the blue blog archives: twisted

I haven't been knitting much in the last few days. I think seeing the number of projects I have planned overwhelmed me a bit. I've been taking it easy. I almost started some crazy colors socks and then the Phildar mittens, but I decided to stick with what's already on the needles for now. And that would be greensleeves.

Here are the front pieces, joined with one cable cross completed. I'm really liking the way the monochromatic version looks, but I think the purple could have been quite lovely. Michelle and Peter had both suggested that I make a swatch of the purple cables twisting once to really get a sense of how it would look (what good knitters they are!) and if I hadn't already been swatched out, I might have, but I just didn't have another swatch in me. As it turns out, I had to redo the all green panel because I had forgotten to duplicate the waist shaping that I'd added to the back (I added a little shaping because, well, I like it, plus I thought it would save a bit of yarn). So I had to knit both front panels again. C'est la vie.

[Which reminds me. Did I say somewhere that I didn't like France? Well, I take it back. I would like to repeal my being con them and apologize for having chuckled as the asteroid from Armageddon destroyed Paris. No freedom fries for me, thanks. I'd rather sign up with the francophiles than play these silly reindeer games. And by silly reindeer games, I mean evil propagandizing war-mongering ways. Dismount soap box. Start planning escape.]

posted by alison at 7:38 am | in greensleeves

Comments

I like the monochromatic look, and waist shaping is a fabulous idea both style-wise and yarn conservation-wise.

As for being off sock knitting, what kind of socks do you usually make? I was really marginal on sock knitting until PGR's short-row heels & toes came on the scene. Since then, I've become a merciless sock maven.

Posted by: claudia at March 15, 2003 8:59 AM

It looks great Alison! I decided to take the practice skein I had ( I ordered the grey) and start the sleeve. I had to go down to size 5 needles to get the gauge; and the sleeve seems very wide. How far across do your sleeves measure?
P.S. I couldn't agree more with your soap box.

Posted by: Dava at March 15, 2003 9:10 AM

ohh, greensleeves is looking very pretty!

Vive la France!

Posted by: Leigh at March 15, 2003 10:36 AM

I'm really liking the monochromatic scheme. Have you seen the latest issue of Vogue mag? There's an ad for Karabella Yarns and they feature a halter top with a cable up the front that splits at the V-neck and continues up the halter straps. It has some ribbing on the sides. Very pretty. I need to track down the pattern. BTW, Betseeeeeeee Knits posted a letter she sent to her rep. in Congress about the disgusting "freedom fries" movement. I agree wholeheartedly. Since when did dissent become "un-American?"

Posted by: Kerstin at March 15, 2003 3:55 PM

Alison, Here goes r=red, w=white, p=purple, pk=pink, g=green.
r,w,pk,p,g,pk,w,g,pk,w,r,w,pk,p,r,g,p,w,p,g,r,w,pk,p,g,pk,g,pk,w,r,p,w,g,pk,p,r,g,p,w,p Wow, I forgot how bad it was. No wonder no one wanted to play! It really is from the start right down to the toe. the red and white of the toe are the only repeats.

Posted by: Chris at March 16, 2003 2:10 PM

Oooh...shaping is fun! My vote is for the monochromatic look.

P.S. Thanks for going on the soapbox. And I don't know whether to groan at or be embarrassed by the freedom fries movement. [That'll show 'em! God Bless America.] Has anyone boycotted pancakes yet, btw? I mean, they look so much like crepes and all ;-)

Posted by: Becky at March 17, 2003 3:18 AM

Haven't they found a more suitable name for the french toast yet? And how about french kisses?

Although I guess war-lovers do not kiss, so that doesn't really matter....and french toast is probably too good a treat for them and they rather pig out on hashbrowns and such (not that I have anything against those!)

Er....I'm half French/half Spanish, and somehow it's conforting reading from people who think all this freedom fries stuff is ridiculous, and who are against war!

AND greensleeves looks beautiful! Une vraie merveille!

Posted by: noemi at March 17, 2003 4:01 AM

I will take up arms myself to defend my rights to french toast, french fries and french kisses! (Three of my favorite things!) Where are these mythologized hawks, anyway? Only in the White House, I guess. Go Doves!

Posted by: gwyn at March 17, 2003 11:59 PM

Freedom fries are actually.. Belgian. But hey, we don't care, they're even smaller than Iraq. And imho 'freedom' is an extremely well-chosen substitute in this case. Only not the way congress intended...

Great sweater! Adore those chunky cables. And yes, it can be a bitch adjusting row gauge for them, unless you are prepared to grow a few inches yourself?

Posted by: Marie-Christine at March 18, 2003 10:37 AM

Hi everyone! Thanks for supporting my little soapbox speech. Of course you're right, Marie-Christine, that "French" fries are in fact Belgian. And french toast, which is also being renamed freedom toast, is named after it's creator, an American named French. Go figure!

[Hey Chris, thanks for the sequence on the crazy socks. I really appreciate it. I'd love to make matching socks, but just couldn't fathom the idea of working out that pattern!]

Posted by: alison at March 18, 2003 12:49 PM

And does anyone know why a french kiss is called so?

Funny about French toast...In France we do have a similar treat, and it's called "pain perdu". And in Spain it's called torrijas and it's traditional dessert for Holy Friday (that would be Friday before Easter Sunday, don't know if it has a special name in English)....

Talking about matching socks, why is ALWAYS the second sock I knit larger than the first one? (and yes, I do coun't the rows.....)

Posted by: noemi at March 19, 2003 3:41 AM