Merry Knit-mas!

I had me a great holiday season.
I hope ya'll had the goodtimes too.

While not as much designing went down as I was hoping (but rather much more noshing than expected!) I thought I would share with you some of what I did do.

First, here's a collection of fantabulous gifts which were gifted to me from a wonderful friend.

How awesome are these buttons?

And, a hank of handspun from the very same lady!
Have any favourite handspun patterns? It's got to be something that'll do this hank justice.

More to come, very soon!

Colour and Feminism

Yves Klein, Monochrome Painting IKB47 1956

I generally don't like to trot out personal politics, but here's a wonderful quote from Philip Ball's fantastic "Bright Earth: Art and the Invention of Color" (which I'm re-reading this month):

On engaging with the beauty of raw colour, he writes,

"This goes against our training. What is brightly colored? Children's toys, the Land of Oz. And so color threatens us with regression, with infantilism...

What else is brightly colored? Vulgar things, vulgar people. Color speaks of heightened emotions, even linguistically, and of eroticism...

The nineteenth-century art theorist Charles Blanc (what's in a name?) insisted that 'design must maintain its preponderance over color. Otherwise painting speeds to its ruin: it will fall through color just like mankind fell through Eve.'¹ Here, then, is another reason to distrust color: it is feminine."²

That's one of the prevalent ploys of women's oppression - that we're equated with/reduced to children. Helpless, silly children. Misogynistic (colourist?)³ infantilism.

Colour perception is so fascinatingly culturally dependant.
I've read interesting diatribes on the choice of pink for breast cancer awareness. Apparently, Newton chose seven colours for his rainbow based on the prevalent ideas that seven was a proper number for scientific classifications.

So, glory in the wonderful retina-l dance that is a beautifully coloured hank of yarn! You don't have to explain your colour attraction to anyone, dammit!

________
¹C. Blanc, quoted in C.A. Riley II, Color Codes. Hanover, N.H.: University Press of New England, 1995, p. 6.

²Philip Ball, p. 13-14.

³Hmm, to coin a term (and steal a word), Colourist; a person who is prejudiced against particular colours based upon culturally dependant definitions of and symbolism with said colours.

Indie Designer Day

Designer: Leslie Gordon
Blog: More With Les
Etsy Shop: LGordon555
Rav ID: LGordon555
Some Great Designs: LGordon555's Rav Designer Page

Want an idea of how to keep the heads of the little ones in your life warm?
With beautiful snow falling this morning, my mind hearkens back to the good ol' 80s, and the various handknit toques I sported oh-so-fashionably.

This week's designer gives you a number of updated versions of the childhood toque. Check out the adorable idea pictured right, in the OMG Hat. How clever, no?

Make sure you check out her other pieces. All very cute!
This will be the last Indie Designer post for 2010. The holidays are upon us, and I must away to cookie baking (and eating), present making (and wrapping!) and warm drink drinking!

Testing Ops, the Second!

As promised in this earlier post, I have me some more testing ops for ya'll.

Frühling Wing, The Matching Mitts

Yarn: Knit Picks Stroll Sock Yarn 1 ball
Needles: 2 mm and 2.75 mm dpns
Gauge: 7 sts = 1" and 8 rows = 1" on 2.75 mm needles in stockinette
Sizes: one size

This is a very quick little knit (I whipped them off in two evenings, but I'm sure you could even do it in one).

What will happen is I'll send you a pdf of the pattern. Unfortunately, I can't offer yarn support, but the KnitPicks yarn is a very reasonable price.
The timeline for this knit is fairly reasonable, too! It's not due back until January 15.

Just email me at canarysanctuary at yahoo dot com. Let me know:
1) an email address where I can send the pdf to you
2) your Rav ID (if applicable!)

What do you get in return?
Well, you get first crack at this pattern, which will be offered for sale upon publication. You'll get the finished, cleaned up and pre-tested pattern sent to you upon publication, as well.

