Friday, December 31, 2010

Past, Present, and Future

For three months this blog has gone untouched.  I had all but removed myself from the knitting community altogether for a while, but the other day I decided that it might be time to return.  I may not knit much anymore, but I miss the blog and the enjoyment I used to get from it.

I haven't been documenting my projects on Ravelry, either.  Hats, scarves, legwarmers, socks... they've come and gone without notice.  I actually felt a bit liberated that way - no pressure to record, to document, to display anything I was doing.  It became my own personal pastime, but now I think I'm ready to return.  I'm just going to cut my losses and start from where I am right now.

From the past we have some lace:


Yes, that's right, I'm still working on my Autumn Arbor Stole.  It's almost done, though.  Just a couple more repeats of the pattern and I can call it quits.


It'll block out beautifully, I can tell.  It's interesting to see where my tension has changed as I've knit on this piece.  I know my tension has changed because after months of not working on it, the colors started to pool differently.  I wonder how it'll look once it's finished.

I also finally got around to blocking my Aeolian Shawl.


I do believe it blocked out amazingly and knit in cashmere it is the most decadent thing I have ever made.  The yarn, Handmaiden Cashmere 2-ply (or something like that), was a gift from Joan and I can't thank her enough.


The tonal variations in the yarn are subtle, but beautiful.  Now I just need to figure out what to do with this shawl.  It seems a shame to keep it folded up in my closet.


Presently I am working on a scarf all for me.  For my birthday my mother sent me some of Brooklyn Tweed's greatly coveted Shelter yarn in the Button Jar colorway along with the pattern for Dryad.  A more perfect pair couldn't have been made.


The stitch definition this yarn offers is spectacular and I can't wait to see how it blooms once I wash the scarf.  I'm giddy with excitement knowing that this scarf is all for me.


Sometimes we just have to be selfish.

It appears I'll have a selfish future as well, with projects planned to use up more yarn given as gifts.

For my birthday, Sister No. 4 presented me with a pattern kit from A Verb for Keeping Warm's club.  Beautiful yarn in my favorite colors along with an exclusive Stephen West pattern.  Really, my life couldn't get any better.


Just look at that beautiful yarn!  I can't wait to get this project on my needles.


And last, but definitely not least, I have an armful of Malabrigo from Sister No. 2 with which I intend to make the most perfect sweater ever.


The trouble is, it appears that the pattern for "the most perfect sweater ever" doesn't exist and I fear I will have to attempt to make it on my own.  I'd be planning that all right now, but my stitch dictionaries and such are back in Pittsburgh and I'm here in Minnesota for winter break.


But just thinking of the possibilities amuses me to no end.

and with that I bid you all adieu until next time, which I hope will be sooner than three months from now.

Warm wishes and a Happy New Year to you all!

17 comments:

  1. Such beautiful knitting! And such wonderful piles of yarn waiting for you!

    I'm so glad you've returned to the blog. I've missed you, sweetie. Seeing you on my stats page just isn't the same as hearing what you're up to. Don't worry about what you record or show us. I think a lot of us hold back projects for one reason or another. Do what feels best and please check in when you have time.

    Happy New Year!

    xoxox

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  2. Nice to read your blog again! I was giddy to see my pattern with that beautiful yarn in this post. :) I love your Dryad scarf and am glad you're knitting for yourself. You will love it to death. And the Malabrigo in Blue is absolutely beautiful. I can't wait to see what you come up with.

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  3. A question:

    If shawls come in aeolian, do they also come in locrian, ionian, dorian, mixolydian, etc??? (lydian is my favorite mode, btw)

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  4. Peter... I missed you!

    The knitting is beautiful, as always, but I missed you. And did you know my husband talked me into a podcast?! Just a single one so far, but I mentioned you.

    Welcome back!

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  5. So nice to read you again, with a lovely cavalcade of knits past, present and future! I hope life in Pittsburgh has been treating you well. (I'm so envious of that Whale!)

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  6. So glad you're back!! Can't wait to see all the beautiful projects you have in store!

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  7. That's a very blue and green yarn palette, and lovely, every bit of it. It's good to see you resurfacing, too. I've missed you.

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  8. Your Aeolian is exquisite! Thank you for catching up with us and letting us know you are knitting, doing well and collecting yarn! Happy New Year and may 2011 be a fabulous year for you and to you!!

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  9. gorgeous. that blue malabrigo is nearly my favorite color ever. happy new year!

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  10. Happy New Year! How was the semester in PA? For somebody who hasn't been "knitting much", wow, you sure have a lot going on! And all of it is lovely.

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  11. Your stuff if GORGEOUS!!! Thanks for sharing. Very inspiring ... not that I could ever hope to make anything like it.

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  12. Yay! Peter's back! I've missed reading your blog updates. The projects you are doing are gorgeous! I especially like the scarf you are knitting yourself: green is my favourite colour! I'm certain that you have been very busy in your new role as a graduate student. It would be enjoyable to hear a bit about your musical studies when you have time. Take care of yourself and enjoy your winter break!

    Ray Flanary

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  13. Great to see you back in blog land!! Everything you are working on is gorgeous. I'm very jealous of your A Verb for Keeping Warm kit. The yarn is absolutely gorgeous!

    I have some Shelter as well in a lovely red colorway called Wool Socks. I love it and plan to knit a Habitat out of it for me. I'm lucky that my LYS of choice here in Philly carries Shelter!

    I vote for hanging up your Aeolian Shawl as an art piece until such time as an appropriate recipient presents her/his self.

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  14. Hooray, I'm so happy to see you're back to blogging! Wow, the projects you're working on are all fantastic. I'm especially enamored with the Shelter scarf - I might be just slightly obsessed with that yarn.

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  15. It's nice to see you! I'm glad to know you still have some time for knitting; I'm sure things are very busy for you right now. Your Aeolian is so, so beautiful. I love your Shelter scarf, too! And ooh, that Malabrigo. Yum!

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  16. I found u thru Joan...sorry hava cat on right arm. Maybe you need less complicated things to knit in public. You knit beautifully but complicated. Simple could be an answer, therapy knitting plus guy knitters = HOT!

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  17. Happy to see you blogging again - I've missed your texts and photos.

    Your Aeolian shawl is stunning. I haven't worked with cashmere - yet, I should add after seeing this glorious example of decadence!

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