My Fine Fibrous (Festive?) Friends, hello!
I have a pattern for you. Yes, really! And it doesn’t involve the despair-inducing ridiculousness of the allotment cushion that I showed you last time. No, it’s this knitted scarf:-
I’m sticking with the food-growing theme. This piece was inspired by the grapevine that sprawls enthusiastically across the pergola at the back of our house. That probably sounds more glamorous than it looks. When I say enthusiastically, I mean that it wouldn’t surprise me much to wake one morning and discover that an overnight growth spurt had engulfed the entire house in a viticultural tangle so dense that we couldn’t escape. Oh well, at least we’d have luscious black grapes to eat whilst we failed to arrive for work/school/life. Small wins, yeah?
So I try to keep this sneaky blighter in check using long-handled pruners and an uncompromising demeanour. The trick is to never let it sense that you’re intimidated. Follow me for more gardening advice, including my seminal works Herbs, And Why We Sing To Them, as well as Ten Practical Tips To Minimise Homophobia In Apple Orchards, and my magnum opus, Neurotic Disorders In Tomatoes: A Growing Problem?
With all this writing up of horti-psychological wisdom, I’ve scarcely had time to knit. But I made sure to finish this scarf because I’m secretly happy about its luxuriantly twisted details. Also, you can knit this thing without worrying that it will engulf your house or ruin your life, unlike a real grapevine. (I hope? I mean, I’m fairly confident that it won’t ruin your life but if for some strange reason it does so, please don’t sue me.)
It’s knitted in the round, with the back being a reverse-coloured image of the front. When I posted it on social media, a couple of people asked whether it’s double-knitted. Fair question. The answer is no, because (i) Whilst double knitting is clever and looks pretty, I’m not a fan of the sheer irritation of shifting my yarns front to back to front to back to front to back to front to flippin’ back EVERY SINGLE STITCH. Also, (ii) Worked like this, the scarf is super-thick and thus very very cosy. Do you not wish to feel cosy?
The version I’m showing here uses Rowan Felted Tweed (DK). But I’m also working on a version that uses Stylecraft Special DK, which will be added soon.
As for the grapevine motif, there’s a sad story attached. I used an earlier version of my grapey doodling to create these socks, a commission for Amanda Bloom’s Little Box Of Knitting (a late spin-off from her Little Box Of Crochet). If you knew Amanda, then you’ll know about the raw pain she suffered at her only child’s slow decline and death from cancer. And you’ll maybe know that several months ago, she went to a clinic in Switzerland in order to end her life by suicide. Amanda, you were colourful and awesome and warm-hearted and sweet, and you’re very much missed. And if you disapprove of me reworking the grapevine thing for this scarf, then please do feel free to come over here and haunt me. Just don’t scare the cats, OK?
Whilst I’m focusing on grapevines, may I offer a little advice? First, anyone can grow a grapevine: yes even you with just your balcony and a sizeable pot in which to cultivate stuff. Second, the leaves of any grapevine are perfectly suited for eating.
Stuffed vine leaves are delicious. My favourite version involves onion, garlic, rice, cinnamon, raisins, cloves, parsley, lemon juice, black pepper, salt, pine nuts, and tomato.
So here we are, with the opportunity to throw cash at my megalomaniac ambitions to take over the yarny world. Feel free to buy, right here.
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So nice to have a message from you so soon after your last posting.
I love the scarf, especially the clever and crafty way the tassels are attached, each in its own snug little cubby!
I can’t imagine having such a luscious display of grapes around and on my house (since I am allergic to all fruits and don’t eat them, just look and lust after them) because I live in the arid southwest of the US, and don’t think even the greenest green thumb could get that kind of vigorous growth out of a vine here. But we have some very large cactus!
And stuffed grape leaves bring back memories of a Greek Uncle-by-marriage who made them for us, and living in South Australia, with large Greek communities, and stuffed grape leaves readily available in the markets. Yum. Enjoy yours in good health and joy.
