A Good Yarn Read online

  DEBBIE MACOMBER

  A Good Yarn

  To Mary Colucci, Executive Director

  Warm Up America! Foundation

  and

  David Blumenthal, President

  Warm Up America! Foundation

  Thank you both for bettering

  the lives of so many

  Contents

  CHAPTER 1

  LYDIA HOFFMAN

  CHAPTER 2

  ELISE BEAUMONT

  CHAPTER 3

  BETHANNE HAMLIN

  CHAPTER 4

  COURTNEY PULANSKI

  CHAPTER 5

  LYDIA HOFFMAN

  CHAPTER 6

  ELISE BEAUMONT

  CHAPTER 7

  LYDIA HOFFMAN

  CHAPTER 8

  BETHANNE HAMLIN

  CHAPTER 9

  COURTNEY PULANSKI

  CHAPTER 10

  LYDIA HOFFMAN

  CHAPTER 11

  ELISE BEAUMONT

  CHAPTER 12

  BETHANNE HAMLIN

  CHAPTER 13

  COURTNEY PULANSKI

  CHAPTER 14

  LYDIA HOFFMAN

  CHAPTER 15

  ELISE BEAUMONT

  CHAPTER 16

  COURTNEY PULANSKI

  CHAPTER 17

  LYDIA HOFFMAN

  CHAPTER 18

  ELISE BEAUMONT

  CHAPTER 19

  BETHANNE HAMLIN

  CHAPTER 20

  COURTNEY PULANSKI

  CHAPTER 21

  LYDIA HOFFMAN

  CHAPTER 22

  ELISE BEAUMONT

  CHAPTER 23

  BETHANNE HAMLIN

  CHAPTER 24

  COURTNEY PULANSKI

  CHAPTER 25

  LYDIA HOFFMAN

  CHAPTER 26

  ELISE BEAUMONT

  CHAPTER 27

  BETHANNE HAMLIN

  CHAPTER 28

  COURTNEY PULANSKI

  CHAPTER 29

  LYDIA HOFFMAN

  CHAPTER 30

  ELISE BEAUMONT

  CHAPTER 31

  BETHANNE HAMLIN

  CHAPTER 32

  ELISE BEAUMONT

  CHAPTER 33

  COURTNEY PULANSKI

  CHAPTER 34

  ELISE BEAUMONT

  CHAPTER 35

  LYDIA HOFFMAN

  CHAPTER 36

  BETHANNE HAMLIN

  CHAPTER 37

  COURTNEY PULANSKI

  CHAPTER 38

  ELISE BEAUMONT

  CHAPTER 39

  BETHANNE HAMLIN

  CHAPTER 40

  LYDIA HOFFMAN

  CHAPTER 41

  COURTNEY PULANSKI

  CHAPTER 42

  BETHANNE HAMLIN

  CHAPTER 43

  COURTNEY PULANSKI

  CHAPTER 44

  LYDIA HOFFMAN

  CHAPTER 45

  ELISE BEAUMONT

  CHAPTER 46

  COURTNEY PULANSKI

  CHAPTER 47

  BETHANNE HAMLIN

  CHAPTER 48

  ELISE BEAUMONT

  CHAPTER 49

  LYDIA HOFFMAN

  Coming Next Month

  Peter’s Socks

  by Nancy Bush

  Materials—Bearfoot from Mountain Colors (60% superwash wool, 25% mohair and 15% nylon) 350 yds, (320 meters) in 100 g 1 skein Moose Creek. Set of 5 #1 (2.5 mm) double point needles or size to give gauge.

  Gauge—5 sts and 20 rnds = 2" over stockinette stitch before blocking.

  Finished measurements after blocking—length of leg from cast-on edge to top of heel flap 8.5" (21.5 cm); length of foot from back of heel to tip of toe 10.5" (28.5 cm).

  Leg

  Cast on 65 sts. Divide sts onto 4 needles. Join, being careful not to twist. Begin patt—p1,* k3, p2, rep from * ending k3, p1. Work this ribbing as est for 7 more rnds. Work 1 rnd p. Rep these 9 rnds 2 more times. Cont in ribbing as est until leg measures 8.5" long. End ready to begin next rnd.

