Escaped Swatch

Felt, originally uploaded by maryjanemidgemink.

Escaped into the wash.

Creative Director Kate and I were trying to move into the Blue and Brown territory. I really didn't have enough of those colors in my arsenal, so I headed bravely toward Brown and Green.

At last, happy and satisfied with my color choices, the crafty swatch escaped into the wash, and felted. Felted nicely I must say, not too thick, sturdily flexible, remember that about Sunday Knits Yarns. I needed one more swatch which found me still working with color placement, I went with the bottom top, just below the double-espresso break...Hmmm I could use a double espresso break right about now. Cheers!

Luke's Diced Vest

Ah, the Lovely Oyster

"small and rich, looking like little ears enfolded in shells, and melting between the palate and the tongue like salted sweets."
Guy de Maupassant














Ah yes...however the knife can be a brutal thing, if it slips. Behold:
















Slows down the knitting a bit. Fooey.

Tollipop Love

A dangerous thing that pay-pal button, usually. Not in this case because I am so inordinatly happy! Kirsten Cram the artist of Tollipop Shop is the happy-maker. Above you see Big Sister Little Sister. See what a quick learner Little Sister is? She's almost knit as much as Big Sister.

It reminds me of my own experience learning to knit from my next-door-neighbor's older sister, Mary, who gave me some thin red aluminum needles, fine pearly pale green yarn, cast on and showed me what to do. I must have been a natural because I knit, and knit and knit, delighted with the lovely dolly blankie that took shape beneath my needles. When I got to the end of the yarn I was stumped...How to take it off ? My dollies couldn't sleep very well with that big spear at the end of their coverlet. No one in my family had a clue. I had to wait and wait and wait, a whole night and part of the next day, until Mary got home from school. I was eager for Mary to show me the secret. She took my knitting, and carefully slid it off the needle and dramatically unraveled the whole thing. Yes, she did, she was a meany.

Little Sister 's knitting furiously and is quickly catching up with her sister. I feel sure Big Sister will show her the proper way to cast off which will not prohibit, but rather enhance sisterly competition.

You can find these girls at the Tollipop Shop on etsy. Be sure and visit the Tollipop the blog, which is endlessly entertaining, with stories and stories and stories, my favorite being The Whispering Nautilus featuring Petula... Darling, who's namesake introduced me to Ms. Tollipop to begin with from her own Darling blog.

Best thing yet, if you visit Tollipop before noon tomorrow, you can enter a special drawing to win a...drawing!

You'll be happy you did!

gee's bend

gee's bend, originally uploaded by maryjanemidgemink.

Ok, I can't wait any longer, I've got a couple of sweaters in the up coming Color Style book by Pam Allen and Ann Budd. Take a Look at the preview which has me smiling like a happy-face. Just turn the first page and there you'll find a big double page spread of my Gee's Bend sweater. Some of my readers may remember how it all started...with a cup of tea and some favorite books and those amazing women from Gee's Bend who inspired my "lazy gal" style sweater, made of striped strips sewn together (good for take-along knitting)...And...clearly I for one, use all my leftover bits of yarn...The Charlie brown Nederland (below) is made with some of Gee's Bend scraps.

Oh I almost forgot! keep turning the pages of the preview and you'll see another sweater, Retro Andean, the sweater I once longed for and finally made! Not to mention the other amazing work by a fantastic group of designers, I'm pinching myself, that I'm included.

Fall for Nederland

Nederland meets Charlie Brown, with these typical fall colors from the '70's and contrasting color finishing.

Classic Elite Princess

3476 Baronets Brown
3415 Superior Spruce
3425 Tawny Chestnut
3484 Milord's Madder
3416 Natural

On this version I began the color chart just one round after the ribbing, so the fair isle section hangs a little lower than in the grey vest pictured in Knitscene Fall '08. I'm happy to report that Miss Sophia loves the custom design!

In the Shops: Knitscene and Nederland

Summer always takes me by surprise, creeping in slowly then BAM! High Crazy Summer, and my mind is not tuned to blogging I'm afraid.

