Monday 24 Sep 2007

Infancy

I’d been searching to no avail for the perfect yarn for my Rhinebeck Not-Sweater when serendipity intervened.

Last Tuesday Katherine gave me a belated birthday present - a skein of Alpaca With A Twist Fino in a grey color that is exactly the same color as the sky in Syracuse during a snowstorm. Perfect!

I fiddled with the charts a bit then decided to just start knitting and work out the kinks as I go since time is running short. Here’s the baby shawl at 129 stitches:

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Not too impressive, I know. But I’m trying.

Several people wrote and asked if I’ll offer the pattern once the shawl is finished. That was my plan–assuming it comes out looking good. So I’ll probably be looking for a test knitter in a couple of weeks unless the shawl doesn’t pass the smell test at Rhinebeck.

And several people wrote and asked what I made from the not-yellow yarn I dyed with turmeric. It’s being transformed into a pair of mittens. They’re almost finished, but since my resident hand model is at cheerleading practice and can’t model them right now, I only have this “in process” photo:

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The pattern is the May pattern from Knitter’s Almanac by Elizabeth Zimmermann. I didn’t make any changes this time, but I did jot down a few things I might try with the next pair.

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Susan | knitting, shawls, mittens, dyeing

16 Responses to “Infancy”

  1. # Cayenne on 24 Sep 2007 at 5:41 pm

    I love the “not yellow” yarn and the mittens look very cool. I’m reading Opinionated Knitter right now. Amazing. I love EZ’s ramblings and wonderful genius.

  2. # Beth on 24 Sep 2007 at 6:40 pm

    Interesting shaping. I just fluffed right past that pattern in the book.

  3. # Marcia on 24 Sep 2007 at 6:48 pm

    I love the “not yellow” yarn, too. I will have to buy some turmeric!

  4. # Teresa C on 24 Sep 2007 at 7:26 pm

    I love that. Just start knitting and see how it goes. I have only adopted that knitting strategy recently and have found that as long as you don’t mind reknitting then you’re good. I have a feeling you’ll have better luck than I.

  5. # Sibylle on 25 Sep 2007 at 12:19 am

    I would love to testknit, I have enough Fino here :) (I love that yarn)

  6. # lisa on 25 Sep 2007 at 4:01 am

    Are you in Syracuse?? I lived there for almost 20 years. My folks claimed that every time they drove there (not that frequently), the sun would disappear. I remember whole months where it rained EVERY day!

  7. # Carole on 25 Sep 2007 at 4:45 am

    I predict that the shawl will be fabulous.

  8. # marie in florida on 25 Sep 2007 at 6:27 am

    it’s “not yellow” enough that i want to try that dying with tumeric myself.

  9. # Heather Joins The Round on 25 Sep 2007 at 7:06 am

    Pretty! I didn’t see that yarn last week.

  10. # Kim on 25 Sep 2007 at 7:37 am

    hmm……..that kind of looks yellow to me…..(ducking…heehee)

  11. # Beth S. on 25 Sep 2007 at 1:40 pm

    I think your shawl has great potential. :-) And alpaca will definitely keep you warm if there is a nip in the air… ;-)

    So are your mittens “gold”? “Banana”? “Yarrow”? (That one’s my favorite, I think. ;-)

  12. # Laurie on 26 Sep 2007 at 3:10 am

    Do we get to vote at Rhinebeck? That should be a shoe-in. Shoo-in?

  13. # Chris on 26 Sep 2007 at 5:46 am

    Folks like you are inspirational. I hope someday my knitting skills take me to design.

  14. # Colette on 26 Sep 2007 at 4:45 pm

    I too would test knit for you. If it is anything like your other works, it will be fabulous. Oh, and the grey is the color of the sky during a snow storm…. Love it!

  15. # Katherine Allred on 02 Oct 2007 at 2:06 pm

    Hey, glad you love the yarn!

  16. # Diane Patterson on 16 Oct 2007 at 9:38 am

    I too am from Syracuse-Westvale-I was there for 18 years and love it there. I am now in Pittsburgh,PA .I love your Rhinebeck Shawl and would Love the pattern. What did you put around the edges?
    I have a friend from Guild going and have plans to go next year. I have my daughters 40th. this year.

    Enjoy,
    Diane

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