Hello, long-lost blog friends. After another bit of a work-related slog, I'm finally ready to show you an actual knitting project. I know. Shocker.
It's something I've been working on in between secret projects, sending off proposals, and so on. Something a little more casual; I don't think there will be a pattern, and it's not something I need to plan out fully ahead of time, or fit to a body. But it is something I think will be appreciated: a wedding present for my cousin Andryce and her long-time partner Tyler, who were just married in July.
When David and I had our Partnership Celebration last year, Andryce organized an amazing collaborative gift for us that would last a whole year after our event: for each month of the year, she recruited one or two of our friends or family to send us something in the mail, or take us out for some kind of event. It was so much fun waiting for the surprise of the month, which ranged from a delightful picnic in a Victorian graveyard courtesy of our friends Devon and Abraham, to a flourless chocolate cake recipe from my mom's cousin Jan, to a book of addictively silly verse from our friends John and Katherine. For Andryce and Tyler's wedding, I knew I wanted to do something to replicate the small-gift-every-month-for-a-year idea, but since my skills lie elsewhere than in the organizing of other people, I thought I would make them something instead.
As you may have guessed, I came up with the idea of a blanket. It will eventually be composed of fifteen large squares, all made up in Malabrigo Chunky in one of three colors. My goal is to send a square per month for fifteen months, then to re-collect all the squares, sew them together, and present the couple with their cozy new blanket just as the weather is turning chilly next autumn. (The bride and groom met in South America, so not only is the Malabrigo soft and warm, but it's also vaguely thematically appropriate. Though they met in Bolivia, not Uruguay.) I knit the center square (below) ahead of time, but before I gave it to them I had Andryce and Tyler free-associate words based on the months of the year, which I'll be using as inspiration for all the other squares.
The above square is the first I gave them, and though I tore it out and re-knit it about sixteen times, I'm still not all that pleased with it. Which seemed an inauspicious beginning for a wedding present, but the time came to just let go. They both seemed to like the square when I gave it to them, but I'm sure any knitter can relate to the disappointment of failing to realize the vision you originally had in mind. I was designing this square based on a piece of Viking metalwork that David and I saw when we were briefly in Iceland on our way back from France. Here's an oblique shot of it, which is the best I could do with my long lens:
In the original metal piece, the different "vines" are all of slightly different (and changing) thicknesses, which lends overall balance to the asymmetrical composition. It's an effect I tried many times to duplicate in knitted form, but ultimately didn't manage to capture. Still, Andryce and Tyler seemed to be touched when David and I gave them the first square, and to enjoy petting and gazing at it. So all is not lost.
The couple's free-associated words for August were "green" and "lush," and the top photo is my interpretation of those words in knitting. (Can you tell we all live in the Pacific Northwest? Green, lush August. Well, that's what you get when June and July are both near-constant drizzle.) I'm more pleased with this second square, which recycles a cable motif I designed for a sock pattern which will be available (and blogged here) very soon. I was lucky that this bright, spring green (Malabrigo's "Lettuce" colorway) was one of the three shades David and I had already chosen for the blanket, and the tropical motif communicates "lush" pretty well, I think.
September's phrases are "crunchy leaves" and "smell in air." My third color suggests the crunchy leaves, so I'm thinking about a cable motif that will suggest the wafting odor of woodsmoke. The only problem is that summer seems to have arrived late to Portland! We're finally getting those 96-degree days that were so conspicuously absent from July and August, and it's hard to think about cabling in a heavy wool. Still, I'm not complaining; I know that all too soon we'll be huddled against the rain again with our sweaters and scarves.
What a great idea for a wedding gift! (I recognized that cable in the first square right away). :}
Thanks, Camille! I love gifts that are spread out over a long period, so hopefully they'll enjoy receiving their squares in the mail.
As always, Emily, I am amazed by what you manage to do with knitting. My first reaction was, oh, that's a nice swirly cable pattern. Then I had a moment of "swirly"? As in loops? In knitting? Wow...so much careful thought to make that look natural!
Thanks, David. As you can imagine I'm frustrated not to have achieved my vision 100% with the swirly cables. But maybe it's something I can continue to re-work in future designs. And at least it reads as loops and swirls! :-)
It's super frustrating not to get the result you want, even if others like it. I put a project like that aside for 6 months & finally had a brainwave on how to make it do what I wanted.
Very elegant details. I can't imagine if I can do such work like this. Thanks, this can be a challenging one.
Marie
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Such a commendable pattern.
It looks really sophisticated and I love the texture it brings. Thanks. This could be an awesome gift idea.
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A wedding outfit can easily become a show-stopping ensemble for a special event, and will show off your feminine figure with its classic style.
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As always, Gloria, I am surprised by what you handle to do with stamp collecting. My first response was, oh, that's a awesome swirly wire routine. Then I had a second of "swirly"? As in loops? In knitting? Wow...so much cautious believed to create that look natural! It's extremely annoying not to get the outcome you want, even if others like it. I put a venture like that aside for 6 several weeks & lastly had a brain wave on how to create it do what I desired.
It's extremely annoying not to get the outcome you want, even if others like it. I put a venture like that aside for 6 several weeks & lastly had a brain wave on how to create it do what I desired. I am surprised by what you handle to do with stamp collecting. My first response was, oh, that's a awesome swirly wire routine. Then I had a second of "swirly"? As in loops? In knitting? Wow...so much cautious believed to create that look natural!
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They both seemed to like the square when I gave it to them, but I'm sure any knitter can relate to the disappointment of failing to realize the vision you originally had in mind, If you would like to enlarge your knowledge about this post.
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