We love to look at pictures, and so I don't feel bad when I upload a bunch of them! We had two new folks yesterday in the V-circle which was fun.  Everyone has multiple talents, it is interesting to see all the various directions we all take in our learning and growth as artists and makers.  Lyn Burkitt hails from Silva and Judy lane lives near Celo, so once again, virtual togethers are a boon both for avoiding driving a long distance and keeping together and growing as a community during the pandemic.

Judy is a long time expert in twined knitting. Twinded knitting involves no carrying yarn on the back side and the piece lies flat and is stretchy.  Knitty, for example, has a page on twined knitting with pictures of how to and says that Twined knitting dates back to at least the 17th century and was traditionally done using both ends of the same ball of yarn.  Because it is two color and knitted densely because of the yarn twisting each stiff, the knitted fabric is very warm.  Here are images of the front and the back of a hat that Judy is working on.

Front of the twined knitted had

Reverse of the twined knitted hat.

Judy also enjoys covering boxes with hand dyed material, crewel work on the lid, and silk lining within.  In the very top picture at the start of the blog, the upper right hand section is a view of the side of her container, and here is a view of the top.  Realize that this is a iPhone shot of a screen view during our Zoom get together!!  The pictures of the knitted fabrics were emailed so we can really see the pattern and details of the stitches on the hat.

Katya gave us a fashion show of her finally completed bolaro.  The piece was knitted as one with just increasing and decreasing.  I forget the numbers, but #3 needles and 500-ish stitches at the widest.  [Katya, correct me!!].  She's been working on it for a long time! Here are some shots Katya sent me:

                                    

During the V-circle, I made her turn and pose so many times so I could catch a screen shot with my phone that we started to crack up (insert emoiji's and smiley faces, and hearts here if you can, see pics below)!

Katya is currently working on a floppy outdoor hat using leftover fabrics.  The lining (or reversible side) of the hat is a beige color whereas the reverse of the hat is a blue pattern, so we discussed the best possibilities for dyeing the beige.  Since she doesn't have many of the materials required for dyeing the presumed cotton material, we ended up suggesting using an acrylic-based fabric paint, either Setacolor or the like, or a silkscreening paint.  Both require heat setting using an iron, but are permanent.  These paints add texture/stiffness to fabrics depending upon the amount of paint applied and whether it is thinned, but since the hat should be fairly stiff to keep it out of the face the extra umphh added by paint would be ok.  

Then followed a long discussion of steeking.  We hear most about steeking in knitting in the round used to convert a pullover to a cardigan.  Katya and others have used this technique.  Judy added that one could do it with crocheted pieces as well.  Her project involves crocheting a rug like flat piece, then using steeking to create a poncho head opening.  She has also used steeking to inset an arm hole for a pre-knitted sleeve in a tubular knitted sweater body.  Such a variety of approaches to knitting.  I am afraid my approach is simple stuff!  

Several in our group are intensely interested in a thing called fiber share that I had not previously heard about.  There is an international group and a Facebook page as well.  Check it out!  Maybe June 15th is the next date to participate.  It is fun, you prepare a package, someone else does, you are linked with an exchange partner, wait for your package in the mail!

The miracles of wooly nylon for darning or reinforcing hand made socks, adhesive spray from Elmer's (I could have avoided the horrible blotches caused when I painted glue on the lamp shade when I made a new hand dyed covering for it), and Eileens tacky glue.  The glues are availabe at Wally's World (you know what I mean!). 

Ok, it is maybe quarter to 6, our tummies start rumbling.  Guess what we talk about next!?  FOOD! A great discussion on making sourdough bread, Judy gave us her take on how to do it, Lyn also bakes sourdough, and I am going to start!  I love it.  I jotted some notes.

Lyn and I also finished projects: socks. But no, we did not model them!

 

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Susette