Granny stripes forever... Seriously.

Hi. How ya doing? I've missed you!

Lately, I've been spending a lot of time thinking about music, about health and wellness, about writing and poetry. And, usually, these thoughts are accompanied by knitting or crochet.

That much pondering requires slow, meditative projects that don't distract my mind from the more important topics at hand. Shawls are great. Hats are wonderful. And then there's my old standby -- a granny stripe blanket/throw I began in 2018. 

Early on, my stash of yarn scraps was plenty to satisfy my craving for color and nostalgia. But as the years wore on, I started accumulating leftovers from a dear friend and her mom. Raiding my stash and (gasp) stealing a few grams from intact skeins. I even purchase a random mini-skein here and there, just because it complements the throw's eccentric color palette.  

Funny thing is, though, that no matter how much time, effort and yarn I throw at it, my granny-stripe blanket hardly seems to grow. It's like knitting sleeves... You keep working and working, thinking, "Maybe 12 more rows/stripes and it'll be big enough." Then you measure the blanket 12 rows/stripes later and it's still far from being done.

Kind of like my blog. I let it languish and assume no one's reading, then I check one day and see people are still reading. It just keeps going, as if it has a life of its own.

Don't get me wrong. I love writing, knitting, crochet, blogging and so on. But I apparently assumed no one was reading and wandered off one day... 

So my question is: Are you still reading knitting/crochet blogs? Would you be interested in a Knit*Six reboot? Because I'm thinking that, if you're willing to drop by and say hello now and then, it might be fun to reconnect and see where it takes us...

Leave me a comment to let me know... And I'd love to hear what kind of content you'd enjoy most!

Granny stripes forever... Seriously.

Vintage Crochet: Simply gorgeous

I remember when I first saw Vintage Crochet Back when I considered crochet just a bit déclassé (i.e., knitting's lower-class cousin). Note to crocheters: Since then, I've changed my mind, completely, about this form of artistic expression, so please don't hate me!

The People
Primed by a visit to Posie Gets Cozy, Alicia Paulson's blog, a few weeks earlier, I pulled Susan Cropper's pretty book off the shelf and was immediately lured into its world of elegant brunches, snug little havens, quaint tea parties.

Founder of London's Loop yarn store, Cropper (who also wrote Pretty Knits) is a genius at creating intriguing, lovely scenes. She also knows how to organize designs commissioned from a winning team of designers, including Leigh Radford, Kristeen Griffin-Grimes, Alicia Paulson, and Nicki Trench.

The Patterns
The book's four sections - Boho Babes, Nostalgic Home, Lazy Summers, and Gorgeous Gifts - offer a cohesive collection of gifts, home decor items, toys, accessories, and (of course) garments. All drool-worthy.

From the start, I was delighted by Cropper's modern-yet-vintage inspired aesthetic. Soft pastels mingle with saturated colors. Old-fashioned styles emerge as nostalgic clothing that's eminently wearable. Natural fibers, thank goodness, are used throughout.

What are my favorite Vintage Crochet designs? The easy way out of this question would also be the truth: All of them. But if I HAD to choose, I'd pick:

• The Ava Wrap (By Kristeen Griffin-Grimes)

• Kate's Breakfast Set (By Kate Samphier; Sorry, the photos currently on Ravelry really don't do it justice.)

• The Millie Cardigan (By Alicia Paulson)

• The Twinkle Lampshade (By Claire Montgomerie)
  

• And, of course, the Chevron (read: ripple) Blanket (By Bee Clinch)

(FYI: The pattern links will take you to their Ravelry pages.)

The Lowdown
Beyond its usefulness, however, Vintage Crochet offers the one thing fiber artists/crafters enjoy above all else: Eye candy. Kristin Perers' photography captures the glorious yarns with which the designs have been lovingly crocheted. The lighting is superb, and the styling leaves nothing to be desired.

Should you buy Vintage Crochet? Well, if you enjoy making beautiful, classic clothing and gifts, the answer is: Yes. If you adore all things nostalgic and vintage, the answer is: Yes. If you long for some escapist browsing and/or comfort reading, the answer is: Oh, Yes!

And for those of you who don't know how to crochet? The answer is a resounding: Yes. Because this book will make you want to learn. And hey, who wouldn't want another way to play with yarn? That's what I thought.

The Vitals
Vintage Crochet: 30 Gorgeous Designs for Home - Garden - Fashion - Gifts
By Susan Cropper / Photography by Kristin Perers
Paperback: 144 pages; Publisher: Watson-Guptill (November 13, 2007)
ISBN-10: 0823099768

Vintage Crochet: Simply gorgeous

Handspun Yarn Porn & Arts in the Park

Today, I have some handspun yarn porn for you...

Here's the plied version of Ply Me! -- now known as Fallen Petals. When all was said and done, I ended up with 400+ yards of a light fingering weight...

After plying, I dunked the yarn in hot water, then in cold water; ran in through the salad spinner; and hung the skeins out on the laundry line to dry.

Since the yarn was not blocked, the finished product is lovely and springy, with plenty of elasticity.

In other news, Chris and I had fun at "Arts in the Park" (connected to my little town's new farmer's market) yesterday. Not too many people, but it's early in the season yet. When more produce is available, I think we'll have more customers.

(What's in that box on the left? A load of really good knitting books I am selling,
since I hardly ever knit from other people's patterns anymore. Anyone interested?)

What I did sell: The striped purse (hanging in front of the table), a pair of earrings, and these red mitts, which I designed this past winter...

Plus, I got an order for several more pair of the mitts (sorry about the photo quality here -- my camera hates red!) from the customer who bought them :-)

Handspun Yarn Porn & Arts in the Park

Crochet: Inspiring Option or Distracting Dream?

Oh, the siren call of the Ripple Blanket...

OK, let me first state for the record that I am not One of Those Knitters. You know who I'm talking about...the nearly-militant anti-crochet zealots. Not large in number, but they're out there.

Nope, that's not me. In fact, the "problem" I'm dealing with lately feels like a sort of fiber-arts-related ADD--You'll note, I'm sure, the complete absence of "H," or hyperactivity ;-)

I adore knitting. And spinning. I've always liked to sew, and can spend hours in fabric stores. But lately, I've been finding myself attracted to crochet...Odd, since I've never been "a crocheter" in my life. Or maybe that's the point.

Who, after all, doesn't like a challenge. And with so many mouth-watering crochet books coming out, how can anyone resist? Books like this one, my new favorite (it has an adorable "breakfast set" pattern, complete with a retro tea cozy chocolate/robin's egg blue):



And this lovely collection of delights:



And this--complete with intriguing designer interviews:


See what I mean? Oh, what's a person to do with only 24 hours in a day?

To be honest, I count myself as fortunate, having a bit more "unscheduled" time than most people I know. So the solution to my little quandry is the ever-so-simple-and-yet-so-difficult task of moving beyond the dreaming and planning stage to the learning, practicing, and executing stage. I might find I love crocheting, or---horrors!---I might find I'm not very good at it.

Oh, well. I guess that's why it's so much fun to just page through books like these and dream of all the things you could make. Don't you agree?


Until next time...Think warm thoughts, and happy knitting (or crocheting)!

Crochet: Inspiring Option or Distracting Dream?