Knitter’s Review Announces Retreat Information

For 10 years now fans of the online knitting review site Knitter’s Review have been gathering in New England for a weekend of knitting, camaraderie and learning about fiber with the fabulous founder of that site, Clara Parkes.

The event will celebrate entering its second decade of existence at the Inn on the Lake in Canandaigua, N.Y., November 8-11. Special guests this year include Ann Budd, Sivia Harding, Amy Herzog and Mary Scott Huff. The main event is the weekend retreat, which includes a workshop, access to the “stash lounge,” a marketplace and food and lodging.

Choices of workshops include fixing mistakes, designing a sideways knit shawlette, knitting to fit and color knitting. An optional Thursday extension allows for another workshop: reading your knitting, designing lace, and extended version of the knit to fit class and Selbu mittens.

Registration for the event begins August 3 at noon Eastern US time. It’s sure to sell out quickly, so if you want to go you need to be on your toes.

Have you ever been to one of these retreats? Spill it!

[Photo by Knitter’s Review/Clara Parkes.]

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I know that my posts can be read at different times of year and in different years by different people, but as I write this we’re on teh cusp of summer. And I know a lot of people don’t knit as much, and certainly don’t wear a lot of knits in the summer, but I want to encourage you to make and to wear your makes no matter the temperature.

To introduce you to the joys of summer garment knitting, I offer the Tied Vest from Lion Brand Yarn.

This easy project is great to make and wear throughout the year but it’s especially good for summer. It’s worked flat in one piece from the bottom up, mostly in stockinette stitch with a seed stitch edging. The I-cord ties are worked directly onto the garment so you don’t have to sew them on.

The project uses worsted weight yarn, and calls for a blend of cotton and hemp that’s great for warm weather.

There are eight size options, ranging from a finished chest measurement of 35 to 62.5 inches, or 89 to 159 cm. That makes it sound like it should be worn with at least a few inches of positive ease, but the pattern doesn’t specify.

The ties at the front give it a casual look and make it great to wear over a tank top or T-shirt when the weather is warm.

I also think this one would be good to knit in wool or a warmer fiber, too, to make a version you could wear more comfortably in the winter months, too. Though of course you could layer the summer version over a long-sleeved shirt and wear it throughout the year, too.

The tied vest is a free pattern available from Lion Brand. You can also purchase a kit that includes the yarn and optional needles and stitch markers if you need them.

[Photo: Lion Brand Yarn]

Knit an Easy Hooded Vest

Knit Vests to Help Transition to Warmer Weather

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