the details

Posted on June 6, 2017 by Talitha

i am more likely

to be moved (in any direction)

by the details of a thing, than by the big overall picture.

for as long as i can remember,

i have always been that way.

and with two new patterns to be released this week

i’ve been poring over the pics that

leslie (of blueeyedcrafty photography) took

and, as always, it’s some

of the details that have captured my attention.

do ya want a little sneak peek of those details?

yup, that’s what i thought…

here are the outcome of some ‘supplies’ i grabbed at michael’s

last week and put to good use,

a close-up of cozy stockinette stitch

by nice and knit worsted

in ‘kelp’,

and the play of friday’s fleeting sunlight

through the lattice of a little covered bridge over a local stream.

these photos,

are so emotional for me.

each one captures feelings about light and shadow,

safety and bravery.

the fact that two knitwear photo shoots also resulted in these shots

is a small testament to art happening in unexpected ways

and in unexpected places,

and that’s the way

it should be.

‘light’ taken from 119:105 of the psalms.

math and the choices it makes

Posted on November 1, 2015 by Talitha

you know when a pattern says

something like ‘decrease 12 sts evenly over the next row’?

that makes me nuts. as a designer if i wanted to do the math myself

i’d be writing my own new pattern, you know?

i always feel frustrated when a pattern

expects me to do the work

instead of instructing

me on what

to do.

this week i stumbled upon

‘eskmimi’s knitulator’ over on pinterest.

not only is it cute as a button, but it’s waiting there

at all times, ready to do the work. how cool is that?

you just tell it how many stitches

you’re starting with

and how many stitches you want to have at the end of the rowand it will tell you how exactly to space either increases or decreases to get the job done.

it’s sort of a pattern lifeline, right?

i so bookmarked it.

besides finding this fun tool this week,

i also released a new pattern.

the pattern (wait for it) is called ‘lifelined’. yup, it sure is.

well, only i released the first part of the pattern.

as the pattern stands right now,

it uses super bulky yarn

(which if you know me at all, you know i love).

the next part of the pattern is the modifications for using

other yarns: bulky, aran, worsted and dk weight to be exact.

that’s all being tested right now.

when it’s done, i’ll send out a pattern update

so that if you already bought ‘lifelined’

for super bulky yarn,

you’ll get an updated pdf with the numbers for yarns

all the way down to dk weight.

pretty good, right? but, there’s more.

also being test knit right now

is a slight variation on the variations that can make a similar neck wrap (or shawl)

out of sport weight or fingering weight yarn.

this pattern of variations might get knit up in the heavier weights, too

if the math works out. still in the number crunching phase at the moment.

so, while i’m pondering the options

and you’re waiting for them to be seeable,

at least i can show you ‘lifelined’ as it is in the super bulky of lana grossa ‘ambiente’.it’s not a triangle, but has five points.

so when deciding just how to drape it around yourself, there are lots of options.

obviously, i love options.

i’m feeling chatty, but itching to knit,

so i’ll end here and go play with some yarn.

i give you permission to do the same.

but only if you smile.

‘released’ taken from 16:36 of acts.

another way to travel

Posted on October 9, 2015 by Talitha

despite the fact

that there are so many pretty patterns out there vying for attention,

there are still some that grab me and won’t let go of my thoughts.

‘the songlines collection’ by ambah o’brien

is five patterns

that have done exactly that.

i had never heard of ‘songlines’ or ‘dreaming tracks’ before.

curious by nature, my fingers ran (not walked) to google them.

the results are fascinating.

Instead of making maps, the Indigenous peoples of Australia navigated vast distances by singing songlines (also called dreaming tracks) “in the appropriate sequence, often traveling through the vast deserts of Australia’s interior.”

