Dear Kay,
Oh good heavens, I could stare at this speckly yarn all day and maybe I have.
This Annisa Wrap (details here) is turning Juicy Fruit now that there’s a lot of it knitted up.
The gray is the no-smiles hall monitor telling everybody to pipe down.
Is anybody else working one of these garter speckle bias wrap deals? I am totally addicted and I can’t figure out why. SUCH FUN.
In homecoming news, boy David arrived home from his idylls in Europe. He’s been gone six weeks, hither and yon, and I’ve been missing him pretty sorely.
He brought me a little souvenir.
From the bookstore in Paris. I’d been hoping for a “My son went to Paris and all I got was this stupid T-shirt.” It’s OK.
Love,
Ann
That Annisa is an amazing use of color with pattern simplicity! Must make!
Very cool to have a James Joyce book from Shakespeare and Co. I think your son might be a keeper.
Oh yes. If you would care to trade just let me know and I’ll get the t-shirt.
Your son has nice taste, clearly he gets it from you, that shawl is gorgeous!
I got sucked in at Loops on Saturday while I was in Tulsa. Yarn with hot pink speckles! I am thinking Crescendo by Janina Kallio or something by Ambah.
Just beautiful! The yarn , the scarf it is becoming, and your son!
Classy kid. Good job, Mom.
And those stripes are a perfect way to use that yarn. I’m making a solid gray sweater right now and thinking of casting on some orange or chartreuse socks on the side.
Speckled yarn has a surprising ability to win people over, kind of like a speckled hen: It comes in and makes itself at home; after a while, you can’t imagine life without it.
In a way, your son got you the hardcover version of that t-shirt. After all, who goes to Paris and gets a book by an Irish author? It’s like going there and bringing back a collection of greatest hits by Dolly Parton or Abba, rather than a collection of songs by Edith Piaf…! The kid has a strange sense of humor (or his mom does), but at least it’s something!
I do believe Janes Joyce spent a good deal of time on the Left Bank – not far from the bookstalls where this thoughtful son made his purchase…..
And I’m tempted, Ann, to fall down the rabbit hole of this lovely shawl ( I’ve got some speckles stashed) but as the light of oh, too many neck thingy dawns, I realize there’s a super stripey sweater calling to me. I can’t remember the name, but it’s by Veera V.
It’s called Breathing Space. Really pretty, but no eyelets, alas,
That’s a lovely, thoughtful present.
(though at first I thought I maybe he was in Ireland …)
Your speckledy adventure has inspired me and I bought a skein of yarn in preparation while on a trip to gorgeous Bayfield, WI this past weekend! Those cool mornings will inspire knitting in anyone.
Yes! I am also knitting the Annisa wrap and also with Plucky speckles (color Small Batch 14). I think speckles are especially good “broken up” a bit with texture stitches, or brioche, and striped garter is especially useful to stop shouting by speckles. I have temporarily put mine aside because it is perfect travel knitting for a trip in early August.
Cool gift. James Joyce lived in Paris for the last 20 years of his life, so the gift definitely hangs together. The original Shakespeare and Company was where Ulysses was first published. Nice Job.
I have no speckled yarn.
Did you notice how the stripes on book cover resemble your scarf stripes?
I cannot think of a better gift from Paris. Well, maybe I can, but, anyway, HOW SWEET!
Speckles are contagious! My LYS owner has taken to dying yarn, and now there are seemingly dozens of s being worked on at knitting group, all with custom-dyed combinations, mostly with speckles.
Oops, no link. It’s Kline Shawl.
Aw, what a great son. I love that bookstore so much.
I love when yarn and project are a perfect match! And that speckledy yarn would keep a knitter a bit giddy, I think….”What next? And now? And next?”
Very good gifter, that young man. It’s an excellent skill to have 🙂
A literary minded son and speckledy yarn. You are blessed!
You are truly blessed! A literary-minded son and speckled yarn–life is good.
I was definitely drawn into making the Annisa wrap, but I didn’t have any speckled yarn on hand. I had 3 skeins of handspun that I thought would work, and I’m pretty happy with the results. (project page here: http://www.ravelry.com/projects/JodyH/annisa-wrap)
Your Annisa inspired me to cast on my own with 3 shades (one of them speckled) of some lovely Madelinetosh. I love watching it become.
What a great gift. It made me go back and brush up on the history of Shakespeare and Co., especially the stories of Sylvia Beach and Adrienne Monnier. The James Joyce brushing up will have to happen another time! https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shakespeare_and_Company_(bookstore)
Thanks ffor sharing your thoughts on personal injury.
Regards
Great book. We were just in Dublin and I was afraid to speak out that I don’t love Ulysses. Shakespeare and Co. Is a delightful retreat! There are some delightfully cluttered and unpretentious bookstores in Dublin. Of course I love anything Shakespeare!
Yes, thanks to you, I’m going to repurpose some beautiful Verdant Gryphon yarn (in three gorgeous colors) from a second Color Affection wrap to this one by Ambah. Already bought the pattern, but may not cast on for a while. Very excited to watch it grow and transform, even if my version will be speckle free. Variegated, but not speckled.
But come to think of it, I am on the speckled bandwagon already… As I am currently knitting Paris Tojours in a VERY speckled color way called Oracle by Hedgehog Fibers. It is so fun to see these little blips of color constantly changing!!
That kid has gravitas. Kudos. jdu
Beautiful shawl! And I haven’t commented in a while, so I also want to say how much I love your beautiful pink cashmere shawl. I think you’ll look great in it – and it looks so soft and beautiful!
And, Kay, I’m anxiously awaiting the final unveiling of your Missoni-inspired shawl. It’s looking great. You inspired me to buy a Tokyo shawl kit, which I hope I’ll get to work on soon. I’ve got 4 pregnant women in my radius, so I’m working on baby blankets. One and a half down…
My youngest son is also on a European tour -with Austria as the jumping off point. Somehow I don’t think I’ll be getting such a literary gift from him, but you never know… My oldest son, I told him exactly what I wanted when he was in Europe (fancy English tea), and I got it. I used it up, and now I’m dying for more of it and can’t get it (Fortum & Mason Household Blend – sooo good). Anyway, thoughtful sons — aren’t they great!