yarn, resplendent
smiles, shawls
goats
sheep
wabbits
Ravelry fanatics
autumn memories
Sunday, October 17, 2010
Monday, October 11, 2010
narrative of the pink shawl
Saturday afternoon. Outer Spectacle Island, Sebago Lake, Maine. Sitting on a rock, working on my shawl in the late afternoon sunshine, surrounded by good friends and crisp autumn air.
I worked until my fingers were aching that night, and I bound off the next morning. I plunged the shawl into the cold lake water ...
gave it a good, hearty shake ...
and pinned it out on the forest floor to dry in the dappled sun. It was a much earthier blocking than my shawls usually get (usually it's a pampering in lavender wool wash and a careful pinning on the bed) ....
but it did the trick nonetheless! Here's a close-up of the outer leaf lace before blocking:
And after blocking, with the leaves fully opened up. The magic of lace blocking never fails to amaze me!
And with that, the shawl is done. And I'm in love with it.
It's taken nearly a year to get to this point (many, many months of procrastination and vague planning + one month of actually knitting), but I think it was worth all the effort it took to re-engineer the pattern. It makes for a much softer, organic flow to the lace.
And I even fell in love with the color by the end! I'd been struggling with the girliness of the yarn -- Madeline Tosh Prairie in "Mulled Wine" - but I have to say it was beautiful in that afternoon light.
And in a poetic twist, that little island was a treasure trove of honest-to-goodness pink leaves: oak, maple, Virginia Creeper, highbush blueberry.
I've decided to give this shawl to my friend Amy, who taught me to knit and whose family house was on this tiny island with pink leaves. If my Rhinebeck quest works out, I should have the yarn for the final shawl by next weekend. It'll still be a while to knit the shawl again, polish the pattern, and release it ... but I am so looking forward to have this pattern out there in the world!
I worked until my fingers were aching that night, and I bound off the next morning. I plunged the shawl into the cold lake water ...
gave it a good, hearty shake ...
and pinned it out on the forest floor to dry in the dappled sun. It was a much earthier blocking than my shawls usually get (usually it's a pampering in lavender wool wash and a careful pinning on the bed) ....
but it did the trick nonetheless! Here's a close-up of the outer leaf lace before blocking:
And after blocking, with the leaves fully opened up. The magic of lace blocking never fails to amaze me!
And with that, the shawl is done. And I'm in love with it.
It's taken nearly a year to get to this point (many, many months of procrastination and vague planning + one month of actually knitting), but I think it was worth all the effort it took to re-engineer the pattern. It makes for a much softer, organic flow to the lace.
And I even fell in love with the color by the end! I'd been struggling with the girliness of the yarn -- Madeline Tosh Prairie in "Mulled Wine" - but I have to say it was beautiful in that afternoon light.
And in a poetic twist, that little island was a treasure trove of honest-to-goodness pink leaves: oak, maple, Virginia Creeper, highbush blueberry.
I've decided to give this shawl to my friend Amy, who taught me to knit and whose family house was on this tiny island with pink leaves. If my Rhinebeck quest works out, I should have the yarn for the final shawl by next weekend. It'll still be a while to knit the shawl again, polish the pattern, and release it ... but I am so looking forward to have this pattern out there in the world!
Tuesday, October 05, 2010
PINK
It's high time for an update on my overly pink shawl. It's getting voluminous enough that most of the time it looks like a big blob, all scrunched up on the needle.
But spread it out, and it blossoms into foliage!
I'm really happy with how it's turning out. I've spent a ton of time re-engineering the increases: rather than the stark doubling rows of a traditional pi-shawl (which you can see in the original version), I've worked the increases into transitional lace sections.
The only thing that I'm not thrilled with is my yarn choice, or more precisely, my colorway choice. The yarn -- Madeline Tosh Prairie in "Mulled Wine" -- was an impulsive buy in my local yarn store, whose soft indoor light made the yarn look decidedly less pink. The yarn is nice and springy, but the color is just way too girly to look autumnal. And every time I pull it out, I find myself singing a campy rendition of the song "Strawberry Wine," which is terribly annoying. So ... we'll see ... I think it's a beautiful color, just not for this shawl, and maybe not for me.
Once the pattern is all finished, I may dye the whole shawl a deep, warm, earthy brown with black-walnut hulls, which are ripening in this season.
Oh!! And I almost forgot: I've decided to go to Rhinebeck on a quest for the ultimate yarn for this shawl. Let me know if you'll be there too!
