loving it.
Not sure where my patience is coming from, but as long as it's here, I am thrilled with the results. My aran sweater is coming along nicely, though slowly. I don't enjoy knitting cables as much as I enjoy lace. Lace is so easy and tension-free; everything is loose and ethereal. I love to wear cables though, and I find the twiny twisty sculptured effects endlessly fascinating. Lately I am almost obsessed. I have taking to browsing through Barbara Walker over the breakfast cereal, looking for the patterns that truly intrigue. When I can't fall asleep I try to divert myself by imagining new cable patterns, and how to arrange them on sweaters and skirt panels. This green cably will be very, very big on me even though I am almost on gauge. It is oversized to begin with and I am small. This is not at all in style right now--not to mention drop-shoulder sleeves--but I will wave the "classic" flag and wear it anyway. It would be nice to finish it before warm weather is here for good, but that seems unlikely.
Meanwhile, I've become intrigued by something else. That's the thing about Barbara Walker--you pick up the books looking for a cable, and you come away with must-try ideas for lace or texture or mosaics or whathaveyou. It all started with capelets, and the idea for a knitted suit, which led me to thinking about tweeds, which led me to slip stitch patterns and my stash of wool weaving yarns.
Slip-stitch patterns are something I have never played with at all, and I feel the investigatory urges coming on strong. This stitch makes a tweedy pattern of little triangles in three colors. I'm fascinated, because I couldn't figure out how to do it by looking at the picture! I love a challenge. The fabric is very stable and doesn't curl at all, but it still stretches a little. It seems as if it would be good for a tailored sort of garment where tweed-like subtlety was desired. I wonder what would happen if you used yarns of radically different weights or fibers? Or a boucle? I love structure...
I love the new sweater! Sadly, you'll have plenty of time to finish it before the warm weather comes to New England (sigh). How about using the slip stitch pattern for a capelet??
Posted by: diana | March 21, 2006 at 07:35 AM
Your Inishmore is just wonderful!
So glad you posted the picture.
Posted by: Esther | March 21, 2006 at 06:09 PM
If you've not yet looked through Jean Frost Jackets, you may be interested in the slip stitch patterns, colors, and textures she uses in her knitted jackets.
Publisher's URL: http://www.stitchesmarket.com/xcart/customer/product.php?productid=6461&cat=214&page=1#none
Posted by: JBB | March 21, 2006 at 10:32 PM