Bamboo Cabled Gloves

Here are my Bamboo gloves. They have a trio of cables that move up into decorative stitching (looks like beads). Soft. You knit the fingers in little i-cord tubes and then knit the body/hand of the glove.

I don't have these any more since I donated them to the TKGA Auction last fall.

If I ever have a lull in projects, I'll make myself another pair.

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Snowflakes and Stars

This is a sweater that I wanted to show at the Kntting Guild conference last Fall. However, I really didn't have enough time to finish it myself. I ended up sending the pattern and yarn off to Ghost Knitters, and they did a wonderful job of knitting the pieces. I then did the steeking and finishing myself.

Made out of "Double Bambu" which used two strands of Silk City Fiber's Bambu 7, the sweater has wonderful drape and is cool feeling as well as warm.

I do offer this pattern for sale on our website.

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Stormy Sky Hat

Here's another hat! After finishing the Red and Black hat for my younger son, I told my older one I'd knit him one also. When we were picking out colors from all my stash of Bamboo, he pointed to my Stormy Sky bag and asked "Can you make one like that?" So the challenge was on.



This is my first attempt. I am going to make a few changes and knit him another one. I think it needs to be a bit longer. So consider this a sneek preview!

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Hats!

OK. I have to admit it. I have always thought that the real purpose for knitting was to make SWEATERS. Especially for color work. Don't get me wrong, I've knit plenty of hats. But its just recently that I've discovered the JOY of knitting hats. What a great forum for working out design ideas! But the real joy is in seeing them worn/enjoyed by the recipients....

I'm calling this the Red and Black hat, but of course someone could knit it in whatever colors they choose.

My son has barely taken it off since it was finished. The tassel didn't last though. The hat is knit from bamboo and its a bit slippery.

Now I'm almost done with another hat for my older son. Based on my Stormy Sky patterns. Just a bit o weaving in. Hope he likes it as much....

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YARN!!!

Well, we are entering a new era. Now I get to buy yarn to sell to other people! I didn't even think about how "enabling" that is. I do only have a limited amount of space to put it all.

Here is the yarn (Silk City Fiber's Bambu 7) all unpacked and laid out on the dining room table. All of the colors (except 2 that were missed in the original order) and the 6 that are part of the Stormy Sky patterns.

I'm taking the yarn and doubling it for hand knitters. The result is "Double Bambu" which knits up to a nice weight for sweaters and hats and the like. Not too fine, not too bulky.

The bamboo feels so nice, and the fabric is not too heavy for those of us that live in warmer climates.

I'll be making up "Sampler kits" for sale online and at the Fall Knit and Crochet Show that will be happening here in Portland, OR in September.

Pretty exciting!

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Working with Bamboo and washing!

Just thought I would post a couple of comments about working with bamboo. I have worked with two versions so far. The Silk City Fiber's "Bambu 7" (on cones) and "Just Bamboo" a ribbon yarn from Sirdar.

Both produce a really nice drapey fabric and ever so soft. The Silk City version is a bit softer because it has not been "ribboned" (if thats a word). The Sirdar one doesn't tangle as much.

Washing them is very interesting, because the bamboo really, really, really soaks up the moisture. I have washed both sweaters in the washing machine and dried them in the dryer.

I don't know about you, but if you don't dry them in the dryer (and this includes cotton sweaters I have), you end up with a really stiff sweater. Plus I like to know my sweaters are wash-n-dry.

At any rate, washing the bamboo is rather scary. It is because it soaks up the water so well, it looks like you have totally ruined your knitting!!! The wet piece is MUCH smaller and denser than that lovely drapey fabric you just had.

Drying is key. Once the piece is thoroughly dry, it will be fine. "Trust me". Mine turned out the same size after all was said and done. So no shrinkage.

I had to send my "Just Bamboo" knitted blouse through our dryer 4 times before it became thoroughly dry. (And the towels dried on the first go, so its not just my dryer).

I suppose you could get the same effect by laying it out flat to dry and leaving it for some really really long time, and then running for a partial run in the dryer to soften it up.

Just thought this might help someone else who wants to be able to wash/dry their bamboo knits.

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Bamboo and Alpaca Chemo Cap

I took the same patterns from the "Just Bamboo" blouse, and added lace weight Alpaca to it and created this chemo cap. It's stretched a bit when I'm wearing it, because I've stuck my hair up inside. Its really, really soft.

