10.10.2014

Harvest Time

'Not the harvest of squash or apples or thinking of Thanksgiving or turkey. I'm talking yarn.

Harvesting yarn I like from sweaters I'm done wearing.

Like this basic top down pattern of my own devising from four years ago.

The yarn is Jo Sharp Silkroad Aran Tweed (Aran that looks and knits like worsted!) I adore the colour and the tweed bits keep it from feeling like the "electric blue" I wore in the 80's.
 
Last winter, feeling less than happy with the sweater, I updated and sorted its wavy front edges by adding a contrasting crocheted detail in grey and changing the buttons to match.
'Also addressed the gaping neckline by adding a little pleat to the back neck edge. Nonetheless I'm over the asymmetrical front and I'm especially done with the sleeves (originally my favourite part!)

Now I really want this yarn to instead be either Bray by Jared Flood or Trillium by Michelle Wang.

The second "harvest" might be 1200 meters of Bulky Alpaca won at a DKC meeting currently knit up as this...

 It's one of my knitting triumphs in many ways...lots of fiddling with drape and size, gauge and pattern mods to accommodate the weight and stretch of the heavy Alpaca worked in a Debbie Bliss pattern designed for wool.

I wore this sweater almost every day last winter. Its warmth is not to be underestimated. Once again, though, the sleeves are bugging me while the spectacular yarn continues to draw me in.  I've no specific plan for this stuff beyond a big, luxurious wrap - maybe using the darker grey as a stripe along one end. Maybe even maintaining the broken rib stitch of the current sweater.

Of course I'll do a pattern search as well - the idea to harvest this one is still in its infancy.

I'll contemplate these ideas a bit over the long weekend as I work on the sleeves for Devlan and Hudson's Double Knit Dog Mat and take in the autumn ambiance of the woods outside the cottage windows.

Its just My Beloved and I (and a "bit" of a Poodle!) for Thanksgiving weekend this year. Darling Daughter took to the skies last evening and I've received word she's safely arrived at her London destination. (My camera is with her. I feel like I'm missing a limb!)

I've sent her with a Proxy form for Number One Son to sign so his vote can still be counted in the upcoming mayoral election. He'll sign it today and she'll drop it in the mail to me in London this afternoon as she only arrives home on election day. In case her flight is delayed I had her complete and leave behind a Proxy form too.*

As for turkey this weekend, I picked up a turkey breast which I'll de-bone and pound into a paillard and roll it with stuffing rouladen-style. I'm done most of my closing-related chores at the cottage so other than cooking I have a fair amount of knitting time to look forward to while I day dream about ripping apart things I've already finished!?

Have a great weekend,. Thanks for dropping by!


*There is never a reason not to cast a ballot in the kind of democratic elections we are blessed to have and as far as I'm concerned there has never been a more important election in this city or one with more at stake. I want our kids to know voting matters and that its not just that its worthwhile, rather, like jury duty, its a responsibility of being an adult. I don't meddle in their lives or with their grown decisions but I believe it is a parent's responsibility to convey and model the importance of civic engagement, hence the Proxy frenzy!

3 comments:

Brendaknits said...

At the Meaford Craft Festival last weekend, it was interesting to note how many vendors were selling items made from recycled sweaters. Jackets with large squares of felted sweater pieces, mittens and hats sewed from felted sweater pieces. So you have lots of options. I'm with you 100% on the voting privilege.

potoftea said...

Here, here! Regarding the need to vote and the upcoming Toronto election.

My kids are still very small (5 months and 2 years) but I'll take them both with me to vote and explain what I'm doing with my 2 year old. I'm sincerely hoping for a change in our city.

Anonymous said...

So glad you mentioned the proxy option. Boyfriend's nieces studying in Montreal will be very happy to complete those forms.

Hmm always time to rethink knitting projects!
I look forward to the results.
LisaRR