Wendy Bernard's Blog, page 17

You Just Haven't Earned It Yet, Baby. (Nothing to do with this blog post; just a song I'm listening to.)

While it seems like everyone I "know" is at Rhinebeck this weekend I know that it is simply not true. For example, I'm not there. Either are thousands of unlucky so-and-so's who wish they were, but aren't. If you are reading this, then you are either wondering what the heck Rhinebeck is, or you know all about it and didn't go, either.

I read a blog post recently--can't remember who said it--to the effect that knit bloggers and people who are in the design/writing business as knitters are a cliquey group. In some ways I think that is true. I've never considered myself a "part of the group" but that is because I never really go out in public to these shindigs. I guess I'm sort of shy and feel more comfortable staying in the wings and observing. I will also say that recently I ventured out and met a lot of other folks that I used to "know" but am happy to say that I now honestly know. And it's fun.

But I do want to go to Rhinebeck at some point. Why? Well, first, I have never stood next to a real sheep. I've stood next to a horse but never rode one or sat on one. I have seen an elephant from far away. Snakes? I see them on a daily basis (well, when I'm out walking and it happens to be the season) and rabbits litter my front yard with poop pebbles. But sheep? No sheep around here.

Which reminds me. I recall a day about 15 years ago when HWWV and I were driving somewhere, probably up north to San Francisco to visit my grandparents. Anyway, there were cows along the roadside. We saw them up on the foot hills. "Cows!" he sputtered. "I see cows! Those are cows, right?"

And, I was like, "Uhm, yeah. That's a cow. Were you born on Mars or something?" And then he explained his long stint in a foreign country that is too small to have cattle except of course they have polo ponies and then another long stint at a boarding school where he only wandered far enough away to hit a pub or two.

So, Rhinebeck: I think I need to travel to the other coast and check out some sheep. And meet some folks who I sort of "know" but never saw in person before. That would be nice. I need to get out more.

BTW: I've been obsessed with slip stitch patterns and re-formatting them so they can be knit in the round. I have knit three cowls in different weights with this herringbone pattern. If you find the right yarn with the right amount of sheen the herringbone really stands out. The cowl actually looks as if it were woven, but it's knit. Not to mention, all you need to do is to slip every other stitch for four rows and then slip every two stitches for awhile. (We can blame the Missoni/Target debacle for the inspiration.)

Those Unrelenting Buzzards

Those thoughts that swirl. There are days when I just beg for them to come to me and then, all of a sudden, they swirl around my head and tap at me like crows do and drive me bonkers.

I understand that crows mate for life. And when their partner dies or gets lost (I doubt they get lost, geez, they certainly know where our house is) they mourn the rest of their lives.

For me, ideas are that way. I am in love with ideas. I want them to swirl and be there forever and then, all of a sudden, they sit on me and I can hardly make sense out of anything. It's like I'm in the center of a cyclone. Everything is swirling about and I'm stuck there in the middle with no oxygen. But, when they are gone--and they most certainly do leave for months at a time--I mourn. The ideas can weigh me down but they also give me life.

I guess that is creativity, or whatever else you want to call it. Unrelenting buzzard-ideas, perhaps. They give you life but they also suck the life out of you at the same time.

This weekend, I decided that I would study the slipped stitch and turn slip-stitch patterns to in the round. This is my new favorite idea.

BTW: There is a reason behind my dramatic hair. HWWV and I were taking zombie photos. I promise I'll show you mine when it is done. He tells me that I look like a real good zombie. But, you probably already know that.

Do or Do Not; There is No Try.

For me, the process of knitting and designing something is a bit of a crap shoot. I admire the designers out there who sketch everything out and plan ahead to the hilt, but even though I do swatch, I do draw and I do sketch and plot, there are things that I sort of leave open ended. I'm not sure why; I just do.

In this case, with the re-vamp of the Girlfriend Swing Coat Sweater, I left the front closures up in the air. And after re-writing the entire pattern, re-sizing it, re-editing it and all of that, I'm still not sure what to do with the front closures.

