So I got home yesterday, and I’m leaving tomorrow. Just long enough to wash my pants (and everyone else’s) to pick up my train tickets, recharge the yarn supply in my suitcase, talk to the girls in person, wash the kitchen floor and keep on trucking. I’m trying to squeeze so much into this time at home that it’s ridiculous.
The schedule for the next three days is a sort of last minute spontaneous swing train ride east, with stops along the way. It’s so spontaneous that I’m going to need some help spreading the word. If you’re a knitter and you know a knitter who might be interested (or a knitter who is totally going to send me some aggressive email later for not giving them enough warning that I was coming and therefore ruining their chances at having a chance to come to a knitting roadshow.) could you please let them know? I know I don’t read all the blogs I read everyday, so I’m sure thats the way it is for everyone else.
Wednesday November 8th (that’s tomorrow.) I’ll be in historic Kingston, Ontario from 7-9pm at the Chapters at 2376 Princess Street. (You can just show up for that one. No RSVP necessary, I think they are likely expecting just a couple of knitters and I sort of like the idea of surprising them.)
Thursday, November 9th I’m doing not one, but two events in and around our Nations Capitol. I’ll be at the Yarn Forward on Bank Street in Ottawa at 2pm for a signing (not a talk) and then at the other Yarn Forward in Kanata (474 Hazeldean Road) for a talk/signing at 7:00…Please RSVP to them if you are coming by calling 613-831-8027.
Friday, I get a chance to freak out a whole other province and I’ll be in Montréal, 5:30 pm at the McGill University Bookstore, 3420 McTavish. Note: this talk will not be an opportunity for me to display my completely humiliating french, and will be me in all my anglophone glory. I do promise, as a nod to our other national language that should I feel the need to use strong language, I will indeed swear in french, assuming that there are not too many bagels in my mouth at the time.
While I’m on the train (I love riding the train. It’s such a humane and comfortable way to travel.) I’m going to try and sort out the beaded cuff for the Kitri socks.
I’ve knit both socks (just about, there are only a few rows on a toe to go, and you’ll notice that the toe isn’t grafted. That’s because the needles
those very pointy 18cm/ 7inch ones, as well as my safety pins, were deemed perfectly safe to take on my flight, but I was asked to “surrender” the blunt darning needle stuck in my purse. I swear I am never going to get the hang of thinking like the TSA.) and then I pick up stitches from the provisional cast on and start the cuff, which…as near as I understand it, is knit perpendicular to the knitting for the sock. I’m feeling a little nervous. I have my reasons.
1. I’ve never beaded knitting before and I’m feeling uptight about it.
2. Provisional cast ons give me hives. (I cannot be the only person who always manages to knit into the wrong part or miss a loop or do something that totally guarantees that they won’t un-zip when they are supposed to.)
3. The beads are prestrung on the yarn for this cuff, but I have become possessed of an incredible fear that I will do something that will make the beads come off. In the world of my imagination they spring free on the train, scattering throughout the car and I never find them all, or I find them all but don’t know what order to put them back on in, or I don’t know how to put them back on or…I don’t know. I’m very worried.
Perhaps I shouldn’t do this on the train. Perhaps I should do this in a hermetically sealed room with a white unseamed floor and walls to prevent bead loss while I am enveloped in a cone of silence to protect me from mishap? Perhaps I should read about beaded knitting before I just leap in and do it? Maybe I should study it, or think about it or find some blogs where people are knitting beaded stuff and bad things aren’t happening? Is it really that hard? Who’s done this? Is it fussy? Should I do it on a train?
Nah. Just wing it…it always works out in the end, and if it doesn’t, you’ll have instant blog fodder.
Safe travels!
When are you coming to Vancouver?
Just go with the beads, you’ll be a convert when you are done.
Yes, the train is a very nice way to fly – and no, I don’t think anyone will ever undertsand the ways of the TSA (or the National Gallery in DC – where I have to check my purse with the small knititng project but saw people with pocketknives on their belts, as well as numerous pens/pencils in use……..)
In years to come, the girls will remember that you made the effort to stop and see them in person, even if they don’t appreciate it now (or only appreciate the efforts with Mr. Washie).
I wish I was en route, but I am considerably farther south. Fabulous socks!
Irene
I should write you a poem about your impromptu trip but I have a roaring headache. Our house is being scraped and caulked in preparation of being painted so a Cone of Silence sounds wonderful. It will have a sign that says “No Teenagers Allowed”. I hope you swamp the yarn shops and stun all wandering muggles. Good luck with the swearing!
Having taken on beaded knitting about eight months ago I have found the knitting part to be a breeze, its stringing the#*!*^!!#*!! beads that nearly drove my to fall on my needles. You’ve got a sense of adventure(meaning your another #!!**#! crazy knitter) so yeah try it on the train. Hope to see you Friday. I’ll wear some beaded wrist warmers in honor of your first go with the beads.
Oh, just jump right in. I’m sure it will be fine. Really. Just fine. No kidding. Fine.
I’ll tell my Aunt in Ottawa that you’re coming. I’m not sure she still knits, but whatever.
Ah, just tell the TSA types to bead it.
Beaded knitting – fine as you’ve got them strung already. Messing around picking them up with a crochet hook is not so fun whilst traveliing. I am the woman who just messed up the provisional cast on on a mobius scarf. My unpicking had it fall apart in the middle so it can’t be any worse than that can it?
You can do this! I’m depending on your notes after! They’re probably already done 😉 Have fun!
Aahhh! The train is awesome! We took it last year from WI to Seattle (we later went to Victoria BC–pretty there). It was the coolest vacation EVER!!!!!! Knitting and trains are a perfect combo (I don’t know about the whole bead think though–I’d be nervous too!)Good luck with it! I know you’ll prevail.
The ways of airplane security never cease to amaze me… I could keep my needles, but they took my drop spindle !?! I want to know if they take ink pens away from the business class passengers too…
Bon voyage.
Never fear Stephanie – word is spreading fast and furious through Ottawa…can’t wait to see you in Kanata!! Lisa
Should be a snap as the beads are already strung. It’s the picking up that sucks.
As far as TSA – what can you say? They let me on with my Options 32″ circulars. Now, if that’s not a perfect garrotte, what is?
Now, that’s not fair. I’ve been to three of your events, plus seen you at Rhinebeck, and never once heard you swear in French. (Not even at Dave, who heaven knows deserved it.)
Eww. Provisional castons. I have nightmares about these for precisely the reasons you mentioned. Just weirds me out. I’ve never done anything with beads but since you have them all strung, it should be alright. Once you start knitting with that strand of yarn, they shouldn’t be able to fall off, right? Knitting with beats strikes me as a technique that will probably be easier than it looks and you’ll say, what the heck was I worried about?
I had a fight with the TSA lady before my recent return flight home from Florida (after staying an extra night because our flight was canceled, having my checked luggage damaged and, therefore, losing a ziploc bag full of my most expensive toiletries – at least $50 worth, and having to fly from Orlando to Miami in order to fly back to NY). Let’s say I was already a little bit testy when this lady insisted I go all the way back to the beginning of a very long line to BUY a quart size bag because my handful of little things was in a larger ziploc bag. It was just petty. I kept the things I really needed (and my bag) but had to give up almost empty hand lotion and hand sanitizer in order to avoid buying a quart size bag. Incidentally, I’d gone through security in NY and in Orlando the day before and NO ONE complained about my larger bag. Absolute power corrupts absolutely. I just couldn’t take it anymore.
