Archives for September 2007

Thank you all for your kind thoughts and condolences.  My family spent a quiet week together remembering my father.  I am very lucky to have a strong, close family and we took comfort in each other’s company.

As we did during our many, long months in hospitals and nursing homes, we sat and knit together.  I cast on and finished "Turbulent Indigo" in a few days.

It is named for a favorite Joni Mitchell song and album.  The patterning and colors remind me of the song.  The name also seems appropriate for those difficult days when it was knit.

I cast on 240 (ish) stitches and knit from end to end to allow the striping of the yarn to run vertically on the scarf.

I knit until the yarn ran out.  Using 4 oz. of handspun yarn, the resulting scarf is roughly 5.5"x64".  It is adequate for my somewhat less than statuesque height. 

DD#1 did a nice job modeling while we waited for her sister to get ready for school this morning.

Turbulent Indigo

Pattern:  My own. If anyone is interested I will write it up and offer it as a freebie here.  I wrote the pattern up this afternoon, it is in the sidebar.
Yarn:  Handspun from 4 oz. of Knitterly Things Vesper Roving, 100% BFL, colorway "Afterglow".  The yarn is a bit itchy, so the scarf will mostly be worn over coats.
Needles:  US 7
Finished Size:  5.5"x64"

Thank you again for your kind, supportive comments.  They really meant a lot to my family and me.
OX
Kirsten

We lost my father at 2:00 yesterday afternoon.
He was at home, surrounded by the people who love him.

Dr. G
July 22, 1929 – September 19, 2007

He was the most devoted husband and father anyone could hope for.  His passion for music was central to our lives, our soundtrack; Mozart, Schubert, Bach, Vivaldi.  Opera blared on those long drives to Rhode Island to see our grandparents when we were kids.  We teased and laughed at his ability to become completely consumed by his hobbies; golf, bridge, baking bread, photography and for the last 25 or so years of his life hybridizing rhododendrons.  He had the ability to become an expert in anything that caught his interest.  (Funny when I think now of how we teased, I recognize some of that same drive in myself and I thank him for that gift.)
Throughout it all, the most beautiful thing in his life was his utter devotion to my mother.
I love you dad.

https://kirstenkapurdesigns.com/we-lost-my-fath/

Zeebee is a magnificent pattern for handspun.  Schmeebot gives instructions for any gauge.  This is very helpful since my spinning is still less than a reliable weight.  The unconventional direction of the knitting works beautifully if your yarn wants to stripe.  Then there is the fact that garter stitch is just so delicious in handspun yarn.  (Or is that, handspun is just so delicious in garter stitch?)  I have a new obsession.  There will be many more Zeebees.  Thank you Christy for showing us the pattern.  Ever since seeing , I knew I had to make one.

DD#1 is very pleased.

Um, excuse me DD#1.  Wake up and show us how much you love your new hat.

That’s more like it.  Now let’s show off how pretty the hat is up close.

Closer?

Closer still?

How about the view from above?

Yup, we love our Zeebee.

 

How do you like my new front door?  (Please ignore the drop cloth and painter’s tape, we are a work in progress.)

My painter thinks I am a bit crazy choosing such a bright color.
But I think it is just right for photographing socks. . .

The patterns for Achillea (left) and Anna’s Socks (right) are ready.  You can purchase them below or from the Plucky Knitter.  They are knit with her fabulous yarns.  Have I said enough good things about these yarns?  I’m not sure if that’s possible.  They are lovely and soft, they don’t pool, and Sarah has a fantastic eye for color.  She’s been adding a lot of new colors to her etsy store lately, so get over there and check them out.

The stitch pattern in Ann’s Sock reminds me of the tufted back on my grandmother’s cobalt blue couch.  I have fond memories of  holidays at my grandparents’ home with delicious scents wafting from the kitchen.  I have named this sock in honor of my late grandmother Anna.

Anna’s Sock
Yarn:  Plucky Knitter 80/20 Merino/ Cashmere
Color:  Tiffany’s

Pattern Price: $5.50

Please note that I will e-mail the patterns to you once Pay Pal notifies me of your payment.  Thanks.

Thank you for all of your kind feedback on these socks.  As with all of my patterns, if you knit either of these socks, I would love to see photos!