Announcing KnitXperience 2011 ready for registration!

We are excited about sharing the many possibilities that are available once you learn how to knit a mobius. That’s why we have called this year’s KnitXperience:

All Things Mobius

We’ll learn the mobius cast-on, choose our own embellishments, and knit a mobius necklace. Lots of other techniques will be included as the weekend progresses. Join Melissa and me at Graves Mountain Lodge, November 11-13th for this year’s KnitXperience.

What a weekend! For a lite weekend, we got pretty intense with the cast ons and bind offs. And then the majority of us discovered Portuguese Knitting. Fun and educational for all.

Information and registration are ready now on our web site for KnitXperience , or Low Impact Techniques for Everyone, March 18-20th, here on Chincoteague Island. 

It’s all about knitting, shaking off the last of that cabin fever. There will be no organized workshops or classes, but topics for discussion. There are an incredible number of what you might consider hum drum knitting topics, which, on closer inspection, yield many areas where tidbits of information will improve your knitting.

The fee for the Retreat is $25 plus your lodging. Make lodging reservations directly with the Chincoteague Island Motor Inn by calling: 757-336-3141. Please tell them you are with the knitting retreat to receive the great rate they are offering us.

A simple but lovely knitted project, perfect for quick knitting and last minute gifts. Just fill with lavendar for a sweet, sweet fragrance.

Here’s the pattern I used for KnitXperience this fall when we were studying cables.

 
Cabled Sachet
Materials:
50g ball Cotton yarn
Size 6 knitting needles 

Front Cross (FC): sl 2 sts to dpn and hold in front, p1, then k2 from dpn.
Back Cross (BC): sl 1 st to dpn and hold in back, k2, then p1 from dpn.

Close Braid Cable (from Barbara Walker)
Panel of 13 sts
Row 1: (Wrong side) K3, p4, k2, p2, k2.
Row 2: P2, FC, BC, FC, P2.
Row 3: and all subsequent wrong-side rows, knit all knit sts and purl all purl sts.
Row 4: P3, sl next 2 sts to dpn and hold in back, k2, then k2 from dpn; p2, k2, p2.
Row 6: P2, BC, FC, BC, P2.
Row 8: P2, k2, p2, sl next 2 sts to dpn and hold in front, k2, then k2 from dpn; p3.
Repeat Rows 1-8

CO 31 sts
Work 4 rows in 1×1 rib.
Begin Row 1 working cable over center13 sts. On either side of the cable work 7 purl sts and 2 knit stitches and on subsequent rows knit the knit sts and purl the purl sts for these sts on either side of the cable panel.
Repeat cable panel 5 times or as long as you want.
Repeat 4 rows rib.
Bind off.
Fill with lavender (may put lavender in small bag inside the knitted bag)

Here’s the pattern for the reversible cabled scarf we knitted at KnitXperience this November. We knitted it with Elsebeth Lavold’s Silky Flamme.

Cabled Scarf Pattern

 by Melissa Abbott 

Using heavy worsted weight or bulky wt yarn and size 10.5 needles
 CO 32 sts

Set Up Rows
2 rows K1, P1 rib

Pattern:

Row 1: 4/4 cable RC, (K1, P1) 4 times, 4/4 cable RC, (K1, P1) 4 times

Rows 2-4 Knit the knit stitches and purl the purl stitches

Row 5: (K1, P1) 4 times, 4/4 cable LC, (K1, P1) 4 times, 4/4 cable LC

Rows 6-8 Knit the knit stitches and purl the purl stitches

 Continue pattern repeat until several yards left,

End with 2 rows K1, P1 rib

Melissa completed her reversible cable scarf she began at the Retreat and used 2 balls of Silky Flamme by Elsebeth Lavold. The cable pattern gives the scarf a lovely scalloped edging.

She is raiding the shop today to see which yarn she is going to use to knit the Minimalist Sweater. Hmmm. I think I will have to double check her knitting bag before she leaves to make sure some Zauberball hasn’t jumped in there. HA!