Heading to Rhinebeck

Sometime earlier in the year I fancied a trip to Rhinebeck. To not only experience the Sheep & Wool festival, but also to stock up on US indie dyed yarn 'cos it's so ridiculously expensive to ship odd skeins and then pay customs charges on top.

Before I knew it we had a group heading from this side of the Atlantic! And it soon became something bigger than a quick trip...

Carol Feller and I are both sponsoring the Indie Untangled show on the Friday, and I'm preparing marketing materials for indie dyers and knitters who buy indie dyed yarn. This all ties in very nicely with a few plans I've put time into to replace what used to be the print wholesale before I needed to shut down that side of the business. I don't know yet when those materials will be ready, but hopefully before this season is done!

We're arranging a meet up at the main Rhinebeck show for Woolly Wormhead fans and there'll be more about that in the discussion thread in my Ravelry group.

And then last week it occurred to me that I may be able to design a Rhinebeck Hat... 

 ... and there just happened to be a design in my head that needed out onto the needles.

I've been beyond stressed this week and the panic attacks are creeping back, and the black dog is doing it's worst. Knitting this has helped keep me anchored.

and doesn't it create such a beautiful fabric?

The pattern is almost written and ready for editing, and I'm trying to arrange a photoshoot. This isn't something that's gone too smoothly of late but fingers crossed, eh?

The Lateralis collection is now with the graphic designer, and I'm hoping for a cover soon so that I can put it up on pre-release. The single patterns are all done but it won't be ready until layout and final editing is done. I can at least though get the single patterns into your hands as soon as it goes on pre-release - I'll follow up shortly with more info on that. 

I've been thinking about release schedules and how mine is all over the place, because I had a few months forced break earlier in the year. I'm still playing catch-up as we head into the busy season and I know from experience this isn't a good place to be if I want to get the most out of it. Knowing this is what’s behind most of my stress right now - if I can’t produce, I can’t earn.

And the way my business works is that I don’t see the downsides of a problem like two frozen shoulders until the next financial year. When Aran was critically ill and we faced eviction I did very little work for 6 months. The (financial) year this all happened in was fine, pretty normal… but it was the next (financial) year that saw a 25% drop in earnings. And that’s a lot, especially on a relatively low income that the whole family relies upon. And so yeah, that’s what’s eating away at me. Lateralis should have been ready for September 1st but I couldn’t knit and finalise the patterns, so it wasn’t. That then had a knock-on effect for the rest of the team who brilliantly help me produce my eBooks. I’ve missed at least a whole month of earnings on the collection at a time when we could really use it. What I earn between September and January has to keep us going until the following September, and that usually dries up come end of August. Right now, we’re living on our savings, the savings we put aside to pay for pt2 & pt3 of our #brexitscapeplan…. so, yeah.

Anyway. On the upside, Rhinebeck will be fun and Lateralis will be a hit, yes?

More attempts at perfecting studio shots...

I’ve said previously that we’re trying to work at getting our studio photography perfected so that we can work whatever the weather (usually we’re battling the sunshine, rather than the rain) and slowly but surely, we’re getting there.

For me, the biggest hurdle is lighting. We’re gathering a few lights that pack a lot into a small unit (necessary, given the size of my studio) yet somehow I’m rarely content with the lighting effects we get, even when the various set-ups that Tom puts together work well. I am so much happier working with natural light; I’ll always have a diffuser by my side as the natural light here is invariably too strong, but I loathe using reflectors as they always look so false to me - they make light bounce in ways it wouldn’t necessarily bounce. And if I struggle to use a reflector, you can imagine the state of me trying to give a yay or nay to studio lighting.

Slowly, though, we’re getting there. And the one set up that pleases me is dark and moody (quelle surprise). I don’t even care if there’s a lack of light on the face (I much prefer the presence of shadows to their absence) if the light hits the Hat at the right point. As I’m editing the first photoshoot for the Lateralis collection I can tell you there’s some shots where the face is barely visible but the Hat looks a stunner… shots that many people would say are too dark, and to my mind, that’s the point.

