Sunday, June 6, 2010

Crazy Lace!

I have been missing the feel of fiber in my hands, missing my yarn.



It's been far too long since I've been able to sit down and pick up knitting needles. Part of the issue is that totally mindless knitting bores me to tears, but the challenge of picking up a new pattern just doesn't fit into my day at the moment (something about a bead show)...

But I stopped in at the Grove yesterday, and Susan had gotten in a copy of Crazy Lace, an artistic approach to creative lace knitting, at my request.



Sadly I forget who brought this book to my attention, but thank you! It is just exactly the right book. Author Myra Wood includes a chapter on thinking creatively and learning to let go, which relates not only to knitting, but many other artistic endeavors as well.

The pictures are all gorgeous beginning with the beautifully done cover. The process to begin knitting lace creatively is well explained and can be planned or completely random.

I think completely random sounds good to me. And for the record, I totally want a pair of the hot pink silhouette needles in the upper right of this picture, totally. I made Mark go write down the details. I could of course just buy them, but needles this pretty need to be gifted, even if I have to be explicit in the request - hot pink, long, size 5



Many of the books examples are done with exquisitely handpainted yarn. I love the whimsy of the irregular borders, the transition of color, the open weave....everything really. This is the answer to having something on the needles which does not require me to learn a pattern, but is not so mindless as to bore me. So of course I started.... This beautiful handpainted mohair laceweight was gifted to me by a friend, making it that much more special




Isn't it pretty?

4 comments:

Hannah said...

Those Signature Needles are the absolute best! I was able to get mine before they sold out. The circulars are my favorite; I'm knitting a Haruni on them.

swellknits said...

I am so glad you are loving the book and that it fits your current knitting frame of mind. I wanted to buy Signature Needles for the Grove but they don't sell them wholesale. I first saw them in person when Annie Modesitt taught at the Grove. She had a pair and loved them. The tips are awesome!
P.S. to Hannah. The Haruni pattern is stunning!

Marcia DeCoster said...

Hannah, sold out? Really, I didn't know and now of course I am desperate to have htem. Is this ia permanent condition, will there be more, do tell!

Have to go look up Haruni....

Connie Eyberg Originals said...

That weave is so pretty. Makes me wish I knitted. Connie