Colors to Lift Your Spirits - Starting with Green

Although winter temperatures and trees bare of leaves will still be with us in the northern hemisphere for another month or so, I am now starting to knit colors for spring. These two hats are made with fuzzy yarns from my stash, one of them adorned with a pink heart for that little girl somewhere in a migrant welcome center in Berlin.

Spring Green Hat for a Baby

I used the Emily Ocker cast-on and German Short Rows for the earflaps. Adding a new color when knitting in the round: "jogless" is what you want so see this tutorial on how to joing a new color to your hat. I-cords and a little heart-shaped button - and the hats were ready to start their travels. For more helpful hints click here
and go to bottom of posts.

 

  

Spring Green Hat for a Toddler

O how I long again to see
The vernal face of Spring,
And hear, from every budding tree,
Some little warbler sing.

I long to see the forest trees
Clothed in their robes of green,
And swaying in the gentle breeze
Display their glossy sheen.

I long to wander by the stream
Where sport the speckled trout,
Or in the noontide's genial gleam
See lambkins frisk about.

I long to see the sons of toil
Perform the noble deed
Of breaking up the stubborn soil
To plant the fertile seed. 

I long to see the meadows green
Bespread with flowerets gay--
I long to have a change of scene
From winter cold and gray.

It won't be long--a little while
And snows will disappear
And Flora with her winning smile
Shall find a welcome here.

A poem by S. Moore (Canada)

Morning Sun on a Forest Clearing Kimono

It took a while! Life intervened, as usual. But as long as it took, I am happy with the result and so that's all one can want, can't one? Started last year in May, not really knowing whether it would turn into a wrap, a shrug or vest, the  project started quite sometime ago finally turned into a Kimono.

I completed it on February 27, 2010 and took it on a three-week journey through Viet Nam. It was the perfect travel outfit, not too warm yet providing protection against the sun and cooler late evening breezes in Hanoi.
All parts finished, I added a slanted collar, adding short row after short row until it was just the perfect neckline for most of my tops, just covering them. Some beadwork brought in some glizz and a crochet border along the bottom, also beaded, gave a bit of structure to the stripes.

And here two pictures of the Forest Clearing with wild orchids and marguerites.

Green again - A Wrap Scarf Shrug Vest ...

Nature's many green colors outside and JANET THORNLEY's magnificent use of color in her projects led to this project - I will try not to get overboard with green stash picking!

For this multi-yarn project I am using Russian Grafting (Russian Join) in prominent places, such as the front closure or tip of the sleeves. See bottom of post for link to finished Kimono Vest...
Now be it a wrap, shrug, stole, capelet, vest or bolero - these are all less age-defining garments than most - maybe that advantage is one of the strongest appeals of Jane Thornley's patterns (i.e. non-patterns). They defy short-lived seasonal fashion, color trends, fancy line dictates, or fitting requirements, they are not country or continent-bound, they are perfectly practical, gently forgiving (spots and bulges don't show easily on a generous multi-color wrap), wonderfully warming, kindly concealing, fantastically flattering and fun to make. Whatever the outcome - it is sure to fit.


Progress: 20 June, 2009 -
the right front is finished.




Progress: July 2009 -
Click on Wrap Shrug for a larger picture, as it is taking shape.
This is how it looks so far, the left front needs
to be done, and then some beading and embellishing. As I post this, October is ending. I am definitely suffering under the multi-project syndrome, or rather:
so many projects - so little time.

Finished on 27 February 2010 - see post.