Wendy Bernard's Blog

Let me tell you, I started this pattern three years ago. Three!

I have always had this love for Missoni. That chevron and all the colors. Like many other knitters, I thought that I could select a bunch of colors and knit a simple chevron pattern to replicate the look. 

It doesn't work that way.

After so many trials and so many stops and starts, I've finally figured out how to get the "look." But let's face it: It's not exactly Missoni, but I'll take it. It looks really pretty and it's a super fun knit!

A big part of the fun is finding a color combo that you like. Clever Chevy takes two kinds of yarn: A hand paint with not too many colors (maybe four or five) and rather short--but not too short--color changes. Another thing you want to look for are colors that contrast a bit. Not too monochrome. Your second color can literally come from your pile of leftover sock weight yarns. This could be a solid or a semi solid. You won't need to much.

The pattern comes in two sizes. There's a Youth/Adult Small, which fits like a regular beanie with no slouch. The Adult Slouch is exactly like the pink one you see here. It's pretty easy to make it slouchier by adding an inch or so before the crown decreases. Heck, you could even make it larger in circumference by adding increments of 17 stitches.

The striping sequence is easy and you will have a few ends to weave in as you go, or after you've completed the cap. This cap is a straightforward knit; there is only one semi-fancy maneuver and all it is, is a centered double decrease. All the instructions are included. I'd say this is a adventurous beginner/intermediate type of project.

Clever Chevy

SIZES

Youth/Adult Small (Adult Slouch) 

FINISHED MEASUREMENTS

19" (21.25)��� circumference, 9.25 (10. 5)��� long 

YARN

Youth/Adult Small

Miss Babs Hand-Dyed Tarte (75% superwash merino wool, 15% nylon, 10% tencel; 500 yards / 4.3 oz): 1 skein Biker Chick (MC)

Regia Silk (55% merino wool, 20% silk, 25% polyamide; 219 yards / 50 grams): Approximately 8 grams Anthracite Marl #098 (CC); scrap yarn in same weight will work as well

Adult Slouch

Miss Babs Hand-Dyed Tarte (75% superwash merino wool, 15% nylon, 10% tencel; 500 yards / 4.3 oz): 1 skein Deep Sea Jelly Fish (MC) Green cap is Lost Treasure

Regia Silk Sock Yarn (55% merino wool, 20% silk, 25% polyamide; 219 yards / 50 grams): Approximately 10 grams Anthracite Marl #098 (CC) (scrap yarn in same weight will work as well)

GAUGE

32 sts and 38 rows = 4��� (10 cm) in Chevron Pattern

NEEDLES

20��� circular needle size US 2 (2.75 mm) or set of double-point needles 

Change needle size to obtain gauge if necessary.

NOTIONS

Stitch markers (1 in unique color for beg of rnd), tapestry needle

The pink and green caps are in the Adult Slouch Size. The orange is Youth/Adult Small.

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If you're some sort of a knitting purist or something like that, then you might want to look away. Because I just did some major knitting surgery.

I've been in a knitting funk, partially because I've spent the better part of two years (wait: probably four years) knitting swatch after swatch after swatch for my books, so I've been allowing myself to just do whatever makes me happy--craft-wise, that is. 

And since we here in Southern California have had something that seems like weather (daytime temps in the low 60's) I kinda took stock of what I've knit and that I can wear. Vests pretty much fill the bill, but the one that I knit a year or so ago was such a fun knit yet I never really felt like it fit me well enough to wear out and about.

I got to thinking about this particular vest--it's actually a design by Mary Jane Mucklestone, The Fair Isle Vest Knitting Class: Stranded and Steeked on Craftsy--and plopped it on over my gym clothes just to see if there is something that I could do to make it work and I decided, dang it, I'm just going to sew some new seams. I mean, my sewing machine has been set up in the dining room for ages, so how much time would it really take? Five minutes?

The truth is, it's only knitting. And since it's wool, if I mess it up, I'll just stick it in a hot water wash and make it into a pillow.

My first step was to decide how much I wanted to take the sides in. I got out some of those clippy things and clipped here and there. After realizing that the clips would get in the way of the sewing machine, I transferred in pins for my markings. Knowing that the seams will be noticeable under the arms, I was particularly careful to not take too much in at the underarm ribbing and bottom edge.

