Looking forward
I’m eager to turn the page on any day that involves hours of writing math equations, swabbing dog diarrhea*, and bickering with airline representatives over a refund (quite possibly the holy trinity of unpleasant activities). Even the comfort of an evening of knitting just around the corner is somewhat dampened when it’s a race against a deadline. Two deadlines, in fact: due to a pattern I wrote last winter having tumbled into a sort of Bermuda triangle of communication errors, I now need to produce an entirely new sock design and have the sample ready for photography and the pattern ready for tech editing by the end of the week.
Why is it that as soon as I have to be knitting a particular project, a deluge of new design ideas washes into my brain and my fingers itch to cast on something new? I think there may be as many as five garments I need to sketch before I lose the details. The fresh sock pattern is something of a blessing, since it does indulge my urge to be knitting something new, but the pressure is on to get everything done this week.Â
But here’s what I’m fantasizing about knitting this fall:
– Elizabeth Zimmermann’s New Zealand sweater in Wild Plum Yorkshire Tweed, for Mr. G.
– a simple child’s pullover with Latvian braid details
– a sweet girly split-front pullover with bloused sleeves, also for a child
– my vestification (Ravelry link) of Deborah Newton’s Confectionary Tank
– a tailored cardigan vest with openwork cables in russet Simply Shetland Silk & Lambswool
– a plain cropped vest out of some yummy Scottish Tweed DK I picked up when a local yarn store was going out of business (sniffle)
– the Tangled Yoke cardi from my delicious stash of Organic Blue-faced Leicester
– 1920’s Fair Isle experiment pullover
Can you tell I’m ready for fall? I’ve been working so hard this month that it already feels like summer is over, and the rain and wind we’re having this week on the heels of a record-breaking heatwave only confirms the sentiment. I took the pup to the park yesterday morning under a grey sky, but tossed aside the fleeting thought I had about grabbing a raincoat. As we walked the twelve blocks, a few enormous drops began to come down, leaving splatters the size of silver dollars on the sidewalk. But most of them missed us, and it wasn’t until we were coming home again that the heavens really opened. The rain came down so hard it looked like white streaks falling, and it brought heavy thunder and lightning in its wake. Lark and I took shelter under a tree while the worst of it passed (the lightning hadn’t arrived yet!), but we were still drenched when we reached the house. I certainly could have used a cute woolen vest!Â
So come, autumn. Come leaves to rake and pies to bake, come evening dark and firelight, come frosty air and stars burn bright. Come geese a-wing and harvest bring. The best season for knitting is almost here again.
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* Lark is fine, if you’re reading this, O Husband. She wasn’t the culprit.
Posted: August 19th, 2008 at 6:27 pm
Autumn is so appealing right now — sign me up. Except for the raking. Sounds like plenty of good things are in store for fall knitting.
Boo on the trifecta of yuckiness. I hope you have tried Nature’s Miracle? It truly is miraculous — for both 80-lb. golden retriever issues AND little kitty troubles.
Posted: August 19th, 2008 at 8:24 pm
Your afternoon weather is our evening weather here north of Seattle. Your knitting sounds absolutely wonderful! I too have quite a few projects on my plate to knit in the fall for gifts.
Posted: August 19th, 2008 at 8:48 pm
your fall fantasies are making me long for the cooler weather. i wish we had the fall/winter weather of portland. here, we look to september and october as months that remain blazingly hot until the ‘chill’ of november comes. i will have to live vicariously.
love the pop knits contribution. very pretty.
Posted: August 20th, 2008 at 3:34 am
I’m definitely fantasizing about autumn (and knitting) right now, too. We’ve had shockingly cool weather this past week, which is definitely helping put me in an autumn state of mind (but alas, it’s supposed to bounce back into the 80’s next week!). I’m eager to see all of your knitting fantasies materialize!
My sympathies on the trio of unpleasant activities, and all the deadlines. Good luck with them!
Posted: August 20th, 2008 at 7:11 am
Ah, yes–I can’t wait for fall, either. Unfortunately, we’re not favored with the same temperate climate as you up north!
Your roster of fall projects is impressive. Hang in there for this one week, and then you’re set for knitty bliss!
Posted: August 20th, 2008 at 7:33 am
It’s been a fairly wet August here in Boston and last night was just brisk enough to snuggle under a nice comforter (but not quite brisk enough for one made of down). I love the summer months with outdoor swimming and play by the ocean, but autumn is definitely a season for knitting. I’ll be happy when it is here.
Posted: August 20th, 2008 at 8:13 am
It is amazing how one day of rain can make us long for autumn, isn’t it? Add several more days and I can barely stand it. I was mourning the loss of summer last week but now I agree. Bring it on!
Posted: August 20th, 2008 at 12:35 pm
the yellow vintage top is very beautiful. what a happy colour. and i wish i knew what the nz sweater looks like. i have some of that wild plum tweed too. i cannot find out what i want to do with it.
Posted: August 21st, 2008 at 12:11 pm
the weather the last few days is certainly bringing on the craving for aran weight wool and cables. i can’t believe it was only five days ago that i cast on a sock because it was the only yarn i could bear to touch in the 100 degree weather.
Posted: August 21st, 2008 at 10:19 pm
I’m eager to see the 1920’s Fair Isle pullover, I’ve been wondering it would turn out! -And may the autumn you described come to us all, it’s been raining here since August 1st.
Posted: August 22nd, 2008 at 9:16 pm
I’m not ready for autumn; I miss the green leaves and the garden too much. If I could only have one more month of summer…