Hydrangea Stole Errata

MINOR GLITCH
On Chart C, row 45:

Center stitch should be a knit symbol, NOT a SK2P.

MAJOR GLITCH

OK, Now see, this is what happens when you have someone test knit the scarf but not the stole…

When I divided the B chart in two, so I could fit it on the page, I inadvertently deleted one repeat of the chart. (When I do this, I have to copy the chart and one by one, delete the bottom rows on one of the copies, and the top rows on the other.)

My face is very red… I have also posted errata on the pattern page, and put a new chart on Ravelry’s free download page . I am so sorry to be the cause of your un-happy knitting today!!!!

Here is a new chart B2 for those of you without access to Ravelry. I think you can right click on it and save a copy to your computer, then enlarge if necessary.

Of course, you should remember you are talking to the woman who couldn't figure out how to program the computerized thermostat...

Late Bloomers

"As long as we are persistent in our pursuit of our deepest destiny, we will continue to grow. We cannot choose the day or time when we will fully bloom. It happens in its own time.'
- Denis Waitley

Thank you all for your ongoing interest in Sunflower Designs. Your enthusiasm and passion is inspiring.

The Aperitifs Collection is flying off the shelves out of the laptop (we don't have shelves on the sunflower farm - way too organized for a chronic right-brainer like me.) I have the feeling there will be more than a few of these designs under the Christmas tree this year. Look for another release later this week...

A new friend on Ravelry has reminded me that we probably have a few latecomers who might benefit from a reiteration of the details of the Garden Variety Collection.

The Garden Variety Collection is a series of lace scarves/shawls inspired by the magnificent diversity we can find in our garden flowers,and the gorgeous colors of Handmaiden yarns. The patterns are designed for Sea Silk or Mini Maiden although other yarns of similar gauge can be (and have been) substituted successfully. Designs feature extensive crochet hook beading (optional) to enhance the lines of the patterns.

So far there have been four releases:

Crocus Pocus

Iris

Hydrangea

and
Zinnia

Sunflower was supposed to come out this month.



But factors such as repetitive stress injury, family illness, new grandchild, punishing pace, and size of the finished piece have combined to delay its release. Oh, c'mon now, don't cry; you know how that affects me...

Poinsettia will still come out in November as scheduled, in time for Christmas, and that pattern will be emailed free of charge to all who have purchased the four previously published patterns. Don't worry; Evelyn at Knitty Noddy and I have been keeping track of who orders what.

I have first pictures to share of the sample skeins that Jana at Handmaiden has dyed exclusively for Poinsettia.

Evelyn is shipping one of each to me today so I can decide between them. The main difference seems to be the relative amounts of red, gold, and green and the overall intensity of the colors. I will knit a bit with both and then decide which to use. What do you think? Which one do you like?

(Please keep in mind that this an informal non-binding survey.)

This yummy color of Sea Silk will be available (soon!) exclusively from Knitty Noddy.

So don't throw up your hands in despair.

Don't mope.

Don't cancel your subscriptions, tie up your loose ends, and jump out your window...

(Y'all can detect the heavy irony in my tone, can't you?)

Sunflower

and
Bougainvillea

will be released following Poinsettia.

Not exactly what I had planned, but real life got in the way. I hope that those of you who have been knitting the series will embrace these two "late bloomers" as a welcome break from the winter doldrums, even without the added bribe carrot of the free pattern.

Since the release schedule has changed, I am pushing back the retirement date of these patterns accordingly. They are still limited editions, but I will continue to offer the patterns for sale until March 2009. At that time, all seven patterns will be retired and I will begin production on the 2009 edition.

(Yeah. I know. I'm a glutton for punishment.)

I trust that all of my fans (Gosh, do i really have fans?) will understand the slight delay and accept my heartfelt apologies.

Blessings & happy knitting always!

Silly Love Songs

You'd think that people would have had enough of silly love songs.

But I look around me and I see it isn't so.
Some people wanna fill the world with silly love songs.
And whats wrong with that?
Id like to know, cause here I go again...

