Dear Kay,
I’m relieved to report that I am on my way. I’ve made it through the first 44-row repeat of this Jade Starmore Glenesk pullover, aka My Constant Companion. All I can say is that I look forward to a conference call with uncommon enthusiasm these days. Keep talking, everybody! I’m busting on this thing.
My chart has now arrived at its optimum level of usefulness. It’s like a coloring book for knitters.
The colors look plenty distinct when seen up close. It’s from a distance that they start to play tricks.
Jade Starmore created this stitch pattern after seeing a half-sunk shipwreck along the coast of the Isle of Lewis. She writes, “On Gress Beach there is an intriguing remnant of a small ship that shows the unusual beauty of something man-made being claimed by nature over a long period of time. All that remains of the good ship Glenesk are the boiler and the ribs of the hull, which protrude through the sand to a greater or lesser extent, according to wind and tide. The boiler is obviously made of stern stuff, and is now home to limpets and barnacles, while the sand worms like to make their homes in its shade.”
So: the ribs of a ship, and seaweed, and stormy skies. I get it. Anchors and waves and all sorts of stuff.
In Conversational News
“This is such an amazing thread!” Lisa says, about the conversation over on Ravelry about Hard Knitting Projects: A List. The excavation of half-done, unbegun, woebegone knitting projects makes me want to dig out another one. Doing an impossible knitting project is so much more possible than just about any problem in real life. Join us! It’s easier than real life!
Love,
Ann
PS Julia Louis-Dreyfus and I have had SUCH a great time hanging out. She says she wants to become a better knitter, but she’s just being modest. Talking my ear off about Russian joins and German short rows and Latvian braid. Enough, Julia! She can recite the Plucky Knitter FAQs like a catechism. She’s already booked her house for Rhinebeck. She’s a pro.
Aw not really. But we will hear from her. I have no doubt of this.
Your sweater looks amazing! Even more amazing, it has you enjoying conference calls. The hard projects thread is inspiring. Right now, my hard project is cleaning my house so I can knit in a pleasant environment.
I also look forward to hearing from Ms Julia.
DITTO!
You may want to check out author Margaret Atwood on Twitter. She too is a lapsed knitter who has recently taken it up again and she has been tweeting about it.
As a knitter AND a Canadian, that is SO cool.
Happily living vicariously through Ann and Kay watching their Hard Knitting Projects grow. I’m awestruck. These projects have everything you could want in an art project — color, texture, whimsy and a story. Will check in tomorrow morning.
So beautiful! I always like to hear about what inspires designers. Amazing that she could bring such a beautiful piece of knitting out of a shipwreck sighting.
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Beautiful! I’d probably never make a Starmore sweater to wear, but your posts make me wish that Starmore curtains existed.
they have cushion patterns!
And gorgeous shawls (which could be lap blankets, if you’re not the shawly type) and scarves, too.
I love the idea of coloring the fair isle chart!
I am in awe! I wish I could knit like you!!!!
Gosh I guess I thought for all the $$, time, and specific yarn colors that the chart in kit would be precolored. It would take me as long to color that as to knit it. You are a rock star and I can’t wait to dig out my Prismacolors!
I want to be in on the Julia meet and greet. Count me in!!!
Excellent progress on the shipwreck sweater. Nice chart colouring too.
I’ve been working on a HKP for years. A man size, BW textural tree of life stitch pattern – all twisted, single stitch cables, that travel across to vertical twisted stitch columns (tree trunks?). Slow going. Crunchy, pungent, straw embedded, pale buckskin coloured wool. Design as I go.
Inspired/motivated, I’ve dug it out, and I am committed to making meaningful progress. I really need to get it done (so I can wear it) Completing the back is in sight. A good project for the current sad economy where I live – maximum knitting entertainment value per stitch, using stashed yarn. Nice early morning garden knitting with coffee, or late night knitting (with a good cocktail). 2 rows on this HKP is a good dose of knitting.
Purling through the back is still tricky.
Also an Insta-knit deep blue Gansey-ish sweater/knit-frock my last year self didn’t feel like seaming or picking up stitches evenly for the collar. Need to finish this one too. Necessary for seawall/breakwater walks during off-season west coast getaways. A guy can’t really pull off coastal brooding/horizon gazing wearing Mountain Equipment Co-op synthetics.
A true, authentically constructed Gansey is on my future-self’s to knit list.
I wonder if Margaret Atwood would like to hang out and knit with a fellow Canuck?
This sweater is absolutely stunning! I love watching your progress…I don’t know if I could ever take on a project of this magnitude, but I love reading about it!
How did you decide what size to make? Normally I would make a medium for myself but that’s 46 inches according to the Glenesk chart. Ten inches of ease seems like a lot, even for a sweater to be worn more like a jacket. Any help or advice would be appreciated.
I used a previous Starmore sweater as my guide! The gauge on Glenesk is slightly larger (28 sts = 4″ rather than Donegal’s 30 sts = 4″), so I eyeballed the old sweater, tried it on, and decided to go with the small size because it is the closest to the size of the old sweater. Ease is such a subjective thing–for many years, I was so averse to anything clinging to me that I’d regularly make things with 10 inches of ease! More is more!
Julia Louis-Dreyfus was the voice of Princess Atta in “A Bug’s Life” (Pixar’s finest moment IMHO) so how could she not be wise to the wonders of knitting? 🙂 xx
Gorgeous beyond words. Love he colors, and the pattern inspiration. Very cool!
Hey, did Kay see that Alabama Chanin is going to be teaching a workshop at the Soho Patagonia store April 28? Can’t figure out how to comment on last month’s video clip post, where it would be more appropriate.
My question is how anyone does a conference call without knitting?
ps this is stunnmng!