Qiviut Knit-Along

The Whitehorse Hickey Hider, otherwise known as a bit of a screw-up

2006-03-19T08:08:00.000-08:00

Most of the time, the digital camera 'round these parts is used to take photographs of this kind of thing:

Or of this type of activity:

Or it's used to take short videos of people (like my idiot boyfriend) skiing or snowboarding off of cliffs.

But one day I borrowed the camera, and took this photograph:

That's my qiviut neckwarmer, about three rows away from being cast-off. I have cast off, and did start to attach the buttons... but have discovered that the fancy caribou antler buttons I bought for this project are too big and heavy. So in frustration I abandoned the neckwarmer (known to myself as the Whitehorse Hickey Hider for completely inappropriate reasons) and I try not to think about it.

Qiviut Scarf

2005-12-23T21:06:00.000-08:00

Qiviut Scarf Blocked (Close-Up)
Originally uploaded by noricum.

I'm now done my scarf. Yay! (Just in time!)

For more photos and a longer post, click here to see the post at my blog.

Qiviut Scarf Progress

2005-12-18T20:23:00.000-08:00

Qiviut Scarf Progress
Originally uploaded by noricum.

I made a lot of progress today... 7 repeats! I'm hoping to finish before Christmas. I'm giving it to my grandma.

Mitts

2005-10-22T03:32:00.000-07:00

I also had a change in plans. After completing the qiviut cap kit using the Flowers Along the Path pattern, I didn't like it. The yarn is not stretchy and the cap didn't fit well. I frogged it and instead used the Flowers pattern to make mitts. These I'm happy with and they will get some use as we try to set the thermostat a little lower this winter. The next time I invest in qiviut it will be the laceweight for something luxurious.

Kristen

2005-10-15T09:57:00.000-07:00

Here's a picture of my baby cap. The color didn't come out right, but the I think the stitches show up OK. I started with a pattern from Home Spun, Hand Knit but I didn't want to put marker between every repeat on the sides of the cap, so I added a purl stitch instead. This made the design look more like ribbing than the original. So far, I like it.

Donna

Daisy Meadow Scarf Update

2005-10-05T13:27:00.000-07:00

I completed the first 51 rows of the scarf, thereby completing chart 1. The pattern is a lot of fun. I find myself singing the pattern as I go along. I don't have a particular tune and the singing is done in private to protect the innocent. I can not carry a tune worth a darn!

Robin

!!!

2005-10-02T19:24:00.000-07:00

Ye gods. What's this? A post from the world's worst knit-along hostess?

Yup. You bet.

Finally.

First off, note the updated participants list over on the right-hand side. I'll keep working on it tonight and dig through my old emails from people to look for blogs and things to link to. If you'd like to be linked to something, and I haven't done it, or if you don't like how I've listed your name, just send me an email and let me know. Harassing emails usually work (thank you for not sending me any this past month).

So, my crazy September. All in one month, I started my master's degree at the U of A in Edmonton, I decided not to do my PhD next year but instead to take some time off, I broke up with the guy I'd been dating for almost a year, I changed the way I eat and every once in a while thought about the fact that I might be in love with my friend James (I agreed to knit a sweater for him, which is a sign of... something [it's also a sign of something that he asked me to make it]). It's been exciting.

Things are calming down, though, hence the participants list and a post.

I bought myself a skein of lace weight qiviut when I was in Whitehorse at the end of the summer. It is deliciously soft and very thin. I thought I'd make a neck warmer out of it (to be called The Whitehorse Hickey Hider [don't ask]) but I think it might be too light to hold its shape properly. At the moment I'm just in the process of winding it into a ball. I don't have a swift or ball winder, and I don't have anyone around to hold the skein for me, so I'm winding it off of the back of a chair, which is proving to be... a little frustrating. It's a little bit of a tangle and I'm working on it in short doses so that I don't get frustrated. I also have about three projects on the needles and another three besides the qiviut waiting in the wings, so it might be slow winding...

Please keep posting; it's so much fun to read about what people are making.

