Introducing my friend TrishC, who has graciously agreed to “guest blog” here on TessKnits. Trish is an amazing knitter and designer, whose knitting adventurousness I greatly admire. Her FO’s are often a beautiful riot of colors, yarns and textures, guaranteed to turn heads and inspire knitters. Take it away, Trish!

TH

To me, there’s nothing more interesting in knitting than putting many colors together and watching the patterns develop in my hands. It goes without saying, then, that entrelac is one of my favorite knitting methods. When Tess, who inexplicably doesn’t care for the technique, asked me to guest blog, I knew just what to write about.

My first entrelac was a scarf of two Brown Sheep yarns, Lamb’s Pride in a rust color and a handpaint whose name I’ve forgotten. I couldn’t believe how beautiful it looked as it formed on my needles.

And who hasn’t watched Noro yarns turn into an entrelac enchantment? *

A scarf or shawl pours off someone’s needles like a potion Hermione cooked up. It’s perfect, it’s gorgeous, and it’s really not all that difficult to do. (Not that anyone has to know that. Just let ‘em drool.)

* [editor’s note: Tess hasn’t.]

So when our friend, and knit night regular, Page, told me that she’d seen a stocking cap with some entrelac on it at Oregon Flock and Fiber and expressed a desire to learn entrelac in the round, I went right into buttinski mode.

“Hey, I’ve done entrelac in the round for a felted bowl. I can write you a pattern for a hat.”

Here’s the bowl. I never finished writing out the pattern, but I can probably fake it if anyone wants it. The base is crocheted, and the circular entrelac is knitted onto the crocheted foundation. I worked a row of backwards single crochet around the rim.

Based on that experience, I was pretty sure a cap would work out just fine.

Sandi, the owner at the LYS where our knit night happens, carries a good selection of Manos del Uruguay. I found a lovely variegated skein in autumn colors and bought it toot sweet. However, that raised an issue. I’d promised myself that I’d stop adding to my stash until I used up most of it. Buying a few more skeins left me castigating myself for breaking my “no more stash additions” vow.

Tess to the rescue! She pointed out that “nobody asks coin collectors when they’re going to spend their coins…” I’ve never been better enabled. Guilt went out the window.

As soon as I got home, I pulled 5 skeins of Brown Sheep yarns out of the stash to complement the Manos. Before I knew it, I had a rolled brim, a 2-color rib, and an entrelac band in 5 colors.

Page and I had talked about a stocking cap extension of Manos after the entrelac band. I got about two thirds done with that before deciding I didn’t like it.

I went for a cloche style instead. Here’s the finished hat: It looks fine as a cloche, don’t you think?

Page emailed just before leaving for a few months — she’s a grad student in occupational therapy and is going out of state for her pediatric rotation — saying she wondered if the entrelac hat would look all right felted. Oh, man, would it! When she gets back, we’ll have to get right to work on that idea. A few inches of stockinette (instead of ribbing) in Manos, 5 colors of entrelac in autumn shades, and a Manos crown should yield a breathtaking cloche.

Here’s me in my own cloche. I can’t wait for Page to get back so we can get started on one to felt.

Entre nous — just between us — you just gotta love a technique like entrelac.

Cheers,

Trish