My Afternoon With Diana & John Sullivan

Today I had the pleasure of having lunch with Diana and her husband John.  It was a wonderful afternoon.

We spoke of so many things and not much about knitting.  One would expect two machine knitters and bloggers knitting would be our main topic of conversation.  Not at all.

We had a nice lunch and talked for hours.  Diana is a wonderful lady with an infectious laugh and her husband equally nice.

When the time came for us to go it felt as if we were only together 30 minutes not the almost 5 hours we were.

They are on their way home tonight, escaping the HOT Las Vegas weather of 121 degrees (I noted on my cars thermostat as I drove home).

Las Vegas Heat & Diana Sullivan

It's hot here, VERY hot.  As I write this at 9:30 p.m. it is still 110 deg F (43 C)!  Today it was 120 deg F or 48.9 C!  Not much we can do but stay indoors in the air conditioning.   Every home and building has air conditioning here.  We are the #2 city in the US for most days per year over 100 deg F (37.7 C), Phoenix, Arizona  is # 1.

After all these years of knowing Diana Sullivan we finally meet!   Diana is in Las Vegas as she attended a CPA Seminar here.  She  invited me to have a "good meal" with her and her great husband John.  We initially planned dinner for today but, with the high heat my days at work were extended so we had to make it a lunch date for tomorrow.

Diana and I have become friends over time and have shared many personal things and of course sharing a lot of machine knitting info.  Diana filmed and posted (on YouTube) my no sew circular hat design (2 years ago).  I helped Diana with her "Wear Your Diamonds & Footnotes Books" test knitting and sending her my input (some of my photos are in her Footnotes book).  Diana recently asked for my help with her latest project, a large book,  "100 Ways To Improve Your Machine Knitting."  This is going to be an awesome book, full of lots of clear direction, suggestions and techniques.  Her latest video on the knit leader will get you using yours like a pro.

I am looking forward to tomorrow as I am sure it will be wonderful.

Charity Knitting

My friend Helen and her friend Norma knit over 40 sweaters for a Ukraine Orphanage.

She sent me this photo of "some" of the sweaters they did and being modeled by the children.

Its a wonderful thing to help people, especially children.

Great job Helen & Norma!

Are Your Combs Tearing Your Lace?

Thank you Brian!  Brian wrote me with his fix for weights when knitting lace; here is his solution:

I have been trying to knit fine lace scarves with not much success. The combs keep distorting the stitches and/or breaking the yarn. I have a solution that has worked well for me and only uses items you may have around your house! This is a cheap solution that is working well for me: 

A pant-hanger that has the open/close assembly & a wooden dowel. 

Then I put the dowel behind the knitting and push it and the knitting into the jaws of the pant hanger. Then clamp the hanger closed. Hang weights either on the ends as shown, or onto the hanger that would normally be hung on your closet rod. 

It’s an easy & cheap solution! One other idea is to purchase those round tubes for a bird cage that has some sandpaper on them so the birds keep their nails filed. Then insert over dowel and you will find the knitting sticks and it’s easier to position on the dowel.

If you are on Ravelry, you can find his post here: 
http://www.ravelry.com/discuss/superba-knittingtm/topics/2593822

Bellinky Linker & Latest Project

Working on a polo shirt a little at a time.  This photo was taken just after I attached the FNR collar.  At the moment there are no sleeves yet and the front keyhole bands need to be stitched down.  It is a Knit Leader project having traced on the mylar from a well fitting shirt I wear often.

Note The Yarn Ends I Need To Weave In

Also, finally received the combs for my Bellinky linker.  Similar to the Hauge linker as it attaches the two knitted pieces with a neat chain stitch.  Takes a bit of getting used to but the time spent is well worth it.

Like New Linker

Polo Frenzie

Hmmm, I have been absent for a while haven't I?  Catching up with the spring projects, mostly outside and of course long work days.  But, yes have been knitting!

I just finished a tweed polo in blue shades, I refuse to sew up the tedious seams until I have the part in need for my linker.  It was shipped from UK and will take a while.  So on to the next!

Diana Sullivan just released her Knit Leader Course <(click there).  Last night I watched her DVD's then re-read my instruction book; did a swatch.  This morning I mapped out my polo on the knit leader mylar sheet.  Was planning to use a men's sewing pattern for a dress shirt but there is way too much ease in a men's dress shirt.

What to do?  I took a favorite polo shirt and simply traced directly from the shirt!  Keep in mind when you knit you are using a very small seam allowance; sewing patterns us a 5/8" or 1.5 cm allowance.  So tracing a favorite garment is practical indeed.

Take a look below, off to put a new pond pump in before it gets too hot outside.

Polo Shirt

P.S.  Diana Sullivan is working on a great book for machine knitting, no DVD's with this one.  She has asked me to to proof read it, make suggestions and what photo's I think are needed.  Diana wants me to be brutally honest.  Another very fun thing, always like working/testing with her and on her projects!

My Spring Cotton Polo Finished

Seeing all the snow across North America in May is odd indeed.  Originally from the North Eastern US it is not the norm for sure.

Having relocated to the desert southwest it's spring for us, warm and toasty, shorts and t-shirt weather.  Our temperatures have been in the 80's and even 90's already.  In one corner of my yard, I have a bit of desert landscape;  here is the first cactus to bloom this year:

For All Of You In Snow

Back to the polo...

This was done in a Yeoman cotton/acrylic.  I rearranged the buttonholes as I never button the top button so why bother having it?  This was a bit troublesome to knit as it has a hard twist and no give as you knit.  What I like about the yarn is a quick wash and lay flat to dry.  All stitches evened up and the fabric looks great.

Soft Salmon

The photo design is not the best but, you can see the exact color as it was a bit tricky to capture!  Now for the buttons.

The Buzz Has Started...

If you haven't checked out these knitting machine tables you should.

KNITTING MACHINE TABLES BY WOODWERKS

Where else can you find them?  You can't.  I see so many knitters using odd things to clamp their machines onto.  If you are looking for a piece of furniture instead of just a stand then this is the way to go.

I have no financial affiliation with these tables or the company, I just love 'em!  There will be a piece in the June issue of Machine Knitting Monthly about these!

Brian's Been Having Fun!

Brian up in Canada is keeping his promise and keeping me updated on his new hobby, learning knitting machines!

He just purchased a White/Superba 1602 and is anxiously waiting for it (along with some spring weather).

Brain included the photos below of his latest venture and included this note:

"Our local "Burlington Machine Knitters Guild" put on a yarn dying event last month.  It was so much fun dying my own 50/50 silk & merino yarn.  I am saving it for something special, not sure what as yet."

Don't worry Brian there is always something you can make with that great yarn.  I tempted Brian to try Kool-Aid dying next!

Ribber Hint

I have started a new polo in a a nice shade of salmon by Yeoman, it's a 50/50 cotton/acrylic.

I wanted the waist ribbing to not pull in and have some body to it. A 2x2 ribbing knit in the 2x1 needle arrangement would be great.  With this yarn I find both ends of the ribber after a few rows were starting to loop and not knit.  Then toward the middle (row 18) all needles were getting loopy.

Easy fix, just pull up the ribber needles to hold position then knit across the row.  Yes, a bit more work to pull up all the needles on the ribber each row but worth the effort.  Take a look:

End Needles Pulled All The Way Out

Now The Entire Row Pulled Out

Worth The Extra Step (still on the comb)!