After reading Wendy’s manifesto for 2007 to knit only from your stash for 2007.  I’ve decided to take the challenge.

My alterations to the manifesto:

• Instead of ending for Stitches East – I’ll stop for Rhinebeck.  (got to get fiber and yarn there as there were many more choices, see the podcast episodes that show you the difference between Stitches East vs Rhinebeck)


• I will not however follow the “sock yarn doesn’t count rule” as my stash sock yarn alone could have me knitting until the end of the year. 


• Don’t count the Blue Moon Fibers Socks that Rock club – (already means that I’m getting some new yarn every month and I joined the club before the resolution)


• Don’t count handspun, however, must take from my already enormous fiber stash!  No more fiber aquisition.  (Doesn’t count the stuff I ordered that’s already on its way to me).  Just got my e-spinner so there’s enough to come out of that.


• If yarn is required for a segment of Lets Knit2gether Video Podcast that is not in my stash, then this is allowed, however, there is certainly plenty of show ideas that can be found just from my stash.


• Must complete current UFOs instead of frogging for yarn.

Knowing how bad I am at stash reduction (see An Open Letter to My Stash), I think I will reach out to my audience to help me stick to this resolution.  What do you think?  Do you consider this impossible too?  This will definitely be difficult for me.

Currently on my needles as of 2007:

• Islandic knit sweater in Charcoal and Ecru Lopi – bottom up, in the round with a stranded knitted waist and yoke.  It’s looking good, I think I’m going to make the body shorter than the pattern suggests because I don’t think I want it too far below my waistband.  This is for an upcoming podcast episode so no pictures will be posted until the show is done.


• Lace Socks from Not Just More Socks using Trekking XXL yarn in a pretty pink, blue and purple stripe.  Nearly done with the first sock, pictures will be posted after the second sock is done.


• Still working on Clapotis, Silk lace Shell from the UFO bin.

Our latest episode is currently being edited from our field trip to NYS Sheep and Wool Festival at our site for the Video Podcast  http://letsknit2gether.com

While there, I picked up 3 handspindles and some fiber to learn how to spin my own yarn and I bought some beautiful handpainted rayon yarn that will make a fantastic shawl..  I also ran into Galina Khmeleva who taught me about Orenburg Shawls.

We’ve been so busy getting our episodes done that I haven’t had much chance to catch up on my blog for a while. 

Currently working on:

Clapotis
t took me weeks to finally find the yarn that would be satisfying and then I got a glipse of this Noro Silk Garden in what has to be the best fall colors.  I found it in Carmel, CA (yeah that’s right Clint Eastwood’s hideout) while I was traveling on business.

I’ll post pictures after more progress.

Fetching
I just completed the knitty.com Fetching fingerless gloves pattern in an off white.  These are great!  I bought 4 balls of the Debbie Bliss Cashmerino Aran, not realizing that one ball is sufficient for a pair.  So I made 2 pairs and I’m working on a third!

DK Weight Navy Blue Vest
After several months of working on the navy blue vest, I’ve finished the back and I am on the front of the vest at the point where I’ve decreased for the armholes and I’m currently decreasing for the vneck.  It’s coming along fine.   I still think I can be finished in time for Christmas.

Folks, check out my new adventures in video podcasting at:

www.letsknit2gether.com !

Here are some shots from the show……….

Come check us out and leave comments on the the new blog.

Doesn’t this look cool?  I designed this wacky jacket myself with Elann’s Peruvian Cuzco.

I knitted this on size 13 needles for the body in garter stitch and then a 1×1 rib on size 11. Cuzco is an amazingly soft alpaca yarn that is like knitting a fluffy cloud.  This knitted up pretty quickly and can be worn either as a longer jacket with a short collar or shorter jacket with a long collar. 

If you’re interested in the pattern, leave a comment.

By the way, this picture is a sneak peak for something coming soon!

 It is knitted with 26 gauge gold filled wire and 5 different kinds of Swavorski crystals.  It was knitted on a size 4 bamboo needle across 3 stitches using garter stitch.  I purl when knitting with wire instead of knit as it is much easier to wrap the wire around the needle with purling.

I started knitting with Ribbon this year also.

Here are two summer tops which I made from Ribbon

The sleeveless top is my own design made with nylon Crystal Palace Deco Stardust Ribbon in Aqua. This project was a nightmare.  I did not wash my swatch before knitting the tank and it shrunk during my first day wearing it to the office.  I had no idea that it would shrink when wet.  Glad that I was wearing a jacket!  Any way, I picked up along the bottom and added 3 rows of Garter Stitch and a few sections of Drop Stitch and I think it still looks pretty good…

This other top, is made with cotton Schachenmayr Nomotta Scaletta from Inspiration 75.  The pattern is actually designed for long sleeve, however, I wanted to wear it under  a jacket for the office.  This Cotton Railroad ribbon is really soft and currently discontinued.  I bought a ton of it in 3 different colors from Elann.com a while ago. 

