In the presence of greatness….

Now some are die-hard fans, and some are not. And that’s just fine. There’s something for everyone I always say!

I don’t know if I am a die-hard fan, per se, but I do think that hanging out and listening to those extraordinary people who think seriously outside the box (ok – on another plane completely!) will certainly increase the odds that my brain will be stretched severely, and like a rubber band, it will never quite be the same size. And I think that brain stretching is a very good thing!

And so it was that last Tuesday when I went to hear color knitter and quilter extraordinaire, Kaffe Fassett, give his "Kaleidoscope of Colour" lecture. My brain was so stretched that I’m afraid I can’t really tell you what he said exactly. Unfortunately I don’t regurgitate lengthy lectures very well. It is more what I recall feeling and seeing, bits and pieces with blasts of intense color from the slide show images, that still, even a week later, pop in and out of my mind without warning! Ultimately, what I did take away from it all is that there are no absolutely rules to color combining, and that color theory should be damned! DD1, my own resident decorator, would be horrified at his irreverence of color theory usage I’m sure! The other lesson is to become more observant about the colors in our surroundings. Most of what Kaffe does comes from the environments he visits, which he then translates in to the colourful textiles he is known for.

I know that I am not remotely so bold as to use the unbelievable number of colors that Kaffe Fassett does in his garments and quilts, and even in his sitting room at home (there’s a sight for you to take in if you can find a picture of it!)! But I do know that since that lecture my eyes are busily seeking bright and unusual color combinations wherever I look.

Do I want to wear these wild colors combinations – no, not really. His sweater combo’s are a bit too much of an attention getter for even for me! I prefer more gentle mixed hues. But I like to be aware of how color can work un-expectedly together, and even if on a more subtle note, ensure that I do not pass by a combination just because it is outside of my usual color box. It is interesting to note however, that although Kaffe is mostly well known for his bright color work, he has a strong affinity for working in tone on tone, in particular, the greys and neutrals found in stone work, and left to his own devices without heeding any specified customer demands, he will often work in that color palette to exclusion of all others. I feel somewhat vindicated in my feelings for gentler color mixing. Still, I will never look at bright (some would say gaudy!) color mixes quite the same way again.

In an interesting coincidence, I was visiting my Aunt in the Eastern Townships a week earlier and had zipped in to the LYS in Sutton, PQ and snagged two balls of Regia sock yarn, and discovered later that they were part of the new Kaffe Fassett color line. Apparently my feet don’t have the same concerns about wearing a cacophony of riotous color that the rest of me does! See what I mean:

I did have a couple of tangible takeaways

from my wondrous evening of color – signed copies of Fassett's latest book:

And of course, I needed to have Fassett’s famous student, and textile designer in his own right, Brandon Mably’s book, signed of course, which I actually think I may use more for inspiration of actual items to knit, as they are much closer to my own tastes.

So that was the stellar start to my week of fibre-y over-load! Next instalment – Creativ Festival 2009!

Knit on……….

Sock it to me, baby!

Finally a picture – I’m rapidly moving past last weeks sock impairment challenges, and have completed enough pairs for a good photo shoot.

I’ve been eager to eat up some stash sock yarn too, before that Susan and I head off to the Creativ Festival this coming weekend, because of course you know there will be some serious stash shopping taking place, and we’ll be making no apologies for it!!

So there they are all finished, even the toes are made up!

And I’ve already got another easy, peasy, ribbed sock on the go to knit on during the Kaffe Fassett lecture tonight, with some variegated Regia that I’m trying for the first time, something I hope one of the DD’s will like the feel of, so I can move them away from acrylic sock yarn.

As well the ripped out OnLine Clown sock for DD2 is back on the needles and well under way – I have memorized the lace pattern now (after the third sock, that’s not really a surprise!) and moving along easily too.

I realize I’ll have to take some knitting on the train, and had thought to take sock yarn as it is small and I can take two pairs for interest sake. I have a small lace shawl that is almost done I might take too. After all, it is a 5-hour train ride one way! I won’t worry about the return trip home, as I’m sure to have new things purchased at the festival to amuse me, even if it is only more sock yarn!!

