i love patterns, i’ve always had this strong attraction to patterns of any kind, but my favorites are the ones i see in nature, or manmade ones that are more or less accidental. this frosty mosaic was waiting for me the other day in the back yard.
a few hours later, when i went out to photograph the shawl swatches, it had changed a bit
the idea of the pattern progressing and morphing into something else all by itself was compelling. the emerging pattern uses the same lines but has a totally different quality.
and just a few hours later
it is complete. it reminds me of a haiku.
so, last night i swatched for the next little nothing scarf with judy’s arequipa laceweight yarn, a blend of 80/20 alpaca/silk. it is a delectable yarn and the perfect thing for this sort of piece.
the colorway, atlantic, is off in the photo above because i think the spot i was using is too sunny. also, i noticed lately, that with yarn containing silk, the colors don’t photograph well until AFTER they’ve been soaked. the after-soaking photos usually show a richer and more true representation of the colors, probably because the fiber blooms a bit and is cleaned of any spinning oil or schmutz that coats it maybe the washed yarn absorbs light instead of reflecting and bouncing it all over the place. here they are after soaking and pinning (and using a wider range of light settings on the camera)
much better representation of the colorway, which is simply ethereal . . . it shades from bright sky blue to deeper blue to greenish-browns and back again, and shifts nicely from one side of the fabric to the other, which ties in perfectly with what i had in mind for a design.
i’ve had my eye on this stitch pattern for some time . . . i love its strong, sweeping line and sideways movement. and the fact that it is an abstract pattern rather than something pictorial is a plus. it makes me think of little gusts of wind skittering across the water, or even sailboats in a painting. i think it’s a good match for this yarn and colorway.
i wish you could see it held up to the light . . it’s so pretty and sheer—it’s going to look great blowing in the breeze some day.
i made two swatches, one on size 4 and one on size 3 needles. i thought i’d need to use 3s because i had more control with them, and because normally, a blend without wool holds its shape better if knit a tad tighter. but i really like the sample from the size 4s better—it is airy and breezy, and i think it will hold its shape as well as a scarf like this ought to (not necessarily a lot in my opinion; some scarves are more beautiful because they curl or bias a bit).
i’m ready to write the pattern and test it; i’ll do something along the right margin to make the pattern look more symmetrical; it needs a series of holes there.
i also wrote up the baby sock pattern and made some more excellent progress on my sweater—i’m getting excited about finishing it now. maybe by the end of the weekend.
29 thoughts on “another little nothing”
need a test knitter? that thing is gorgeous.
The swatches are so so beautiful. Your description of them is wonderful. Can’t wait to see the progress of this one.
Spectacular natural designs on the stones; it echoes the lace beautifully. This project has my pulse up a bit and I’ll be looking forward to seeing the end result, may even commit to buying a kit since the specific yarn you’re using is way up my alley.
Thanks again, Anne.
I love that pattern too! I always go back to it and wonder to use it for. You just solved the problem. I love the yarn beautiful colours, I can only imagine how it feels. Also love the photos.
I love the “time lapse” photos of the snow in your backyard. I miss the snow here in California.
Very pretty yarn and a great stitch pattern for a scarf.
Have a great weekend!
Wow, you snow pictures are gorgeous! We had snow here in Louisiana today. Well, to be more accurate, we had snowflakes for a few minutes which then turned to sleet which then turned to rain. But for a few minutes we had snow!
I love this little nothing scarf. The yarn is gorgeous, and I love the stitch pattern. Oh, and I like the swatch on the size 4s better too.
those “pattern” pictures are quite compelling. the y remind me of stained glass, actually.
i love the airiness of that little nothing, it complements the colors. i can only imagine what it must look like held up to the light.
good luck with the sweater-with the temps we’re supposed to get, sweaters are a necessity!
Do you ever stop? Yikes! I can’t keep up. LOL. I just cast on for Irtfa’a — my first provisional cast on. 2 repeats done — 19 more to go…
This is so beautiful. And I’m with Erika. How do you get all of this done? I can barely do the dishes on a daily basis. 🙂
Okay, I want you to sit on your hands for 24 hours, so I can get caught up with you!!!!!! I can’t keep up with your patterns, and I want to make everything! I think the only way is for you to rest, while we all catch up! Oh, and I’m just like you with patterns. I’m always taking pictures of the patterns I see in nature. I love it! I wish I could turn what I see in my mind into a design that I could make come to life with yarn!