Oh that sounds so cruel, to be allergic to all fruit!
And yes, Greek dolmades are the very very best. There’s also a Turkish restaurant near here that serves heavenly stuffed vine leaves – far better than anything I’ll even make.
The scarf is a thing of beauty, and dolmades (sp?) are one of my favourite foods! Great post all around.
Thank you and I agree with you on the dolmades (sp perfect I think?)
The scarf is beautiful, as ate the grapes. I had a vine in the greenhouse on my allotment many years ago. I was there when i took over tge plot but onlyvever produced a few straggly bunches of grapes which brings me nicelybto the cushion cover – please release a pattern for it, pretty please? It is quirky and fun and i am sure people will adapt the fruit/vegetables to their own taste/crops. Who’s yo for knitting cardoons or romanescue(tge green geometric cauliflower thingies)?
Thank you Barbara.
But the allotment cushion cover: are you SURE? I fear you’d end up hating me. Um, maybe I could reconsider. I wrote everything down as I made the prototype, so it would just be a matter of typing it up.
The scarf is indeed a thing of beauty, & cosy is good – even on a day when I’ve been working outside shifting mulch in shirtsleeves. (OK, the mulch was in a wheelbarrow, I was in the shirtsleeves)
As for ‘Anyone can grow a grape vine’. Mine died on me this year. And I watered it, along with everything else.
Knew I should have dug a Really Deep Hole & buried a dead donkey in there first. Then planted the grapevine on it. But donkeys are thin on the ground in these parts.
The other Sharon here … You had me laughing and quizzing over your response. I’m not a gardener by any stretch of imagination so don’t quite understand the “should have dug a Really Deep Hole & buried a dead donkey in there first.” I’m well up in years, but this is one “old wives tale” that I’ve never heard before. Can you explain???
Apparently grapevines are hungry feeders – for all they’re traditionally grown on south-facing slopes on fertile, but generally stoney, ground.
Hence burying something deeper in the planting hole first, layering in some soil, then planting the vine. In a garden I suppose a cat, dog, rabbit or guinea pig might do. We don’t have pets, & think the neighbours might have minded had we buried one of the many cats that use our garden as a cut-through (& lat, at times!)
Maybe I’ll get some muck & try again. The butternut squashes did very well last summer/autumn on a sprinkling of pelleted chicken manure.
Thank you so much for your explanation …. “hungry feeders” explains a lot (being one myself!) I definitely think you should try again with the pelleted chicken manure instead of the unwieldy donkey, might be more manageable.
I will leave that choice to you, and will continue to enjoy the view of the very large saguaro cactus in our area.
The scarf is indeed a thing of beauty, & cosy is good – even on a day when I’ve been working outside shifting mulch in shirtsleeves. (OK, the mulch was in a wheelbarrow, I was in the shirtsleeves)
As for ‘Anyone can grow a grape vine’. Mine died on me this year. And I watered it, along with everything else.
Knew I should have dug a Really Deep Hole & buried a dead donkey in there first. Then planted the grapevine on it. But donkeys are thin on the ground in these parts.
Ha, had to smile at your comment. Especially the concept of mulch in shirtsleeves before you clarified.
RIP to your dear grape vine. I’m not naturally green-fingered, even though I grow as much stuff as possible, so I can’t offer any wisdom – not even on the matter of dead donkeys!
You seem wise in garden ways to me. I have always sung to the worms, but I’ll be adding some new tunes for the herbs as well.
My muscadine vine fruited like mad. Such delicious jelly! It never produced again. I loved knitting after learning by reading. I still cannot finish any of the socks I started. The heels get me every time. Stuffed grape leaves I can do. Heels, I wish.
Thanks for your as-always-lovely post.
Be well.
Thank you. How strange that your vine only produced once. I realize that crops vary year to year, but that must have been so disappointing.
Have you tried alternative ways of turning the heel of a sock? Maybe one will just ‘click’ for you. I hope so.
