New Class: I'll Put a Hex on You!: Hexagon Stitch and Other K1 Below Textures

Okay, I admit it. I’m terrible at this social media blogging stuff. I’m pretty old school in that I don’t see much point in telling everybody every time I sneeze, or what my hair looks like today, or what new upteenth colorway of yarn popped up on Instagram. And if my life gets busy with other priorities…and it seems that happens a lot…a sample to be knit, firewood to be stacked, house to be washed, shed to be painted, needing to cuddle with dachshunds, and my day job to boot…well, blogging just doesn’t happen regularly. That said, I will try to do better. TRY. That’s all I can promise. I know that it was way too long between blog posts this time.

BUT, I have been productive on the teaching front, landing more teaching opportunities (click here) and also working on a new class, The latest class is I’ll Put a Hex on You! Hexagon Stitch and Other K1 Below Textures. Knitting in the stitch below is a technique that can create a wide variety of textural interest, checkered patterns, and embossed ribs in a knitted fabric that is thick, soft, and supple. The Hexagon Stitch involves an additional maneuver on the subsequent row after the K1B row that is a bit tricky, but that’s why I teach you step by step how to do it! I also figured out how to accomplish that in the round, and thus designed this cowl (below) as the project for the class.

I even took up a crochet hook to work up edges that wouldn’t curl. (I know this will cause some knitting friends to gasp, given my reputation of disdaining crochet—which I really don’t disdain, I just like to pretend..) I was attempting the Crab stitch, but ended up doing something like a single crochet one direction, and then reversing it. I liked the result, but the actual Crab stitch would be more recognizable and in reference books. (I did have someone in our knitting group show me the Crab stitch later.) I’m going to work up another sample that has a broken rib along the top and bottom edge, so that a knitter can make this cowl without knowing crochet at all, and can knit from start to finish without having to go back and add the edges. I’ll post pics of that second cowl once it is done.

I’m teaching this class at Stitches West, Santa Clara, CA in February and at the Dallas-Fort Worth Fiber Fest in April. Registration is open for both of these shows. Registration is open as well as for the first Red Alder Winter Retreat. John Mullarkey and Rebecca Edwards have organized an event worthy to be the successor of Madrona Fiber Arts Retreat, but with a flair that is also going to make it’s own mark. I am so happy to be one of the teachers at the inaugural retreat. Check out all the classes available, but I especially hope to see you in one of my classes! FYI, I’ve done some revision of class offerings, and updated those changes to my website.

Alright…short and sweet blog entries, but more often. That’s my goal. I’m told that is the way blogging works. 8^)

As always, feel free to contact me through this website. I’m happy to answer questions, hear suggestions, and entertain ideas.