There’s nothing like being halfway through a simple project to make me want to knit something complicated, and there’s nothing like swearing my way through designing a complicated skirt to make me want to create something really simple. Here’s the skirt in two different colourways. It’s for the book, so I can’t show you any more detail just now.
I’ve been picking at the details of this stranded skirt design for so many weeks that I’m starting to see the world around me in terms of how best to represent it in two colours per row, with no over-long floats. That’s not healthy, right?
Give me something simple, I thought. Something designed by someone else… preferably with only one yarn shade per row/round and a whole load of stockinette. Enter Stage Left, the ‘Candy Stripes’ t-shirt by Sophie Jordan in this month’s Simply Knitting magazine, knitted in Stylecraft Dreamcatcher. “That fits the bill” I thought, and cast on.
Needless to say, I’m complicating things. I’ll probably add long sleeves to turn it into a jumper, and I’ve converted the pattern to be knitted in the round. I’m using two different shades of Dreamcatcher, swapping them in and out, watching the stripes evolve. But I resisted any temptation to add a sneaky stranded representation of the Mona Lisa on the front or any complex lacework at the waist.
The knitting is delightfully repetitive and soothing, and I love the fact that someone else (i.e. Sophie – who edits my quarterly column in Simply Knitting) has done all the thinky stuff, so I just have to make loops in yarn over and over and over again.
In case you’ve never had the pleasure, Stylecraft Dreamcatcher is a beautifully soft, acrylic-wool yarn with slow colour-shifts. (Yes I do have a relationship with Stylecraft and they generously give me free stuff. No they’re not ordering me to say nice things about them. Also yes, it’s incredibly tough being a knit-blogger, thank you for asking.)
Dreamcatcher isn’t the fastest yarn to knit because its silky low-twist nature means you have to take a little care to avoid splitting it with your needle, but right now that doesn’t matter. I’m not in any rush.
It won’t last. Knitting this jumper is giving me dangerous Time To Think, which inevitably leads to all kinds of mad ponderings, such as I wonder whether you could recreate the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel in stranded colourwork using laceweight yarn.
That last sentence was meant as a crazy example but as soon as I’d written the words, cogs started turning in my mind. I wonder… Could it work… Maybe I’ll just draw a little knitting chart to see… Hmm… Perhaps the smallest of swatches, just for fun… Oops, I seem to have cast on! How on earth did that happen? Honestly officer, I have no idea how this life-size representation of a world-famous antiquity appeared on my needles.
Oh well, I guess that’s my next project sorted, then. 😉
Happy yarnery, my fine fibrous friends.
Phil x
I wouldn’t be the least bit surprised (if that it proper English….) if you would knit the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel. So I’m really looking forward to it 😀
I’m trying SO hard to resist…
Michelangelo would love the idea Phil. Goodness those skirts look gorgeous. And ofcourse your kids want to build a bridge over the stream, your kids I suppose. ( Forgive me if their father is an engineer)
Well at my kids’ age, I was busy damming the stream at the bottom of the garden, so I can’t really criticize them. And thank you for your kind words about the skirts.
I can sit back at ease while regarding with pleasure your extraordinary stranded work because I could never even contemplate taking up needles to attempt it, so there’s no stress – just admiration. 🙂
But Phil – do you really have time to do anything for YOU right now ? I mean, I hope the book is on track in terms of time, or it’ll be you under stress. Which we don”t want !!
The garden must be getting heavenly, what with Spring and all ..
Where’s Robyn ?
t least I don’t have to ask about the twinnage: there they are, being English kids. Wonderful !
My latest post was inspired by your question about where Robyn had got to, so thank you. And yes, I selfishly do have time for me – running and knitting and blogging and staring into the depths of the pond all fulfill that need.
Ooh Phil! Gorgeous rich jewel colours of that Dreamcatcher yarn! And the beautiful dappled sunlight in the woods.. . . Paradise! It looks wonderfully cool and fresh there. Lovely photos again. Thankyou.
Yes, the Dreamcatcher really is luscious. (Thank you for every part of your comment.)
