sneak peek

a few things I'm working on...

A Touch of Lace

During the past few months, I've been busy in the studio dreaming up designs that would be simple, fast, and unintimidating to knit because personally, I start to shy away from larger projects when the weather warms.  And with the warm spell having hit the East Coast rather quickly this year, my focus has been on lace.  While I find lace intimidating at times, I just love the beauty of those eyelets.

So the result is my first eBook, "A Touch of Lace".  It's three designs that are just a little lacy, but are all quick accessories.  Have a look at the preview here:

The Hedren Tam, Kelly Socks and Novak Shawl are all named after Hitchcock blondes, as I'm sure you've guessed.  My parents were huge Hitchcock fans, and I remember only showing vague interest in these "old-timer" movies.  But, I'll never forget when I caught a glimpse of Kim Novak in Vertigo wearing that gray suit.  Omigod - I had never seen a woman quite as classy as that before or since then.  And who could ever forget Hitchcock's perfect angle, shot and slow-down of Grace Kelly leaning in to kiss Jimmy Stewart awake in Rear Window.  She was like an angel incarnate.  Anyway, those women definitely made a huge impact on my female ideal.  I hope that some of their elegance and grace shines through my designs.  I imagine that maybe, just maybe, they would have worn these knits between scenes or off camera.

How awesome is Hitch?!  While Ingrid Bergman is definitely one of my favorites, "Bergman" just didn't make the cut.  I'll have to do a Hitchcock brunettes collection.

Pieces of you

When I was younger, I would sit in my room doodling with my fluorescent Stabilo markers.  The shape of the markers themselves were enough for me to choose them over any other brand.  A mystery to my father who would sneak plain-barreled, boring, old highlighters home only to be met with my disapproving gaze as I shook my head.  Oh no, they had to be Stabilo Boss markers.

I loved those things. I saved up months and months worth of allowance for a whole set made up of all the colors in a fluorescent rainbow.  Then, I remember moving onto Paint Markers.  I was on the Prop Design team in elementary school, and the volunteer mother brought in a bunch of these Uni Paint markers.  Of course, all in fluorescents.  It felt like my entire world shifted.  These were opaque wonders of magic.  I could use these markers and draw on anything.  The brightness of the colors kept their integrity!  They didn't soak through the material!

When all of my overused paint markers dried up, and their tips looks more like feather dusters than pointed nibs, I found... Puffy Paint.  I think they call it "dimensional fabric paint" now.  But it used to come in these crazy looking plastic bottles that you could squeeze down like an accordion.  I begged my mother for high-top black Converse sneakers, and went to town on them.  I got all the fluorescent puffy paint I could get my greedy little hands on, as well as some metallic glitter colors and doodled all over my brand new sneakers.  (Since my brother had just cut my hair into what I could only describe as some sort of modified winged-mohawk, my mother was far from surprised.)

Anyway, it was shortly thereafter I came across Keith Haring.  My mind was blown.  His energetic, simple and tribal artwork captivated me.  It was fun and provocative.  And, it looked like my Converse sneakers!!  (OK, to me it did.)  But I thought, "Omigod - we were meant to be!!"  Since this was before the internet, I was a bit baffled as to how I could find out more about this person... this simpatico.  Slowly, I started to find out a few tidbits.  I found out much of his art could be seen in the subways since he graffiti'ed.  He was friends with Madonna.  He went to SVA.  (I made a mental note to apply to SVA when I was in high school.)  I had to be an artist like him.  I had to be on the streets doing my thing, like he was.  He was just across the river in NYC, and I had to meet him.  I just knew we would be inseparable; we would be BFFs.

Of course, that never came to pass.  He passed away in 1990.  I was a junior in high school. I was deeply saddened.  I talked to my Open Studio Art teacher - the only one I knew who would understand - and she gave me this advice:  keep doing what he has inspired you to do and you will feel better.  So, I did the only thing I knew.  I painted all the walls in my bedroom with his dancing men,

crawling babies,

and pulsating hearts.  (Again, my mother was not surprised.)

