Knitting by the Sea

Three Women Knitting by the Sea, by Josef Israels, ca. 1900

Your weekend plans just got better, because I know what you really want to do is come and play with us at the Astoria StitchFest!  

Instructors Sivia Harding, Michelle Bernstein, Laurinda Reddig and I will be teaching and learning in Historic Astoria, on the Oregon Coast this Saturday and Sunday.  Come Friday night and join us for dinner at the StitchFeast, too! There'll be a fashion show, a book-signing, and best of all: Dinner with your fellow knitters at Baked Alaska.

Hosted by the Astoria Fiber Arts Academy, StitchFest is poised and ready to take the northern Oregon coast by storm in this, its very first year.  What a treat it will be to say we were there at the beginning!  Grab a friend and get ready to make some new ones, too.

I'll be teaching classes on Norwegian Mittens, Color Theory, and Knitting Project Planning. CLICK HERE to register, and see all the other teachers' offerings - you'll be glad you did!

What I Made at Camp

Did ya miss me?  I've been away at summer camp!  Hosted by Freedom Kilts in beautiful Victoria, BC. I attended Kilt Kamp with Barbara Tewksbury last week.  We learned the art and science of traditional kiltmaking, under Barb's expert tutelage.

Traditional kilts are sewn completely by hand, and contain anywhere from 4-9 yards of fabric. The tartan weighs 16 oz per yard, so it's no wonder that an 8-yd kilt (like I made) is often referred to as a "tank". Dinnae fall in the Loch. 

Every kilt is custom made to precisely fit the measurements of its wearer.  At the same time, the pleats have to be engineered to exactly accommodate each tartan's unique weave.

The tartan I chose is Scott Green, in an Ancient colorway.

The first step in making a kilt is to do some "tartan whispering". The maker has to determine what the pleating options are for that particular tartan, making sure that none of the rules for how to pleat are being broken.

Then come the layout (measuring, re-measuring, marking and basting) and pleating phases.  My kilt has 20 pleats, but there can be as few as 15 or as many as 30, depending on the pleating style and the tartan.

8 yards of heavy tartan are a lot, when the temperature is 90 degrees F. Our workshop went "shoes-optional" right away.

Each evening Barb retired to the tennis court opposite the kilt shop to practice piping.  At which she is also an expert. Not to mention a fashionista - get a load of those sassy tights!

For some reason, I was the only camper who had matched my pincushion to my tartan.  Who knew?

See the horizontal line of beige stitches at the top of the pleats?  That's the STEEK.  Yep, knitting stole the word from kiltmaking.  It's Scots Gaelic for "secure" Thanks, Scots!

Every kilt has a hidden piece of cotton broadcloth installed at the waistline to stabilize the pleats.  Since Barb is an American, she always uses this print, which she kindly shared with me.

In addition to the steek and the stabilizer, kilts are reinforced with heavy canvas interfacing, which is also pleated, for even more rigidity.  This causes the back of the kilt to hug into the small of the wearer's back, not unlike a weightlifting belt. It feels fantastic to wear.

Barb shows me how to choose the right scraps of fabric with which to attach the buckles. The straps have to match the tartan exactly, even though they are invisible when the kilt is buckled.

Putting the lining in my nearly-done kilt.  Fingers flying too fast for photos.

Done. And. Done.

All the Happy Campers, on the front porch of the kilt shop.

Kilt camp lasted 5 days, with most of us campers working 12 hours or so each day.  Although an experienced kiltmaker can complete a kilt in 20-40 hours, we newbies were much slower.  Of the 10 campers attending, I was the only one to finish in 60 hours.  

So am I ready to hang out my shingle and become a real kiltmaker? Sadly, not even close.  I need some more practice first.  

Which should not be a problem, because my family are already placing their orders!

Want to learn more about the making and wearing of kilts?  CLICK HERE, and have fun.

Seeing Stars (and Stripes, and Checks)

I'm creating a new class!  It's called "Stars and Stripes", and in it, you will design your own Norwegian Fana Sweater.

Named for the district of Bergen, Norway where they originated, Fana sweaters are recognized the world over for their iconic Nordic style:

A Commercially-made Fana by Dale of Norway

Evolving into fashion (and the stripe-and-check version we recognize today) sometime in the 19th century, Fana sweaters are associated with special traditions in Norway, that we'll discuss in class.  Teaser: Ever wonder where the curse of the Boyfriend Sweater originated?

Norwegian schoolchildren sporting their Fana; practically a uniform.

In addition to their fascinating lore, the real appeal of the Fana is their endless capacity for variation and customization.  The style of 8-point stars chosen, their placement on the body, the colors of yarn employed, and even the garment's silhouette are endlessly changeable; fantastically inspirational.

Notice how the star border location enhances his square shoulders?

In this class, students will choose from a "menu" of design choices, such as different star styles and placements, garment shapes, and design details.  Then I'll help you plug your chosen elements into a formula to create your very own personal Fana pattern.

Impossibly adorable baby Fana made by the incomparable Maria. 

This class is so new I haven't even made my own Fana yet!  But it's coming soon to a venue near you:  First to the Sandpoint Fiberarts Guild in September, then to Vogue Knitting Live in October, and who knows where after that!  Keep an eye on my Teaching and Events tab for more information.  Watch this space for the details of my personal Fana adventure, as I create the class sample for you.

Want to play with stars and stripes at your very own venue?  Round up some knitting friends and drop me a line!  This and any of my other class selections are yours for the asking.

Isn't Knitting Grand?