I’m probably on some kind of do not fly list now, huh?
Enjoy the train ride. Anything beats flying these days.
Oh what the heck.
See Stephanie run
The train it goes so fast
With beads (no birds) and lots and lots
of lovely stash.
To Kingston and Ottawa
and Montreal too.
She’ll talk about knitting
her passion so True.
We wish her well
on her journey far and wide.
And wait for her return
With happiness in our eyes.
I am sure you will conquer those beads! I had plans to got SOA! R but then the weather changes scared me off and I was nervous about driving from Reno to Tahoe. Several of my fellow addicts from my yarn enablers group went (Deluxe Yarns, Reno, Nevada…Knit n Rip Group) said they enjoyed their time there. Sounds like even thought the altitude got to you a bit you still enjoyed yourself. Have another safe and fun trip and once again ty for sharing you words! 🙂
Stephanie,
You could possibly bead knit on a plane,
you can definitely bead knit on a train,
you can bead knit here or there….
apologies to Dr. Seuss
Bead knitting is amazingly easy when they are prestrung like your kitri socks. You can treat it just like yarn, a bit bumpy, but essentially just yarn.
Have a great trip.
About the provisional cast-on. After knitting a few of Lucy Neatby’s patterns I’m a convert to using a crochet cast-on (in the provisional yarn). You throw the yarn around the needle between each chain (there’s a good explanation at http://www.yarnoholics.com/techniques.html). I usually add a few regular chains before ending off, so I can know which end will unzip. When I start off with my working yarn, I’m knitting into proper stitches on a needle instead of “bumps.”
Never fear with the bead knitting. Unless you break the yarn (seems unlikely). And then the yarn would have to be slippery, but it’s wool, so it’s not, so there’s no worry. See? I’ll bet you’re a convert by the time you get to your first stop. Headphones attached to something playing instrumental music, so as not to distract from the knitting, can be almost as soothing as a Cone of Silence. (Of course, when I picture the Cone of Silence, I’m seeing you with a giant version of one of those pet cones around your head. Somehow, I think that would make the knitting more challenging. Entertaining to watch, though.) In the meantime, have a lovely trip!
Steph, I know most of your readers are intelligent and will be able to look at the date of your entry and realize that when you say “tomorrow” you mean the 8th. I also know that *you* are a brilliant woman and the only reason you wrote that tomorrow is the 7th is because you’ve been on the road way too long and have lost all track of time. I hope you have a chance to have a nice long break after this trip. (((hug)))
At least trains are traveling on level ground…imagine knitting during take-off on an airplane and your ball of yarn falls to the floor and rolls to the back of the plane. Not a pretty sight-and difficult to explain to any non-knitters!
I assure Ottawa knows your coming… trust me on this one – but there is shout out on many of our blogs just case someone is not in the know.
provsional cast will be fine and you will not lose your beads all over the floor on the train…
Steph, my first foray into sock knitting was a sock with a beaded cuff. It is not difficult. Provisional cast ons are also child’s play, but can be made easier (assuming you are doing the crochet chain one) if you use something smooth and not shredding for the chain. I like using perle cotton.
If I can do this (and I have knit pomatomus on stilts) then so can you. Relax and enjoy.
If there’s anyone who can pull it off, it’s you, Stephanie. Put your beaded yarn in a zippy bag and open it just enough for the yarn to come out as you need it … that way if it does go funky you don’t lose your beads 🙂
When I was a teenager starting to knit back in about 1964 I acguired a plastic darning needle. I can’t beleive that I still have it. I now guard it with my life because it is in my traveling ‘see thru knit kit’ with my Fiskers Kindergarten scissors. For traveling I stick with socks on bamboo 2mm needles and always lay it on the top of my bags in plain sight. No problems so far.
Good Goddess, now I’m worried that the TSA will seize my Chibi when I fly this weekend. I haven’t flown since pre-“don’t bring any of that liquid crap on board except your 4 oz. of personal lubricant” restrictions, and I’m convinced they’re out to get me.
They’re going to take my fish-hook shaped cable needle, aren’t they?
I found beaded knitting is a little fussy when I took a workshop, but not overly complex. The fact that the beads are pre-strung makes me completely in love with that kit, because THAT was the most annoying part. Do you have good instructions in the pattern? Because there are several different ways to place the bead amongst your knitting, and each makes the bead sit slightly differently. But as long as it’s consistent, who cares, right?
On the subject of your eastern visits, I have whined to everyone I know in Kingston about not being able to go. So Kingston knows. I’ve finally come to terms with it, mostly because I found out you will be in Montreal on Friday. See you there!
Bead Brave!!
I have no idea whether attempting a provisional cast on beaded cuff thingy on a train is a good idea or not. I just wish I could be there to watch. ;o)
Cindy who apparently can’t spell…….
I can never “unzip” my waste yarn. Why is it that the directions sound like this is as easy as buttering bread? (“Just ZIP and you’re done!”) It never works for me. I do a different cast-on for my toe-ups and it all works great. No zipping or lack thereof.
Have a fun few days and safe travels!
TSA was quite baffled by all the ziplock bags I had in my bag that DIDN’T have toiletries in them. When I said it was knitting projects, they just backed slowly away. But they let me keep them. Same airport, one day earlier, TSA confiscated my Mom’s string cheese. Seriously. I don’t pretend to understand any of it. I just travel with a self-addressed stamped envelope so if they reject anything expensive I can send it home to myself.
I have never once gotten a provisional cast-on right. Glad I’m not the only one!
You’ll do just fine with the socks on the train. You already have a picture of the beads in their present order, and if you’d feel better being armed with the knowledge of how to string the beads back onto the yarn should disaster occur, check out Susan Rainey’s instructions at http://theraineysisters.com/?page_id=54. (The instructions are for little beaded purses, but I suspect the technique for beading is the same.) Of course, I’ve never actually knit with beads… Susan also gave Wendy (of Wendyknits.net) an amulet bag kit, which Wendy knit up in a single day with no mishap. And she has a (very cute) cat to contend with. You can read about that at http://wendyknits.net/archives/001047.html#001047. If you read the post for the following day, don’t let the “vortex of doom” comment scare you–it’s just a comment about the addictive nature of knitting with beads. (I know. I need to get a life.) Good luck (or “bonne chance”, as the case may be), enjoy your day at home, and have a pleasant trip!
Re: thinking like the TSA–
Don’t ask why, just revel in the whatness of it all.
Surrender your blunt needle? I’m betting the person who made this request had a pair of socks to graft on their lunch hour, and had left their needle at home!
Ah, the wonderful combination of a train and knitting … my idea of a little slice of heaven!
Pity you’re not crossing the US/Canada border on the train – the border guard people seem to be utterly bewildered by the sight of someone calmly knitting a sock while going through the Q & A session.
I was on a 5-year knitting near-hiatus due mostly to children who said sweaters were “too hot” (could these really be my progeny?) when I saw Lily Chin on the DIY channel’s Knitty Gritty a year and a half ago. She was knitting with beads, something I had never done, and it occured to me that I didn’t have to knit for my ungrateful children. I could knit for myself. So I decided to knit a beaded shawl for a black-tie event a few months out. 4 skeins of Louet linen and 5,000 (yes, that’s a five with 3 zeros after it)beads later, I had my shawl. The biggest pain was threading the beads on the yarn and pushing 6 yards of beads down the yarn every couple of rows. It’s really not hard. The most fortunate thing for you is that you have the beads already. I had to go to a bead store to buy mine and I nearly succombed to all the colors and textures of an entirely new hobby. The place is a crack house. It has to be. Why else would they sell their product by the kilo?