But spread it out, and it blossoms into foliage!
I'm really happy with how it's turning out. I've spent a ton of time re-engineering the increases: rather than the stark doubling rows of a traditional pi-shawl (which you can see in the original version), I've worked the increases into transitional lace sections.
The only thing that I'm not thrilled with is my yarn choice, or more precisely, my colorway choice. The yarn -- Madeline Tosh Prairie in "Mulled Wine" -- was an impulsive buy in my local yarn store, whose soft indoor light made the yarn look decidedly less pink. The yarn is nice and springy, but the color is just way too girly to look autumnal. And every time I pull it out, I find myself singing a campy rendition of the song "Strawberry Wine," which is terribly annoying. So ... we'll see ... I think it's a beautiful color, just not for this shawl, and maybe not for me.
Once the pattern is all finished, I may dye the whole shawl a deep, warm, earthy brown with black-walnut hulls, which are ripening in this season.
Oh!! And I almost forgot: I've decided to go to Rhinebeck on a quest for the ultimate yarn for this shawl. Let me know if you'll be there too!
Sunday, October 03, 2010
Monday, September 27, 2010
harvest season
Late September is an exquisite time to be back in New England. It's so rich with earthy aromas, deep colors, heartier food and drink, and soft air. It triggers all kinds of memory and nostalgia for me. Yet I'm happy to be discovering new experiences here too -- like the grape harvest.
I went back to Connecticut to visit family and friends last weekend, and one of our adventures was a jaunt out to the splendid Jerram Winery to help with their harvest. It was an overcast day, but really so lovely. The foliage is already beginning to turn, but the air was still warm enough to have bare arms.
It was a wonderfully fun and casual affair. We each grabbed a pair of orange-handled clippers from the bucket on the porch
and walked out to the grapevines, heavy with fruit. We'd set up on either side of a vine, place the cartons below, clip off the grape clusters there, and then move along down the row.
The hours went by quickly, with laughter and conversation and sticky fingers. And before long, the end of the afternoon was upon us. The grapes went into the crusher ...
and we retired to the front porch for a celebratory tasting!
The wine was delicious, and the Jerram family was super warm, welcoming, and just plain fun. Who ever knew that the Connecticut grape harvest could be so amazing?
I went back to Connecticut to visit family and friends last weekend, and one of our adventures was a jaunt out to the splendid Jerram Winery to help with their harvest. It was an overcast day, but really so lovely. The foliage is already beginning to turn, but the air was still warm enough to have bare arms.
It was a wonderfully fun and casual affair. We each grabbed a pair of orange-handled clippers from the bucket on the porch
and walked out to the grapevines, heavy with fruit. We'd set up on either side of a vine, place the cartons below, clip off the grape clusters there, and then move along down the row.
The hours went by quickly, with laughter and conversation and sticky fingers. And before long, the end of the afternoon was upon us. The grapes went into the crusher ...
and we retired to the front porch for a celebratory tasting!
The wine was delicious, and the Jerram family was super warm, welcoming, and just plain fun. Who ever knew that the Connecticut grape harvest could be so amazing?
Wednesday, September 22, 2010
Industrial Revolution
I had a secret this summer, a secret project that I can exuberantly share with you at long last! It's a circular shawl, designed to look like a fanciful, fantastical, brass gear.
The pattern -- "Industrial Revolution" -- is part of The Sanguine Gryphon's brilliant Steampunk pattern line for Fall 2010. It's knit in her Sappho II yarn in "Gold Crowned Aphrodite," which is a gorgeously soft fingering-weight merino yarn in a deep, brassy color.
My favorite way to wear the shawl is slightly folded, wrapped around my shoulders, and fastened with a vintage kilt pin.
You can also fold it in half and wear it draped over your shoulders ....
or as more of a shrug, with the ends secured in back (I was able to tie it in back, but you could also secure it with a length of ribbon or that kilt pin again) ...
Doesn't it positively glow in the sun?
In terms of construction, it's cast on at the center and increased like a pi-shawl, with a variety of simple lace and bobble stitches. The turreted garter stitch edging is knit around the edge of the shawl at the end (the garter stitch makes it a good introduction to knitted-on edgings, I think).
You can get the pattern, which has both charted and written-out directions, from The Sanguine Gryphon. And even if you're not interested in this particular pattern, you should check out their Steampunk line -- the cool styling and photography definitely makes it worth a visit.
