Knititude

Sherwood, transformed

I finally finished my grown-up version of Sherwood-- and it did turn out to be a sleeveless jumper/tunic.  I guess I was thinking of this little black number all along (can't believe I posted that picture from Harper's Bazaar over two years ago!).  I guess I need to find a big ol' hat for the modeled photo shoot.

Anyway, Sherwood has morphed into something quite different from the original; I guess I'd better name this jumper something else.  Sherwood Forest, Robin Hood, merry men, Maid Marion...how about "Marion"!?  Or maybe I should be practical and stick with something like "Rib & Braid Cable Sleeveless Jumper/Tunic"-- it sure would make it easier to find on Ravelry.

Errata for Sherwood

 1) Under "Upper Front," delete "(Front is 6[6, 8, 8, 10, 10] rows shorter than Back to shoulder)"; second sentence should read only: "Work in patt until chart Row 76[82, 88, 76, 84, 68] is complete."   

2) Change heading "Shape Right Shoulder" to "Shape Right Front Neck and Shoulder."  

3) Change heading "Shape Left Shoulder" to "Shape Left Front Neck and Shoulder."    

4) Under "Join Shoulders" 2nd sentence should read, "With right sides facing each other and wrong sides facing out...."    

5) On Body Chart Left, 29th st from left-hand side of chart in rows 97, 98 & 99 should be p on RS/k on WS; on Body Chart Right, 29th st from right-hand side of chart in rows 97, 98 & 99 should be p on RS/k on WS. (Chart errors have been corrected on pdf version of charts.)    

6) Sleeve charts and written instructions give conflicting directions: the written instructions say that the first row is a WS row (which it is) while the chart shows the first sleeve row as a RS row. In addition, if following the Sleeve charts, you would begin sleeve decreases before all of the underarm stitches are picked up. To remedy this:

1. Use the row just BELOW the colored line for your size as the first sleeve row. This is a WS or even-numbered row. 
2. For sizes 2  and 4, proceed with sleeve shaping decreases as shown on charts. For sizes 6-8 and up, begin sleeve decreases 2 chart rows AFTER first decrease shown on Sleeve charts; this will allow enough rows to finish picking up underarm stitches before starting sleeve shaping. Proceed with decreases as shown on charts. Don't worry, you have plenty of room to complete sleeve shaping decreases: for all sizes you will need to work at least 8 rows even after completing charted sleeve rows, to reach standard sleeve lengths.

A couple of reader knits

Here is a lovely Sherwood with a few minor mods, by Eileen; according to her the color is really more red than it appears in the photo.

And below are only three of the Maple Seed hats knit by Sandra, who is apparently making one for everyone she knows! 

Retreat

Although my adult version of Sherwood has been on a back burner for the last month or so, this weekend, I felt the need to do some knitting not requiring any decisions--just nice, mindless, round-and-round.  With enough crossed stitches to keep my mind busy, in a sort of not-so-difficult crossword puzzle or reading-the-newspaper kind of way.  As an added bonus, the combination of ribbing and the springy Debbie Bliss Cashmerino Aran makes for a plush, spongy fabric which is a delight to sink the fingers into--it reminds me of my Tempur-Pedic mattress, which provides a sleeping experience I highly recommend.  Aahh.

(What do you think?  Micro-mini?)

Litany of petty complaints

(I'm in that kind of a mood today.)

This is the only ruler I could find with inches as well as centimeters.  Guess I'd better stop letting my son play with my tape measure.  (But at least I scored some "Vertmont" maple syrup.)

The water in our shower is merely tepid; to get it to the temperature I like, I have to get out of the shower, drip across the floor, flush the toilet, and then hop back into the shower to enjoy a few hot minutes.

Italian potato chips seem to be uniformly slightly stale.

Few of our Tupperwares have matching lids, and of those that do, the lids still don't stay on.

At the supermarket, plastic shopping bags cost a few cents each.  It wouldn't matter, except that hardly anyone seems to buy them; they bring their own, or they just pile everything into their cart without bags, and then pile everything into their car trunk in the parking garage--or else they buy one bag and stuff it to overflowing.  Which makes me feel like a spendthrift for spending ten or fifteen cents on a few sacchi di plastico.  (I don't throw them away!  I would re-use them, but I keep forgetting to put them back in my car after I put the groceries away.)

A drawer in our kitchen is overflowing with plastic shopping bags.

My husband bought me the Malo cashmere sweater pictured at left.  I love it--that's not the problem.  But look at how horrifically it's pilling! 

My pocket-sized camera, a Canon PowerShot SD20 (don't buy one!) thinks it's a computer and keeps freezing up.  I have to take the battery out to reboot it.   Sooner or later I'm sure it will break down completely.

Three of my four watches need new batteries.

I hate working out.  Especially that infernal leg extension machine.

I hate wearing mascara, but my eyelashes are short and sparse.  Usually I still don't wear mascara.