I first did a straight stitch and then followed up with a zigzag stitch. After that, I just clipped the seam allowances and guess what? It fits! I'm still in my gym clothes (it is a California thing; sorry) so I won't model it just yet.

I think that there may be other solutions but honestly, this doesn't bug me at all. I don't love the seams because seamless is my favorite, but if there's something perfectly wonderful in the closet that doesn't get worn, why not give it a try? And like I said, if it didn't work, I could felt it and make a pillow or maybe even a stuffed animal. 

Knitting can be that way, you know? Rather than allowing a project that didn't fit or come out the way you had intended to fester inside of you, making it work, giving it away happily, or even unraveling it is always a better option.

And about the vest: As usual, I knit the wrong size and didn't follow my own advice: to try on or check fit as you knit. The pattern and the class are so good. I highly recommend it.

BTW: This is a fair isle knit out of real wool and it is stranded, so when you cut it, it doesn't really unravel. Making seams like I did is reasonably safe in this case. Now, if you were to have to do some knitting surgery on a stockinette piece that isn't stranded, you could probably still sew it like I did here, but you'd definitely have to carefully sew it and follow it up with some zigzag--but do it on a swatch first to see what happens. I say this because I did a little surgery on a piece knit with alpaca, and it definitely wasn't as happy as this vest!

Wow!

I got my hands on the new edition of Vogue Knitting and "Wow" is pretty much my summation.

When I first started knitting (again) in 2002 or so, I picked up the earlier edition because I'm one of those people who will find a hobby and really delve into it, so I guess I just felt like I needed it. I learned a lot from it and as I began to design a few years later, it was my go-to for almost everything knitting except for stitch dictionaries, which you can never have too many of.

After my first thumb-through I knew this edition was special. Some of the graphics--actually many--are recycled here, but there is so much expanded and new information, it doesn't really matter. There are definitely new graphics and photos; don't get me wrong. I'm just saying that if you have the earlier edition, you'll see some familiar pictures.

This book's layout is handy. The table of contents is color-coded so you can find the section you're looking for easily. In each section, there are also Tip and Technique boxes that give tips to improve your knitting. 

One thing that is nice, is this edition has an expanded section on charts and chart-reading (the first edition as very little of that) and as with the previous edition, the new one has a section on designing sweaters. And although some of the graphics are re-used, the information is totally expanded and updated. This section even gives in-depth explanations for and about circular yokes, circular/seamless design, top down sweaters, and it includes information on my very favorite construction: top-down, short-row, set-in sleeve sweaters!

The section on neckbands and collars will look familiar, but there is a lot of added information and new material. There's a section on designing shawls--but there's way more info on different types of shawls rather than the usual triangle shawls. You'll find instructions for Faroese, ruanas, crescent and short-row shaped shawls. And, not to sound too schmaltzy, there's more! (Round and some others are covered as well.)

As far as the stitch patterns in the book are concerned, there is still a basic stitch pattern reference section that includes the usual, including lace and cables and there's a lot of fresh material.

If you're on the fence about acquiring a copy and you like reference books or are a novice or experienced designer, then I'd say go for it. There is enough expanded and new information in this book that you most likely won't regret the purchase.

BTW: No, I haven't died. The last few months I've been wrapping up my sixth book. This one is also a stitch pattern book, but this time, I took Japanese stitch patterns and translated them for you (charted and written line by line) and re-engineered them so you can knit them in as many directions as possible and in the round. For a sneak peak, check out this link to Martha Stewart's site to see a tease and the book cover! Whoop whoop!

My mom was a woman of short cuts. If there was a product out there labeled "instant," she'd be on it. Once, she painted the living room and kept changing the color because it wasn't quite right. Then, all the layers of paint peeled off and fell to the floor because she didn't let the paint dry in between coats.

Although I do get impatient from time to time, I didn't get that gene. I like to make things from scratch. I like to watch things grow. I don't mind waiting. Maybe that's why knitting is so much fun for me. I'm really not in too much of a hurry and it's okay if the instructions are tedious once in awhile. I mean, there's a place and time for a challenge and a place and time for something quick and dirty. Sometimes, I like to knit a plain ol' vanilla sock, and sometimes I like to be presented with something that takes more thought.