Before the shoot we had Monday afternoon we did a few practice shots with Aran for a future free pattern. When he’s in the mood for getting in front of the camera, he goes for it!

Fun as these are, these shots told us that we needed to change the lighting and make it more dramatic… when Aran wasn’t larking around the regular shots looked too much like school photos and there’s no way I’m putting anything like that out, so more shadows on the face it is then, not less.

I suspect in the long run we’ll be inhibited by the pokiness of my studio (compared to that of a the photography studios we usually get a glimpse of) which in turn inhibits our control of light. I know I’ll also get bored of using the same background too often. But it’s a good exercise, and the next plan is try night photography around the Yard, which, if successful, would mean we may never have to battle the sunlight again.

Lateralis - a closer look

The weeks all seem to be running into each other here as I try and battle on through all the red tape. I've been locked out of my new PayPal account for over a week, with no access to funds, because they looked at what I took in the first two weeks of moving the business and decided that I needed to prove who I am and where my business is (I earnt too much, basically, for what they perceive as a new business and they want to rule out fraud). Which isn't easy, as they seem to assume that a business address is also a personal residential address, and my Estonian business isn't yet a month old.

Add to that a whole bunch of other things, like being without internet for nearly a week (but now we have broadband!) models falling through (and me desperately trying to find some new and diverse faces), my printed backdrop (and it's reprint) coming through green, not grey, and... well I could go on. I'm really struggling to keep the worst of my depression at bay.

 BUT! I do have now 5 finished Hats, ready for photography. And I can reveal them, and the details of my collaboration with a brilliant dyer.

And here is the first full photo of the Lateralis Hats!

I reknit all of the samples, as I quickly came to the conclusion that one of things niggling me about this collection was the lack of colour cohesion. To mix and match hand dyed yarns from different dyers requires a large pool to pull from, and my work stash isn't big enough (I'm working on that). Whilst talking about colour cohesion with a couple of dyer friends, one said she was wanting to put together a range of tonal DK yarns, and working with me would be the nudge she needed. 

 So at Fibre East this year we talked colour and yarn and colour combinations and decided on a selection of 4 tonals and 3 variegated yarn.

RiverKnits is the dyer I've worked with, and if you're familiar with Becci's yarns you'll see how the new tonals are so her colour palette. She's made a fantastic job of the new DK tonals and I'm more than happy to be showcasing them here. I tend not to accept yarn sponsorship, as my organic process doesn't always lend itself well to commitments or deadlines (nor does my health, for that matter) but having a complete collection of patterns ready, and with obvious benefits for both parties,  this was clearly going to work out well.

Becci is busy preparing the new yarn line, and I'm excited to see more DK available. If you pop to her Instagram feed you'll find more details (and do go and have a good look round if you've not come across her before - her dye studio is a narrowboat). 

This week we're focussing on photoshoots and choosing fonts and style themes for layout. I'll also be doing some last little touches to the patterns, such as matching the colours on the charts to those of the samples, which will add to the cohesion. 

I've been quite anxious about the shoots, seeing as we've only one of the three planned models, and a backdrop that's the wrong colour (it'll work but it'll mean extra editing time, which in turn means more pain for my shoulders). Our one model will be great, I'm sure,  but I'm not sure how well the Hats will suit her. And the face I had envisaged isn't available anymore, which has thrown me completely. I'm really not sure whether this week will be better than the last, but we have at least reached this stage and that's quite something!

The Winding Cast-on

All of the free patterns and tutorials on this website are supported by my amazing Patreons! If it wasn't for them I wouldn't be able to continue to produce or host freebies. We'd love to have you join us and in return, you get exclusive behind-the-scenes material, member-only discounts and early access to new free content. Membership starts at $1 per month. You can also say thanks for the freebie via the Tip Jar.