With no impending deadlines, I'm not getting anything done on the swatches and ideas I have percolating. 

At least I've made a start on my own Sherwood.  I'm not sure yet whether I'll make it into a sweater, or into a sleeveless jumper; I'm tempted to do  the latter, but remain dubious about knitted skirts in general.  I wish I could knit faster.

Look at what the putto* dragged in.

I figure I won't be living in a house adorned with putti* forever, so I'd better make use of them while I can.  I especially like the spiderwebs, which I've concluded must be good luck here in Italy, as no one seems willing to remove them.

Anyway, the Debbie Bliss Cashmerino Aran for my own Sherwood has arrived!  I was concerned that it would be too teal, but in fact it is the color of lake shadows, a lovely deep blue calmed with gray, and leaning only slightly toward green.  It's also deliciously soft; I have a feeling this won't be the last time I use this yarn for something.

Full disclosure:  this announcement is somewhat disingenuous, as it gives the impression that I will be getting to work straightaway on Sherwood for me.  I cannot use the word "unfortunately," because I am delighted to say that I have had several pattern submissions accepted for various publications (trying to walk a fine line between being coy and braggartly here), but the simple truth is that, since they are all due by the end of December, I probably won't have much time for Sherwood until January.

*"Putto," plural "putti":  in Renaissance or Baroque art: an idealized representation of a naked young boy or cherub, often with wings.  Etymology:  17th century Italian, from Latin putus:  boy.  www.allwords.com

Missing my LYS and my OYS

The benefits of living in Como (and there are many) notwithstanding, there is a serious shortage of LYSs here.  I've found several shops that sell yarn, but they seem to follow the odd (to me, anyway) marketing formula of selling a combination of socks, underwear, and a SMALL selection of yarn--much like this store I found in Bellagio, back in May.  Word is there are several great yarn shops in Milano, but don't know when I'll get a chance to go there....  Silly me, I thought the small part of my stash I brought with me would last me until Christmas (when we return to the States for the holidays), but it's only October, and already I'm pining away for Elissa's Creative Warehouse, Putting on the Knitz, the Black Sheep Knitting Co., and of course my favorite Online Yarn Shop, WEBS.

Anyway, I had decided to make Sherwood for myself, in either a sweater or a sleeveless jumper (and yes, to write the pattern for adult sizes), but I didn't have the yarn for it.   I couldn't find an Italian online yarn shop (whether because there are none, or because my fledgling Italian is not up to the task, I don't know).  So I headed--virtually speaking--to the U.K., where in the process of deciding to try Debbie Bliss' Cashmerino Aran (from Angel Yarns, "Europe's Largest Online Yarn Store"), I also happened across a lovely cotton yarn from HipKnits, in "Seaweed" shades of green and blue.   To order from HipKnits, I had to open an Italian Paypal account, since my U.S. Paypal account wouldn't allow me to ship to a non-U.S. address.  And then I got an e-mail from Angel Yarns informing me that they would ship my Debbie Bliss when they got it back in stock.  As to when that would be....  Wonder how much WEBS charges to ship to Italy.

 

Aargh.

Every day since the first day of September, I've been checking and re-checking my e-mail, waiting for the notice to Knitty readers that the fall Knitty was up; you'd think that at some point during that time I might have realized that I NEGLECTED TO INCLUDE THE URL TO THIS SITE in my designer blurb.  So all that web traffic never got directed HERE (or QUI, as we say here in Italia).  See the expression on the kid's face?  Well, compared to how I feel, he's turning mental cartwheels.  I mean, if my top priority was to make a lot of moolah, I would have stuck with veterinary medicine (NOT!!--although that was the mother lode compared to knitwear design)--but it sure would be nice to at least be able to support my expensive yarn habit with my own earnings.

Sherwood for grownups

Now, I couldn't tell from the photo at left (both are from Harper's Bazaar, September 2006) if the jumper shown is a knit, but it could be; the one below is definitely not, but it has a sort of heraldic, medieval feel to it that makes me think of...Sherwood.  The rib and braid pattern I used in Sherwood makes me think of tunics and halberds, chain mail, that sort of thing, and now I'm picturing Sherwood sleeveless, mid-thigh length, worked in a gorgeous gray wool-silk combo, something that has a sheen to it, not metallic so much, or at least no more than that metallic glint you might catch from some bird's feathers, around a pigeon's neck, say.  Those ribs and the "V" effect of the braid arrangement are very figure-flattering; much as I like the idea of a white blouse, I would probably end up wearing it over a turtleneck.  You could put tights under it, or those %$#! leggings that are seemingly back in style.  Size 14 has a 36 inch chest circumference, and size 16, 39 inches.  Just keep working until it's long enough, a little armhole shaping, a little ribbing around the armholes to match the neck...yum.  Wish I had time to do it myself.

P.S.  I remember you, Paige Farley-Hackel--you, and your little dogs, too.