I have aquired lots of ribbon yarns in my stash and I have been frustrated with how few good books are out there with Garment patterns for ribbon yarns.  Usually I see poncho, shawls and bag patterns.  Ribbon Knits by Judi Alweil has some nice sweaters I might actually feel confortable wearing to the office!  Other patterns for Colinette Giotto are nice also. 

In this essay, I will discuss why knitting is more popular than ever and how Web 2.0 has been a key enabler for this latest revival.

What the heck is Web 2.0?

Web 2.0 is a marketing term for any new web based approach or technology which enables the “collective intelligence” through “user driven content”. 

Now this definition may sound like something you might see in a Business Week article, so what does it really mean? 

Web 2.0 is a term which categorizes such technologies and terms as blogging or blogosphere, podcasting, and web communities.  It has been sparked by the engagement of users through such things as meetup.com, myspaces.com, PodDaddy Adam Curry’s his podcast and many other sites on the web.  The latest approach to Web 2.0 is in the combination of these technologies called mashups to enable anyone to speak or write on a topic and engage in discussion with others all across the web.  This is what is termed the “collective intelligence” through “user driven content”.

What does Web 2.0 have to do with knitting?

Obviously knitting has been around centuries before anyone even imagined that bits and bytes would one day drive the universe.   The origin of knitting is still not clearly traced.  However, there are points in history where knitting became a key to driving economic change to various communities in many countries.  For example, hand knitted stockings during the Elizabethan Era in the Britons drove the sheep and wool trade which enabled farmers to sustain a living. This created an entire trade community  in Scotland and other countries centered around knitting usually primarily whom were men.   Other later examples include the Orenburg lace knitting communes in Russia, Shetland Lace knitting from Unst, and Fair Isle knitting from Scotland.

The industrial revolution changed a lot of this once the knitting machine had been invented and later widely used to produce and export clothing from these countries.  However, at various points in history since then, knitting became popular especially during war times when “knitting for the troupes” and other occasions popularized the idea of knitting by hand.  During the 1950’s and 1960’s, as new materials for yarn became available and high fashion returned, hand knitting again had a resurgence, however, died down again until recently.

Even given these points in history, knitting was never as popular as it is today, especially in the US and Canada.  Although some would say that the popularity was sparked by celebrity knitting, there may be more merit to being related to the events of September 11th, 2001 when many people turned back to crafts and home oriented projects when travel seemed troublesome. 

Why is it that knitting is sustaining and even growing in popularity?  

Some would say,  due to the availability of thousands of new yarns and knitting patterns that knitting is continuing to be popular.  They would partly be right.  The manufacturers and designers however, would not keep selling, and creating if there wasn’t a market to sell these yarns and patterns to.  The most likely reason for the continued popularity is that blogging, web communities, discussion groups and podcasting have brought together knitters from all over the world to share  photos, discuss the latest patterns, share their discouragements and successes and have the very biggest and ongoing “Show and Tell” possible.  This has enabled every knitter to have a new project idea every 15 minutes, driving their desire to build up stash and chat with others about all the possibilities that knitting affords.

This phenomenon is not just on the internet either.  Knitting Meetups happen all over the world.  Knitting guilds and “Stitch & Bitch” sessions are happening every day in various cities and communities.  “Knit & Crochet Outs” and “Knit in Public” days are scheduled annually in cities around the world and tens of thousand attendees are swarming to these events in hopes of seeing what others have done and what is the latest trend.  Conferences, knitting camps and cruises are bringing knitters and vendors together in exciting locations which are changing knitters’ vacation spot choices.

Podcasters and bloggers even spurred on others to “Knit for their Country” during the 2006 Olympics and the International Soccer Tournaments, bringing the spirit of competitiveness while spurring on knitters to learn new things and complete projects.  (Of course this crowd of folks doesn’t need an excuse to complete a project!)

Knitting Knitalongs and meetups have also sparked knitters to knit for charities and causes.  Afghans for Afghans, RedSweaters.org, Premie Caps, Chemo Caps and countless others have brought knitters together to give of their art for helping others and remembrance of their cause.

As the internet continues to mature and the collective intelligence continues to grow, many other hobbies and crafts will continue flourishing because groups of people now have a place and people to engage with and discuss their experiences, keeping these topics fresh and new everyday.  Instead of the public relying on books, magazines and trade journals to find out the latest, now Mary in Mississippi can ask Inga in Germany about the latest Herbert Niebling Lace pattern that just showed up on ebay and whether she can help her translate the 1930’s pattern from German to English!

So keep blogging, podcasting and posting your pictures!  The more we do, the more opportunities to find to knit on……

What are your thoughts on this subject?  I’m interested in your comments.