finally, this baby is done.
i don’t know what took me so long (maybe the cables) because i actually worked on this fairly consistently. and i love the yarn—new hue handspuns bunny patch. AND it goes with my new winter jacket, so i need it.
anyway, i’m glad it’s done now—i wore it last night and it felt lovely. i’ll write the pattern up in the next few days.
it’s good to be home, but i have to admit i’ve been having trouble settling in and getting down to work. there were of course, lots of little details to square away the first couple of days, like bills to pay and mail to open (and i still have to unpack my suitcase. i’m terrible—unless i do it right away, it languishes. i did take out the dirty clothes, at least).
also, i think i just miss san diego and kim’s family. sigh, i really did not want to leave that last day.
anyway, i promised i’d show you the books i acquired at TNNA and i want to start off with my very favorite one—custom knits by the extremely talented wendy bernard
i pretty much stopped buying sweater books a couple of years ago because i realized i don’t use them once i have them—i like to invent my own sweaters. also, so many books have only one or two pieces that i truly love, which i usually have to resize in order to get a good fit.
but this one is really great—i’m so glad i got one. first of all it has a LOT of pretty, wearable, all-season sweaters included. kim and i were earmarking an awful lot of pages, heh.
that’s saying a lot considering that we have completely different body shapes and find very different styles are flattering for each of us. versatility is really important to me when i consider knitting a sweater—i want to get lots of use out of each garment i make. i need to be able to wear some of them in warmer weather and i’m sure many of you do as well.
this book has plenty of options that way—in addition to lots of stylish choices, wendy tells us how to customize each sweater according to taste and need without wrecking the design concept. so you can end up with a sweater that is true to the original but has the neckline, sleeve length, and fit that flatters you best. love.
she also took pains to discuss non-knitting aspects of sweater-making that can make or break your final result. discussions about gauge, yarn substitution, choosing a size and deciding about ease, and measuring your body correctly are covered in detailed, step-by step sections. these are discussions i’ve had over and over in teaching my sweater classes, because they impact the final result so radically. i love that the author included in a way that sorted out the confusing material nicely.
i also love the presentation of the book—it has a fresh look that is a nice departure from the “martha” format, with sweaters shown in action, in a variety of settings, which contributes to the sense that these pieces are fashion forward AND wearable. many of them are sexy and desirable without being age-specific or overly fussy.
(an aside for doubters . . . i can totally vouch for the need of a sweater at the pool or beach; both times i’ve been to the west coast this year it’s been hot, but i took a jacket everywhere and used it when the wind kicked up—which it does, a lot. however, a sweater would’ve been nicer.)
full disclosure: i took a lot of time with this book to notice what was included and to look at the sweaters and consider its fashion value. one thing i did not do (because of time) was to read the pattern instructions thoroughly. so i can’t tell you all that much about how they are written. however, the widespread popularity of wendy’s other published patterns leads me to believe that you can expect the same quality in the book’s patterns.
aside from the information contained within, the book as a whole made an impression on me that is harder to describe—but i’ll try. i was not very familiar with wendy’s work—i read her blog sometimes and notice the new patterns she publishes individually (many which i like!). a few students have knit pieces from them. i know that she is a stylish person with a wry voice, which i like, who can also be very thoughtful. i don’t know her well, though.
but with the book, i really got a sense of a whole body of good, cohesive work, one that was created with a determined sense of what the finished product should be, and how it reflected on its author. i don’t get that feeling from very many fashion-oriented books (or even lots of non-fashion books); it’s an ethic that seems to have passed its heyday. but i admire that quality a lot and if i ever produce a book, it would be the one thing thing i’d want to achieve as an underlying foundation.
i left my copy of the book with kim in san diego and i already miss it—i’m gonna have to order another one. but i think it’s destined to be a classic, so totally worth it.
ok, now what’s on my needles?
i’m almost done with the bougainvillea socks—again, i need to write the pattern (discipline, discipline; it’s looking more and more like i should sequester myself for a few days to write patterns and catch up).
anyway, i love these socks. they’ve been surprisingly easy to knit and that has allowed me to take them everywhere. i got lots done on them while flying, talking, and waiting this week. the motif looks complex but it was pretty easy to memorize after the first repeat. love that.
