Bond Buzz, Issue #43
February 26 , 2008
Free from Bond America

Welcome to another issue of Bond Buzz!

It’s been an interesting month and a half:  Two weeks in Rwanda, a week in the office, then two weeks at our semi-annual CHA trade show – followed back-to-back with the Knit-Out at the Mall of America in Minneapolis, MN.  Whew!  There’s so much to share!

Mall of America Knit-Out:  I have never seen more pleasant people standing in such a line before.  But they were all talking yarn and knitting and crochet, so perhaps that’s what made them so happy – and very patient.

This Buzz is dedicated to Kathy Liston, a new USM owner/knitter.  At the MOA on Saturday we gave away five USM’s.  Kathy was one of the winners.  Then on Sunday morning, who was the first person to come to our booth?  Kathy, full of excitement how she and a friend had spent the previous night knitting up a storm!  One night and they were experts!  Congratulations, Kathy!!  We hope to see you next year!

Craft & Hobby Association trade show, Anaheim, CA:  When we first arrive, the Caron/Bond-America booth looks like a pretty empty space (that's Caron’s Product Manager, Frank Jankowski in the center). There's lots of work to do: walls to build, shelves to assemble, garments to steam, mannequins to set up,
yarn to display. At right is a shot of what our booth looks like when the show doors open 48 hours later. We're ready to show off to the creative industry our gorgeous yarn and projects created by some of the top designers in the country.

I’d also like to let you know about our new Buzz editor, Kathy Perry.  Having written 42 Buzz issues, I felt it was time to bring in a new perspective and, as many of you know, Kathy Perry definitely brings both a new perspective and awesome designs.  I’ve known Kathy a long time (has it really been over 20 years??).  She’s been using her Bond longer than that – and does some of our most successful designs, written for both hand and USM-knitting.  She’s also a well-known national designer for many magazines (but I think we’ll be monopolizing most of her time…..)

Kathy and I have worked together to plan the techniques and patterns for each of the Buzz issues for 2008 (a well-kept secret).  She will be designing the free project (that will use the technique featured in the Buzz) as well as the technique feature pattern (the simpler pattern that is the result of showing the technique).  I’ll be showing you the steps as I always have but Kathy will be contributing the patterns. I know you’ll welcome Kathy to the Bond Buzz family!

Basketweave Baby Blanket
Use your newly learned criss-cross stitch to create this super-easy and customizable Basketweave Baby Blanket designed by, who else, Kathy Perry. Kathy used Simply Soft for the blanket, trimming the edges in a basketweave stitch. Choose the yarn color AND the ribbon trim you like to create your own unique blanket.

FREE instructions here

This technique is sometimes called “crossed long-stitches” so we’ll be making elongated stitches, then crossing them for a decorative effect.  But we’re going to take that one step further and weave decorative yarn and ribbon through the elongated stitches.  For the technique pattern, a hood or snood, we’ve used Simply Soft® Heather and woven Bliss through the long stitches section.   For the free pattern, Kathy wove a decorative ribbon through the long stitches on the ends of the Simply Soft baby blanket (which also helps keep the ends flat).  It makes for such a special look for a baby shower gift.

TECHNIQUE
Cast on the required number of stitches as called for in the pattern and knit the number of rows specified until you get to the faggoting row.

(uneven number of sts)

Step 1: Make long stitches by taking yarn out of the carriage and knitting row by hand. Hold yarn very loosely and K ea st, pushing the ndl to the back of the bed as you work. (If you have a bed with “floating” or loose needles, you can use claw weights to hold work down.  If you have a “damped” bed – one where the needles remain in the position you put them in), you will not need claw weights.)

If you have a damped bed, bring your needles forward to WP.  If you do not have a damped bed, the needles will automatically move into WP.

Step 2: (Work from right to left using 2 single-pronged transfer tools.)
Make a 1x1 RIGHT cross cable (take sts off ndls with single-prong transfer tools, cross them with left st on top and replace on ndls) on first 2 ndls and cont across row making a cable on every pair of ndls. There will be one st unworked on left side.  Do not take carriage across row.
Step 3: Skip the first ndl on the right and do the same thing across row again with a 1x1 LEFT cross cable (right st on top). Do not take carriage across row.
Step 4: Repeat Step 2.
Step 5: K row manually.  If using a row counter, click it forward by 2 rows.

Continue following the pattern as written below.

FINISHED MEASUREMENTS
28" wide x 17" long (made into a tube 14" x 17"/35.5cm x 43cm)

YARN
Caron International’s Simply Soft® Heather (100% Acrylic, 5oz/142g, 250yds/228m): #9506 Deep Plum Heather, 1 skein
Caron International's Bliss (47% acrylic, 53% nylon; 1.76oz/50g, 71yds/65 m): #0001 Snow, 2 1/2 yds for weaving only

KEYPLATE
USM/ISM KP#3 or appropriate tension to obtain gauge.
Suitable for USM/ISM/Bond Classic or 6.5 to 9 mm knitting machine
NEEDLES REQUIRED - 111
ADDITIONAL MATERIALS
Claw weights
Single-pronged transfer tools (2)
Yarn needle

GAUGE
In Stockinette stitch using KP#3, 16 sts and 20 rows = 4”/10 cm   

STITCHES USED
Stockinette stitch (St st)
Crisscross stitch (see Technique section)

HOOD

• Using KP#3 and closed (Chain st) CO Method, CO 111 sts. COR. RC=000.
• K 2 R. Work the 2 rows of Crisscross stitch. RC=004.
• Change to St st.  K to RC=078.
• Work the 2 rows of Crisscross stitch. K 2 R. RC=082.
• Bind off.
• Sew side seam to make a tube.
• Cut two 40 " pieces of Bliss. Using yarn needle, weave Bliss over and under crosses on bottom edge and hide ends. Weave Bliss over and under crosses on top edge and leave ends outside to gather and tie bow under chin.
• Weave in ends.

Just back from Rwanda

The knitters in Rwanda are so amazing. They've not only registered 28 knitting cooperatives, but have secured orders for school sweaters, have taught themselves design (check out the outfits on the Nyagatare knitters), are earning a living —and the smiles all prove it! Here are a few shots with more information on Rwanda Knits at www.rwandaknits.org. 

	Rwanda Knits teachers at their Urumuri cooperative knitting center in Negasambu.		Esperance, Rwanda Knits’ head teacher, in a “duhhhhh” moment.
	The joyous women of the Nyagatare Women Handcraft coop wearing their designs and holding sweaters they are selling to the local private school.  They have an order for 1,000 sweaters!		A pile of sweaters ready for shipping to the local private school.  Urumuri coop just delivered their order for 600 sweaters.

Happy Knitting!

Cari Clement
Bond America

P.S. As a subscriber to Bond-Buzz, I'd like to invite you to subscribe to the FREE e-mail newsletter—Caron Connections from Caron® International. Just visit the Caron site (http://www.caron.com) and enter your email address. It's that easy. As a subscriber to Caron Connections, you'll receive monthly emails filled with the latest inside scoop on Caron's new fashion yarns and free patterns.