Too bad, the photo doesn't really show off the Alpaca. But it adds some depth to the color of the Bamboo. It takes just over one skein of the Bamboo-- so I think I'll add a quick to knit scarf to the pattern. Might as well use up that yarn!

This pattern has been posted for FREE download at the Fiber Rhythm Craft & Design shopping site. You can get immediate download if its the only thing in the cart!

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"Just Bamboo" Collared Blouse

The blouse is done! I've worn it a couple of times already and gotten nice compliments on it. Its very comfortable and I like the adjustable waistline tie. I did have to add in a single crochet around the neckline to keep it from stretching out too much.

This pattern is knit using Sirdar's "Just Bamboo". (I got the yarn at Twisted, and they are having a sale on this yarn over the weekend!) I love working with the bamboo. This is made into a ribbon and so it doesn't tangle like the bamboo on the cone does (Silk City Fiber) that I used for "Stormy Sky" sweater and bag.

You can make one yourself, the pattern is now available at Fiber Rhythm Craft & Design.

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C'est fini! Stormy Sky bag is done.

Well, it is done. I am really looking forward to using it. I have it loaded up now for the MS3 project and am waiting for lunch time to actually start.

I really like that I used a frame for the interior.... it means you get a really clear view of the pattern from both front and back.

The strap is also continuous, so you can adjust it to be just over one shoulder, or if you want, you can adjust it to fit diagonally across the body. I really like that flexibility.

I also put in what I'm calling a "Pattern holder". See the interior view (with the Aran Golf cap pattern in there). I have had a problem in the past with patterns falling all over inside the knitting tote and then you have to pull it out of the way to get to what you need.

Another side-effect of using the plastic canvas for the interior/frame, is that you can attach D-rings around the sides and then attach things to the D-rings. The detachable bag in the last photo is attached to a D-ring with a crab hook. The scissors are on one of those retractable holders for ID tags (found at Office Depot).

So much fun! but glad its done... itching to get to the Mystery Stole and a new way of attaching beads (for me).

(P.S. The knitting pattern for the bag is for sale now at my website Fiber Rhythm Craft & Design's shopping cart. Which btw has been very easy to add to and maintain so far, thanks Zen Cart!!)

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Lollipop, Lollipop

Working with Bamboo at 22 wpi with two strands can be a challenge. To put it bluntly, it tangles. It jumps out of the ball and tries to attach itself to anything in your knitting bag.

I actually spent pretty much the whole flight to Spain working on untangling my yarn (This was before I read "No Sheep for Ewe" so I was foolishly trying to pull from the center of the ball... which, trickily enough, works great for awhile)

See the photo for my latest solution: Lollipop bags. I got them at Michaels. They are a pretty good size for small balls of yarn. They leave enough room for the ball to unwind (from the outside). And they are inexpensive.

For my next project with this yarn, I think I would try to put the two lollipop bags with the same color together in a larger drawstring bag. Just to make finding your two color ends a bit quicker....

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What fun!

The meetup of the PDX-Knit-Bloggers was a lot of fun. My only regret is that I still have no camera! So I'm depending on others to post their photos. It was great to meet so many like-minded individuals and such an inspiration to see the projects.

I was happy to see that there were several projects in Bamboo! Even a very nice top in the same Bambu 7 I've used for the Stormy Sky sweater and bag (different color). Gotta love it. And also inspired by the several MS3 projects underway.

Good to see Peggy McMullen again, (from the Oregonian knitting blog k2tog) and to meet Mims as well.

We pretty well had the room at capacity and snacks were provided ! My thanks to Knit Purl and the PDX-Knit-blogger (yahoo group) organizers (Bobbie, et al) and hope there are many more meetups in our future-- it will take me awhile to get everyone's names and their associated blogs down.

Well-- back to the "Stormy Sky bag"... just need to finish the strap and the pockets!!

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MS3 and Stormy sky bag update

I realized that the Bambu 7 is about 22 wpi and that I really wanted a lacier look. Checked my stash and I have either some really old acrylic or a couple of half-white/half-brown or half-white/half-blue cotton. Both of which are closer to 30 wpi. I just didn't relish the idea of using either for what I had envisioned was a nice soft dark stole.