“Since a songline can span the lands of several different language groups,…(describing the location of landmarks, waterholes, and other natural phenomena) different parts of the song are said to be in those different languages. Languages are not a barrier because the melodic contour of the song describes the nature of the land over which the song passes. The rhythm is what is crucial to understanding the song.”

after reading that,

i went back to look at ambah’s designs again.

now i see the red sands of the simpson desert, and the grey of worn ancient stones.

look how she’s mixed the colorways to create such depth and texture

like the ‘contours of the land’.

i admit to an overactive imagination, and yet

i can almost see the things that the loops and swirls of these shawls

might represent on a long trek across the desert.

i can almost here the rhythm of the people’s

footfalls as the older ones

teach the younger the dreaming tracks by which they will one day understand

their native land and describe it to their own children…

my favorite here is ‘yindela‘,

because in a way it reminds me of the landscape of my own history.

once i decide on the colors that will mean the most to me,

i’m looking forward to the rhythm

of the knitting.

as i remember the songs of my own childhood,

each stitch will become part of my personal ‘songline’.

how very, very cool is that?

maybe now you want to win a copy of

‘the songlines collection’ for your very own? okay.

leave a comment below saying which of the five you’d most like to knit.

if you want to, tell us why you chose that one, too

(be sure to leave your rav name

or some other way for me to reach you if you win).

leave your comment by midnight this sunday, october 11th.

then, on monday the 12th, i’ll pick a winner

by random number generator.

can’t wait to read

what you’d choose (and why).

‘desert’ taken from 14:3 of exodus.

enter to win, or don’t?

Posted on December 1, 2012 by Talitha

seriously, is that even a question?

it’s a luxurious yarn, a free copy of a new pattern and some other little goodies…

of course you should enter.

i’ve just released a new pattern knit up in

galler yarns’ heather prime alpaca.

this stuff is amazingly soft

and there’s enough in

just one skein to

to knit this.

‘this’ being valleys of the sea

a rectangular wrap with wave like edging

along the right and left edges as it’s knit end to end.

really now,

does it get any better

than high altitude alpaca

(‘the cashmere of alpacas’)

that you can contentedly

knit an entire wrap in

out of a single

600 yard

skein?

did i mention that this means

no yarn ends to weave precariously into the lace pattern?

‘in the heat’

Posted on June 4, 2011 by Talitha

good summer knitting.

big needles & light yarn.

add beads or leave it bare.

enjoy!

‘In The Heat’ By Talitha Kuomi

2 skeins Hemp4knitting ‘Allhemp6’

Size 13 needles

Cable needle

24 beads (optional)

Gauge: 10 sts and 14 rows = 4”

in stockinette stitch

Stitch Guide

Cables

C8LP: Slip 4 sts to cable needle and hold in front of work, p4, p4 from cable needle.

C8LK: Slip 4 sts to cable needle and hold in front of work, k4, k4 from cable needle.

C8RP: Slip 4 sts to cable needle and hold at back of work, p4, p4 from cable needle.

C8RK: Slip 4 sts to cable needle and hold at back of work, k4, k4 from cable needle.

Optional Beaded Cables

Note: If you are beading this wrap, you should add a bead to each and every cable.

C8LP with a bead: Slip 4 sts to cable needle and hold in front of work, p1, place a bead on the next stitch, purl the beaded stitch, p2 more, p4 from cable needle.

C8LK with a bead: Slip 4 sts to cable needle and hold in front of work, k4, k1 from cable needle, place a bead on the next stitch, knit the beaded stitch, k2 more from cable needle.

C8RP with a bead: Slip 4 sts to cable needle and hold at back of work, p4, p1 from cable needle, place a bead on the next stitch, purl the beaded stitch, p2 more from cable needle.

C8RK with a bead: Slip 4 sts to cable needle and hold at back of work, k1, place a bead on the next stitch, knit the beaded stitch, k2 more, k4 from cable needle.

The Wrap

Before c asting on, roll the first 7 yds of yarn into a small ball or tied wrap of some kind. You will use this to knit a pocket later on. Roll up 7.5 yds if you are using a long tail cast on.

Now starting these 7 yds from the end (7 ½ yds if you’re using a long tail cast on), CO 28sts.

Rows 1, 3, 5, 7 and 9: K2tog, yo, k8,* (yo, k2tog); repeat from * to end.

Rows 2, 4, 6, 8 and 10: Purl to end.

Row 11: Same as Row 1.

Rows 12 and 14: (P2tog, yo) 5 times, p8, *(p2tog, yo); repeat from * to the last 2 sts, p2.

Rows 13 and 15: Knit to end.

Row 16: Same as Row 12.

Row 17: K10, C8LK, knit to end.

Rows 18 and 20: Same as Row 12.

Rows 19 and 21: Knit to end.

