Dear Ann,
Snippets! I’ve got snippets! So much beautiful stuff out there on the internet.
Winging It Department
As you know, many’s the time I’ve tried to interpret a fabric quilt by knitting it. So far, I’ve stuck to quilts involving (more or less) straight lines. A few weeks ago, Ravelry’s Eye Candy featured this stunning improvisation by Sharon O’Brien (SOB-rien on Ravelry), which stopped me in my tracks.
(Copyright SOB-rien, used with permission.)
Sharon writes: “This knitted section is an attempt to see if I could knit something similar to the sewn quilt on page 96 of Sherri Lynn Wood’s book, The Improv Handbook for Modern Quilters. …The knitting was slow at first, due to writing down every little step that I took. Then, as I knit more of the stripes, I stopped writing, and just continued to improvise. Creating this became fun, when I stopped worrying about what I was doing, and just decided ‘to wing it’.”
For those who want to attempt it themselves, Sharon used worsted weight 4-ply wools, mostly Cascade 220.
In the same patchwork-themed Eye Candy, there was also this brilliant blanket by Mary Beal (Marusya on Ravelry).
(Copyright Marusya. Used with permission.)
Mary used Frankie Brown’s pattern for the Elizabeth Zimmermann-inspired Ten Stitch Blanket, but the crazy brilliant mixing of sock yarns is all Mary.
Show Us the Bohus
This is kind of a day-old snippet. But like a day-old croissant, just pop it in the toaster for a few seconds, and it’s delicious.
If you missed the 2015-16 Winter issue of Vogue Knitting (the Spring issue is on newstands now), try to get hold of a copy. The issue is dedicated to Sweden’s Bohus knitting tradition, a 20th century movement which has a fascinating history. There are articles by Meg Swansen and Sarah Pope, gorgeous vintage photographs of the original Bohus sweaters, and a collection of Bohus-inspired patterns. I rarely save print magazines these days, but this one is a keeper, especially for those of us in a Nordic knitting phase. Check your LYS for a copy, or order it from Vogue’s back issues.
Rolling in the Deep
This just in: we asked Susan J, winner of our recent Manos del Uruguay giveaway, if she could share a picture of her with her prizes.
Susan delivered.
SUCH FUN.
Have a great weekend, everybody. Go roll in some wool.
Love,
Kay
Sweet photos of Susan! I am BLOWN AWAY, I tell you, by Mary Neal’s blanket. I had no idea such a knitted thing was possible. I knew you could sew a garden of color, but I never imagined knitting one. I’m going to revisit this photo often and then one day, I’m going to be inspired to dig into this delight. xo!
I had to go back several times to look at that patchwork scraps blanket and make sure it was knit. That is incredible!
Ditto! Leaves me speechless.
Thanks for the mention! My Bohus obsession continues unabated since writing the article… I’m only halfway through my Wild Apple yoke and I have a Swan kit coming. It’s a slippery slope, people.
I’m sure I will lose all traction on that slope. It really is a great article, Sarah. Such a good story.
Susan definitely deserved the yarn!
Ha! Susan’s photos are fabulous. She reminds me of a time I draped a skein of yarn over a chair so I could admire it before winding it into a ball. A family member saw it from across the room and asked, “Hey, can I wear that new scarf?” Yarn skein = instant scarf, no ball-winding and no knitting required. 🙂
Oh, my goodness!! That “quilt” is fabuloso! I was just pondering for project for random amounts of yarn. Thank you for the inspiration. Love Susan’s photos!
I know Sharon personally. She is one of the most innovative people I know. Sweet, gentle, AMAZING sense of color. If she ever teaches, take her class.
Those two “quilting” ladies are the queens of multicolored stripes. Check out their FOs on Ravelry and be prepared to be humbled. I’m inspired to finally stop this cascade of lopapeysas and finish the random-leftover-yarn beekeeper blanket that’s been stuffed into plastic bags lying all around the house for years. Just putting that together would be as close to konmari-ing as I will probably ever get.
Excellent send off into a glorious weekend, thanks!
Lost some time falling down the Frankie Brown rabbit hole so will just leave that tab open for later. Tablet Holding Cat Pillow.
Nice snippets. My favorite is probably Mary Beal’s interpretation of Frankie Brown’s-EZ inspired pattern. I just checked, and I’ve had the Ten-Stitch Blanket in my queue (and on my mind) for over 5 years! It fascinates me, and Mary’s blanket is absolutely amazing. Good work, Mary! Thanks for sharing it with us, Kay.
Susan rocked the photo shoot. I believe even Tyra Banks would agree that she “smeyesed.” She deserved the yarn.
It’s my favorite VK issue too.
Happy Weekend!
Not to honk my own horn but: that’s my photo on the cover of that issue of VK – I shot the Bohus story and one on winter whites. FYI the cover sweater is as good as it looks, no tricks needed ;-).
Fun fact: the mag was in Oscar nominees swag bags at the Academy Awards a couple of weeks ago. For reals. HONK!
How cool! Vogue Magazine AND The Academy Awards!
I was the winner of the Penguin giveaway sometime ago. I’m not sure if my emails with contact info were reaching you. Could you let me know what the status is? Thanks!! ????
I would have looked so…much….better than Susan with that yarn. I’m just sayin….
I know SOB-rien (nice moniker!) mentions it on her Ravelry project page, but I will offer here also in the comments a great debt of inspiration to Sherri Lynn Wood’s Mood Quilt, a great design and generously offered free on her blog – yes, as a sewn quilt. I myself have been admiring it for years, apparently, since I remember seeing the series as she was posting it, and now I see that was in 2010.