Happy Thanksgiving everyone. I hope you all had a happy, healthy and relaxing holiday. We don't get really cold weather around here, but there are subtle signs that winter is coming: migrating birds eating seedheads in the browning back garden, needing an extra blanket on the bed at night, and my favorite, light through the dining room windows lengthening to wonderful, dramatic angles across the table. Yes, winter is coming, even if it's 74 degrees out with Santa Ana conditions (yuck).
After that color knitting class last January I bought some singles of Plymouth Tweed . Tucked away for most of this year, they showed themselves during the evacuation and wormed into my creative consciousness. Do something with us they kept whispering. Go back and buy the remaining colors they asked sweetly.
Just twist lengths of us into those cute little butterflies and group us into trios of light, medium and dark.
Now start knitting. Fudge it a lot. Try to remember how to carry the colors and close the gaps. Fudge a bit more. Get the rhythm. Watch the cubes appear.
This may look fiddly, but it's really very relaxing once you get consistent on how to work the yarn on the back side. You can see my learning curve on that bottom row, but I didn't care to rip as that will be an outer edge. If I reach a 20" square and have found myself bored this will become a large pillow cover. If the yarn holds out and I'm still having fun it might grow to a small lap throw. Time will tell.
This pattern is from an old Kaffe book, but inspiration from his latest one got me going on this project. Listening to The Golden Compass keeps me going. Already reading book three, The Amber Spyglass, but I enjoy this audio reading so much that I'm completely engaged with the story the second time around. My husband's on book two now and the 10-yr-old is finishing book one, so we'll all be ready for the movie. House rule: no movie before book.
Just a note, I republished my last entry to change "teaming" to "teeming" (as in teeming crowds). I do know the difference, but Typepad's spell check does not. My dear husband read the blog for once and that was his only comment other than to query "baristi", which I did look up before writing. Anyway, regardless of what your blog feeder tells you, there's nothing really new there. I've got two new sweaters racing on the needles, so more soon.
Your baby blocks are gorgeous!! I've never tried that method of knitting. One thing at a time. ;-)
Posted by: Jan | November 26, 2007 at 07:00 PM
the tweed becomes this pattern.......great choice of color and yarn, it will make a terrific pillow. thanks for sharing....
Posted by: barbara | November 26, 2007 at 07:13 PM
the knitting is beautiful Nancy! I love the color sequenceing (sp?) - the pillow top will be lovely!
Posted by: Ruthanne (in Seattle) | November 26, 2007 at 08:06 PM
That's fudging it!! Holy cow-I'd love to be able to whip fudge up like that! It's gorgeous!
Posted by: angharad | November 26, 2007 at 08:19 PM
Wow, the tweed project does look fiddly, but it's gorgeous. I do love color so much but I'm so terrified of it. I have no idea what that is about. I also love tweed yarn and have quite a bit and have done very little with it. I should work on that. Love the punkin photo.
Posted by: Julia | November 27, 2007 at 07:47 AM
The tumbling blocks are lovely. I made the cardigan from the first Fassett knitting book 12 or so years ago, and I still wear it although it is ratty. It also cured me of the desire to do colorwork; all I've done since was the fair isle pirate hat and occasional stripes!
Posted by: ellen | November 27, 2007 at 12:09 PM
I am just drooling over those colors. Both the yarn photo and the blocks are beautiful.
Posted by: Toby | November 27, 2007 at 04:16 PM
Autumn and winter can be of such inspiration. Love your photos! I never knitted something of Kaffe before, but there is always a first time. Time will tell.
Posted by: Jolanda | November 27, 2007 at 10:09 PM
Gorgeous! Wow! What a great way to use that gorgeous yarn!
Posted by: moni | November 28, 2007 at 07:21 PM
Your knitting blocks are beautiful, they really look like layers that you could reach out to touch.
catching up - I really like your glasses, very cute. I've been wearing bifocals for a few years but since my frames/lenses are small the lenses aren't separated equally. The reading part is shorter but I'm really used to it now.
I'm glad your family was safe during the fires. It seems like such a scary thing.
Posted by: Jaime | November 29, 2007 at 03:27 AM
that sure is inspiring! love the tweedy colors and the blocks are so neat looking (as in tidy)
Posted by: evknits | November 30, 2007 at 02:32 PM
What beautiful colors! I'm loving your blocks : )
Posted by: Octopus Knits | December 01, 2007 at 06:00 PM
that is stunning - the knitting is goegeous (ins't the book wonderful! I have a copy and sent my favourite aunt a copy too, just in case it hasn't got to NZ yet) just a brilliant book with lots of gotta-do-thats. Love the squash photo - mum gorws amazing punkin as we used to all all the wierd and wonderful varieties she grows, Scotland is too soggy and bleurgh for decent squash/pumpkin/punkin sigh. Love your photos they warm up the room.
Posted by: juliet | December 02, 2007 at 05:47 AM