It's been years since I've thought about him and the impact he had made on me. (SVA was the first application I ordered when I started applying to colleges.  And, my first term paper in college was entitled, "Graffiti is Art".)  But, I was reminded as I walked through the Brooklyn Museum's show of his work from 1978-82.

It's nice to walk down memory lane, piecing together the things that make you who you are today. 

Favorites

It takes a while for me to warm up to the idea of Spring.  I love Winter, and what comes with the crisp, cold weather.  But I can never deny the brightening and lightening I feel when the air starts to smell grassy, the breeze is soft and warm, and everyone seems just a little happier. 

My absolute favorite part about Spring is the idea of throwing on a cardigan and flats instead of a shearling and boots, and waltzing right out the door.  I love how easy it is to get-up-and-go with warm weather.  And instead of piling on all my hand knits, I love deciding which favorite piece I'll use to take away the little bit of nip left in the air. 

That "favorite piece" is what I kept in mind when designing for Brooklyn Tweed's Spring Thaw Collection.  I wanted each design to stand out on its own and to be worn with just a shirt and jeans, or that awesome cotton dress you forget you have by the end of every winter.

The perfect cardigan is essential for every season - something for early morning dog walks, windy ferry rides and late-night stargazing on the beach.  With all that daydreaming, the Exeter cardigan came to mind.  I love the easiness of it unbuttoned, and the more structured feel it takes on when it is buttoned up.

I'll be throwing on Polar and the Hege Mitts as there is always a bit of a nip in the air, especially if you live in a windy city or by the river.

The stranded, fair isle knits I designed are truly meant to be unintimidating and perfect for those just starting out in colorwork.  They're all knit in the round, and the Polar hat is such a quick knit in Shelter.  A one-day knit if you've dedicated yourself to the couch on the weekend.

Oslo and Kildare are perfect to keep in my bag and throw on if I'm coming home a little late in the evening when the temperatures have dropped.

Oslo is great fun; the buttons at each end are meant to simply close up the tube.  But you can wrap it around and button one end to the other and make a cowl.

And Forester was definitely something a little different for me.  I've always liked marled knits and how it reminds me of the covers of composition notebooks I used in grade school.  But, I realized I had never actually bought one, or made one for myself.  So, I was a little nervous when I started playing around with the idea - would I actually like it?  It turns out I liked it.  And, I still like it a lot.  It was fast to knit, and I think it's turned out to be one of my favorite sweaters.  And what you can't see in the photos is the texture of the fabric that holding two strands of Shelter together.  It's so much more lightweight than you think, and after blocking it the sponginess is so cushy and comfy, you're never going to want to take it off. 

For me, it's the perfect sweater I'll be throwing on over my leggings after a long week, grabbing a glass of wine, sitting out on the terrace, tucking my knees up under and looking out onto the Manhattan skyline.

I hope you enjoy these designs as much I had daydreaming about them.  Now that I have my favorites, I'm ready for Spring!

Q is for Quince

I remember having a sweet illustrated alphabet when I was little, and the Q stood for Quince.  I never knew what it was, and my usually curious mind never bothered to find its meaning.  I never thought much about the word until, what feels like ages ago, rumors started to spread about a "Pam-Allen yarn".  Of course, I squealed (internally) and immediately tried to find as much information about it as possible. 

When I found out the new company's name would be Quince & Co., I was intrigued.  (Since having my illustrated alphabet, I had found out that Quince was a fruit, but nothing more than that.)

What I didn't know about Quinces is that they are resistant to frost and must have a cold spell in order to flower properly.  Well if that isn't the perfect name for a yarn company, I don't know what it is!

Luckily, I've been able to work with their yarn and today they released a design I created with their Osprey yarn.  I had such a great time playing around with their yarns. Osprey is so unbelievably soft, it just glides right through your fingers.  I was drawn to Osprey in particular, because I had been working with so much Fingering and Worsted weight yarns, that something bulky really caught my eye.  What I also love about Osprey is even though it's bulky, I didn't feel like I was lifting weights while I was knitting.  The yarn is very light despite it's gauge, and the resulting fabric has a lovely drape.

