This Page of Pentacles from the Tarot of the Cat People indicates the start of a new practical project, and the preparation that goes before it: very appropriate for today, as you will see.
I was incredibly restrained - I didn't come to open my 2nd package from my swap partner Denise until not only after I had taken the children to school, but also hung out a load of washing from the machine. But then my resolve crumbled, and so here we are. Baby steps, people, baby steps.
Today's beautifully wrapped gift felt somewhat booklike: heavy, firm and oblong. Opening the handmade card that accompanies it, Denise tells me that it is the 'local' element of the package ...
Ooooh ! A pattern book ! I love pattern books, I get all miser-y and hoard-y about them, I look at them on the bookcase and rub my hands like Mr.Micawber. Or is it Uriah Heep ? I never liked Dickens much.
A glance at the foreword shows me that this is the local gift because the authors come from Seattle, a city I am aware of because of grunge music and the TV show 'Frasier'; I think it is famous for the Space Needle, coffee shops and rain ...
But anyway, before I expose my geographical lack of knowledge any further, let me show you what caught my eye as I leafed through.
I was intrigued that the book is subtitled 'More Contemporary Sweaters', and going by the colorful cardigan on the cover, thought Denise might be inviting me to explore colorwork further after my last two (one and two) attempts, as well as dragging me more 'on trend' with knitting fashion ... but you can relax - like I did - because there are some really pretty designs in this book that are modern but at the same time you can visualize a real person might actually wear them. There are 5 patterns that I would definitely wear, and 3 of those involve colorwork, like this 'Tanglewood Pullover'':
The ''Pink Cabled Cardigan'' and the ''Gioiello Cardigan'' are also perfect for me; and if I cannot find or substitute the yarn, I will be emailing Denise to ask her to send it to me .... I wonder if she realizes what she may have let herself in for ? But it would be unbearably cruel to make me live as Tantalus ....
Denise is batting two for two ...
What a lovely book! I love that it is spiral bound. Looking forward now to colorwork attempt #3.
ReplyDeleteOooh, that Tanglewood pullover is gorgeous, I hope you make it at some point! That looks like a great book :)
ReplyDeleteI love the neckline on that Tanglewood jumper! What kind of colourwork does it use? It only looks like a striping yarn from here, but I think that is because the picture is quite diddy.
ReplyDeleteHa ! Result LOL as you so cleverly spotted, it isn't colorwork ! Yaay LOL It's handdyed silk knitted together with kid mohair, and green angora for the cuffs/neckline.
DeleteLol! Eskimmi accurately spots self-striping yarn, so I hope that one gets a little up on your queue (although I'm pleased with my own assessment that you would like the Pink Cabled Cardi).
ReplyDeleteFYI - the authors have at least one pattern that has recently been published in a knitting magazine "extra" on your side of the pond.