  Heel Flap

  K16, turn. Sl 1, p31. These 32 sts form the heel fl ap. The remaining 33 sts will be held for instep. Next row: *Sl 1, k1, rep from * to end, turn. Sl 1, p all across row. Rep these 2 rows until you have worked 32 rows total and have 16 chain sts down edge of fl ap. End having completed a WS row.

  Turn Heel

  Slip 1, k17, ssk, k1, turn. Sl 1, p5, p2 tog, p1, turn. *Sl 1, k to within 1 st from gap, ssk, k1, turn. Sl 1, p to within 1 st from gap, p2 tog, p1, turn. Rep from * until 1 st remains outside gap at each end. Sl 1, k16, ssk, turn. Sl 1, p16, p2 tog, turn (18 sts remain).

  Gussets

  K across the 18 heel sts. On the same needle, pick up and knit 16 sts down right side of heel fl ap. With a new needle, patt as est across instep. Pick up and knit 16 sts down left side of heel fl ap and knit 9 sts from heel. You will have 25 sts on first needle, 33 sts on instep, divided onto 2 needles, and 25 sts on last needle = 83 sts total.

  Begin shaping the gussets. Rnds begin center of heel. K to 3 away from end of first needle, k2 tog, k1. Work across instep in patt as est. At beg of last needle, k1, ssk, k to end. Work one rnd even, keeping instep sts in patt. Cont in this manner, decreasing at the end of needle #1 and the beginning of needle #4 every other rnd and keeping patt as est on instep needle until back sts are decreased to 16 sts on each needle and you have 65 sts total.

  Cont without decreasing until foot measures 3" less than desired finished length.

  Toe

  Work 3 rnds in St st.

  Begin shaping toe:

  Rnd 1—*K6, k2 tog, rep from * to 3 away from end of rnd, k 3 tog.

  K 5 rnds even.

  Rnd 7—*K5, k2 tog, rep from * to end. K 5 rnds even.

  Rnd 13—*K4, k2 tog, rep from * to end. K 4 rnds even.

  Rnd 18—*K3, k2 tog, rep from * to end. K 3 rnds even.

  Rnd 22—*K2, k2 tog, rep from * to end. K 2 rnds even.

  Rnd 25—*K1, k2 tog, rep from * to end. K 1 rnd even.

  Rnd 27—*K2 tog, rep from * to end.

  You will have 8 sts remaining.

  Break yarn, and with a tapestry needle, draw yarn through the remaining sts and pull up snugly to close end of toe.

  Weave in ends and block socks on sock blockers or under a damp towel.

  Yarn supplied by:

  Mountain Colors

  P.O. Box 156

  Corvallis, MT 59828

  (406) 777-3377

  [email protected]

  Abbreviations

  Cont—continue

  Cm—centimeter

  Est—established

  G—grams

  K—knit

  K2 tog—knit two together

  Mm—millimeter

  P—purl

  P2 tog—purl 2 together

  Patt—pattern

  Sl 1—slip one (as to purl)

  Ssk—slip, slip, knit: slip one stitch as to knit, slip the next stitch as to knit, knit these two slipped stitches together.

  St(s)—stitch(es)

  St st—stockinette stitch

  Rnd(s)—round(s)

  WS—wrong side

  Yds—yards

  Peter’s Socks

  by Nancy Bush

  Translated for two circular needles by Cat Bordhi

  Yarn: Mountain Colors Bearfoot (60% superwash wool, 25% mohair, 15% nylon, 100 g/ 350 yds), 1 skein in colorway “Moose Creek.”

  Needles: two size 1 (2.5 mm) circular needles 16"–24" in length, or size to give gauge.

  Gauge: 15 sts and 20 rnds = 2" (5 cm) over stockinette stitch before blocking.

  Finished measurements after blocking: length of leg from cast-on edge to top of heel fl ap 8.5" (21.5 cm); length of foot from back of heel to tip of toe 10.5" (28.5 cm).

>   Knitting in the round on 2 circular needles:

  The stitches are divided between two circular needles. Each needle knits only its own stitches. The only interaction between the two needles is to pass the yarn to the next needle when finished knitting its own stitches. So while the first needle works its own stitches, the second circular needle rests, its stitches lined up on its cable and its ends hanging down out of the way, doing nothing at all. When the first needle is finished knitting all its stitches, the yarn is in position for the second needle to receive it and knit its own stitches, while the first needle rests. And so on.