Update on scarf progress

2005-09-25T22:05:00.000-07:00

Well, I am just 75 rows away from finishing the scarf for my husband. This photo shows the section in the center of the scarf containing the cat hair from our Toni and Gracie. This is not blocked out so you cannot really see the pattern detail. By the time I have completed this, I will have spun and knit up approx. 3 ounces of qiviut. Since this is for a guy, it could not be lacy and needed to be a bit wider, requiring more fiber be used.

Also, I started a second scarf in qiviut using the Evening in Eden pattern. Here is a picture of the beginnings of this item. I am using some beads which at this time do not show up well in the picture. The seed beads are knit on as I go.

Both scarves are made with hand-spindle spun qiviut. The second scarf has more of a bloom to the fiber since it is spun using raw uncarded or unprocessed qiviut fiber.

Change of plans for my qiviut yarn

2005-09-23T13:08:00.000-07:00

Well, I changed my mind about what to knit. I didn't like the swatch I made for the breast cancer awareness scarf, and I haven't come up with anything I like yet.... so that project is on hold.

A friend of mine just had a baby girl, and I've decide to use my "polar sunset" (mauve) qiviut yarn to knit the lace baby cap and mitts from Homespun Handknit.

Donna

Qiviut Scarf in Progress

2005-09-12T20:26:00.000-07:00

Qiviut Scarf in Progress
Originally uploaded by noricum.

Just a little progress report... I've knit two repeats of the lace now. (Don't worry... I won't post again until I've made significant progress... I don't want to bore you.) I'm using addi turbos, and they're blunter than I'd like. I think I'll switch over to my boye needles when I've freed them up. Lace knitting is hard, but I'm starting to understand it.

I'm curious... how long is the staple length of qiviut usually? (I know some of you are spinning your qiviut.) I'm kind of wondering how easily this yarn will pull apart if I'm not gentle enough. Thanks!

Flowers Along the Path

2005-09-10T04:33:00.000-07:00

Hello - I'm Kristen from Rhode Island. My husband and some friends spent 5 weeks this summer on a motorcycle trip to Alaska and back. My one request for being such a wonderful wife and remaining behind was that he bring me back some qiviut. Well, he did attempt to, but I've learned a lesson - "Never send a non-knitter on a knitter's job." When he returned home, he did order some online. I got the cap kit from this site http://www.qiviut.com/store/index.cfm?target=Fiber%20/%20Yarn . You receive 2 oz. of bulky qiviut, which actually looks to be worsted weight, and 3 simple cap patterns: a false cable, a basket weave, and the one I chose to make is called Flowers Along the Path. It's not fancy at all, just a knit/purl pattern, but don't you love the name? The caps are knit on size 10 needles. I've finished the ribbing and am into the pattern. It should be done in no time. I have to admit the yarn does not seem all that special to me yet. The finishing directions say the fabric will be very soft after washing. You can see my progress at http://audioknits.typepad.com/audioknits/

Kristen

Starting a Scarf

2005-09-08T19:54:00.000-07:00

I've never knit lace before, so I decided to swatch the lace pattern in regular yarn first. I finished the swatch tonight:

and started my qiviut scarf:

I've knit around 10 rows of stockinette for a border, and plan to start the lace tomorrow. The lace pattern I'm using is called "feather lace" according to my book.

Swatching

2005-09-08T10:02:00.000-07:00

I am swatching using wool, trying to come up with a design for my scarf. I tried this, but I don't think I like it. I'm going to try it again with a double column of eyelets with a decrease between them to make the outline more pronounced.

I also just got my yarn in the mail yesterday!

Donna

Damp Week

2005-09-07T10:57:00.000-07:00

Lots of rain finally so I am settling in for a day of spinning and knitting.

Thanks Sue for your ideas about blending the raw qiviut...will give it a go.

Mary, isn't the Inua Shop yummy?! I stay clear. I live only moments away but it's just way too dangerous for me. Just how much fibery fun can you squeeze into a little cabin anyway?! lol

Has anyone else started their project?