What Twisted said about alternative sock heels. I usually work short row heels, they’re worked the same top up or top down, & look like heels on commercially available socks.
Your scarf and your vines are splendid. But what are you going to do with all those grapes. (they sure look tasty!)
Thank you. As for the grapes, I should have said in my post but forgot. I give away lots, eat quite a few, then rinse and freeze the rest, freezer space permitting. Every so often I take some out and let them semi-defrost. Then I mash them with a potato masher and pour off a glass of delicious chilled grape juice. Yum.
Oh, that scarf is beautiful! The pattern is lovely, the colors are pretty, and I especially like the flip-flop coloring at the ends, and the latticing, and the tassels. Really nice job!
Jeez, those grapes look wonderful! I never thought of growing grapes; I thought they would be difficult and attractors of many, many pests. But your grapes look so good and they are most tempting. Any hints (other than sacrificing a cute little donkey)? What kind do you grow? Do you eat them out of hand, or make beverages or jam from them? I do seem to remember a counter-full of jelly jars in your kitchen last year (or am I misremembering?).
The pergola, by the way, is lovely. Looks like a very nice way to get from point A to point B.
Hope all is well with you and your family. Best wishes for a Merry Christmas from deep in the heart of Socal!
Thank you!
Grapes do seem prone to pests, and I have to wash them thoroughly, which is quite a faff. I guess that’s why bought grapes are the worst fruit/veg for pesticide residues.
As for hints, I think (from a VERY amateur perspective) that ruthless pruning twice per year is key. There’s lots of advice online. I’m ashamed to say that I can’t remember what variety my vine is, because it was an impulse buy from a supermarket. It’s a seeded black dessert variety and the grapes are SO sweet and delicious, once you’ve washed the insects off. I’d absolutely love a seedless one, but from what I’ve read, they need a slightly warmer climate than we can provide. (My vine is outside – I don’t have a proper greenhouse.)
As for using them, I eat some, give away lots, and wash and freeze the rest. Then throughout the year I take some out, semi-defrost them, mash them with a potato masher and poor off a glass of delicious chilled grape juice. It’s gorgeous!
Wishing you the merriest of Christmases too! (And I love it when people mention which part of the world they’re commenting from.)
It is lovely, especially the way you made the holes to attach the tassels. I love the way the swirls form the pattern. Oh goodness, you think about your garden the way I do. My neighbour’s vine tries to cover my veranda roof, I told it off, but it won’t listen. I have a Humulus Aurora, more than enough explosive growth already.
Well you obviously weren’t sufficiently intimidating when you told it off!
I had to Google Humulus Aurora. Ah, it’s a hop! Yes, I’ve heard that they can be a little… enthusiastic about this whole growing thing. I have one, but it’s cruelly confined to a pot for now.
Beautiful scarf but, alas, knitting so I cannot even attempt. Crochet only for me or I end up with elaborately coloured mounds of knotted yarn.
I do miss Amanda. She was a gentle soul with a honey voice that always made me smile. I do hope she has found happiness with her Jenny.
She was indeed a gentle and kind-hearted soul. A lot of people will miss her deeply.
Fabulous! …interesting, colorful, creative design…totally rocking bacchanalian
Thank you!
Thank you!
VERY NICE Pattern, the finishing ends are lovely and so suited. Yarn and colours are fitting. That Alottment cushion…..I felt it was made of stress and confusion in the intricacies of crochet, garden creation and growing in hand with twinage unwellness. Put it away, be done with it…..may be some time in future in sunnier times (does it need flowers Border, birds and Trees….. ), revisit and resolve. Love to you and those close, Enjoy a frosty, snowy, fire lit christmas
I couldn’t help but buy your pattern! I can see so many other uses for that design, ie table runner, purse, pillow! I can’t wait to start on it. Thanks for a very thoughtful design.
I grew grapes in Idaho and even Montana. They are lovely in the garden. The photo of the pergola with grapes hanging down is perfect.
Merry Christmas to you and yours!