Row 22: Same as Row 12

Rows 23 and 25: K2tog, yo, k8, (k2tog, yo) to last 10 sts, k8, yo, k2tog.

Rows 24 and 26: Purl to end.

Row 27: Same as Row 23.

Row 28: P2, C8LP, purl to last 10 sts, C8LP, p2.

Rows 29 and 31: Same as Row 23.

Rows 30 and 32: Purl to end.

Row 33: Same as Row 23.

Repeat Rows 12-33, two more times (for a total of 3 times).

Repeat Rows 12-22 one more time.

Rows 34 and 36: K2tog, yo, k8, (k2tog, yo) to last 10 sts, k8, yo, k2tog.

Rows 35 and 37: Purl to end.

Row 38: Same as Row 34.

Row 39: P2, C8RP, purl to last 10 sts, C8LP, p2.

Row 40 and 42: Same as Row 34.

Row 41 and 43: Purl to end.

Row 44: Same as Row 34.

Rows 45 and 47: (P2tog, yo) 5 times, p8, *(p2tog, yo); repeat from * to the last 2 sts, p2.

Rows 46 and 48: Knit to end.

Row 49: Same as Row 45.

Row 50: K10, C8RK, knit to end.

Rows 51 and 53: Same as Row 45.

Rows 52 and 54: Knit to end.

Row 55: Same as Row 45.

Rows 56 and 58: K2tog, yo, k8, (k2tog, yo) to last 10 sts, k8, yo, k2tog.

Rows 57 and 59: Purl to end.

Row 60: Same as Row 56.

Row 61: P2, C8RP, purl to last 10 sts, C8RP, p2.

Rows 62 and 64: Same as Row 56.

Rows 63 and 65: Purl to end.

Row 66: Same as Row 56.

Repeat Rows 45-66, two more times (for a total of 3 times).

Repeat Rows 45-55, one more time.

Repeat rows 1-11, one final time.

Last row: (ws) Loosely bind off all stitches purlwise. Do not cut yarn.

Tiny ‘Hidden’ Pockets

Lay the wrap flat, right side up and with the cast on edge nearest to you. Pick up 12 sts at the cast on edge under the square of stockinette stitch to the far right. Using the 7 yds that you wound just before you cast on for the wrap, work the following rows.

Row 1: K12

Row 2: Purl to end.

Row 3: Same as Row 1.

Row 4: Purl to end.

Row 5: Same as Row 1.

Choose one of the following:

Row 6 for a beadless wrap: P2, C8LP, p2.

Row 6 for a beaded wrap: P2, C8LP with a bead, p2.

Row 7: Same as Row 1.

Row 8: Purl to end.

Row 9: Same as Row 1.

Row 10: Purl to end.

Row 11: Same as Row 1.

Row 12: Cast off 3, p2tog, bind off this stitch and one more, p2tog, bind off this stitch and 3 more. Cut yarn and tie off.

Turn the wrap so that the bind off edge is now closest to you. Pick up 12 sts under the square of stockinette stitch at the far left of this end of the wrap. Using the yarn that you didn’t cut after binding off, work the following rows:

Row 1: K12

Row 2: Purl to end.

Row 3: Same as Row 1.

Row 4: Purl to end.

Row 5: Same as Row 1.

Choose one of the following:

Row 6 for a beadless wrap: P2, C8RP, p2.

Row 6 for a beaded wrap: P2, C8RP with a bead, p2.

Row 7: Same as Row 1.

Row 8: Purl to end.

Row 9: Same as Row 1.

Row 10: Purl to end.

Row 11: Same as Row 1.

Row 12: Cast off 3, p2tog, bind off this stitch and one more, p2tog, bind off this stitch and 3 more. Cut yarn and tie off.

Finishing

Sew down both side edges of each pocket. Weave in ends.

Block to 11” wide by about 76” long with 3” points at each end on the edge opposite each pocket.

now go on out there and have some fun

while you’re wearing your new summer wrap!

‘in the heat’ taken from 32:4 in the psalms.

photos with model taken by triplec photography.

Talitha Kuomi

Patterns your yarn will beg to become

Tag Archives: wrap

the details

math and the choices it makes

another way to travel

enter to win, or don’t?

‘in the heat’