Grape juice and lavender yarn

I'm sick...



and a very nice friend from Ravelry sent me a care package all the way from Norway! It was full of tea and this beautiful lavender lace weight alpaca, which is keeping me happy on the couch trying out patterns for a lacey scarf... She also sent a lovely heart-shaped Norwegian potato (I love potatoes!), but I can't show it to you because it is long gone (tucked away underneath a cosy blanket of butter and cream...)Yum.

and I have cosy company on the couch:



My friend Marky in Australia surprised me with a HUGE box last week too - a kind of serendipitous pre-holiday box. It deserves a lot of photos and its own post, but as you can see, I'm only showing pictures that I can take without actually getting up from under the quilts. But this wonderful box had a 1920 tool for mending knitted silk stockings, several 1920's to 1940's pattern booklets (one had a tea cloth with filet crochet teapots and teacups on it!), and a yarn for five projects!

...back to resting, now, but with happy thanks for such thoughtful friends...

something special in the mail...

This afternoon, after a morning conference that started (or seemed to) at dawn and didn't include lunch, I ate at Beijing Tokyo, a restaurant downdown. I got vegatable tempura and miso soup. And a fortune cookie came with the bill. I love fortune cookies. The hope that somehow chance will know exactly what is going on in the course of any random life is very amusing and optimistic!

Mine read:
"You will receive something special in the mail"

When I got home, after a long, long day and an after-hours meeting, I found this on my doorstep:



Two packages from afar! From England, in fact!

The first was my order from Kim Hargreaves.



I love how she wraps everything up in tissue and ribbon. Items are packed in white gift boxes and include a blank card, so that when you've finished knitting whatever it is you've ordered, you can give it as a lovely wrapped gift.

My boxed included her summer book of patterns, Nectar, and the very new one, The Thrown Together Collection. I also got a kit, but since it truely is a gift for someone, it will remain a mystery for now...



Every pattern in both books is gorgeous and several have a really 30's or 40's flair. I want to make them all. This one, with its wide neckline, is calling me...



The second package was another special knitting resource from the 1930's:





This book, The Pictoral Guide to Modern Home Knitting, by Odham's Press of London, is full of stitch patterns, designing tips, and actual patterns - many for underthings of both practical and lacy nature. The French Knickers are adorable and the American Panties are depressingly practical! There are a few bathing suits that look just like the unders. I especially love the vests, corset covers, and spencers:









There are plenty of clothing patterns, too. One that caught my eye has a knitted "godet" of pleats in the back of a pretty skirt:



And one of my very favorites is a little sweater that is made from 5 skeins of pure angora!

The Fluffy Bolero



This sweater has somewhat sketchy directions for tricot crochet (made with an afghan hook). The pieces are made square, or almost, and the curve for the neck front edge is made by turning the piece under when the sweater is seamed and "sewing the superfluous fabric to the wrong side". This sweater would probably be easy to crochet, but I also think that it could be easily converted to knit stitches. Angora is almost impossible to undo, so it would be important to be sure of the design first, perhaps practicing the sizing of the sweater in garter stitch with a smooth light yarn.

Here are my thoughts on conversion to today's crochet. I would make it entirely in single crochet (double crochet for any Brits reading this).

Measurements. To fit a 34-in bust; length from shoulder to lower front edge, 20 inches. Sleeve length, from underarm, 3.5 inches.

Materials. Five balls of 1/2 ounces each, in 100% angora. A medium hook and small hook. (sorry, no hook size is given. I would probably start with a G hook and an F hook).

Right front. Chain 32. Single crochet (sc) in each chain, starting with the 2nd chain from the hook. Ch 1, turn (ch 1 at each turning). SC in each sc across. Increase in each of last five sc. Contnue even back and forth until the work measures 8 inches from the first row.
To shape armholes: SC to within five stitches of the end, turn, ch 1, work back. Continue even back and forth in sc until the work measures 16 and 1/2 inches. Fasten off.

Left front. Make the same as for right front.

Back. Chain 62 and sc in each ch, starting with 2nd ch from hook. Continue even in sc, back and forth, until the side edges measure 8 inches. Then follow the directions for shaping the armholes, as for the right front, only do it on both sides of back simultaneously. SC even, back and forth, on these stitches until the entire back measures 16 and 1/2.

Sleeves. - make two. Chain 32 and work in sc for 3 and 1/2 inches, increasing 1 stitch at each side on every other row. Then, decrease twice on each side of the next row. For the next 2 inches, decrease 1 stitch in each row on each side. Then, for the next 2 and 1/2 inches, decrease 2 stitches each end every row. Fasten off.