The pattern -- "Industrial Revolution" -- is part of The Sanguine Gryphon's brilliant Steampunk pattern line for Fall 2010. It's knit in her Sappho II yarn in "Gold Crowned Aphrodite," which is a gorgeously soft fingering-weight merino yarn in a deep, brassy color.
My favorite way to wear the shawl is slightly folded, wrapped around my shoulders, and fastened with a vintage kilt pin.
You can also fold it in half and wear it draped over your shoulders ....
or as more of a shrug, with the ends secured in back (I was able to tie it in back, but you could also secure it with a length of ribbon or that kilt pin again) ...
Doesn't it positively glow in the sun?
In terms of construction, it's cast on at the center and increased like a pi-shawl, with a variety of simple lace and bobble stitches. The turreted garter stitch edging is knit around the edge of the shawl at the end (the garter stitch makes it a good introduction to knitted-on edgings, I think).
You can get the pattern, which has both charted and written-out directions, from The Sanguine Gryphon. And even if you're not interested in this particular pattern, you should check out their Steampunk line -- the cool styling and photography definitely makes it worth a visit.
Thursday, September 16, 2010
quick cali jaunt
This past weekend, I made a quick jaunt out to California for a fabulous family wedding. The setting was gorgeous: overlooking the Pacific ocean on a high bluff, with a lighthouse in the backdrop and the late afternoon sun setting everything aglow. I brought my own wedding shawl out for the occasion:
And naturally, I had a new knitting project tucked into my purse so that I could get in a few rows while the post-wedding pictures were being taken. Can you guess what it is?
It's mighty hard to believe, but I am FINALLY getting myself around to knitting another Vermont shawl. I tried to go for warm, autumnal colors, since the first one was in cool greens. I chose the color poorly, though, so I am afraid that I will have to knit yet another one after this to really get it right. If this shawl pattern ever gets written and released, it will be a miracle!
And naturally, I had a new knitting project tucked into my purse so that I could get in a few rows while the post-wedding pictures were being taken. Can you guess what it is?
It's mighty hard to believe, but I am FINALLY getting myself around to knitting another Vermont shawl. I tried to go for warm, autumnal colors, since the first one was in cool greens. I chose the color poorly, though, so I am afraid that I will have to knit yet another one after this to really get it right. If this shawl pattern ever gets written and released, it will be a miracle!
Monday, September 13, 2010
back east
The last two weeks disappeared in the blink on an eye. I moved back east, set up my own apartment, started a fellowship, and dove back into the urban, scholarly life.
Then I went back to my beloved Vermont, where I dove back into something decidedly more refreshing.
My energy had been sapped by all this life-transitioning, but I think it's coming back now. I did just cast on for a new shawl, after all.
Then I went back to my beloved Vermont, where I dove back into something decidedly more refreshing.
My energy had been sapped by all this life-transitioning, but I think it's coming back now. I did just cast on for a new shawl, after all.
Sunday, August 29, 2010
Cactus Wren
On my last night in Phoenix, Mountain Man and I took a sunset walk in the desert. And out came the alpaca shawl, finished at last. It was beautiful in that dry desert wind!
The yarn - a soft, light-as-air, 3-ply alpaca -- has had a long journey to this place. I bought a full bag of this yarn from a small, cramped shop in Cusco, Peru some 7 years ago. It traveled with me to Massachusetts, Vermont, Arizona, waiting for the moment to be plucked out of my stash and knit up into something momentous.
I'd had an idea brewing for a shawl with an unusual deep-crescent, almost winglike shape ... started in the center with just a few stitches, increased initially in six sections (8 make a full circle) that are split on either side of a center line, and with a couple more sections added towards the end to make a very dramatic swoop.
The first test that I did with this increase pattern was the ill-fated blue shawlette from last April. I couldn't figure out the edging for that one, but I kept on with the idea. And as I was playing around with motifs and natural representations, I kept coming back to the winged shaping.
I thought of the humble cactus wren, sometimes called the "voice of the desert," and the beautiful nests that it builds within tangles of cholla cacti. That image led me to an adaptation of the intricate Mexican lace edging.
I couldn't be happier with how it came out in the end. And I do feel like I have a bit of the desert wrapped around me when I wear it.
The yarn - a soft, light-as-air, 3-ply alpaca -- has had a long journey to this place. I bought a full bag of this yarn from a small, cramped shop in Cusco, Peru some 7 years ago. It traveled with me to Massachusetts, Vermont, Arizona, waiting for the moment to be plucked out of my stash and knit up into something momentous.
