Properly practiced, knitting soothes the troubled spirit, and it doesn't hurt the untroubled spirit, either. ~Elizabeth Zimmerman

19 October 2014

Hyber-Knitting-Run for the Needles!

 

There was a time that multiple newspapers and the background of news casts littered my days. I was a true news junkie. Maybe it is time, or the pace of the planet, or the simple overload of news noise as a bombardment of info- good, bad, and just dumb- come flying at us...the take away-- it's too scary out there!- 


What is it about October?  Always used to be my favorite month--gorgeous weather, crunchy leaves, color filling the landscape against crisp skies...then you turn on the news.
The world is spinning in a direction that I don't care to follow ...if you haven't listened or read the news of late--well don't! War, violence, disaster, terror, devastation and disease...and that is just in the first 2 minutes.


The answer-  Tune out .. unplug... hide under the covers...and oh yeah-Run for the Needles!



 If ever there were a Run for the Needles Moment-this is it!  My answer in the end to all things insane-Run for the Needles!  I can't fix this planet, nor can I understand or control it.  Frustrating to say the least for someone who operates her life on the firm and proven belief that she can make everything work better.  So...I cast on.

It is knitting season after all, so there really is no need for an excuse to find myself curled up with a pile of projects to be finished, and patterns to be plotted, while I binge-watch Gilmore Girls and remember why knitting matters!


The rhythm of stitches moving off one needle to the next.  The feel of a gracious fiber around my fingers.  The satisfaction of watching fabric grow beneath my needles.  The joy that never grows old of seeing a series of simple knits and purls become a texture that is better than any comfort food...and perhaps most importantly these days, the knowledge that I can fix whatever doesn't come out right-if it needs to unravel,then I can knit it back in place-if only the world could be so easy!   What to knit?  Doesn't really matter-Just Knit! 




02 December 2012

A Bonnie Knit

 I am having a serious Cape Crush these days .     

This is not my first Cape Crush and certainly won't be my last!   Of course when I think of a classic Cape that can only mean Bonnie!  Bonnie Cashin truly was the originator of American Sportswear and she defined cape style with her sweeping bold fabrics,tweeds, houndstooths, plaids, herringbones, checks...in great colors, with her signature details of turnlock closures, buckles, drawstring ties, coolie collars, leather trim, great linings and pockets, fur collars and cuffs... 




Bonnie Cashin Cape, Fall 1966. Photograph: Francesco Scavullo via


Bonnie Cashin Sketches via FIT


Vintage Cashin Cape via 

This season Coach found their way back to their original designer once again, back to when Coach was Coach!  I have gushed on before about my love for Classic Bonnie Cashin Coach. Why they ever left that look is beyond me but apparently the folks at Coach saw how popular "vintage' Coach bags are on sites like ebay, Etsy and 1st Dibs and decided they really should go home again!   This year a new  line of Legacy bags and Coach Classics including the perfect Bucket Duffel Bag-I own two from "back in the day" and would not part with them for anything! Online the Coach site even lets you design your own Duffel Bucket bag!   As Coach looked back they of course had to incorporate the  fabulous Bonnie style capes.  The Cashin Capes will always be a staple of any classic wardrobe.



via Coach

Capes have been all over the editorial spreads this year and they all owe a dramatic nod and  bow to Bonnie! 


Katarina Friedrich by Adriano Russo for Vanity Fair Italy October 2012 via 

Of course with capes on the brain There must be at least least on the needles so I went in search of Classic Cape knitting patterns from the Bonnie era:

1960s Vintage Cape Panel Knitting Pattern-Etsy 

1950s Vintage Cape Knitting Pattern-Etsy                      Vintage Aran Cape Knitting Pattern-Etsy
Vintage Cable Cape Knitting Pattern-Etsy      1950s Parisian Cape Knittng Pattern-Etsy

1960s Vintage Cape Knitting Pattern-Etsy


...and then I took a look at how current knit designers are interpreting Bonnie style:

Kelly via Rowan


Mahonia Marie Wallin via                         Double Breasted Pierrot via



Cabled Swing Poncho VK

Run for the Needles it's time for a Bonnie Knit! 

23 September 2012

September Stitches-Run for the Needles!

Beatnik Norah Gaughan



As much as I love Fall I have to admit it takes me awhile to get out of my Flip Flops and into a Fall mode.  Typical New England September so far--gorgeous skies and warm days with crisp evenings have brought me to realize October is coming---turning over the closet, cutting back the gardens, pulling the sad and tired annuals from their containers, changing out the shoes and bags...but most especially my seasonal sorting through the yarn stash and pattern plowing for what to knit -are getting me ready!!!


Jem Weston via Rowan

Fall IS a Knitter's Season!  I am seeing inspiration everywhere

Rowan
For me fall always means re-energizing my knitting needle muscles.  The BIG issue of course is that I start too late and there are SO many fabulous options--I sit for hours plotting with patterns and torn out magazine pages spread out before me trying to match stash with patterns and patterns with stash-why doesn't this ever work???

One thing I do know for sure--there will be cables!!

Irish Knit-Bergere de France
Dust of Snow-Tonia Barry for CEY

Bergere de France
Poncho-Bergere de France
Bailey-Mari Wallin for Rowan


...and Fabulous Fairisle is a Must!!!


Autumn Fire -Maureen Moody for Knitty

Orkney-Marie Wallin for Rowan
Triple Divide Cowl-Tanis Gray
Dilys-Marie Wallin
Texture Texture texture is everywhere and when you pair it with a yummy tweed or fabulous crunchy yarn....love!


Grand Tour Stole-Anna Cohen

Driftwood-Julie Hoover for Brooklyn Tweed

Rocky Road-Hedi Kirrmaier

Bozemian Jacket-Cirilia Rose, November Knits
Palladium Capelet-Americo

I have had a Boyfriend Garter slouchy pullover in my head for ages-inspired by Stella's of course
John Brinegar for Knit Simple


and this sunny September Sweater has me hunting everywhere 
for the perfect Sunflower Yellow


via



Oh and I need some stripes!
Pendulum-Amy Miller




Run for the Needles-It's Fall! 


On the Needles!

Off the Needles

Pearls from the Yarn Basket