round and round again

stockinette stitch is flexible.

that’s one of the great things about it.

it drapes, it stretches, it organically curls at the edges,

IMG_3714cropbut can it also be strong and firm and stand straight?

that was the question on my mind

when the seed of an idea

for the ‘sirkel’ cowl

started to grow

in my head.

the thinking went something like this:

if folded hems are strong, thick and lay flat,

IMG_3704shine(which they are)

then, a circular folded hem big enough around to be

worn like a cowl would stand tall

all on its own, right?

one ring wouldn’t be very interesting though…

could two be worn together of different sizes?

and what ifIMG_3667crop

they were connected,

without having to stitch seams,

to each other or

maybe

partially connected

so there was still room for them to move a bit?

ok, that works in my head, now will it really work?

IMG_5580frontthat’s when the ruler and scissors

came out to cut a little

fleece and see.

sure enough, it worked.

it could all be knit in one piece

with a few

edges for folding upon

and some three needle bind-offs

to separate the two rings.

ta-da! it’s sirkel.

‘edges’ taken from 19:9 of leviticus.

don’t get lost, albatross.

here is one of the strangest things about designing.

i have spent weeks and weeks with solitude wool‘s yarn

targhee2 (oh how i love it!).

i have adjusted and re-swatched until

i has just the gauge and drape (or lack thereof)

that i’d hoped for all along.

i’m happy with the proportions and sizing.

it really is just what i envisioned it would be.IMG_5590brightnow i have packed it into a little box and

mailed it to wonderful strangers whom i have only ‘met’ via e-mails.

in a while, crocodile.

soon they will primp and preen it for a photo shoot.

a few months down the road, the pattern will be released and

it will travel place to place

(with more nice people i don’t know except via e-mail)

as a sample of what this yarn can do.

come back soon, baboon.

about a year from now, when i am knee deep into

one new design or another,

it will quietly return to me without notice

in the big black mailbox at the end of the drive.

keep it real, harbor seal.

having not seen it for so long face to face

i will look on it again with fresh eyes.

sometimes these reunions inspire me,

sometimes they lead me to shake my head

at how much i didn’t know a year ago and how much i have learned.

often i laugh for sheer joy

at holding the stitches in my hands once again.

always i remember the process of how that idea came to be a real tangible thing.

then i bundle it away for a time and get back to the deadline at hand.

over and out, rainbow trout.

‘fresh’ taken from 47:9 of ezekiel.

layers

just tying up the

loose ends of the week

both emotionally and yarn-wise.

i’m not back up to speed on living in full color yet,

but shades and tones are creeping back onto my radar.

IMG_5570p-izeand it always feels good to put the finishing touches on something

a few days pre-deadline.

then there’s time to set it aside for a few days,

coming back with a clear mind for any final edits before

it heads off to other hands.

safe travel little idea come to life.  be well.

‘loose’ taken from 33:23 of isaiah.

grey skies

wool and solitude go together well for me.

IMG_5171cropi like to knit

in the dusky quiet hours

just after my kids

fall asleep.

i like to knit in bright

noisy rooms as well,

but there is something

about knitting alone

that i find extremely peaceful.

so when

this morning’s sun turned to afternoon rainIMG_5167crop

and my youngest

decided to play contentedly

with his trains,

i sat myself down

near a window

and had a little knit.

solitude wool is new to me,

i fell almost instantly in love with their artisan yarns.

this is the kind of yarn that as i pick it up i am moved by how

suddenly connected i feel to the sheep

IMG_5172satwho wore it first.

a new project

started in such sweet fiber

on a bright grey

afternoon

couldn’t help but make

me smile.

 see that

was just what

today was missing.

‘quiet’ taken from 19:40 of luke.