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Friday, November 14, 2008
My surprise to which I alluded at the end of my last post is now unveiled over at Twist Collective, a fabulous online magazine headed up by my friend Kate Gilbert. I'm sure you were all over to and fell in love with their Fall (premiere) issue, and I'm so pleased to be a part of the new Winter issue. Gytha was so much fun to knit ... and I adored using Green Mountain Spinnery's Mountain Mohair for the first time. Lovely stuff, and scads of colors from which to pick your own unique colorway. Kate and I had quite a time narrowing down to just one set of colors for the prototype, believe me! Although a swatch in neutrals isn't shown, I have to say that I think this sweater would be fabulous in creams/beiges/browns/rusts or something of that ilk, too. The sweater is knit from the bottom up, in the round, gently decreasing for a flattering A-line body, to the armholes, where the work divides to work back and forth. This allows for more traditional set-in armhole shaping. The sleeves are also worked in the round from the cuff to the armholes, and the sleeve cap is knit flat. I especially love the ribbing over the elbow; this has the effect of naturally flaring the cuff ever so slightly, and is a fun, subtly textured design feature. Not an overly challenging knit, yet full of some unexpected and tailored design elements, this colorful sweater suits both novice and experienced knitters, and is just right for a cool-weather wardrobe. The pattern is available for sale as a PDF download, so if you like it, instant gratification is at the ready. J I hope you love it as much as I do! And a couple of photos that I took at its inception months ago: 
Enjoy the newest issue of this remarkable magazine ... it's truly scrumptious. |
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Wednesday, November 5, 2008 I am excited for our neighbors down south and their switch from the Right. It's about time the world shifts a little bit back the other way (too bad we didn't vote a bit more decisively that way ourselves!!) and truly, it makes a big difference to more than just our own countries when we go out and vote. And folks, I don't diminish the "firsts" of this presidential win, but the day when no one even mentions skin color as an issue at all; when it isn't even a topic up for discussion, it's just a PERSON running for an election; well, then, that will be the day when a real milestone will have been reached. And oh, I am so happy that the path is heading in that direction. (You didn't really think I only knit and never pay attention to politics, did ya?) And speaking of knitting, I've finished up my pair of tweedy socks at last: 
Schoeller/Stahl Fortissima Socka in a lovely tweed color, #1084, and I do have this color in stock, if you're so inclined. Plain ole' pattern to show off the color; texture enough, I think. Funny thing about these socks. Looking back over my cryptic notes, it seems I began these socks for my size foot. But by the time I had started on my second sock, I had it in my head that these were men's socks. So in order to be sure I knit the two socks the same, I checked back to see how long I had made the foot of the first sock. Sure enough, I didn't write down that part. (That would just be too easy, wouldn't it?) Measuring length after the sock is finished, as I'm sure you know, isn't exactly the same as measuring as you go along; the knitting "shrinks" up a bit after you, say, add the toe shaping. So I measured and guess-timated as best I could to come up with a second sock that I hope is the same size as the first. The biggest problem is, just who, exactly, will these fit? They are more the cuff width for women's socks, but the foot width and length for men's. Hmmmm ... I haven't tried them on my husband's feet, yet, but I hope they'll stretch nicely and fit comfortably, because they're waay too big for me. And yes, they ARE for the gift stash, but I have pretty much almost the biggest women's feet in our family, so they won't fit any of our ladies! Zoinks. Sometimes there can be problems with the nice, mindless knitting. Kind of need to put a little bit of "mind" into the project so that someone can wear them when you're done! At any rate, I'm glad those are out of the way, because I've been scheming and I'm ready to swatch for a great textured sock in Briggs and Little's Sport. The yarn will be wound today, and swatching begun. I'm also going to be attempting some sweater piece blocking tonight. Thanks to everyone who wrote in with their suggestions for blocking solutions when you have hardwood flooring, and I'll let you all know if what I have planned works out! Oh, and I should have a bit of a "surprise" to link by the end of this week, I hope. Peace. P.S. Why, oh, why did my fabulous brandy-soaked-raisin-stuffed baked apples implode?? (Is this why you're supposed to pare a strip of peel off around the top of the apple? It wasn't in my recipe instructions, but I seem to recall baked apples having a bare strip at the top. Yes?) Presentation was definitely less than desirable, but man, they tasted great! 
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THE WOOLLEN EARTH, General Delivery, Summerville, NS B0N 2K0 Canada Phone: (902) 633-2727 Email: |