Letters
Log Cabin Knitalong: Getting Ready
Dear Kay,
It is important to have things to anticipate as the new year approaches.
Back in October, Karen Templer announced her next Fringe and Friends Knitalong, beginning on New Year’s Day.
It is a log cabin knitalong.
I KNOW! I AM FIGURATIVELY BESIDE MYSELF!
Karen’s knitalongs are epic, delicious, and inspiring.
For those just tuning in, you can get the details over at Fringe Association, where Karen is cooking up a grand adventure for the new year.
Karen has already written amazing posts about log cabin. “Log Cabin: Ideas and Considerations” is a great primer. And she shares lots of pix and ideas in “Imagine if This Were Log-Cabinized.”
There’s a log cabin knitalong conversation well under way over in the Lounge. We hope you’ll see this as a golden opportunity to knit the new year with a lot of fun.
A Preview of My Plan
It’s going to be a blanket. I haven’t made a blanket in a while (at least a month!), and log cabin blankets are the most sublime kind of blankets to make.
It will be one of a kind, drawing from ideas featured in not one, not two, but three of our MDK Field Guides.
Idea 1. The basic design will riff on one of my favorite blanket patterns ever, Kay’s Ninepatch Blanket from Field Guide No. 4: Log Cabin.
We have kits for this exact blanket, using BerROCo Ultra Alpaca, so beautiful.
I’ve loved this idea—a blanket with a wonky color rhythm, with squares of varied sizes—ever since Kay showed me the quilt that inspired it.
Idea 2. I’m obsessed with the knit-purl textures that are central to Field Guide No. 5: Sequences. Cecelia Campochiaro figured out how to make complex fabrics that can be created easily, once you get the hang of her clever techniques. I want to make the squares using sequences that I pull out of my head.
Idea 3. And then! I want to make this blanket without using mitered squares—not because I don’t adore this technique, but because sequence knitting in miters would be a tricky thing to pull off. (I think—I don’t actually know this.)
Eliminating miters opens up the construction possibilities. The blanket no longer needs to be made in squares with nine patches. Which got me thinking about long strips. Long strips are a sequence knitter’s best friend. If I work the blanket in long strips, the blanket starts to become easier to assemble. A long strip of squares knitted in a variety of sequences, with a variety of colors? That is my idea of fun. And, Karen Templer points out, the long strips are an idea from the Station Wagon Blanket in Field Guide No. 1: Stripes.
It’s a trifecta blanket!
Can these three ideas meet in one blanket? Can log cabin and sequence knitting and long strips exist in the same project? These are the big questions, people. We’re going in.
The Yarn Is a Big Part of This Thing
Tweed. A rustic, worsted-weight, flecky, nuppy tweed.
My love of tweed yarn is as deep as the Mariana Trench, as wide as my backside after finishing that giant can of flavored popcorn, as high as me after that guy refinished the floor in the front hall.
Tahki Donegal Tweed. This worsted weight yarn, launched in 1968, is one of the great, classic tweeds. Made right there in County Donegal, Ireland. By presumably Irish people who have tweed running in their tweedy veins.
I have made blankets, sweaters, random squares, all sorts of projects involving tweed yarns. Tahki’s tweed is great for a blanket, because it’s sturdy stuff. None of this floofy fakey tweed business. It is made from 100% new wool, period. It’s not merino and it doesn’t want to be, goddang it. I want a blanket that will hold up like a Yeats poem.
We’ve just decided that Tahki Donegal Tweed needs to come live in the MDK Shop—one of the happiest days yet in my new life as a yarnmonger.
I’ve been carrying around the dozen shades we’re stocking like they’re guinea pigs of woolly hope.
On the eve of New Year’s Eve, we’ll launch our batch of Tahki Donegal Tweed in Snippets, our weekly email digest of all things MDK. If you’re in the market for authentic, classic, flecktastic wool, please subscribe to Snippets (down at the bottom of the page) so you’ll have first opportunity to lay in a store for your log cabin project.
And for heaven’s sake, get a log cabin plan cooking. There’s a new year coming, and we’re going to need blankets.
Happy solstice! From now on, here comes the sun. (C’mon, sing along!)
Love,
Ann
Can I join the knitalong with the regular nine patch blanket? I’ve got one started as a wedding gift and I’d love to have the encouragement a knitalong will provide.
Definitely, Tina! We firmly believe that knitalongs are a big (log cabin) tent—bring it on. Can’t wait to see what you’re up to.
I’m into my second log cabin square and I’m loving it too much to start another one. For a friend here in Florida do its cotton. Beautiful Berroco cotton and colors but it’s still cotton.
Wishing you great success!
Feel free to jump on the log cabin love train with your current project. We’re all going to be doing varied projects, so the game here is to have fun and draft off everybody else’s momentum.
” I want a blanket that will hold up like a Yeats poem.” — exactly. This is going into my notebook of memorable turns-of-phrase. Classic.
I can’t wait!! Every day I sneak in minutes of log cabin planning. It’s becoming the life line into the next year and beyond!
Yay!
The scheming and dreaming and planning is a considerable part of the fun for me.
I have always wanted to knit a Curve of Pursuit, and I have some contrasting light and dark purple Cotton Fleece that has been waiting on a project.
I do believe your Cotton Fleece is ready for its destiny. Curve of Pursuit is just amazing. For those who don’t know this classic from Woollly Thoughts, here you go: https://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/curve-of-pursuit
How about…continuing on a log cabin that’s been on and off for almost a decade? I think yes
Absolutely yes! You are abiding by rule 1 for crushing a giftalong (which this knitalong could be construed as, if you feel like it): start with a lot of momentum.
