First time I saw the ocean...

In Japanese there is a wonderful expression: aaware. It refers to the special beauty of the volatile, transient: the cherry flower, the first snow, a shooting star passing across a nightly sky.
But as fleeting as it might be, its impression often stays on in our memory for a very long time.

Jorge Centofanti - The Golden Way

I was ten years old and stayed with my god-mother who lived close to the Dutch border. She was expecting her first child and I was thrilled that I could feel the yet unborn baby kicking inside the belly, and it was as if I had created a touching bond with the invisible child. My vacation with my aunt Luise was pure bliss and this blog entry is written in rememberance to her. She loved to laugh and tell funny stories, her southern Swabian dialect as strong as ever as if she had never left home. But instead of adapting to the local lingo and northern vocabulary, she introduced her own familiar dialect and expressions to the villagers, and the butcher, the baker and the lady at the garden shop, everybody smilingly added her vernacular to their own command of the language.

On a sunny day we went to Scheveningen. At that time it was an exciting excursion, involving hours of driving in a car and going "abroad" to the Netherlands at that, passports had to be presented and stamped at the border, a small suitcase was packed. And then, finally, the overwhelming first view of the ocean! It was more mighty and endless than I could ever have imagined. Nothing framed the horizon but the sea and sky. It was a windy day, the waves thundered in and the wide sand beach was glistening with the froth whipped in by the wind. The air had a taste new to me and when I had the first waves whirl around my bare feet it seemed like a miracle from heaven, so cool, so fresh and so much alive.

 

What astounded and fascinated me most about the sea were the many colors. I had vaguely assumed a blue like the sky on a summer day. But the variety and innumerable shades of blue amazed me and I still find it fascinating to stand at a beach and look out to the ocean and marvel at the ever-changing spectrum of shapes and colors.

 Looking out to the Boulevard Beach was the Kurhaus Hotel, maybe then as popular as it is today (see the present-day Kurhaus), and to my surprise and delight my uncle and aunt decided to have an afternoon treat at the Kurhaus, coffee and cake, and for me an incredibly tasty, thick hot chocolate drink. I felt like a million and as happy as a child can only be.
 The chocolate / cocoa brand was Droste, of course, the chocolate maker Droste famous for the visual effect on its boxes of cocoa, the socalled "Droste Effect" as shown here. Can you detect the many images each in a yet smaller scale? The site will take you further and lead you to the most interesting work of M.C. Escher and the Droste effect, and anybody interested in patchwork designs will find this a challenge to replicate.

When driving through the dainty Dutch villages I noticed that the windows were often dressed up with short lace curtains. There were even patchwork lace curtains, stitched together unevenly but still looking absolutely beautiful in my eyes.

I took home with me an experience and the memory of a wonderful day I haven't forgotten in more than 60 years, witness to the poem that True Happiness is the Absence of the Striving for Happiness (Zhuangzi). The day was simply magic.

I still love the color of blue with all its shades and in all its uses. Its history is fascinating, such as The War of the Blue - Indigo Versus Woad, and items dyed with woad into a lovely pastel blue are still made today in an area in France called Le Pastel (Lauragais) amongst other places. Blue is "azul" in Spanish and I named my shrug (see below) Azul, the lovely pattern Ovate is by Toni Gurbisz. The shrug Ovate is for Sale - contact me.

A favorite blue of mine is Lapislazuli, and I like to use it in combination with some yellow and green as in the Blue Morpho Papillon bolero.
 

 

 

Feel free to add your own story of how you saw the ocean for the very first time!

Taking Walks

Taking a walk through Ravelry is like walking through day dreams: Yarns, patterns, techniques, assembled in clearly structured spaces. How did we manage without Ravelry!

August is a month for summer knitting or crochet in lovely bright colors - but also for lots of outdoors activity, working or playing in the garden, taking many smaller and not so small day trips or just enjoying the company of wonderful family and friends.I did finish Forest + Frill from Tiny Owl Knits, my third one, called Yummy Summer Bolero,

Made with some stashed Colinette yarn and my own handspun and dyed wool. I alternated 20mm and 10 mm needles, the frilly edging was done with a 10mm crochet hook. Send me an e-mail if you wish to buy it, it is for sale.

