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In this episode I’m talking about some events including knit alongs and Unwind Brighton. I also discuss the brilliant Amy Herzog Sweater knitting class I took at Squam recently, Body and Soul. I’ve made a list of the top 10 tips I learnt in the class that I wanted to share with you.
I’m HellsBells on Ravelry, and CuriousHandmade on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and Pinterest.
And if you sign up to my email newsletter “Curious Yarns”, I’ll make sure you don’t miss out on any exciting announcements and you also get a free pattern and a coupon code for any Curious Handmade pattern of your choice in my Ravelry shop.
Events:
Velvet Rose Knit Along
I’m currently hosting a knit along for the Velvet Rose shawl on the Curious Handmade Group on Ravelry.
It is running until 18 July 2014 so you have three weeks left to start and finish your shawls. It’s not too late to join in.
I will do three more random draws from the chat thread each week for little prizes and then do the main prize draw which includes a prize of Wollmeise lace from projects posted in the FO thread by 18 July.
I’m very happy to encourage double dipping in other knit alongs. Some other KALs on at the moment are:
Leslie and Laura – Knit Girllls
Knit Girllls – Stash Dash 5K – Runs until 7 August
From the Knit Girllls board:
“The rules are simple (and totally cheater friendly):
Knit from stash! Every yard of yarn used from 5/23 to 8/7 counts toward your goal of knitting through 5K of yarn (5,468 yards).”
Michelle – ACTually KNITting podcast –
Podcast Along Knit Along = PAL KAL
Cast on: July 1
Bind off: September 1
“The basic idea is to support a podcaster you listen to or watch by knitting one of their patterns and/or using their yarns for your project.”
Thank you to Archaeo and IrishF for suggesting my patterns and podcast for the KAL and also drawing my attention to this fab KAL
Unwind Brighton
Unwind Brighton is a fibre festival coming up in a few weeks over the weekend of 12-13 of July, in Brighton.
Pebble Beach Shawlette
My Pebble Beach Shawlette will be launched in the Unwind Brighton Programme. Everyone who attends the marketplace or classes will receive a copy of the programme with my pattern included! What an honour!
The pattern will be released on Ravelry as a paid for pattern just after Unwind on 14 July.
Stay tuned for details of a KAL that will kick off at Brighton and continue online afterwards! If you are thinking about casting on at Unwind Brighton you will need a pair of 4mm (US 6) circular needles (100cm long) and a skien of sock yarn 400m/437yds. I’m sure there will be endless opportunities to pick up the perfect skien of sock yarn at the Unwind Marketplace including the Kettle Yarn Co Westminster yarn in “Gold Rush” colourway that I used in the original sample.
Juno Fibre Arts
Juno Fibre Arts will also be in the marketplace and I will have a “mini trunk show” at the stand of my designs knit in Juno Fibre Arts yarn which are Fireflies Rising Shawlette, Curious Collective Shawl, Frangipani Shawl and Glitz at the Ritz. I will also be at the Juno Fibre Arts stand between 3-4pm on Saturday afternoon to chat with anyone who has questions about the designs.
Podcast meetup
There will be a podcaster meetup at 1pm on Saturday at the Mezzanine level of the Cafe at the Brighton Dome. Just next to the Corn Exchange where the Marketplace is. Come along and say hi!
The Curious Handmade Design Along is back again this year!
Last year I hosted a knit along with a difference and it was so much fun I’m doing it again.
It was a choose your own adventure shawl design so each week I posted a poll on the blog and participants voted for various design options such as the shape of the shawl and yarn. The end result was the Curious Collective Shawl.
I am teaming up with Juno Fibre Arts again and we’re going to use the Juno Alice in sock weight.
The first of the polls will be released on Saturday 5 July in just over a week so stay tuned for more details. If you want to be kept up to date on that – please do sign up to my newsletter on the sidebar of the blog “Curious Yarns”.
The plan is to design along together over 5 weeks and then I will be releasing the design based on the collective choices mid to late August.
Squam Part 2 – Top 10 lessons from Amy Herzog’s Body and Soul sweater workshop
I attended Squam Art Workshops in June and one of my classes was with Amy Herzog in her body and soul sweater workshop.
I have created a “top 10” list of the most valuable lessons I took away from the class.
You can find much more detail on this at
Amy’s book Knit to Flatter:
UK Amazon link: Knit to Flatter
US Amazon link: Knit to Flatter
Amy’s Knit to Flatter course on Craftsy is great
Custom Fit – “CustomFit makes custom patterns for hand-knit sweaters. It takes your choices, your body, and your hand-knit fabric and produces a pattern perfectly suited to you.”
My Top Ten Tips
1. Embrace the philosophy of choosing and making clothing to fit and flatter your body rather than thinking that there is something wrong with your body
Your body is perfect and if you have clothes that fit and flatter you can feel great
2. Be aware of the mythical Miss Average
Shop bought clothes are designed to fit Miss Average based on a set of average measurements. No one will ever fit all of those measurements.
3. Figure out your body shape
Body Shape is not about size.
4 Choose a pattern to suit your shape
Tips for broadening and lengthening – check out Amy’s website, book and craftsy class for lots more detail on this.
5. Figure out your size
Take a good set of body measurements – get a friend to help if you can.
Use the upper bust measurement when selecting the size of sweater to knit so it fits well across your shoulders
6. Choose the right yarn
Consider elasticity, drapiness, weight, construction and “scales”.
Have a listen to episodes 5 & 6 of the Knit FM podcast for a very informative discussion about this.
7. Swatching tips
Swatching for both gauge, and just as importantly for the fabric you are creating.
What makes a good fabric for sweaters? Sproing!
8. Modify the pattern to suit you
To avoid creating your sweater for Miss Average, most likely you will need to make some modifications to the design.
9. Or use Custom Fit
If you don’t fancy doing the maths to modify the design yourself then you could consider using Amy’s Custom Fit to do it all for you.
10. Break the rules and have fun!
It’s just knitting after all!
I’m curious: Has anyone knit a Custom Fit sweater? I would love to hear about your experience!
Coming up
Next week I have another knitting superstar guest on the show who I was thrilled to talk to at Squam so make sure you tune in for that.
Instagram – take a picture of where you are listening to the podcast, or what you are knitting and tag me with #curioushandmadepodcast