  Leg

  Cast on 65 sts to the first circular needle. Slide 32 of the 65 sts onto the second circular needle, so that the working yarn comes from the end of this needle, while the first needle (with the remaining 33 sts) ends with the yarn tail. Move the 32 sts on the second needle to the middle of its cable, with the tips hanging down out of the way. Push the 33 sts on the first needle to its tip with the tail end of the yarn nearest the tip. Hold the other tip in your right hand, and prepare to knit with the yarn coming from the second needle. Being careful not to twist the cast-on sts, join by beginning ribbing pattern: *p2, k3, rep from * to end. Work ribbing for 7 more rnds. Purl 1 rnd. Rep these 9 rnds twice more. Continue ribbing until leg measures 8.5" long, ending with a completed first needle.

  Heel Flap

  You will work back and forth in rows on the second needle alone to make the square heel fl ap and turn the heel. The 33 sts on the first needle will become the instep and gussets, and you will resume working with them later. Begin heel fl ap: *Sl 1, k1, rep from * to end, turn. Sl 1, p to end. Rep these 2 rows until you have worked 32 rows total and have 16 chain sts along each edge of fl ap. End with a completed purl row.

  Heel Turn

  Continuing to work back and forth on second needle, sl 1, k17, ssk, k1, turn. Sl 1, p5, p2 tog, p1, turn. *Sl 1, k to within 1 st from gap, ssk, k1, turn. Sl 1, p to within 1 st from gap, p2 tog, p1, turn. Rep from * until 1 st remains outside gap at each end. Sl 1, k16, ssk, turn. Sl 1, p16, p2 tog, turn (18 sts remain).

  Gussets

  Resume working with two circular needles in the round. Still using second needle, k across the 18 heel sts. Pick up and k 16 in the 16 chains along side of heel fl ap. Let second needle hang, and with first needle, work ribbing as established across its 33 instep sts (the needle should begin and end with k3). Let first needle hang. With second needle, pick up and k 16 in remaining 16 chains along side of heel fl ap and k to end of needle. You have 50 sts on the second needle and 33 on the first. Begin shaping the gussets: *Knit instep ribbing with first needle. With second needle, k1, ssk, k until 3 sts remain on needle, k2 tog, k1. Knit 1 rnd, maintaining ribbing on first needle. Repeat these 2 rnds until 32 sts remain on second needle, 65 sts total. K all sts until foot measures 3" less than desired finished length.

  Toe

  Knit 3 rnds, then begin shaping toe:

  Rnds 1–6: *K6, k2 tog, rep from * to 3 sts before end of rnd, k 3 tog (56 sts). Knit 5 rnds.

  Rnds 7–12: *K5, k2 tog, rep from * to end (48 sts). K 5 rnds even.

  Rnds 13–17: *K4, k2 tog, rep from * to end (40 sts). K 4 rnds even.

  Rnds 18–21: *K3, k2 tog, rep from * to end (32 sts). K 3 rnds even.

  Rnds 22–24: *K2, k2 tog, rep from * to end (24 sts). K 2 rnds even.

  Rnds 25–26: *K1, k2 tog, rep from * to end (16 sts). K 1 rnd even.

  Rnd 27: *k2 tog, rep from * to end (8 sts). Cut tail of yarn, and with a tapestry needle draw yarn through remaining sts and pull up snugly to close end of toe. Weave in ends. Make second sock, then block on sock blockers or under a damp towel.

  For more information on knitting with two circular needles, see Socks Soar on Two Circular Needles by Cat Bordhi, Passing Paws Press, 2001, www.catbordhi.com. Cat is also the author of A Treasury of Magical Knitting and A Second Treasury of Magical Knitting.

  Yarn supplied by:

  Mountain Colors

  P.O. Box 156

  Corvallis, MT 59828

  (406) 777-3377

  [email protected]

  Abbreviations

  K—knit

  K2 tog—knit two together

  P—purl

  P2 tog—purl 2 together

  Sl 1—slip one (as to purl)

  Ssk—slip, slip, knit: slip one stitch as to knit, slip the next stitch as to knit, knit these two slipped stitches together.

