Knitter's Handshake (Salute)

It just wouldn't be camp without seeing the knitter's handshake (salute).

Here's Penny modeling one of Meg's wonderful designs, the Turkish Maple, pp. 50-54 in Meg Swansen's Knitting, Interweave Press, 1999, now sadly OOP.




Meg asks for questions from us to be answered throughout camp, and then illustrates the techniques, if such is appropriate. Here, on one of the four monitors, is a review of kitchenering garter stitch. It really is all about hills and valleys, but sometimes you have to stand on your head to have the texture revealed. (It's not as easy to distinguish the hills and the valleys as one might think.)

And just what is going on with the terminology of 'invisible cast on' or 'provisional cast on'? The last 7-8 years the terminology has been flip-flopping enough to confuse most everybody. Now the definition seems to be back to Mary Thomas' teaching of it decades ago and now seen on www.knittinghelp.com ("Seems" is the operative word, here.)

More exciting, though, is to watching for Cully's designs! He'd devised an icord lattice hat last year and now is working on his second sweater design.


Bridget Rorem brought this purple scarf as her show and tell (also modeled by Cheryl in the picture below). It is an intriguing method of swatching and trying patterns. Later on in 2.75, Bridgie teaches a miniworkshop on making the spider motif. Bridgie conceived of this spider shawl, more appropriately named "After Twilight the Garden Creatures Frolic", in which the spider really does have eight legs (unlike some spider patterns) with Cheryl Oberle's yarn "Gossamer". In this photo, Bridgie and Cheryl are holding it up against the wall to show how well the motifs light up! Amy enjoys the process.



As Cheryl Oberle models the piece, we all get to photograph and touch and admire. Leah and Linda are particularly intrigued here. Bridgie is at the mic explaining about the motifs and part of her design process. I love this 'swatch' concept and the possibilities that can be extended from it.

I am always intrigued by the creative process and how it evolves for each person. Not one of us takes the same thought processes or steps to birth a piece. This shawl has possibilities....





Kauni yarn has been very popular the last several years. Although at one time it was available only through Astrid's Dutch Obsessions in Europe, more LYS's are now carrying it in the USA. Usually we have seen Kauni in just a few sweater designs. But just look at what knitting it into a shawl can become. Wow, Jane, this is a fantastic interpretation of a pattern in "Gathering of Lace". Exactly the same colorway was used by Linda Chism in a sweater that was one of Astrid's patterns. But, the two items hardly even looked related, much less knitted from the same yarn!

OK, too many good knitting vibes are coming through from camp...gotta go now and knit!