Knititude

I'm rethinking the tweed...

Sto ripensando il tweed...

I'm trying to work up a design rather quickly-- it's for a sort of short poncho*, and I'd like to make the pattern available before the holidays, as it seems to be a good fall/winter project:  something that wil knit up quickly and simply; something to keep you (or some lucky giftee) warm in a chilly house, or to throw over your shoulders on one of those sunny winter days when you don't need that knee-length down coat that makes you look like a sausage, or to transition into spring, when it finally comes.... 

I was thinking I would use some of the 20-odd balls of Jo Sharp Silkroad Aran Tweed that are languishing in my stash, but after swatching with it-- hmm, not feeling the love.  The first photo below is of my original swatch, done in some Debbie Bliss Cashmerino Aran left over from my Rib & Braid jumper, and shows the stitches really clearly.  The second is in the Jo Sharp, and the stitch pattern just doesn't stand out very well. 

So I thought maybe a cable pattern would stand out better-- the thicker areas of stockinette would perhaps be more visible against the purl background.  Somewhat successful, I thought (third photo) but still not the clear stitch definition I was looking for.

But I did like the diagonal cable, so I decided to pursue variations on that; the way the decreases on the Diagonal Relief swatch (the first two) muddy up the purl fabric near the top was problematic for me, while the decreases on the diagonal cable swatch are more successfully hidden.

Possibilities for yarns:  I have recently been loving the many semisolid yarns that are now available (my design in the upcoming Twist Collective uses one), so I decided to try one of those.  In the last photo (clockwise from left):  Cascade Jewel Hand-Dyed, 4 different shades of Classic Elite Waterlily, and Dream in Color Classy in Grey Tabby.  So hard to choose!!

As for all of that tweedy green, I think it would be lovely knitted into mostly stockinette, but I don't see myself doing anything like that in the near future.  I know I've been super lazy about responding to blog comments--sorry to all who have left comments, I do appreciate them!-- so I'm thinking there will be some kind of contest giveaway in this blog's future....

*Ugh, I think the word "poncho" is really ugly.  Anyone know of a prettier term for this type of garment?

Maple Seed Hat

The spiraling columns on this hat remind me of the spinning trajectory of a falling maple seed, and if you look closely at the columns, the shape of the maple seed’s wing will emerge.

And no, maple seeds aren't usually red, but rather a pale green, or a light brown after they've lain around in the street for awhile.  But maple leaves are often red, especially in the fall, and I love the fall (scroll down to the bottom of the linked entry for the photo of gorgeous Mt. Auburn Cemetery in October) and especially maple trees in the fall.  And there are already several patterns called "Falling Leaves," which is what I originally thought I might call this hat, and then Acer, the genus name of the maple, is a cool name, but I was afraid people would think I named this hat after Ace Young, that American Idol contestant with the penchant for wearing knit hats (and the wide-eyed puppy gaze that got downright creepy after awhile).

Can you tell I've been up at 4:30 a.m. for four mornings in a row now?  That jet lag can be insidious.

Anyway, Maple Seed used one ball* of Jo Sharp Silk Road Aran, a wool/silk/cashmere blend (and a lovely, lovely yarn) in "Merlot".  You could try substituting Lamb's Pride Worsted or Classic Elite Bazic (both wool), or even Jo Sharp Desert Garden Aran Cotton (which I used for Beaufort), Blue Sky Cotton, or Classic Elite Four Seasons Cotton.  If you want to see the two hats side by side, click here; although they are obviously related, changing that SSK to a k2tog causes the crisp spirals of Maple Seed to morph into the softer swirls of Beaufort. 

Download maple_seed_hat.PDF   

Oh yes, and thanks to the TS (Twentysomething Stepdaughter--Happy Birthday!) for modeling.

*Edited to add:  I knit the smaller size which used almost all of one ball; the larger size requires 2 balls.