Once you start knitting, the beads can’t possibly come off. As you get toward the end of the strand of beads, just make sure that end has a knot or is tied to something so that they can’t fall off the back end.
Another tip: keep the strand of beads in a ziplock bag, partially sealed, to keep the strand from flying all over the place. Keeps it from tangling, too. Good luck! I saw that sock kit online and I’m on a wait list to get it. I loves me the red and black.
I know you live here, but what about T.O.? You must be doing some ‘professional’ knitting appearances in-and-about town.
You mean you won’t be going to Lettuce Knit tomorrow? Dammit, I’ll have to eat your present! OK, I’ll save it for next week, I guess.
MARIA
The word is spreading around Montreal, never fear. I am planning on sneaking out of work early on Friday to get there early. The other commuters better get outta my way, I have 12.75mm birch needles, and I’m not afraid to use them.
ah yes,the hermetically sealed room… we refer to that as the knitting cave. It is a place where no spouse, children or pets can disturb you!
Hi Steph,
Once you start knitting those beads, they’ll be in front of what you are knitting; you’ll always be moving them forward on the yarn, so they CANNOT fall off!
Just a little reassurance…
Have fun on the train!
Robyn
If you do it on the train, do it over a plate or something – just in case.
Safe travels.
Oh, how I wish I could just buy the pattern for those socks instead of the whole kit. I have some lovely yarn that would be perfect for those, and it would be much more economical to just use that instead of spending over $30 on the kit… 🙁 Ah well.
Good luck with the beading!
You can bead knit! I can, and I’m not nearly as talented.
The hard part, stringing the beads, is already done. If you can, follow the previously mentioned advice to put the beaded yarn in a ziploc. Then if you get all gorilla and break the yarn, the loss will be minimized.
As a non-practicing, locomotive engineer, I’m jealous of this train stuff.
If you’re knitting the black thread/yard that the beads are currently strung on, then definitely do it on the train. If you’re transfering the beads from the black to the red yard, then I would find a different project. Once the beads are on the working yarn, it’s all easy and fun, but getting them on in the first place takes forever and is a pain.
I’m speaking from some experience — my knitting olympics project was a beaded scarf, and it amazed me how long and fidgety a process the beading was.
If you’re transfering, use wax to make a built-in “needle” at the end of the yarn.
For you, it will be a piece of cake, since even I have done it (bead knitting, that is)!! Just leap right in!! Have a great train ride. Some of the knitters where I live are trying to plan a short knitting/train trip, also. I’ll be there, of course. And when are you coming to Florida?? Will it help if I whine, send chocolate, send roving?? What will work???
I love taking the train! Far more superior than by plane, more leg room, and no TSA or long check in waits. I have no idea how to do a provisional cast off, or bead knitting, so all I can do is wish you luck!
Ha ha! Cone of silence!
No advice here. Just loving that you invoked the “cone of silence,” especially since it may very well be what’s required.
Safe travels to you.
I was so gleefully happy to hear you’re coming to Montreal! And don’t worry, the Montreal knitters have been all a’buzz for the past week about you coming to town. We’re still contemplating whether we should warn the bookstore or not…
my only regret is that my copy of ‘Secret Life of a Knitter’ is in your province with my step-sis. At least I still have ‘Knitting Rules’ with me to be signed!
Screw the reading on beaded knits. Just bead it. :)It will be brilliant.
blind faith always works, right?
Trains are the best place to try new things. Because when you start cussing and muttering under your breath?
People move AWAY from you, thus ensuring ample legroom and a place to put your bag.
The beads will end up looking fabulous. You don’t ever have to mention that it took you fifteen cups of coffee, eighteen tries and three weeks to finish it. 🙂
Knit and bead on the train. What is the worst thing that can happen? You lose the beads and have to get new ones? No big deal, it may allow you to meet someone interesting. Someone you might not meet if your nose is in your knitting. Shake off the fear and fly (or train in your case). And have fun dammit (how do you say that in French?) (or is it damn it?).
Uhm, Steph? Remember that e-mail where I was willing to take the blame for belated Christmas knitting? Unless you’ve discovered some way to double warp the space time continuum, there ain’t no way you’re gonna tour, knit, _and_ write a 50k novel this month. I’m putting you on my nag list for next year. This year, I think you’re a bit overbooked. 😉
Happy Harloting! 🙂
The trick to stringing beads on yarn is to buy collapsable eye needles. These are wire and you can expand and contract the eye as necessary, so the size of the yarn becomes the factor, not the size of the needle.
Also, because they’re wire, you can hook the very end of the yarn in the eye and squeeze the needle around it so you don’t have the issue of the doubled-up yarn.
You can buy the needles at beading shops or sites.
Melissa.
Under no circumstances should you try to string the beads while on the train (or any confined, moving space). If they’re pre-strung, and if there are a few rows of knitting in place (bottom line: no ends for the beads to fall off of), you’ll be fine. Fear not.
You don’t have to ask me how I know this. You can ask the long-suffering flight attendants who are probably still stepping on itty bitty green beads that used to belong to me.
I wouldn’t do it on the train. You’ll probably be fine, but you won’t be able to relax and enjoy the scenery and the people around you. The only tricky thing about bead knitting is the extra weight of the ball of yarn. Really —- it isn’t hard. My first bead knitting was a Christmas ornament – with lots of beads and really slick yarn. So beads on wool will be easy. I had to string my own, and that isn’t that tough, either. I’m glad I’m not the only one who stresses each time I come to something new.
PS – wish I was in Canada for the whistle stop tour!
Honestly, beaded knitting looks impressive and complicated, but it’s dead easy. Just make sure the beads are firmly in place when you knit them in (a droopy bead can ruin the look).
And when people say how beautiful and complicated it looks, agree with them. No one believes you that it’s so easy until they’ve done it themselves.
Wing it, you’ll do fine. If the beads scatter on the train, follow the example of Queen Alexandra that I just saw on a BBC program – she had an entire opera length strand of pearls break and scatter all over the coach and road, and sat there calmly while the courtiers tried to find them all.
Of course, they were fakes . . .
Yeah, I don’t understand TSA either – on a trip to California earlier, they had no problem with the 14 inch metal very sharp size 1 needles – but had a ten minute debate whether they could allow me on with a 24 inch plastic circular, because I might strangle someone with it. Not likely – there was cashmere on it!
Yeah, provisional cast ons/offs give me hives too.
Forget “invisible cast-on”. Cast on the usual way with dental floss. The cast on row pulls out easily one stitch at a time. You have good control picking up the active stitches, and no guage weirdness.
Maybe, the very first time, you shouldn’t do beaded knitting on the train. I’m sure you’ll take to it almost instantly. You can do the second beaded project any old place you find yourself, as you’ll then have the necessary confidence.
You’re making a lot of knitters happy with this spur-of-the-moment tour.
Have a pet-de-soeurs for me in Montreal okay? It’s more Acadian than Quebecquois, but I’m having a sugar craving.
I found the Lucy Neatby explanation of the crochet cast-on for the provisional cast on in her warm socks cool feet book has worked the best and caused the least problems with knitting into the wrong loop and other hive inducing issues.
I’ll show you next time I see you.
Put the “ball” of beaded yarn in a ziploc baggie and keep it mostly sealed, so if the worst should happen, they’ll all fall off into the baggie.
