This past week or so has been about sampling and practicing.
I think it was a project on Ravelry that sent me looking for the Sheepfold cable stitch pattern. I can’t even remember now. It’s something I’ve wanted to incorporate into a garment for a long time, but couldn’t find a reference, until I made the connection with the Elizabeth Zimmerman Aran Coat. It turns out I had it here all the time in The Opinionated Knitter! I’ve always liked how the pattern undulates but lays flat and doesn’t add bulk.
But in order to work it back and forth rather than circularly I needed to have it charted.
It has twists on both even and odd rows, so I decided I’d work it back and forth across the front of the fabric to make it easier to follow the chart. So that meant working in my normal mode from left to right, then knitting like everyone else in the world back from right to left. I’d gotten a good deal of practice with right handed knitting while working on my Pluviae Vest, but that was just knitting, no purling or cables.
I’d developed some comfort with English style (throwing) over the course of that project, but purling was still pretty awkward. So I decided to use the swatch as a chance to switch up my technique, going Continental (picking) and also figuring out the right handed Norwegian purl.
Did a nice long swatch to get familiar with the flow of the pattern and practice the new stitch techniques. My tension is still a little wonky, but feeling pretty good about the flow- feels a lot more efficient!
Second swatch- is another lefty/righty exercise- this time just knit, tho. The yarn is my first go at blending the goodies I picked up at the Skagit Weavers Guild Auction a few weeks ago.
Figured I’d try out the yarn, and get a bunch of practice with the right-handed Continental knitting! For future reference, that’s 1.55 oz of yarn, swatch measures 18″ x 5.5″.
I’m toying with the idea of dyeing the swatch for future reuse, perhaps a gradient (?) . That could be fun. Or maybe some other interesting color effect.
And speaking of color- wanted to share a combo out in the hoophouse that is making me smile
The chive flowers are really cool- they seem to almost glow in their centers-
So that’s this weeks tiny bit of garden magic. Poppies will be coming on soon!
Lovely photos!