Huggles,
Doll

Back from Alaska

2005-09-06T17:51:00.000-07:00

Hi all,
I am just back from Alaska and while visiting my son in Fairbanks we both went to the large animal research station (great tour!) and then went to the Inua wool shop to get the yarn. I am ready to get going on a lacy mobius scarf.
Good luck on all this spinning and knitting!
Purl Girl (aka Mary)

Hello all

2005-09-05T23:23:00.000-07:00

A qiviut knitalong! This is great. I have a half-finished qiviut hat and this knitalong will give me the motivation to finish it. Summers are busy, so it has been set aside for too long. I have some fiber dehaired and ready to spin. I think I would like to work on some fingerless gloves, too. I am not a great knitter, but they look easy enough.
It was good to hear that people like the Large Animal Research Station in Fairbanks because that is where I spend most of my days. I am a herdsman there. The muskoxen are wonderful animals, not to mention their great fiber!
Check out our website if you are interested www.uaf.edu/lars
Sandy

Start Your Engines!!!

2005-09-05T20:32:00.000-07:00

Today's Labor Day, the official start! I didn't even touch my fiber because it was too chaotic today, but I thought about it, so does that count?

Can't wait to see what everyone makes!!!!

I'll try to spin just a little of it every day, and then worry about what to actually make when the yarn's done....

Hi Doll.

2005-09-05T12:10:00.000-07:00

Hi Doll.
Glad to see you joined along on this adventure. As for getting a more even color, I have taken some of the raw qiviut and using a dog brush as if it were a carder, worked the raw fiber. Along the way the guard hairs begin to present themselves for removal and the fiber takes on a more even color. I have taken and spun it along with some processed roving and could not tell the difference in the color or texture. Just something you might want to try.
Sue S.
Allentown, PA

(Note: this was originally entered as a comment but removed as reposted as a new post after I noticed that numerous comment responses were SPAM from advertisers. I figured if I don't want to wade through the junk ads, no one else will either.)

Ok, Ok

2005-09-04T21:48:00.000-07:00

Back here in Ester Alaska......the previous post was from me......the bowtie scarf.

My name is Doll and I look forward to hear about all you qiviut fun!

Hugs,
Doll

Hi!

2005-09-04T21:33:00.000-07:00

I am so glad to be part of this KAL. I've started a bowtie scarf out of some handspun qiviut that I purchased from the University farm here in Fairbanks, AK. We live quite close to the farm. I enjoy driving by just to see what the beautiful creatures are up to. I haven't yet taken the tour but will one day.

I spin the qiviut raw and only toss out the harshest of guard hairs. This is a gift for a friend who wishes to give it to his mom (who lives in S. Africa)

The only problem I have so far is in keeping the colour constant. It has all been spun on a spindle so my skeins are not really big. Each time I attached a new skein the colour changes ever so slightly. Guess it will just give the scarf some character eh?

I really do love the way it feels in my hands! Quite luxurious.

Introduction

2005-09-04T15:06:00.000-07:00

Hi. My name is Sue and I am from Allentown, PA. I will be knitting a scarf using natural colored qiviut roving which I have hand spindle spun and plied into a two ply fingering weight. The pattern will be an adaptation of pattern #58 in The New Knitting Stitch Library by Lesley Stanfield. This scarf is being knit for my husband and there will be a special portion where I have spun some of our cat Toni's hair and plyed it with the qiviut. I will post a picture as things progress. Looking forward to seeing everyone's work using this wonderful fiber.

A Little Setback...

2005-09-04T11:17:00.000-07:00

Okay, I lied.

The participants list isn't going to be updated for tomorrow. I know, I know, I'm a crappy knit-along hostess--but blame the U of A bookstore. They were out of iBooks when I tried to get one on Friday, so I have one on order and it should arrive next week. But in the meantime I am computerless at home (I haven't gone without some kind of computer at home since I was about 4; it's very weird) and this complicates things like updating the participants list. Which means it probably isn't happening for another week or so. Personally, I don't think this is a disaster. It just means that in the meantime you are going to have to declare yourself as a participant in the QKAL by writing up a little Here-I-am-I'm-Me-and-Knitting-With-Qiviut post. I'm glad to see that some people have already done this; I hope everyone will.

Please bear with me. I'm glad that everyone has been so patient and kind. I'm looking forward to your posts.

Introduction

2005-09-03T14:51:00.000-07:00

Hello, my name is Robin and I am looking forward to knitting along with everyone. My husband visited Anchorage last year and bought me 4 skeins of Qiviut for my birthday. I have been saving the yarn looking for the "perfect" pattern. I am going to do the Daisy Meadow Scarf from Fiddlesticks Knitting (without the tassels!). I best get two of the skeins prepped for the start of this knit along.