Oh… it’s so HOT here now, that t-shirt would be fun in cotton, is that magazine available in the USA, or online maybe? I have tons of cotton yarn… just waiting for a project, simple summer project. Love the look of your jumper in progress… I’m too old and wide to wear a knitted skirt, yours are lovely and probably look wonderful on you.
I can find that magazine on the rack at my local Barnes and Noble as well as at my LYS!
We get the magazine in Canada so I’m sure it’s available in America as well.
Would you like me to send you a copy of the pattern?
I absolutely love everything you knit! Sounds silly, but I also enjoy knitting fairisle and stripes, but somehow my colors never seem to work like yours. Thank you for sharing your world. Stay safe!
Hang on, I refuse to believe that your colour choices don’t work!! I do find colour combination one of the trickier aspects of designing, so please don’t pay much attention to my choices. Other people do it far better. (And please stay safe yourself, too.)
When I grow up I want to be you. Your are a true “Jill-of-all trades”, blogger, knitter, great inventive thinker, mother of twinage (and still mostly sane), photographer, archeologist, bird tamer, and wife. Somewhere in there is a job and the real world. It’s nice to come and visit your world occasionally, twisted and all. Thank you, from sunny Michigan USA.
And thank you for such a generous comment. Actually, you’re far kinder than I deserve – I’m a bit rubbish at most things. But thank you.
Those skirts are fantastic!
Thank you. Seriously, thank you. 🙂
Ah, as someone who was knitting a Kandinsky inspired sweater in mohair when I met my husband to be in 1992( he says he’s not sure what impressed him most, the knitting or my ability to consume ice cream) , I completely understand ! I will totally knit that skirt when the book is available.
Wow, just wow! That sounds impressive. Do we get to see a photo of this masterpiece? I’m not surprised your HTB was impressed – it sounds amazing.
The Sistine Chapel – I look forward to seeing your version! How fab (or crazy!) could that be?! Like the look of the forthcoming skirt and all the stripey things too. I enjoyed the beginning of this post particularly – yes, been there myself, working on something complicated wishing to try something simple and vice versa. I think we all have to have a variety of each to suit knitting moods or whatever else we are doing. For example, I don’t do complicated as a car passenger in case I am asked to stop what I am doing and map read or lean out of the window and pay at a toll booth!
Yup, I hear you. 🙂 And please don’t tempt me re the Sistine Chapel… it’s the sort of crazy idea that I really would attempt…
“I think I’ll use some of my cotton stash to make an easy, nice striped sweater.” ????
https://images4-g.ravelrycache.com/uploads/thevivons/698129288/Dragorighe1_medium2.JPG
Wow, that’s absolutely stunning!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Beautiful photos! I would love to have poppies in my garden. As a child, I would definitely be out in the woods building bridges over creeks, or wading in one looking for frogs.
I’m not sure where you are geographically, but poppies are very easy and self-sufficient…
I am in New York, USDA zone 5b
They also grow in Winnipeg which is a zone 3.
So I should have no trouble growing them. Thanks for the information!
I loved the sky! We often have beautiful skies here by the Salish Sea in Washington USA. I love your stranded knitting. I like simple patterns and blankets for comfort knitting. I am going to make a simple stockinette pattern shortly as well. Just so enjoy seeing your beautiful knits and reading your blog!
Thanks for your lovely post and beautiful photos!! Inspiring!!
And thank you for saying so!
That’s some beautiful knitting! Your stitches are really uniform and make a lovely fabric! And the colour work is fantastic ???? Very inspiring, I need to do some more colourwork!
Thank you! And yes, you definitely need more colourwork in your life – it’s addictive!
You inspired me to download a colour work cardigan from Ravelry:p Here we go! 😀
Yay! Enjoy!!
Hi Phil
I love your work, it’s so colourful! Sadly, I do not knit only crochet, and I am finding it impossible to find any decent skirt patterns in the style you make. Any ideas?
Eek, um, can I think about this please? And get back to you?
Wow! I can only finger knit and weave a little on the loom, but you are so good! It is so colorful!
Both the skirts and the simple top are beautiful! I’m working on a very heavily cabled jumper right now, and I’m feeling called to take a break and knit something a bit simpler! Completing a challenging row of the chart is satisfying, but certainly not as relaxing as stockinette!