When I started swatching for Wickerwork, I had an inkling of what I wanted to do.  A garment, for sure.  Something simple with that little twist of Pam Allen (y'all know what I'm talking about), feminine but not overly girly, and finally the necessary dash of New England - all things I associate with Quince & Co.  The first swatch I made, was the stitch pattern I went with.  I can't tell you how unusual that is.  It usually takes a little time to get used to a yarn and how it behaves.  And more time to get a sense of what types of stitches look good.  And even more time to figure out what needle size and gauge work.  But I clicked with this yarn right out of the gate.  We just meshed.

Once the sketch and swatch were approved, it was onto the actual garment.  I hem'ed and haw'ed about what color I wanted to use, and ultimately left the decision up to Pam.  She chose Honey, and I don't think there's a more perfect color for this design.

First of all, is that not the most perfect name for that color?!  I love it!  It makes the stitch pattern really stand out, and the color is so much fun and unusual without being jarring or obnoxious.  I think you'd also be surprised how complimentary this color is on a number of skin tones.  Seriously.  I didn't believe it at first either.

Anyway, I really meant for this design to be accessible.  I think it will look great on a number of different body types.  I truly hope you enjoy Wickerwork.  And definitely give Osprey a try.  You'll fall in love!

Madrona

The Madrona Fiber Arts Festival starts this week and I'm so sad to be missing it.  I hem'ed and haw'ed over whether or not to go and decided not to when I tried signing up for classes and was way too late to get anything I wanted, along with a hotel room.  Next year, I'll have to be much more vigilant.  When I made my futile attempts at signing up 20 minutes after registration opened, I was thwarted.  I had heard this was a crazy one, and they were so right!

Churchmouse will be there, of course, and their booth will be chock full of Brooklyn Tweed Shelter and Loft.  If any of you are going, take some pic for me!  Churchmouse has also posted some lovely pictures on their site of their latest Brooklyn Tweed samples and displays.  I believe all of it will be at their booth.  They have samples from our Fall Collection and Loft's debut collection.

I just love Churchmouse's aesthetic, don't you?  A little Jane Austen, a little Alice in Wonderland. 

And look!  My Pei cowl is hanging out of the front of the trunk!  Wouldn't it be great if they knit it in every color of Loft?  Just sayin'.

Hineri

Years ago, I met Olga online during a KAL.  I cannot consider myself luckier.  She is not only a prolific and successful designer, but I find her viewpoint and expression to be genius.  Her modern sensibilities are steeped with Japanese simplicity, but still somehow maintain a beautiful sense of tradition.  Obviously, I am a huge fan.  And so flattered to be able to call her a friend.

When I needed a quick knit for a friend's birthday present, I cast-on for Hineri, a free pattern from Olga.  It's gloriously quick to knit and has just enough twist to make it eye-catching.

I used the prescribed yarn, Rowan Cocoon.  While mohair isn't my favorite, I appreciate the added halo it gives ordinary wool.

Now, let's hope it gets cold enough for my friend to enjoy wearing it.

Topiary

Topiary is one of the pieces I designed for Brooklyn Tweed's Fall Collection.  It was the debut collection for the Design Team, so the four pieces I designed will always have a special place in my heart.  But, this shawl really exceeded all of my expectations.  I loved designing it.  I loved knitting it - it is an easy to remember stitch pattern, but keeps you interested simultaneously.  And most of all, I love the finished shawl.

Well, it's always a thrill to find out others feel the same about something you hold so dearly.  Vogue Knitting gives a shout-out to Topiary in their latest issue!

Trunk Show

The Brooklyn Tweed Fall pieces are traveling the country!  They're making appearances at the flagship stores which are sprinkled nicely across the US.  This past week, they were hanging out at Purl Soho. 

The Fall pieces were split into two shows - neutrals and brights.  Purl Soho, no surprise, got the neutrals.  Most of my pieces were part of this showing, so I had to go down and snap a few shots.

I didn't realize how much I missed these knits!  I did a quick little trot to the back table of the store and whispered a little, "Girlfriends!  I've missed you!"  They looked nice and cared for, and shined a bit being on display.  I think they like the attention.

While I was there, a few customers cuddled with them and looked adoringly upon them.  It was really nice to see them loved by others.