But here's the thing: When I saw Arne & Carlos' Regia Pairfect sock yarn, I nearly swooned.

Now, this stuff delivers the ultimate in "no-think socks." All you do is start from the center of the ball (I'm someone who takes from the outside, but I can deal with it), remove the yellow "leader" yarn, cast on, work your cuff in the contrast color, and when it starts self-patterning, you just knit the body of the sock. After that, when the contrast color starts coming at you, you work your heel and when you're done, you just keep knitting until you again hit the solid contrast color and work your toe. When you've finished with the toe and kitchener the thing together (I'm assuming you could work toe-up socks with this as well), you just remove the rest of the yarn, including a second length of "leader" yarn and do it all over again for the second sock.

You're probably wondering how the patterning accounts for different sized socks. I knit the blue pair using 64 stitches and making about a size 8 ladies size sock. So, if you just use the yarn as intended, you will have a longer cuff with a longer leg than you would with a pair of socks that start out with, say 72 stitches.

The only issue I had was with the heel. I usually make a heel flap but if you want the contrast heel to look correct, you pretty much have to do a short-row heel. I have only done one once a long time ago and had to look up how to do it. Man, that first heel was a mess with all the double wraps you have to fix. There were so many holes, I had to go in and darn them closed. With the second sock, I did make a short row heel again, but this time I didn't try to fix the wraps. Leaving them alone was much neater. You can see how wonky and thick the heel of the first sock looks.

I have nearly finished this blue pair and have one more pair to do. Then, I'm going to buy some more of this yarn. Like I said, this stuff is the ultimate in "no-think socks"!

BTW: I bought my Pairfect yarn at Simply Socks Yarn Company. They have great customer service and fast shipping. They also carry lots of other sock yarns.

Second BTW: I was very pleased to hear that Knit and Tonic is featured in Crafty Like Granny's Top 100 Blogs to Read in 2018. (I guess I better start writing more often!)

So I took two skeins of yarn with me for our week-long camping trip. I remember I was wondering if I should just take one, because I'd probably not really have time or the inclination to knit due to all the laying around I planned to do, but as it turns out. I needed two.

And it wasn't because I knit very much, because I didn't. In seven days, I knit maybe half of one sock. That's right. I just knit half of one sock.

When I was a little girl, I remember reading a book about a family who would always put an extra seat or plate at their dinner table in case someone who was hungry needed a meal. Now I know this sounds weird, because yarn isn't food (well, for some it's like food, right?), but the other day, as I was thinking about our trip, I jotted down: "An extra skein is like an extra seat at the table."

We camp with another family each year. There is a young lady who is Girlfriend's age who is always there with us and this year, as I sat and knit for a bit, she came over and asked me if I would teach her to knit. As I contemplated handing her my green sock in progress, I realized that I had brought an extra skein and a set of extra needles and ran to our tent to grab them. 

So I taught her to knit with two small double point needles and teeny tiny sock yarn.

And she sat there for hours, knitting back and forth on those needles, left-handed.

It occurred to me, that from now on, if I can and have room, I will always have an extra set of needles and yarn on hand. 

The green yarn in the pic is some new stuff by Opal. It's called Opal Light. The yarn itself is about 25% lighter than the usual Opal--which wears like iron, but BEWARE! I glanced at the ball band and noted that the gauge was smaller than usual at 9-10 inches per inch and I kinda ho-hummed in my mind and just cast on 72 stitches for socks for me instead of my usual 68 or so, thinking it'd be straightforward. 

Not!

Instead, I knit and knit and knit, mostly after I got home because what you see in the picture is all I managed. And once I was done with one sock and weaved in ends and fixed all my dropped stitches (don't laugh; it happens to me constantly), I popped one on and it didn't fit. It is teeny tiny. So, instead of ripping it out, I cast on for the second and finished it. I figure there will be a time when I can give the pair away.

BTW: I'm still knitting socks and more socks. It is a sickness, I tell you. Oh, and that's Girlfriend feeding a deer. At dusk every night, they'd come out. At one point, we were able to hand feed them blueberries. It was wonderful.

So this is me getting ready to leave for a week-long camping trip, but not the peachy skin part--that's a filter (anything orange-y is my favorite, even if it is my skin).