I think the TSA is actually a reality show along the lines of Candid Camera. In a few years, they’ll put together a humorous montage of all the times you look at them like they’re nuts when they tell you you can’t have the darning needle, but the flamethrower is perfectly okay.
I used to do crocheted provisional cast-ons by doing the crochet and yarn wrapping at the same time (requiring three hands and a learning curve every time), but recently started just alternately wrapping the needle and the string (crochet cotton.) I think EZ illustrates this somewhere.
The scrap of brilliance that I unvented for myself is to use a double strand of crochet cotton. It makes the loop of yarn just that little bit bigger, and you can stick a needle between the strands to get a better purchase on each loop when picking up the stitches.
And how did you know I’m supposed to be doing mes devoirs but I’m reading blogs…
Dude, I’m still a beginner knitter and I had the same fears about beaded knitting myself until a couple weeks ago…I got brave and decided to make myself an Odessa hat (Grumperina’s pattern, found on MagKnits) and the beading was seriously like the easiest thing ever! They will NOT fly off the yarn. You could totally do it on a train. Trust me, if I can do it, there’s no way in hell the Yarn Harlot can’t.
OK, so I’m a new mom (again), and all I can think of is “Should she do it on the train, Should she do it on the plane”, etc, etc. a la Dr. Suess.
Happy travels!
consider the word spread in kingston. my daughter-the-engineer knows all about it, and if she does, half of queen’s knows now too.
If it were me, I’d wait… but then I’m unbelievably timid of new knitting techniques. On the other hand, it never occured to me that there was something that you would not be able to do… you’ve had children, you’ve cut steeks, and knit visions of lace that are beyond imagination. Surely you can do anything, right? 🙂
The hardest thing about beaded knitting is getting the beads on the yarn. As others have said, if it’s pre-strung you should be fine.
I hate provisional cast-ons too, I almost always knit into the wrong loop or if I knit into the right loops I’ll zip along and hit the one wrong loop and it throws me off. It’s the knitters equivalent of whiplash.
I did my first beaded knitting on a post-911 air plane with very pointy 0000 metal needles. I didn’t know it was supposed to be difficult.
It wasn’t
You’re a master of everything so I’m sure that you will do perfectly amazingly at this!
Oooh, I really like that sock pattern! I’m too lazy to put the beaded black part on but I’m thinking about knitting up some plain ones. Provisional cast on takes the fun out of knitting for me. I have to be in a very chipper mood (or stuck somewhere bored to tears) to tackle something like that!
Riding the train will be quite a relief: lots of leg room and no worries that another darning needle (or another random item) will be confiscated. As for the beads, I hope it goes well. I am about to start my first adventures in knitting with beads, and I look forward to seeing how your experience turns out while I work up the strength for my own.
Stephanie:
Bead knitting is a piece of cake – really. I used to knit those itsey,tiny, bead bags on size 0000 needles – you can do it. Not sure what the directions call for, but usually, you keep the beads close (slide forward) to the right hand needle and before (or after) you knit a stitch, you just slide a bead forward and essentially knit (or purl) around/ over it. You will get the hang of this quickly. Not to worry.
Have a safe trip.
Chloe
Just bead, honey. Don’t think so much.
I have a sinking feeling that I’m screwed. The baby bolero instructions just said to “cast on with scrap yarn” and then to knit with the MC after that (or at least I firmly believe, in the absence of said instructions, that this is what they said… it’s certainly what I did). So I did a standard long tail cast-on. This is not, however, a cast-on that will “zip,” right? I see some careful snipping in my future…
I suggest that you suck it up and do it, Stephanie. I know you are not a clumsy person but you will end up jinxing yourself, especially with all that tension. Take a deep breath, think about the beautiful pattern and just go at it! No fear!
Be brave, Harlot, just do it!! You never gave this much thought to something you never tried before. Close your eyes, jump in, you can always buy more beads if you drop these. Imagine the joy of the person cleaning the train!!
and please, please come back to Los Angeles………
Oh please don’t study/practice beaded knitting! I love it when you wing it on things you’ve never tried before! And on a train! I can’t wait to see how you cope.
Seriously, would you perhaps consider doing another stab at entrelac maybe on horseback? Or really live on the edge and try intarsia in a speedboat..?
Knitting as an extreme sport. Wonderful.
(…you should visit New Zealand… we have lots of sheep… bookbookbookbook tours Down Under would be a lovely honeymoon… the girls would really like New Zealand… we have more sheep than people… that means we have more (potential)yarn than people to knit it… you could pop in and see the guys in Oz on the way…)
Pay no attention. Just a little subliminal messaging going on here. Carry on about your business.
I found a neat provisional cast on where you use a crochet hook and some waste yarn and crochet around your needle, then knit into those loops, and then start your first row. Hmm, lemme see if i can find it.
Well, here is one version, although not the one I learned from: http://www.pagebypage.com/provisional.php
And I’ll say that I do a few loops before starting to go around the needle and a few loops afterwards, just so I have some to cut if I need to. I used this cast on for several things and I’ll say it gives me fewer hives than any other type of cast on ever did.
You should knit beads on a train,
You should knit beads on a plane.
If you knit with sheep’s hair
You can knit anywhere!
Those socks look great. And the insanity of the TSA makes me feel a lot better about not going anywhere far enough to have to fly for the last two and a half years. (Good luck with your provisional cast-on–mine never work, either.)
Ahhh, a train ride! Enjoy 🙂 I so prefer a train to a plane. And you ARE the knitting goddess, you can do beading in your sleep, I KNOW you can! Anyone who can produce that absolutely gorgeous shawl can spin and knit anything, including dog hair. (I swear I could knit a new dog with the hair mine sheds seasonally….)
Bah and I was just in Montreal last week… I flew (from the States, mind you) with my size 1 DPNs without a hitch.
Steph, take along a couple of the white household trash bags, then spread them out on your lap while you knit. It will catch any of the beads that fall and you’ll be able to see them. Even if this turns out to be totally useless, you can always use them for trash (boring!), to carry dirty or wet clothes in, or… bring yarn home in! But we know you are just too self controlled to ever buy more yarn on a book tour! ;^)
Have a great trip!
The weather today notwithstanding, the southeastern US is lovely this time of year. When are you coming to the Carolinas???
You just need a really big bowl that you and the beads can sit in so you can find them all if they should spill.
Really, I don’t know. I haven’t done the bead/sock thing either.
I say just go for it. You did such a smashing job on the rest of the socks, and plenty of knitters that use beads have great difficulty with complex patterns. You have all those years of practice with far more complicated knitting behind you… remember the wedding shawl? I thought so.
Do it… then share pretty pictures. 😉
I say just go for it. You did such a smashing job on the rest of the socks, and plenty of knitters that use beads have great difficulty with complex patterns. You have all those years of practice with far more complicated knitting behind you… remember the wedding shawl? I thought so.
Do it… then share pretty pictures. 😉
I used to quake in fear of provisional cast on. Then I learned how to do it with a crochet hook. Much better and actually a very easy and soothing way to cast on.
I had a corkscrew taken away from me getting on a plane (I forgot it was in my purse). I could understand that but what really annoyed me was the person who took it standing there talking about what a nice corkscrew it was (which it was) and then putting it in their pocket to take home. I guess it’s better than ending up in a landfill somewhere but it still made me a little mad.
Er – you wanted advice from people with experience? How about from someone who’s already made these particular socks – someone who in fact pre-beaded the very skein of Zephyr that lies before you?
It’s pretty much a piece of cake. Go for it.