Rizzoli

Growing up across the Hudson in New Jersey, I was lucky enough to have NYC just a train ride away.  By the time I was a senior in high school, I was cutting school more than I was going and it was primarily to spend the day in "The City".  I would take my measly few dollars, hit Unique Boutique and Antique Boutique, and then stroll down towards Keith Haring's Pop Shop in Soho before heading over to Washington Square Park to sit on the bench and keep an eye out for black squirrels who'd knife me for my McDonald's fries if I didn't keep my wits about me.  (They're vicious, I tell ya.) 

Occasionally, I'd wander to the other side of the tracks and stroll down West Broadway.  It was pure window-shopping heaven.  The most memorable for me was Rizzoli Bookstore.  Whenever I had time, I always made it a point to go and check out the latest art books.  It was a beautiful bookstore and carried even more beautiful books inside.  Rizzoli's eventually closed their West Broadway location, a sign of the times for the neighborhood.  But, I never stopped thinking about how that store opened up a world to me.  Flipping through the books of art, artists, fashion and designers, I was temporarily transported out of my small suburban life into the glamorous life of creation.

A friend of mine had sent a clueless me a congratulatory e-mail on making it into the Vogue Knitting book.  I had no idea what she was talking about.  When I realized it was a Rizzoli book... one of those coffee table "arty" books, I nearly fell off my chair with shock. 

I ordered one and did a little whoopwhoop when I found my design, the Cabled Swing Poncho.

It's been 22 years since I starting cutting school and sneaking into The City.  Time really flies when you're having fun.

Sheep

I'd like to stop and say thank you to all the Sheep out there.  Without them, we'd be left cold and without any decent yarn.

I'm sad when I hear someone is allergic to wool.  I don't know of anything more satisfying to knit. I love the natural elasticity which is impossible to imitate.  The slight bit of "grease" that naturally repels water.  I even enjoy picking vegetable matter out of roving and yarn, knowing that means it hasn't been overly processed.

My appreciation and growing obsession of sheep was fed by my visit to the Sheep & Wool Festival in Rhinebeck this past October.  The vendor booths made my head spin with their colorful displays of yarn and roving, but the stalls full of sheep is what captivated me.

Sheep are notoriously docile, but I didn't appreciate it until I met them in person.  I approached a ewe in her stall and went to pet her on the head between the eyes.  I didn't know what to expect.  Maybe she'd nip me.  Maybe she'd back away. 

Instead, she just closed her eyes and raised her head to meet my hand.  I could swear she was smiling.  And, she had me at hello.

As I walked around all the booths, I was determined to find some wool I had never heard of before.  I stumbled upon the Spirit Trail Fiberworks booth (new to me, but a favorite amongst knitters) and picked up some roving donated by the North Ronaldsay sheep from Scotland.  I had never heard of this breed and ran home to do a little research.

These amazing sheep are from the North Ronaldsay island which is part of the Orkney Islands.  It is the northernmost island in all of Scotland, so these sheep have wool very close to Shetland and Icelandic sheep.  They have a soft downy wool, with guard hairs (coarse protective hairs) mixed in.  The most interesting fact, to me, is that they primarily live off of seaweed.  Yes, seaweed.  I couldn't believe it. 

I also stumbled upon a video featuring Deborah Robson talking about this breed as part of the Interweave SpinKnit Fall 2011 issue:

All this love of wool had me curious about the actual process of shearing sheep.  I kept missing the demonstration at the Sheep & Wool Festival, so I pulled up the ever-handy youtube and found this video.  I'm totally hypnotized:

I'll leave you with a picture of the Babydoll Sheep.  They're about the same size as a mid-sized dog and can help you weed your lawn!  I don't have a lawn... but I want a Babydoll!  

Happy Thanksgiving!  This year I'm especially thankful there's a turkey on the dinner table, and not lamb.

Weekend Inspiration

I love the Mark Darcy pic at the bottom!

Choices

I recently made the choice to up-end my life.  I resigned from my day job working in IT at an international law firm, and left a career I had been building for 16 years.  It was sudden, but something I had fantasized about for quite some time.  I'm pleased to announce that I'm forging ahead as a freelance hand knitwear designer.  Scared?  Yes.  Happy?  Hell, yeah.  But like most change, it wasn't easy.  And like most good decisions, it was a frightening one to make.

