Blue Gentian

“i thank You God for this most amazing day;
for the leaping greenly spirits of trees and a blue true dream of sky;
and for everything which is natural which is infinite which is yes.”
- e.e. cummings

BLUE GENTIAN SCARF $4

SIZE:
9 inches wide by 48 inches long


MATERIALS:
2 skeins (400 yds.) Fibre Co. Canopy Fingering
Color: Blue Crown


Size 5 (US) needles
Cable and tapestry needles

GAUGE:

5 1/2 stitches = 1 inch (blocked)

SKILL LEVEL:
intermediate
CHARTED DESIGN

I don't want to make money; I just L-O-V-E to make lace...

Sprout

“ No ray of sunlight is ever lost, but the green that it wakes needs time to sprout. It is not always granted to the sower to see the harvest. All work that is worth anything is done in faith.”
-Albert Schweitzer

SPROUT
because Spring just can't come soon enough...

a warm and lovely cabled scarf design
SIZE:
10 inches wide by 60 inches long


MATERIALS:
6 skeins (588 yds.) The Fibre Co. Organik
Color: Jungle
or other worsted weight yarn
Size 8(US) needles


GAUGE:
6 stitches = 1 inch


skill level: intermediate
written directions

Let those March winds blow. Let her come in like a lion.
You and I both know that warmer days await.
And while we wait, we'll wrap our necks in verdant green
and dream of spring...

Taize

"Quiet minds cannot be perplexed or frightened, but go on in fortune or misfortune at their own private pace, like a clock during a thunderstorm."

- Robert Louis Stevenson

The Taizé Community is an ecumenical Christian monastic order in Taizé, Saône-et-Loire, Burgundy, France. It is comprised of a little over 100 brothers who come from both Catholic, Orthodox and Protestant traditions. Over 100,000 young people from around the world make pilgrimages to Taizé each year for prayer, Bible study, sharing, and communal work.

Though Western European in origin, the community welcomes people and traditions from across the globe. This is reflected in the music and prayers where songs are sung in many languages, and increasingly include chants and icons from the Eastern Orthodox tradition. The music emphasises simple phrases, usually lines from Psalms or other pieces of Scripture, repeated and sometimes also sung in canon. The repetition is intended to aid meditation and prayer.

-courtesy of Wikipedia

When it comes to worship, I am a quiet person. Quakers still practice silent prayer as do I in my personal faith life. I find profound strength, fulfillment, and rest in listening for God.

Besides, what could I possibly tell God that he/she doesn't already know?

I enjoy quiet pursuits: reading, knitting, listening to music.

I practice meditation, breath prayer, yoga

The solicitude of solitude.

Our world is so noisy, both externally and internally, that our own inner voices all too often get lost in the din. I treasure the various methods that cultivate quietude, serenity, and peace.

One of these methods is Taize. The circularity of its structure, the repetition of the central thought, are similar in my mind to saying a rosary.

Or knitting a row.

Much has been written on the meditative effects of knitting. And I will admit to missing that aspect, when I am knee deep in beads and complex lace. Don't get me wrong. There is a time for challenge, exhilaration, and the creation of beauty.

But sometimes spareness and simplicity beckon.

It is in that spirit, that I introduce you to:

Taize

The yarn is a new favorite of mine: the Fibre Company's Canopy, an absolutely luscious fingering weight blend of merino, alpaca, and bamboo from Peru.

The pattern is so simple, a mere 6 stitches wide and 8 rows deep. But the resulting surface texture is wonderful.

I added a delicate picot edging and a simple lace border on the ends.

All in all, she is a lovely little aperitif.

Quiet...

understated...

restful...

repetitive...

comforting...

See why I named it Taize?

Will write up the pattern this weekend and then she's all yours.

Knit, pray, repeat...

Hands to work and hearts to God...

Are We Having Fun Yet?

"Blessed is the man who has some congenial work, some occupation in which he can put his heart, and which affords a complete outlet to all the forces there are in him."

-John Burroughs

WARNING!
SERIOUS DROOL INDUCEMENTS AHEAD
RECOMMEND EVASIVE ACTION
GET BIB...

So...