And this, to show you too, a wonderful recent addition to my knitting library from my DD2 for my recent birthday!

Knit on......

One step forward, two socks back…

As ye shall knit, so shall ye frog! Rip it! Rip it!

My knitting is stepping out in the wrong direction!!! This past week I finished two socks, the second OnLine Clown sock for DD2 and the first of a pair of blue bed socks for my Aunt.

As I reached the toe of the OnLine sock I had great difficultly with the decreases not equal under sole with the top of toe, and after some serious examination I realized I had cast on an extra set of stitch repeats at the very beginning causing the count to be completely off and the sock to be much wider than its mate. Everything had worked beautifully, heels and gussets adding up nicely with no indication of trouble until I reached the toe. Groannnnn….. the only saving grace is that I am going to enjoy the lace pattern all over again!

I had also thought to do a quick pair of bed socks while travelling to the Eastern Townships in Quebec this weekend. Nothing fancy, easy knitting in the car, but the light worsted blue wool I was using knit up wider than expected and they too were to big and had to be ripped out – all that travel knitting time gone to waste! Shame!

Where is my head I am wondering? I am certainly distracted by all of my family and work obligations these days, but usually knitting stops my head from spinning and helps me to narrow my focus and concentration on just my handiwork, which is generally very restful for my head. But these slip-ups and errors in counting and measuring are down right silly and annoying – I have too many WIP projects to finish to waste time frogging all my hard work!

Knit on....

Dyeing to get coloring!

So last night was the first meeting of the season of the OKG, and what treat we had! The owner of Knit Knackers, one of our LYS’s, gave a very good demonstration (hard to do with 100+ ladies knitting and gabbling!) on how to dye 100 % wool using nothing more than Wilson cake icing dyes, a big pot, some vinegar and some cling wrap!

Very easy to do up in your own kitchen! You can even skip the boiling water stage and use your microwave instead! Who knew?!

My tablemates and I were quite excited by this demo, and when we all expressed similar interests in learning the skill more intimately, we resolved to have our own little dyeing party in one of our own kitchens. So some organizing will need to take place to get wool blanks and the other supplies.

It was really quite amazing to see all the variations that could be created with the same dye colors, depending on the method used in the application. For example, I did not know that the black Wilson dye color separates when added to hot water and if you do not stir it, it will produce beautiful mixes of greens and purples, but not black, that randomly saturates the wools.

There were so many examples of great “home-dyed” yarns that it was hard to contain myself!! I did however go and caress a few skeins to see the colors up close and personal, and later at home, fell asleep dreaming of steaming vats of color and soft woolly kaleidoscopes!

I can tell you, I am very, very, very much looking forward to planning our little “dye-party”!! And yes, Susan – you’ve on the exclusive invitee list – I made sure of that, since I know you’ve been wanting to do this too, for ever so long!!!

Knit on….

I’m thinking the unthinkable……..

I’m going to do it. The unthinkable, that is. I have finally decided after almost a year of agonizing. I’m going to frog it.
There I said it.
Out loud.
And in public.
There is no turning back.
Unless, of course, you know better than me.
I’m open to suggestion.

I have been thinking about the various comments of some of the designers I have had the pleasure of listening to live and in person over the last year, Lucy Neatby and Sally Melville for two, with regard to WIP’s that lounge in our stash. They all agree that rather than let those WIP’s lounge about from indecision, just frog it and move on, or change it into some else completely.

In my heart I know they are right, but honestly it is easier said than done! All that time and effort! Would it be wasted? Would I feel I’ve failed somehow? What if I didn’t have an alternate plan for the yarn – my ever-increasing stash needs no help! At least in the WIP stage I can say it is not technically stash yarn any more!

I have several items sitting there. Most of them I still love, and must continue to work on finishing, especially as they are winter items, and fall is upon us already.