The reality is that I lost my appetite.  I went to work every day (mostly) and sat there waiting for the hours to pass.  The passion was gone.  (Although, I don't know if it was ever there.)  I didn't strive to do better.  I didn't want to learn more.  I didn't want any attention in case that meant more work.  And, it wasn't any way to live.

So when I had the nerve to give it all up, I did.

I'm coming to the end of my first week of liberation.  And my mind is slowly coming around to the idea that I'm not on a vacation, but that this is my new life.  I still have a lot of things to work out, like a schedule and a budget.  (What's that?!)  But, it feels good to be an active participant in my own life.  I had let things happen to me for far too long.

Whenever the feeling of panic starts to well up, I just turn around and feast my eyes on my new life.

I'd like to make a toast: here's to living life, making the hard choice but the right decision.  Cheers!

LOFT

This morning, Brooklyn Tweed announced LOFT, the fingering-weight cousin to SHELTER.  I am simply beaming with pride.  Aside from a memorable afternoon of hem’ing and haw’ing over colors, I had very little to do with the actual yarn.  But I have had the pleasure of continuing my design work with BT for this collection and couldn’t be more pleased with the results.

I remember waiting not-so-patiently for LOFT to arrive at my door so that I could begin swatching.  When it finally arrived, I remember thinking how it really did resemble SHELTER.  Seriously.  It’s just thinner.  And just like SHELTER, it had a tremendous range.  

When I first swatched with SHELTER, I went straight for the US 7’s.  Then realized, that I could probably go up to 9’s, so I swatched in both 8’s and 9’s.  The resulting fabric in all of the swatches wasn’t identical even though they looked similar.  They felt quite different from one another.  The 9 swatch had more drape in the hand, but visibly you couldn’t really tell.  It was like a dream!

As hand knitters, we become obsessed achieving GAUGE.  But we only focus on the number.  How many stitches and rows am I getting to the inch?  Rarely, do we think about the feeling of the fabric we’re creating.  Sometimes I get gauge, but the fabric feels stiff, dense and almost bulletproof.  Not something I’m usually going for in a sweater or hat.  The fabric’s feel, its hand, is just as important as those numbers.  And that’s one of the main reasons I absolutely love working with SHELTER and now LOFT.

With LOFT, I swatched on US 1’s and went all the way up to 6’s.  All of the swatches yielded fabrics that were stable and usable.  The range really blew my mind.  The Edie sweater was knit on 5’s, and made such a beautiful fabric.  It hugs the body, but doesn’t cling. 

© Brooklyn Tweed/Jared Flood

And after blocking?  Total dream.  The yarn feels like fleece - soft, fluffy goodness.

For the Jaffrey hats, the size that worked for me was a size US 3.  It gave the twisted stitches just the right spring and elasticity without making it feel stiff or too loose. 

© Brooklyn Tweed/Jared Flood

The fabric had body with just a little drape, and that was exactly what I was trying to achieve.

And when I initially cast-on for the Pei cowl, I used size US 4.  I didn’t want the lace pattern too “lacey”.  Since it was going to be a cowl, I didn’t want it to be flimsy.  (Maybe that’s a better word.)  But, I overshot using size 4’s.  The lace edging was a little stiff.  And I did want it airy, not lifeless.  By going up to size 5’s, I was able to achieve a slight gauziness to the stockinette part, but also retain a bit of body to the lace edge. 

© Brooklyn Tweed/Jared Flood

Pei was the last design to be knit, and at this point I was thoroughly convinced LOFT was the only yarn that could achieve the desired effect for all of my designs.

I hope you’ve had a chance to check out LOFT's Look Book.  It has 72 pages full of beautiful photos, a signature of Brooklyn Tweed.  The gorgeous Color Stories will sure to mesmerize and inspire you.  Enjoy and happy November!

Texture

I love the word texture.  It's one of those rare words that sounds like what it means.  To me, texture has meant cables, purl bumps and raised twisted stitches.  Those elements give hand knitters an infinite combination of stitches to create beautifully textured knitted fabric.  But what if all the texture is in the yarn?