Next to me is a stack of socks, recent socks that I've knit. Since my hand surgery, I've been knitting sock after sock after sock. Not sure why. I suppose I go through sock binges kind of like the people who go on crazy pumpkin flavored yadda yadda binges during the fall (something that I totally don't understand, but I'd venture to guess that most others don't understand my mild obsession with knitting socks, so I won't throw shade to that pumpkin business, which is weird because pumpkins are orange and I don't like pumpkins, except to carve them but doing so makes my arms itch).

So, when it comes to packing for a trip like camping, I'm pretty good at keeping things simple. I know what I need, which is not a lot because we don't glam it up at all--just regular camping by a river with no electricity or cell coverage or any of that but with lots of coffee, wine, and snacks and food and rummy-playing.

The problem is, I have a problem with the part of packing for a trip that includes packing yarn.

I'm not the only one, because this problem is widespread among knitters; in fact, I'm pretty certain that this subject gets covered ad nauseam in our little corner of the world during any true vacation season: Winter holidays, Spring holidays, Summer holidays, and Fall holidays. Whoops! That's all year long!

Which brings me to this: I know in my heart of hearts that I won't knit more than one sock or maybe a pair during this week-long trip.

But I can't bear to bring just one skein.

Because there is an off-chance that I'll knit instead of paint this time (I bring paint supplies too).

Or there is an off-chance that I might become the super nova of knitters and knit so fast that I rip through two pair.

Or I might accidentally drop a skein in the rushing river and I need a spare.

You are probably thinking to yourself: "Yeah, I totally get it. I have trouble making packing decisions like this too, but can't she hit a yarn store?"

There aren't any where I'm going--not even on the way there.

You are probably also thinking to yourself: "Well, it's hot in summer and the yarn may go slowly through her sweaty fingers. She might not get much done because it's so slow going."

Yup. I know it'll be sweaty, but I have to bring two skeins. There's no way around it. If I have to leave without an extra pair of hiking socks, so be it.

So this is what is coming with me come hell or high water: A skein of this new Opal Light in green (it is supposed to be a lighter knit and will be less "warm," and a skein of Opal Fresh and Juicy that sort of looks like a watermelon colorway. I purchased both at Simply Socks Yarn Company. They have a great selection and they ship quickly.

BTW: Notice the double pointed needles paired with the yarn? I do this because these needles come in so many colors these days that in order to avoid a situation where you may not be able to see your stitches, be sure to use needles that are contrasting colors. Imagine if I tried to knit the green yarn with those green needles! Yikes! 

They call it "frogging" or "tinking," and sometimes "ripping out." I guess it really depends on what you're doing. If you've just found an error and have to go back a row or two, it's called "tinking," or "tinking back." If you're taking the plunge and taking out lots of stitches or going back to square one, I call it "ripping out." 

When you take online courses or local knitting courses, many times teachers will try to smooth over any potential angst or make it easier on the knitters by using nicer terms like "un-knitting," probably to spare any feelings of despair--if you're that kind of knitter. (I remember my daughter's sewing teacher told me she told the girls that when they had to use a seam ripper, she preferred to tell them that they were "un-sewing" in order to assuage any feelings of failure. In all honesty, I was taken aback because, well, anyway--the girls aren't that fragile.)

But for me, if I make the decision to go back to square one with a project, I like to pull off the bandage and just go for it. I mean, why would you spend so much time knitting something that will ultimately not please you or spark joy as a certain someone would say?

A few weeks after my carpal tunnel surgery when I was finally able to move my hands well enough to knit a bit, I cast on for what I thought would be a sideways, open knit, pullover--something suited for a beach coverup or something to throw on over a tank top. I dutifully drew a sketch, made a couple gauge swatches in potential stitch patterns and chose one. I did some calculations and cast on. Over the next several days I knit part of the top, probably a rectangle that measured 24" by about 6" and then I took a long, hard look at it.

It looked like crap.

And then I knit another inch.

It still looked awful.

And then I sort of thought about it and thought about it and thought about it. 

I decided that if I had to think about it that much, that it was going to be a loser and there was only one thing to do: Rip. It. Out.

I've come across lots and lots of knitters and I can tell you that my guess is that probably more people cringe at the thought than people who don't (or who cringe a tiny bit and then let her rip without thinking too much).

I fall into that group: I cringe a tiny bit and then I let her rip.