Knitscene has been out for a week or two now, and in it you'll find the finished vest you may recognize from little bits and balls of yarn I showed a while back. I'm a little curious about the name they chose...Nederland...Low Forehead Vest....still I'm very pleased and in love with the whole issue. Call me crazy, but I especially love the little drawings scattered throughout, and I'm thrilled to be included with a sensational roster of designers. I've a tandem project in the works, but can't spill all the beans yet, natch!





For the vest you will need:
Sizes 34¼ (36½, 38¾, 41¼, 43½)" bust
Yarn Classic Elite Princess (40% merino, 28% viscose, 15% nylon, 10% cashmere, 7% angora; 150 yd [137 m]/50 g):
• #3428 major grey (MC), 3 (3, 4, 4, 5) balls
• #3431 top turq (turquoise), 1 ball
• #3415 superior spruce (green), 1 ball
• #3446 regal teal, 1 ball (the most beautiful color of yarn in the world, I might add, if I could marry a yarn color this would be it...this week anyway)
• #3413 black, 1 ball
Gauge 21 sts and 28 rnds = 4" in St st on larger needle; 22 sts and 22 rnds = 4" in argyle patt on larger needle
Tools
• Size 5 (3.75 mm): 24" and 16" circular (cir) needles
• Size 7 (4.5 mm): 24" cir needle
• Markers (m)
• Stitch holder
• Yarn needle

Don't

When you're feeling like Miss Smartypants and think:

"I'll just cut it and graft the darn thing back together again".

Don't.

Really.

Even if you have done it before...

Just don't.

All Work All the Time

I'm lucky to have a job where I get to be creative for a good part of the day. But when I'm not at my day job as studio manager for Langley Photography, and Alison's assistant, I'm working at my job. Wherever I may be, in my car, at the dentist and most happily, in the garden; my knitting is always in tow. That girl tottering along lugging two huge bags in the middle of summer...its me, one life in one bag, the other life in the other...squeezing in a little knitting here and there, charting patterns before work....

And then there is The James Brown Collection up for auction as I write this. Damn. I so wanted the Sex Machine belt ....Sold! I really would like the yellow Sex Jumpsuit but the rust one sold for $4000+ so I bet I can't touch it...besides, the Denim Ensemble , which has a lower estimate is much more versatile.

Ok...

its not all work all the time after all.

most of the time its all fun all the time!

Zig Zag Afghan

What would we do without Barbara Walker. Perish, plain and simple. Her Second Treasury of Knitting Patterns contains the code for the scrap-yarn-using afghan loved by Grannies 'round the world. Make one in strips for a portable project easy to lug around where ever you go. Sew it together later when the weather turns chill.

Multiple of 12 sts plus 3. Colors A and B

Row 1 (right side) with A, k1 ssk, *k9, sl2-ki_ p2sso: repeat from *, end k9, k2

Row 2 with A k1 *p1, k4, (k1, yo,k1) in next st, k4; repeat from *, end p1, k1.

Rows 3 and 4 with B repeat rows 1 and 2.

Barbara has a lot to say about colors and yarn choices, so I suggest investing in this book if you don't have it already. I use what ever I can get my hands on, doubling some yarns, mixing and blending others to get about the same heavy worsted weight. Choosing to use very fine yarn results in a feather-light wrap perfect for cocooning in. You can also change the stitch multiple for different widths of zig-zags. Possibilities!

The wormy way to swatch

How do I decide which colors to use? I get the balls of yarn I think I'd like to use and set them in a place where I'm sure to see them as I go about my daily business. I rearrange them in passing, and toss out one here and there. When I get a group I like, I sometimes make these quick little i-cord worms to see how the colors work together, knit up. Then I carry the little dears around with me, out and about, so I can observe them in different lights. Sometimes they're wee little things like the ones above...some become long coiled serpents, waiting in my pocket.

4th of July

In our huge extended family, the 4th of July is the best holiday ever. We load up the lobster boats with kids and dogs and food and head out to a nearby island for a lobster bake. Though it can be blistering hot during the day, it is always cold heading home across the bay. I made this hat up years ago, and one year made 9 during the day....slightly obsessed.

