Knitting Pharm

Black and White, Knitter Style

For the past couple of years, I have greatly enjoyed ringing in the beginner bell choir at my church. As a little girl, I remember the great excitement I felt when the "old ladies" came to Sunday service to ring their bells.  I suppose now I'm one of them!

One of the things I don't enjoy is dressing for performance days. The traditional black-on-bottom-white-on-top wardrobe doesn't exactly ring my bell.

So as to not feel like a nameless, faceless, dressed-like-a-server bell ringer, I have found a compromise.

Black skirt.  White top.  Black Mary Janes.

And...

 

Rhiannon, by Cookie A.

Trekking XXL, one skein for each sock, worked toe up, Magic Loop with gusset and flap.  Omitted folded top and used all but inches of yarn.  Grafted bindoff.  Shapings reversed to mimic original pattern.

With thanks to the adorable knitter at Sock Summit, who wore her Rhiannons to the Sock Hop and totally inspired me.

Happy Hump Day!

The cutest of the buzzwords

In my capacity as a grown up (one who can't say no to volunteer positions, Committees and Boards), I have spent many a day with consultants.  Strategic Planners.  Coaches.  I do my best not to roll my eyes at talk of Mission Statements, Vision Statements, Deliverables, Action Items and the like.

My favourite consultant takes herself far less seriously than a lot of them, and encourages groups to think big.  Big goals, even if they're a stretch.  So if I may borrow the only buzzword I use in real life...

Ladies and gentlemen, the Big Hairy Audacious Goal:

Kelmscott, by Carol Sunday

Twist Collective Winter 2009

Photo © Caroline Bergeron

And a humble beginning:

Blue Moon Fiber Arts Woobu, Thraven colourway.

2009 Project Backlog, Post #3

Do I really need to keep numbering these?  It's a little shameful, watching the unblogged projects unfold before me.

Pattern of the Day is Little Miss Greenjeans, by Amy Swenson.  This is a little girl's version of the Knitty design from awhile back.  While written to be a cardigan, I made mine a v-neck pulli.  Yarn is O-Wool Balance (50% merino / 50% cotton, all delicious).

In a sign of my rapidly escalating habit, daughter the elder failed to even notice that I was knitting something in roughly her size, in exactly her favourite colour.

I now present to you the yellow sweater.

Happy Monday to all! 

2009 Project Backlog, Post #2

I've gone rogue.  In that Rogue Roses kind of way that can only be caused by a certain Harlot.

I have this thing about leaves and flowers pointing upwards, so working this brilliant pattern toe-up was a great switch for me.  I also started the pattern on the toe as soon as I had enough stitches, as well as adding it to the heel flap.

Rogue Roses, Stubborn Style!

Pattern by Stephanie Pearl-McPhee, yarn is STR mediumweight.  I love everything about these socks.  Everything.

2009 Project Backlog, Post #1

Did I mention that last summer I travelled to Portland, Oregon to be a part of the fabulous Sock Summit?

I thought so.

What I may not have shared was that I had the opportunity to audit a class, Creative Mosaic Knitting, with the fabulous Barbara Walker.

Having never tried these techniques, it was very illuminating to learn them from the woman who pioneered them.

The class was awesome, first we played around with a pre-drawn chart to get the mechanics of it, then she had us take pencil to graph paper and draw some mosaics of out own.

My favourite moment was when, after several minuted of feverish scratching, Barbara came to where I was sitting.  I proudly helpd up my creation and said, "I'm having a wonderful time over here drawing a mosaic for a new pair of socks!"  Barbara, in her gracious and quiet way, replied very calmly.

"Those are some pretty drawings dear, but you won't be able to knit any of them!"

I love her.  Then she spent another minute explaining the rules of mosaic motif making.  And I eventually came up with this:

 
Which then became these:

 
A pair, I promise, for my beloved Angela, Sock Summit roomie with the mostest.  Not only did she make me my favourite coffee each morning and bring it to me in bed, she was totally prepared to pull an  emergency all-nighter with me when my luggage (and teaching step-outs) took its vacation in Vancouver.  (It later arrived without incident.)

Here's to knitting friends both new and old!

I will blog more in 2010, post #1

2010 and I'm back to socks again.  It feels great!

I'm continuing to work my way through the Cookie A. book "Sock Innovation".  Thank goodness I had it coil bound at Staples, as it's been dragged around with me and held open to its brilliant charts nonstop.

This is my eighth pair from the book.  (I will try to back-blog some of the others, but make no promises, as they go back as far as last April.)

Vilai, from Sock Innovation.  Cascade Heritage sock yarn purchased from the Knitting Experience Cafe in Brunswick, Maine last spring.  Cuff down, Magic Loop on 2.5 mm needle.

As with all Cookie patterns, this one's well thought out and challenging enough to command your attention without driving you batty.  I highly recommend it.  And for a pattern this intricate, I think a "flat" solid yarn is just the ticket.  For the price, it can't be beat.  The only disadvantage is that it's a bit unforgiving when frogged, but those imperfections wash out right away.

 

Happy Cookie New Year to all!