Startitis – the muse at play in my brain.

var gaJsHost = ((“https:” == document.location.protocol) ? “https://ssl.” : “http://www.”);
document.write(unescape(“%3Cscript src='” + gaJsHost + “google-analytics.com/ga.js’ type=’text/javascript’%3E%3C/script%3E”));

var pageTracker = _gat._getTracker(“UA-xxxxxx-x”);
pageTracker._trackPageview();

I’ve got a seriously bad – or maybe it’s good – case of startitis going on. It’s hard for me to start new projects in the middle of autumn madness. From the first weekend in September through the rest of autumn we’re on the road going to festivals and shows. It’s best to have a few projects already on the needles and all the supplies gathered before we leave the farm. Or so I tell myself – it’s a convenient excuse I like to use.

The Burlesque Socks are going well. These are knit with the new Sock Yarn (which I hope to photograph and upload in the online shop this week). They’re dare I say “business in front – party in back” style socks. The front is plain stockinette but the back center is a * yo, slip one – knit2together – pass slipped stitch over, yo* on every third row. The increases and decreases occur on every third row as well. Primarily I’m doing that to avoid the need of a row counter because sometimes I’m lazy that way.

The “business” part is obvious – the “party” can be simply the eyelet created as a back seam – or – a nice satin ribbon laced through the eyelet to fake a corset type closure with the ribbon tied in a bow below the twisted rib cuff. I bought two widths of ribbon but think the half inch satin is going to look best. If I wanted extra pizzazz I can switch out for a wider ribbon though. I’m nearly at the heel already and am pretty jazzed.

Last week I had a strange little vision of something natural – organic – practically unplanned using larger needles. I pulled out some sport weight llama, size 15US wooden needles (kind of surprised I had those aren’t you?), some handspun and a multitude of miscellaneous other llama yarns. All of the yarns are natural and undyed. All are soft and drape beautifully. Part of this was inspired by the incredible horn beads I bought last week at the Bead Merchant in Tulsa. I like what I’m getting so far. Vastly different than my usual knitting it feeds me in a raw kind of way. There will be fringe – there will be jumbo sized beads – there will be…I don’t know what!

Today we drove into town for a late breakfast at Blue Dome Diner. I needed a mom fix with my girl. After french toast (I love a place that heats up the syrup just like I do at home) and black coffee we drove to the bookstore for a little browsing. I picked up a copy of the new Vogue Knitting. Dang if there weren’t several patterns that I’d like to knit. This issue is dedicated to mohair but since I have an allergy and have to avoid mohair I’m thinking a nice skein of fine lace weight llama would do well for the Lace Vest (page 65) or for the Lace Jacket (page 67).

Lace Vest photo stolen from VK

Lace Jacket – photo stolen from VK

And wouldn’t Hillarey look great in either of the two mohair dresses in the Magical Mohair contest? (pages 50 & 54 respectively) Of course they’d have to be in something other than mohair and absolutely not in white. Maybe dark gray?

Winner of Magical Mohair Contest photo stolen from VK

Runner up of Magical Mohair Contest photo stolen from VK

While the designer of the second dress above is besotted with love of the bobble – I think the tunic style would be better without them. I wonder if a little shibori style of blocking the fabric over small rubber balls would give it a less fussy look? Hillarey is not of the fussy persuasion. Perhaps it’d look nice over black tights if knit in gray with shibori texture and the bow was nixed. Hmmm

I have to admit that I thoroughly enjoy these runs of the creative muse through my thoughts. It’s a sure sign that the summer drought of inspiration is about over.

Where do you see creativity taking you this fall?

…………….

I want to give a great big thank you to Elizabeth and the knitters who showed up at Stringtown in Ft Smith yesterday who made Chris and I feel so welcome and appreciated. I think a good time was had by all. 

We’ll be back to Arkansas before long at both the War Eagle Fair and the Arkansas Fiber Extravaganza. See you then!