Catkins 2.0

The saga of the pussy willow sweater continues.  At last report, I had attempted too much contrast between the stems and the background, but not enough between the background and the catkins.  I took a picture before I frogged it, for archival and comparison purposes:

In this photo, the chart is working exactly like I want it to, but the colors are not doing it justice.  I also regretted my choice to work one sleeve at a time, which made it (somewhat) easier to put it out of its misery.  Kinda surreal to totally frog a knitted piece right out of existence.  I even reskeined the yarn, so it was like the first sleeve never even happened.  Messes with my head.

I thought I wanted to change to a black background, but as luck or alpacas would have it, there wasn't enough of the black in stock.  Instead, I changed to this complicated and textural charcoal gray version with a soft brown for the stems, and kept the fluffy silver angora for the catkins.  Sometimes designs just know what they want to be made of, even if I don't.  This is definitely one of those times:

So much better, no?  I'm back in love with it again.  Note also the two-at-a-time sleeves:  WAY more fun and comfortable on the longer circular needle.  I wonder if my contrast instincts got jacked up because all the colors are natural/neutral?  These shades are so much more subtle than I usually choose.  Turns out working with beige and gray is a completely different prospect than lime and fuschia.  Duh.

This yarn is made for stranding - so delightfully sticky, but still ultra soft.  My esteemed associates at Toots Le Blanc have struck the perfect balance between drape and strength, in my opinion.  And those who require next-to-the-skin softness in their yarn will find nothing to object to either. 

Hard to believe this will be my last post of 2009.  It's true what they say about time flying and having fun.  And boy am I having fun.  All this and a New Year's Eve party tomorrow, too!  Lucky Knitter, me.
 

Pardon Me While I Triangulate

It could be charitably understated that my relationship with direction is casual.  I think that geographical sense must be located in the same group of brain cells as mathematical abilities.  Or as I often put it: "In my other purse".  

The last time I was in a new town, there was exactly ONE turn between my hotel and the yarn shop where I was teaching.  Drove right past it.  Kept on driving for a really long time before the dawning of a sense that Something Was Wrong.  That's ONE turn, Gentle Readers.  Fifteen minutes late to my own class.  Understanding students notwithstanding, it was really embarrassing.  Really?  You're going to teach me to cut my sweater in half, but you can't manage to hang a left? 

My children, with help from their clever and resourceful father, chose a really perfect Christmas present for me this year.  Meet my new best pal, "Tom":

The best thing about this present is how it shows that my family, addition to sympathy for my directional impairment, have offered me actual help.  It's like having a little tangible bit of their love and support with me, even when I'm far from home.  And increases my chances of turning left appropriately in an exponential way.

In unrelated happy news, I promised to let my sock-loving friends know when my new Magic Carpet pattern is available, and today's the day!  Go Here, snap up one of these adorable kits, and have yourself a little Post-Christmas/Pre-New Year hoot.  The yarn and pattern are available there exclusively, so when they're gone, they're gone.  The kits even include the needles, so you have no excuse not to start knitting immediately, and when you're done (which will be before you know it), you can smugly congratulate yourself on having completed something really special, and on supporting an independent, woman-owned business.

And if anybody needs me, I'll be over here, triangulating.
 

God Bless Us, Every One

I'm giving thanks today for my many blessings, among which I count you, Gentle Readers.  Thank you for your inspiration, encouragement, straightforwardness, loyalty, and patience.  Few knitters have the honor of friends like you, and I hope you know what your readership means to me.

Other blessings I am counting today include, but shall not be limited to the following:

Charts:    Can you imagine what would happen to me if all my patterns had to be written like this: "Row 1; work 3 red, 4 black, 7 red, 2 black..."?  That way lay certain madness.  To the inventer of graph paper, my Undying Gratitude.

Steeks:    Without which, I would have substantially less fun, and no one-woman crusade to spread the message to knitters. 

Yarn:        Just have to say it out loud - can't get enough of the stuff.  To the people engaged in growing it, spinning it, dyeing it and selling it, Many Thanks Indeed.

Needles:    Pointy, blunt, wooden, steel, circular, not, we love them all.  The clever souls who (continue to) invent better mousetraps for us deserve our deep and abiding thankfulness.

Stitch Markers:    Even though I make my own (lightbulb! I should make a tutorial for that!), I feel obliged to thank the intrepid knitter who devised the method of their use.  For this help, O knitter of old, whomever you are, Thank You Thank You Thank You.

Blue Painters Tape:    Okay, this might not be the first thing you think of in the realm of knitting stuff you love, but for me, it's a crucial chart-following implement.  Doesn't stick to paper charts.  Lasts longer than a sticky-note.  Costs little.  Also good for painting things, or so I'm lead to understand.

Sheep:    Because I Really. Love. Wool.

Knitting Books:    Where would the great chefs of our time be without recipes to inspire them?  Where would we knitters be without Elizabeth, and Clara, and Stephanie?  Knitting is a world in which there is room for everyone's idea. 

The Person Who Taught Us To Knit:    Thank you, Mom.  Even if you were only trying to find some way to occupy me and gain a moment's peace, Thank you.  Sitting close to someone you care about as they haltingly cause the string to loop around the sticks is a gift given to a blessed few.  My fondest wish for you, Gentle Readers, is that you will love someone enough to teach them to knit. 

Best wishes to you all for Peace, Love, and Yarn.