Ugly Bind Off Stitch--Tip of the Week--05/12/17

I'm a week late making posting but it has been a busy couple of weeks.  Getting the magazine out is really a lot of work.  It was released on May 11.  The due date for Fall proposals was the 10th so it all starts again today.  We've selected the designs so I'll spend next week working to get the yarn to the designs and sending out contracts.  We are back on schedule after the reorganization so Winter should be easier!

STUDENT NEWS
Lessons are arriving more regularly which makes me happy.   Reviewing knitting is a break from the publishing work.  Keep up the good work.

TIP OF THE WEEK
I've discussed this topic before but I have more insight on the topic due to some research done by a former Co-Chair of the Masters Committee.  Suzanne Bryan is the most analytical knitter I know. She did a very thorough discussion of the topic in her blog.  My tip is the shorthand version.  

I don't even have to put in a photograph to demonstrate what an ugly last bind off stitch looks like since there isn't a knitter I know that doesn't have this problem.  If you don't have this issue you can take a peek at the last blog entry I did on this topic.  I have a good example there.  Ugly Bind Off
The suggestions I made do work but a better and easier solution is to wrap the first few stitches on the row before the bind off the "wrong" way.  This tightens them up and solves the problem.  This video shows the basic technique:  Avoiding the Ugly Bind Off Stitch

Here is the final result.

I recommend you look at Suzanne's blog on this topic for the complete discussion.  Knitting Suzanne's Blog Entry 

KNITTING SALON
Salon will be on Sunday.  Yes, I know it is Mother's Day but the final Metropolitan Opera is tomorrow.  It is my favorite opera...Der Rosenkavalier by Richard Strauss.  It will be a blissful 4 hours and 40 minutes.  

CURRENT PROJECTS

I'll be doing the Fashion Framework Lesson for fall.  It will be on texting gloves.  I'm also doing a stranded sweater with RedFish yarns.  It will be a bee motif. I can't leave the bee chart alone.  I've redone it about 10 times.  Hopefully each redo is an improvement!  I haven't got any of the yarns yet so I've got time to finish up some things.  This extremely boring garment is for me.  It is made with Shibui Linen in my favorite color.  It is replacing a sweater coat I've had for close to 15 years which is looking just a bit ratty.

This is a birthday present for a friend whose birthday was in March.  Yes, I am that far behind.  It will be an infinity scarf.  The yarn is Anzula Luster, color Iris...heaven to work with.