Progress

It always amazes me how much faster the cutting and needle weaving portion of a project goes. I'm sure it is because that, for me, is the most enjoyable part so I keep at it for longer stretches of time. Also, there is no counting at this point, so no delays double-checking to make sure everything lines up and is in place.

Two sides have been completed, one (at top of photo) has the threads withdrawn and is ready for weaving, and the last is still uncut.
A good project = indoors + a/c + low-temp lighting.

I'm going to return to work on it now and while I do I think I'll listen to a podcast. I recently found iMake produced by a Guernsey girl with infectious enthusiasm.

Chromaphilia

It is a bit unusual to see this much color in one project here. It hasn't been that long ago that I was talking about my problems with using lots of color.

However, I became quite intrigued by a new Grumperina pattern, Volna. So intrigued, that finding the Noro yarn, Kirameki, was a Top Priority at Stitches South this past April.

Talented-but-blogless Pat sent along the pattern but it turned out to be a bit much for my summertime brain. I quickly realized that, with all the short rows, it would be one of those patterns that required me to sit alone in my quiet room mumbling to myself, and while often that is actually how I like to spend time, it just wasn't going to work out with my schedule over this summer.

This yarn is a Heinz 57 of fiber blending (60% rayon, 25% nylon, 10% wool & 5% cashmere) and I was surprised at how much I enjoyed working with it even when I have it on slippery KnitPicks needles. So I searched about for a simpler pattern, one that might work with all the color busyness of this yarn, and finally landed on the free Knitty pattern, Wisp.

I still wasn't sure so the other evening I sprayed the end with water and pinned it out for a test block. I liked it enough to continue. Since I don't have to carry along or refer to a pattern, this makes a good portable summer project.

I did the buttonhole eyelets at the bottom but did not work any up the side. So far at least, I am enjoying the colorplay and I am even embracing the whole thick-and-thin aspect of this yarn. When a big fuzzy blob of unspun fiber appears I just think 'hum!' and knit along. I think it gives the piece character.

In a bit of synchronicity, I heard the podcast Fiber Beat mentioned twice this week. I had never listened to this podcast so I headed over to iTunes to give a try and just picked an older episode at random. Well I couldn't have picked a better episode to sample. I landed on Episode 15 - Chromaphilia which was a double-long episode with individual interviews with Brandon Mably and Kaffe Fassett, two big names in the fiber world and two designers who LOVE color. Great interviews. Such a treat to hear people so enthusiastic about their work. Enough to give even a BEIGE person like me the push to get more color into life.

I knit along on Wisp as I listened and enjoyed it so much that later I listened to another, this one an interview with Kathy Hattori of Earthues, a Seattle, WA company specializing in natural dyes for fiber and textiles. Great interviews and interesting topics. I can tell I am going to be knitting along to more. In fact, I can hardly wait to hear the one with Anna Zilboorg!

Charmed, I'm sure

A couple of weeks ago, Paula, who produces the Knitting Pipeline podcast, announced a giveaway of three different colorways of handpainted laceweight yarns that she had purchased from Lilith at Old Maiden Aunt on a trip to West Kilbride, Scotland [Paula's blog post about the visit/purchase here].

She drew names of three listeners from those who left comments and I was lucky enough to be chosen. I must be living a charmed life!

Although I had left Paula some comments, I don't think I left one specifically about the yarn. I didn't want to be greedy. I do confess, however, to visiting the Old Maiden Aunt website and thinking about the yarn.....a lot.

I got to choose a color and, of course, I chose green. The color is actually named Bracken and has such perfect, oh-so-subtle shadings. There is 1300 yards of this yummy 2-ply yarn in a blend of 80% merino and 20% silk. Paula says she has learned that she doesn't care for knitting with such fine yarn.

Once I learned that the yarn was headed my way, I began a serious search for a pattern. I had, I thought, narrowed it down to a couple. Seeing all those extraordinary Estonian shawls obviously influenced my decision. The yarn arrived, I hand wound it into a lovely BIG cake, and cast on immediately for a Nancy Bush pattern from Interweave Knits Spring 2010 she named Facing Lilies Stole [bonus photos at that link]

The lily of the valley motif appears frequently in Estonian shawls because it shows off so wonderfully their trademark nupps.

I love the small Lily of the Valley flowers, but sadly like all other plants, I have had no success in growing them. My mother-in-law had several plants in a rock garden and would sometimes pick a few for a tiny vase. Until I read about it (at that Wikipedia link), I had no idea that all parts of the plant are poisonous. Yikes.

But the article goes on to say that in the Language of Flowers Lily of the Valley signifies the return of happiness Well! That is Good News!

If you like to listen to podcasts and haven't listened to Paula's yet, do give it a try. She does a great job and has interesting segments. I always learn something on her podcasts; often something not even related to knitting.

Audio/Visual

Whew! Supposed to be 95 here today. I finished my walk early while it was only 80. I have to tell you that 80 - with the 82% humidity - is no cake walk. It's more like a cake bake.

To get me through yet another slog around the cul-de-sac, I listened to a podcast. This time not a knitting podcast, but a past episode of The Bob Edwards Show.

I love his interviews. I think he has the Best Job in the world. But I've probably never been more jealous than I was hearing of his July 4 visit and interview with Ashley Springgate who runs the family's snowball business, started by her grandmother in 1939 New Orleans. The above picture is from The Sno-Bliz Online Exhibit and you can read the history of how the business began and how her grandfather, a master machinist, designed and made the ice shaver, and see lots of pictures from the past decades.

Just listening about ICE helped cool off a humid, miserable walk.

I love that this brief visit and interview was a happy bit of spontaneity. Bob was actually at her home to interview her husband about health care in New Orleans and only incidentally learned about the snowball stand which was closed for the 4th of July. Of course, she opened for Bob and made snowballs for him and his assistants.

As I walked around I could almost block out the heat and humidity as I focused on the audio, hearing the sounds of the big block of ICE being loaded and the grinding of the shaver and even the appreciative ummmms from Bob as he sampled his snowball. What I loved was then coming inside and watching the video of the very same interview. Getting to SEE as well as HEAR Ashley (doesn't she have a great smile!) and see Bob's enthusiasm and enjoyment.

Got to love technology! Now.......where can I get me some shaved ice??