8.16.2008

Back In the Swing

Hi, everyone! The last weeks have been quite the whirlwind - I spent July traveling around my home turf in the PNW. I did a lot of knitting and design work and got a much needed break from city life. The trip was peaceful, insightful and inspiring - exactly what I was after. When I finally got back to New York, I had a last minute opportunity to travel to Cape Cod, and I promptly jumped on that train, despite my better judgement that staying home and catching up on the bevy of work awaiting me here was the right thing to do, and don't regret it. I figure I need to enjoy my last summer as a student in an official capacity.

So what's been doing on the needles? So very much to share. That lace bug that comes around every few months is back with a vengeance, and I thought I'd try my hand at some lace designing. Uncharted territory for me, but I've been having a looot of fun with it.

<span class=

To tell you the truth, my tolerance of heat is starting to wear thin - granted we've had what I would consider a very mild summer here (knock on wood), and I haven't even been here the whole time, but air conditioned quarters are still required for marathon knitting - and my wintry temperament is feeling stifled. Visions of lace, cables and colorwork taunt me nightly. Even so, I'll continue patiently waiting for the click of the seasons to happen sometime in September (please?). When it does though...

New Lace for Fall (by b r o o k l y n t w e e d)

...there will be plenty of warm, winter lace. I thought maybe the summer would stave off this year's blanket trend in my knitting, but the "Year of the Blanket" title has remained all the same. There may or may not be more than just this one gaining momentum in recesses of the apartment.

I've been playing with wools both heavy and light - I can't seem to get enough of that wonderful texture you get with pre-blocked, heavy weight lace projects.

More texture. More <span class=

I know it's cruel to just give little peeks under the (lace) blanket, but these things will be expounded upon shortly. Something I can indulge you in more of however is this, my most treasured recent acquisition: a box of new yarns from Beaverslide Dry Goods, one of my all time favorite farms over in beautiful Montana. Tell me though, seriously, what could be better than coming home from vacation to this:

Best. Box. Ever. (by b r o o k l y n t w e e d)

Most definitely worth breaking a serious yarn diet for. No guilt here. Really.

Over the next few weeks I'll be catching up on many things that have been sorely neglected, not the least of which is my inbox. All things considered, it's great to be home - I really missed my yarn.

40 comments:

  1. Haha, I agree that that is worth breaking any yarn diet for. Your photos look just as gorgeous. Wish I could reach into my screen and grab a skein (or more) of them lovelies. :D

    ReplyDelete
  2. Seriously? This is a conspiracy. Why is it that everytime I look in the last 4 days I see Beaverslide? As if I didn't have enough problems controlling the craving already!

    ReplyDelete
  3. Oh goodness, those colours are making me drool at the thought of Fall and Winter!

    ReplyDelete
  4. Honied yellow dripping gold
    Leaf of autumn in the cold
    Dancing on
    in crisp despair
    whirling on enchanted air.....

    it is almost here...sweaters, hats, scarves, mittens, warm cozy blankets....a knitter's wonderland.

    ReplyDelete
  5. You know, should you ever decide to make desktop wallpaper sized versions of your photos available, I think they'd be really popular :)

    I love the green yarns in that last photo although I wouldn't pull any of them off the needles...

    ReplyDelete
  6. Beautiful yarn, indeed! And lovely laces - looking forward to reading more about those.

    ReplyDelete
  7. MMMMM yummy yarn photos =)

    Lace designing IS fun, isn't it? And the whole pre-blocked to blocked metamorphosis is so cool. sigh

    ReplyDelete
  8. Lace? "Uncharted" territory? *snigger*

    Seriously, though, I know all about that "last summer of your life" thing. When mine came around, I went to Europe for a month, saw things I probably never would have seen otherwise, then came back and went on a transcontinental trip with my family - Maine to the Olympic Peninsula - seeing the sights and hitting the big national parks along the way. It gave me memories I'll never forget, and it's nice to hear that you gave yourself the same chance.

    ReplyDelete
  9. Greetings from a very new and curious reader from Finland (this explains my poor English skills)!
    What an entreeging sneak peak you gave us, I can't wait for more! I'll be back :)

    ReplyDelete
  10. Droooool..... Can't wait to see more.

    ReplyDelete
  11. You got me hooked on Beaverslide with one of your Mctaggart Tweed projects awhile back and whew--they are fantastic. Can you name the colors in your pic? The only shortcoming they ahve is that their on-line pictures don't always capture the yarn color that well...

