Wednesday, April 28, 2004

Seafood, Sleeves and Patterns

Monday, Dad and I headed up to Maine to our favorite seafood restaurant - Lord’s Harborside in Wells.  It closes for the winter on the third Thursday of October and re-opens on the third Thursday of April.  As we drove up to what appeared to be an empty building, we spotted a sign that announced they would be opening for the season this Thursday - the 29th.  Oh well…

We drove back down to Kittery and had a very late lunch at Warren’s Lobsterhouse.  They have a huge, fresh and quite varied salad bar which is worth the trip all by itself.  But I had maybe the best shrimp I’ve ever had there.  Not the big, relatively tasteless gulf shrimp, but the little, local, cold water babies - sweet, tender and incredibly flavorful.  Ahhhhh....

We’ll hit Lord’s for our birthday dinner next month.  Dad’s birthday is on the 17th and mine is on the 18th.  We always go out to celebrate and Lord’s will be a splendid place to do it :)

On to knitting content…

Sleeve under way

I finally decided how to handle the sleeves - I know, you’ve been holding your collective breath, right?  Heheh…

Bron was right.  I hadn’t thought about it really, but I did want something a little lacey for the sleeves.  Unfortunately, the several small lace patterns that I swatched didn’t please me much.  I even did a big feather and fan swatch.  That would have worked, but I couldn’t manage to feel anything but lukewarm about it.  So…

Jewels on Dusty Plum

I think this will work just fine.  I love the way these two yarns set each other off.  The plum, by itself, can look more grey than I prefer and the variegated looks a bit dull on its own.  But together, the plum looks like plum and the variegated just glows.  I think I’m going to forgo the ruffles entirely, both on the sleeve and at the neck.  I’ll probably leave the sleeves alone and I’m thinking about a simple collar for the neckline.  I’ll do that with the variegated yarn - maybe in seed stitch or, maybe that’s where the lace should go?  I’m a ways from that just yet so I’ve got plenty of time to think about it.

A question.  I was chasing around the web yesterday, trying to figure out what a peerie pattern is.  I know it’s a tiny, fair isle-type of pattern and I was able to find out that “peerie” means small.  But I couldn’t find out if there was anything specific about them.  Are they just little patterns which are repeated?  Do they have to conform to certain conditions as to size and or color?  Does anyone know or can you point me to a resource?  I really should have had that curiosity gland removed a loooong time ago :)

Anyway, while I was chasing around, something in the back of my head clicked.  I can’t express it any better than that.  I have never had the slightest interest in fair isle work having always thought of it as the knitting equivalent of brain surgery.  And, in general, while the colors can be fabulous, the all-over patterning is too busy for my taste and - let’s be honest - for my shape.  In a fair isle sweater, I’d look like a camel wrapped in a Turkish carpet!

So imagine my stupefaction when this happened:

WTF?

It felt as though either I or my needles had been possessed and the next thing I knew, there was this little swatch.  And while it certainly felt odd at first (and a bit awkward) I can’t say it was terribly difficult.  And it got easier as I went on.  But it really is very strange.  I keep looking at this thing, wondering where it came from.  It’s all a little scary…

And it occurs to me that this technique needn’t be restricted to all-over patterning.  A bit here or a bit there, a border perhaps - just a little something to add a soupon of interest.

The Boys

Fluffy and Goldie seem to be waiting for us to clear out today.  I suspect planned mischief!

Happy mid-week, everyone :)

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1. Yay Fair Isle!

   I find Fair Isle the most attractive and tasteful when done as extra touches. The Moorish pullover from winter 03 Interweave comes to mind - detail at the sleeve and on the yoke (also on the waist, but that is not a good idea on a bigger girl like myself!). Subtlety! It’s a good thing. I think that’s why Rogue is so popular!

   Posted by Christina  on  04/28  at  12:33 PM
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2. Yeah, I can already see myself getting ready to find patterns and practice some more - but the application is going to have to be spare.  But it could be lots of fun too :)

   Posted by Robbyn  on  04/28  at  01:05 PM
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3. Careful, Robbyn....I might just think you’re “fearlessly changing a pattern” to suit your own tastes. Being pretty cavalier, aren’t you? (ha!) I do like your sleeve solution. :) But Fair Isle too? Wow - one of those knitters of old has swooped down & possessed you for sure. :::grin::: I’m impressed! 

   By the way - finally got that little package in the mail yesterday - it took the slow boat so expect it in 1 1/2 -2 weeks. :) Enjoy!

   Posted by Bron  on  04/28  at  03:07 PM
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4. Heheh - Don’t be impressed Bron.  I don’t even know how it happened :)

   I’ll be watching for the package - and many thanks!

   Posted by  on  04/28  at  04:13 PM
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5. I get that feeling all the time!! Like when the animals are sitting by the back door staring at me, “Aren’t you late for work or something?” Then they practically push me out the door and I swear I hear them giggling as I walk down the steps!

   Posted by Laura  on  04/28  at  07:53 PM
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6. Laura - LOL!  And doesn’t it make you a little nervous about what they have in mind when you’re gone?  One of ours like to grab washcloths and socks and hauls them all over the place.

   Posted by Robbyn  on  04/28  at  10:18 PM
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7. Love your sleeve solution - colours look gorgeous.

   Posted by Pamela  on  04/29  at  08:52 AM
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8. Thanks Pam :)

   Posted by Robbyn  on  04/29  at  09:42 AM
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