Although I do like buttons on sweaters, I find that unless the fabric is stiff enough, buttons on hand knit sweaters can get a bit wonky. (BTW: I remember an English friend of mine who used that term when describing a particular woman's eyes and I spent an hour asking him what wonky really meant and he had a hard time describing it. I guess I'm late to the party on that one because that was years ago. Now, I totally understand wonky. Yes, many times, buttons on hand-knit sweaters can get wonky. Or hit or miss. Or what have you. I know you get it.)

So this is where I am with this sweater. Tomorrow I will go to the dreaded Jo-Ann's, preferably only semi-sober by cab (jk), and look at closures. Part of me thinks that three medium-size buttons would go well on top with little crocheted or elastic button loops on the buttonhole band side of the sweater. Another part of me thinks i-cord ties with huge pom poms would be fun, too. The third part of me has no clue.

The yarn is Sweater by Spud & Chloe in Waterslide. It has to be the very best Tiffany-type blue that I have ever seen. This is the second sweater I've knit with this yarn.

P.S. I wrote this post while Girlfriend read aloud to me out of a book and declared that she was going off to make a stained glass window. I said: "Great; go for it!" and then I remembered the years when I worked in stained glass. It's a pain in the wazoo, that stained glass, and I pray that after I type my last word here that I won't get up off the couch and discover that she's found my old soldering iron, glass cutter, et. al. Oy.

BTW: Girlfriend is going to be Princess Leia for Halloween. She has mean hair that can do ear-buns better than anyone.

Why I Don't Like Birthdays

I don't like birthdays because they are artificial reasons to celebrate. I mean, who cares if I was a year older yesterday? I certainly don't like it and I won't be swayed by my friends and acquaintances who talk of aging gracefully. Please. Who ages gracefully?

Sure, if you have an assistant with really great eyeballs or maybe those miner head-light things that magnify stuff, you won't ever find that stray hair or ten on your chin, the ones that popped up just this morning. I can't afford that crap and I don't plan to. I'd rather just sit at red lights, resist the draw of my iPhone, and try to pluck the offending hairs out of my chin myself when I think no one else is looking.

I think I told you a story a few years ago about going to get a root canal on one of my canine teeth for lack of a better description--the roots suffered in high school during a hectic and rather dramatic orthodontic spring that they placed there to bring the fangs down in about a week, anyway--so, I was on my way and last minute I remembered that the endodontist was quite the looker, and being on the later side of 40, I took my right hand and cupped my chin like men do who have beards and whoops! Two good strong whiskers were there, right under my fingertips.

Long story short, they were so short and my eyesight wasn't so good that I dug into my chin so instensely that I settled into the dentist's chair with a big hole on my chin and a couple of whiskers still very intact and poking out like cactus spine poker things.

I recall that my mother didn't like her birthday, either. I have two pictures of her making faces and hand gestures at the camera. One was on her 40th. The other was a little later and I won't say which one it was because, first, I don't remember, and second, she wouldn't want you to know that she was old enough to care.

But I miss her. She's been gone now for nine years.

And it is funny: I always tried to envision her as an old(er) woman and I never could.

It is so hard to reconcile these sad feelings with the very feelings she used to display that I never understood. I hope that I don't teach Girlfriend this stuff.

But I did show her how to properly eat an oyster.

My hope is that she becomes as bad-ass as I think she is, rather than someone who doesn't like birthdays.

Tip of the Day: Wear The Bun and Dark Sunglasses Indoors

The other day we were celebrating our three birthdays (my sister's, my daughter's, and mine) at a place in Calabasas from which I had been previously kicked out (30th birthday party a million years ago; don't ask) and something really strange happened. A 20-something guy tried to pick up on me.

Back in the day, I was pretty skilled at deflecting unwanted advances.

And even though I haven't been approached by a man in, oh, more than 10.724 years, I'd venture to say I haven't lost my touch.

I brought Girlfriend to the bathroom, and sat down at an empty red-checkered table outside the door. Next thing I know, some leftover from Brunch, hanging onto an empty champagne glass, plops himself right down in front of me.

"Hi. Are you single?"

"Nope."

"Whatcha doin'?"

"Waiting for my daughter; she's in the bathroom."

"I'm going to flirt with you."

"You go right on ahead."

"I love your shades."

"They're probably older than you."