What did I do on my Christmas Vacation?

No, no, besides filling a ginormous amount of garden variety orders (thank you SO SO MUCH!)

I played.

Of course, my play looks a lot like work. With one critical difference...

I work on play with whatever I want to.

Not what my customers want most.
Not what my family wants most.
Not what is most delayed.

But whatever I darn well please.

What a concept!

Want some show and tell?

Of course you do!

I started with a couple balls I had floating around from the fall that never quite developed into full blown designs.


This is Classic Elite's Moorland in misty morning: a beautiful soft heathered single ply DK wool. It is deceptively simple. The slight halo tends to obscure fine patterning and texture stitches aren't as crisp as I'd like. But I loved the soft, foggy nature of it, if I could just find the right pattern for it.


After much knitting and subsequent frogging, I settled on this simple zigzag pattern, composed mostly of knit and purl stitches, with only one yarn over and decrease each repeat. I'm doing a stole. No name yet.


And this is Rowan's lovely Purelife organically dyed DK wool in Ivy: a very pale and subdued grey green. A natural for this leaf pattern. A scarf, I think...

Then I moved on to the hard stuff...

The Artyarn goodies Santa brought me. Simply the best. Loads of fun. Seriously drool worthy.


This is Ensemble, an absolutely pet-able fiber consisting of one strand of silk and one of (be still my heart) cashmere.

Excuse me for a moment. I'm getting all verklempt...


This one was a challenge. I loved the soft springlike colors, but I didn't want streaks. I settled on this pattern that combines cabling with lace work.



Once blocked out, I should have a lovely open early spring scarf. I think I'll call it Trellis.

Then there is the little lovely I showed you at the top of the post.


This is Drift: a pristine cream colored confection of Silk Rhapsody Glitter. The pattern is a combination of the gentle curves of a snow covered landscape, the tracks which form in the snow from our cars, the footprints of forest animals (or pets), and the schussing pattern of slalom skis.

See the little footprints between the tire tracks?

But the best part is the little silver filament that runs along with the silk and mohair strands. Its subtle sparkle reminds me so powerfully of the way new fallen snow sparkles in the sunlight.


This one just has to be a sumptuous stole. A brilliant bit of comforting warmth to wind around my shoulders on a cold midwinter day. I know it is indulgent, but I rushed right out and spent some of my ill gotten gains on three more skeins of this beauty. It is so yummy to work with and the pattern is just enough to be interesting, but not a pain in the rear.

But wait! There's more!


This is my icicle scarf, knit from Artyarns exquisite bead AND sequins silk mohair.

SHUT UP!

THIS STUFF IS TOO GORGEOUS TO BE LEGAL!

AND YOU CAN GET IT OVER THE COUNTER?

YOU MEAN I DON'T HAVE TO GET IT IN A DARK ALLEY FROM A YARN PUSHER?

NO WAY!



This stuff is like crack. It is that addictive. And that easy. No crochet hook required. Just knit.

When you have fiber this gorgeous, you really don't want the pattern to get in the way. I worked it with a simple four row, six stitch repeat lace pattern that results in a vertical wave that reminds me of melting ice. Just for panache, I did pointed ends, because that's what icicles do.

I made it thin since the yarn is so expensive, although it will block out a little wider. Besides, icicles are skinny little suckers.

You could get by with one skein for a short little scarf, but I am doing mine long and lean, with two. And this is so fast it is a turbo-aperitif. I knit the full skein in one day. Very gratifying after all those lo-o-o-ong projects...


Just look at that sparkle! I love this so much that I returned the green sweater my DH gave me for Xmas in favor of a light taupe one that will go with this scarf. Am I crazy, or what?

Now surely, I must be done, right?

Wrong.

The best thing I played with on vacation?



My grandson Conner, who accompanied us to the frozen north for a four day post-Christmas visit with family in Leland, MI and then came home with Grandma and Grandpa to stay another two days, while Mom & Dad celebrated the New Year in Chicago.

Six days...

Seriously drool worthy...

Can't say I didn't warn you...

Taliesin

The Story of Calicoin

There once was a powerful witch called Cerridwen who wished to make her son Afaggdu a powerful potion that would make him a wizard. She ordered her servant, a boy named Gwion, to make a potion that took a year and one day.