Let it be said I have no wits for commerce...I just give things away. My most miserable times as a Girl Scout were the Cookie Drives... So here you have it, the 4th of July Hat all mixed up in this post I'm afraid.

4th of July Hat
©Mary Jane Mucklestone 2008

Finished Size 20”
Yarn Bartlettyarns (www.bartlettyarns.com)(100% Maine Wool; 210 yd / 4 oz [m/g]):#F-35-S Garnet Heather, (red), #F-20-S Natural, (white), #F-6-S Denim,(blue), 1 skein each.
Needles ribbing size 7 (4.5 mm) and 8 (5 mm): 16” circular (cir). Size 8 (5 mm) set of 4 or 5 double-pointed (dpn). Adjust needle size if necessary to obtain the correct gauge.
Notions marker, tapestry needle.
Gauge 16 sts and 26=4”
HAT
With blue and smaller cir needle, CO 72 sts. Place Marker (pm) and join for working the round. *K1,p1; rep from* around. Repeat last rnd 4 times. Rnd 6 (increase rnd): *k6 inc 1, repeat from * around (84 sts). Rnd 7-11: change to larger needle, with red k . Rnd 12-16: with white k. Rnd 17-21: with red k. Rnd 22-26: with white k. Rnd 27-29: with red k. Rnd 30: (decrease rnd): *k7 k2tog; rep from * end k3 (75 sts). Rnd 31: k. Rnd 32: with blue k. Shape Crown: with blue follow chart, changing to dpn when necessary. Finishing: Break off yarn and with tapestry needle draw through remaining 5 sts. Weave in ends. Wear with joy!






















Old School 4th of July, Sophie and Siama, with wild strawberries.

Look Who Came to Town!

William Wegman and three of his Weimaraners, Penny, Candy and Bobbin (he's the daddy).... were in Rockport today for a day-long event, all Wegman all the time. I went to the morning show with 2 friends, one of whom is seven, to see two films, Alphabet Soup and Fay's Twelve Days of Christmas, while the dogs roamed the opera house sniffing out stray fallen popcorn.

Low key Bill, talked a bit about his work and when asked , explained that working with dogs as movie stars, has taught him to avoid really getting mad or exasperated, because the dogs will think he's mad at them, which affects their performance. The other key element is to design the production around the personalities of the dogs themselves, feature them in a role they would like and feel comfortable doing.... both lessons we might all do well to include in our daily lives, go with the flow and be comfortable.

From a knitters point of view, Fay's Twelve Days of Christmas, is a must see. It feature sweaters prominently, at least one of them hand knitted and many of them irresistibly awful examples of the horrifying Christmas genre. Pictured below are Crooky and Batty. Check out Crooky's mittens, and is Batty's sweater handknit with Maine Wool?
























You can see a video from today's NY Times, with Mr. Wegman himself describing his work, being shown in a retrospective at the Brooklyn Museum.

Today in Rockport, Bobbin, Penny and Candy and Bill of course.

Hey! Pay it Forward!

It has taken me since October to even post about an enticing blog-world goody-out-of-the-goodness-of-your-heart, gifting game; Pay it Forward (or pass-it-on in American). Knitter, spinner, chef, photographer and person owned by the never-a-dull-moment cat Magnus....Jeni of Magnusmog kindly allowed me to Pay-it-Forward waaaaaay back in the fall. Only now am I playing along. But it will be fun, for sure!

Here is the blurb for the PIF.

"I will send a handmade gift to the first 3 people who leave a comment on my blog requesting to join this PIF exchange. I don’t know what that gift will be yet and you may not receive it tomorrow or next week, but you will receive it within 365 days, that is my promise! The only thing you have to do in return is pay it forward by making the same promise on your blog.

Only I'm changing it a bit to allow for time zone differences, I'll give it 3 days and pull the names out of a hat. K?



Be warned! I may take the entire 365 days, it has taken me nearly that long to play.