This is a highly effective and quick cast-on. It’s most often used as a provisional cast-on, yet if worked with the main yarn as a permanent cast-on it hides right into the fabric. It is in fact the true opposite of a graft, which makes it very useful indeed.

This cast-on is worked over two same sized circular or interchangeable needles, held parallel. The cast-on can sometimes be a little loose, especially if one half of the stitches are held for a long time, so choose needles that are one or two sizes below those required for the main pattern. It’s also a good idea to have long circulars or cable length – this will stop the stitches bunching and let them sit comfortably without the risk of losing stitches.

This cast-on is similar to the Turkish Cast-on; a slightly different set up resulting in two sets of live stitches across two needles. It’s worth bearing in mind that this tutorial was written for the Lateralis collection where the patterns are worked flat, although the method could be adapted for working in the round.

1) Place a slip knot on the top needle and hold the yarn tail to the left, tucked out of the way.

2) Bring the yarn down across the front of both needles then underneath the bottom needle to come back up again behind.

3) Continue this process, winding in the same way. You can wrap the yarn the other way round to create the stitches but that means that the stitches will need re-orientating, or working into the back of, on the very first row.

4) Continue until you have the desired number of stitches. Remember that each full wrap creates two stitches – one on the top needle, one on the bottom. You are now ready to start working the stitches.

5) Gently pull the lower circular needle through, allowing it to hang out of the way. Ensure that the yarn goes underneath the cable as shown, as you’ll need it at the back to start the next stitch. If the yarn isn’t taken underneath the cable before you start knitting then it will reduce the number of wraps by one.

6) It’s important to remember to work directly with the same yarn and treat this first row of stitches worked as the first row in the pattern – do not work a plain row first! If you worked the cast-on with a smaller needle, now switch to the main needle and insert it into the first stitch as normal.

7) Wrap the yarn around the needle and pull the stitch through – the first stitch of the first row of the pattern is now worked.

8) Continue working the stitches in this first row as directed by the pattern. As you reach the end of the first set of stitches you will find the slip knot that you started with – where possible, slip this slip knot onto the lower needle cable and hold it there until the 2nd set of live stitches are ready to be worked. The slip knot isn’t to be treated as a stitch but as an anchor, and it will help make sure that the first stitch of the 2nd set of stitches doesn’t get lost.

Continue working the stitches as directed by your pattern – in some patterns you may be asked to work on one set of stitches only, to return to the 2nd set at a later point. In other patterns you will work both sets of stitches in one row, which will take careful management of the needles (either DPNs or magic loop).

If the 2nd set of stitches are held for a long time, then the stitches may get a little saggy – this is easily fixed by tightening up the stitches one by one with a tapestry needle, working towards the slip knot/yarn tail.

Support

If you’ve a question about this technique, pop it in a comment below or visit the forum! I’m unable to offer help with patterns or techniques via email.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by clever Hat knitting patterns (@woollywormhead)

Introducing Trittico

Yup, I'm still here and still buried under admin and edits. I keep thinking that I can see the light at the end of the tunnel then it goes and moves...

This year I've accepted very few collaborations and commissions, yet there are some people I can't say no to! Carol feller's new book, Echoes of Heather and Stone, is now live and available and I've a Hat in the collection, named Trittico.

I wrote a little on Carol's blog about the design, it's inspiration and it's construction. Hint: it's knitted sideways with some unusual means to creating a vertical line! And slipped stitches and grafting. I rather enjoyed this piece as I had the chance to indulge my love of symbolism, which doesn't happen too often these days (unless it's going on my skin). And line - I love bringing line into design, it's so effective on a knitted fabric.

Find the blog post here.

Carol and her handy videocam also caught up with me at Woollinn, and I braved the camera to share about the Hat a little.

Follow the links above if you'd like to peruse and purchase the collection - I'm in great company and all together, it's a fabulous collection - I've no doubt you'll love it.

Back to my edits and admin I go, and I do believe this time that I've broken the back of it.