PJKnits Podcast - Episode 165

 Episode 166 is up on the PJKnits You Tube Channel.  You can watch it by, clicking

here

This episode features things I learned while test knitting for a couple of designers.

Maker's Meetup 2026

 Another Maker's Meetup is in the books, and it was a fantastic one.  With around 145 makers, it was our largest ever, and others who couldn't make it, would have probably kicked us over the 150 mark.  We started out Thursday night, taking over the lobby of the Hilton Garden Inn in Hoffman Estates, Illinois with everyone coming in, checking in and getting a healthy dose of hugs.

Friday, both big conference rooms filled up with more hugs and lots of friends meeting again 

And new friends being made over knitting.

But, before they could find their seats, we had a little gift for all of the attendees, made by our dear, gracious, friend, Sandy, who made 150 of these special bags just for this year's meetup.

We always do some sort of KALs prior to the meetup which are always so fun and truly optional.  In past years, we have done a specific designer, a specific pattern and our fave colors, teals and turqs.  

Friday's theme was Knit Tees, Knitted or Printed and these lovely makers came through for this bit of fun.

Saturday the theme was Stripes, My New Favorite Color and we had such a fantastic array of knits for the KAL, a winner for sure.

All too soon it was over, with door prizes, laughs, snacks, making, sharing and looking forward to another Meetup in 2027.  

Kendra and I will see you there!  Thank you to everyone who came and supported us in all the many ways!! We love you.

Second Test Knit of the Summer

 Prestige Pullover by Tinker Taylor Designs is the second test knit I did for the Summer. Finished it yesterday. I have to say, I was a monogmous knitter on this on this test knit, because I knew if I didn't work on it, I'd be reaching out to the designer and telling her I was a failure.

I had issues from the start with my yarn choices.  The pattern is in DK and Darlene suggested knitting it in a marl yarn for the best effect.  I don't really have any DK in PYS, so I tried a Sport.  Gauge wasn't working out.  My next attempt was a yarn that was marled that my local yarn shop had.  Swatched it, and it was too heavy as well.

Darlene had set up an Instagram chat group, and as other knitters were posting, a couple mentioned they were using two finger weight yarns together to marl together.  So, back to my local yarn shop I went, where we matched up a Cascade Heritage in a ruby colorway and a Malabrigo sock yarn that has black, white, a bit of teal and ruby in it.  Now, these are not my normal color palette, but I gave them a whirl.

Again, had some gauge issues, and at the suggestion of the designer, I went down two sizes in the needle.  Changing sizes to a Large was not an option, as I had committed to a size XL.  I made it work and was able to get gauge.  

The design is all knit and purl in the round, and by the end of the second sleeve, I was definitely ready for it to be done. It has icord hems on the bottom, neck and sleeves and with the advice of my Saturday night Zoom dates, we decided the ruby would look great and it does as you can see from the above picture.

This is Tinker Taylor Designs, first design and she did a great job managing the group, answering questions, giving us videos or a technique or two and was johnny on the spot to update the pattern for us.  It is slated to come out mid August.  For me, it is going to be a great transition piece.  Please check it out when it hits Ravelry.  I'll keep you posted here too!

Test Knitting - Bandana

During my absence from blogging, I have been doing a couple of Test Knits.  

I've been test knitting periodically for Beth MacDonald Stone the last couple of years, taking some time off from that as well, the last couple of months, but decided to test knit one of her Bandanas from the current collection for her, just to keep my name in the mix.

The Bandana, Pass to Center is a bandana, done in mosaic knitting.  I've played around with mosaic, but never really knitted anything in it.  It seems like right now, there is a lot of mosaic knitting being incorporated into shawls and sweaters, along with the sweaters done in slipped stitches (Andrea Mowry's Rhinebeck Sweater for 2026)

I pulled a shawl kit from PYS (Penny's Yarn Shop, also known as stash).  The yarn is Stunning String Studio's Stunning Superwash and was a gift years back. 

 I am not sure after knitting even this small of a knit, that mosaic knitting is for me.  It's a lot of work, or maybe it was just that I was under a time crunch (not because of the designer, but of me, the ultimate procrastinator) and had another test knit that I had signed up to do starting almost right after I should have finished the bandana test knit, but I was certainly wishing towards the end, that the knitting fairy would have come in the middle night and knit some of it for me.

As I was nearing the end, I really did fall back in like with the design, loved the way the yarns looked together and know that when we get into late Fall, early Winter, I'll be sporting it.

My Finished Bandana

I'm Back!!

 Did you miss me?

The first of this year, I made a decision to not blog anymore.  I needed a break, I started posting a lot on Instagram, which I still do and I try to do a PJKnits You Tube episode every 2-3 weeks or whenever I have something worth talking about.  With both of those social media thingys, the blog was suffering and I really was wondering if anyone besides my dear friends from knitting camp were even dropping by.

The last few weeks, I've been wondering about doing blog posts again for those who don't do those other things, or I don't come up on their feeds for you to even know I am out there?!  My blog over the years, 23 yearsish, (the first post in July 2003 for a few short posts and then back up again in December of that year).

During these last couple of weeks, I have been thinking about why I would want to reprise the blog and came up with some reflections - 

I have been writing in my daily journal, and I find that I am trying to up my writing skills there. The blog this time, may be a little different in the past, more writing about knitting, knitting friends, knitting adventures etc.

I have also been playing around with my iphone and checking out others' tips and tricks for getting better pictures to post.  

What I also found, which is a total possible future blog(s), is not everyone is on Instagram or watch You Tube.  And I wouldn't want them to miss out on whats going on with my knitting and the above.

Finally, but maybe not the last of the reasons, is I have become lazy.  Not checking my Ravelry as often as I should, (remember when we went all went down the rabbit hole and didn't come out for hours?), and definitely not checking my email as much as I should.  

Most of all, the blog is such an easy way to go back and really see what was going on in PJKnits life for me and maybe, one day, my grands.   If you are just finding my blog, please keep in mind, this is a knitting blog, but also, I have family and adventures that I will post too, just because they bring me Joy.

Now, if you are still with me, Hi, my name is Penny.  I live in Central Illinois, I'm a Knitter, a Blogger and a You Tube podcaster.  Welcome.

Choose Joy!