Hand Knitting Blog & Knitting Patterns
This is one of our clan’s favorite hats. It is a simple, satisfyingly quick knit and fits a lot of different head sizes, and personalities. Best of all it doesn’t take a lot of yarn so its a pretty good stash buster. The body of the hat takes less than 125 yds of bulky weight yarn, and the pompoms only add another 20 or so. I’m having a hard time finding my youthful goddess models, so I have to scarily make do with myself!
Happy Thanksgiving!
Eat lots of pie!
Do you read Clara Parkes? The wunderkind behind the original intersection of the nets and handwork, Knitters Review? She’s got a new book out, The Knitter’s Book of Wool that I love, (as you see Leelee does too). Clara’s musings are as delightful and sensuous as the best food writers, only her subject is Wool, with a capitol W. She takes you through the topic, from the anatomy of the fiber, the process of turning fiber to yarn, through the pastures of sheep and the different fleeces they grow, to dying and blending and plying, topped off with a great selection of patterns.
On Saturday, my fiber-road-pal, Astrig and I made the journey to String Theory, a yarn shop in Blue Hill, Maine, which hosted a book signing with the esteemed Ms. Parks. What a nice time it was. First of all the shop is delightful – warm, comfortable and colorful – located in a historic house brightly painted yellow with red trim. Owners Karen and Tanis are artists and the creators of String Theory Yarns, a wide range of brilliantly colored yarns dyed in small batches in their homes. The shop is loaded with a their signature yarns as well as a wide assortment of other yarns from around the world. The snug back room, houses books and cozy seating for reading, relaxing and knitting.
Adding to this wonderful environment was Clara, sparkling with wit. She brought a sweet round wicker basket which sprung open, popping out armloads of sample garments. Now Clara’s book has lovely photographs by Alexandra Grablewski, but in real-life the items are even more beautiful – irresistable, astonishing! We compared the same patterns using different fiber yarns, finding our preference was usually an individual choice, based on what we’d use the garment for in our own lives. Very interesting and thought provoking…tempting me with spinning again. (wait, don’t stop there…raising sheep!) Clara’s knowledge of the subject is encyclopedic, though she shares it in a low key, relaxed way punctuated with wryly amusing stories. And she’s a mimic! Ha! So funny!
I hope to cross paths with Clara again, and envy those who are participating in her Knitter’s Review Retreat this week. String Theory has a knitting group every Saturday, so I’m hoping to join in sometime soon. See you there!
May I sing the praises of Ravely? Where else does one meet friendly knitters and fiber folks on a daily basis, at your finger tips? I recently “met” the incomparable Deb Robson, she of Nomad Press, Spin Off, Interweave Press, woman for all seasons really, editor, artist, designer, knitter, spinner, author…holy cow…she does it all.
When Deb learned that I lost almost all my books in a house fire, an event she could personally relate to; she lost over a 1,000 books in a flood several years ago; she generously offered to help restock my book stash with almost the whole collection of Nomad Press Books! So generous, I got teary, and when I opened the box of books…a big gulp of gratitude. What gems these books are.
Three are by the grand dame of traditional knitting, Priscilla Gibson-Roberts. Two which had burned: Simple Socks and Knitting in the Old Way, the new and improved edition; a must in every knitting library, I’m so happy to have them again! New to me is Spinning in the Old Way…oh dear…drop spindle joy, described in detail… another spinning temptress that one…
Discovery! Exploration! These books just shout out my kind adventure. Two titles in a series called Ethnic Knitting, by Donna Druchunas, covering knitting traditions from around the globe, they’re especially well written, with scholarly introductions followed by clear and inspiring how-tos. Earlier this year Nomad Press had an online blog “book tour”,which you can still follow for a further look. The only book in my gift box not pictured above, is Donna’s book Arctic Lace, which a friend persuaded me to lend to her. I was reluctant because of the book’s ‘light your lace knitting on fire mojo’ and it’s travelogue element as Donna delves into the history of Native Alaskan knitting and describes what’s happening today. I wanted to read it on the spot, needles in hand! I relented because I heard you can’t put it down once you start it, and I have several projects I should be knitting…not reading…so now there are only 5 new books to distract me.
Thank You Deb!
I always like to have a pretty hat for hunting season. I don’t hunt but I walk in the woods, and here in Maine you can be ticketed if you’re not wearing 2 items of Blaze Orange. I’ve been inspired to cable since taking Annie Modesitt’s Cable Mania class. I hope to finish this hat this morning, for my trek up Bald Rock at noon.
…Trouble is, I’m distracted by Breton Food…a friend is coming over to make Galettes … and we’ve included a few more guests, so I decided to make Far Breton for desert in addition to the planned Apple Pie…and well, fearful there won’t be enough food, and since galettes are a sort of “hurry up and wait” kind of food – one-at-a-time cooking – I’ve got a leg of lamb in the oven, baking with hard cider for 7 hours.
Never…I never overcompensate!
Living proof that chainsaw wielding, brush clearing men will sport tasseled caps and caps with cute animals knitted into them. My husband always rolls his hats up if they are not meant to be folded, or does not fold them if they should be. After 20 years I’ve never perfected the hat he will wear as intended, they require his personal tweaks.
Yesterday’s stellar weather had us cleaning up some seaside land in preparation for our friend’s new project. The cute little camp is sadly beyond repair, though we salvaged the shutters for a little fence…I wanted the curtains, dotted red and 60’s stripes, but they fell apart on touch.
And what did another friend bring for lunch? Durian….stinky but good….if a little surprising!
Today? Snow!
