ATOLS AWAY!

Looking a bit like a jellyfish suspended in the sea…

Ahar, me mateys. As you can see (I hope) from me picture above, I've moved onto circular needles now that me seascape has extended. The atol's just about formed in that pool of sea-green calm. Keep yer eyes on the right-hand side as that smooth purple current proceeds: I got some surprizes comin' up.

A Note on Free-form Knitting:

Free form knitting often involves short-rowing segments directly into the knitting or, alternatively, knitting separate, modular components added on to the main piece during construction. Crochet freeform is known as 'scrumbling' in crochetese but hookers are naturally less restricted to the linear than knitters.

But we're going to push the ticket a little bit.

Along with the surface embellishments we'll be adding to our creations after knitting, how about just the teeniest bit of true free-form? What we'll be doing is short-rowing separate little circles like bubbles right into our work. I'll be posting illustrations of this on Sunday. In the meantime, what you'll need to do to get ready:

• gather a spare set of needles several sizes smaller than your current ones
• decide where you'd like your free-form to be. One suggestion is to choose the smoothest current you have going. I'll be working in the purple current zone in the upper right-hand side (the right front of my not-a-poncho, actually).

This is not for the faint of heart so if you're feeling a bit sea sick, you might want to keep knitting as you've been going and forget about dangling over the edge. But, for the brave-spirited, it's full speed ahead.

PS:

I've checked all the blogs and everyone's work is so unique and stunning—little masterpieces unfolding. At least one is turning all earthy and reminds me of sunlight over canyons. Beautiful! Yes, I know a few of you have life getting in the way of knitting (sigh) while a few others have bailed out after deciding intarsia just isn't for you but this voyage seems to have evolved into a learning experience for all.

Circumnavigational Ponders…

Dear crew, Captain here. I'm fretting about all you circular knitters working on circulars. I'm hoping none of you joined yet. Please tell me you haven't. Everyone should be working as per my photo even if on circulars and working the increases as per instructions for straight-needle knitting.

Connie's—smooth sailing here!

CALLING ALL MATEYS

Ahar! Captain here. I've just clambered up to the top of the crowsnest (where ARE those deck boys when you need 'em?) and I'm callin you all on deck to say there lies an island ahead. Aye, thought it were a whirlypool but the fog must of clouded me vision. Seems we're at an atoll. Anywho, I see it all  clearly now.

So what's it all mean to me crew? Nothing you can't handle. See that smooth green current I have flowing around up there? Well, turns out that's the lagoon-like waters surrounding the island. Them waters are going to completely enclose the island, see?

Meanwhile, the purple stream along with them choppy seas on either side are going to keep on flowing up as they's been doin with one little difference: from now on, along with the regular 1 stitch increase at the begining and end of every right-side row, we's going to be increasing TWO stitches every 5th right-side row, too. Got that?

And the captain's got a few surprizes comin' like a little needle-weaving trick plus she's working on a few mini video clips to help your all out, see. Just promise me you won't all bail once you see me in all my glory, so to speak.

Anyway, let me know what else  can do to help you out. I've been meaning to post your pictures but you've all got blogs and are doing a mighty fine job of charting yer own courses.

View from the bow: island ahead

Over and out for now.