Monday, January 31, 2011

Some knitting and...

Like many others, I've fallen victim to the latest viral pattern on Ravelry, a Kirsten Kapur designed hat called Ida's Kitchen.

kitchen hat 2

I'm not at all sure how this happened. I have a list of things I want and need to knit that didn't include this hat, so this was just a frolic; a moment's distraction. Additionally, given that I lived through the extremes of 70s fashions, I'm not usually attracted to clothes that reference or recreate this period. It seems too recent to be fashionably 'retro'. But I'm always attracted to stripes, and seem to be going through a particularly stripey period with my knitting. And this pattern uses chevrons, which I love. So, I have knitted this vaguely 70s, hippyish hat. I don't know what I'll do with it.

kitchen hat 3

At least I didn't buy yarn especially for it. The pattern calls for 7 different colours of sport weight (5 ply) yarn. I had relatively small amounts of four colours in very basic Heirloom woollen yarn and decided to add some left-over grey Araucania Ranco. Even though it's sock yarn it's quite thick and I thought it would be good enough (which it is). So, my stripey hat has only five colours, but I think that's sufficiently riotous.

Even though I resisted buying yarn for my stripey hat, I have bought some yarn recently. I visited the newish Balmain location of the Calico and Ivy yarn and fabric store and chatted with its super-knowledgeable salesperson. The store is light-filled and charming and amongst many desirable fabric and yarn choices has what is probably my favourite yarn - Rowan Felted Tweed.

rowan

I bought some skeins in a muted crushed raspberry colour and couldn't resist a skein of the blue-grey to match the tweedy flecks in the raspberry yarn. I have no project in mind, but made sure I have enough for a small shawl or a cardigan for my grand-daughter. My copy of the latest Rowan pattern book arrived on the day I bought the yarn. Even when there is nothing I might conceivably want to knit from them - which is the case with this issue - I love the Rowan pattern books. I'm always seduced by their very English boho-chic styling. I'm more likely to covet the loose linen pants, flowing skirts and chunky bangles than I am to desire to knit any of the garments.

And I have been knitting on a project I want - even if I don't need it.

Terra

Shortly after Jared Flood's yarn Shelter was released, I bought some skeins in the colour called 'Wool Socks' to make the Terra scarf / shawl. I was attracted by the lace in bulky yarn concept, and didn't even notice that the shawl had a significant base of broken garter stitch, as well as the lace. It now seems rather astonishing that I could have been so unobservant but, as you can imagine, I'm enjoying the regularity and geometry of the knitting.

I just wish it wasn't so hot!

6 comments:

Rose Red said...

Until today, I hadn't seen this hat - and now yours is the second blog I've read about it on! It is a fab fab hat! I hope you will wear it with gay abandon!

I'm a bit scared to visit Calico & Ivy. I might have to leave my money and credit cards at home, I think, otherwise I might be forced to bring the entire shop home with me...

jp said...

I too ventured to Calico and Ivy last week coming away with 5 metres of fabric and No Yarn (Knit from Stash victory of sorts!)

1funkyknitwit said...

Great colours in the hat, if you don't feel comfortable wearing it out in the open you could frolic around the house in it whilst hoovering with great flair and pizazz :D

Calico & Ivy is on my hit list ;)

...and yes !! way too hot !!!

Unknown said...

I haven't seen that hat pattern before either, so I'm off to check it out.

Have you noticed the prolification of sport weight patterns lately? I think it's remarkable.

I have a shedload of shelter, and I don't know what to do with it! I keep trying to decide, and coming up with nothing. No ideas at all. It's frustrating!

Calico and Ivy - oh my. Great isn't it? I want a Kaffe Fasset rug and a Sophie Digard throw.

Donna said...

Love the hat, and it was wonderful to see you!

DrK said...

its good to see there are some things about the 70s worth keeping. i try to forget it mostly myself, but that hats a cracker! i love the rowan books too. i love the IDEA of rowan patterns more than the reality i think. but their yarn is really sublime. well done all round!