Stars and Stripes a New Way

What do you get when you add one part knitalong, one part workshop, and one part yarn ecstasy?

Is anything better than getting new yarn?

My newest adventure in Concierge Knitting, that’s what! I’m calling all newbies, maniacs and repeat offenders to join me for my Stars and Stripes virtual workshop.

“Class 1: (Sept.  12): Overview of Norwegian Fana sweater design and construction, and how to read the pattern. Discussion of color-stranding techniques.

Class 2 (Oct. 10): Sleeves: planning, measuring and constructing the sleeves.

Class 3: (Nov. 7): EEEK! Steeks! Learn how to steek a colorwork sweater three different ways.

Class 4 (Dec. 12): Mary is known as the Queen of the Finishing Detail, and you’ll learn her tips and tricks for a bang-up finish to your masterpiece.

$200 + materials. Class fee includes workbook.

Materials:

In order to get the correct gauge for this pattern, Mary recommends that you use Rauma 3-ply Strikkegarn (available at Bazaar Girls). Registered students will be invited to a Zoom trunk sale on August 28 to learn about this yarn and choose colors.”

— Bazaar Girls Yarn Shop

And yes, you read that right: my Stars and Stripes students get their own trunk show! If you’re not familiar with Rauma yarns, you’re in for a treat. It’s the quintessential Norwegian yarn, and I love it more than I can tell you. The Yarn Guys are Rauma’s North American distributors, and a truly class act. I’ll also be attending, to *coughenablecough * assist with color and yardage questions, so it will be just like going yarn shopping together.

The Bazaar Girls carry a bounty of Rauma for all your Fana needs.

In the Stars and Stripes workshop, we’ll explore the history and lore of the Norwegian Fana sweater, in its many incarnations. Then you’ll create your very own custom Fana, using my 20-page workbook. It’s a “choose your own adventure” recipe which allows you to mix and match stars and stripes with the math (!) already done for you. And if you’d like to create your own personal charts, I can help you with that, too. You’ll be able to create your masterpiece in any size you choose, from newborn to lumberjack.

Fana modeled by the beautiful Diana

A peek inside my sample Fana

I’ve never done this before, but in this workshop I’ll be knitting a Fana along with you. I’ll be using it to create a few often-requested technique videos, which will be exclusive to my students. So you’ll get to see the rubber hitting the road both in real time and as a recorded reference. My Fana will be a baby sweater with a hood, which you can also choose to make along with me.

This experience comes complete with all the Stranded With Mary extras: A Ravelry group for solidarity with your fellow students in between sessions, Zoom format classes from the comfort of your very own knitting chair, and personal support from me throughout the process.

As my students can tell you, I strive to provide all the history, mystery and interpretive dance I can muster. Come join us and find out what all the fuss is about.

Baby, You've Got Class(es)

Thing One: For my intrepid Stranded With Mary adventurers, I have an update: The first of our five sessions for the second group starts on May 23! The deadline for ordering your yarn kit for the exclusive Victoriana sweater (offered in FOUR colorways!) is May 15. If you’d like to join us for some serious concierge knitting, do keep that in mind. The yarns for your kits are being custom-dyed just for you, so there’s a bit of lead time required for our yarn artist. I can’t wait to share this workshop with you - I learned so much from the first group and I think I can say with confidence that you’ll be wowed by the experience. The information I’m sharing will serve you in all your other steeked colowork endeavors, going forward. To register, click HERE.

Victoriana in the “Winter” colorway

Victoriana “Spring” palette

Victoriana “Summer” palette

Victoriana “Autumn” Palette

Thing 2: Also happening on May 15 is my fun and famous Selbuvotter class, hosted by For Yarns Sake, where we explore the tradition and mysteries of traditional Norwegian mittens. In addition to the class, you’ll also receive a kit containing my Nordica pattern and the authentic Norwegian yarn preferred for these very special mittens. Come and join us for all the mitten-ey goodness! Register HERE

The unique construction of Selbuvotter is both elegant and delightfully comfortable.

Thing 3: On May 16, I’ll be teaching the inaugural session of my newest class, “Feeling Edgy”! This is a unique offering for me, because it’s entirely technique-based. You’ll be watching my hands and knitting along with me as I demonstrate three different edging techniques you might not have tried before: The Knitted Hem, Latvian Braid, and most exciting, a technique I’ve never seen taught anywhere else: The Two-Sided Pickup for Bands. There’s a teesy bit of easy homework for this one, so don’t dilly-dally if you’re planning to join in. I can’t wait to see which of you join me for this maiden voyage! Register HERE

One of about a million ways to use knitted hems

Latvian Braid is a showstopper, wherever it goes.

Need to bind a cut steek edge, then continue knitting away from it (collars, hoods, plackets)…? This is one BOSS trick!

Being with you online, Gentle Readers, is the balm for my soul. At a time when we need each other’s company more than ever, technology has come through for us. Come and join in the fun, won’t you?

Greetings and Salutations

Well! What a week It’s been around here!

I got a new roof'! 16k I will l never see from down here, but they promised it will keep my head dry. They did send me a photo, via drone, so that was nice. And creepy. It could have been anyone’s roof, but the weeds did look familiar.

And after that, the Roof Man asked me out. So that was nice. And creepy.

Additionally, I went 25 rounds with my HOA regarding what color I will be allowed to paint my house. That I own. That will cost nine thousand dollars, since I don’t own or want to own a ladder tall enough to get me up there. Turns out that even I have limits for what I’ll take on. Also, I have waited sixteen years to get this done. It began to feel like a civil liberties situation by the end. But what do I know about color? I’ve only written six books on the subject.

Anyhow, a lot of energy went that way.

That noise aside, I want to invite you to join me at Stranded With Mary. There are some knitters who have waited a year or more to do this. It’s a soup-to-nuts adventure with me, where you will knit this pretty sweater that I designed, that nobody else can have, in your choice of four colorways. For which the yarn maker has made string just for us. Oh, and I’ll be there to share what I know with you {and learn back!} There’s a Ravelry group where you all can join in the fun. I keep track of you there, and on the phone, and e-mail, and Zoom. I promise a totally concierge experience. My Dear students have taught me all I know, and I can’t get enough of you. And lots of you are repeat offenders. CLICK HERE

Fun Fact: Unless my daughter is holding the camera, I make a weird face. Good thing I cleverly had her 22 years ago, All photos prior to that were fails. Categorically.

Possibly my best angle.

In other news, my nephew apparently did not get the message of what I do. He taught himself to knit, without my knowledge. He started with socks, of all things. And made them really well. I guess it runs in our blood. Kind of so proud of him I could bust. Oh, and scouts are constantly asking if he would like to be a model. I haven’t secured his permission to post his photo, but trust me, he’s a 6’2 blue-eyed, ripped darling. But he’s nothing like as pretty as MY Children. They have actual Weasley sweaters to prove how much I love them. And I’m on the record here: I loathe Intarsia. In spite of my darling friend Anne, who is not only a genius but also a doctor. An actual Doctor. She tried her best to teach me. Visit her HERE for the knowhow and goods on her specialty. But I do suck at intarsia. Notice the profound lack of it in my teaching catalogue.

But that’s not why you’re visiting with me. My best guess is that you’re here because you practice a different brand of witchcraft:

I think that pretty well says it.