Monday, March 2, 2020

Can't Stop, Won't Stop

When I attended Knoble yarn fest in Greeley, Colorado I met a couple of new dyers and a designer; all of whom are local to me and live here in Colorado. I will introduce them to you in the order I met them. First is Rachel from Six and Seven Fiber. She is a dyer in Lakewood, Colorado and much of the wool she uses is grown here in the US and milled here in Colorado. I am very excited to know her and hoping to work with her in the future. I bought this sock set here.


It goes with this pattern, but I'm not sure what I'm going to do with it yet. The thing that excited me most about this set was the large skein is made of 100% superwash corriedale! I love the hardier breeds of wool and superwash, until I become allergic, is a favorite wool of mine for socks.
Then I met Ali of Herd of Cats and Road Trip Sock Yarn. She is a dyer in Denver, Colorado and is a history buff. We share a love of local history and that is how she chooses the names for her colors. I am very excited about this connection as well. From her I bought a Road Trip sock yarn set. I always buy sock yarn at a show, so that I then have a pair of socks from each show. With the name Road Trip, it was perfect. I bought one of the Scarlet series. The names of these colors are based on research she has done into the brothels that were in what is now LoDo in the late 1800s to early 1900s.

From her I also bought a skein of Jewel in the Lena colorway. This yarn is pure yum, yum. When I handed it to my Mom she asked "what am I holding?" It was great! These are named for women who made contributions that changed Denver. Lena was the first Hispanic woman principal for Denver Public Schools.
Finally on Saturday, I went back to Six and Seven Fiber to buy the kit that drew me into the booth to begin with; the Can't Stop, Won't Stop. It is a kit for a wrap. I had looked extensively at the pattern on Ravelry and IG Friday night and decided that I wanted it. The pattern tells you how to make 3 different sized cowls, a wrap and a scarf. When I told Rachel I was getting it she turned around and poked someone and said look. It was Shana, the designer! She lives in Centennial, Colorado and designs pieces that are fun to knit and practical to use. I am looking forward to this knit very much.
Falling Leaves is finally finished and I am wearing it for the first time today! It was a fairly quick knit for a color work sweater in fingering weight yarn. The pattern is from Jill Karina and will be available soon on Ravelry. I used Knit Picks Palette Yarn in Autumn Heather, Green and Sweet Potato. You can see more details and my project page here.
Last week I put out another YouTube video here. It is a few tricks on the sewn bind off. I use this bind off for sleeves, and other things that are smaller where a bit of stretch is needed. Toe up socks would be another great place to use this bind off.
I mentioned above that I may become allergic to superwash wool, how would that happen? I have recently read up on the process used to make superwash wool. First the scales are stripped from the fiber, that's what makes the wool felt to begin with, then a poly layer is applied to the fiber. It's the poly layer I may eventually have a problem with. I am sensitive to most things petro based and out right allergic to others, sometimes suddenly. I have also heard of a new way of making superwash but I am unaware of how to find out which of the indie dyers I love use those products. As a dyer, the company(ies) the supplies your bases is hush hush much of the time. Until I have a reaction I shall keep wearing the superwash wool.

I met a machine knitter recently. She doesn't know how to hand knit or even really understand the knitting language. She is a machine knitter looking to start a business selling machine knit lace shawls, sweaters and even socks. They will be made from luxury yarn and she is planning to offer custom design options. She says it is still art... After speaking with a few other knitters, this is the conclusion I have reached. Machine knitting is the same thing as a woodworker using any CNC machine to make pieces and then assemble them. It is finished by hand, but not made by hand. It is "cheating". It devalues actual hand knits. It reminds of the industrial revolution; machines replacing humans. There is always a "good" reason for this line of thinking. Machines are faster, can produce more product, therefore make more money... Will save us time so that we have more time to spend with our family, friends, do hobbies... How has that really worked out for the US? Many jobs were lost to the machines, some crafts maybe for ever, hand made lace on bobbins or knitted for example. The majority of families don't even eat a daily meal together at the table without screens. The US "makes" very little compared to what is imported as finished goods, something we are about to feel with this new strain of Corona virus. It is just another slide in the slippery slope of this nation to have more, be more, whatever that means and do more. Consume, consume, consume. How about getting some American grown wool, alpaca or even yak that is milled state side and knitting something by hand for either you or a loved one?
Knitting machines are not portable either. It also isn't a skill that will help if the lights ever go out. Many of those machines today are run by computers and require electricity. Not all but many, especially those being run for production.
It is a valid way to make fabric and quickly produce finished items, but where's the love and thought that goes into it? As a maker, even when I do a commission piece, I put me into every piece. Whether or not it is made from a pattern or my own design, I do my best so it is the best. When machine knitting you're not going to find the flaws in a yarn because it isn't passing through your hand. I want to know what you guys think.  Play nice and leave comments below.
I am stepping out into a new project adventure. I bought the Can't Stop, Won't Stop kit from Six and Seven Fiber as I said before. I am going to video my entire process, from choosing the color order to bind off. I will post a short video each week beginning 03/09/20 to share where I am and what I learn. Here I will say that the yarn is 100% wool and the piece is modular knitting. The videos will be here on my YouTube channel. Follow me on IG for some bits and pieces all week.
Until next time...
Happy Making!