OK, so the provisional cast-on isn’t your thing – but hey, it’s only 16 stitches! and there are pretty copiously illustrated instructions both for doing the cast-on and for picking up from it. (If you got a copy where the pictures printed too dark… let me know, eh? we have the technology.) Actually, I love it. At least, I do ever since I learned the crochet method where you chain around the needle; way easier than the straight chain. Try it; you might be pleasantly surprised.
As for flying beads, not to worry – soon as you’ve knit the first stitch of Zephyr they are safe and anchored, because you and your knitting are between them and the big bad world. You just slide the one(s) you need forward when you need them, and the rest lie quietly waiting for you between you and the ball. They’re safe.
BTW there’s an extra set of beads on there for each sock, in case you come out with a little extra fullness.
And if by some horrible worst-case chance the yarn gets cut and they do go flying… well, there’s more where those came from, and there too we have the technology.
I’ve done it! It’s EASY. You can TOTALLY do it on a train. Or on a plane. With a fox, even. In a box! But maybe not while eating green eggs and ham.
Beading on the train? My first instinct was NO! But after reading the comments, it sounds relatively risk free. I’m starting my first beading/knitting project tomorrow- with intarsia too!
I flew back from Denver on Sat.- it was an orange alert- they let me on with two sets of dpns (bamboo). I thought the orange alert was a pre-election scare tactic, but it was probably because W was in Denver that day…
TSA- don’t forget the fine print- no matter what the guidelines say, they reserve the right to change their minds about anything at any time for no reason. An acquaintance made it through recently (pre-Ziploc) with a set of metal, size 1 dpns (which she thought could do a lot of damage), but they took a teeny tiny bottle of perfume.
Oh, and why were you washing the kitchen floor?
I knitted a beaded hat – the Odessa one from Grumperina on the MagKnits site. Easy as pie, and my beads did not spring, lemming-like, from the yarn as I went. I have every confidence it will be fine, even on the train.
I covet those socks, and I think I will have to put my name on the waiting list for the kit after my move next month.
Would she, could she, on a plane?
Would she, could she, on a train?
She can knit them on a plane.
She can knit them on a train.
She can knit in the USA
Despite the efforts of the TSA.
She can knit them in a chair.
She can knit them anywhere!
Lucky you — just dive right in and wait for the flock of closeted beaders to un-closet themselves. Those are awesome socks already and the beads should take them right over the edge.
I swear I’m going to open a yarn store so I can bring you to Stevens Point. (sigh) Someday….
Well, I have no advice, but I’m sure you can do it.
And if you don’t, you have a great subject story for your blog!
Very funny.
Can’t wait for the next installment in which we see how the bead/travel trepidation works out.
It’s easier than you think, much easier than lace & you’re a master lace knitter! You can do it on a train but you may not want to be talking until you’ve done a couple rounds, but after that you go girl! Amazing that you washed the kitchen floor, can’t say that would be my priority if I was flashing through town.
The ideal place to knit them is over a large, white, terry cloth towel – they wouldn’t roll if they fell, and you could bundle the whole business into a bag if the worst happened. But would not having said towel stop you? And I’d bet you didn’t pack one.
As for the TSA – long before 9/11 I made it all the way to New Orleans with pepper spray that they took from me on the return – didn’t even remember it was in the bottom of my purse. Any they made me mail home my manicure scissors – on the 5th leg of a trip with 2 legs out and 3 back.
The manicure scissor story is 2006.
I find that a nice sized pan with a lip on all sides, placed on a flat surface is helpful for beads. It’s not foolproof, especially if you and your toddler are clumsy, but it helps.
Sorry, I’ve been lurking for a ridiculous amount of time, but you just made me go EEEEP! outloud in a university language lab where everyone is wearing headphones and now glaring at me (I’m holding you accountable for this…). I met you in April having no idea who you were…remember the Doylestown Bookstore, and the tiny yarn store next to it? I work there…and after meeting you I found your blog, and of course then wanted to talk to you and never ever ever would again, I was convinced…and very sad. Then fall came and I shipped off to my first year at college…MCGILL! And now you’re coming here and I’m incredibly, ridiculously excited. A million thank-yous, and I’ll see you Friday!
Oh no, I don’t see Minneapolis listed as even a possible stop on your tour anymore. Are you ever coming this way? Please?? We’re not that far, just south of the border…
The socks are beautiful already. I know you can do it!
Frankly, you should be very relieved not to think like the TSA.
I like the way you think MUCH better!
Egads, girl, relax! I own a beadstore that happened because I became addicted to knitting tiny bags with #8 perle coton with beads on 0000 needles. The beads will not fall off as long as you keep them wound around that little card. If you are nervous, put them in a zippy. It isn’t hard. Hard is lace knitting. Wow, you should see my learning piece. Unrecognizable as the original pattern.
If you are near a drug store in your travels go into the dental department and look for a package of something called floss threaders. They are a blue plastic loop fused on the end. They are used for kids to put floss under their braces. They make a handy travel needle and NO ONE could possibly see them as threatening!
Considering that my very first sock was one of a very fancy pattern and my first mitten was of the Latvian variety, I say just jump in with the darn beads. Who needs to read up on it? You’re brilliant, as will be the beaded socks. I have faith in your beading abilities!
Cheers from (finally not-so-hot) Virginia.
Beaded knitting is easy! You do stranded work, so this will be no sweat.
Heck, if I can do beaded knitting then so can you.
Would you, could you, on a train? Oh, I see someone else thought of Dr. Seuss too. (Another teacher?) Well, I personally wouldn’t do it on a train, unless the beads are firmly fastened on the yarn. Even then…but you are the Harlot, so go for it! By the way, the socks are beautiful.
My very first perfect toe graft was as I was standing up at a staff meeting, pretending I gave a darn… I say break that puppy out on the train… (unless you want to save it for the hermetically sealed white room so that you can start a new project on the train…this also has it’s promise…)
Would she, could she, come out West?
Can’t she see it would be best?
East beast heed West:
West beast needs jest.
East beads bead bits,
West reads beast lits,
West beast pleads, lest best beast leaves best bead jests East.
My daughter Sarah is (literally and metaphorically) hopping up & down in excitement that she will see you again in Ottawa (Bank St Yarn Forward is her eastern LYS of choice). I think she may even attempt to persuade someone to get her out to the Kanata store that evening as well.
We saw you at Lake Forest Park on the Labour Day weekend & felt your talk & the whole surrounded-by-knitters experience was well worth the drive down from Vancouver.
Enjoy your train ride!
“Surrender your needle!” Isn’t that what the knitting police say?
There’s always the coward’s provisional cast-on. Cast on the required number of stitches in any way whatever using a smooth cotton waster yarn, then knit 1 row. Commence knitting with your “real” yarn. When you’re finished, take a small scissors and cut the waste yarn away. If you’re like me, that’s what you’re going to end up doing anyway. Hey, how come it is that ever since I read your book I’ve been losing tape measure? I never used to and now I’ve even lost my sheep tape measure.
i share your nervousness, but puedas hacerlo! (sorry, no french here.) if the cuffs are half as lovely as the socks you’re good to go.
have fun in montreal! ah, bagels… and my favorite, poutine.
The socks look great, and I have confidence that you will figure out the whole beading thing. I can’t wait til your tour comes somewhere close to ME!
Oh I can so relate! I came home last night and leave tomorrow. I basically came home to do laundry and vote (here in the U.S.). Talk about depressing. Anyway… have a safe trip and good luck with the beading. I have found beads and knitting to be a perfectly reasonable combination.