He stirred it until the very last day, when Gwion accidentally spilled three drops on his finger. His finger was burning, so he put it in his mouth and swallowed the drops. Gwion became a wizard instantly. Cerridwen found out, and began to chase Gwion.

Gwion first changed into a hare, and Cerridwen changed into a hound. The boy became a fish, and the woman an otter. He turned into a dove, she turned into a hawk. Finally Gwion transformed into a tiny grain of wheat, hiding with many other grains on a barn floor. Cerridwen transformed into a black hen and pecked up all the grains, including Gwion.

Nine days later Cerridwen gave birth to Gwion as a baby. She could not kill her own child, so she tied him up in a leather bag and threw him into the river. He was discovered by a kind man named Elphin, who had no children of his own.

Elphin named the boy Taliesin and raised him. As Taliesin grew, he remembered all that had happened before he was with Elphin, and retained his wizardly knowledge. It was said he became a very great wizard, maybe the greatest in the Islands of Britain before Merlin.



I first began looking at silk/wool blends, when I fell in love with the multicolors of Manos Del Uruguay's silk blend yarn. The colors are really gorgeous. You can see them here.

I wanted something that would blend the colors so I wouldn't get streaks. But I didn't want to overwhelm the pattern. And, of coourse I couldn't leave well enough alone, so I had to tack on a border for a little extra pizazz.

I began with the color stellar...


And a simple scarf pattern. A twisted stitch border and a diagonal windowpane pattern for the body of the scarf.







And then I thought, what about a hat for a Christmas gift?









In Olivewood.






But why stop there?

How about trying it in fingering weight for a baby hat?










Conner's Taliesin Hat in Socks that Rock, color: Fire on the Mountain.



Hmm... Michael needs a winter hat and I have a skein of mmmMalabrigo worsted lying around somewhere.

I was going to knit another one of Jared Flood's hats, but I just couldn't face all those twists...

Yup, the design works in worsted as well.

I took out the triangular inserts in the border for the guys, so it doesn't look too feminine. A plain twisted rib works just fine and will allow them to go about the neighborhood grunting their manhood, while keeping their noggin warm.

And the decreases form a nifty littel spiral at the top of the hat.




See what I mean?

Next up?

Taliesin fingerless mitts...

It's a shapeshifter. And the way it blends the colors is magic.

That's why I named it after the wizard in Welsh folklore

A versatile pattern is a good thing to have when you are knitting a lot of Christmas gifts.


Back to the workshop...

Rose Buddy

“Gather ye rose-buds while ye may,
Old Time is still a-flying:
And this same flower that smiles today,
Tomorrow will be dying.”
- Robert Herrick

ROSE BUDDY SCARF
pattern $4
over on the sidebar>>>>>>


SIZE:
12 in wide by 64 in long
(unblocked – blocked measurements will be larger)


MATERIALS:
4 skeins (600 yd) MALABRIGO Silky Merino
or other dk weight yarn
size 7 (US) needles


GAUGE:
each pattern repeat = 1 and 3/4 inch

EXPERIENCE LEVEL:
Advanced Beginner

This is a great first lace project. The pattern is easily discernible and corrected if you make a mistake. The heavier yarn makes the pattern both more visible and more easily executed.

Great results for little effort: my kind of pattern... especially this time of year!

I decided to leave this one unblocked. I like the deeper texture. But feel free to block if you like. Then the holes will open up and present a lacier facade.

*****

And now it is time to announce the winners of the Name That Scarf contest.
I had so many great entries. It was very hard to choose. Y'all have an amazing amount of creativity!

First place goes to...
(drumroll)
(followed by dramatic pause for effect)
(followed by your sigh of exasperation)

Andrea: for her entry:

"Protopopov"



After the exquisite Soviet pair who won Olympic Gold in two consecutive games: Innsbruk 1964 and Grenoble 1968.

I had many wonderful references to ice and snow and ice skating. What put this one over the top was the fact that the name, while true to the original's conception as an ice blue confection, would also be appropriate if knit in other colors.

