It’s a cool morning, with the promise of a rainy day to come, and I plan to enjoy it thoroughly. As a yarn shop owner, I am longing for some dark, wet, cold days that bring on that forbidding “Winter Is Coming” feeling. That’s what gets knitters in the mood for making warm and cozy things for themselves, for their loved ones, and even for complete strangers. What is this urge we have for blanketing our fellow humans, our homes and our canine companions with warm and woolly knitting? All I know is, it is not sparked by 90 degree days in October!
With all the talk about climate change and so on, I enjoyed reading this great article in the New York Times about the impact our fashion choices can have on the environment and how to choose clothing that will last. It’s a concern that we all buy too much crap these days and think, well it only cost $20, I’ll just toss it after the party/wedding/meeting, and into the waste stream it goes. The article gives tips on how to evaluate the quality of an item of clothing – the only problem with that is you actually have to see the item in person to evaluate it, and how do you do that online? With the death of retail brick and mortar stores, we’re reduced to reading opinions about things, buying them and returning them if they don’t work, but talk about a carbon footprint, with packaging and transportation involved in that transaction. Let’s all think a bit more about how and what we buy, and try to keep our clothes in good shape for as long as possible.
You only need a few beautiful pieces to perk up a season’s wardrobe when you have the basics covered. This beautiful capelet that Deb is teaching
is right on target for this fall, when wide, cropped tops and higher-waisted pants are being shown everywhere. You can get that silhouette with this little poncho-like garment worn over things that you already own, and it’s a lovely project, too, that flows from the neck down in one piece. Deb made the model in Moonshine, so that the silk highlights the cables and ribbing, the alpaca lends a lovely halo, and the wool keeps the whole piece in shape. It’s just lovely! Class starts October 19 and there are still a few spaces left.
And another great project in the newest style is “Virginia’s Sweater,” one of our house patterns.
Its simple one-piece construction goes like the wind at a heavy-worsted gauge, and we have a number of wonderful yarn choices. It really is just perfect for this fall.
I’m taking a little break from sweater knitting! I love making sweaters, but just now, I’m making a birthday gift for a friend, and then I’m going to dive into this cute set that Karen found,
which is perfect for the lovely new colors we received of Stargazer Brushed. I chose this really pretty purple
and it was a tough choice, with two other bright new colors in turquoise and raspberry, just right for wonderful accessories. Come see!
