Kitchener Stitch Without a Tapestry Needle

A lot has happened since my last post.  Between taking a quick vacation over the 4th to preparing for the conference in Charleston, I just didn't have time to make an entry.  The conference went very well and at Masters Day we made an announcement that the management company which owned TKGA was dissolving the entity.  They were willing to give the Masters Committee the organization and its property.  We agreed to take this on and to transform it to a 501c3 non-profit. Here is a link to the announcement which we posted in Ravelry as well as Facebook, etc.

TKGA Announcement

The response has been positive for the most part.  There have been a few complaints which I am handling individually.  If you'e like to put in your two cents, the last line of the announcement has an email I am using for that purpose.

The high point of the conference is always when we pin the new Master Knitters.  We took the opportunity to get a photograph of the Master Knitters who were in attendance.



The Yarn Tasting went very well.  I think I was forgiven for not doing goody bags.  After all, I did wind 3,300 center pull balls.

I didn't get to spend much time in the market but I was thrilled that Dusty's Vintage Shoppe was there.  Michele has the most AMAZING collection of buttons.  Here is a photo of my acquisitions from TNNA and our meeting.  I use the buckles for my Hermes scarves.  Michele is amazing.  She can tell you the history of every button she sells.  She will be at Stitches Midwest, Booth 319 in Schaumburg (and, no, I don't get free buttons.  I just think her booth is AMAZING.)

We displayed four of Charles Gandy's wonderful art instalations.  I'm thrilled Shoeshi came home with me.  Here is the photo I took at the show at the Bascom Museum.



I just have to find the perfect place for it.

STUDENT NEWS
I want to reassure my students that the reorganization will not effect them in any way.  You can continue to order the classes and I will continue to review them as always.

TIP OF THE WEEK

One of the things I love about teaching is that I always learn something.  One of the students in my Finishing Class, Patti Giorgi, showed me a different way to do Kitchener Stitch.  With Kitcheners Stitch, like a lot of knitters, I finally mastered one way to do it and wasn't all that interested in investigating different methods.  Patti found this technique in a video which she hasn't been able to find again or we would give that person credit.  I have to admit, Patti showed me this at the end of a very long day of teaching 25 students and I knew I had to go right from class to set up the Yarn Tasting so I wasn't all that enthusiastic about learning it .  After a good night's sleep, I was ready to give it a try.

Rather than use a tapestry needle, you "knit" or "purl" the seaming thread through the stitches.  The main advantage of this method is that you don't have to mess with the seaming yarn as much to get those stitches to match the surrounding stitches...this is a BIG advantage.  Patti swears you can also read the work to see what comes next but I haven't reached that state yet.  

I have done a blog entry on the technique using a tapestry needle, Kitchener Stitch with Tapestry Needle, if you want to compare the methods.  

You begin this method the same way but instead of threading the seaming yarn on a tapestry needle, you get a knitting needle. You either "knit" or "purl" the seaming thread through the stitches but instead of forming stitches on your needle, you pull the yarn all the way through.  Typical instructions call for you to insert the tapestry needle knitwise or purlwise.  In these instructions either knit or purl.  Before reading further, you might want to look at the video as the written out instructions will make more sense.  Kitchener without a tapestry needle

Here are the steps:

Preliminary Steps:
--Cut a strand of yarn at least three times longer than the edge you will seam.
--Insert knitting needle knitwise into the first stitch on Needle 1 and pull the seaming yarn through the stitch. Insert knitting needle purlwise into the first stitch on Needle 2 and pull the seaming yarn through the stitch.

Kitchner Steps:
Once you have taken care of the selvedge stitches you are ready to do the rest of the stitches.  Take care not to pull the yarn through too tightly!

• "Purl" the first stitch on Needle 1 and pull the yarn through.  Drop this stitch from the needle.
• "Knit" the next stitch on Needle 1 and pull the yarn through.
• "Knit" the first stitch on Needle 2 and pull the yarn through.  Drop this stitch from the needle.
• "Purl" the next stitch on Needle 2 and pull the yarn through.

Repeat these steps until only the selvedge stitches remain.  To finish "purl" the last stitch on Needle 1 and pull the yarn through.  Drop the stitch.  "Knit" the last stitch on Needle 2.  Pull the yarn through and drop the stitch.

The dark blue yarn is the seaming yarn.  This required very little touch up when the kitchener was complete.

KNITTING SALON

Salon will be on Saturday from 1:30 to 3:20.  I generally have salon on Sunday but this week Anzula is doing a truck show at ReBelle which I do not want to miss!  I'm glad they have put Kentucky on there touring schedule.

CURRENT PROJECTS

I'm finally getting time to finish my dress.  RedFish dyed the yarn for me.  I'm using 6 shades of black to gray.  If you look close you can see a very subtle change.  I'm about tready to change to a slightly lighter shade.  I want the sleeves to exactly match the body.  This is a bit of a pain.