Make up. Join the side, shoulder, and sleeve seams with over-sewing in a matching sewing thread. Shape the top of the fronts as desired and sew the superfluous fabric to the wrong sides (this is from the original directions). Work a row of DC (double crochet - or triple crochet for the Brits) down the fronts and across the lower edge of the back, using the smaller crochet hook. Then work two rows of SC, slightly tightening the edge and putting 3 stitches into the corners of the right and left fronts. The 30's directions say that it is not necessary to work an edging around the sleeves.

Make a buttonholed bar in the right front neck edge to fasten the small button sewn to the top of the left front. Press the fabric carefully, being sure not to rest the weight of the iron directly on the fabric.

There you have it! If I find any nice angora, I'll try this pattern out. I like the idea of a soft, fluffy sweater for the fall!

the roses that bloom in late summer....

I am a late bloomer. There is no way around it, it takes me longer to step out and open up than most people. Still, I think late summer blossoms are just as nice, don't you?

Nadine sent me a Big Red Box yesterday! Oh, the exotic and beautiful things that were inside, that had traveled across the ocean.... so many, including a CD I have playing right now: "Schokolade" Its all about chocolate but its instrumental and the music and is incredibly soft and soothing! I love it.

And Snake Poison sock yarn! (I think I will have to use Nadine's own pattern that I meantioned before - she created such a perfect one for this particular colour combination).

And more sock yarn! soft blue, soft green.....I will find a "little flowers" pattern for that I think. The pretty subtle colours remind me of forget-me-nots.

and Tea, and Stitch markers, and Gryffindor yarn(!), and Podcasts (oh my!), and, and, Oh...all the things that make a knitter go "yes, this is a wonderful world, isn't it?"

But best of all...and so wonderful that I actually just held this skein for the longest time, just looking and gazing at all the blending of colours... was another skein of Tausendschon (http://www.strickstduschon.de/) sock yarn called Black Rose. It looked exactly like this:

Absolutely the truth! All the colours are there: deep red, blood purple, burgundy, a subtle flash of darkest purplish peach, more red and goldish red.... This colour combination (hand dyed) is pure inspiration! The skein I have doesn't look like the skein on the webpage, which appears more multi-coloured. Mine is all variations on the dark red theme, just like the rose above.

I've alread decided that I'm going to design a special sock for this yarn, perhaps using some of the elements of this image, which I've made into a knitting graph:


They will be knee socks, and the knitted roses won't neglect to show their thorns...When I wear these socks, I'll feel beautiful and blooming, no matter if summer has passed.

wishes arrive on the doorstep...

I have the most beautiful knitting book in the world!



I really believe that's true. This volume seems - although I don't read German - to have everything: the History of a particular older knitter - perhaps the woman who developed this stitch or these patterns; an explanation of various stitches and grafts and ways to make the actual lily (with some explanations in English!); lots and lots of garment patterns - far more than most US pattern books; with descriptions, and notes, and lace graphs, and written pattern directions for each one, and a short biography, with photos, of every person who had anything to do with the book.

And.....
and...
...AND......

The. Most. Incredibly. Beautiful. Sock patterns I have ever seen! Imagine - lily of the valley on your socks!



Thank you Nad, for your generosity. You are amazing.

This box from Germany also came with Hello Kitty, tea sugar, tea, a French knitting magazine, a mini Opal skein (so cute!), absolutely gorgeous mohair for lace, and a pin that says: "I'm a knitaholic and proud of it! Passionate Sock Knitter. hee hee

Apparently, The Post Office was also interested in this package, because once again, it had a hole busted in it, even though the customs slip listed the contents as quite innocent! I was angry, because the little things could easiy have fallen out of the hole, which was the length of my finger and looked quite deliberate - just big enough to peek inside and check the contents! Now, I don't mind if they feel they have to check, but why don't they seal it back up again? I almost feel like they're trying to pretend that they *don't* check the mail....