Robin

Introduction

2005-08-31T12:31:00.000-07:00

Just thought I'd check in and say hello. My name is Joanne and I'm really looking forward to this knitalong and seeing what everyone is going to make. You'll see my company name listed on the right-hand sidebar, JConklinDesigns. As well as selling qiviut, I'm the rep for Windy Valley Muskox.. so let me know if I can be of help.

I haven't decided exactly what I'll make yet, but I'm thinking about Judy Pascale's Shapely Shawlette if my qiviut is the correct thickness. It'll either be that or something original.

This is going to be sooo much fun!!

Joanne
Highlands Ranch, Colorado

Qiviut Knitting Project

2005-08-30T13:23:00.000-07:00

Hi Everyone, I'm very excited about joining this knitalong! I've been knitting with qiviut since last year, when I went to Alaska and visited the Oomingmak co-op in Anchorage, the Musk Ox Farm in Palmer, and several other places. I kept a blog about my trip if anyone's interested: http://www.domandddona.com/alaska/alaska.php

For this knitalong I am going to make a scarf out of pink qiviut, raffle it off, and donate the money to a breast cancer charity. I will put pictures of the project and my pattern online when I'm done. I would procrastinate forever on a project like this, so having the knitalong is the perfect opportunity for me to get it done!

Donna Druchunas

Hello

2005-08-20T14:59:00.000-07:00

Thanks for letting me join! I felt like having a "cartoony" button, and here's what I came up with:

I hope you don't mind I made my own button, and feel free to use it if you want. :)

"Let's take a trip together/ Headlong into the irresistable orbit"

2005-08-16T22:51:00.000-07:00

I've just changed the date on my August 5th post to bump it up to the top, in case anyone has missed it...

Hi All--it's just another update from your QKAL hostess.

I've received a few emails lately asking about the list of participants, so I'll explain. It's incomplete. Please don't worry if you don't see your name listed on it. If you are concerned about whether or not you are properly registered in the knit-along, all you have to do to check is log in at www.blogger.com and see if the QKAL is listed in your list of blogs of the "dashboard" page.

At the moment, we have seventeen members and there are four invitations pending. I'm quite excited that we have so many people along for this, and I'm really looking forward to reading about and seeing your beautiful creations.

Personally, I am still in the Yukon at the moment, and my internet access is not such that I have the time to update the participants list. I can deal with requests for invitations, and any other questions you might have, via email (nottheactress AT hotmail DOT com), but anything beyond that is going to have to wait another couple of weeks. I finish work up here around the 18th of August, and then I will be spending some time travelling--I want to go up to Inuvik in the North West Territories but of course the guy who owns the car is a little flaky (which maybe is a sign that heading out on hundreds of kilometres of rough, deserted highway with him isn't such a good idea, but oh well--he's a fascinating guy)--before flying to Vancouver and ferrying over to Salt Spring Island, BC, on the 25th. Then, on the 31st, I'll be taking off--with a trailer load of chattels--for my new apartment in Edmonton and expect to spend that long weekend getting a brand-spankin'-new iBook, filling my cupboards with Kraft Dinner and artfully arranging my stash, all in preparation for starting my master's degree on September 6th. In short, I'm a busy girl. But I should have time when I am on Salt Spring to update the participants list, and I do sincerely assure you that it will be updated and everything I can do to get the QKAL off to a good start will be done before the cast-on date of Sept. 5th.

And after the cast-on date, I'll be all over this thing like white on rice.

Thanks for your patience and your participation.

north to Alaska

2005-08-06T08:39:00.000-07:00

I am heading off to Alaska in about 10 days. I will have time in Fairbanks, Anchorage and Seward. Does anybody know of any great source for Q while I am there?
Thanks.

More Qiviut & 4 New Hand Painted Colors!

