This show by sponsored by my Longaberger Home Business and Quince & Co.
The folks at Quince & Co confess to a strong bias toward natural fibers, be they soft and sensuous or rustic and sturdy. They also think businesses can be good citizens—should be good citizens—without making too much of a fuss about it.  The wool at Quince & Co is sourced from American sheep and other fibers come from earth friendly suppliers.  If you have not yet signed up for the Quince & Co newsletter be sure to hike on over to www.quinceandco.com to get your name on the list. 

I enjoy your feedback, comments on the blog, and questions.  Feel free to write to me at Paulaef@aol.com or on Ravelry as PrairiePiper.  My business site is www.longaberger.com/paula
The 100th episode of Knitting Pipeline coincided with Elizabeth Zimmermann’s birthday.  She was born on August 9, 1910.
Today I want to thank everyone who has participated in any way during the past two years and throughout the 100 episodes! I enjoy your interaction and feedback.  You are very much a part of this show.  Thank you!
Elizabeth Zimmermann at Knitting Camp, Shell Lake WI 1978

Knitters at Camp.  I am near center and my friend Tina to the right of me.  Joy is next to Tina.
Meg Swansen and Elizabeth Zimmermann.  Shell Lake WI 1978

My baby with Liesl

Liesl and Torben
Shell Lake Knitting Camp 1978

Auntea wrote:
…There is a baby surprise jacket and a two needle baby sweater in my cedar chest for when my daughter has a wee one someday. I am curious, what is your personal favorite Elizabeth pattern? I know it would be so hard to pick, but what comes to mind first?
These are the designs that popped into my mind as the ones I have knitted most often:
  • Saddle Shoulder EPS
  • Tomten Jacket
  • Ganomy Hat
  • Two Needle Baby Sweater

Arnold Zimmermann’s books for children were written as stories for his grandchildren.  These are both written and illustrated by Arnold Zimmermann.
Fafnerl the Ice Dragon, Troll Island, The Tale of Alain.
Well read and well-loved books by Arnold E Zimmermann

Autographed copy of The Tale of Alain

 Letter from Elizabeth Zimmermann to me.  April 1982


I read a postcard sent to me by Elizabeth Zimmermann on Nov 21, 1980.  It also has an original pen and ink drawing by Arnold Zimmermann, actually a self-portait, on his B.M.W with his goggles on and beard bristling in the wind.



In the Piping Circle
I am going to play in The Netherlands Military Tattoo!
Rotterdam Tattoo The Netherlands Military Tattoo
Many thanks to Cheryl Ann Fulton for the theme music which is from The Airs of Wales.  Online Music, Music Downloads, Streaming Music from Magnatune
The musical selection is from In Concert by Dutch Pipes and Drums.  Track 2. Arrival.  Available on their website.  Dutch Pipes and Drums
Haste ye back!

Friday, August 3, 2012

Episode 99 More Shawls and Eliza-Palooza #3

Listen here or use the Flash Player on this site for current and past episodes.
This show by sponsored by my Longaberger Home Business and Quince & Co.

The folks at Quince & Co confess to a strong bias toward natural fibers, be they soft and sensuous or rustic and sturdy. They also think businesses can be good citizens—should be good citizens—without making too much of a fuss about it.  The wool at Quince & Co is sourced from American sheep and other fibers come from earth friendly suppliers.  If you have not yet signed up for the Quince & Co newsletter be sure to hike on over to www.quinceandco.com to get your name on the list. 

I enjoy your feedback, comments on the blog, and questions.  Feel free to write to me at Paulaef@aol.com or on Ravelry as PrairiePiper.  My business site is www.longaberger.com/paula

Last Thursday after I recorded the show we had rain.  It rained when I was driving to pipeband practice on Thursday night and I actually used my windshield wipers for the first time in several months.  That rain felt so good.  It cooled off a little bit for a day or two.   The next morning there was a shower just before dawn and when I went out for my walk the rain smelled so good!  I felt like a dog as I walked along…you know how dogs twitch their noses as they are taking in all the scents around them.  I felt like that.

 In the month of July we had 26 days when the temperature was 90 or above and 8 of those days topped 100 degrees. That is hot! 

It’s pretty quiet outside without seeds in the feeders. KarenE had chipmunks raiding her feeders.  The best baffle to keep critters out is a cylinder placed below the feeder on the pole.

The Argument of His Book

I sing of brooks, of blossoms, birds, and bowers,
Of April, May, of June, and July-flowers;
I sing of May-poles, hock-carts, wassails, wakes,
Of bridegrooms, brides and of their bridal-cakes;
I write of youth, of love, and have access
By these to sing of cleanly wantonness;
I sing of dews, of rains, and piece by piece
Of balm, of oil, of spice and ambergris;
I sing of times trans-shifting, and I write
How roses first came red and lilies white;
I write of groves, of twilights, and I sing
The court of Mab, and of the fairy king;
I write of Hell; I sing (and ever shall)
Of Heaven, and hope to have it after all.

~~Robert Herrick  1591-1674

Needle Notes

Hyla Brook KAL will start September 1, 2012!  Tern should be in stock soon.

Dinner in the Eiffel Tower—a Shawl by Jessie Dodington

Dinner at the Eiffel Tower

Four types of knitted lace according to article by Margaret Stove in Piecework May June 2012. Knitted Lace, Lace Knitting, Eyelet Lace, Creative Lace.

A Knitter’s Almanac  by Elizabeth Zimmermann
July: A Shawl: Good Travel Knitting.  Bonus: One Row Buttonhole.  This is the buttonhole I use most of the time. Clean, efficient and it holes it’s shape.  No need for gros-grain ribbon!

My Piper's Journey Shawl features an applied border.  An applied border does not have to be lace.  It could be seed stitch, garter stitch, or any stitch pattern that would lie flat.  I did not invent the applied edging or border but Elizabeth Zimmermann probably did.
Knitting Workshop by Elizabeth Zimmermann
The Stonington Shetland Shawl
Elizabeth Zimmermann's Stonington Shetland Shawl.  I knitted this circa 1990 with Shetland wool from Schoolhouse Press.

Piper's Journey Prototype.  Even from a distance you can see how the border wants to tighten up and curl.  This is when I decided to use the applied border.


The Blethering Room

Bob joins me to talk about the early Elizabeth Zimmermann and Meg Swansen Knitting Camps first held in Shell Lake WI, now held in Marshfield WI.

Question from Martha aka Goldybear about letter read on Episode 97.  When we went in 1980 we camped on the beach at Shell Lake.  A tornado came through one evening and destroyed most of the tents and campers in the area including our big tent.  Bob and Torben weathered the storm in our little mountain tent that we used on our honeymoon.

In The Pipeline

Vodka Lemonade by Thea Colman

Sideways Shawlette in SSK yarn from Gales Art

Soon casting on for Laura Linneman’s My Hope KAL.

Charr, Bronwyn, and I will be hanging out and knitting in the lobby of the Renaissance Hotel at Stitches Midwest.  We will be there on Thursday afternoon, evening, and on Friday when we are finished with The Market.  Please find us!

Blackbirds and Thrushes    The Last of Old England  Jeni Melia


Haste ye back!

About Me

My photo
I play the Great Highland Pipes, knit, observe nature, and read. My name on Ravelry is PrairiePiper. Find me on Instagram as KnittingPipeline.