You have been awarded the “You Make My Day” award.
Another nice little nothing! You’re right, the yarn is truly beautiful. I really like the color blocks, and the way they move, in the bigger swatch.
Oh so beautiful especially the 4s, I love! and no, I will not start this one either before I finish etc… 🙂
I love those time-lapse photos. And I love that pattern (I think the swatch on the number 4s is prettier, too). That’s going to be so lovely.
I think I actually have some Zephyr she dyed in that same colorway. You could do a shawl pattern for that too. Just sayin’.
a very interesting interplay of colors and pattern. just beautiful!
This is beautiful. The color is amazing–you could do no wrong with it, I suspect. Though I do like the avenue you’re exploring with it. 😉
Oh, yummm Anne. I have also been photographing patterns in nature. The monographic nature of snow and winter really accentuates pattern and texture.
I am using #7’s with the Arequipa and have done several projects with that size needles. Your sweet little nothing is lovely. The is something soothing in the simple repetition of pattern.
I love the pattern photos – nothing beats Mother Nature for inspiration. I was thinking someone should create a perpetual calendar – like the one with knitting patterns you have – with photos like this. Then I remembered a book called The Art of Knitting. Although geared for the machine knitter, it contains some beautiful photos and knit patterns for inspiration. Have you seen it? (heck, maybe you already have it…)
Congratulations! You’ve just won the “You Make My Day� award. [Yes, I know that Punkin gave it to you first, but you were warned that you might get more than one.] Come steal the button from my blog [or hers] and pass it on!
Ooo, I saw this last night and then this afternoon a bag tumbled off my stack of what I laughingly call “current” projects and I realized I had some merino/silk roving from the Wool Gathering in a color called Sea Mist that is now just begging to be made into this little nothing.
My son’s kindergarten seems to do a lot of work with patterns. So, patterns and snow (since we don’t get any) should be enticing…
He’s too busy to come look.
Love the combo of colours and pattern – makes me think of sailboats and the different waters of the bay, and the wind.
Funny phone call from my mom in Alabama this morning – Snow Fell! Which causes lots of excitement and closures. Phone call from her in the afternoon – snow gone, but she talked to my brother in Telluride. They had something like 67 inches in 1 week.
Anne- I see patterns and colorways everywhere- sometimes it make me nuts.
And I love that you also use the word “schmutz”- it’s a great word.
Mother Nature is a superb artist, no? I love that knitting is an art that can be used to mimic her patterns so nicely! And as always you have chosen the perfect one. Bravo!
Love the stone walk, did you guys lay that yourselves? So pretty!
Those are gorgeous pictures of your back patio. I couldn’t stop staring at them. I like your comparison to haiku; the pictures are equally spare, yet evocative.
I went back at least ten times to those wonderful pictures, remembering the snow in the German Black Forest of my chilhood and youth and then I admired the yarn…..I find both colors absolutely stunning and don’t mind that one is just the camera dealing with color in her own way .
Unfortunately we have none of those things here; no snow ( we had 78F today ) and no wonderful yarn…….we don’t even have boring yarn….so I enjoyed your pictures all the more….and yes, I ask myself also….how do you do it ? Or do days in Ohio have a couple more hours ?
Abgelika
from Mexico City with a glass of wine in her hand ready to look at the yarn one more time.
Another beautiful pattern!
I love your photos of the snow patterns…I do the same thing and find myself constantly looking for the patterns nature presents to us daily…it’s amazing what most people miss because they don’t stop to look closely at the details.
Ooo, I love that colorway! Sigh. I wish I could wear alpaca.
That really is a beautiful pattern. And Judy’s yarn is a wonderful companion to the lace piece. I predict fun knitting times ahead.
You know for some reason after the switch to the new server, no new updaes showed up until two days ago in bloglines and suddenly I had 8 entries.
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