the blue blog archives: knitting with miss marple

We were busy celebrating the boys' birthday this weekend with a pool party and a big trip to Six Flags. So all regular Sunday activities, like knitting in the evening or watching Masterpiece Mystery had to be postponed until yesterday evening. Last night, I set out to knit one of my new Spud & Chloe projects while watching Miss Marple, inveterate knitter herself, solve a good old fashioned English countryside who dunnit. (I'm a week behind on my Miss Marples because of my trip to NYC the weekend before, so no comments on this week's episode, please!)

I knitted a good three inches on the start of my Candy Stripe Jacket. The yarn is the to-die-for soft Jade Sapphire Cashmere. I wanted to get the exact yarn as in the pattern picture, but the Spud & Chloe yarn isn't actually red like I'd thought from seeing the pattern picture on my monitor, it's more of a dark burnt orange. I had so fixated on that red color that I was determined to find something at Purl that would match the image of it in my mind. There was some Blue Sky Alpaca Dyed Cotton that I rejected as too bulky and some basic Rowan cotton yarn that wasn't going to be special enough. They didn't have enough of a shade of Koigu KPM I'd considered and some Koigu Kersti was going to cost a fortune (there's like no yardage on those hanks!). In fact, it would be the same price for me to just make the sweater in cashmere. Mmmm, make the sweater in cashmere, mmmmmm. Once I'd had that thought, I was pretty much done shopping. They were knitting up a swatch of the Jade Sapphire which looked and felt marvelous and it came in a bright coral color that always appeals to me. Sold!

The yarn is everything I'd imagined. It's so soft and light, it's heavenly. Indeed, I enjoyed knitting these first three inches so much that I'm not even annoyed that I have to reknit them. (Doh! I read the pattern wrong and forgot to knit the slip stitch edging along one side.) Mmmaking the sweater in cashmere, mmmmmmm. Did you say something about slip stitch? I was wasn't attending. Cashmere, mmmmmmm. If Miss Marple had had this cashmere to knit with, I'm sure she wouldn't have bothered solving half those cases.

posted by alison at 12:16 pm | in spud and chloe

Comments

I also watch Miss Marple, but usually while I am quilting, rather than knitting. (Odd, I know, as she is a knitter).

Gorgeous sweater...can't wait to see your progress on it. Cashmere is wonderful!

How do you like the feel of the Spud & Chloe? Is it soft or a bit scratchy? No shops near me happen to carry it, so I am curious what others think of it.

Posted by: Misty at July 21, 2009 2:04 PM

It definitely looks red on my screen, too! Looking forward to seeing the finished project.

Posted by: K at July 21, 2009 2:05 PM

Oh Misty, I really like the actual Spud & Chloe yarns! I got the real stuff for the Flap Happy Hat. It is soft and squooshy (and superwash!). It just doesn't come in a whole ton of colors and I'd had my mind so set on a real red for this sweater. I can't wait till it's time to make that hat so I can really try out the S&C yarn!

Posted by: ALISON at July 21, 2009 2:29 PM

Oh my gosh, Jade Sapphire is the best! I was interested in the pattern as well, but I wasn't sure if it would be "too sweet" on me, but now that you have put the idea of cashmere in my head I might have to go for it!

Posted by: Rebecca at July 21, 2009 2:31 PM

That yarn just looks luscious! I love Miss Marple - read all the books as a teenager (even tho I always knew who did it long before the end) & have the 3 Margaret Rutherford movies on Tivo (I know she does not look at all like Miss Marple should but she still does a wonderful job of slightly overacting in the part.) No one better to knit to.

Posted by: Donna at July 21, 2009 3:45 PM

I missed Miss Marple last Sunday? What in the world was I doing???

Posted by: Libby at July 21, 2009 4:52 PM

Ah, Miss Marple and that delicious Alan Cumming to introduce. He does know how to raise an eyebrow in a most satisfying way!

The jacket is nice too!

Posted by: Debra in Seattle at July 21, 2009 8:31 PM

Love this post :-)

Posted by: Dean. at July 22, 2009 6:29 AM

...but what about Potter? Harry Potter? I didn't see a lot of knits in HBP, did you?

Posted by: Pamela at July 22, 2009 7:02 AM

Wow. I'd love to knit a sweater in cashmere. I have some gorgeous yarn that my hubby gifted me a couple of years ago, but I'm afraid to work on the project (it's complicated and the cat loves to damage yarn, the nicer the better). Maybe I should bring that to work as my lunch project.

Posted by: Seanna Lea at July 22, 2009 10:41 AM

I can only knit watching TV if it's sports (because I'm not that interested!). Love the jacket pattern.

Posted by: Karen at July 22, 2009 4:39 PM

Wow - youve inspired me to knit one of these!!

Posted by: Melita at July 22, 2009 11:14 PM

I really like that pattern. Good call on going with a more red color.

Posted by: Melissa at July 24, 2009 3:53 PM

I lovelovelove that pattern! I can't wait to see your finished project. And going with the red is such a good choice. :-)

Posted by: Jaime at July 28, 2009 5:15 PM

Oops, forgot something ... I like that you're knitting to Miss Marple! I've been missing the Miss Marple mysteries lately because they've switched from my favorite Ms.M.

Posted by: Jaime at July 28, 2009 5:17 PM