Ravi’s Construction, an Overview
Our Ravi Knitalong starts this Sunday, September 15 at 4. What makes Ravi such an interesting sweater and fun knit is its unusual construction. Let’s walk through it. Ravi begins with the yoke which is knit from side to side. The yoke is made from wedges knit from the neckline to the bottom of the openwork pattern and is shaped using short rows. So each wedge begins with the full length of the yoke then is knit back and forth on fewer and fewer stitches. When enough wedges have been knit to complete the full yoke, stitches are picked up along the bottom and the body is knit in garter stitch. The sleeves are separated, like a typical top-down sweater, and knit in the round down as well. This allows the knitter to decide on how long to make the sleeves and the body of the sweater. You can try it on as you go to find the length that you prefer. The lower back hem is given a lovely, flattering curve with short rows as well. The body and the sleeves both end with an i-cord bind off. It creates a beautifully finished edge. Don’t be scared if you have never knit short rows before. They are simple to do and allow for lots of wonderful shaping in your knitting. Carol Feller, the designer of Ravi, teaches an excellent free class online class on short rows. And she’s wearing Ravi in the video too! We look forward to seeing you at the Ravi Knitalong Kickoff this...
Read MoreComing Up September 9-15
All Week: Trunk show of samples from ’60 Quick Baby Blankets.’Tuesday: Evening sit and knit group, 6 to 9 p.m. All knitters, crocheters and stitchers welcome! Free.Wednesday: Midday sit and knit group, noon to 2 p.m. All knitters, crocheters and stitchers welcome! Free.Thursday: Charity knitting group, noon to 2 p.m. We have suggestions for charities and patterns. Come join us!Learn to Knit or Learn to Crochet, 6 to 8 p.m. $20 plus supplies. No registration required.Project Help, 6 to 8 p.m. Stuck on a project? Need to learn a new technique? Drop in for help. Only $5.Saturday: Learn to Knit for Kids (and Parents, Too), 1 to 3, $20 per person plus supplies. Learn the basic knit stitch and get started on an easy, colorful project. Contact the store for registration information.Easy Basic Hat, 3:30 to 5:30 p.m. $40 plus supplies. First of two sessions. Learn to knit in the round and decrease as you make a simple watchcap. A great class for beginner knitters who already know the knit stitch. Contact the store for registration information.Sunday: My First Socks, 12:30 to 2:30 p.m. $60 plus supplies. First of three sessions. Learn to turn a heel and create your own, well-fitting socks. Prerequisites: Know how to knit and purl. Contact the store for registration information.Ravi Knitalong Kickoff Party, 3 to 5 p.m. Join us for refreshments and door prizes as we cast on for our fall knitalong, a top-down sweater with sideways yoke. Free with purchase of pattern....
Read MorePicking Yarns for Ravi
Our newest knitalong project, Ravi, begins on Sunday, September 15, so it’s time to pick out some yarn. Ravi is knit in a sport or DK-weight yarn. Our (nearly finished) model is being knit in Hazel Knits Lively DK (pictured far right below). It is a tightly-plied superwash merino with a bit of nylon which creates very crisp stitches. Some other similar type merino yarns from around the shop are Mad Hatter (pictured far left above). This buttery soft sport-weight is hand-dyed superwash merino. Or maybe you’re a fan of Madelinetosh colorways–who isn’t? Tosh Sport (pictured center above) is also 100% superwash merino to show off your stitches in lovely hand-dyed colors. Since Ravi is unusually constructed with a sideways yoke composed of wedges of short-rows a self-striping yarn would highlight the changing directions of the knitting. Rowan’s new Alpaca Colour (pictured far right below) creates subtle monochromatic stripes in silky soft 100% alpaca. Acadia (pictured center above), a blend of alpaca, merino and silk is kettle-dyed and slightly slubby. The gentle color shifts and texture will play nicely with Ravi’s simple garter stitch. Or, if you prefer tweed, Rowan’s Felted Tweed (pictured far left above), made from alpaca, merino and viscose, will give your knitting a faint halo with small specks of color. These are just a few ideas. We have many other options for your Ravi. You can find the full schedule of the Ravi Knitalong on our Classes...
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