pattern: Ishbel, from Whimsical Little Knits
designer: Ysolda Teagueyarn: Lobster Pot Yarns Laceweight Cashmere in Mayflower Beach
needles: Addi Turbos #6
modifications: none; I knit the smaller version
You know what's ridiculous, and by ridiculous perhaps I mean lazy? When it takes you longer to get around to blocking something than it did for you to actually knit said item. Oh, I'll admit, it was a little slow-going there at the start. For some reason, my brain kept farting and couldn't wrap itself around the basic beginnings of this simple shawlette. I must have cast on and ripped at least five times when I started. When I was finally done with the stockinette part, I was so relieved to have made it that far and so happy to be done with all those boring stitches that I put it away... for almost TWO MONTHS. When I picked it up again back in August, I just wanted to be done with it. Not because I didn't enjoy the process of knitting it but because I couldn't wait to see the finished product. I knew it was going to be lovely. Seeing all those Ishbels out in the blogosphere and all over ravelry and Flickr left me wanting one badly. Knitting a repeat a night, I finished it in less than a week. Then I put it back in its pouch when it has languished waiting to be blocked until a few days ago. I really should have done this much sooner because it feels so dang good now that it's done. I love it!
Also, look at how different the color looks in a sunny room. It's almost a warm turquoise, as opposed to the cold, hard teal it is in the detail photos I took in my studio during an overcast day. The reality of it is somewhere in between the two. It's a pretty rich shade of turquoise.
I only wish that I had used a silk blend. I have been admiring
Lauren's gorgeous Ishbel, and I particularly love the sheen on the yarn she used. It just glows with such a warm, sumptuous luster. I love it! While the cashmere I used is fabulously warm and squishy, it doesn't have that glorious glow. Also, the day after I blocked it, it started to lose its crispness. After one wear, it's all puckery, as if I had never even blocked it. Not such a big deal being as I am planning on wearing it "Bandito-style," but still.... It's lace, and I would love for its pretty details to show, you know? The next shawl I knit will be silk or a silk blend, for sure.
Color week is winding down with just one more day to go. I might keep going just because it's been fun playing with a theme. At least it's reignited my interest in photography, not to mention that it's got me looking at things differently. Walking around today looking for purple things to photograph I was surprised by the lack of purple in my neighborhood. Lots of greens, blues, reds, and yellows on stores' signage and people's homes, but there was definitely a lack of purple and violet (and orange, too, for the record). Purple in nature, on the other hand, was in abundance. Funny how that works.
Orange you glad I didn't say banana? Ahem. Color week rolls on with orange today. It's made me realize that there is not nearly enough orange in my life. I may need to do something about this.
I've been a bit out of it lately. Feeling sick and exhausted all the time on top of being in full-on softie production mode for the holidays has left me with a case of tunnel-vision as well as feeling a little uninspired when it comes to other things. I haven't been making the time or the effort to play with my camera, and I've really been feeling its absence in my day-to-day. So in an effort to get back into taking photos and having fun with it, I've decided to do a week of color, starting with red. Dude, have I missed this! It felt great to go on the hunt for red and to see things that I walk past every day in a different way if only for a moment. If you wanna play along, there's a Flickr group. Please feel free to join in.
Not that I have any photos of sheep to show you. Nor did I buy any wool. I did consume copious amounts of fairground food. And I had a delicious lamburger, which I will freely admit is part of what motivates me to make the pilgrimage to Rhinebeck every year. Most of all, though, I met tons of people - wonderful people, some who I have only known through the wonder that is the internet (that internet - always bringing people closer together!), some who I am lucky enough to know in real life and see on a somewhat regular basis, you know, when my hermit's schedule permits me to do so. All I can say is it was good times all around. My personal highlight was running into Melissa, Gwen, and Colette, the ladies from my old stitch-n-bitch in Long Island City. Gad, I have missed them, and it was lovely to catch up with them. I didn't go to the ravelry party after the fair, but I hear it was a ton of fun. Next year, though.... I am already looking forward to next year.
Every day I set out to photograph my Ishbel, and every day the light has been gloomy. The few moments of pretty light that we've been lucky enough to get in the afternoon have been spent photographing another project that I can't talk about now but will soon enough. I guarantee you, it will be exciting. For now, have a cupcake! Hope to see some of you folks at Rhinebeck over the weekend.
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