Thanks in advance to all you knitters! I couldn't do this without you and your knit-time generosity.

Indie Designer Day

Designer: Nina Machlin Dayton
Blog: Ninaknits's Blog: adventures in Knitting and Design
Rav ID: ninaknits
Some Great Designs: ninaknits' Rav Designer Page

I walked outside without a hat today.
And I call myself a knitter!

Now that the snow has finally decided to start falling, a featured designer with fabulous hats is called for!

I'll start out by showing you her Tuscan Leaves Hat. You can hold on to a bit of foliage while still romping around in the winter with the pretty, sinuous vines and lacey leaf detail on the crown.

There's also the Vita Cloche, a colour work hat with stylish lines and shapes. The flipped brim is so chic and lovely!

Ninaknits' Medici Hat features some fascinating shaping, with undulant lines dancing out from the brim. Srsly, check it out. I really want this hat!

I've just whet your appetite for her work; she has many more pieces, and not just hats! Check out the links above to see cowls, neckwarmers, mitts and more.

Spotted in the Wilds of Chapters Bookstore....

I was waiting for the day when I'd waltz¹ into a bookstore and find Brave New Knits on the shelf.

And last week, my friends, I finally did :)

Here, you see it sitting amongst all kinds and sorts of other wonderful knitting books.

And here you see me, in my "Wheeeee!!!!" glee.

That is all.

*grin!*



__________
¹...because that's what I do, I waltz. Sometimes I strut, and groove, and usually bust a move. But for bookstores, it's waltz.

Hear Ye, Hear Ye; Testing Ops Ahead!

So here's one of the number of fun items I've been cooking up as of late.
I'm calling it Frühling Wing.
Interested in testing? Here's the deets:

Yarn: Knit Picks Stroll Sock Yarn 4 (4, 4, 5) balls
Needles: 2 mm and 2.75 mm
Gauge: 7 sts = 1" and 8 rows = 1" on 2.75 mm needles in stockinette
Sizes: XS/S (M/L, XL/XXL, 3XL/4XL)
Special Skills: provisional cast on, grafting stitches, cables, turning hems


What will happen is I'll send you a pdf of the pattern. Unfortunately, I can't offer yarn support, but the KnitPicks yarn is a very reasonable price.
The timeline for this knit is fairly reasonable, too! It's not due back until January 15.

Just email me at canarysanctuary at yahoo dot com. Let me know:
1) what size you're interested in knitting
2) an email address where I can send the pdf to you
3) your Rav ID (if applicable!)

What do you get in return?
Well, you get first crack at this pattern, which will be offered for sale upon publication. You'll get the finished, cleaned up and pre-tested pattern sent to you upon publication, as well.

Thanks all!

Indie Designer Day

Designer: Dom Klary
Blog: Dom Klary
Rav ID: dom-klary
Some Great Designs: dom-klary's Rav Designer Page

Part of many traditions this season are celebrations of light. Lighting candles, bringing reminders of the spring-to-come into your home.

A great knitty version of this is the work of this week's designer Dom Klary, who hails from Poland. You see pictured right, Princess Donia Gloves, a pretty play with colour and floral embroidery.

Clearly a master of keeping your hands warm, dom-klary has a wonderful array of creative takes on this cold-weather staple.

Snow flakes from Warsaw by DomKlary utilizes pretty cabeling and bobbles.

Aurora Gloves demonstrate her ability with a pretty lace pattern, and A little bit of barocco (which is a free pattern!), like Princess Donia Gloves, make use of some beautiful embroidery and colour combinations!

Indie Designer Day

Designer: Mechthild Flottemesch
Blog: Wolle und mehr...
Rav ID: Mecky
Some Great Designs: Mecky's Rav Designer Page

There's been a number of cute cowl-esque pieces I've noted as of late, and Mecky's Loop Cora (pictured right) is a great example of this delightful trend. If you've got the spare hank or two of aran-bulky yarn kicking about, this is a great style to create - functional and adorable.