I love you, I love you,

I love you, I love you.
-Paul McCartney

The Hydrangea Stole (which went on sale today - over there on the right - in the sidebar) was a true labor of love.

Now love may take on many forms.

It appears in the giddy faces of young couples, but, more profoundly perhaps, it echoes in the rheumy eyes of grandparents who have grown comfortable, reverent, and deeply thankful in each other's presence.

My Siamese cat Pippin often acts silly. He thinks he is still a kitten (don't we all?) But his true love shines through the way he snuggles down into my lap and bares his neck, when he is deeply content and profoundly at peace. (Don't you think God made a mistake not giving humans the ability to purr?)

Love can lead us to make fools of ourselves. But there is something deeply endearing about any emotion that prompts us to lower our defenses and our boundaries, allowing others to enter into the gap.



When I knit something for someone else, I try very hard to knit mindfully and with clear intention. I pray for the recipient with every stitch, whether that prayer is for a lifetime of happiness together, the long and fruitful life of a new baby, or the healing balm provided by loving hands in times of illness or other trouble.

Please let me know what you are planning for this design. I hope it will spark many journeys of love, all undertaken in the same way...

One stitch, one day, at a time.

Tina Turner once famously asked in song,

"What's love got to do with it?"

Answer?

Everything. And that's not silly at all.

Northern Lights

In the light of the golden moon
In the light of the silvery eyes of the night
I wandered through fire through ice...
To the valley of the shadow of death
...Northern lights...
...Northern lights...
While you were asleep I was awake to be part of the dark
While you were asleep I was awake to find the truth I had sought for
...through all my life...
Aurora Borealis -
A part of me still in the sky

-Songwriter unknown

The Aurora Borealis has intrigued people from ancient times, and still does today. The Eskimos and Indians of North America have many stories to explain these northern lights.

One story is reported by the explorer Ernest W. Hawkes in his book, The Labrador Eskimo:

The ends of the land and sea are bounded by an immense abyss, over which a narrow and dangerous pathway leads to the heavenly regions. The sky is a great dome of hard material arched over the Earth.

There is a hole in it through which the spirits pass to the true heavens. Only the spirits of those who have died a voluntary or violent death, and the Raven, have been over this pathway.

The spirits who live there light torches to guide the feet of new arrivals. This is the light of the aurora. They can be seen there feasting and playing football with a walrus skull.

The whistling crackling noise which sometimes accompanies the aurora is the voices of these spirits trying to communicate with the people of the Earth. They should always be answered in a whispering voice. Youths dance to the aurora. The heavenly spirits are called selamiut, "sky-dwellers," those who live in the sky.

*****

When we were in Alaska some years ago, we were not lucky enough to see the northern lights. It was summertime, and the price we paid for the long days of sunshine and temperate weather was the relative brevity of the nighttime and lack of true darkness. All we got was dim twilight from about 1:00 - 4:00 a.m.

Needless to say, this was NOT optimum viewing conditions.

We have, however, seen the northern lights on several occasions, up at the lake: along with the Milky Way and Perseid meteor showers. The lack of big city lights on the peninsula makes for prime viewing of all things celestial.

All we must do to be reminded of "how great Thou art" and how small we art...

Is look up.

The heavens declare the glory of God;
the skies proclaim the work of his hands.
-Psalm 19

*****

It is with these memories in mind, that I have designed Northern Lights, the next full size stole pattern coming down the pipeline after Drizzle, direct from the sunflower farm to you.

The stole begins with the pine forests so common to the northern reaches of our world and segues into a strong diagonal zig zag pattern.

This section will feature bright turquoise beading to highlight the stitch pattern, which is remarkably evocative of the swirling patterns of the Aurora Borealis.

After a number of repeats, (to be determined as I go along) the lights give way to a clear starry sky - the firmament of heaven.

The yarn is Fleece Artist Suri Blue in Aurora, a lighter weight than the sea silk, and thus easier to bead (yay!) The yarn more closely approximates Woolen Rabbit's laceweight, which I used for MD/AN and Magic Carpet Ride.

I wanted something a little more wintry for this one, and the depth of color in the yarn is amazing. So vibrant it leaps out at you. The pictures don't do it justice.

