KnitOasis Knitters...OK?

Knitting groups are fun! It's a chance for knitters of all ages and skill-levels to gather and well, knit. There's always a lot of encouragement, usually some commiseration, and show and tell is a must. We stitch, we swap knitting stories, we catch up on life. We eat and drink (and this varies depending on location and time of day) as needed to keep our strength up for the tasks at hand. 

I have hosted knitting groups for years and every so often they get tweaked. Due to a change in the schedule of my favorite son, it's time to tweak knitting group again. For July and August, Monday Morning Knitters will still meet (July will be second Monday, due to Independence Day and August will be first Monday as usual), but starting in September, get ready for.....

KnitOasis Knitters-Wednesday A.M.

(KO-K: WAM)

That's right--we're moving to first Wednesday mornings (still 10-11:30 am)(still at Panera). We'll still have knitting (crocheting, etc), coffee, conversation, and I'm going to just go ahead and officially make "occasional charity project" part of our description.

Dates for KO-K: WAM  for 2016: 

SEPTEMBER 7

OCTOBER 5

NOVEMBER 2

DECEMBER 7

Then.... one evening a month we'll have KO-K: After Hours, formerly known as Knit Night. The locations and evenings will vary so keep an eye on the Facebook events page for scheduling. 

Until September, please plan to join us for the last two MMK meetings--July 11 and August 1.

Both MMK and KO-K: WAM will meet at

Panera Bread
1070 International Blvd
N. Charleston

Hey, Hey It's a Dalek Beret!

Inspired by the Daleks from Dr. Who (ok, maybe scared silly by them would be more accurate), I created this bobble beret. It makes use of three different bobble construction techniques, because, being the teacher I am, I wanted to give my students a lot to learn. Combined with the bit of cable and the seed stitch, this hat has texture aplenty. 

And if you want to walk around saying "Exterminate" in a cyborg voice while wearing it, I'll totally understand.

You can find my Hey, Hey It's a Dalek Beret on Ravelry here and if you're a savvy shopper you'll snatch it up now. To celebrate the release of this pattern, I'm having a sale on all patterns in my Ravelry shop. Just use the coupon code DALEK from now until the end of June and receive 40% off any pattern. 

Around here lately...

Since it's been quiet here on the website, I thought I'd update you on what's been going on at KnitOasis HQ. 

Plans have been mulled for workshops and retreats, socks have been finished, swatches for new projects have been knit and re-knit. The hubby and I took a couple of lovely days off for our anniversary and went to watch sunsets at a lake.

Another year of homeschooling finished for one kid brought the realization that he only has two more years of this before I will retire my title of Homeschool Mom. When that happens I will have performed that job with varying measures of success for 18 years, and leave that position with no severance and no future prospects for a job in the same field. This may be the point where some would think of forming a union...

With the help of an awesome friend I conducted a very fun indigo dyeing demo at the Georgetown County Museum, during which I dyed, among other things, a hank of wool a gorgeous blue to use at a later date (neck warmer? hat?).

I had some minor surgery which kept me from doing much besides knitting for a couple of weeks. Well, that and watching a lot of movies and TV programs based on Victorian literature.

Then, just as I was returning to normal, it rained a lot at our house and the storm drains backed up and our house flooded again. It was not as bad as last time, but it was a pretty sad thing to watch your pretty, 6-month old flooring get removed and thrown out because it was ruined by floodwater. We didn't lose walls or contents, only floors and baseboards, so despite the mess and inconvenience we are able to live in our home while we wait for new floors and some storm drain maintenance.

In the meantime...classes, events (Charleston Knit in Public Day!) and knitting will continue. We picked out some lovely floors that will, we hope, get installed before the summer is over and last for many, many years to come.

Stay tuned for pics of restoration and new fun knitting patterns, since it seems need to do both simultaneously. Again.

A hat pattern fit for a kid (or a grown-up!)

When children are small, they love the idea of being able to match a favorite person. A hat just like Mom's or Dad's or Aunt Sue's or even big sister, is a fun way for a child to feel connected. (I remember wearing a lot of hand-me-downs as a kid, but I don't think it's the same thing AT ALL.)

This pattern comes in two sizes and is quick to knit--partially because it's a hat, and hats are fast, partially because working the twisted stitch patterns is all at takes to make the cute "carousel" design, the bulk of the project being stockinette stitch in the round!

My thinking is this: Wouldn't this make for an adorable Mommy/Child project for Mother's Day? Two matching hats gifted for a wee one and mommy, or even a fun project for a mother and child (grown or otherwise) to make as a knit-a-long. Cute, right?

Well I have good news and better news; I just can't decide which is which!  I'll call them News A and News B.

News A: I'll be teaching the techniques to make this hat in class on Saturday, April 30 from 2-4 pm in North Charleston.

News B: The pattern is a free download from Red Heart Yarns.

Also, pompoms are super cute on top!