Main | knitting in the new Harry Potter »
August 10, 2005
A Provisional Beginning
Hi, I'm Lauren and I'm fairly obsessed with knitting. I knit while reading, walking, watching tv shows and movies, riding in cars, flying on planes, and nearly any other place I can bring my needles.
Luckily there are a lot of other fairly obsessed knitters living around me.
Tonight, 11 of us met up at Au Bon Pain for a few hours of knitting, crocheting, and even a little embroidery:
In the foreground is Claire's Summer 2005 issue of Interweave Knits. She's knitting the Viennese Shrug using Wool-ease (in Woods Print).
The yellow line of yarn was used in her provisional cast on.
So that the shrug is symmetrical and the lace looks the same down each arm, it is started in the middle and then worked down one arm. When that arm is finished, Claire will remove the yellow yarn and put the live stitches on her needle and knit the other arm. Those two links have different instructions for casting on provisionally. Either will work, as will this method that doesn't involve a crochet hook. If she used a traditional cast on, instead of the provisional, Claire would then have to sew the two shrug sides together, creating a seam in the middle of the garment.
Besides talking about cast ons, we also talked about different ribbed edgings, new yarn stores, churning butter, Harry Potter, and puppies (knitter Robyn was tending to her dog who had 8 puppies today!).
Posted by lauren at August 10, 2005 04:12 PM
Comments
Hi, I live in Aurora, and we have a knitting group that meets every Thursday night. We have a great time and have become good friends, even though most of us were strangers when we met. Thursday's are the highlight of my week.
Posted by: sue at August 12, 2005 08:30 AM
Where can I find the pattern for the padded footlets and the Dibs on Ribs sweater?
I help a friend of mine with a shawl project for the mothers of the kids in the cancer unit in a Houston, Texas hospital, and the socks would be great for them. Never mind my kids would also want them, even though they are grown.
Posted by: Lucille at August 12, 2005 09:34 AM
the new "blog" site is very trendy and I think it will catch on. It is always fun to see and hear what people in the "real" world are doing with their knitting and crocheting. I am a hand spinner and use much of my own yarns for these same paterns. tnanks Lion!
Posted by: marilyn bacon at August 12, 2005 10:59 AM
Hi I am also a Karen. I live in central CT. I have never heard of the provisional cast on before. It looks very interesting as does the shrug. I did a lacy triangular shawl last winter from the Lion Brand web site using Homespun and it came out so lovely. That was a very rewarding experience.
Posted by: KarenG at August 12, 2005 01:22 PM
Hi Connecticut knitters. I'm in the process of moving to Salisbury in the NorthWestern corner. Are there any knitting groups up there that I can join?? I'm sort of a little bit better than beginner and would love to hang out with more experienced knitters.
Posted by: Susan at August 12, 2005 04:25 PM
Claire is a very clever girl! I haven't knit a shrug (yet), but I am going to look for other ways to use the provisional cast-on when I knit. Sewing seams is so not fun!
Posted by: Connie at August 12, 2005 09:13 PM
I liked the provisional cast on, I really want to try it soon. Right now I'm trying to learn lace knitting and it's quite a challenge for me. All in all, knitting is quite relaxing... I wish there were knitting groups in my area. That would be fun.
Posted by: Pat at August 12, 2005 09:14 PM
Karen G, I feel better because I have knitted for years and was not familiar with the provisional cast on either, and was beginning to wonder if maybe I was the only one! Whew!! Love the idea of a blog for Lion knitters...
Posted by: Bev R at August 12, 2005 11:15 PM
I am looking for a knitting group in central Ct.
Love to hand knit and also have knitting machines (hope that is not a bad word)
Posted by: Elaine at August 13, 2005 06:31 AM
Connie - if you are looking for a knitting group, you might want to use the Charity Connection link here on the Lion Brand site and search for a group in your area. Its often a great way to find other knitters and to get connected.
Posted by: Nancy at August 13, 2005 07:39 AM
I live in CT also. In the Danbury area. Where is this group? I have never heard of the Elm City?
Posted by: Bee at August 13, 2005 08:04 AM
I have never done the provisional cast-on. I have seen it done as the wrap around one, but not the crochet type. I'm thinking I must try this! Thanks for the photos and step by step instructions on it. --Heather
Posted by: Heather at August 13, 2005 10:39 AM
Lauren,
I'd like to know how you knit and walk. It's something I'd like to do, but think the bouncing would make it hard to keep my eyes on what I'm doing. I have to look at what I'm doing most o the time. Where do you put your yarn? Pocket? A pouch?
Posted by: Beth at August 13, 2005 12:19 PM
I used to live in Southington, CT, before moving to SC.. I am looking for a crochet pattern for a shrug that ties in the front, that the young ladies and teens are wearing. I have found one for knitting, but I do not knit.. Can anyone help? It would be greatly appreciated.. thank you..
Posted by: Shirley Gamble at August 13, 2005 08:13 PM
I am having trouble with following a pattern.. I haverecently started knitting. I sort of taught myself after watching many episodes of Knitty Gritty. I have no idea what i am doing wrong...
Help!
Posted by: Sarah D at August 13, 2005 09:06 PM
Post a comment
Thanks for signing in, . Now you can comment. (sign out)
(If you haven't left a comment here before, you may need to be approved by the site owner before your comment will appear. Until then, it won't appear on the entry. Thanks for waiting.)