It’s been all go here! I’m trying to clear the knitting decks for an upcoming project that will need my undivided attention over the next few weeks, and then the prospect of having surgery in a month or two. The good part about the latter is that I have big plans to spend at least a week in bed recovering with the Craftsy classes that I have signed up for but haven’t had the time to take. The down side is that I feel like I really have to get the house spotless for what folks are telling me will be at least 6 weeks of non-activity post-op. So from here on in there will be less knitting and more cleaning… that’s the plan anyway.
I have a couple of patterns just released, and they couldn’t be more different really.
First is the Papa Bear Hoodie, a handsome and comfy sweater constructed seamlessly from the bottom up. It has a knitted-in kangaroo pocket and a hood — both edged with an easy to learn cable motif. I particularly love the hood — I used short rows, the Fibonacci Sequence and Kitchener stitch to get a lovely head-hugging curve that does not stick up in a point at the back and make you look like an elf. I feel like a knitting genius (please, don’t burst my bubble!).
And then we have Loie – named after Loie Fuller, a dance artist of the Art Nouveau era who created stunning swirled effects on stage with colour and movement.
This Loie is a sophisticated and dressy silk-blend top with barely-there sleeves and an elegantly draping cowl neck. The focal point, though, is the column of 575 glass beads (I get my beads from Cherrygon’s Beading Gallery, and recommend them), knitted into the fabric in a curling abstract Art Nouveau-inspired motif.
This piece is also worked seamlessly in the round, and uses a provisional cast on and knitted hem to keep the flow of stockinette stitch intact and the lines simple.
If you have a moment, I’d thoroughly recommend googling Loie Fuller, she was quite an icon!