they’re a little like the woodsmoke socks that way—you think they’re going to be a big PITA, but they turn out to be the easy, smiley baby that you can take anywhere. they even let you pinch their cheeks ad nauseam.
and i love this yarn—the more i use it, the more i like it. and now it can be yours—stephanie from dye dreams wrote me today that they now have this beautiful dream sox yarn listed in their webstore (oh heck—i just went over to grab that link and saw like, four colors i want).
one note: the colorway i’m using is a sock club selection so you won’t see it on that page. but check out their other selections—there are some really good guy colors there.
i’ve been adding a repeat or two to my shawl every evening; it’s getting bigger now and harder to photograph. the plus side of that is that it’s now a good-sized bundle of pure luxurious softness in my lap when i work on it, yum.
now here’s where i need some help—i have to decide on a name and i’ve given it very little thought. the motif reminds me of a bouquet of flowers in a paper cone, among other things (like fans, leaves, etc.). i’m not married to any idea except maybe it should be romantic (i think it may be ready for release by valentine’s day). here’s a closeup
any ideas? i wouldn’t worry about it yet, but lis over at one planet yarn and fiber wants to create a shop listing for a kit that will include the hand maiden swiss mountain yarn and pattern (the kit will be a preorder until the pattern is finished and photographed). and we need a name for that.
tonight i’m getting started on a long-anticipated project that’s been waiting for me to catch up
the faroese mate for the autumn arbor stole. now that the rush of the holidays is a dim memory and i’ve been to TNNA and back, i feel ready to begin a bigger, more complicated piece. so it goes on the needles tonight. i can’t tell you how much i’ve been looking forward to getting my hands into this yarn—new england red—a new color from kim at the woolen rabbit—i mean, it’s orange. and red; the perfect antidote to gray skies (which are headed our way once again, i think). i think it’s going to be amazing in that large leaf motif.
speaking of antidotes to grim winter skies, i got a package in the mail while i was away, from kristi at shalimar yarns, who sent a couple of skeins of her lovely zoe sock yarn.
zoe is 100% australian superwash merino—i love the feel of this yarn in the skein. it’s very soft, but it has a nice twist and plumpness (but not too much and not too little). so i’m expecting that the stitch definition will be good, but the fabric will will remain touchable and more lightweight than other tight-twist yarns. they have a nice mix of stonewashed and variegated colorways to choose from.
i picked newsprint (left) and catalina (right). i’m not sure yet what they will become but i’m having a wonderful time looking at them and squeezing the skeins for now.
so i was saying something about needing to be disciplined and getting to work on a few patterns. but all i want to do is knit. i better crack down now and get to work before i lose out to my desires.
61 thoughts on “getting reorganized”
Hi,
For the shawl name, how about Tussy-mussy? this is the name for the little bouquets that used to be sold on the streets of London. It goes along with your idea of flowers in a paper cone.
Helen
Nosegay, coneflower, May Day, flores en papel, florecitas, flowers in February
Just brainstorming. Discard at your leisure!
And I wear sweaters on the beach all the time. Warm wool sweaters, somedays with scarves, hats, gloves. Cold places, these Northern California beaches in the summer!
My suggestion would be Poesies, which conjurs up the image of a little bouquet of flowers. I got Wendy’s book for Christmas and was just perusing it again last night. There are a couple of things in it I think would work for me. It is very well laid out and full of great information. I’m glad I requested it for Christmas! Lovely pictures of your yarns and projects, Anne. I’ll be that faroese shawl will be stunning!
Since French/Italian always sounds romantic (even when the subject matter isn’t), what about either “Cône de Fleurs” or the Italian version of cone flowers – “Cono Fiori.”
“Victoria”? I found this description online when I googled “Victorian Flower Arrangements” — “In Victorian arrangements, the basic shape is usually triangle. It is a period style of floral arrangement with an emphasis on opulence and colors, especially mauve and soft blues. Mass is very important factor in this form, though often an open look is created by varying the height and position of flowers within the design.”
I think tussie-mussie or hearts in flower would be pretty.
Ack–I can’t spell. I meant Posies, not Poesies. Now if you ever design a raven black floral motif shawl, THEN maybe “Poesies” would work. 🙂
If you abandon the idea of ‘flowers’, it could also be a snow-cone, like the ones we used to cover with maple sap or syrup out in the bush. It is, appropriately, the colour of ice and maple syrup.
