Blown by the wind...

Today, first day of September, there is already an autumn tune in the air, literally: the breeze from the Atlantic is briskly whistling, taking the first leaves off the trees, whirling them up before letting them gently settle in a protected corner, a gathering place until they are revisited by yet a stronger breeze. It appears as if the steady wind was driving the crop across the fields, creating undulating waves of golden green, moving through the valleys and beyond towards the horizon.

In October 1965, when I arrived in Chicago on a glorious fall sunshine morning, I learned within days why the Second City was also called Windy City. Those winds were strong, forceful and freezingly cold in those long and harsh Midwest winters, while most of the time they very welcome in the humid heat of the summer, refreshing one's spirits. Wind is a magician, creating beautiful patterns on land and sea and we all love the tiny ripplings on the shimmering surface of lakes or mighty foam-crested waves at a shoreline created by wind.

For some time now, I've been looking for a project suitable for the iridescent 70% cotton/30% polyamide yarn Cambio (Lana Grossa) I had bought a long time ago. I came across this beautiful Sakasama Jacket, designed by Ravelry designer OlgaJazzy.
Although the yarn used in Olga's original is totally different I thought I'd give it a try. The Cambio is a bit slick and slippery when being knit and the drop will be different. But then, maybe this is just a test run?
I like the shiny green and purple combination and am hoping that I won't run out of yarn before the BO!

The green and purple of the Cambio yarn picks up the light and uses it to assume subtle color variations - while the dewy sheen on the leaves quickly turns into a brighter green when touched lightly.

When it rains, the shimmering blue of raindrops falling from a dark sky simply adds more beauty and allows the leaves to reflect their environment over and over again, in every dew drop, each a magnifying glass for the ambient universe. And if you miss the sound of rain and happen to have an hour off, here is rain, rain, rain... You might also appreciate this Sound of Rain - by Led Zeppelin.

In time for fall, the Noro cowl AYA is finished and ready to snugly protect against chills. If you are curious about the name, check out this explanation on Wiki.

"To live a creative life, we must lose our fear of being wrong."

Joseph Chilton Pearce

A Rose in Spring

The Christmas Rose, Helleborus, or Lenten Rose isn't really a rose, as we all know. Calling it a bit lowly in comparison? Certainly not! It bravely blooms at a time when we are especially in need of reminders that Spring will come again! My Christmas Rose, a Helleborus Orientalis, is from the garden of my great-grandmother. She had a wonderful large flower garden in the 1880s. This Christmas rose has a lovely purple color and faithfully appears every year, spreading into larger and larger circles if left undisturbed. One of these days I might even find a black Christmas rose (Helleborus niger), with its fascinating dark colors!


On the spur of the purple moment I started a lace project with a lovely hand-dyed yarn from Zauberglöckchen called Filigranissimo and one can tell immediately that it lives up to its name!

As I was getting into Spring mood, I started with destashing, uncluttering, weeding out of things long kept and mostly of high sentimental value. It is hard to let go. On the other hand, as one gets older, every thing we shed is also a relief. I am keeping mental images of things for as long as I can, or even take a picture now and then. I cannot part with the paintings of my children, nor their gifts and letters. Letters are one of the most personal things in life. One of the  disadvantages of e-mail, although I don't deplore the electronic communications development at all!

When I was young and the world was... well, it was different... it was half a century ago when my mother thought it quite indispensable for a gentleman to have fine linen handkerchiefs with a monogram and so she busied herself with building up a small trousseau for her son-in-law, which was actually quite forward thinking - why not a trousseau for the groom! She added monogrammed towels and shirts and linen and silver cutlery sets, and there was no doubt in her mind that throughout our entire life we would keep adding personalized items to our common household.

Our lovely Hélène, a very close friend of the family, gave birth to a healthy little boy and I could not but knit  up some little gifts. Here's the Bring Me Home Hat (pattern by Melynda Bernardi)       

                  

 

and a cute manly cardigan for little Axel! The pattern is from Whit's Knits from Purlbee. I love the way the simple knit stitch adds a bit of folksy yet handsome ruggedness to this baby cardigan.

Soul Warmer - Soft and Simple

A soft and bulky yarn, Lana Grossa Ragazza Lei,
was perfect for this small seamless shrug/bolero.

The pattern is Lynn's Shrug, from Trish Woodson.
It is a quick knit, but please note that the pattern is
not very precise.
If you want to have your shrug looks like in the
pictures, you will have to read the pattern very
carefully and reverse the positioning: CO the
side panels where the front panels are supposed
to be and vice versa.
An invisible three-needle bind-off makes it just
perfect - and the little soul warmer will hug you
nicely during all those wintery days ahead.

Two Twisted Cardigans in Rosewood-Grey and Rosé

Two Twisted Cardigans by Sarah Montie Punderson. Number One in Aresano Aran yarn, color Rosewood, which is light grey with a very light rosé hue, and the Number Two in online Linie 247 AI, color Rosé (02).
 Both were delightful to knit because Sarah Montie's patters are written so well and because the yarns lend themselves wonderfully to those large cables across the front without looking bulky. Both cardies are as light as a feather and become the focus of any outfit. Photos of the finished cardigans will be added, this is one of Number Two, Twisted Cardigan Rosé, both fronts done and the back (on top) halfway. Valerie is the recipient and model all wrapped into one.