Before I started spinning, I would barely glance at thick 'n thin yarns or (gasp!) novelty yarns.  But now that I've started spinning and have finally been able to achieve a consistency with my yarns, I find myself very curious about all those other techniques.  Now, my hands dip into those baskets with Knit Collage yarn, wondering how on earth it's created.  Why does this yarn look so different from all the others?  How did they get that silk flower in there?

Lo and behold, Purl Soho was offering an Advanced Spinning class.  My questions were about to be answered!  I signed up, and last Tuesday night I felt like a beginner all over again.  My very patient teacher kept throwing out advice, tips and hints about each technique (bless her heart).  I was slowly starting to catch on when class ended.  So I rushed home to keep practicing.  My frustration and denial was at an all-time high when I finally admitted to myself that I needed a bulky flyer.  I ran back down to Purl Soho and picked one up.  Then, bee-lined it home and attached that big bad boy to my Ladybug.

My OCD kicked into high-gear, and I've been practicing all the different techniques I learned in class around the clock.

Obviously, a lot more time needs to be invested.

On the left is my attempt at Corespinning - the main reason I took the class.  I love the little cocoon slubs you get with this technique.  I assumed it was just clumps of roving in certain spots.  Boy, was I wrong.  As "luck" would have it, I had the toughest time with this technique.

The purple monster in the middle is my idea of the technique called Candy Stripeing.  It's almost like plying, so not so bad.

Last, but not least, Thick n' Thin.  You spend all this time when you first learn to spin to achieve consistency with your yarn.  All those clumps were ripped out, and pounds of roving wasted.  Now, it's wanted.  Of course, it's not a matter of undoing what you've learned.  There is a certain technique to this as well.  I was not amused, but I think I finally got the gist of it.  And, by the way, it's a total fiber hog.  You can fill up a bobbin in 3 minutes flat.

Class No. 2 is Tuesday night.  We'll be plying.  I'm not sure what more could be done to this fiber, so stay tuned. 

Counting Sheep

Since I started spinning, I've been looking at fiber in a whole new light.  What used to be wool is now BFL, Merino, Shetland or Wensleydale.  Once you start spinning and develop likes and dislikes, it's only natural to begin looking into the different fibers you've spun and others you might enjoy or stay away from.  It has been a blast experimenting with the different fibers out there.

It starts out quite broad.  For example, I pretty much know I enjoy spinning most animal fiber.  Silk?  Not so much.  I can see how that's going to be an acquired taste.  I haven't bothered with cotton or linen yet.  That just looks hard.  And within all the different animal fibers, I've realized that I will pretty much like any wool but may never spin alpaca again.  It was nice, soft, silky, and not difficult to spin but the hairs got everywhere and I can't say the final result was more interesting than any yarn I could buy.

My first go was with some Bluefaced Leicester, aka "BFL".  I was just starting out and after all the cursing and swearing was over, I enjoyed that wool quite a bit.  Then, I moved onto Corriedale.  I bought some from the Louet site and had read that it was "easy to spin".  I enjoyed this too.  Next was Shetland.  Not my favorite.  It's a bit rough and not the best thing for beginners.  I'll have to revisit that one in the future.

Just as my obsession with wool and sheep (do you know how many shearing videos are on youtube?!) was growing, uncontrollably, I walked into Knitty City last week and wouldn't you know it... two sheep farmers from Upstate New York were about to make a presentation about their flocks.  I couldn't believe my luck.

Cecilia Tkaczyk and Virginia Scholomiti, two neighboring farmers, were kind enough to share their experiences.  Cecilia breeds Jacob sheep and Virginia breeds Wensleydale and Teeswater sheep.  Two completely different types sheep.  They brought a lot of their yarns, handspun and millspun for us to touch, feel and buy.  But what caught my attention was the big pile of Jacob roving, light and airy.  Since Jacob sheep are spotted, the roving is naturally multi-colored.

Between every task and with every spare moment, I sat down to spin up the Jacob wool.  What a delight!  I was able to try the long-draw drafting technique.  After playing around with the alpaca, I was really thirsty for something not so dense, with a lot of air and fluff.  I definitely got it with the Jacob.  I can't wait to knit with it... perhaps a cowl?

