Purple power

Once upon a time, there was a little girl named L who loved the color purple.

L was a spirited and clever girl.  So much so, that when doctors found something very scary, everyone knew that such a strong and brave girl would fight hard to be well again.

Rosebud for L

But those who loved L knew that the road would be long, and they reached out to their friends for help.  They said, “Our L loves the color purple.  This family is full of talented knitters.  Can you please use your gifts to make her purple hats?  The hats will keep her head warm, and and remind her of all the people who love her.”

And so, as a member of the Knitter’s Review family, NutmegOwl went to the airport and cast on a purple hat for L, a scaled-down version of her favorite-of-late Rosebud, executed on US 4 and US 6 needles

madelinetosh Vintage - Blackcurrant

and madelinetosh Vintage in Blackcurrant.  The purple is there, blended with hints of blue jeans, the right thing for a young girl in cool weather or warm.  NutmegOwl knitted it in airports and on airplanes and late at night on vacation, watching the moon shine on the Gulf.

May it bring L currents of purple power as she journeys along the road and reaches a triumphant destination.

Cozy Rosy

It’s been awhile since I wrote about Rosebud.  It’s taken that long for me to be in a location where I actually had a model to photograph wearing this Jared Flood design from the BrooklynTweed Fall 2011 book, probably the single best collection of knitting patterns I’ve seen in a decade.

A relaxed Rosebud

A good bath in warm water made all the difference in the world ~ and helped this hat relax significantly.  It also made the angora in the Blackstone Tweed bloom into a nice soft little halo.

I like to block three-dimensional objects in three dimensions, so rather than drying it flat and

Top of the Rosebud

rotating it periodically to try to avoid creases, I stuck a couple of crushed plastic grocery bags in the top and placed the hat over my favorite inverted blocking vase.  No creases to worry about, and the hat lengthened about three inches, too.   I made the larger “slouch”  version on purpose.  (My original, made for charity, was the one-skein non-slouch and would not stay on my head when tried on.)  The second photo is the more accurate color.

Yes, to those who have asked, this is garter stitch knitted in the round, so it’s not for you if you (for reasons I fail to understand) dislike purling.

I’ve road-tested Rosebud in windchills below 10 and out sledding.  It stays on my head, keeps my hair dry and my ears warm.

That’s a winner in every sense.

Diversion

Oscar Wilde had it right.  Sometimes the only way to get rid of temptation is to give in.

I did.  And in the space of 3 days, here is my first FO of 2012.  The pattern is Rosebud from the out-of-this-world BrooklynTweed Fall 2011 Collection.  I knitted a one-skein version of it on smaller

Rosebud, unblocked

needles as a charity hat.  The yarn is Berocco Blackstone Tweed from our Knitter’s Review Retreat swag bags in 2010.  I thoroughly enjoyed knitting with this blend of wool, mohair and always-loved angora, and knew it (desperately) wanted to be on a bigger needle.  The pattern was fun and thoroughly addictive.

So at this year’s retreat, I watched the Stash Lounge in the hope that other knitters might destash their skeins.  Lo and behold: Two in the same dyelot!  Bingo!

Since Christmas, I have been trying – really trying – to finish up some UFOs that have been waiting patiently on the back burner.  But I need someone clever to explain to me please how it can be that I can knit for three nights on the same sock cuffs and still NOT have achieved the last half-inch before the heel flaps?

Confronted with that physics problem, I did what any smart knitter would do:  I put down the socks for some instant gratification.  Rosebud.  With two skeins, for the full-sized slouchy version to cover my noggin and head o’hair.   Still needs blocking and modeling.

Back to the UFO parade for me.

And to see if those little sock legs (on US 0 needles) might have knitted themselves while they sat in Time Out.

One can hope.

Giddy

Another. Shiny. Object.

Done.

Finished.

Over.

Dratted colorwork Christmas stocking #4 was finished and blocked in time for Santa.

I am a knitter without a deadline until April.

Yippeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!

As a rule, I don’t mind knitting on deadlines.  The sample work I do allows me to test-knit yarns at no cost to me, and often, to be among the first to try them out.  That’s fun.  I’m not talking about deadline-knitting.  Obligation knitting ~ that’s another story entirely.

And as of now, my only knitting obligation is a new pair of socks for Darling Bebe.

So I have complete knitting freedom.  In fact, on the ride home from my parents’ on Christmas Day, I knitted on not one, not two, but THREE different projects.  Because I could!  (Note:  One of those projects included DB’s socks, of course.)

Generally speaking, I am fairly monogamous in my knitting.  I’ll be actively working on 2-3 projects at a time, mainly for reasons of portability, complexity and convenience.  Some lace charts with beading are not made for the dentist’s office; some cowls are too sleep-inducing for companion late-night PBS viewing.  And you know that those owl hours of the night are when I execute my best work.

An obligation takes all the fun out of it and puts all the other projects in Time Out through no fault of their own.

Not anymore!

Spirit Trail Fiberworks Holda - Fortune's Red

Instead, I can feel the tickle of the most severe case of start-itis coming on.  There is the adorable hat promised for a young lady with yummy yarn from my unexplained fall from grace.  And the Rosebud  hat for me after I made one for a charity project (and forgot to

Long Ridge Farm Silk Lace - Pewter

photograph) and enjoyed the knitting and the FO.  Because I do need more hats.  It is winter in New England.  And those Fallberry Mitts I want to get on the needles before December ~ and Cotswold month ~ is over in the woolalog.  And the new Spirit Trail Holda cowl for me in that zesty Fortune’s Red (above).  And the incredible Long Ridge Farm cobweb silk beaded project on deck for a special friend …

Well, you get the picture.

Just call me giddy.   Breathlessly giddy.  Yarntoxication at its best.