You. Are. Gonna. Finish. That Thing.
I just started a Moderne Log Cabin blanket – decided I didn’t want to deal with weaving in a lot of loose ends. I’m using left over yarn so will be interesting. Not even finished with my first section and I’m leaving in a few days for a long holiday with my kids so can’t take it with me, but I’ll be following along in spirit.
Moderne is so great–curious to see what your yarn does when used for this pattern.
I finished the Star Eyed Julep in Berrocco Ultra Wool. Love that pattern! And now I’m finished the KAL.
You’re an overachiever!
Ann – you are hilarious! I love your turn of phrase: a blanket that will hold up like a Yeats poem? Now that’s impressive! Thanks for the chuckles.
Tahki Donegal Tweed is the very first yarn I purchased as an “adult,” at an actual yarn store, for an actual sweater. It was a dark almost-black gray and I loved it. Now it makes me smile every time I come across it. Excellent choice for the Shop!
I’m so excited to start the Sommerfield wrap. Using Rowan Kidsilk Haze from my stash in bright, bright colors for the dark, rainy Pacific Northwest winter
I just finished mine—so curious to see your colors!
Wow. The writing on this blog is as good as the knitting. Love, love, love this blog. Merry Christmas!!
Can I dig out big Blanket Moderne that I started back when your first book came out and try to get it finished? It’s in cream, two shades of denim blue, pea green, and gold. (It’s much prettier than it sounds!) It had to be washable because I had a Yorkie at that time, so I used Lion Brand Cotton Ease.
That would be tremendous. Imagine how great it’s going to feel when you’re done! Go for it.
So, I know I am doing another Moderne but I pointed out this beauty on the logalong string on Ravelry. I think it’s fantastic. https://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/fylgje
Off the Log Cabin thread… Was caught by your old “Comfort and Joy” letter at he bottom of the page, or, to be honest, by the glorious green of that scarf.
So, I have a dear friend going through a very hard time – not of her own making, but very, very hard. She also lives in Florida, and I don’t – so I can’t run over and give her a hug when she needs it. But I’m going to make her a scarf, because that’s a more tangible gift than a thought or even many thoughts. Just as soon as the last of the Christmas knitting is over.
It lifts my heart to think there is *something* I can do. I hope it helps her; I know it will help me.
So, thank you.
Thank YOU for reading that. Sometimes I think that knitting is simply proof of time spent thinking about someone. I hope your friend gets through her hard time. Sending love to you.
Thanks, dear Ann.
Oh man, I also love tweed. I LURV it. And now it’ll be in the store…! The colorways are probably great. Y’all are really good at that.
I’ll be Log Cabin-ing on an Albers Cowl. Just have to choose the colors. ( Just! Hah! So many choices in my stash!) And of course I’m ahead of the curve with my Log Cabin Runner 🙂
Tahki Donegal Tweed is so special- glad you’ll be carrying it. Hmm, I’ve got lots stashed – maybe I should make a blanket, too. I might need some of your colors…
I made my hubby a sweater in it back in the mid nineties (“Patches” from Rowan book 12). It’s still a favorite, after a few repairs!
Enjoy your family time and come back ready to inspire us all in the New Year!
I started an Albers Cowl in a class with Ann Weaver 2 years ago. This knit- along might be just the motivation I need to dig it out and finish it.
I’ve made two Albers Cowls – if you pick colors you love, every minute will be a delight, or at least it was for me. My first was with Neighborhood Fiber Company Rustic Fingering – in gorgeous colors. I bought the pattern and the yarn at Vogue Knitting Live in NYC 4 years ago, at the Neighborhood Fiber Company Booth. I got to meet Ann Weavers, and I think that is also where I ran into KAY GARDINER!! and on top of that, it was Karida Collins who helped me choose the colors. I had no idea she was famous, nor the dyer of the yarn! Do I have all that right? I remember telling her how much I loved her glasses, but I wish I could do it over and recognize this expression of her talents.
I bought the yarn originally to make Ann Weaver’s Monomania, but fearing it would never be knit, I repurposed it first into an Albers Cowl. I explain my pattern modifications in my Ravelry entry, because I did it log cabin style (learned from the first MDK book) rather than starting and stopping each section as written in the pattern.
I don’t think my photos do the yarn or the project justice – it was perfect in every way. Great yarn in gorgeous colors, garter stitch, “meeting knitting,” relaxing, conversation starter – everyone wanted to have a look at it. (Here is my ravelry post: https://www.ravelry.com/projects/tamarajo/albers-cowl)
When I saw this KAL, the Albers Cowl was my first thought – I’ll have to make another one!
Those are gorgeous cowls! I’ve had my eye on Momomania, too. Kay’s influence!
Such a wonderful idea! The thing is, I kind of know what I’d like to do, but cannot visualize it to completion…
Same here! I love all the inspiration but am thinking I’ll need some help getting over the conceptual road bump of how to “log cabin-ify” something!
I love log cabin quilts but I don’t sew. I knit! So I am very excited about this kal.
Ok, just ordered the nine patch kit as a Christmas present to myself. It will be my third log cabin project. I recently completed the gorgeous Fussy Cuts blanket. I’ve got blanket fever and the only cure is another log cabin blanket!
I love the Tahki Donegal Tweed. Currently using it as the contrast color (purple) in Kay’s Mitered Crosses Blanket. The background is a sort-of-heathered black yarn made from three years of brushed out dog hair from our late, beloved Newfoundlands. After two-plus years of work, I’m finally in the home stretch (block 10 of 10 is on the needles).