  St(s)—stitch(es)

  Rnd(s)—round(s)

  CHAPTER 1

  “Making a sock by hand creates a connection to history; we are offered a glimpse into the lives of knitters who made socks using the same skills and techniques we continue to use today.”

  —Nancy Bush, author of Folk Socks (1994), Folk Knitting in Estonia (1999) and Knitting on the Road, Socks for the Traveling Knitter (2001), all published by Interweave Press.

  LYDIA HOFFMAN

  Knitting saved my life. It saw me through two lengthy bouts of cancer, a particularly terrifying kind that formed tumors inside my brain and tormented me with indescribable headaches. I experienced pain I could never have imagined before. Cancer destroyed my teen years and my twenties, but I was determined to survive.

  I’d just turned sixteen the first time I was diagnosed, and I learned to knit while undergoing chemotherapy. A woman with breast cancer, who had the chemo chair next to mine, used to knit and she’s the one who taught me. The chemo was dreadful—not quite as bad as the headaches, but close. Because of knitting, I was able to endure those endless hours of weakness and severe nausea. With two needles and a skein of yarn, I felt I could face whatever I had to. My hair fell out in clumps, but I could weave yarn around a needle and create a stitch; I could follow a pattern and finish a project. I couldn’t hold down more than a few bites at a time, but I could knit. I clung to that small sense of accomplishment, treasured it.

  Knitting was my salvation—knitting and my father. He lent me the emotional strength to make it through the last bout. I survived but, sadly, Dad didn’t. Ironic, isn’t it? I lived, but my cancer killed my father.

  The death certificate states that he died of a massive heart attack, but I believe otherwise. When the cancer returned, it devastated him even more than me. Mom has never been able to deal with sickness, so the brunt of my care fell to my father. It was Dad who got me through chemotherapy, Dad who argued with the doctors and fought for the very best medical care—Dad who lent me the will to live. Consumed by my own desperate struggle for life, I didn’t realize how dear a price my father paid for my recovery. By the time I was officially in remission, Dad’s heart simply gave out on him.

  After he died, I knew I had to make a choice about what I should do with the rest of my life. I wanted to honor my father in whatever I chose, and that meant I was prepared to take risks. I, Lydia Anne Hoffman, resolved to leave my mark on the world. In retrospect, that sounds rather melodramatic, but a year ago it was exactly how I felt. What, you might ask, did I do that was so life-changing and profound?

  I opened a yarn store on Blossom Street in Seattle. That probably won’t seem earth-shattering to anyone else, but for me, it was a leap of faith equal to Noah’s building the ark without a rain cloud in sight. I had an inheritance from my grandparents and gambled every cent on starting my own business. Me, who’s never held down a job for more than a few weeks. Me, who knew next to nothing about finances, profit-and-loss statements or business plans. I sank every dime I had into what I did know, and that was yarn and knitters.

  Naturally, I ran into a few problems. At the time, Blossom Street was undergoing a major renovation—in fact, the architect’s wife, Jacqueline Donovan, was one of the women in my first knitting class. Jacqueline, Carol and Alix, my original students, remain three of my closest friends to this day. Last summer, when I opened A Good Yarn, the street was closed to traffic. Anyone who managed to find her way to my store then had to put up with constant dust and noise. I refused to let the mes
s and inconvenience hamper my enthusiasm, and fortunately that was how my clientele felt, too. I was convinced I could make this work.

  I didn’t get the support you might expect from my family. Mom, bless her, tried to be encouraging, but she was in shock after losing Dad. She still is. Most days, she wanders hopelessly around in a fog of grief and loss. When I mentioned my plan, she didn’t discourage me, but she didn’t cheer me on, either. To the best of my memory, she said, “Sure, honey, go ahead, if you think you should.” From my mother, this was as rousing an endorsement as I could hope to receive.

  My older sister, Margaret, on the other hand, had no qualms about drowning me in tales of doom and gloom. The day I opened my store, she marched in with a spate of dire forecasts. The economy was down, she told me; people were hanging on to their money. I’d be lucky to stay afloat for six weeks. Ten minutes of listening to her ominous predictions, and I was ready to rip up the lease and close my door—until I reminded myself that this was my first official day on the job and I had yet to sell a single skein of yarn.