Ah, but I saved the best for last (don't I always?)

The ends of the stole (up front, where they will set off your front view, as opposed to over your rear view, which, if you're built anything like me, is definitely NOT the body part you want to highlight) will have these lovely little stars and moons dangling from the points of its scalloped border.

Ooooh...shiny...









Now I would be remiss to tease you with something that is many months away without giving you a little immediate gratification.



Zinnia is halfway bound off and bound for the blocking boards later today. Just in time for me to wear her to Stitches Midweston Friday. Nothing like a little wearable advertising, eh mates?

Release date: August 30th.

And the Hydrangea stole (otherwise known as the wedding veil) comes out tomorrow.

I was hoping to have a picture of the bride to share, but I understand from speaking with Michael that electronic rights to the pictures are prohibitively expensive, so we shall see...

Thanks to everyone who volunteered to quick-knit Zinnia. It is wonderful to have so many friendly (to say nothing of helpful) knitters out there!

OK...But What Did You Do Last Week?

"Always do one thing less than you think you can do."
- Bernard Baruch

HYDRANGEA STOLE

Size: 72" by 22"

MATERIALS:

900 yards Lace weight yarn

5500 size 8/0 pearl beads

Size 4 (US) needles, stitch markers

Size 14 or 16 crochet hook (for beading)

Tapestry needle

Stitch holder

GAUGE: 5 stitches = 1 inch

(In ladder stitch – blocked)

This shawl is an ethereal confection; light and lacy; the perfect wrap for a summer wedding. It would also make a lovely christening shawl for a very special baby.

Or you may choose another color and wrap yourself or a loved one in all the beauty of a handmade and heartfelt work of art.

Skills needed include: basic lace experience, crochet hook beading (optional), and chart reading.

It might seem to readers of yesterday's post, that not much knitting went on last week down here on the Sunflower Farm.

Au contraire, mon amis!



















I knit wedding...



















I knit baby...




























I knit happy out the wazoo...

Of course, I did have a little helper...



















This is Ama. She came along with Scott's brother Glen and his wife. She was a delightful houseguest (unless you ask the grumpy old Siamese cat, whose nose was seriously out of joint.)

She made herself at home.




























The shawl is a variation on my Hydrangea scarf.































































The yarn is Helen's Lace in Ivory with pearl bead embeliishment.

The baby knitting is not my design.

GASP!!!

I know, I know, but I figured I had better start with someone else's pattern, preferably someone who knew baby size issues.



















This is Perl Grey's Sea Baby kit. The yarn is Fleece Artist's Sea Wool in Angelfish and Spring, and yes, it really is that bright. I love it. The kit comes with enough yarn to make the kimono wrap sweater, the matching leggings and a hat.

The hat is no longer in my possession. I took it to the new parents over the weekend, in a feeble attempt to stall them on delivery of the whole ensemble.

(Hey! What do you expect when you come early?)



















I love the way the booties attach to the bottom of the leggings.

Will try to get a picture of Conner modeling, just as soon as he grows into it, which, judging by his appetite, won't be long now.

And now?

Back to Zinnia, which is racing towards completion.

One thing less than I think I can do?

Pshaw...what does Baruch know?

Hydrangeas Here; Hydrangeas There, I've Got Hydrangeas Everywhere

"God almighty first planted a garden: and, indeed, it is the purest of human pleasure."
-Francis Bacon



HYDRANGEA
THIRD PATTERN IN
THE GARDEN VARIETY COLLECTION
An original beaded design by Susan Pandorf

Size:
80” long by 16” wide
Materials:
850 yards Handmaiden Sea Silk or Mini Maiden
4300 size 8/0 seed beads
72 dagger beads for ends
Size 3 (US) needles
Size 14 or 16 crochet hook (for beading)
Tapestry needle
Stitch holder
Prototype knit with:
Seashore Sea Silk
Miyuke beads #0263 (Sea Foam Lined Crystal AB)
5/16 Dagger Beads (Matte Amethyst AB)
Gauge:
6 stitches = 1 inch
Skills needed include:
basic lace experience, crochet hook beading (optional), and chart reading.