Letters
Exciting Action Rounds
Dear Ann,
A week away from home seems like a long time. In preparation for this past week in Nashville running around with you, I packed two projects.
First up, because I just couldn’t stop knitting on it, was my Savage Heart Cardigan by Amy Christoffers. (For those unfamiliar with the pattern, it’s a grown-up lady version of the wee Cockleshell Cardigan that Amy designed for MDK Field Guide No. 6.) I think I was driven by two impulses: the mindless pleasure of easy stockinette in bouncy Cormo Worsted by Elemental Affects, and mad curiosity to see how this unusual construction will work out in terms of fit.
(toes for scale.)
We will know soon. I took advantage of your Class A Blocking Facilities (wool wash, Official Blocking Towels that are at least 20 years old and therefore certifiably lint-free, and vintage Blocking Board they don’t make anymore).
Elliott Tribute Cushion is skeptical.
(Thank you, dear co-bloggette, for duplicate-stitching those two ends where I changed skeins in the middle of the row because I forgot that the reverse stockinette stitch side is the right side.)
All that’s left is the seaming of the sleeves and sides, which I had to put off because for some sad reason the amenities at Stately Shayne Manor do not include Clover Wonder Clips, which are essential to my personal seaming practice.
When I got to the Clover Clip stage on my cardigan, I cast on my second travel project: the Sea Breeze Cowl-Poncho (Cowl Only, in my case), in Spud & Chloë’s worsted weight wool/cotton blend yarn, Sweater, in an indigo-with-a-breath-of-teal shade called Lake.
I cast on for the largest size, and I’m not planning to decrease at the neck to create the funnel-shape garment shown in the schematic. I like my cowls as loops that you can double up when it’s cold or let hang when you want to ventilate. (Very handy on the subway, as you don’t risk losing it, as you would if you untied a scarf.) (Yes, I’ve lost handknit scarves this way. I’m a mess.)
The way that Julia Farwell-Clay designed this pattern, there are 2 Exciting Action Rounds followed by 6 rounds of plain knitting.
I’ve just completed my second set of Exciting Action Rounds, and I don’t mind telling you that they go slowly for me. The criss-cross doodly-doo stitch gets much easier with practice, but so far it has not embedded itself into my muscle memory. I have to concentrate—o the novelty! Round 2, in which you pass 5 long stitches over 5 other long stitches, keeping all stitches in correct (parallel) order, takes me about 45 minutes. By that point, I am very ready for 6 rounds of plain stockinette stitch. But by the time those 6 are finished, I’m strong for another Exciting Action Round.
The effect is worth the manageable amount of doodly-dooing. I love the wavy texture of this fabric, and look forward to getting questions from knitters every time I wear it. “How did you do that?”
Love,
Kay
Very cool. Also cool that u can now not only write about your visits to each other but wrote them off!! I’m envious of how much fun U guys are having!
I read with gusto, waiting for the Big Reveal of you in the Savage Heart (which sounds like it should be a bodice ripper novel) but will bide my time until you get it sewn….
Reverse stockinette always weirds me out, too.
Your writing (and knitting) bring me so much pleasure. I want to make both of these things, but am currently knitting stacks of Bodhi Leaf face cloths and have adapted the pattern (smaller needles, slightly less increases and garter rows, and an I-cord stem instead of loops) to make darling sets of coasters. Oh the fun, and talk about “ease”!
Coasters. What a brilliant idea. Makes me want to join in the fun.
I am in the “How on earth did I manage before wonder clips?” camp as well! Besides being great for all manner of textile work, they are also great at temporarily clipping up hair that has escaped ones not-so-fashion-forward ponytail and is getting in the way while doing aforementioned textile work. I also love patterns that rapidly alternate between challenging and boring. The next baby to come along may just need the tiny version of that sweater.
They are simply the best.
Really cannot wait to see how your Savage Heart seams up! I’m resisting the urge to cast on until I finish Carbeth #2 but I just might. I already swatched and prepped my pattern!
Your Brave Heart Cardigan looks beautiful, I too look forward to seeing how it fits. I think the Reverse Stockinette dangers, especially when knitting in the round, are a topic worthy of a whole post. Think alternating skeins, working and resolving short rows, adding new yarn….
Me too—can’t wait to see how your Savage Heart seams up. I’m about halfway into the project but decided to wait on some additional empirical evidence.
Please tell us more about the Elliott tribute cushion. Is it an actual likeness of the late Elliott?
And here’s a link to the post where Ann joyfully received her surprise Kermit and Elliott cushions in San Diego: https://www.moderndailyknitting.com/tag/spoonflower-fabric/
Don’t leave home without them!
Tip if you are making a Pet Tribute Cushion: no legs. No dangly parts. Elliott’s turned out the best because he was so nearly spherical with no pointy bits.
Yes, a couple of years ago I was inspired by the Spoonflower handbook, which had instructions for making a picture into a cushion. There is a Kermit and an Olive also. Every time I stay at Ann’s I laugh at them all over again.
I have found that tiny hair clips from the dollar store work well for holding seams together and you get 12-16 for a dollar. I have seen them in most dollar stores. I also use them to hold my loose ends in place.
Seems like a field trip to Ann’s fave LYS could have resolved the missing Wonder Clips dilemma. If they (gasp!) didn’t have any you could have continued on to a stationery store for tiny binder clips (possibly printed with tiny Savage Hearts) to use in a pinch. (Sorry, too good a pun to pass up!)
For me there is no Wonder Clips but Wonder Clips, and I knew I had a jam jar full of them at home.
Wish the teal dark would be in sweater pattern. Neck down rsglan
“The criss-cross doodly-doo” sounds like a step from a square dance — “grab your partner and criss-cross doodly-doo”!
Must. Have. Savage. Heart. Pattern. Now! What a great look/fit/design and all that jazz!
“Criss-cross doodly-doo stitch” is the most fun thing I’ve read all day! 🙂
I’m here to say that I love the term doodly-dooing. 🙂