Well, my boyfriend is complaining that he's getting no attention (I'm blogging, watching the Red Sox/Mariners game. and eating pizza) so I'd better go. Socks. Must knit more socks! Oh, did I tell you that this book also has a pattern for a tiny, tiny lily of the valley sock? Small enough for a keychain!
Now you know what you're all getting for Christmas! ;)

Severus Snape is my boyfriend

I don't have anything to say, except that is raining, I don't feel well, I'm lonely, and I'm hungry. Or, to put it another way.....
Next week will be warm and sunny,
I will never be sick again in my life,
Soon I will be doing fun things with friends and I love my lj friends,
and
I think I will make my favorite food: baked potato, for supper tonight!

speaking of being wonderful, Marky from Oz sent me the most incredible belated birthday presents!!! A Yarn magazine, - the latest edition, a Needlecraft magazine - which, if the clothing of the ladies in the ads is anything to go by (and I think it is), is from the early 1900's and includes a pattern for a tea cosy(!!!), and some incredibly cool knitting needles made from Australian Oak and with little carved round balls on the top that are artistically painted Aqua with WHITE POLKA DOTS!!!! (sorry, just lost my mind for a moment)...
and.....
and.........
AND................

A Whole Box of vintage/antique bakelite knitting needles - A Whole Box - off all rainbow colours and they are ALL matching pairs!!!!! {dies} {faints} {swoons} {revives}.

Unless you are a knitter and collector afflicted with obsession - especially obsession with the 30's and 40's - you cannot know the thrill of having your dearest desires appear on your doorstep with a Sydney postmark.

Thank you, Marky. I'm sorry. If Severus Snape were not my boyfriend, you would be. But you are next in line. honest.

Now, I never mentioned it, but a few months ago Nad sent me a vintage crochet hook from Germany, from the 40's It is war-time plastic (similar to Bakelite) and is bright red!!! I cherish it.

It is so unfortunate that I still don't have a computer because I can't take photos and show you anything and I'm making such wonderful things. (even if I do say so myself). I know, you think you'll do fine without my knitting photos. But deep down inside.... don't you miss them?

so soft

April 4 07 11:36 AM

Today is a soft kind of day…the sky is indeterminate in colour, and the air is so full of incipient rain that when I look out the window, it looks like I’m underwater gazing across a clear but muted landscape. We are supposed to have several inches of snow tonight.

I have been blessed recently with some kind gifts appearing on my doorstep, the first this beautifully bunny soft baby cashmere yarn in a heather rose colour – four skeins!! That is enough for an intricate lace shawl, which is what I think I will knit with it – something from Victorian lace today. This amazing gift came from Nathalie.…



Nad sent me such a lovely birthday note and her Mom embroidered a spring sheep for me! (You may remember the wooly pine-cone sheep of this winter). I have definitely decided that I am going to make a four-sided bag with a place on each side for these beautiful embroidered sheep – made with such skill and such kind affection!

Another exciting box, from Julie included an incredible roving yarn in jewel-tone colours, several books that look so intriguing, and the wildest British candy you could ever imagine: flying saucers that are made of tinted wafers (like communion wafers) but filled with tiny round candies, a fizzy stick that bubbles in your mouth, and toffee! And………….a beautiful little bottle from the Black Phoenix Alchemy Lab that smelled oh, so wonderfully perfect and was named…SOPHIA! It is exquisite. I’ve been using it every day.

Right now, I’m reading a book that she sent me a few weeks ago that I think several of you might like. It’s called The Eyre Affair, and it’s a story about a society that is founded on books – everything is organized around well-know books and authors and everyone takes the name of their favorite book or author, so that there are many, many Shakespeares, for instance, (which causes lots of confusion) and the timeline of people’s lives can be changed by going back in time and re-writing the plot of a novel…. Its funny and quirky and smart and all about the love of literature. I’m not done yet.

The few things I had on the needles are finished, and I was at a loss as to what I should begin now. I’ve settled on a long, long Chevron patterned scarf for my sister out of Barefoot Yarns Ruby River, (finishing) the leaf green linen and silk shrug that I’m making for myself, the Professor’s black shawl which will have a unique design of my own devising (hmmm hmmm), and the lace shawl that I’ll make with my new cashmere. I’m sooooooo surrounded by luxury yarns at this moment! (lucky me!)

knitting camel from across the seas

Do Camels cross the wide seas???

Anyway, The knitting camel caravan arrived yesterday at my house from far across the seas! Dear Marky sent knitting gifts that will keep me busy for a long, long time...



Knitting needles click:
a cup of tea scents the air,
The new shawl begins!



So, I started a new shawl that I like far better than the one I was making. This one is my own design, taken from several of the lace patterns in the books from Marky. I'm using a non-striping sock yarn in shaded blues, combined with light blue Kid Seta mohair and silk. It’s beautifully soft, and I'm still trying to finish it in a week! I've got a couple of feet done, while watching a Project Runway marathon. I'll knit more tonight because I have the new Pride and Prejudice to watch!