Dear Ann:
Reader Gale Zucker writes in our comments: “Have you pushed through the Honey Cowl time warp and can just, like, make them appear? That particular color just kills me.”
Gale, I’m glad you asked. Yes, I close my eyes, visualize a Honey Cowl, lay my hands on 400 yards of hand-dyed merino, and when I open my eyes I am standing over the kitchen sink inhaling Soak fumes.
Seriously, here is the current Honey Cowl. Knitting it old-school, like the mortals do. No wiggling of my nose or anything. Darren doesn’t like that.
Yarn: Neighborhood Fiber Co. Studio Worsted. Can’t find the label for the shade. I believe it’s named after a street or square in Baltimore. (This may not narrow it down, the company is in Baltimore.) Greys, bluish cast. Love it. (Edited to add: I am informed that the shade is called Thomas Circle.)
The new Rowan is here! The new Rowan is here!
Rowan 53 revisits the oversized florals of our youth. I still recall how cushion-like I felt in oversized florals, so I’ll probably abstain. But it takes all kinds to make a world. These blasts of color will look supercute on people who look supercute in that sort of thing, and you know who you are. WERQ.
What I personally am drawn to in moth-flame fashion is the issue’s modernist graphic collection, Ikon. Lookie:
Just love it, every piece.
To whet the knitterly appetite for modernist graphics, there is also a wonderful illustrated article on fashion and textile designer Sonia Delaunay, written by Kate Davies. I’m guessing Sonia D was the icon for whom the Ikon collection was named. Sonia had it going on. I’ve seen a lot of her work in person (at the Cooper-Hewitt a couple of years ago), and I’m not sure I could have borne it if I were a knitwear designer myself. She was too damn good. You could knit forever from her designs.
You should all run out and buy Rowan magazine issue 53, or better yet, subscribe. Another glorious triumph from Yorkshire. To anybody who whines about it, I will say what I always say: remember, we didn’t always have Rowan. Do you want to go back to that desolate lunar landscape? Well, OK then, hush up.
Love,
Kay
ombob. WERQ. please tell me you love TLo as much as I do. and also that cardi is epic.
Just dropping by to say thanks for the frequent blogging. Love it! Your blog inspires. I finished my second Honey Cowl. Thank you, thank you!
My mom made herself a sweater much like that one with the roses back in the 1980s. She wore it often, and it is beautiful. I think she still has it. The roses were pink, not yellow, and it wasn’t so oversized on her, but the likeness is remarkable.
I may not want to knit many Rowan patterns (or from VK for that matter), but I really appreciate the unique style!
My mom made herself a sweater much like that one with the roses back in the 1980s. She wore it often, and it is beautiful. I think she still has it. The roses were pink, not yellow, and it wasn’t so oversized on her, but the likeness is remarkable.
I may not want to knit many Rowan patterns (or from VK for that matter), but I really appreciate the unique style!
Heavens you knit F.A.S.T. lady and always beautiful!!!!
Ok, this is as close as I will ever get to being current.
I googled “WERQ” but what is ombob? is it OMG but Ravelry’s “Bob” instead of God? (that would push knitting and the current vernacular dangerously close, IMO.) Someone help!
ps. you broke me. I’m looking in my stash for Honey Cowl yarn….
Rowan is way too far above my pay grade, but I have instantly become addicted to the Honey Cowl. Holy crap, is that a satisfying knit! The rolling rhythm of the purl rows, the seamy seam that requires no seaming, the thrill of not making another pair of socks… It really does almost knit itself by magic.
Won’t somebody please buy that boy a longer pair of pants?
Oh gosh, I had that floral outfit! Matching peasant blouse and swirly girlie ankle length skirt from (I or Joseph) Magnins, in just those Rowan colors! Nana bought it for me, and Mom’s eyes bugged out when I modeled it later that day.
It TOTALLY worked in my navy town catholic all girls high school crowd. I looked good. I think I looked more like a bedspread, which is what we had before we had *duvets*.
Another TLo lover here – I too gasped a bit when I saw WERQ! Is it just me, or are that young man’s feet VERY LARGE in comparison to his tiny little peanut head?! Love the sweater, but the model seems a little fun house in that picture…
I always thought Darren was a poop.
Those pants are all wrong and it’s making my skin crawl.
Question: When knitting a Honey Cowl in worsted, do you change the needle size or cast-on number?
Just cast on my 4th.
Maybe a gift.
Maybe not.
Men, do not wear shrank-too-small clothes when you have GIANT FREAKSHOW feet.
In other news, most of the 60s-inspired designs in the new Rowan are appealing. On the other hand, if I want oversized intarsia handknits, the sweaters I knitted in the early 90s are in my closet just waiting to return to the scene.
I am in the midst of my second Honey Cowl this year. It was nice to log on and realize that I am not alone!
Dear Kay – I glance at Rowan magazines when I see them, but knitting from then would be the same thing I have to gaurd against when I’m on vacation, i.e., knitting (or shopping) for my imaginary life instead of my real life. If I can’t think of at least 2 likely occasions for wearing something I won’t make (or buy) it, no matter how beautiful it is on the model. Thanks for the encouragement, though, and I love the cowls and blankets.
Woah! Have I entered the twilight zone and its the 90’s again? Rowan, what have you done? Suddenly, I am in a group friend photo against a multi-colored background in this exact sweater complete with huge mall bangs, Felicity is with the KGB and Vanilla Ice is on HGTV. Its like “my life got flipped, turned upside down”. Props to anyone who can name that song.
p.s. whoever styled that poor boy needs to buy him pants that fit. Love the sweater though, so I guess that’s all the matters.
Woah! Have I entered the twilight zone and its the 90’s again? Rowan, what have you done? Suddenly, I am in a group friend photo against a multi-colored background in this exact sweater complete with huge mall bangs, Felicity is with the KGB and Vanilla Ice is on HGTV. Its like “my life got flipped, turned upside down”. Props to anyone who can name that song.
p.s. whoever styled that poor boy needs to buy him pants that fit. Love the sweater though, so I guess that’s all the matters.
Woah! Have I entered the twilight zone and its the 90’s again? Rowan, what have you done? Suddenly, I am in a group friend photo against a multi-colored background in this exact sweater complete with huge mall bangs, Felicity is with the KGB and Vanilla Ice is on HGTV. Its like “my life got flipped, turned upside down”. Props to anyone who can name that song.
p.s. whoever styled that poor boy needs to buy him pants that fit. Love the sweater though, so I guess that’s all the matters.
Very cool. Your army of Honey Cowls has me reminiscing on the days of the One Skein Wonder. I still have at least one of those in my shelf of hand knits, so obviously I need to knit a second honey cowl to go with it.
The color is Thomas Circle! And the cowl is gorgeous.
🙂
“Yes, I close my eyes, visualize a Honey Cowl, lay my hands on 400 yards of hand-dyed merino, and when I open my eyes I am standing over the kitchen sink inhaling Soak fumes.”
This would be a very cool superpower, and useful for projects with a looming deadline, but I can’t be 100% in favor of anything that bypasses that lovely “fiber through the fingers” sensation!
Is it just me, or is the cover of that Rowan a selfie?
Ok then is your secret a deal with the devil ? You get instant Honey Cowls and great legs, and eventually, he dumps all his extra stash in your apartment? And it’s all really ugly neon acrylic fun fur?
I really love the high water pants on the male model there. Skinny jeans OK, but capris??