I was so tardy posting, I've already received my gifts. It is like Christmas in June! Jeni spun the most delicious Wensleydale, in bright rich blue, brown and green. I can't wait to start knitting with them. Soft! Also included was a sweet felted pin, and a tiny little book with chrysanthemum pattern all over. I am over the moon! Such generosity. I aim to please, and I hope to do as well for 3 of you as Jeni did for me.

The Future Cardigan and a Rescue

Leftovers often make the nicest things, be it a tasty meal or a comforting cardigan. I'm not exactly sure if I'll end up liking this combination of odds and ends, but I am having fun in the making of it. Dale of Norway Heilo, is a sturdy old fashioned yarn that says, not surprisingly, "Norway" to me! I'm going with the old familiar feeling of a hand-me-down sweater, but with a little shaping. I love the almost too bright, retro red, love the sensible blue and wish the yellow were a bit less gold, but hey, thats what you get with leftovers.

Now what do you think, should I throw in the green, like I always do, or surprise myself and leave it out?

Below please find a follow up to the adventures of last weekend.

While I'm Away

My mom and I are heading to the deep canyons of Idaho. We're traveling the old way with no cell phone or laptop. Our destination, my aunt's ranch, has no electricity. We will be incommunicado for about a week.

In the meantime why don't you visit Susette, at Knitting Letters: A to Z, who is knitting an alphabet, or more correctly an abecedarium:"an albhabet that celebrates the letter's typographic design and the word that it represents it". She is an entertaining scholar who is producing the kind of work I dream about. I offer you a peek at her most current entry: K. It is an ode to a dear favorite of mine, William Morris. She even includes my favorite sketch of the man. Waste no time, visit her now, but please don't forsake me, I'll be back in a week.

Kkelmscott, originally uploaded by unionpearl.

buttered corn

I finished my lovely yellow mittens a couple of weeks ago. I've been planning a little photoshoot with them, to better show off their cabley beauty, but life and work interfered. So I give you the, sans human hands image, which reminds me exactly of corn-on-the cob; so mouthwatering I'd almost like to take a bite.

What I did on Easter

Just a tease! Beautiful color! Saffron? Dandelion? It is called Saturne! And it is that mitten I was longing for, cabled a bit. Wait and see.

Tam Class Saturday!

A finished tam! and I'll show you how to go about it! I'm teaching a class during Unique One's Knitting Weekend in Camden Maine! Beth, the wonderful owner has a lively weekend planned. It's always great fun with lots of time to knit and wander the village and visit her shop. I know I didn't give much warning....but there's still room! Click for details!

And you remember how cute the shop is don't you?

How can you resist?

For Fun

Though the week seemed mostly about getting well and trying to function with the still-fogged head, a surprising amount of things were accomplished. Foremost among them was getting a new item off to Knitscene. I set the worst example for my kids when it comes to deadlines, always working at the 11th hour no matter what...everything will be ready and I'll get sick and out of commission and you'll find me dragging my sickness-filled-husk to the Post Office shelling out extra beans for overnight shipping. Oh well. Know thyself. Know thy will be thwarted when one tries to outsmart thyself.

I also got lots of swell goodies in the mail. I've been on a photograph-collecting binge. Blame it on Megan and her photo swap. I got some gems here and here.

I'm happy to be knitting for fun again. Really the best kind of knitting don't you think?

And how about my sweet hedgehog bag? A treat from Amber's shop.

Montreal for a Millisecond

I travel quite a bit to Montréal, zooming 5.5 hours across Quebec and Maine. I rarely get to stay very long, usually just overnight. I've tried several times to visit yarn shops or this time a crafty little shop but I am always thwarted! Atelier Woodenapples was closed unexpectedly, but I did get a nice shot of the tired Birthday Girl with her new Mohair and Alpaca Instant Mittens. I also made her some Llama and Wool ones out of a variegated yarn. I always like variegated yarn in the hank so much better than the finished knitting....which always looks so kindergarten to me. In any case they were fast and will be warm. Need to be, still TONS of snow! Crazy parking in Montréal too, you just back up into a snowbank and call it good!