I’m trying to figure out why July should not be entirely eliminated from the calendar. This month is just not a favorite of mine. Hot and muggy, with one noisy holiday made even noisier by the dogs howling and barking, and I just went out to pull a few weeds and got 3 mosquito bites in less than 4 minutes. Short walks mean the dogs are rammy and I get to listen to lots of growling and barking and panting as they wrestle around and fight over toys or bed space or just for the heck of it. The only thing I can think of that I like about July is peaches. (It would be about food, wouldn’t it?) There’s got to be more than that. It’s a birthday month for a few people I like, but other than that, what can you say about July? Wouldn’t a nice cool October be nice between June and August? I bet a lot of people would like that. Didn’t we just celebrate democracy? I say we vote on it. No more July! No more July!
My biggest problem with July is that it’s in-between. Spring is over and summer knitting (at least for me) has come to an end. I’m wanting to knit for fall but new yarns aren’t generally available yet. The sweaters I’ve seen that I’m dying to make must wait until something new comes in. I’m working on a few small projects until that happens. Things will start to trickle in this month, pick up in August, and flood in in September and October. Meanwhile I contemplate my spreadsheet of fall orders and wait…and wait…
…and browse the internet looking at fall fashions to see what’s new. According to various sites, winter white, gray, and all shades of green are trendy. (Of course, if you look at other sites, you’ll find every color mentioned.) This is a particularly wonderful shade of forest green (however, you must have the foxtail hanging from the belt to make it work):
There are lots of belted sweaters shown, like the one above and this neat vest that would be easy to knit. I suggest pants or a skirt, but to each her own:
Several designers showed knit hats on the runway:
and:
Now those are armwarmers!
And there’s a lot of interest at the neckline still, with turtlenecks and shawl collars and various kinds of scarves and cowls shown:
Other things that seemed to crop up: cable-y sweaters worn with anything, sweaters with skirts, deep v-necks, and (yuck) big rounded shoulders that look like all your 80’s suits looked when you took out the massive shoulder pads. Maybe it’s a look for younger folks who haven’t been through it before. Anyway, it looks like a great season for hand-knits!
A few lovely hand-knits made their way to our shop this week:
Kristin Ruth finished this dramatic shawl from a mystery knitalong, in 2 striking colors of Silky Alpaca Lace:
Jewelyn Franz did a great job knitting this Bay Laurel Cowl, made in a glowing copper shade of Venezia Worsted:
Yuko Lewandowski mastered steeks and other challenging techniques while making this beautiful vest for her husband, in Frogtree’s Meriboo. The bamboo in the yarn makes all the twisted stitches (thousands!) stand out to perfection. The vest was knitted completely in the round to the shoulders, then the v-neck and armholes were cut and the borders picked up…you should have seen how nervous we both were for the first cut, but isn’t it wonderful?
And Janice Bieber graciously agreed to model one of Janet’s Wingspans:
Isn’t she cute? And the scarf, too! You can learn to make this modern design this summer (in time to do many gifts – believe me, they’re addictive!). See our Class Page on yarngal.com.
Okay, I’ve run on long enough. See you!
Trish
