Did everyone have a great 2007? Ready to take on 2008? What will knitting be like for you this year?
Me? Full of color.
My mind constantly swirls with project ideas, and the idea of working with colors, in particular, has been chasing me. I feel that 2008 may see quite a bit of it. I’ve explored colorwork in my past pieces and in swatches (yes, I like swatching), but lately, and perhaps it’s all the beautiful strands of yarn in the shop staring at me, but I want to work with color, lots of color!
In 2008, I look forward to…….
Making a Bohus Yoke Sweater - Years ago, I picked up Poems of Color by Wendy Keele from the library and was pleasantly intrigued and inspired by the incredible designs of colorwork. Colorwork intimidated me back then (as did a number of other knitting techniques), but now that I’ve overcome this silly fear, knitting a bohus sweater sounds quite fun. I have in mind an angora/alpaca blend in cream color that I’d like to start the body with, but the idea is still in its infancy.
Fair Isle work - Specifically, in tams and sweater vests. Like the bohus designs, intense fair isle in tams were nice to look at but intimidating to attempt. Elizabeth Zimmermann discusses tams in her wonderful book, Knitting Workshop, and Mary Rowe even writes an entire book called Knitted Tams, graciously dissecting the construction of tams and colorwork into something a bit more, shall we say, elementary and easy to understand? These two books will serve as my springboard into tam designs as I continue with my sketches.
Fair Isle work, in general, is quite visually stunning whether it’s stranding with two colors like Sam does with his sweaters (also see prior posts on this blog) or stranding with a hundred colors (slight exaggeration here) like Kaffe Fassett. I have a sketch for a fair isle sweater vest that’s been waiting in the wings for quite some time and soon, it will be time to move the idea onto the needles.
Rowan Wool Cotton - I see it everyday, sitting prettily on the shelves, and calling to me, “Knit with me. Knit with me.” Rowan’s wool cotton is 50/50 per fiber and has an amazing twist and feel. The yarn has such a classic quality that I’d imagine anything knitted with it would look just lovely. For the moment, there are no projects in mind but today is January 1. I’m sure if I wait patiently, the idea will come.
Felting - Have you ever made a felted winter coat? Neither have I. However, upon seeing a gorgeous embroidered coat in an past catalog of Anthropologie, I knew I wanted to make it. The desire to make the coat, however, vs. the actual execution of the garment are two quite different processes. I fear the afterthought that perhaps simply buying the coat would have been easier might visit me when I attempt this piece (probably, in combination with cursing and a bit of frustration). BUT…. we’ll see how it goes. It’s actually the embroidery that I am most looking forward to. My plan for the coat is to include heavy embroidered flower designs along the front panels and edgings along the bottom and sleeves. …. We’ll see!
May your new year be full of wonderful surprises, accomplishments, and happiness!