So that meant trips to the LYSs. My sis and I went out just before 7pm on Thursday. We went to Yarn Garden first, which is the closest, and they were out of the dark colors in the right weight... too many MS3ers in the area? Then we went on to Twisted (which fortuneatley is open until 8 pm) and found a very nice, very black Alpaca/Silk mix. Fino. Looks like 1 skein will work.

The beads I already have will work with that as well. Then I checked into the crochet hook stash, and the smallest I had was a 10, which is too big for these. I really like the idea of the crochet hook technique (and not stringing them all). So off again Friday night this time to Michaels. They had a single size 12. Looks like that will work for these beads.

So Happy again.. finished up a bit more on the "Stormy Sky" bag (another day? looking good), then up this morning (Saturday) to tackle some more knitting and got COMPLETELY side-tracked with a broken water hose (hot) on the washer (which was running)... so now its a day for cleaning up the basement.

What is that they say about best laid plans???

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Mystery Stole #3

So, not that I don't already have enough to do... but I just heard about the Mystery Stole KAL, this year its #3 and Where have I been??? It sounds like great fun and will be a good project to do when I am tired/frustrated with pulling together my own designs. Not mindless work, but it will just use a different part of the brain.

I've knitted the swatch and am going to block it overnight before I decide if I will use this yarn or not. I can already see that I can go up a needle size as the stockinette portion is a bit too solid looking, I think.

No camera with me today, but I'll post photos later...

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Stormy Sky Bag update

Well, I have about 25 rows left in the main part of the bag. I don't have my camera, otherwise I'd post the WIP... I let my son take the camera to Germany with him. Hope he's making use of it!

Now I'm trying to decide if I really need a knitted liner. A liner is definitely in order to cover the steek, but maybe I just use a nice either knit or nylon lining fabric. So the pattern would be combination of knitting and sewing. Steeking requires a sewing machine anyway. Especially with the slippery bamboo.

OK. Now I'm having a vision of an internal pocket/divider that is really a ribbed cylinder that then gets sewn in place.... hmmm. Liking that idea. And ribbing can go pretty fast. And it could be done on larger needles too.

So... finish the main piece, steek and sew liner to match. Knit ribbed cylinder, sew in place.
Yeah...

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A Stormy Sky Bag

I've decided to create a knitting bag from the same designs as the Stormy Sky sweater (c) 2007 Fiber Rhythm Craft & Design. (see links)

One of the main reasons is I have had to send the sweater off to TKGA and don't expect to get it back for several months. I miss it!

So stranded knitting for the outside of the bag, and plain for the inside. I'm designing it so that you knit in the round, and then "steek" for the openings for the bag. This should be a nice way to both practice steeking and to perhaps use up some of the left-over yarn.

The bamboo yarn I used for the Stormy Sky sweater comes on cones and the sweater doesn't use the same amount from each cone. So I had quite a bit of denim color used, but not much of some of the other colors. So I figure I can knit the outside to match, and then the inside can use some of the colors I have more of. So that should be good.

I was thinking of writing the pattern up to have two versions: 1 with a flap that would fold over to close the bag, and one without the flap. So I'm curious whether people would be interested in having a bag without flap v. one with.

I'm expecting this to be a project bag-- so a strap long enough to go over the shoulder, if not cross over... and the bag part large enough to hold 8-1/2" x 11" instructions as well as yarn and project...

Comments?

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My how time flies!

I can hardly believe that it has been 6 months since I posted last!

So much has happened in the meanwhile. I completed the Norwegian sweater out of the Bambu 7 yarn and absolutely LOVE IT! The trouble is, I've had to send it off for review. So last Monday I mailed it off along with all of the swatches, questions and answers and reports to The Knitting Guild of America.

So here it is in all its glory. I call it "Stormy Sky". On the back the Celtic cable goes all the way across, and it repeats on the arms un-interrupted, so is a continuous knot (no ending) pretty cool.

My twin sister and I started our own business in April/May called Fiber Rhythm Craft & Design. I'll be selling knitting patterns there and we both will be selling hand-woven items. (www.FiberRhythm.com)

More posts on that to come. Also, after I let my son get a chance to get on the computer, I'll post here again with info about how the steeking went for this sweater.

Glad to be back!

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