I'd had an idea brewing for a shawl with an unusual deep-crescent, almost winglike shape ... started in the center with just a few stitches, increased initially in six sections (8 make a full circle) that are split on either side of a center line, and with a couple more sections added towards the end to make a very dramatic swoop.
The first test that I did with this increase pattern was the ill-fated blue shawlette from last April. I couldn't figure out the edging for that one, but I kept on with the idea. And as I was playing around with motifs and natural representations, I kept coming back to the winged shaping.
I thought of the humble cactus wren, sometimes called the "voice of the desert," and the beautiful nests that it builds within tangles of cholla cacti. That image led me to an adaptation of the intricate Mexican lace edging.
I couldn't be happier with how it came out in the end. And I do feel like I have a bit of the desert wrapped around me when I wear it.
Tuesday, August 24, 2010
llama beauty
What knitter could fail to appreciate the beauty of a llama at sunset?
Llama at sunset, Lake Titicaca
Llama at sunset, Lake TiticacaThis magnificent photo was taken by a friend of mine, Rebecca Meyer, who is an immensely talented San Francisco photographer. It was taken on a South American sojourn. I fell in love with it the minute I saw it.
If you like it too, would you take a second and vote for it here, in the National Geographic Traveler photo competition? We knitters should do all we can to encourage the appreciation of fiber animals :)
Monday, August 23, 2010
unravel/reknit
We made it back to Phoenix about a week ago, and as soon as it got to the weekend we were outta there again! Mountain Man and I headed north to Isolation Canyon to escape the heat. It was a splendid weekend of climbing and carousing, with a bit of knitting thrown in.
On the drive northwards I started another Sagebrush shrug, this time in deep, saturated blues.
You may recognize this yarn as the Cash Iroha that I'd knit up into a cursed shawlette last spring. I'm unraveling it now and re-knitting it into a shrug, and I'm happy to get this yarn off my back (figuratively) and onto my back (literally).
On the drive northwards I started another Sagebrush shrug, this time in deep, saturated blues.
You may recognize this yarn as the Cash Iroha that I'd knit up into a cursed shawlette last spring. I'm unraveling it now and re-knitting it into a shrug, and I'm happy to get this yarn off my back (figuratively) and onto my back (literally).
Wednesday, August 18, 2010
knitting and the iphone
The other afternoon, I spent a lovely half hour sitting under a tree with my cat, my knitting, and my new iphone. I turned my attention to the phone at one point, and when I turned back around, this is what I saw ...
Apparently kitty wanted to make a statement about my knitting, or perhaps about the attention I was paying to my knitting but not to her. I snapped a photo with my iphone and gingerly removed my knitting from her talons.
And just what was it that I was knitting? A case for my iphone, of course!
Knit up with the leftover silk/wool yarn from my Sagebrush Shrug. Very simple patternless pouch. I see many more of these in my future ...
Apparently kitty wanted to make a statement about my knitting, or perhaps about the attention I was paying to my knitting but not to her. I snapped a photo with my iphone and gingerly removed my knitting from her talons.
And just what was it that I was knitting? A case for my iphone, of course!
Knit up with the leftover silk/wool yarn from my Sagebrush Shrug. Very simple patternless pouch. I see many more of these in my future ...
Saturday, August 14, 2010
Wheeler Peak sheep adventure
Wheeler Peak (13,161 ft/4011 m) is the highest mountain in New Mexico. Mountain Man and I picked a gloriously beautiful and blustery day yesterday to hike it. I don't have a good photo of the peak itself, but I do have a photo of myself knitting there!
The most exciting part of our 16-mile hike was my encounter with a bighorn sheep. Last year, we saw nearly a dozen sheep and even found tufts of their fiber in a high mountain meadow. This year, I just saw this one sweet young sheep ...
But it let me get incredibly close. Here's Mountain Man's view of me walking up to the sheep. It was one of those animal encounters that leaves you breathless and in love with the natural world.
As for Isis, it was the fat, furry, squeaking marmots that made her day.
The most exciting part of our 16-mile hike was my encounter with a bighorn sheep. Last year, we saw nearly a dozen sheep and even found tufts of their fiber in a high mountain meadow. This year, I just saw this one sweet young sheep ...
But it let me get incredibly close. Here's Mountain Man's view of me walking up to the sheep. It was one of those animal encounters that leaves you breathless and in love with the natural world.
As for Isis, it was the fat, furry, squeaking marmots that made her day.
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