So it could be a “Swiss Mountain Snow Cone”, or if you still want the flower motif, use alpine flowers to incorporate the yarn and the idea of flowers, try “Eidleweiss”, or “Alpine Flowers”.
Looks like hearts to me. How about Corazón? Besides meaning “hearts,” if you say it to someone else, it’s an endearment meaning “my heart.”
love the idea of tussie-mussie! and i love that newsprint. i am waiting to find out if the parents of the baby i want to knit obstacles for are having girl or boy. newsprint would be perfect in obstacles for a little boy! they are actually having twins so am thinking of one obstacles and one hypoteneuse or gust.
and by the way anne, i totally understand about the unpacking. and sympathize. i travel so much for work and somehow the suitcase sits and sits and sits unless i do it right away!!
Alpenrose? Lovely Swiss flower which grows in little bouquets? Whichever name you decide on, I’m looking forward to this one.
Well, my initial reaction was to suggest “Nosegay” as a name for the shawl but there are some other REALLY lovely ideas. I guess I am glad YOU will have to do the deciding! Good luck with that!! I’m sure you will choose something just as lovely as the shawl itself. I am always in awe of your work.
Any name is fine with me…I just love the colors and can’t wait to see it finished…I’m in line again at the checkout, waiting….heh, heh…and thank you for the tip on the book “custom knits” by Wendy…my local bookstore had one in stock and my name is on it!!! Happy knitting 🙂
Now I need to get that book. Sigh… As for names, I can’t think of the word, but that shawl reminds me of that gorgeous Italian handpainted paper (Florentine). Maybe that? I love the yarn for the faroese shawl — you’re right, it’ll be perfect to drive away the grays!
I LOVE the shawl and yarn combination. Only name that came to me was mentioned above, Coneflower.
Commented about Wendy on previous post, she’s great 😉
From the first time you showed the shawl I thought of Pebble Beach.
Another Victorian name for a small bouquet was an Everlasting. This shawl just looks like an Everlasting to me. Very romantic!
I can’t wait to see the faroese version!
I was thinking Victoria, too. And that reminded me of giving flowers when you’re courting, but I can’t think of a good name to go with that except maybe Cheri. Then I looked up “sweetheart” in French and it’s Amoureux. I’m going to stop now before I get way off in left field. 🙂 No matter what you call it, it’s beautiful! Oops – one more. It also reminds me of Campanula (bell flower).
lovely scarf – and finished just in time for the next cold front! i keep hearing good things about custom knits, and i’ve nearly picked it up once or twice…maybe next knitting shopping trip.
i’m excited to see you picking up yarn for the faroese shawl – my curiosity’s about killing me to know how that motif will work in a faroese shape!
of course, it doesn’t hurt to see the bright color – not just for the shawl but all your other projects – the weather’s been entirely too blah lately…
so impressed with your energy and delight about knitting and blogging about knitting. always a pleasure to stop by and see what’s new. did you get the pockets on David’s sweater?
The scarf turned out really nice. Yes, I love Wendy’s book. I’ve had it for awhile. Now, where is a book with Knitspot patterns in it?? When I look at your new shawl, I see a larger motif, a fan, actually, but for a name, I can’t come up with one tonight. I love the socks, too!
You know, I just started my Chocolate Chambord Autumn Arbor stole the other day and I’m loooooving it. But now you go and dangle that orange/red temptation in front of me…it’s too much! 😉
Thank you for the great review on Wendy’s book. I have been debating about getting it. Similar to you, I sometime have to decide if i really want to buy a specific book for just one pattern, especially when it is a hard back book.
The right side skein of the Shalimar yarn is really pretty.
I see a bird’s wing in the whole piece rather than flowers so a flying/feather reference would have a number of options.
Soaring Hearts, Heart Flutters, Cardiac Flutters, Hearts on the Wing, Lovebird
I could probably keep going but it might get even more saccharine. Whatever it’s named, I’ve been coveting this yarn whenever I see it for quite awhile so maybe I need to splurge soon before my little yarn heart bursts.