To help my obsession along, I also ran out (actually ran to my desk to get online) and bought "The Fleece & Fiber Sourcebook".  That has been my bedside reading for the past few nights.  Perfect for counting sheep.

To unwind, I spin.

Wool People, Vol. I

The cat's out of the bag!  I've been bursting at the seams to blog about the exciting opportunity to work with Jared Flood's company Brooklyn Tweed and his yarn, SHELTER.  Months ago, Jared contacted me via e-mail to see if I would be interested in such a thing.  To see if I would be INTERESTED?!?!  Before I could regain my composure, I did a snoopy dance of excitement, ran up to yell the good news to my husband (so confused, poor thing) and ran back down to sit in front of my laptop to reply.  It took all of my willpower to write something that didn't make me sound like a:

1.  Stalker
2.  Desperate-o
3.  Drooling idiot.

As things progressed and I started to think about what I would design, my thoughts shot all over the place.  Immediately, I thought cables.  This yarn just screams cables.  And then I thought, it would have to be an accessory, a cowl or tam of some sort.  Then, it was a jacket - tweed calls for a jacket, right?  Right?!  I was slowly losing it, and losing a lot of sleep.

Then, I started to inquire and learned about some of the other knitters who would be taking part in this project.  I don't think I have ever felt so insecure in my life.  I kept thinking that the company I would be in would surely dwarf any attempt at a design I could conjure up.

I sketched and swatched and slowly I realized I had to approach this design in a totally different way.  I had been used to being inspired by a yarn, or something I had seen on someone on the street.  I would just go and grab a yarn from my stash, and swatch away.  With SHELTER, I was not only representing myself and my thoughts on knitwear, but a company - Brooklyn Tweed.  I wanted not only my aesthetic to come through, but also what the company has always stood for, and what the yarn represented.  I suppose some artists would think that would be a compromise of their creative integrity.  For me, it was a way to focus my creative energy and conversely create outside of my usual box.  My boundaries and horizons had to shift.

So I made a list of what I thought were the similarities between Brooklyn Tweed and me.  This is what I came up with:

1.  Wearable
2.  Complimentary to a variety of sizes and figures
3.  Unintimidating to knit
4.  Fun to knit.

Voila, the Perry Cardigan was born. 

Since I had immediately thought of cables, I wanted to do something more unexpected, so I went with lace.  

 And since I immediately thought of something thick, dense and substantial, I wanted to make sure it was light and airy - again, something unexpected for this yarn.

I really love this cardigan.  It's nothing earth-shattering design-wise, but I think it's something that will turn into a favorite - the one you grab to run errands, meet friends on the weekend, or keep in your office to fight off that chill.

I hope you like it, and I hope you enjoy knitting it should you choose to.  I think I'll have to make one for myself in Sweatshirt - a great SHELTER gray.

Dabbling with color

I love using socks, baby sweaters and gifts as a way to knit with color I otherwise wouldn't use.  Yes, I love neutrals.  Yes, I'm made fun of by most of the people I know.  So when the occasional bright color(s) catches my eye (and literally falls off the shelf into my hands), the unending commentary from my buddies at Knitty City start swirling about.  "Wow, what are YOU going to use that for?"  "You're finally branching out!"  "It's about time - give up those grays!"  Most of the time, I don't have the heart to tell them it's for someone other than myself.  But here it goes:  those two skeins of Plaid Blanket I bought?  It was for a baby sweater.

My friend had a baby boy a few months ago, so I thought an Autumn sweater in Madelinetosh's Plaid Blanket colorway was appropriate.  The seemingly random colors in Plaid Blanket remind me of autumn leaves and come together perfectly.  I loved watching the colors go by as I knit away.  If you're madelinetosh-o-philes like myself, I just whispered the colors to myself as they slid over my fingers: glazed pecan, lettuce leaf, nebula, tern.  At least those are the colorways I saw combined in this beautiful yarn.

I followed the Gramps Cardigan pattern by Kate Oates.  It's a great little pattern with a wide size range.  But, in my humble opinion, the colors in the yarn really makes the little sweater sing.