Knitting New England

Thursday, January 8, 2015

Big, beautiful, bliss

As many of you know, the pre-holiday crunch often compels knitters to turn out gifts quickly, and this urgency is usually satisfied by chunky yarn and big needles. Serendipitously, my recent interest in unusual, non-ribbed cuffs led me to a mitten design with a basket-weave cable cuff that also happened to be knitted on size 11 needles.

I was pleased to find a pattern that worked up so quickly, and had an unconventional cuff. Within a couple of days I'd made two pairs. Now that New England's enduring bitter cold temps, I'm happy to say that this pair, done in some stashed Lamb's Pride Bulky, is super warm and gives me an aesthetic frisson every time I consider the cuffs. More about cuffs in a future post; for now I'm following the big yarn theme, and will draw your attention to a nifty new book, Chunky Knits, compiled by Ashley Little. (Lark Crafts, 2014).

I'd been hoping to review the book before the holidays--for precisely the reasons I've mentioned above--but now that that boat has left the harbor I'll talk about why knitting fat yarn, apart from the speed, is so gratifying, and how this book gives you some great reasons to start 2015 in chunky mode.

Chunky Knits' clothing designs are really good, so you can treat yourself to some perfect winter weekend knitting that will produce wearables in a trice. The designs below--the Melegrana capelet and cap--are intricate but not overwhelmingly complex on manageably sized needles (8 and 10), and convey the same kind of rich texture more customary in finely-detailed shawls and scarves.

What's more unusual are the many patterns the book offers for home décor projects. There are designs for lampshades, an ottoman, a throw pillow, and a throw. I liked them all very much. Less appealing to me are patterns for knitted jewelry and mason jar sweaters, but those should appeal to the Etsy set. Anyway, you can order the book here if your LYS doesn't have it in stock, or you can enter a contest on this blog to win a free copy, which the publisher has generously made available. Just write a comment before midnight, Monday January 12 and let me know why you want the book. The knitter who won the contest for 60 Quick Luxury Knits was extremely pleased by the prize, made a beautiful hat from one of that book's patterns, and sent me a photo of it. I assure you, these little giveaways are real and delightful!

Tulip Lace Hat, knitted by Carol O. in northern California.

Monday, December 29, 2014

The Year in Yarn

Sending every best wish for a great new year!

Wednesday, December 10, 2014

Tiny mittens

Here we are ten days into December and New England is dank, dark, bleak, bleary, depressing. No snow yet on the southeast part of coast, just freezing rain and more rain. Also wind and more wind and more rain. As I was battening down my insulated storm-gear, bracing for a trip into the depths of Hope Valley, the thought came to me that tiny mittens would be a useful antidote to the gloom.

What do you think, gentle knitters? Do these not elevate the spirits?

They took me about an hour each to knit, on #2 dpns, following this free pattern designed by Andrea Kopacek: http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/mini-mitten-ornaments The next pair I'll try on 1.5 needles, just for fun. I discovered the pattern by searching Ravelry for "tiny knitted mitten ornaments," which yielded three pages of free designs, so search for yourself and take your pick. These are made of leftover sock yarn which incorporates lurex, creating a festive look.

Think of the possibilities! You can wear tiny mittens pinned to your hat, coat or lapel, you can hang them on your holiday tree, you can make chains of them and swag a window, you can mail them to friends, you can affix them to gifts...and you will be transported out of your weather-induced funk, guaranteed!

Sunday, November 16, 2014

Mise en train...

A cabal of knitters was sighted yesterday evening on the Metro North commuter rail originating at Grand Central Station, New York City, heading towards New Haven, returning from a self-designed yarn crawl that covered most of the LYS from midtown to lower Manhattan: Habu, School Products Yarns, Purl Soho, Seaport Yarn. Sushi, tea, espresso, vino, charcuterie, chocolate, the acquisition of a Japanese knitting magazine with great designs and unintelligible instrux, and excellent weather enhanced the experience.

Taken on Northeast Corridor near Norwalk, CT.

Thursday, October 23, 2014

Southern comfort

Life took me to Asheville, North Carolina last week, and I found it a pretty nice place. Lots of street musicians, purple comedy buses (Lazoom, Lazoom!), pet dogs, excellent restaurants. H wanted to get up close and personal with the public drummers who form a massive circle in a downtown park on Fridays. I said, "Sure thing, let me know where and when to meet you afterwards," because even at a distance of a mile it sounded like a very bad migraine.

Peregrinating around the rest of the interesting downtown, however, I discovered a good deal of yarn bombing, which led me to a cheery LYS, Purl's Yarn Emporium. The shop's owner(s?) appears to be mildly obsessed with Sock Monkeys...or so it seems to an outsider.

This photo and the one below it convinced me, finally, that I need to get a wide-angle lens.

"Why did you change our destination?" "I see yarn in your future."

When I saw these monkeys and their conversation bubbles, I knew they had to be partners. Only in a committed longterm relationship would you find mates who spoke in such non sequiturs.

I strolled around Purl's, then betook myself to a gallery of stores called the Grove Arcade, where I accidentally discovered Asheville Homecrafts, another kind of LYS. Both it and Purl's Emporium have a decent selection of yarns, and notions. Purl's also has a really good selection of knitting and crochet books.

Felted sweater-bombed cat statue marks site of a street known as Cat Alley.

Saturday, October 11, 2014

Red and green and brown

Autumn color portending winter.

This most interesting yarn, spun from Cotswold and Romney fleece--a strong, utilitarian blend--is from Upton Yarns in Portland, Maine. To celebrate autumn's arrival, I'll knit myself a pair of socks from it. If dreams can come true, the socks will be more durable at all stress points, plus somewhat water resistant. Report to follow, sometime in the winter.

harvest

Woodville, Rhode Island

***

On another topic...do you know about

The Virtual Knitting Museum?

www.knittingmuseum.com

Curated by Marsha White, to whom all knitters are indebted. Thank you, Marsha.

Fair Isle

Tuesday, September 30, 2014

All the fun of the fair

The Fleece Tent under a lowering sky.

The last time we attended the Common Ground Fair in Unity, Maine, was 2004, and the weather was quite a lot better than on our most recent visit, September 20th. Nonetheless, it was pretty much as I recalled--roots, shoots, face-painting, tribal elders, excellent food, fiber animals, hand-dyed yarns, textiles, border collie demos, twangy music, home-made soap, scythes, horse-drawn ploughs....Get the picture?

The only non-knitting-related event I attended was a workshop on Shape-Note Singing. That was mainly so I could sit in a tent and get warm. I broke down and bought a Polarfleece cap, since it seemed heretical, not to mention counterproductive, to buy a woolen hat I could knit myself.

Herewith, some postcards: