A Long Yarn: May 2015

27 May 2015

Shopping Excellence

Seriously? How cute do these new shoes look with hand knit socks???

I was buying summer sandals when I expressed admiration for these beauties.

"I don't really need them right now and I don't have a job so I'll just get the sandals," I told the proprietor of the cute local shoe boutique. Obviously the gent took a liking to me. Since they are winter stock AND the last pair AND my size...he'll give them to me for half of the already half-off sale price. SOLD.

They are actually a tad big. Well, not with hand knit socks they're not!

25 May 2015

Spring!

The Falling Waters Shawl is complete - just in time to wear with light weight dresses as the weather here in Southern Ontario is finally admitting the arrival of spring.

The Knitter's Book of Wool says "This pattern works best with smooth, worsted-spun, multiple ply yarns in semi-solid and somewhat variegated colorways whose variegation stays within the same color family." Hello Yarn Indulgences Indulgent Style! The book also recommends a wool/silk blend for drape and shimmer. In a serendipitous turn, I actually purchased the yarn before choosing the pattern. I already had the book however and it was just a matter of the two coming beautifully together.

The original shawl is HUGE, almost a blanket. I wanted something smaller so I just changed all the pattern squares from 8x8 rows and stitches to 6x6. I also added beads for extra shimmer. Hmm...they don't really show up in these photos do they? Well, they are there, in shades of blue, green and purple, cascading with the pattern direction.

It's just so lovely. I could not be happier with this stole.More photos on my Ravelry page.

14 May 2015

Knitters East

Last Friday's monthly Drunken Knitting was - gulp- East of the DVP!
We usually meet downtown but it was Joyce's birthday and she insisted we drink closer to her home for a change. A reasonable request and besides, it was a lovely spring evening for a stroll in Greek Town. Of course I've been there often for dinner but this time, I brought my camera.

Near as I can tell, this particular section of Toronto consists of three things: restaurants, churches and bridal shops. I guess you wear your bridal gown while marrying in the churches and then celebrate in the restaurants?

The gowns are actually quite pretty.

We drink. We knit. We've been doing this for years and we never run out of things to talk about.

11 May 2015

From a Flow Chart

Here

a moral dilemma socks one; is it better to remain single, conscious of the many

overlapping half-lives that with luck add up to one, or should

we be planted at many listening posts ready to radio vital information back to

whoever

stands at the long bar? And will my genuine if respectful indifference militate

against the neutrality of my performance? Is a conflict of interest shaping up, or

what?"

Flow Chart by John Ashbery

The Noonday Press, 1998 paperback edition, p. 100

09 May 2015

Spring Socks

Well they were supposed to be done last August. They stalled and languished and stalled again. They've seen other projects come and go. Now, at a pace of three or four occasional rows at a time, they are finally complete.

I know I complained about the fussiness of the the twisted stitches but the result is very satisfying. The fabric has great elasticity and clings so nicely. Yes, the effect is pretty too. I particularly like the partridge stitch heel with the garter bands. It shows up really well in this yarn.

These short socks look really cute with white sneakers and a summer skirt. They are a lovely addition to my wardrobe. Am I likely to knit this pattern again? No. But I am glad I did it once.