Tag Archives: Classic Elite Tapestry

Knitting along

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This is Linda of Knitwise Design’s “Tidal Cove” Scarf. I worked it up in String Theory Merino DK. That very interesting open work is a hoot to knit. And it’s very simply done. The pattern explains it perfectly. Just when a knitter is thinking the garter stitch might need some breaking up, it’s time to knit the “cove.” I even made one of my infrequent trips to a bead shop to find some appropriate dangles.

I’ve knit this once before. (That is going to be a theme in this post). Here it is in Super-Sheep by Holiday Yarns.

Tidal Cove is a quick knit. My first one sold at a charity auction. My new one will likely make it into my holiday gift basket.

Recently Linda ran a leisurely paced Knit-a-long on Ravelry. OK, she ran a KAL. She invited knitters to knit any of her patterns, participate in her group chat, and offered generous prizes of patterns and yarn. It was great fun to return to some of her patterns I’d knit before. Like Winding Trail Headband.

This magenta beauty is knit in one of my favorite long-ago discontinued yarns: Classic Elite’s Tapestry.

This next one, in Pussy Hat color, is knit in the New Zealand Aran-weight, Wool-Pak 10 ply by Merino Sheepskin Company.

I often stutter in my accessory knitting, working two hats or two cowls in the same pattern in two different yarns or two different colors. “Double your pleasure, Double your fun…” that has nothing to do with Doublemint Gum. And if you can picture these two twins while you read and hear that old stupid jingle, instead of the slicker version from the middle 1980’s, well you might be as vintage an age as I am.

Here’s two other Winding Roads I knit in my first round of enjoying this pattern. The yellow gold is Classic Elite Tapestry and the deep rose is Harrisville Design’s discontinued Orchid with Cashmere.

I urge you, urge is a fine old-fashioned word that mouths don’t say much anymore–urge you to try this pattern. You will enjoy it. It’s knit flat and joined with a three-needle bind-off. You could do a provisional cast on and graft the beginning to the end. But why make more work for yourself?

My next Knitwise Design KAL knit was Earbuds. Earbuds are, basically, another headband. Except this one fastens with a button. And it concentrates just on ear-warming.

I had a left-over ball of Valley Yarns Superwash Bulky. This WEBS house brand is good stuff though I’ll grant you this shade of dullish brown isn’t going to win any prizes. It was supposed to go well with a blanket I made and the rest of the blanket shades looked so pretty I couldn’t bear to dull it down with this brown. But ears? Ears just need to be warm and everyone knows that dull colors are much warmer than bright ones.

This knit was a total stutter. I had one 100 gram ball. I was able to knit two sets of earbuds and even have a bit left over.

These aren’t my first earbuds. Here’s a few more. The green multi-color one is handspun (not mine). The two-toned one is a bulky mohair of long-ago discontinued Abedare Yarn. And that lavendery pink is a super-bulky: Cascade Yarns Lana Grande.

And, yes, I know that the middle guy looks a bit puppy-like.Trust me. It works on a head better than on a striped felted ball.

I couldn’t leave the KAL knitting only stuff I’d knit before, so I knit a pair of worsted weight socks in Brown Sheep’s Superwash Lamb’s Pride Worsted. These are “Cam’s Camping Socks.”

They didn’t photograph well. But they are totally cozy and fit Steve well. I’d have gotten a better photograph if it weren’t for the fact that he got cold feet and wore them before I could get a well-lit shot. Linda has used this diamond pattern in her sock pattern, her “Hunting Season Cap,” and in her most recent sweater pattern “Camp Cardigan.” Just looking at the project photos I felt a bit intimidated by the pattern. But it’s a piece ‘o cake.

Thanks, Linda! Great patterns. Great KAL.

Puppet Time

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Here’s the whole gang. With the notable exception of that character in the center angling for your attention, these kid-sized puppets are “Critter Mitts” by Kerin Dimeler-Laurence. They are part of Toy Box, an ebook available on Knit Picks.

