Snow flake
Tuesday, 30 November 2010
Thursday, 11 November 2010
On transience and knitting
Although we will be living in DC for a year, and that is a significant amount of time, I feel very transient here (although not in a bad way - more in a constantly-on-holiday way) and my recent projects reflect that. I have just finished the Battleboro Hat, from the New England Knits book (which I have just ordered - thanks to Charmayne for the amazon gift voucher!) - this pattern was published in the Fall Interweave Knits. I used Malabrigio worsted, as recommended and am looking forward to some colder weather here so I can wear it. I have also finished the Lotus Leaf Scarf in Frog Tree Merino Melange (so soft! And such a cute pattern!), and a Feather and Fan Cowl from Tracey Ullman and Mel Clark's book Knit 2 Together. The cowl was knit in some long lost Louisa Harding yarn which I picked up in a yarn swap some years ago and for some reason stowed in my luggage about 10 minutes before we left home. See below for a photo of these three small projects.
But I have struggled to commit myself to anything larger than these little, finish-in-an-evening type projects. Partly this is because I have also re-registered for the City and Guilds Hand Knitting course and spend a lot of my spare time (of which I have much more of at the moment than I accustommed to) knitting samples, partly it is because I have agreed to knit some gifts for friends this Christmas and this takes up other moments of spare time, but really it is because my head isn't in the right place for a longer term project. These pick up and put down quick knits feel right for now; even though I have time to knit longer, larger, and more complicated projects at present. I had thought time available was a huge factor in my knitting progress - but it seems it's also sense of place and permanance too, and in fact it seems that this might be more important - who knew (as they say over here)?
But I have struggled to commit myself to anything larger than these little, finish-in-an-evening type projects. Partly this is because I have also re-registered for the City and Guilds Hand Knitting course and spend a lot of my spare time (of which I have much more of at the moment than I accustommed to) knitting samples, partly it is because I have agreed to knit some gifts for friends this Christmas and this takes up other moments of spare time, but really it is because my head isn't in the right place for a longer term project. These pick up and put down quick knits feel right for now; even though I have time to knit longer, larger, and more complicated projects at present. I had thought time available was a huge factor in my knitting progress - but it seems it's also sense of place and permanance too, and in fact it seems that this might be more important - who knew (as they say over here)?
Monday, 18 October 2010
Bromley knits - in DC!
After two weeks in my new home-for-a-year, DC, I thought I would post about my observations of knitting here so far. I have found two yarn shops in DC so far - the well established and known Stitch DC in Eastern Market, which is a fantastic, eclectic space with classes as a particular strength, and the fairly newly opened A Looped Yarn in Dupont Circle, which has a fantastic range of stock and a great knitting circle on Thursday nights. I also discovered the Serenity farm stall at Dupont Circle Farmers Market (weekends only) where hand spun and dyed wool from specialist breeds is sold.
There are more yarn stores in the suburbs of Maryland and Virgina, I believe, but I have yet to venture that far - all in the weeks to come!
I didn't, in the end, pack much in the way of yarn and am kind of glad I didn't as the climate here is different; much, much warmer at the moment than London would be so actually I feel like knitting lighter, summery things still. I had some laceweight alpaca silk with me in deep red, and as I was also feeling short of cardigans and things to throw on during cooler evenings, I have started a feather and fan shrug, pattern from a free Ravelry link. A pic will follow. Thanks to A Looped Yarn for the bamboo circular which I am loving!
I am also in knitting magazine heaven here - at almost every bookstore and outlet I can buy any of a selection of 10-15 or so magazines! Having picked up the latest Piecework and Interweave Knits, I am poring over them with plans for what to knit over the coming winter, when I will definately need warm things, and I am looking forward to sampling some of the American yarns I can't get easily in the UK (eg cascade, berroco etc).
There are more yarn stores in the suburbs of Maryland and Virgina, I believe, but I have yet to venture that far - all in the weeks to come!
I didn't, in the end, pack much in the way of yarn and am kind of glad I didn't as the climate here is different; much, much warmer at the moment than London would be so actually I feel like knitting lighter, summery things still. I had some laceweight alpaca silk with me in deep red, and as I was also feeling short of cardigans and things to throw on during cooler evenings, I have started a feather and fan shrug, pattern from a free Ravelry link. A pic will follow. Thanks to A Looped Yarn for the bamboo circular which I am loving!
I am also in knitting magazine heaven here - at almost every bookstore and outlet I can buy any of a selection of 10-15 or so magazines! Having picked up the latest Piecework and Interweave Knits, I am poring over them with plans for what to knit over the coming winter, when I will definately need warm things, and I am looking forward to sampling some of the American yarns I can't get easily in the UK (eg cascade, berroco etc).
Thursday, 23 September 2010
On self-made September, oddness in knitting patterns, and the Rowan Project.
Self made September has had a 5 day hiatus, in part because I am trying to work out what I will need for 9 months in DC and have been “test-wearing” some things (only to be advised by an American friend today that nothing I own will be warm enough for the DC winter come January!), but also because I only have a couple of light, summer weight knitted things – it’s been mild here in London – and I was getting sick of them. Most of my knits are wool and just way too warm at the moment. It’s made me realise that I need to knit more:
a) Fine weight clothing, as that’s what I like to wear
b) Cotton, silks and bamboos, as these items are more versatile and, with central heating, can be worn through all seasons here in the UK anyway.