Wow, those will be amazing socks and as far as your schedule… I don’t know how you do it.
All the best.
Go with the flow. Just slip the beads along and knit them into the stitch. It’s easy, I did it without any instruction whatsoever, and I’m the world’s greatest klutz.
The train is a fantastic place to knit! We took a train ride to Ottawa and knit there and back. I highly recommend trying to nab one of the four seaters so you can spread out and enjoy yourself. Don’t let the “reserved for groups of four” sign scare you off! Squatters rights rule on Via!
Hi Stephanie,
Whatever you do, do NOT spend time studying, pondering, analyzing the ins and outs of knitting with beads.
That’s the sort of thing I do and I NEVER get anything finished. My resolution is to be more action-oriented, just like you.
not just an unseamed floor, but a spherical floor. then all the beads would roll to the centre 🙂
You have done far scarier things than beading. Believe me! It’s the easiest thing ever, I swear.
Should you do it on a train?
You couldn’t do it on a plane.
Should you knit it with a goat?
You could knit it from his coat!
I’ve been inside an anechoic chamber. It’s almost like without sound coming into them, your ears try to make their own sounds. It’s weird, and almost uncomfortable.
Trust me… you’d do much better to just play some soothing, lyric-free music that to be inside a cone of silence.
No, you don’t want the room hermetically sealed – that would keep out the air you need to breathe deeply when you begin. A sensitive-equipment “clean room” might be nice, but as others have said, not necessary. Thread a big button on the other end and then tie a knot, so the beads can’t sneak over the knot, and use the Ziploc[TM] bag.
Don’ worry about yer French, mon chou! You’ll be fine. I just alerted one of my fave knitters in Montreal, and I hope she’ll get down there to see you. It would be therapy; she’s a prof at Dawson College. Yes, *that* Dawson College.
Say ‘bonsoir’ to my alma mater for me, eh?
— Marg,
McGill U., Class of ’74…
No worries! I knit my wedding dress – hundreds and hundreds of beads. I even managed to get my, soon to be, spouse to string the beads (two different sizes and strung in reverse). This was all before the really helpful “thinking-it-through-before-beginning-to-knit” era of my knitterly life. By the way – the spouse stuck around!
So, is Alberta on your intinerary any time soon?
Particularly Edmonton, perhaps, maybe the Chapters on Whyte Ave!
I like to keep my beads and yarn in a sturdy paper plate while I’m knitting with beads. Helps to keep any runaways from getting too far.
Wish you could wait till next month to go to Ottawa, or even better come down to London (Ont. that is)
Love Yarn Forward on Bank, my favorite haunt when I’m up visiting my parents.
Hope to see you in London soon?
Do the beading in a stationary, quiet place where you can concentrate (and drink occasionally if needed to maintain sanity).
Have a great trip!
If you’re not already doing so, go to Schwartz’s! Most delicious smoked meat ever.
you’ll bead fine. Bring home bagels…….please.
I took a beaded knitting workshop last summer, and started a simple scarf you can see here: http://sissyvette.blogspot.com/2006/10/dormant-work-in-progress-beaded-scarf.html
The beading was easy (except for ending up with a couple of extra beads that will stay on the yarn until I break it or them), but I haven’t been able to force myself to go back and work on the boring part.
Good luck on the train!
I have finally found the perfect use for a floss threader. To put beads on yarn! Heaven knows I don’t like to floss under my bridge!
Knitting with beads is fun. Enjoy it.
Beading is no big deal. Don’t make any sudden moves with them on your lap, don’t wear sleeves that might drag in your bead pile. That’s it, really. 🙂
I’ve been through a few airports this year and managed to find the one and only with a TSA agent with a sense of humor (and once someone from the TSA Motherland reads this he’ll probably be exterminated.) Anyway, I overheard him explain to a co-worker that TSA stands for “Takes S#!t Away”. It pretty much says it all, ‘eh?
I don’t know whether it is your photography or your knitting, but your socks are still on the needles and they looked blocked already. Amazing.
Let’s be positive here!
You can do it on the train
You can do it in the rain
You can do it in the car
You (possibly) can do it in a bar
You can do it in a chair
You can do it anywhere!
You can do it Ms. McPhee
You can do it, you will see!
(with apologies to Dr. Seuss!) :=)
A whistle-stop knitting tour! How cool.
I would knit the beads while sitting in a (dry) bathtub with the drain closed and the shower curtain inside the tub (just in case).
Oh, shit….
Someone already did Dr. Seuss…Sorry!
I started reading comments after I wrote this. I can only plead the perfect setup lines at the end of the blog! :=)
On further searching of comments, it seems that we all have read the same book, possibly thousands of times!
The only challenge will be getting enough rest. The bead knitting will sort itself out, after all, we knit for the challenge of learning.
Wow, the Dr. Seuss thing must be contagious.
Jeez, Steph, after that incredible shawl you’re worried about some dumbass beads? Knit on!
Oh come now! If my friend can figure out how to knit with beads, so can you. And remember, just chant “I am a knitting genious.” over and over, it’ll help you not freak out. ^_^
regarding airport security… I once read an account of a traveler, who watched as a military member in full uniform reporting for work at the airport went through tsa security. He handed over his semi-automatic rifle, took off his tool belt, his badge, removed his wallet and keys and went through ‘the machine’. It beeped, and he removed his teeny tiny pocket knife. The gentleman guarding our skies working for tsa confiscated the dangerous teeny tiny pocket knife, and then handed the marine back his semi-automatic weapon. go figure.
150 Comments. Whew. Maybe you should have your own chat room.
I read you everyday.
I was in Montreal this summer. Missed you AGAIN.
After reading all these airport security stories, I have a security story to share. My husband and I went to a Bob Dylan concert this summer to celebrate our 23rd anniversary. The concert was held outdoors at a local baseball field with Arena seating. Since this was the case, and I knew we’d have to get there early, I brought my knitting. As we went in there was a sign stating no outside food, no chairs, umbrellas. cameras etc. I had a small bench chair (the kind without legs that you hook onto bleachers.) I have a bad back and the chair has a back on it so I won’t be screaming in pain after 30 minutes. So the security guy says no chair and so I launch into my explanation about my back and all. Since the chair had no legs, they considered it like a seat pad and said ok. Then they asked me what I had in my Maryland Sheep and Wool bag. I said my knitting. He asked me to open my bag. Taking this as a sign that he was asking me about my knitting, (instead of just doing his job,) I said “Sure” and promptly opened my bag and launched into an explanation of all my knitterly Paraphernalia. “See, here are my needles and my yarn. I have scissors and …….” The guys eyes actually rolled back into his head and I thought he was going to keel over. He passed us through before I could even explain my project LOL! My husband and I laughed so hard I thought I was going to pee my pants. It was probably the first time knitting actually helped a person get through a security check. I can’t tell you how many people came up to me before the concert started and said that they wished they had thought of bringing their knitting. The concert was great!
The beads will stay put fine (says she who was doing beaded knitting in the Long Bar in Sheffield Crucible Theatre: it’s when you have various actors peering at what you’re doing that it gets a bit hairy. Particularly when you’ve just been watching said actors in a performance of ‘Romans in Britain’). They only bid for freedom on yarn that you can pull apart using sheer muscle power.