2005-06-30T20:20:00.000-07:00

Hi All,
I just want you to know that I have re-stocked my qiviut supply stash and will keep it going endlessly I hope! I added 3 new hand painted Mountain Colors dyed qiviuts and 1 ever-popular Bitterroot Rainbow Mountain Colors dyed qiviut to my selection at Caryll Designs. The last of the new colors, Mountain Tango, will be on my web by the end of next week (Jul 8) or as soon as I can get over the hill to Montana to pick it up. They tell me it looks quite bright for qiviut, yea! I am really looking forward to this Knit Along. Now to choose a pattern....nice selection in this blog...what is everyone else going to knit?

FYI: the more you fondle qiviut, the softer it gets!!! A fiberholic's dream come true;-)

New Colours

2005-06-16T20:41:00.000-07:00

Just a quick heads up if you're wanting to buy dyed qiviut:

Over at JConklin Designs, there are now ten shades of qiviut to chose from.

Just a quick heads up...

2005-05-30T20:48:00.000-07:00

I just thought I'd let y'all know that I am now up in Dawson City and am having a fabulous time. I have good internet access for at least the month of June, and will try to deal with any QKAL issues on a regular basis--but please be understanding if I can't get to you right away.

On a more yarn-related note, when I was passing through Whitehorse, I stopped by the LYS and fondled some qiviut. It was very nice to the touch--but alas, poor student me, I couldn't buy any because if I did I wouldn't be able to eat for the next week and a half. So I resisted, and am dreaming of the time that I will be able to (because my tour guide job just pays so well...). Happy knitting.

Photos of Stash Enhancement!

2005-05-03T12:45:00.000-07:00

I'm sure those of us that are going to MD S&W are going to be looking at the fibers there and just oohing and aaahing.... I wanted to extend the offer to post photos if anyone in the KAL doesn't have access. Flickr.com is a free site, but if you don't want to sign up for something, you can e-mail your photo to me (RoseByAnyAThotmailDOTcom) and I'll send you back the html code, so you can post the photo, if you want.

Can't wait to see what everyone buys!

Links, a button - who could ask for anything more?

2005-04-03T20:57:00.000-07:00

Whew! I've finally gotten around to linking to all the patterns sent to me by Laurie and Suzanne. Thanks ladies! If anyone else has any patterns or links to submit, just email them to me at nottheactress[AT]hotmail[DOT]com.

Jennifer was kind enough to make a button for us, and I have posted it in the sidebar. Go ahead and steal it - but please download it to your own server. If anyone else would like to make a button, please feel free and I will be happy to post it here.

For the list of participants in the sidebar, I have listed first names as well as Blogger user names - the first names are friendlier, and the Blogger user names let you know who's written what post. I have taken the liberty of linking to people's Knitter's Review Forum user profile, just to contextualize people a bit. If you would prefer that I not do this, or have a blog or other website that you would prefer I link to, just let me know and I'll change it.

Welcome to QKAL - Details, Dates and Wherefores

2005-03-24T11:12:00.000-08:00

Inspired by the enthusiastic response to my question about qiviut on the Knitter's Review Forums, and taking up Anderknit's suggestion, I am beginning this Qiviut Knit Along (QKAL for short) as a space for people to find sources for qiviut yarn, show off their work, share their thoughts on the fibre, ask questions, and talk about anything qiviut-related. The official start date for casting on your qiviut project is September 5th, 2005; feel free to post about your qiviut procurement adventures over the summer.

The knit-along is open to anyone working with qiviut or a qiviut blend. You can use any pattern, make any knit object - so long as it's out of qiviut or a qiviut blend, we want to hear about it here. You do not need to have your own blog in order to participate.

To join, simply send an email to nottheactressAThotmailDOTcom (replacing the AT and the DOT with the appropriate symbol, of course). Please put "QKAL" in the subject line. Once I receive your email, I will send you an invitation to join the blog, and all you have to do is follow the instructions on-screen. You are welcome to join at any time between now and the start date of the knit-along. If you do have a blog, let me know the address, and I will link to it from the participants list.

This is the first knit-along I've hosted (or participated in, for that matter). If you have any suggestions or questions for me, I'm very happy to hear them (but of course constructive criticism is preferred to a plain ol' trashin'). Over the next few months, I will post links for qiviut sources and patterns. Please feel free to email me any links you think might be helpful, and I'll put them up in the template.

I hope to see you posting here come September.

Thanks to Anderknits, Lace Lunatic and the gang over at Knitter's Review Forums for getting me going on this!