The pic up top? That represents about six full hours of knitting.

This one to the right? Oh, four minutes of delightful ripping.

It's a relief, really. Kind of like burping after feeling queasy for forever. Now I can say that I didn't spend a week knitting something that didn't give me tingles. At this stage in the game, I need tingles.

BTW: This yarn is still destined to be something that I really like. I can do no wrong (well, except for this most recent disappointment) with Louet Euroflax Wet Spun Linen (sport weight). I keep thinking of doing a re-vamp of Jordan, a really popular warm-weather pattern of mine, but with longer sleeves, so we shall see.

BTW#2: Regarding the carpal tunnel surgery. It's now about 8 weeks post op. Everyday I notice that I can do more with my right hand that I couldn't do as well before. I have more strength and can pick up relatively heavy objects without dropping them or feeling pain in my wrist. Knitting is easier and faster although I haven't really done too much, mostly because book knitting has come to an end for now. So, I'm pretty happy I did it. Left hand is next!

About five weeks ago I had carpal tunnel release surgery on my dominant, right hand. This was the type where they cut and open part of your wrist and palm--not the endoscopic type.

The worst part of the surgery was what I went through before the actual surgery--total angst from the very idea that I would potentially spend a number of weeks without being able to, of all things, knit.

I know you're thinking that that is totally normal since you must think that I absolutely love to knit, but the the truth is, I haven't loved knitting for a long time (being very truthful here). The reason? First, pain. The second reason has to do with the fact that over the past many years, knitting has become "work." I've now written six books, and with every book comes many hours of knitting samples which takes along with it lots of stress and worry about things from color choice, how to grade the pattern, math, making the sample look perfect, knitting the sample(s) super fast, etc.

Despite the pain and the stress, before the surgery I spent weeks--probably three--with this terrible cloud over my head that I wouldn't be able to knit for quite some time and it was terribly depressing.
So, the day after surgery what did I do? I discovered that I could embroider left-handed. 

I am that crazy.

And before you tut-tut me in comments, every, single thing I did post surgery was absolutely supported by my surgeon and physical therapist. So, once I figured I could embroider left-handed, I embroidered everything in sight. I did this for, oh, about three weeks. (If you're curious about these samplers, they're made by Dropcloth Samplers.)

Using my hands was really good for my soul. I can't imagine what I would have done if I couldn't do this. I sometimes think its a curse, really. A day doesn't go by that I don't make something. Even if it is a doodle or a batch of pickles or a couple of stitches on a pair of socks, there's this urgency to make . . . something.

Anyway, today I have my last follow-up with the surgeon. 

And I have been able to knit now for about a week.

I don't spend too long knitting because I don't want to jinx myself, but guess what?

I am knitting with linen and I have never, ever been able to knit with linen without some amount of discomfort. I mean, linen--although it is my absolute favorite fiber--can be a little challenging. Now? It's like butter!

In celebration, I am having a go at a sideways linen top for summer. Right now, I've just done some preliminary calculations and have knit about two inches. The yarn I'm using is Euroflax Wet Spun Linen (sport weight) in the Natural color. 

I am also using these new square knitting needles. They're Kollage Square Circular Knitting Needles. Gosh, what a difference they make! The package claims that they're easy on your hands and made for knitters with arthritis, carpal tunnel and stiffness. I'm usually a skeptic on this kind of stuff, but I tell you what, they're really helpful. I'm using US size #5 (3.75mm) for this project and I have actually tried conventional needles on the swatch and then changed to the square ones, and the square ones really do make a difference. 

I'll be showing you pictures as I move along. I love linen for summer! 

BTW: It looks like I'll be getting the same surgery on my left hand before end of year (insert sad trombone sound here.)

Any serious sock knitter who takes themselves seriously, in all seriousness, has at least one pair on the needles, another pair whose second sock is knit halfway, and at least one new skein in the queue to be cast on. Seriously.

I am one of those sock knitters.

I am also someone, who, up until today, and for a period of about a year, didn't really enjoy knitting.

I know this sounds nuts but it's true. I think a combination of things contributed to my ambivalence. First, after writing five books and designing literally hundreds of patterns over the past several years, knitting has become "work." And as it happens, I have been writing a sixth book over the past year. Then to pile on another factor: I have been suffering through a few knitting injuries that make the act of knitting painful.

