Ruth, you rascal :)

Great aunt Ruth married pastor Albert, my grandmother's brother.  Word is that pastor Albert enjoyed watching his rascal bride Ruth vacuum au naturel. Makes me wonder how that word ever got out (hee hee!) – but oh how my mum enjoyed this story.  I like to think that with her house finally cleaned Ruth might have slipped on this rascally tee to go out on the town.

Thinking of you dear Ruth – with a loving grin.

My Ruth is a cap-sleeved tee covered in scroll lace with back waistband ribbing to accentuate the curves. 

You'll find this pattern now published and available from my ravelry shop, and also linked from here.

Glorious grape

Oh I love my work – my play? Absolutely.

Ruth.  Pattern writing is underway.

Lyrical Lillian

Great aunt Hilda's birth certificate shows her name as Lillian Hildagard, though no one ever called her that.  I'm not sure why.  She was a lovely lady, hiding her lovely, lyrical name from the world – but not for long.

Here's Juliet modeling Lillian – a shapely, color-block, garter trimmed pullover, with bracelet length sleeves and a circular shawl collar.

For a closer look, you'll find this published pattern available from my ravelry shop, and also linked from here. 

Harbinger of spring

With luck I'll nab Juliet to model for the pattern launch, but for now, here's a peek at Lillian. Isn't she sweet?  Spring – at last!

Pattern writing is underway.  Lillian will be published and available on Ravelry soon.  Stay tuned.

Something in the wind

I usually start each day checking in with the blogs I follow, written by a bunch of compadres I've never met but with whom I feel kinship and find knit design motivation. In today's review I came across not 1 but 2! posts talking about lately failed, or stuck, design attempts. These were particularly meaningful to me since this is where I've been for the last 3 weeks! Alas – though my misery enjoys this company for sure.

My past 3 designs – Jeanette, Laura, and Elizabeth – have been labors of love. Ideas flowed, pieces worked up just as I imagined, and I couldn't wait to get to work each day. Hooray! Then came Lillian, my latest lady friend, whose first iteration was deemed by Juliet to be mall-like, i.e. looks like mass production, so ah, no.. A few days later, continuing my search for inspiration, came growing exasperation and probably too much complaining. "You know mum," Juliet said, "I think it's okay to be confused." I'll assume she learned that from me since I'm the mum, right? But ya, turns out she's the wise one and I needed the reminder. I decided to organize my idea binder – images collected over the past 30 years from magazines, catalogs, anywhere, that contained any design feature that ever caught my eye; there are hundreds. It proved to be a helpful exercise as repeating themes emerged, and once again I felt off and running. So now, after significant knitting already done I find myself – too late – stuck on colors. Lillian will use 2, and I'm undergoing serious second guessing about my original plan. I've got other options in my yarn stash. Could it be that none of them work well together? I placed an order for an alternative for one, got excited about it, then received a sweet, but disappointing out-of-stock email, asking me to reselect or wait several weeks. Ugh. I chose another and am now awaiting its arrival, feeling a bit pessimistic I'll admit, but we'll see. Then came last night's beautiful Project Runway winner serving as further motivation for me to shake things up.

So, something in the wind, or just the nature of the beast?  Probably bit of both as seasons change, but noteworthy is that Mary gave me comparable angst last year just about this same time. She's one of my favorites now. I'll try to remember this as I grapple – or more likely, I'll just wait for Juliet to remind me.

In like a lion

March 7th and true to form in Boston where it's snowing a blizzard, March marches in like a lion. 

But that's okay.  This weather gives me a few more weeks to wear Elizabeth – my latest cozy knitted piece. 

Published pattern is now available from my ravelry shop, and also linked from here.  Next up, thinking spring.

Revise, reuse

During our last design brainstorm session Juliet suggested using my Grand Loop Jane Cowl as a collar – same wool, color, texture, dimensions – but attached instead.  hmmm..

So I did.

And I'm glad.  Turned out fun, huh?

Pattern writing is eagerly underway.  Elizabeth will be published and available soon, on Ravelry.