Andrea will be receiving the first copy of the pattern when it comes out later this month, as well as a complimentary copy of my Poinsettia scarf pattern, which is otherwise limited to Garden Variety Collectors.

Honorable mention goes to:

• Cindy, for her entry of "Mazurka", which, in addition to being a Polish dance, is an ice dancing move.
• Megan, for her entry of "Damhsa", which is Gaelic for "dance."

Megan and Cindy will also receive a copy of the pattern.

But no one gets anything, if you don't send your email addresses to susanpandorf@comcast.net! All of your comments came through with no return email specified (Don'tcha HATE IT when that happens?)

An E for effort goes out to Gr8knitwit, who sent me not one, not two, not three, but...

THIRTY ENTRIES!

whew...

And the Miss Mr. Congeniality award goes out to Phoebe's husband who joined in the general frivolity, contributing:

• Sasha Stitch
• Scarf-y Hamilton
• Yamaguchi Yarn

Sorry DH. Mr. Congeniality wins nothing but our thanks for your participation (Sorta like the real thing, isn't it?)

Thank you for all your terrific ideas. This was a lot of fun...

And that's a wrap. See you all tomorrow...

Get Jazzed!

“Life is a lot like jazz...It’s best when you improvise...”
- George Gershwin

JAZZED UP WRAP
another aperitif (quick knit)

SIZE:
20 in wide by 72 in long (blocked hard - less if you desire a cushier wrap)
MATERIALS:
4 1/2 skeins (675 yd) MALABRIGO Silky Merino or other dk weight yarn size 6 (US) needles
GAUGE:
5 stitches = 1 inch (stockinette)
EXPERIENCE LEVEL
advanced beginner
No cabling - just simple decreases and yarnovers
written directions - no chart reading
easily memorized sixteen stitch repeat

$4 (cheap a great value) over on the sidebar
that-a-way>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

You know, I try not to play favorites.

• Summer is great, but I do love a fresh snowfall...
• Chocolate is king, but strawberry ice cream comes close...
• Number One Son is such a special young man, but Baby Boy tugs at my heart too...
• Knitting makes my heart beat faster, but it's hard to beat an afternoon on the porch with a good book...
• Deep meaning is great, but sometimes I just want a good laugh...

But I have to tell you...

I LOVE this yarn.

What on earth took me so long?

If one project is good, two is better, right?

What about three?

I blocked Jazz hard. And to my surprise, when stretched out, the silky merino takes on a drape quite similar to its namesake silk. Who knew?

Yet, when left to its own devices, as in the above pictures, the silky merino shows more of its wooly nature: soft, deep, and showing off your textural stitches to advantage.

So you have a decision to make: Do you want a flatter, finer lacy stole? Block hard. Or is a warm woolly rib more to your liking? Block softly.

It's two...two...two yarns in one...

This pale aqua scarf ( soon to be joined by a sibling hat) in the previous picture doesn't have a name yet; I wanted to call it Arabesque, but there are already three pages of patterns on Ravelry with that name.

Then I thought I'd name it for an ice skating move, since the pale aqua (actual color: mint frappe) looks icy and the curving lines that the stitches form reminds me of the old school figures, which international competition used to require. But "school figure" is sort of a clunky name for such a graceful pattern, and "salchow" isn't much better.

Wait a minute...

I just had a great idea for a contest!

Help me name this pattern. Leave me a suggestion in the comments and I will send the pattern out for free, when it comes out in a week or two, to the top three entries (as determined by me - sorry, this is not a democracy; it is a benevolent dictatorship.)

And just to sweeten the pot, if you have the top entry, I will also include a Poinsettia scarf pattern, which is otherwise only available exclusively to those who purchase the entire Garden Variety Collection.

I am notoriously bad at shipping things. Ask anyone. I put the "pro" in procrastinate. But even I can manage to send an email.

I think...

I'm having such fun designing quick aperitif projects that spotlight this extraordinary fiber. Lots of goodies under my Christmas tree this year.

If you haven't tried it yet, you really should!

And a little bird tells me Yarnzilla is unpacking a brand new shipment of silky merino goodness, even as we speak read...

What are you waiting for?

Go!

But leave me a comment first...