Thursday, January 18, 2018

3 things: what i'm knitting now

The sub-title of the post should be: for better or worse.  I'm really jazzed about  a number (greater than three! a cornucopia of knits!) of projects I have going on,  but these three are actively being knit on this week.
ONE 
My Jane Jacobs Shawl from I Knit New York.   I am having fun with this! Mosaic knitting over a large surface is new for me. It flies by magically. My only issue is indecision about colors. I need to swap out for the next section.  Designer Kirsten Kapur gave me the heads up that in mosaic knitting, subtle contrasts get lost--more so than in garter stripes or stranded colorwork. Who knew??  Being friends with the designer has its advantages, but now I am fretting the colors.  I think the next section will be blue (see yarn options at top) with black squares, then with grey with squares and end with the purple with lightest silver/white squares. Or....maybe not...

Bonus: on an episode of the Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, there's  a scene with Jane Jacobs, on a  soapbox in Washington Square Park. I sputtered in excitement as I watched " Hey I AM KNITTING A SHAWL named after her".  I may have repeated it three times.  (any wonder non-knitters think we are crazy?)
TWO I finished Dave's sweater, Zacapa by Thea Colman. I love everything about it except the fit is messed up.  Entirely MY fault, NOT the pattern's.  Dave tried it on fresh off the needles,  I thought all it needed was a good blocking. So I wove in ends, finished seams, blocked it thoroughly (3 days to dry, no joke, it is heavy yarn ).  Now it is obvious the sleeves and shoulders are all wrong.  My first saddle shoulders will soon be my second saddle shoulders ;-) .  I have lost my zip to work on this but he loves it, so I shall seek zip and rip back soon . Quite a ways back. UGH.  It's beautiful Jill Draper Makes Stuff Middlefield yarn , far too nice to leave unworn and neglected!
THREE
If you are thinking " wtf ? scribble lace in south florida flamingo and green?" , I hear you. Though we are calling it seaweed green and mermaid pink.  It is a gift for someone who is all about such foof and flair.  I want to make something that she will love.  Back in the day  (so far back, pre-ravelry) I knit at least two Loopy & Luscious Wraps .  This is a narrower version as a scarf, in the venerable KidSilk Haze and a skein of really lovely but intensely pink Soul Wool merino. Both skeins have been here a while.  It became obvious to me they need to be this gift.
The scribble lace cranks off the size US15 needles--I watch a little TV and work on it at night for an hour or so-  it'll be done soon and then I can leap onto one of three sweaters for me that are in the plans. And on my Make Nine.  And calling to me every time I walk past the yarn.

Not unrelated--Berroco is running a Lopi KAL starting February 1st.  I am so in to Lopi-Along.  You? 





12 comments:

Ellen Bloom said...

All three, fantastic projects! Too bad about the slipover. Yes, ribbit and re-knit. It's worth it. That pink and pea-green is making my head flip! I love it. Can't wait to see your completed mosaic shawl...excellent colors!

Carole said...

Great looking projects - I'll be particularly interested in seeing the last one pictured when it's finished!

AsKatKnits said...

I will be in that Lopi-Along! I have plans to cast on Ysolda's Strokkur!

Oh, and did you see the new Quince patterns? They are stunning...and sadly, collage worthy! lol

Jeannie Gray Knits said...

LOVE the colors in your Jane Jacobs and that last photo has just given me THE worst case of spring fever! I sure hope I can find some pink tulips at the grocery store because if I can't I'm going to be awfully hard to live with. :)

Vera said...

Sorry about the ripping needed on the sweater...but great yarn can't be wasted! All of your projects look gorgeous - especially loving the Jane Jacobs. I haven't knit a shawl in a couple of months.....

Nicole said...

I have never knit scribble lace before, but now I think I NEED to. Either in crazy fun colors for my niece, or in something a little more subtle for myself, we'll see what calls to me!

Also, I love the colors in the first project. I never thought about the different ways color contrasts would work in different types of projects, though.

Kym said...

I did the same thing while watching Mrs. Maisel (except for the part about actually knitting it right now; because I'm not; but I will be soon)!!! (I felt so . . . informed!) (Thanks, knitting!) I'm so sorry that you have to rip back and re-knit . . . but I know it'll be worth it in the end. But still. XO

twinsetellen said...

All glorious, even the must-be-ripped-back sweater and especially the brilliant shawl. Just what we need midwinter.

JourneytoHandmade said...

I absolutely love your colors for your first project! I’ve never done mosaic knitting before, but it looks like it would be hard to go wrong with any of those color combos.

Marie said...

I followed your link from the Jane Jacobs pattern on Ravelry. It’s in my queue, and my colors are chosen, I just need to finish some wips first, but I’m anxious to start JJ!! I love your colors too! If it helps, I took a pic of my color options and converted it to black and white to see if there was enough contrast in value. Maybe that could help you decide which colors to use too?

Now I want to watch Mrs. Maisel. ;)

Mary Lou said...

If you need a consult, bring the sweater along.

cal said...

didn't you LOVE Mrs. Maisel!? we blew through it so fast and now are in withdrawal... can't wait for more to come! lovely knits; now i must go check on you Make Nine plans...