My New Best Friends - Bookwise

Since I have become my dad's primary caregiver, time is at a premium these days and I am still struggling to figure out how to complete the Master Level 1 handknitting program. Time is at a premium and my knitting is the mindless kind these days, the kind I can pick up and put down and not think too deeply about. Having said that, I have been indulging in some knitting retail therapy - book wise. 

Charles Gandy recommended Nancie M. Wiseman's The Knitter's Book of Finishing Techniques.  I have been knitting a child's cardigan and I was at the point of fitting the sleeves into the armholes.  This gave me the opportunity to practice the joining technique.  Was it a great job?  Not really.  In the Master's Handknit we submit swatches which are to be a reflection of "our best work".  It is easy to get fixated on that one small part of the program.  I think the real value of the Master's hand knit program is the ability to research, practice and expand one's knowledge.  This sweater is also helping me practice weaving in yarn ends.  As a side benefit I learned that the duplicate stitch method is a great way to 'fix' or reinforce sloppy, loose gauge on the sides.  Sloppy side gauge is a separate issue that I need to work on. 

I also picked up The Knitter's Handbook. Small, portable and spiral bound.

I am finding there is a lot of different information out there regarding knitting.  Knitting is a very slippery business with different definitions for many of the techniques.  I am knitting a simple cowl that has mobious in it's title.  It is not technically a mobious.  It is just circular knitting with the cast one row having a twist in it. This does create a twisted fabric, but a true mobious it is not.

I am surprised how my knitting is secretly improving.  I used to look at Vogue knitting magazine and think "Yea right, I will never be able to knit that stuff".  Now it doesn't seem so out of reach.

The Masters Level 1 - Swatch #1

WARNING:  All Master Knitting Swatch Posts will be continually updated as I fumble my way through and post updates and pictures.  Part blog, part journal of the project as it progresses.  I also have not passed Level 1, so my solutions and techniques in the swatches have not been passed/approved by the Committee.

I knit and while I will acknowledge that I am not an educated and technical knitter that apparently is the understatement of the decade.  I am now getting ready to rip, for the second time Swatch #1.  I mean, really, how hard can it be to knit a simple rib, increase evenly on the last rib row and then do 4.5 inches of garter.  Well.....apparently harder than it looks, or at least harder than it looks to get it right.  Last week on size 8 Susan Bates metal shorts I started on Swatch #1.  They were incredibly slippery and difficult to maintain an even tension.  Today I started over with a pair of old size 7 long Baleen needles I had sitting around - much better.

I hadn't realized how little I paid attention to my knitting.  I need to increase 5 stitches evenly and I did a M1 because I am told it is invisible.  Not so....it does in fact create a rather loose (read tiny hole).  Knitting into the front and back creates a bump which as it turns out is a good thing when increasing in a rib pattern.
In an effort to "get it right" I find myself deep in the forums of  Ravelry looking for discussions of unobtrusive increases.  Fortunately, I found a reference in the forums on Ribbing Increases an article in Cast On Magazine.  The article specifically targets The Knitting Guild of America's hand knitting masters program.  So I will read, experiment with their recommendations and see what happens.  A big thank you to the wonderful forum member who posted this link on Rav.

There is always a learning curve to what I call "how to learn".  It is also true that the devil is in the details and I find that I am now getting a 3x5 card to title Swatch #1  tracking exactly the number of rows I am knitting, which row has the increase, making notes regarding what stitch I perform an increase on, etc.  The Master's seems to be all about technical knowledge and expertise, and I have to get my incredibly lazy backside to go for perfect and not my usual 'good enough'.  I will include a picture both here and on  my project page  on Ravelry. The project page will show the finished swatch but here you will find the devilish details that led to that finished product.
In the mean time back to swatching......gee when and if I get this first swatch done I only have 15 more to do, no wonder they give you a year to complete this program.

Things I learned on this swatch:

       1.  If you pull taunt the yarn on the 2nd stitch you are knitting on the row you have just started it will snug up the 1st stitch on the right hand needle making the side of your swatch much more even and not all loosey-goosey.  Learned this from Eileen L.  who learned it from Cat Bordhi.

       2.  The Bar Increase as defined as knitting into the back and front of the 2nd knit stitch in a P2K2 rib will be the most unobtrusive and seem to stay in pattern.  This apparently is the increase of choice in a rib pattern.

Swatch #1 unblocked