Like the idea of a towel in your lap…
~x~
You’re coming to Montreal! Hot shit! I’m mad overbooked on Friday, but I guess I’ll be making a stop at McGill too 🙂
Well, I had to google it/ do a little reading up ’cause I like beads & embroidery. So what is this “Knitting with beads” thing? I must know. First search found following at knitter’s review site:
>
Wonder which way I’m more likely to go?…hmmm…
Okay. Technical glitch with my use of less than/ greater than symbols PLUS ” “…math skills or lack thereof gets me in trouble everytime.
From http://knittersreview.com:
“Now that you’ve pre-strung a good length of beads, you’re ready to start knitting. There are two ways you can go about this: the chaotic way, and the orderly way.”
I plan to head out to Kanata for your talk there. I’m in downtown Ottawa, but I can’t make it to the Bank street store as those people who pay me every two weeks expect me in the office on Thursday afternoons. So Kanata it is. I’m car-less, but you’re worth a bus ride 🙂
Train travel is SOOOO civil. I took an overnighter once and the porter brought wine to my “roomette” in the evening and coffee in the morning.
And the clacking is relaxing, too.
Have a great trip!
Yes, the Dr. Seuss thing jumped to my mind as well – partly for the rhymes and partly because his writing is so encouraging (“Oh, the places you’ll go!”. etc.). So you CAN do it anywhere!
I will multi-post your itinerary in case any of the folks I am on lists with are nearby (the luky ducks!).
I went from Boston to Cleveland and back with my husband and two small children about 10 years ago – we loved the space and the downtime it provided. On our trip, the food was execrable and getting on the trip for the return at 3:00 am and trying to find seats was not fun, but other than that it was great. Have fun!
Beautiful socks, Stephanie! Don’t sweat the beads. For your next beading project, try Sivia Harding’s Angel Pearls scarf. http://www.colorsongyarn.com/cowl_capelet_scarf/angel_pearls_scarf_kit.htm
She uses Hand Maiden Angel Hair yarn and puts the beads on with a .06mm crochet hook. The beads are a piece of cake, the lace pattern was more of a challenge for me, but probably cake for you!
Two simpler ways to do provisional cast on… I hate trying to knit into the crochet chain, so I use smooth yarn and the “Crochet Cast On” from Sally Melville’s Knitting Experience book #1. [The one she uses for her Einstein Jacket.] Cast on a couple extra stitches, cut the cotton and tuck the end through the last loop on your crochet hook. It’s easy to pull out the tucked end and unzip the cast on.
I have only seen this second way demonstrated, but it is a long tail cast on but the tail is smooth yarn and you make one extra stitch where you join the two yarns…
Enjoy your train rides!
Don’t forget to tie a good knot in the other end of the string of beads (the one not attached to your yarn). When you “slip” then onto your yarn they might just accidentally jump off the other end. Been there, done that!! Good luck with the beading.
Your parting word for today’s blog sounds like a Dr. Seuss book in the vein of Green Eggs and Ham! I love it!
Reminds me of the time that the TSA dweebs deemed my 6″ double pointed size 2 needles perfectly safe, but had to measure my blunt-tipped scissors 3 times (by the same checkpoint, all at one time – this also required a call to a supervisor) to make sure the blades were under the required 2″. Said supervisor measured yet again, deemed them safe, and sent me on my way.
The schedule looks crazy, but I need to know – do you know there are knitters in the southeast US who would drive hours to come see you? North Carolina would be great, but I’d drive to Tennessee, Georgia, even South Carolina – can you ask your publicist to send you this way? I would even break my anti-dishcloth belief and make you a NC one if you could get down here!
2nd posting – why are you grafting your toe seam? I use a method i got out of some norwegian book (i think), that involves some clever K2Tog’ing from each needle. also use it on shoulder seams whenever possible. absolutely flat seam that is virtually invisible. however, most of you probably know it. then the security people can stuff their darning needle embargo.
Steph – it’s early morning, I’m recovering from gettin’ my top dentures (glory glory hallelujah I’ve wanted ’em for 30 years) and you caused the first smile with my new mouth! Worry not – it’s all I can do to knit with YARN, nevermind beads. I hope that schedule’s right and you’re coming back to Eau Claire next September. If I start walking now, I’ll just make it Now then — where did I put that toque (nothing wrong with my hands, I just talk weird)
I’m too lazy to read through all the comments, so sorry if someone’s mentioned this already, but I also have -literally- never gotten a crochet cast on to unzip, so now I do all my provisional cast on’s the way Eunny Jang explains in one of her lace tutorials on her site, the first one where you do a crazy figure eight thing around waste yarn. When you do it you’ll be certain that it’ll never work, but after you’ve knit a couple of rows of actual yarn and look back at it, you’ll just giggle with glee at how clever you are and how easy it’s gonna be to pick up those stitches. I definetely recomend it.
Dude, even if you weren’t a vegetarian, I would so NOT take you to Schwartz’s. And I like meat. Just not a heaping pile of scrap meat thumped onto a paper plate masquerading as a Montréal delicacy. Ewww. Your stomach would never forgive me. (And now about a thousand Montrealers will never forgive me for dissing Schwartz’s, but dudes. Lead lump in stomach. I live around the corner from there and still can’t believe the daily lineup for that stuff.)
CBC Radio One, everyone, Montréal, 88.5 FM, 1 to 2 pm on Friday…Madame Harlot will be answering questions on the air. Unless their website is still totally screwy, you might be able to listen to it live on the internet.
gahhhhh! Your stopping in MOntreal??? Can’t you come one more province over????? *crys* come to NB!!!!!!!!!!!!! PLEASE!!!
I love that you have funny, irrational worries just like me (I suppose, just like the rest of us). It’s like reading the running dialog that goes on inside MY head. A bit frightening, really. Good luck with the beads.
‘read about beaded knitting’ before you start knitting?….but that would take all the sport out of knitting! You have to give the yarn and the idea some advantage over your obviously superior intellect!
love it!! just go for it – no thinking, no pausing – dive in – be fearless.. AND, since you’ll even have your darning needle on the train with you, you’ll be able to weave in those pesky ends..
And – given that the person who designed the sock is obviously clever, gifted and thoughtful (pre-stringing all those beads deserves an award to my way of thinking) I am guessing that should said afforementioned mishap occur, the sock kit designer would most likely send you another bag of pre-strung beaded yarn.
(thanks for the link to those amazing socks btw)
I usually just ‘hide’ my darning in a metal tin full of safety pins when I fly. Haven’t had it taken away from me yet, even when I flew internationally to Europe in May. I just keep a really bright piece of waste yarn on it so I can find it later when I need it.
I agree with other Ottawans who think you won’t have to worry about attendance. I know I hopped on the phone to reserve a spot as soon as I got the email newsletter from Yarn Forward. Now all I need is the hubby to get home for childcare duties early enough for me to snag a good seat.
East doesn’t stop at Montreal – just ask any Maritimer!
Although it doesn’t sound like you are the only one who is geographically challenged in that respect – knitterykate (second comment today) is asking when you are coming to Vancouver.
And you will probably go there BEFORE you come here. Sigh.
Hey, to each their own, I guess, and I’m with about half a million Montrealers and several publications, print and electronic. But for the next time I’m in the city, Lee Ann, do you have a recommendation for a smoked meat place that you enjoy?
Just have lots of wine on the train, that way you won’t notice if the beads go flying all over the place 🙂
sucky TSA! boo! weenies the world over would be shaking their heads if they knew. hah!
can you knit it in a plane? can you knit it on a train? can you knit it with a mouse? can you knit it in a house? i love dr. seuss. i don’t remember all of it, but it’s fun.
i’m sure you’ll figure it out, or at least some design feature in case you happen to lose your beads.
