Tuesday, August 09, 2011

New, New and old

Today there are two new things, one on the needles and one in print, and one ongoing - old thing - yup, those mittens are still on the needles. There was also a moment of insight - where I realized that there was a much simpler way to go about things. Obvious in hindsight really.

So first new thing is another article in Entangled, this time looking into how attitudes to repairing have changed. The subtitle for the article is
"The four R's, reduce, recycle, reuse and re-purpose - a brilliant slogan for what was once common sense. But why did the creators forget the fifth 'R', repair?"

I love this issue, Francis Stachl is featured, and I don't know if I am more excited that the feature is about her spindles ... or that there is none of her jewellery featured which means they will follow up with more of her work in another issue - she is amazing. In keeping with an article on Frances and her spindles, there is a new feature "Abby Franquemont who answers your textile production questions". Abby Franquemont! And more, lace knitting, hats, and alpaca fibre (Doe Arnott). I was a little hesitant of the digital format for magazines, but two things won me over, and no not an ipad, sadly I don't have one (yet). First the price, the subs are really really ecomonical which is important to a fibre junkie like me, much better than any print magazine I've come across. Second because I have a computer at home and at work, I can read an article here or there, as I want to. Reading on screen isn't the same as curling up with a print magazine on the sofa, but the images are amazing, full colour an intense, and the articles are not limited by the cost of printing pages, so there is the depth detail that many magazines can't deliver.

The second new thing is a new project, a lace baby blanket in 'outside green' handspun. I've long admired Anne Hanson's lace work, and there is another baby due at work ... so perfect excuse to knit Honey Baby. It was a very difficult toss up between that and Rosebuddie. The choice could still go either way .... or I could just knit Rosebuddie next. I know I don't have enough to knit the whole blanket but I plan to knit the bees and maybe skip the second last lace band ... depending on how the yarn flows.

The old project is of course the seemingly everlasting double knit mittens, tonight I might even finish the mitten tip, and make a start on thumbs ... imagine that ... nearly finished! And during the week had one of those realizations, you know the sort, after coming to a solution, and recognizing that the 'problem' was all of my own making and there was an easier solution? I realized that to create a left and right double knit mitten using the one pattern chart all I had to do was to switch the colours when I knit the second one. As the mittens are the negative on the inside - switching the yarn colours for the chart would result in a matched pair!
Doh!

Oh well .. I at least can learn new things even if it is after I develop an overly complicated work around.

Cheers
Stella

4 comments:

Knitting Linguist said...

Doh, indeed! Still, now you know for next time (will there be a next time?).

I'm off to check out the magazine - it sounds wonderful (and they are lucky to have you!).

Knitting Linguist said...

Bummer! Just tried to get Entangled, and I can't order it with a U.S. billing address. Alas and alack.

Hilde said...

The lace baby blanket looks beautiful. Love the color. Maybe I also will knit one.....you see, I`m going to be a grandmother :-)

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