I went to Wikipedia to look up another name for Bouquet or Nosegay and came up with Tussie-Mussie… which someone else suggested!
i bought this book a couple of months ago when it came out because i liked the idea of learning how to customize / improvise. i haven’t tried anything in it yet, but the karma skirt is going to happen one of these days! i third or fourth the tussy-mussy idea; it’s cute, and if nothing else, it’ll stick in people’s minds!
Wendy’s book is excellent. I always bring a sweater to the beach and cottage in the summers.
The shawl looks like peacock feathers in an open fanned tail to me, could be the colours too. I’d name it something like Plumes Shawl. No matter what you name it I’d love to knit it. 🙂
I have to admit every name I came up with has already been suggested, but whatever you call it it’s lovely!
I have Wendy’s book and have already made the Favorite Cardigan, see my Rav page, and it was an excellent pattern. There’s several patterns in there I would like to make still.
Love your socks, love the shawl, seems I want to make everything you post lately! Wish I could send you sunshine from California, but we actually had rain here today. We get so little, it was wonderful! As long as I don’t have to shovel it, I’m fine with anything.
“all yours” for the yarn?
Ha!!!! I am making that EXACT Slinky Ribs top (as you know since you helped me with the fit question), and I’ve got 5 inches on the rib front. I am loving it!!! I love her book and I’m so glad you left it here! hahaha. Don’t ask for it back. Just kidding. . . . Your shawl motif reminds me of the little paper cone of flowers we’d make and hang on people’s doorknobs on May Day. Does that make me sound old???
Oh – and PS – we miss you and David too!!! Tell David we’re doing Super Savies on his chair and he needs to come back and plant himself in it.
I fully sympathize with you on the unpacking (or not)! Our suitcases (from Christmas!) were unpacked only a few days ago, and that’s because we have a house guest and I needed to get them out of his room. And you’re so right about needing some kind of wrap when the wind kicks up or the sun goes down. Thank you so much for reviewing the book; I’m adding it to my wishlist. The shawl motif also makes me think of fans, which makes me think of Oscar Wilde’s plays, but that’s really wandering off topic.
Are you sure it isn’t the background eye candy of the pool guy in short shorts that makes you take a second look at the Slinky Ribs sweater?
The pattern in the lace shawl reminds me of the fans used in flamenco dancing. They’re called pericons,
I am so in love with your pattern and the yarn that all I could think about was calling it “Embrace Me”-how the finished shawl would feel around me-just like my DH’s arms. (Blush,blush)
Not just Embrace Me but how about Embraceable or Embraceably yours?
Oh,dear-I forgot to add that women once used fans
as a way of communicating their feelings. So….
this gorgeous shawl can signal-“Embrace Me”.
Can hardly wait to see it when it’s blocked. Fandancer?
I Like Rosi’s suggestion of Corazon, it just rolls off the tounge so romantically.
Hello Anne, I love this book which learned me how to make top down set-up sleeves.
I can’t wait to see the shawl in progress! I’ve been anticipating the faroese version, too. 😉
I have just finished Ingenue from Custom Knits. You can see it modelled on my blog. The sizing worked out perfectly. I love this book!
http://from-little-acorns.blogspot.com/2009/01/ingenue.html
Those bougainvillea socks are lovely, especially the detail along the heel flap! The sooner you get the pattern up, the sooner I can start them myself!
I think you should call it Lotus Lapis because itr seems Egyptian to me, with the shape of a stylised lotus and the colours of lapis…
I was so proud of thinking up “Tussie-Mussie,” and then it was the first suggestion on the page!
I like the lotus suggestion as well.
love your new scarf. and I’ll just bet that bunny yarn is divine up against your neck 🙂
the new shawl is so pretty. Makes me want to stretch it wide open to see all those nosegays.
Lovliness as always on the entire page. As for the shawl, The combination of Florintine Nosegay has a nice renaissance sound to it.
The shawl is coming along nicely…the colors with the pattern flow so well together…like Tussie Mussie suggestion for the name.
I hate unpacking after a trip too..have to do it as soon as we get home or else it gathers moss.
Beautiful work as always Anne. I’d suggest “winter’s dream” for the shawl. The colors remind me of the browness and the sky this time of year with the pattern suggesting spring and the flowers to come.
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