GAP-tastic

Excuse me whileI brush that dust off my shoulder à la Jay-Z while I tell you all about the latest roll I'm on. PEOPLE--I'm on a roll because for the second time in the last five years Nora has asked me to knit her something that she actually wore and did not throw down in disgust or pile it on her Poang which is a repository for all her crumpled, discarded garments!! I am such a winner right now.

The Specs

Pattern: GAP-tastic cowl by Jen Geigley

Yarn: 1 skein Malabrigo Chunky in Geranio

Needles: size 13

Mods: I only cast on 112 sts as I had a long-tail cast-on dysfunctional moment and couldn’t imagine casting it on all over again. So the cowl is not quite as epic as it could’ve been but it’s still long enough to loop around her neck a few times.

Nora approached me several weeks ago and indicated her desire for a colorful long neck wrap. We perused Ravelry and alighted upon this pattern. Now I have no illusions that the fact the the Gap is named-checked in the pattern didn't have something to do with her enthusiasm. That little touch of branding helped immensely in our decision, and she chose this pattern. Thank you corporate America for colonizing the minds of our youth and lending your imprimatur of authenticity to this pattern!

The pattern is modeled after a well-known Gap cowl that the author saw and like any self-respecting knitter thought There is no way I'm paying for that. I could knit that up in a heartbeat. And she did! Thanks Jen, because I am just lame enough that had I been with my daughter in Satan's Lair i.e. the mall, I would've been the loser knitter that lazily shelled out the cash for it. My self-respect thanks you!

Next-up for me: a finished Rhinebeck sweater. I KNOW!!

Ontological Ishbel musings

Normally I like to keep it light up in here, but today I have a serious question of a deep philosophical nature: can a shawl really be called an Ishbel if the slatternly knitter behind it only does one repeat of chart A? Yes, I said one repeat of chart A. I'm not quite sure what caused me to bind off and call it a day at that point. Was is that I was seeing the recipient of the shawl (if you can call it that) later that afternoon and wanted desperately to give it to her? Was it my utter and total DONENESS with shawls for the time being? Maybe it was in fact my eagerness to get on with my Rhinebeck sweater(s). Not sure, in any case: one repeat of chart A.

The Specs:

Pattern: Ishbel by Ysolda Teague.

Yarn: one skein of madelinetosh sock in 'Tart'.

Needles: size 6 Kollage Square needles w/ the hard cable.

Size: Cast on for size large.

Mods: One repeat of chart A. This has epic WIN or epic FAIL written all over it, depending on your point of view.

One of the reasons I was eager to give this project to my lovely pal J was that she is one of my only not-currently-knitting* friends who reads my blog and made a very sweet request after seeing the Striped Study shawl. "Heather...I would be willing to pay you for that shawl on your blog...that red...oh my". As you all know, a. we knitters all live for such requests and b. we knitters would never accept money from a good friend for a piece of our handiwork. Sadly her request came two days too late as I had already given it to Sandrine. Ah non! So instead I decided to cut to the chase and knit her a shawl out of strictly Tart. And even though it's quite small, I'm hoping it can be a mighty fine neck warmer.

I am fully expecting to receive a cease and desist letter at any moment from Ysolda's solicitors (oh là très British), demanding that I refrain from continuing to call this pattern Ishbel. Fair enough!

*in point of fact J IS a knitter but she happens to have a MIL who is a superior plus expert knitter that could completely blow doors of Meg Swansen, Barbara Walker and any recipient of the TNNA Master Knitter title combined with her eyes closed and one arm tied behind her back. Kinda doesn't leave a lot of room for someone who is merely outstanding, does it?