Here are a couple of sites and blogs I chanced upon last week: The amazing "Indiaflint"- taking you to new creative horizons.
Need to get more crochet wisdom? Here are very good tutorials "Stitch-Story.Blogspot.fr" - and if you want to learn the absolutely neatest way to turn a dc crochet chain learn how to by watching this tutorial.
You feel like designing your own stuff? Check out this incredible site of "nervous.com".
Interested in unusual book blogs? Here's one: The Inky Fool" - and I am sure you already know Good Reads - if not, it might be a very good idea to visit this page and find lots of new and unusual food for thought.

This summer of 2012 artist Francisco Centofanti of Francisco Centofanti Artworks made a number of paintings in the Midi (France). He captures the very essence of this beautiful landscape and the yet quite uncrowded area. Here is one of his paintings - they were sold the moment they were posted! But look at his other work, too, his paintings have already become sought-after collector items.

Frivolous Frills

Boleros are such nice little garments. Making them is a lot of fun because one can let one's fantasy run wild. And they are so useful, a wee shrug that is not quite a cardigan but a bit more substantial than a wrap because it needs no fiddling and wrapping and throwing across your shoulder, which in my case invariably ends in a disaster because the wrap will start slipping the moment I move, and nevermind those pins and toggles and buttons! A bolero truly is a quick knit and a very good chance to use up those orphan yarns, a stash buster par excellence. This bolero (based on a pattern by Tiny Owl Knits) is called Swiss Miss - and Susanne knows why...

Bolero - a word with very many meanings. 
For me it always brings to my mind the incredible performance of the Stuttgart Ballet, Marcia Haydee and Richard Cragun dancing in Maurice Béjart's choreography Bolero Part 1 and 2 - it is well worth watching it, listening to the Bolero music written by Maurice Ravel - simply fascinating right to the riveting end!

Understanding Languages

There is a language for everything 

A language for thinking, for speaking, for understanding, for expressing one's feelings in music or paintings, for communicating in sign language and by demonstrating personal ideas or thoughts. One can mimic, imitate and impersonate, one can reduce one's communication to a smile or a frown, to tears of joy or sadness. Every language has its own significant niche and speaks to the listener, spectator or an audience. Sometimes it helps to take flight into another language, verbally or in any other form of communication. Some languages are very structured and rigid, some are forgiving and easily comprehended.
Textile crafts speak a universal language transcending all levels of society. There is no need for a dictionary - a blanket, a hat, a wrap, mittens or socks - everybody knows these items and their individual worth. Patterns and colors convey an additional message just as easily. Cultural differences in the use of color are deeply rooted in societies and speak their own language, and as the world quickly grew into a global one with the advent of the internet, these differences became even more visible and at the same time much less separating.

Fascinating is the use of color in knitting. The best example is Ravelry: looking at one popular pattern and its realization in a hugely diverse array of yarn colors and structures demonstrates the versatility of colors - and the impact they have on the viewer and on the person wearing them, speaking to the viewer and calling for an intuitive reaction. A visual and richly rewarding conversation begins.

Often we remember fondly the special person in our childhood who opened doors to a new experience, a higher level knowledge, an introduction to a world hitherto hidden or unknown. We hold a special place in our heart for those people, frequently for a lifetime. Learning how to ride a bike. Jumping into a pool. Saying words in a different language and being understood. These early friends enabled, supported and believed in our fantasy and imagination. Most knitters remember their beginnings and how they ventured out, exploring new patterns and stitches, designs and alterations of them. A versatile language indeed!

There were throngs of people looking at this painting by Max Ernst, discussing and guessing its meaning, as it spoke to everyone in a different language and triggered thought many processes.
The title of the painting from about 1923 is "L'Autoritaire".
It was shown at at the Museum Berggruen / Sammlung Scharf Gerstenberg. Most probably, each viewer will have a different interpretation of this enigmatic painting - but it talks to everybody!

In knitting, we have the option to speak through and paint with colors, as Jane Thornley does so masterfully. Through our knitting we communicate with others and are probably more open and honest and easily understood. What a beautiful and enriching gift to have!

Time for a project update: The unique pattern, Forest and Frills, by Tiny Owl Knits found its yarn in my stash: The blue Classic Elite Yarn Montera for the overall body and Berroco Optik Multicolor grabbed the chance to become the frills.

The knit was easy and fast - once finished I could not wait to try it on
and finally see how it draped into place. The combination of the two
yarns worked well and the Berocco Multicolor prepares the ground for
many T-shirts with different colors to go with it! An intensely blue mohair border highlights the outline of this bolero.

The beautiful coral/lobster colored Rowan Kidsilk Haze mohair shown in this post is used in my project "Minimalist Top by Anna Kudaja"- my Flaming Lobster Top.

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.