Can we talk about this beauty for a minute? It’s the new Easy Puzzle Blanket (free pattern) by Jake Canton for Purl Soho and it not only looks like it would be spectacularly fun to knit (log cabin forever, please) but would be a great stash buster and a perfect travel project. The sort of thing where a little bit of yarn would go a very long way and the project would grow relatively slowly while keeping your hands busy the whole time. (In other words, it’d take up time, not luggage space.) And I’m still so into the idea of a lightweight square that can function as a blanket or a shawl, folded or not. I’m that person who does not have a stash full of fingering weight yarn leftovers, so there’s that to consider. But I can’t stop picturing possible color combos …
I apologize for being AWOL this week but I want to be perfectly honest with you. I don’t really care right now who has a cute new pattern out or what I’m going to knit when I finish my WIP. I mean, I do, obviously, but not nearly as much as I care about trying to do my part toward helping build a more inclusive knitting community. So to that end, I’m trying to facilitate a conversation on Instagram. The first two questions are here and here. I hope you’ll join me, or feel free to answer here in comments if you’re not on IG. But please be aware that comment moderation is on and I’ll only be approving comments from previous commenters and/or those who demonstrate a genuine interest in a productive discussion.
Thank you for understanding, happy weekend to you, and I’ll be back next week!
I’m deep into the summer struggle. In need of tops with at least a little bit of sleeve for indoors, but in fabrics that are bearable outdoors. Really, this is the summer I absolutely have to learn to wear dresses (and make said dresses) — more about that coming up — but in the meantime, I just really need something to put on my top half with my trusty wide-leg pants, so I can get dressed in the mornings. And I’ve had this little tee in my head.
I don’t know if you’ve noticed, but I’ve had a fixation for a few years now about tops/dresses with volume stemming from neck pleats or gathers. I particularly love a placket combined with gathers. But as far as something simple to sew, simple to wear, I just want a linen tee made slightly more interesting with neck pleats. Rather than proper set-in sleeves, I’m imagining it as just a two-piece situation — front and back — and believe I can get here by manipulating the same old pattern I’m forever messing with. And if it works, I want it in like a few different weird/bright shades of linen.
I’ve never attempted a mod quite like this one, which makes it both a little daunting and a lot of fun. I just need to make the time to try it! Asap.
Before we get to today’s Elsewhere links, below, I want to note that I’ve changed the name of my Wabi Mitts pattern to Mamoru Mitts. Cultural appropriation (vs appreciation) is a subject I’ve paid ever-increasing awareness to since becoming a knitter, and while I think most people agree there’s some grey area, I personally would like to avoid even the grey zones. Especially in this case, since the ancient term wabi-sabi, which has deep and hard-to-convey meaning, is increasingly abused and misused, and I don’t want to contribute to that. Shortly after first deciding to change it, I also ran across this blog post on use of the term, which solidified my decision.
The mitts were originally inspired by Takako Ueki’s beautiful yarn, Habu N-68, which we sell in the kits, and by my admiration for Japanese aesthetics. (The Book of Tea is a perpetual reread for me, if you’d like a recommendation!) In weighing the decision to change the name — and to what — I spoke with Takako about it and she ultimately suggested a perfect alternative: Mamoru, which means to protect. Questioning myself on this led to a treasured conversation with my friend Takako and a name I feel is an even better fit for the pattern, so they are happily henceforth known as Mamoru Mitts.
For more on cultural appropriation, I thought it was really beautifully addressed in PomPom’s interview with Emi Ito, along with the links in the footer of that post.
Also, as I hope you know, we donate a percentage of Fringe Supply Co. revenue each quarter in an effort to pay it forward. Our Q2 donation has gone to KIND (Kids in Need of Defense) to help in their effort to provide legal assistance to children detained at the US border. If you’re looking for ways to help these children and the vitally urgent situation right now, in addition to making monetary donations, KIND’s front page lists a variety of steps you can take. I thank you from the bottom of my heart for your support of Fringe, which allows us to contribute to important work in this way.
With that, I’m out. I’ve got a houseful of company coming for an epic event in my husband’s life this weekend, so I’ll see you back here next week!
Are you already (like me) imagining that moment when summer starts to let up and you can drape something woolly around your shoulders again? The precursor to actually being able to slide your arms into a real sweater? These two beauties would make for fun summer knitting and will fill that in-between gap as well as layering beautifully over sweaters and coats when the times comes—
TOP: Moon Sisters by Caitlin Hunter is a clever application of Anna Maltz’s Marlisle technique — a two-strand marl shawl with a strip of colorwork triangles running down the spine
BOTTOM: Isadora by Berroco is a sea of chunky scallop shapes formed (I believe) by nothing more than increases and decreases in chunky wool
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BY THE WAY: We’ve been having a Warehouse Sale over at Fringe Supply Co. this weekend to clear out some “seconds.” We’re down to just the last few items we had the most of, but there are some killer deals to be had. Ends tonight!
The Summer 2019 issue of Amirisu is packed with good knitting patterns, but the two I keep flipping back to are these cool colorwork accessories—
TOP: Escher by Tokuko Ochiai is a shapely little beret with a swirl of diamonds (and I also desperately want that dress)
BOTTOM: Tiger Lily by Meri Tanaka and Hiromi Otsuru is a cozy shawl featuring a mix of high- and low-contrast patterning, knitted in the round, and the steek becomes the fringe — magic!
First things first:There’s a new Field Bag color launching at 9am CT, very exciting — I’ll update this spot and reveal the photo at that time!YES!, that is a photo of an olive-drab Field Bag alongside the matching olive w/waxed army Town Bag and army green Porter Bin! I would say “it’s back,” but it is the same fabric as the body of the new olive Town Bag, which is slightly different than the original army-green Field Bag we’ve all mourned for years. So it’s all new but every bit as wonderful as the late lamented version! And it’s available now atFringe Supply Co.and through ourstockists. We also have the brand new MDK Field Guide: Wanderlust, and are restocked on our sashiko tool kit and the natural Porter Bin!