Now for some “up close and personals.” This first guy is Sea Monster.

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Sea Monster is trying to show off his extra set of eyeballs in this next pic. I added those to the pattern. He just seemed to be a four-eyes sort. Love those frilly gills.

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Here’s the King of the Jungle.

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T-Rex is next, He wants to out-roar the King of the Jungle.

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I love those silly puny front legs. Actually, this shot makes him look like he’s yawning. So here’s a view that makes him look a bit more ferocious. Great set of teeth!

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Next is Triceratops. Check out the 3 horns. And don’t be distracted that his crest looks a bit like a piece of toast dripping with mint jam. Some fairly recent research suggests dinosaurs were likely quite colorful creatures. OK. Probably not this colorful.

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Here’s T-Rex is in his twist and shout pose.

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Now, here’s my add-on to the gang. These puppets are just a smallish mitten, with basically a somewhat wide and centrally placed thumb. Once you’ve made a few, it’s easy to dream up ways to personalize the set with some specialty characters. Obviously, this guy’s an anglerfish.

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Don’t swim to close to that lure, now.

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With some help from the hands of my young neighbors, here’s a few outdoor action shots.

Sea monster gets ready for a dive into ‘ye old swimming…bucket.

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Lion is going to loll about in the grass.

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T-Rex and Triceratops have decided they are vegetarians and both want to munch that tasty bush.

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And the Anglerfish wants to get into the swim too.

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Finally, another group shot. The gang gets along pretty well. Some of them sleep together in Isaac’s bed and so far there hasn’t been any rumble in the jumble.

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Just think, they all started out like this.

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This yarn is an old favorite of mine. It’s the long ago discontinued Classic Elite Tapestry. Great yarn. 75% wool, 25% mohair. Don’t think you’ll find any though.

“Eclectic Ethnic Dolls” a/k/a Sonny & Cher

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Admit it . You agree with me.  They do look like Sonny & Cher. Or, at least, she looks like Cher. It’s not just the hair. It’s that somewhat vacant “come hither” look in her eyes. Well, maybe I’ve just been living with this pair too long. They sit among my knitting books.

They are “Eclectic Ethnic Dolls,” a copyright 1992 Kristin Nicholas pattern released by Classic Elite Yarns. My pair used to be a large pile of Classic Elite Tapestry yarn, kitted up with the pattern booklet, all tucked into a wicker basket and wrapped in cellophane. The booklet says it’s “an adventuresome knitting project worked in Tapestry Wool Mohair from Classic Elite Yarns for experienced knitters.” Nicholas encouraged what she called “adventuresome” knitting and departure from patterns before lots of designers encouraged that. My bit of adventuresome was to add a colorful shawl. And the wild “Rasta” hair, complete with braids worked in. The earrings were my idea too.

In those days, Classic Elite had many of these kits, almost all worked up in Tapestry. They were all Nicholas’s signature colorful knits.  In my stash of patterns there’s: Peruvian Ch’ulla, Ethnic Gift Collection (Christmas stocking, farmers, chicken, cow, sheep and pig), Inspired Interiors (pillows and bolsters), Moroccan Fedoras, Vivaciously Vibrant Vests, Magnificent Mittens, Wild Wooly Headgear, and Whimsical Tea Cozies, Tea Box Covers, Trivets and French Press Coffee Cozies. I managed to work them all up, except for the vest and the pillows. In fact, I still have about 6 skeins of Tapestry in my stash from one of the kits. For many years my mom or her sister Joan would buy me one of the kits as a birthday or Christmas present.

All Nicholas’s booklets offer this back page advice: “Please do not photocopy these instructions. By doing so, you would jeopardize the employment of fellow knitters in yarn companies and in yarn shops throughout the U.S.A.” Good advice then, and now.

All fun knits. Fun memories too.