Her Braune Corsofino Jacke is a lovely, classic-looking piece. I can see this cardigan worn with a fab belt (and for those of you who sport the tights) this would be a great complement to that fashion.

Finally, I'll point out her Pinke Corsofino Jacke. The play of lace and texture in this design keeps the basic cardigan from being anything but basic!

The Happy Synapse

I made a joyous jaunt to my LYS yesterday afternoon.
It was one of those dreary grey days, rainy falling in mists and drizzles.

To clarify: a perfect yarn purchasing day.

I'm a chromaphile, and so I'm sure it's no surprise to ya'll that I have a supercrush on madelinetosh.
And madelinetosh I did purchase - in droves.
It really was something to restrain myself from purchasing every hank, because really, she has such an eye for rich, beautiful colour. The very sort of gem-like tone-on-tone that makes my heart go thumpity-thump.¹

Apparently, the human eye can distinguish around 10 million different colours. In this, my love letter to madelinetosh yarn, I do declare that she's a genius with these 10 million options.

So, on to a question:

I purchased, amongst others, one hank of Merino Light in Posy. With 402 metres in fingering weight, I wonder, what would you make?

My preferred pattern parameters include, but are not restricted to: lace, accessory and something non-triangular. (Those lovely three-sided throat warmers are always so gorgeous, but I've come to the sad realization that they're one of those knits I never wear.)

I'm digging the idea of knitting someone else's pattern right now. I've been in designing territory for a few weeks now, and need a bit of a breather.
________
¹ It appears I also have a supercrush on the multipurpose punctuational functionality of the dash today.

Indie Designer Day

Designer: Lily Go
Blog: LilyGo
Rav ID: lprajogo
Some Great Designs: lprajogo's Rav Designer Page

I have dabbled in crochet. Generally, I found it didn't suit my style.
But every once in a while I stumble across a pattern that makes my hook hesitancy waver.

See lprajogo's Gathering Leaves, pictured right.
Her description:
"Gathering Leaves shawl is crocheted from the top down and starts with an easy leave motifs that repeats every 10 rows. Then from small leaves the pattern morph seamlessly into bigger leaves and ended with a beautiful tulip motifs."

She proves herself adept at lace knitting as well, with the beautiful Bella Shawl and more recently released Metropolitan Shawl. With Monsieur Hiver breezing in, I'm really getting the itch to whip up some warm and wonderful winter accessories!

And, just to give you a taste of a non-shawly design, check out her Sage Cardigan. Prettily classic, this cardi has the perfect amount of lace, texture, and a very cool collar!

Le Road Trip

I bought me a cute little orange Pontiac Pursuit this summer;¹ I never thought I'd be a car person, but here we are.

Ever since he drove on into my life, I've been itching to get a road trip under my belt.

And lo, this weekend, I did.

Up to Montréal did a friend and I go, and reams of fun were had.

Excellent food was eaten, beautiful artwork was seen, and impressive churches were visited.

Notre-Dame








Me in Vieux-Montréal.


Possibly my favourite sign. Ever.


Bird ring from Simons, a Québec department store.

We had dinner Sunday night at O.Noir. Very, very cool. Here's a description of the experience:

Already the rage in Europe, Australia, L.A and New York, now O.NOIR - Canada's first-ever restaurant that invites you to experience food, drink and conversation like never before IN THE DARK!
"It's a sensual dining experience like no other"! says O.NOIR General Manager Moe Alameddine. "When you eat without your sight, your remaining senses are heightened to savour the smell and taste of food. Even simple, everyday dishes like potatoes or plain yoghurt take on a culinary flare".

You can choose your dinner and dessert from a menu, but you can also choose to have a surprise dish. I was feeling brave that evening, and opted for the mystery. It ended up being a tasty pasta with smoked salmon. And tiramisu. Yum.