    ReplyDelete
  12. I think you missed a very hot and uncomfortable summer, not mild at all. And you were very lucky to have been away. (I've finally escaped for a week. It's wonderful.)

    This Beaverslide looks scrumptious! It is so tempting... I think I need to find just the right project for it though...

    ReplyDelete
  13. Your attempts in "uncharted territory" look wonderful - can't wait to see the finished product!

    ReplyDelete
  14. Wow, I can tell those blankets are going to look fantastic. Are patterns going to be posted along with them? :)

    ReplyDelete
  15. And what a great welcome back you've given us - the yarn and lace are so tantalizing! Looking forward to more. In the meantime, I've ordered my yarn for the Celtic mittens.

    ReplyDelete
  16. The first blanket looks wonderful. I cant wait for the BIG reveal of both of them. Those yarns look gorgeous and definately worth breaking your yarn diet for.

    ReplyDelete
  17. Glad you are back! Looking forwardto seeing more of your knitting :)
    Gina

    ReplyDelete
  18. Coming home to a beautiful box of yarn is the perfect way to end a vacation.

    ReplyDelete
  19. Hi, don't worry the weather will change earlier than you think. I live in Upstate NY and there are signs of any early Fall approaching: some leaves are starting to shift in color, lots of animal activity. All of this and your wonderful blog has got me motivated.

    ReplyDelete
  20. You know, you provide some of the best yarn porn on the 'net. Great photos!

    ReplyDelete
  21. Such a tease!

    ReplyDelete
  22. GASP! I nearly swallowed my gum! Green with envy. Those yarns are beyond beautiful!!!!

    ReplyDelete
  23. That yarn is beautiful and those blankets even though we only see a small portion are amazingly pretty...

    ReplyDelete
  24. I'll ask the same thing as Erica :
    It would be great if you could name the colors in your pic !
    Thanks in advance for this info and for making me discover this yarn :o)

    ReplyDelete
  25. That yarn is making me drool--no, I have plenty of great tweed yarn already! But the colors . . .

    Looking forward to seeing more of your projects!

    ReplyDelete
  26. I am a HUGE fan of Beaverslide yarns myself and just got the newest color card. I'll be interested to see how the new three-plies knit up. I'm really jealous that you got a whole box. I'd love to come home to see that waiting for me.

    Have you knit a blanket with Beaverslide? I've done four and they're fantastic!

    ReplyDelete
  27. I think that is *way* too much yarn for one person...seriously, you need to share;->

    Ang

    ReplyDelete
  28. And we missed you! Welcome back. Now the east coast is back in balance again. :)

    What a GREAT box of yarn to come home to. Wow. Can't wait to see what will happen with it...

    ReplyDelete
  29. Love the gray lace. I'm currently wrestling with my first lace wrap and all I can say is, THANK GOD FOR LIFE-LINES!

    ReplyDelete
  30. The Cape is a gorgeous place. You should visit in the winter too. Being from New England I have always enjoyed the crispness of the shore in early winter. A great place for one of your heavy knitted lace blankets! Perfect place for one of your fabulous photo shoots!
    And what's not to love about Beaverslide Dry Goods? I just got my shipment of McTaggart Tweeds and Heathers...*yum*

    ReplyDelete
  31. Enough with the torture, already. My favourite woolly colour plus my favourite motif-leaves; where do I send my credit card number? I surrender. Please dish.

    ReplyDelete
  32. Love that gold! Can't wait to see what fabulous knitting you are up too.

    That box of yarn is soooo pretty! Wish I could reach out and touch it!

    ReplyDelete
  33. You are truly inspiring! Love all the work you do with your knitting and the yarn stash is Yummy!!!!!
    Cannot wait to see your finished projects!

    ReplyDelete
  34. Your knitting is just remarkable. Can't wait to see the FOs.

    ReplyDelete
  35. Can't wait to see the rest of that lace. Amazing photographs.

    ReplyDelete
  36. welcome back, we missed you genuis

    ReplyDelete
  37. The colors in the last photo are so lovely! I went on over to Beaverslide and just had to get some yarn.

    Gracias!

    ReplyDelete
  38. I think you have the most beautiful blog I have ever seen! And I don't even know how to knit! I wish I did but finding a teacher seems to be impossible here. So, in the mean time, I'll just look at everything you make.

    ReplyDelete