Princess
I had another happy day with her. I had forgotten how utterly compulsive she is.
The pattern was published as a signed, limited edition perhaps four years ago. When it sold out, Sharon promised not to offer it again for three years. Many hopeful lace-ers were gathered at the door when it was finally re-issued, fairly recently, and some of them have by now overtaken and passed laggards like me from the first batch.
I’ve started reading the Heirloom Knitting Yahoo group again, and mean to mosey on over to Ravelry soon and join the Princess group there.
MaryJo, the thought behind the Princess was that it might serve as a wedding veil for granddaughters and granddaughters-in-law. Nobody seems to get married until they’re 40 these days – not entirely true – and I figured I might well be out of the loop by the time it happened. At the rate I’m going, I may not finish in time anyway.
It would have been better as a wedding veil if I had knit it in cotton, like Sharon’s prototype. That would have been stark white, which looks well on a bride, whereas this looks slightly antique-y. It’s been lying around for a long time. It may well brighten up a bit when washed and dressed.
Swallowtail coat
I am interested in what you say about the “barrister’s wig in puffed knitting”, Tamar. The book seems to be available only from the States: there’s no time left for that. Nor does a Google on “puffed knitting” produce anything except references to that book and to another compilation from Weldon’s.
I have the vaguest of feelings that some of my old knitting books – I don’t have any Weldon’s – have puffed knitting of some sort. Maybe I’ll have a look. And also at your paraphrase, “looped knitting”.
Woolgathering
I feel the slightest twinge of disappointment in this issue. It seems less cosy than usual, as if Meg were tired and harassed. She doesn’t even identify the pretty model, except by name – models are usually family members, and we’re always told. (Haven’t 50 years been kind to Lloie?)
I’ve got all the new books in this issue except “Reversible Two-Color Designs” by M’Lou Baber. Do I want it? I feel pretty sure that I’d never want to knit the designs, not geometrical enough for me – but it’s a whole new technique; maybe I should have it for that reason. And I must go off in search of my old copy of “Sweater 101”: I haven’t seen it for years.
Meg mentions a British magazine called “Let’s Knit!” with what might be an interesting slant on EZ in the summer issue. I don’t know “Let’s Knit!” and must investigate.
I had another happy day with her. I had forgotten how utterly compulsive she is.
The pattern was published as a signed, limited edition perhaps four years ago. When it sold out, Sharon promised not to offer it again for three years. Many hopeful lace-ers were gathered at the door when it was finally re-issued, fairly recently, and some of them have by now overtaken and passed laggards like me from the first batch.
I’ve started reading the Heirloom Knitting Yahoo group again, and mean to mosey on over to Ravelry soon and join the Princess group there.
MaryJo, the thought behind the Princess was that it might serve as a wedding veil for granddaughters and granddaughters-in-law. Nobody seems to get married until they’re 40 these days – not entirely true – and I figured I might well be out of the loop by the time it happened. At the rate I’m going, I may not finish in time anyway.
It would have been better as a wedding veil if I had knit it in cotton, like Sharon’s prototype. That would have been stark white, which looks well on a bride, whereas this looks slightly antique-y. It’s been lying around for a long time. It may well brighten up a bit when washed and dressed.
Swallowtail coat
I am interested in what you say about the “barrister’s wig in puffed knitting”, Tamar. The book seems to be available only from the States: there’s no time left for that. Nor does a Google on “puffed knitting” produce anything except references to that book and to another compilation from Weldon’s.
I have the vaguest of feelings that some of my old knitting books – I don’t have any Weldon’s – have puffed knitting of some sort. Maybe I’ll have a look. And also at your paraphrase, “looped knitting”.
Woolgathering
I feel the slightest twinge of disappointment in this issue. It seems less cosy than usual, as if Meg were tired and harassed. She doesn’t even identify the pretty model, except by name – models are usually family members, and we’re always told. (Haven’t 50 years been kind to Lloie?)
I’ve got all the new books in this issue except “Reversible Two-Color Designs” by M’Lou Baber. Do I want it? I feel pretty sure that I’d never want to knit the designs, not geometrical enough for me – but it’s a whole new technique; maybe I should have it for that reason. And I must go off in search of my old copy of “Sweater 101”: I haven’t seen it for years.
Meg mentions a British magazine called “Let’s Knit!” with what might be an interesting slant on EZ in the summer issue. I don’t know “Let’s Knit!” and must investigate.
Today’s picture shows the Beijing Mileses (except for Cathy, who was presumably the photographer) at the opening of the Paralympics.
Interesting that you've already received your Woolgathering when I have yet to get mine.
ReplyDeleteJean - I keep wondering how you manage to see the stitches on the Princess. I have just started a Swallowtail shawl in what is described as heavy lacewight and I have real diffficulty if I have to correct a mistake. Do you use magnifying specs or an additional light source?
ReplyDeleteRegarding Reversible Two Color Knitting, I saw several of the pieces at Knitting Camp this Summer, they were striking but I doubt I'd ever knit any of them...It's an interesting technique but creates very heavy garments and they are slow knitting. There was one I loved, it was multicolored cats on an off-white background, white cats on a multi background on the reverse, it was really cute and would make a cute kid's jacket!
ReplyDeleteLloie looks every bit as good in person as she does in the photos, we eat breakfast at her restaurant in Marshfield while at Camp and see her from time to time.
Jean, I must now go pick up Princess! I hadn't realized the 3 years were up. 8-)
ReplyDeleteAbout Sweater 101 - I used it so much that I got to wondering if it had been updated, etc. It turns out she's issued it as a PDF e-book. You can type in the numbers on the pages and then save them (or at least you can on a MAC, don't know if you can on a PC) Sadly, she didn't automate the pages so that when you pop in the measurements and numbers it generates suggested stitch counts and lengths and stuff, but that's a bit of nit picking.
Well, nitpicking except that I'm now knee deep in figuring out measurements on something that's highly tailored, and it would have been nice to have a general starting point. Sweater Wizard doesn't work on a Mac, so I've been using Sweater 101 more and more.
Jean, I have a solution for you regarding the knitted barrister's wig. I happen to have met a very interesting woman at a spin-in this past summer, who designs strange and wonderful little things. One of her published designs is exactly what you're looking for, found here.
ReplyDeleteThe link is www.knittingastor.com/published-barrister-cap.htm
Her name is Astor Tsang - she is on Ravelry as Astor and the pattern is available by emailing her.
i think it is okay to knit a shawl in wool that is not stark white if it has to cover the arms of a more than forty year old that maybe already has children. i am in awe of the shawl. it is so easy to forget a yarn over.
ReplyDelete