Letters
A Breather
Dear Kay,
After knitting 20 feet of blanket, I craved a palate cleanser, a lemon sorbet of a project. Something as small and simple as I could find.
This is it, a sublime match of design and yarn that takes me to a pure, beautiful place.
The design of Françoise Danoy plus a single skein of yarn by Silbia Ro of Camellia Fiber Co. here in Nashville.
I admire Françoise Danoy for her designs and also for her work building community among aspiring knitwear designers.
The Whatu Shawl is one of a pair of free or pay-what-works patterns, the Kākahu Shawls. I love the way she takes the idea of Māori weaving and adapts it to knitted stitches.
This small, asymmetrical shawl stars a lateral braid every inch or so. I’m loving the easy stockinette with a moment of focus to make the fancy row. Sideways stitches! Cool!
And I’m glad to be working with our newest yarn in the Holiday Shop, White Tweed Sock by Camellia Fiber Co.
The color I’m using, Pink Amethyst, is such a shifter—it goes from a soft ballet pink to a more vibrant pink under certain light. All I know is that I am entranced by the subtlety of this color. And the white flecks really do remind me of snowflakes. It’s a lovely effect, knitted up.
We’ve got three more colors. Charcoal is an MDK exclusive, am aiming for socks in this color.
So soothing to work on this. And by the way, up top that’s the very first Bento Bag I ever bought, years ago. It is a well-worn friend at this point, and I’m so happy we have just started carrying Bento Bags in the Shop, in four colors.
Love,
Ann
Nice palate cleanser! I must check out that pattern. I just completed a palate cleanser myself and think I will continue the practice — something small and fun between the large projects. I have something particularly fun for after I finish my current big knit (she said mysteriously).
That lateral braid looks so pretty and different. I found it really futzy to knit and is only worth working in a yarn that’s gonna show it off well
I recently finished the beautiful Kaffe Fassett throw from FG 13. My palette cleanser was a stack of potholders!
I love the shawl in the projects for that pattern on Ravelry that has the little dots of color between some of the braid areas. And wasn’t there a tutorial on making those braids somewhere here? Maybe J A-C? I remember it seemed much easier than the way I usually do them, but of course I forgot to bookmark it….
That’s MY shawl with the “little dots of color in between”! And I loved making that shawl. I agree that the lateral braid is a little “futszy” to knit, but very effective if the yarn has a good stitch definition. I would definitely make the shawl again – a good one skein project. Francoise’ “Little Acts of Kindness” shawl is another one of my go-to’s for one skein.
Here you go! https://www.moderndailyknitting.com/2021/07/02/confident-knitting-wild-about-vikkel-braids/
My palatte cleaner is going to be a needlepoint pillow because I’ve damaged a nerve in my thumb from knitting a blanket.
Swoon!! You had me at pink amethyst. . . I just love her colors and all of her fiber choices. I was lucky enough to discover Camelia Fiber Co. through her wonderful support of our Dallas Hand Knitting Guild a few years ago. I agree, some yummy socks are also in order!