Tortoise Suit

I'm pretty sure this is crochet rather than knit. Is the idea of tortoise suits brilliant or crazy? At least this way, you never lose your pet tortoise in the garden or mix it up with someone else's pet tortoise.

Our Own "Living Legend"

Jack Blumenthal of Lion Brand yarn recently had a lovely blog post about our own Janet Johnson Stevens.

Knitting on Norwegian Television

The Norwegian television phenomenon "Slow TV" had a successful program about knitting. Judging by their success at this line of programming, one might conclude Norwegians are temperamentally a patient people -- and possibly also a country of enthusiastic knitters. More information at this link and also this other link.

Can You Knit and Be Prime Minister?

There was quite a bit of talk this week about Prime Minister Julia Gillard of Australia appearing in Australian Women's Weekly knitting a toy kangaroo as a baby gift for the Duke and Dutchess of Cambridge. The thread in the Ravelry main boards ended up being locked.
A sample comment in the media:
News Limited columnist Andrew Bolt said Gillard was "giving encouragement to young female politicians by plying a hobby now synonymous with mad old aunts."

That's no spider web . . .

. . . it's a 12-foot high doily! Alas, this crocheted marvel is in Bristol, England; so not close to Atlanta.

For the Love of a Saroyan . . . or is it a Stellaria

Contributed by Doreen Lewis

In the world of Base 10, I am a rising (ok, so I have completed the rise) Senior Citizen.  In Ancient Babylon, I would be a mere teenager (Base 60, for the math geeks in our midst).  And everyone knows that teenagers are fickle.

Move over Saroyan; make way for my new BFF – Stellaria.  After 9 Saroyan’s, I have found a new love.

Saroyan without beads

Don’t get me wrong – Saroyan (be it Camille or William) is still one of the most versatile knitting patterns I have encountered.  A free pattern by Liz Abinante on Ravelry, Saroyan is knit side-to-side (each row is short) with an engaging knit-on (no pesky picking up stitches here) leaf border.  It is a quick knit that is eminently portable (you can knock out a few rows waiting in the dentist’s office or even in line at the drive-though at the bank).  Saroyan can be knit in a variety of shapes and in a wide range of yarns.  I have seen examples in my LYS in everything from Fingering – my own personal goddess (or demon – depending on who is minding the checkbook that day) to Worsted Weight. 

I have made Saroyan’s with beads and without beads, with solid color yarn and with variegated yarn.  I even made one with a worsted weight yarn (that baby llama and silk was just impossible to resist).  I have, after all, made 9 Saroyan’s.

But move over Saroyan; Stellaria has moved to town. So what if the rows are long (the cast on is 172 stitches and the top-down piece grows from that) and the bind-off is heck (681 stitches that bind off like 1000)!  Stellaria’s garter stitch body, a graceful easy-to-wear crescent, is shaped with short rows and the lace border (also knit on – I really hate picking up stitches) is a piece of cake. 

Stellaria made with Fiber Charmer Galadriel (55% superwash BFL and 45% silk)

This pattern by Susanna IC ($7.00 on Ravelry) is worth every penny. It is challenging enough to hold your interest but not so complicated that you can only knit in a hermetically sealed chamber, away from the distractions of daily life.  It blocks easily and the finished product is very showy.  Stellaria is written for DK yarn and calls for US 7 and 9 needles.  I use Fingering weight yarn and US 6 and 8 needles. It knits up (even with beads) with near blinding speed.  I have just finished my third Stellaria and have plenty of time to make 2 more by the Holidays.

Red Stellaria with gold beads is a Knit Witch sock yarn 

Both Saroyan and Stellaria take 1 skein of Fingering weight yarn.  Saroyan can be knit to use the amount of yarn you have on hand while Stellaria as written takes approx. 430 yards.

In a pinch, I would be hard pressed to give up either one of these great patterns.  I guess I can always have more than 1 BFF…

Stellaria is Dream in Color Starry