Knitaway...the days

  
     The fourth day of the Knitaway® has arrived and the last three have been filled with techniques and excitement.  What an incredible group of knitters here at the Studio!  They are  keeping me on my toes finding more and more  to teach them and the flow of learning is constant and strong.  Whew!  This is good knitting!
     I demonstrated for the group yet another very stretchy bind off and wanted to share it with you all too.  It is a favorite of mine created by a friend and fellow knitter on Ravelry, Beyenburgerin.  It makes a flexible and decorative edging that many really like on garter stitch.   I use it when ever I want the bind off to really make a statement, have a presence and still be flexible. I call it the BBBO and it goes like this:

*K2 tog, place yarn in front of the left needle, slip the new stitch (the one just made by k2 tog) back onto the left needle with the yarn still in front, place yarn back behind the left needle;  repeat from *.

     You have actually wrapped the yarn around the base of the k2 tog and then you proceed.  The wrapping gives the bind off more stretch and a lovely decorative, "corded " appearance.  I blocked the edge out into points in the photo so you can see how flexible the BBBO really is, with lots of give  to suit the shawl's expansion.
     And what does BBBO stand for you might ask?  Well for Brigitte's Brilliant Bind Off of course!

In a Bind Off

A new shawl is coming off the needles and I'm taking a rather welcome break from the bind off process to post.  This is one of the shawls we'll be working with at the Knitaway® in the Studio this week so there is no time to waste.  Blocking will ensue bright and early tomorrow morning as I do intend to stay awake until the last stitch is tucked in.

 As is the case with many of my favorite shawls there are lots of stitches to bind off on this one, not as many as the Folk School Shawl nor as many as the Irish Diamond but still a significant number.    And being a shawl, this has to be a very flexible but sturdy and beautiful bind off.  I came across the bind off via a search in the wonderful Revised Unified Index on Techknitting.com and the link there to The Miraculous Elastic Bind Off as posted on SlipSlipKnit .  Margaret Stove demonstrates the  technique as  a bind off used on traditional Shetland shawls.  I did the knit-wise version and I used a needle two sizes smaller than that I used to knit the shawl.  I like the looks of it and the flexibility is perfect for this long outer edge.    It is very, very flexible.  In fact I highly recommend using a smaller needle to bind off with this technique.  Pretty though, isn't it?

 

Kimono Shawl in the news!

What a nice surprise it was for me to hear that in the latest edition of Knitting Traditions, one of my favorite Interweave Press publications, the editors have kindly included the Kimono Shawl from Folk Shawls.  Made my day, to say the least.   Check for it at your LYS or order it through my website, and please do take a look .  It is another great issue form the editors of Piecework Magazine.

 

 

More Lace and Spring Greetings

Here is some detail from designs I'm finishing up for the next One Skein Wonder book.  The editor, Judith Durant, who is also the author of Knit One, Bead Too,  always kindly asks me to join in the fun on this great knitting series.  This will be the forth volume in the wildly popular set, and all are worth having on the shelf to inspire you for that perfect ball o' yarn in your stash.

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The colors of these projects suit my springy mood.   I do love the spring. Always have.

 Here I am one sunny Easter morning wearing my new posh frock.  Mom was a seamstress extraordinaire and had a sweet creation ready for spring.  Can you see the corsage?  Dad gave us one each Easter, fashioned from rosebuds and lace ribbon.  That's enough to turn any girl into a little Easter ham, don't you think?

 So here are my wishes to you for a Happy Easter,  Chag Sameach,  Happy Spring.  In whatever way you celebrate, may you all have a basket full of joys.