just swatch me

Posted on Posted in designing, food and garden, lace/shawls


in the “everything is new again” department, we have canteloupe. if it doesn’t cook right on the vine (we’re having 90-degree afternoons this week), it could freeze in whatever drastic turn of weather could possible be coming next (and really, it could be anything this year).

everything out in the garden has a new crop coming on; you can see that there are plenty of dying-back vines, and yet there is new growth among them. i know you’ve seen all these same photos ALL summer long, but the light is so seriously gorgeous at this time of year i am helpless in the face of it. my finger just twitches to snap one shot after another.

so i’ll try to sneak in just one a day (ok, it might be two on days with less knitting content. plus a closer. hehe, just kidding.).

and in the “everywhere i look, i see purple” department

actually, it was not a good day for getting the best photo of the yarn color which is much deeper and blue-er, and certainly nothing like this

which i photoshopped as much as i dared and still ended up with maroon.
but we are just looking at stitch patterns today, and only two of them, too!

i like this combination a lot . . . it’s handsome; it has a stoutness in the patterns that i want in a cold-weather piece. i love the garter stitch borders; they add depth and framing to the stitches like a cozy house around them.
i would even hazard to say that this combination qualifies for manLaceโ€”i can totally see it thrown carelessly over and aran-and-kilt combination.

of course, that kind of daring can only be pulled off by the manliest of Men.

speaking of cozy, i don’t know if the photo translates this or not but the yarn is unbelievably soft; another reason why there should be garterโ€”for the squish-me factor. it’s sort-of like malabrigo but with a bit of a felted surface that makes it even better. it feels like slightly fulled cashmere. if i could give you anything right now, it would be virtual-groping-and-fondle-vision

i think i’ll do three repeats of the thistle head stitch for the bottom borders, with the remainder of the wrap body in the thistle leaf stitch. simple and strong.

the eggplant says, “bite me”.

28 thoughts on “just swatch me

  1. Scrolling from your autumnal zucchini to the fabulously textural purple swatch photos made me think of eggplant — and then you end with the perfect specimen. Such happiness!

  2. Frozen cantaloupe still makes some pretty darn good smoothies – I found this out last year. Shoot, now I’m really missing the garden, oh well maybe next year.

    I love watching you do your thing ๐Ÿ™‚

  3. That egg plant better watch what it says around you. You might just take it up on it’s offer. ๐Ÿ˜‰

    Love the new lace pattern. It could so be man-lace. So pretty and would make great lace for the cooler days in the winter. That is if we ever get any cooler days.

  4. This stitch pattern seems a bit busy to me, but maybe it’s just because of the size of the swatch. I’ll certainly revise this first impression when I see it in the actual piece.

  5. I will be honest, when you said thistle I thought yuk. I have seen bad thistle. However, once again you have come up with something beautiful. It could be man lace, it is strong, but it is also elegant and beautiful. You never cease to amaze me and I have learned to broaden my way of thinking when it comes to hand kntting. I seem to be more flexible with machine knitting. Thanks for sharing all of your wonderful ideas. On the garden front. I hope you get another batch of good things to eat before the weather turns too cold.

  6. We are expecting 90’s here too – then probably snow knowing how the New England weather patterns work!!!

    Love that new stitch pattern – not too “lacy”!

  7. Love the pattern – that would be lovely in a sweater or a heavy shawl (I admit to not being a sock person). And in the light you had for the camera, the color was still lovely.

    So, what are you planning to do with it?

  8. Oooh, I love what you’re doing with the thistle pattern. I’ll try not to tap my foot too loudly while waiting for the pattern to come out. :o)

  9. When I think of thistles, or “nettles,” as they’re called in the Midwest where I grew up, is that they would get tangled in Dad’s combine. He hated them and cursed them, as he would have to stop the combine, get off, and pull the thorny hindrance from the machine.
    This quote comes to mind, when I think about my dad and nettles:

    “All plants move, but they donโ€™t usually pull themselves out of the ground and chase you!” Philip Yordan

  10. A definite winner. The lace looks sort of dense but very soft at the same time. Could we get a beta version out on that grope-and-fondle function?

    The weather is funny. We have nearly 90 degree weather with summery drought, and leaves turning at the same time.

  11. I do like the weightiness of the swatch. Looks very warm and cozy.

    Fall has gripped us in Montana. I keep expecting to wake up to a solid frost. We are getting close, which kinda upsets me because I’m finally getting some slightly ripe roma tomatoes! I can’t even dream of growing eggplant because they would never make it. That is the part of Montana that makes me a little sad.

  12. Hee, the eggplant is my favorite today. I’m off to the farmer’s market this afternoon if they don’t get rained out. I might need to pick up some eggplant.

  13. Oh, I like that pattern! I hadn’t seen a thistle pattern before so I was very curious about what it might look like. I’m definitely eager to see this continue…
    “Virtual-grope-and-fondle” made me snort my iced coffee all over the keyboard.

  14. Pretty thistles! I agree, they could totally work as “man lace” neat pattern!! I appreciate the virtual grope and fondle, I feel much better now ๐Ÿ™‚

    Uuuh…That eggplant is talking to you… did you know that? In my opinion there’s only one way to teach that plant a lesson! Can anyone else say “parmigiana”? ๐Ÿ™‚

  15. I looove the thistle pattern! I’m partial to heavier lace myself anyway – just seems cozier and less fussy. The yarn sounds yummy too; what is it?

  16. OK, it’s no fair to post drool-worthy pictures when readers are sitting at a computer — I had to step away from the keyboard, lest I do damage. The pattern is lovely, and the yarn is lovely, and together they are just yummy in their entirety. The mental imagery of the kilt-wearing man draped in this knitting just put it over the top. Thanks! ๐Ÿ˜‰

  17. “Man lace”. That’s a concept I just *have* to sell to my husband.

    (And, PS, I’m in love with “Totally Autumn” from the Fall Knitty. I just have to find my fall-colored yarn. It’s in the stash room somewhere… I hop!)

  18. That eggplant is a delicious shade of purple, just calling out to me. I don’t mind your pictures of fruit and vegetables, you always make them look so lovely.

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