leaf ghosts on the old slate in our back patio
a crazy-quilt pattern where the snow lays in different depths on the stones
then boxed spaces where the warmth consumed it from the inside out
a little forest of frosty firs
and a tangle of iced weeds
palimpsest of a fleshy, throbbing, summer garden
reincarnated in wool (isn’t it great that we can do this??)
though i’m woefully behind on my goal to have this stole nearly finished, my hero vanessa worked her usual magic and had hers done in just a few days (makes me dizzy just thinking about it).
deb at fearless fibers sent us some of her merino laceweight in majestic—a deeply mysterious purple-black colorway, which perfectly translates the mood of the lost garden and the curious structures it has left behind.
i’m enthralled with the edging on this piece . . . like thin, twined stalks of flowers past, it seems more about what it isn’t than what it is.
i was a little cramped for space to block it with the christmas tree up in the living room, and the weak december light was even poorer for it, but i got a couple of money shots in anyway
an interesting issue came up after i had it blocked and could really see it for the first time. normally, when a lace pattern has a one-way direction, we work the piece in two halves so that each end will be the same. otherwise, one hem could look quite different while the pattern runs upside-down on one side.
however, the one-way motif used in this piece has a very similar appearance when viewed from either direction, even though it is technically not a two-way pattern. so much so that the join at the center actually seems to add a break where it wants to be continuous, and shows up a lot more than i expected.
it’s not as if the join adds another interesting element to the piece as in the autumn arbor stole
so i’m thinking that i should convert the instructions to be a one-piece knit (i know a lot of people do this anyway; twinings is a good example).
now i’m really psyched to finish mine up. i’ve been plugging away at it but not nearly getting in the 48 rows per day that i planned (what was i thinking??). christmas knitting has interfered—but in a good way.
anyway, we have a pattern all set to go (except for the change i just mentioned) and once i unpin this baby and get some photos it will be ready for release. something to settle in with once all the christmas gifts are done and under the tree. how about that?
speaking of which . . . i got started on david’s sweater. i went with the 5.0 mm needles after all because that’s the swatch that david preferred
and it worked out well because after knitting for a little bit, i remeasured and discovered that my gauge in the actual knitting was a little looser than the swatch predicted. i didn’t change needles but i did do some recalculations on the pattern so as not to end up with a sweater jacket to fit this guy
since the buttonholes are incorporated into the fabric of the jacket’s left front, we had to decide on the buttons and the placement before i got started. the first buttonhole sits about five inches above the bottom hem, similar to any shirt jacket.
i work my one-row buttonholes exactly the way they are described here. i’m always happy when they blend right into the fabric, especially when i’m not making a separate buttonband.
late nights i’ve been working on the lacunae sock, which also went on a trip to the dentist with me today
unfortunately, when i got there i did not have my fourth needle in the case with the sock—damnation. there’s nothing worse than having an hour of wait time and no knitting. because magazines are just seeming less and less substantial with every visit, no?? they never have anything good to read . . .
oh wow, and i almost forgot . . . there’s something you might enjoy in the winter issue of knitty that was posted today.
also, incase you want a little peek into my background, an interview with heather at shivaya naturals and one from a couple of weeks back in the loopy limelight (i can’t believe i forgot to tell you about that).
so yeah, it’s been a full week for knitting already and it’s only wednesday.
and now, i have a date with some sweater knitting (oooh, it’s kinda like having a date with the actual guy!), so i’ll say, see ya later.
28 thoughts on “shadows and ghosts”
Ouch….being stuck at the dentist without anything to knit is NOT fun! The yarn that you are using for David’s sweater is so pretty!
:sigh:
You take such lovely photographs!
Oh, that missing fourth needle can kill you every time. As the mother of 2 club and high school soccer players, I spend a lot of time on the pitch, waiting for a game to start (have to be there 1 hour early) play…if it is slow and then there is the cool down. So knitting is my savior. This past weekend we had games at 8:00 am and 2 pm. I pull out my handy Hot Waffles sock to find I am missing a needle. I whip out the iPhone, find a Jo-anns near by and get a new set after the first game. It was scary for a minute but all was saved.
have i mentioned how much i like the name ‘palimpset’? it seems perfect for this one. very pretty. although, i have to agree, i think it would be better without the join. it’s kind of unexpected; usually i don’t notice the “middle” in the stoles knit in two halves.