My life hasn't been a ton of fun when it comes to the knitting thing.

This will change soon because I'm having surgery on my right hand on Monday.

This has been something that I have put off for quite a long time. I have carpal tunnel syndrome in both hands and cubital tunnel syndrome in both elbows and severe arthritis in my right thumb. I'm not telling you this because I want attention--sheesh, the last thing I enjoy reading in someone's blog is a litany of their health woes and complaints--instead, I mention this because I'm hoping that anyone reading this will stop and listen to their bodies if they are experiencing pain.

So, I will stop here--but there is one thing that happened today that I want to tell you about. Realizing that I probably won't be able to knit for some time (my doctor who is a highly regarded hand surgeon and handmade sweater aficionado assures me it'll be pretty quick), I had this terrible urge to finish ALL the socks I have on the needles. That means, the one pair on the needles, the other pair whose second sock is knit halfway, and to start on the skein that is in the queue. 

I finished that one pair that was on the needles, and today, as a plugged along on that second pair whose second sock is knit halfway, I had a pleasant sensation that I haven't felt in a really long time. I was enjoying knitting! It was honestly so nice to feel that feeling because I was afraid that it had gone away.

I'll let you know how the surgery goes. Be well, my friends.

BTW: That yarn in the picture. The green is from Arne and Carlos, the one on the needles is gosh-knows-what, and the red and green one is Opal Fresh and Juicy (which reminds me that I was given the unfortunate nickname of "hot and juicy" in high school due to a popular Wendy's Hamburger chain commercial. Ugh. I'm glad that it didn't stick).

So, I'm going to the Rhinebeck Sheep and Wool festival for book signings in October. Yes, Rhinebeck. For those of you not-yet-annointed (that would be me as well), it is a sheep and wool festival held north of New York City in Duchess County. I have no idea what goes on there--except I hear there's the usual fried fair food, lots of sheep, goats and what have you, and yarn, AND that one should NOT bring suitcases on wheels or other wheel-y items because it makes people mad--further, I am told that it is de rigueur to knit yourself a "Rhinebeck Sweater."

The so-called Rhinebeck Sweater has this interesting lore, something that I've only touched on a bit because, well, I've never been there. I have noticed, though, that there are tons of pictures of knitters wearing their sweaters, and have heard many stories of finish-line knitting in time for the event. I have even heard that some wear their sweaters that are still UFO's.

So, being in the armpit of California--and you know I like knitting sweaters and all--it doesn't make a lot of sense for me to knit a sweater that I won't really ever wear but once. I know it sounds crazy, me being a knitwear designer and all, but I just don't wear sweaters. It's too warm. In fact, as proof, I will make a confession: You all know what I'm talking about when I say that there are a few items in my laundry hamper that keep getting passed over. You know, there's always a top or maybe some socks that get left behind time after time because I just don't need to wear them, want to wear them, or frankly don't want to deal with deciding to do with them. You know about this, right? 

Well, when I did a couple of loads of laundry last night I noticed a sweater that had been passed over many times. So many times, that I think it has been there for at least two years. And that might be an understatement.

Oprah, I'm sure, would have a thing or two to say about me and my hamper.

At any rate, in keeping with the whole Rhinebeck Sweater thing, I decided that I'd make a vest instead. I looked around and I found this class on Craftsy, The Fair Isle Vest, by Mary Jane Mucklestone, and wow, what fun.

Even though I've worked this type of stranded knitting before and worked steeks, I totally appreciated the class. Mary Jane is such a great teacher. And the class is great because I was able to pause or fast forward to places where I wanted information. I confess I am not totally happy with my color choices because the actual motif gets sort of muddy and hidden with my version, but that's okay. My goal was to have a sunny feeling--sort of Southern California style--if you know what I mean.

I knit the second size up. My gauge is pretty close to goal, but because of my long torso, what I'd do next time (and there will be a next time because this is something I might actually wear), is make the smallest size and lengthen the body and work the armhole depth the same as the second size. Does that make sense?

Full disclosure:

P.S. If you want to know where I got the yarn (it's Jamieson's Shetland DK), I found it at Camilla Valley Farm Weavers Supply. They actually have a deal there where you can buy the correct quantities of the yarn for your particular size at a bit of a discount. My next one will be pinks.