The beaded knitting’s not so bad. I finished the lovely Odessa cap from Knitty (or was it MagKnits)–either way, a pattern from the Grumperina and concocted a scarf to matched. I used the itty-bitty glass beads on sport/DK weight yarn.
Stringing the beads is nerve-wracking. Put the beads onto a tray or plate of some kind where they can be seen clearly and string over the tray. Do not do this in a moving vehicle. Use the thinnest needle you have–the holes in the beads vary in size, so check to make sure your needle will pass through the beads. Thread the needle with a short loop (2-3 in) of strong thread and tie the ends. Move the knot to the side. Pass 6 inches of your yarn through the thread loop and let it hang there. Viola! (Yes, I spelled it that way on purpose.) You can now string itty bitty beads onto thicker yarn without having to thread a thin needle with said yarn.
Other than that, it’s a bit tedious pushing the beads back as you knit, or getting them onto the stitch. Be sure to twist the bead stitch so that it stays in place better. You may have to coax a few of them back into their places. If you’re working with wool/mohair, after washing it felts slightly and the beads tend to stay snug.
Dear Stephanie, You will do just fine with the beads. I am really into adding beads to my knitting right now. It also becomes another addiction. So, beware :).
Have a safe trip. I too, love riding on trains.
Sincerely, Karianne
Had to comment again. The best trick I’ve discovered for bead knitting (other than the floss threaders – brilliant!) is to knit the bead into the row below the row you want it to end up on. You want it on stitch 6 of row 3? Slide the bead up onto the 6th stitch of row 2. Then, on row 3, purl the 6th stitch and the bead will hang horizontally on the purl stitch. Very nifty. It pops out to the front much more smoothly than bead that hang vertically on one half of a knit stitch. I beaded my wedding sweater this way. Later, I took a class from Lucy Neatby, and that’s her preferred method.
Could you, should you,
On a train?
Will it, might it,
Break your brain?
Should you do it in a room,
warm and cozy like a womb?
I’ve been reading too much Dr. Seuss. Forgive me. And beading is easy. Really. I’ve done it and nothing blew up and I can’t even knit.
Amberdiel, when you are using that beaded method, are you knitting flat or round? I mean, in your example, stitch 6 on row 3, are you purling on the right side (knitting in the round) or purling on the wrong side (knitting flat)?
I have a very easy provisional cast on method. Knit a few rows in waste yarn; then, knit one row in a very slippery yarn (the stuff machine knitters use is excellent), then knit in your “real” yarn. When you need live loops, pull the slippery yarn out and voila, the waste knitted yarn falls off and you have live loops.
Heading East, eh? Why not come to Halifax? : )
Just picture it…Fleece Artist…Baadeck Yarns…Lucy Neatby…lots and lots of beer….
The train from Montreal to Halifax is great. You can get a bedroom and shut the door and then go for it with the beads!
I also (like Jean) knitted a beaded Odessa hat from Grumperina’s beautiful and simple pattern. I did it after having learned to knit about six months earlier, so you know it’s got to be simple.
By the way, you were my inspiration to try to teach my five year old daughter, Lucy, to knit. If you want to see her in action, view this link on YouTube. I was so proud of her! Recently, she decided she was done with a project, and I expected her to hand it over to me to cast off, but she just said, “I watched you last night,” and did it herself! Kids freak me out.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4uSvtKWn2bs
Happy beading!
I’m sorry I can’t help you regarding the bead knitting. I wonder if you could take a plastic large-eye needle on the plane?
I am wondering this myself as I am planning a cross-country trip and was trying to carefully select an airplane security friendly project as I think I would be angry if they confiscated my sock project on account of the DPN’s. I think I’m doing a sweater with chunky yarn knit on sz.15 plastic needles and bring a plastic darning needle just incase they want to take away my nice metal ones (which I’ll just check into my bags). I don’t think I’d be so upset if they took my plastic needle.
I never thought about riding a train while knitting, but I LOVE the idea of it…so soothing…now I’m wondering if the travel companies have considered it. Off now to take a look-see on Google (ridiculous…sputtering…I’m still mopping up water from the leaking water heater 24/7. thank god for a fantasy life where all is good :-))
I’m going to destroy canada when i’m president
I’m sooooooooooo EXCITED!!!!! I cannot wait to get my book signed at Yarn Forward tomorrow!.. Unfortunately I can’t go to the talk because I have to work from 5-8:30…but at least I can get my book signed.. See you tomorrow!
i can’t wait to see the finished socks.
Thank you so much for the link to the beautiful socks you are making! I am in love with the pattern! I treated myself to an early Christmas present!
-k
I saw that you were going to be at Yarn Forward which is (apparently) located on Bank street in Ottawa. Well, I attend Bank Street college of Education in Manhattan- not in Canada. Stephanie, I though you were comming to my grad school. I quickly realized that i was not that lucky.
good luck at the signing/readings.
~Nishanna
Yucky plastic yarn needles are called for in these situations.
Look what I found:
http://alistair.cockburn.us/index.php/Cone_of_silence
And now I’ve got the theme song stuck in my head: “Dum dadum. . . DUM.”
Really sorry our schedules haven’t worked out. I’ll wave to you as i leave for Chicago tomorrow morning to attend SOFA Chicago (www.sofaexpo.com).
Have a marvellous train trip,
and wonderful time in La Belle provence !
It’s easy, really. I wouldn’t suggest it on the train, since yes, the beads can slip off. Especially if it’s your first time. By the way, it floors me that I’ve done some knitting thing that you haven’t. It’s not all that hard. You just slide the bead where you want it to be and keep going. Good luck.
Wow! Beaded knitting is something I have always wanted to try! I can’t wait to see how it turns out!
I’ve done beaded knitting and it wasn’t that difficult.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/bogiebogie/239843496/in/set-1444773/
One thing that makes it much easier is to keeping your yarn and the beads in some sort of container. I used a shallow square Tupperware/Rubbermaid thingie. If a bead happens to fall off (but it probably won’t), it’ll be caught in the container. It also prevents the yarn from trying to run out of your lap and onto the floor due to the sheer weight of the beads.
Since you’re feeling anxious, I’d say to get the hang of beaded knitting in a “safe” place–not necessarily in a hermetically sealed room, perhaps not in a train. Once you’re comfortable with it, then venture into moving vehicles and other modes of transportation.
I can’t believe EVERYONE missed the devious point of this unscheduled tour. Joe’s electronics have filled up your knitting/thinking space, so obviously you’ve run away from home.
Temporarily, I hope.
I am so.ooooooooooooo shocked to read that until now you have been a bead knit virgin. Well I can certainly state that you will be hooked. Then who to say at the age of 48 I am still a sock knit virgin.
The Harlot? The one who learned to spin, using angora fiber? This is the one who is the teensiest bit apprehensive about beaded knitting?You have got to be kidding! Of course you can do it! You got married, didn’t you? Beaded knitting should be a cake walk, after that.
I’m seriously thinking of paying a bunch of money, to be in Tacoma, to take one of your mentoring thingies. Nope. They’re probably booked up by now. (sigh)
Have a great train trip! Relax!
wrnk
d2
Is wireless, blue tooth, airport…blah. blah…technology simply wonderful! I am always looking out for a hotspot whenever I travel…bonus if I find a free hotspot!
Hello, i love http://www.yarnharlot.ca! Let me in, please 🙂