Oh, I can’t wait to see your piece in Knitty! It seems like every one feels the same, so I’m gonna give a little break to their server and wait a bit (well, not being able to access the site makes it easier to look all virtuous!), but having seen the URL, I’m really curious now to see how you interpreted the poinsettia theme.
beautiful photos! I love to see little glimpses like these.
I think I maight have time for lacunae hat & mitts afterall. yeah me!
trot…puff…trot…puff…puff…puff…puff….
I’m out of breath trying to keep up with you!! glorious goodies!!! pant…pant…pant…
Gorgeous, the pictures, the knitting, all of it.
After too many times finding myself unable to knit under the worst, and best, of circumstances, I now keep an extra sock needle in the pocket of the car door and an extra yarn needle for weaving in ends in my wallet.
The neckwarmer over at Knitty is beautiful, as are you!
Enchanting photos (as always) and thanks for the links to the interviews. The neckwarmer at Knitty is so pretty! What a nightmare to be caught without the 4th sock needle, and at the dentist’s, too. I’ve gone over to the dark side and now use two circulars; at least, as EZ says, you can only lose one of those by wrenching it away with brute force!
The shawl is so nice and also the other fotos. Thanks for presenting alsways such wunderul things.
The photos are so captivating. I love seeing how Mother Nature makes such gorgeous inspirations. The shawl is lovely. I don’t know how you do it! I am also intrigued by the sweater and the socks. Lots of great knitting going on.
I love the shawl (you have done it again!!!!)….I think I would like it better without the join….I never (I shouldn’t say NEVER, as I have only done it once so far) do well with joins….so it certainly would make it easier for ME :).
The stole looks stunning! Great interview with Heather too. I was excited to get to read about your process. I did an interview with her and it should be up Friday.
Palimpsest is SO beautiful! Would you please stop turning out these glorious designs so fast? I need to finish one before lusting after another.
Lovely shawl and pics. I love snow 😉 (Right up until the 10th storm, then I start to wish Spring was coming) I just saw you on Knitty. Lovely Poinsettia!
those interviews were great, I love the Poinsetta pattern, so charming. Can’t wait to see the new pattern, it is just gorgeous winter perfection!
I enjoyed your interviews,and thank you for the free neckwarmer pattern. it may come in handy for a quick Christmas present.
I’d like to put in my two cents worth to encourage you to publish a sweater pattern soon. I loved the Tartan sweater with the bone buttons. (Just saying)
The new stole is lovely. I particularly liked the photo showing the edging with blocking wires, because it shows us how you handle this. (I do it the same way, but not as carefully as you do.)
Yes, no join! The shawl is lovely. I love, love, love the pictures of nature!!
Love those photos! I saw the pattern in knitty and can’t wait to make one…although it will have to wait until the rest of my christmas knitting is done!
Now I remember where I saw your name before – I just finished the Honeybee Stole for my wedding. Awesome pattern.
Breathless from reading all this great stuff and looking at all the great photos, and breathlessly awaiting Palimpsest. I like it as one continuous knit … will it jump my enormous queue and become my next crush??? or will it become a resident of the land of endless possibility?
Palimpsest is gorgeous. Just gorgeous. I am definitely knitting that one for me me me! 🙂 (And the poinsettia neckwarmer is beautiful — did you see my picture of the poinsettia tree?)
What beautiful photos and another beautiful shawl!
Thanks for the lovely wintery pictures. The stole looks gorgeous!
Beautiful photos.
OMG Palimpset is so luscious! Now what I am going to do? I have only one inch of Autumn Arbor languishing on the needles just waiting for the Christmas knitting to stop and now this pops up! I need two sets of arms! LOL
Reincarnated in wool is the perfecte description, Ann. You really captured it with this piece. Bravo.
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