Self made September has also made me go through my knitted items and decide what to keep and what to chuck (along with everything else in my wardrobe – nothing like a massive change of lifestyle and an international move to make you reassess your wardrobe!). Sadly, several items are for the charity shop – the filet patch blouse (I hated it), the Carie Cropped Cardigan (not my colours, and I never wore it as it was too warm, but not long enough!), the Thick and Thin Cardigan Coat (didn’t fit well) and the fitted tee (one Noro sweater in a wardrobe is enough! And due to a washing incident it’s felted and so unfroggable). It was however strangely liberating to get rid of these knits, which used to look accusingly at me every time I opened my wardrobe door (why aren’t you wearing us?).
Making the grade are: Bridie, the Back to School U-Necked vest, Juliet, the Bed jacket, the Anthropolgie cropped cardigan, and the Garter Stitch Tunic. These are all well desgined, knit in colours I like, and usually in good quality yarns, except Juliet, knitted earlier on in my return to knitting, before I’d given myself over to luxury in quite the same way. Sadly, she is looking a little the worse for wear.
Which brings me to reflect on why knitting patterns are often so odd? The Filet patch blouse, for example, required one to seam up the sides, but then leave the rest, including the arms – i.e. no sleeve seams. Why??? Why would you have no sleeve seams? When I tried this, the blouse promptly slipped off the top of my body – not ideal if you’re walking down the high street – and just looked unfinished. In the photo for the pattern, it is not immediately obvious that there are no sleeve seams, and of course the model is standing still. I know designers are trying to be cutting edge and different, but please – design things that can be worn.
I have, on the suggestion of a friend/fellow knitting group member, decided to start on the Rowan Project, as seen on Ravelry – knit something from every Rowan mag. I don’t own every Rowan mag, but I do have some older ones, and so I will knit something from every Rowan mag I own; not necessarily in order, but possibly. I am starting with Bella, a lace scarf by Kim Hargreaves. This was the first Rowan mag I bought (on my first trip to Liberty), and also the first pattern I did, in 1996, not long after I first arrived in the UK from Australia. At the time I knitted it in Fine Chenille, as the pattern calls for. This yarn is long out of production, but I do have some hand painted Aracunia chenille in my stash, and have substituted this. It’s heavier, but in true Jared Flood style I like the effect it’s giving on 5.5 mm needles, rather than fine weight yarn on 3 ¼. I remember struggling with that scarf, and the chenille originally, and it is long lost now, but this time around the scarf has knitted up easily in a couple of days.
Photos coming soon.
a) Fine weight clothing, as that’s what I like to wear
b) Cotton, silks and bamboos, as these items are more versatile and, with central heating, can be worn through all seasons here in the UK anyway.
Self made September has also made me go through my knitted items and decide what to keep and what to chuck (along with everything else in my wardrobe – nothing like a massive change of lifestyle and an international move to make you reassess your wardrobe!). Sadly, several items are for the charity shop – the filet patch blouse (I hated it), the Carie Cropped Cardigan (not my colours, and I never wore it as it was too warm, but not long enough!), the Thick and Thin Cardigan Coat (didn’t fit well) and the fitted tee (one Noro sweater in a wardrobe is enough! And due to a washing incident it’s felted and so unfroggable). It was however strangely liberating to get rid of these knits, which used to look accusingly at me every time I opened my wardrobe door (why aren’t you wearing us?).
Making the grade are: Bridie, the Back to School U-Necked vest, Juliet, the Bed jacket, the Anthropolgie cropped cardigan, and the Garter Stitch Tunic. These are all well desgined, knit in colours I like, and usually in good quality yarns, except Juliet, knitted earlier on in my return to knitting, before I’d given myself over to luxury in quite the same way. Sadly, she is looking a little the worse for wear.
Which brings me to reflect on why knitting patterns are often so odd? The Filet patch blouse, for example, required one to seam up the sides, but then leave the rest, including the arms – i.e. no sleeve seams. Why??? Why would you have no sleeve seams? When I tried this, the blouse promptly slipped off the top of my body – not ideal if you’re walking down the high street – and just looked unfinished. In the photo for the pattern, it is not immediately obvious that there are no sleeve seams, and of course the model is standing still. I know designers are trying to be cutting edge and different, but please – design things that can be worn.
I have, on the suggestion of a friend/fellow knitting group member, decided to start on the Rowan Project, as seen on Ravelry – knit something from every Rowan mag. I don’t own every Rowan mag, but I do have some older ones, and so I will knit something from every Rowan mag I own; not necessarily in order, but possibly. I am starting with Bella, a lace scarf by Kim Hargreaves. This was the first Rowan mag I bought (on my first trip to Liberty), and also the first pattern I did, in 1996, not long after I first arrived in the UK from Australia. At the time I knitted it in Fine Chenille, as the pattern calls for. This yarn is long out of production, but I do have some hand painted Aracunia chenille in my stash, and have substituted this. It’s heavier, but in true Jared Flood style I like the effect it’s giving on 5.5 mm needles, rather than fine weight yarn on 3 ¼. I remember struggling with that scarf, and the chenille originally, and it is long lost now, but this time around the scarf has knitted up easily in a couple of days.
Photos coming soon.
Monday, 20 September 2010
Monday, 13 September 2010
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)