Back From Madrona

There was so much to see, learn and buy at Madrona's 2010 Fiber Arts Retreat. I took 4 mini classes and learned a lot. It was great to add garter grafting to my Kitchener stitch basic knowledge. Lorilee Beltman of Grand Rapids, Michigan, taught us how to memorize both methods so we don't have to always look it up. I'm always game for any mantra that allows me to keep on knitting and not have to look up all of those pieces of paper I put in a "safe" place.

Kristeen Griffin-Grimes, author of French Girl Knits, taught her favorite magic cast-on using two circular needles. She couldn't remember the name of it so I did a little digging and found two references. Judy Becker's Magic Cast-on: http://www.knitty.com/ISSUEspring06/FEATmagiccaston.html and Barbara Walker calls it the Invisible Cast-on. Knittinghelp.com has an excellent video of it: http://www.knittinghelp.com/apps/flash/video_player/play/37/1flash/video_player/play/37/1

I wish I had known this cast on a lot sooner. It would have made a couple of my projects so much easier.

Nicholette Hoyer explained how important knitting a FULL swatch is, not just 2" worth as I am guilty of doing. She recommended you do not count your stitches for the gauge until after knitting 3 inches.

Then it was pure delight to take Charlene Schurch's class, author of Sensational Knitted Socks and More Sensational Socks.

For me her books are the bible of sock knitting!

I finally learned why we should knit socks on the smallest of needles. She said her socks last 15 years. She taught us a clever way to make a swatch starting with number US2 needles, going down to US1 and USzero all in the same swatch so we can see the density and decide which size we want. You know how easily paper tags, notes get lost on swatches you save for future reference? She has you [yo, k2tog] twice for size US2, and once for US1 and it makes two and one holes for identification.

She also suggested continuing the heel flap stitch on into the heel turn for more durability if that is where you wear them out.

The best thing I learned in her class was instead of picking up your gusset stitches after the heel turn, provisionally cast on that number of stitches, knit across instep, then provisionally cast on the number of stitches on the other side. Then you can knit the rest of the sock and go back to pick up the gusset stitches and finish the sock. Why? If you have to repair the sock later you just go to that provisional cast on and fix the hole without having to cut and unknit the sock. So I am ready to apply this and see how it goes.