But there is one; one that I love the yarn, and the idea, but I have grown away from the actual design, and my abilities have grown too, and now I would like something slightly different.

I have this in the final stages of completion, with only one shoulder to finish and I still love the color I choose:












But , I’ve changed my mind about the style. I would like something a bit more fitted through the waistline. I was thinking of knitting the ribbing much, much longer, like up to the bottom of my ribcage, then the top portion as shown.

But, here’s the catch – this vest is knitted from the waist ribbing up. I am not sure I can rescue the top and sacrifice the bottom and make new ribbing down?

Any thoughts?? Advice?? Words of wisdom?

Do I just frog it and start over?? Oh, the unthinkable!!!

Knit on…..

Busy, busy, busy.....

The days are flying by, and with just a few days of extreme humidity as the exception, Fall has arrived early and the mornings and nights are quite chilly. Good for sleeping, but makes for a rude awakening!

With the chilly days in mind, a friend asked if this could be made for her tiny little niece, and so I did. And I asked for and hope to receive soon an action shot of the recipient wearing her new poncho. The color is most accurate in this photo, a lovely dark pinkish purple - perfect outdoor wear for a little girl.

I am very pleased with the results as the pattern did not call for a hood, so I had to devise one, and calculate the appropriate size, having never seen the child. Apparently it fit well.

The yarn was new to me, Diamond Tempo Chunky, in colorway 355, a nice acrylic/wool blend, sturdy but not itchy, with good weight and drape, and gently hand washable, a nice feature for working moms.

I enjoyed knitting with this yarn, and have inadvertently ended up picking another 6 skeins of Diamond yarn up at my LYS for my next project (not telling what it is yet since I'm making it up as I go, but I will tell you it involves freeform cabling. Yikes !!!!).

Here - check out that applied i-cord, then picture me frantically doing i-cord in bed at 11:30 at night (I have to get up at 5:30am so be at least a little sympathetic would ya!) while the G-man snores obliviously beside me, so as to have it delivered in time.

I’ve almost finished another pair of OnLine socks, and another baby blanket, ripple crochet in boy-ish stash colors continues to grow too, with rows added daily.

Last week I hung out with the Ottawa Knitters Guild (OKG) at the Museum of Civilization and enjoyed hearing Sally Melville, who has recently moved to Ottawa and now calls this home, speak to the Vogue Knitting Tour group from New York City. I could listen to Sally all day – she really makes me sit up and think when she speaks about “Knitting as a metaphor for life”, which is her favourite subject!

Strangely the Vogue Tour Group did not put on any kind of presentation, either to promote the Knitting tour or Vogue Knitting Magazine in general. We (the many members of the OKG in attendance that evening) thought it very odd and quite disappointing, especially as many members had gone to great lengths to bring and display a large number of garments knitted from Vogue Knitting Magazine patterns over the years. It was generally thought that Vogue had missed a great marketing opportunity with all those Canadian knitters in attendance! We did however have a chance to speak with one of the tour escorts who has a dream job working at Vogue Knitting – lucky gal!

So, now I’m all caught up.

Knit on……..

Finally!

Today we received great news!

The first good news in a long time, and the timing couldn’t have been better, coming just as DD1’s optimism was showing serious signs of cracking from the long strain that she has been under. Today I dare to breathe deeply again. I feel a bit winded, as if I have been running flat out for a long, long time and now I can take a minute to catch my breathe.

There is tangible evidence, X-rays pictures to prove it is truly for real, that DD1 is winning her battle with Hodgkin’s! This week marks the exact halfway point of her chemotherapy program – 8 sessions done and 8 more to go.

At her halfway check-up at the hospital today she received the good news that the brick sized mass in her chest has shrunk smaller than a small egg! Amazing!!

We feel as if we finding our way out from the tall dark forest that we have been lost in for quite a while and finally able to see the sun light at the edge and we are giddy with renewed hope and determination and tears of happiness have been freely flowing throughout the afternoon!!

Knit on……….