As you may have noticed, I'm distracting you, dear readers, from any knitting content. Rest assured the wheels are turning. It's just an awful lot of secret knitting.

Restez à l'écoute!<sup>2

1</sup> Since I'm weird this way, I had to name my car. He's Palfrey. But I also refer to him fondly as the Orange Beast.

² En Anglais, "stay tuned".

Indie Designer Day

Designer: Beth Hahn
Blog: Willow Rosa Knits
Rav ID: willowrosa
Some Great Designs: willowrosa's Rav Designer Page

Soft, flowing fabrics and muted, gentle colours recall an historical aesthetic in the designs of willowrosa.

Her recently released edition in the Miss Flitt Series debuted on October 23, and includes the beauty pictured right, The Ether Overskirt. This is the third part of the Miss Flitt Series, wherein willowrosa lets her historic vibe dance in accompaniment with her elegant and ethereal original artwork images.

I don't think I have to explain why I'm viscerally attracted to this design; it hits up all my favourite knitting elements. Historic? Check. Unique? Check. Awesomesauce lace? Check. Ribbon? Check!!

I'd also like to point out a couple of her patterns from the first part in the Miss Flitt series, The Strange Case of the Magician’s Cabinet.

First is the Annabel Lee Neck Cozy. This sweet little design is functional and fabulous. This designer's attention to detail and thoughtfulness in her unique combination of visual art, narrative, knit pattern and backstory create truly rich compositions that may very well hinder on a Kandinsky-esque Gesamtkünstwerk¹.

Second, see her Amith Capelet. I think my favourite aspect of this design is the adorable "flop" the collar does at the back.

And, more about the Miss Flitt Series, straight from the designer:
It's a serialized mystery with character-based patterns, and...
"I’m busy putting the final touches on my four-part 19th c. illustrated mystery with knitting patterns, The Adventures of Miss Flitt: The Strange Case of the Magician’s Cabinet. You can read all about it here: http://www.missflitt.com" .

¹Check out a definition here.

Indie Designer Day

Designer: Holly Chayes
Blog: Crafting Keeps Us Sane
Rav ID: Neme
Some Great Designs: Neme's Rav Designer Page

I love a good lace story.
Neme is great at creating these, with her artistically-titled A Study in Grey (pictured). Grey is the perfect complement to this light, airy, and classically simple shawl. The neutrality of this shade allows the all-over texture to shine.

Study in Grey inspired this sweet baby blanket, Baby's Magic Blankie. I'm mentioning it in particular to point out the interesting shift in appearance and aesthetic when different colour approaches are taken with the same (or, very similar) patterns. Of course, we can all see that the playfulness of the baby blanket colours make it more kid-oriented, but the rows of stripes also create a playful movement to the piece, as well.

And, in a great combination of lace and colourwork, there is Neme's recently published
Birds of a Feather Tam. As you can imagine, I love me this hat. The little feather detail works terrifically with the burst of lace at the crown.

Have You Ever Eaten A Corpse?

Due to the assuredly few of us who are

a) cannibals
b) zombies
c) vultures
or
d) chimera, and various other mythical beasts

I thought making a corpse that was delicious, as well as just a little cute, would be a great endeavour for a recent Halloween party.

They went over as a hit. I was so happy!

Here you see the wee sugar cookie corpses, pre-assembly

And here you see them, in their piled-up corpsey glory

All I did was take a basic sugar cookie recipe (subbing in icing sugar for plain old white sugar) and used a straw to "stab" them in the teeny cookie chest.
I used only the smallest dab of strawberry jam to hold them together. With the added bonus, of course, that they look like they're bleeeeeding!
Their little dead faces are just royal icing, a combo of neon blue and neon red to create this sort of... muted purple. In my dreams, they would have had black x's and squiggly mouths, but on a short time frame, I didn't find any black food colouring.
Anyone ever seen any? I'm not sure it exists...