The End.

Actually, there were two things at play here. First, I was wearing huge black sunglasses indoors, and second, I was wearing my hair in The Bun. Witness, The Bun:

There are a couple asides:

1. I've loaded all the pictures onto Ravelry in case you guys want to see the designs in Custom Knits 2.

2. I'm going to be at Vogue Knitting Live in Century City on Saturday--the marketplace--at 12:30 - 1:30 in booth #4. Anacapa Fine Yarns will be hosting a book signing and sale, as well as displaying yarns that go along with a handful of patterns that you can find in the book. I'll be on hand to sign books and to chat and hang out. I can't wait. (The tickets to get into the marketplace are ridiculously inexpensive, in case you're wondering.)

3. And if you don't recognize me at first, just look for THE BUN. I'll be rocking it. And please pray that the tube sock I stick in there won't be showing.

Oh Man. They Arrived: My Copies of Custom Knits 2 - Comments Closed

Although it hasn't yet hit the stores and I'm not sure if Amazon has released it yet, I got these in the mail today. In some ways, it's a bit scary. Why? First, I just finished a third book that will release in the Spring and I'm in talks with my publisher about a fourth book. Talk about a lot of work. It is all fun work, but hard work. People think that writing books is somehow idillyic, but it isn't.

It is super freaking fantastic, that is what it is.

Anyway, I want to spread the love. I have two copies of the book to give away this week. There is something very, very special about this book that I will tell the winners about. Something probably only three other people know. And it's good dish. You'll have to sign a confidentiality thingy. You know what I mean.

Leave a comment with your favorite stitch ever. It can be seed stitch, a rib, a certain cable and simple lace repeat. Just tell me what your favorite stitch pattern is, and I'll enter you into the drawing. In a few days, I'll do a random pick and email the winners. I'll also sign the books and give you the dish. Har har. Life is good.

JUST CLOSED COMMENTS. WILL RANDOMLY SELECT TWO WINNERS TOMORROW. THANKS SO MUCH FOR PLAYING! I AM SERIOUSLY WONDERING ABOUT THE POPULARITY OF SEED STITCH. IT'S MY PERSONAL FAVE, BUT WHO WOULD HAVE THOUGHT IT WAS SO WIDE SPREAD?

Oh Man. They Arrived: My Copies of Custom Knits 2

Although it hasn't yet hit the stores and I'm not sure if Amazon has released it yet, I got these in the mail today. In some ways, it's a bit scary. Why? First, I just finished a third book that will release in the Spring and I'm in talks with my publisher about a fourth book. Talk about a lot of work. It is all fun work, but hard work. People think that writing books is somehow idillyic, but it isn't.

It is super freaking fantastic, that is what it is.

Anyway, I want to spread the love. I have two copies of the book to give away this week. There is something very, very special about this book that I will tell the winners about. Something probably only three other people know. And it's good dish. You'll have to sign a confidentiality thingy. You know what I mean.

Leave a comment with your favorite stitch ever. It can be seed stitch, a rib, a certain cable and simple lace repeat. Just tell me what your favorite stitch pattern is, and I'll enter you into the drawing. In a few days, I'll do a random pick and email the winners. I'll also sign the books and give you the dish. Har har. Life is good.

The Downtown Bonnet

Here's a fresh take on the bonnet. Knit with two colors of sportweight yarn, it's a topper that will tease the ingenue right out of you. (I can't believe I just typed that.)

Actually, I saw one of these about a year ago and instantly fell in love. Depending upon the colors you choose, it can be sporty, elegant (in one color, perhaps?) or youthful. I can see it on all ages and it is multi-seasonal.

This knit project utilizes a simple slip-stitch pattern that creates textural waves of color. Use just one color and you'll see ripples of texture.

Since you can easily knit one in a weekend, the Downtown Bonnet is a great gift idea, or a take-along project that you can knit for yourself during downtime.

The stitch pattern is easy to remember and I consider the project to be suitable for an adventurous beginner. It is knit flat and then joined and knit in the round to shape the back.

SIZES
Youth (Women's Average)

FINISHED MEASUREMENTS
8 (9)" from center back to Front Edge
16 (19)" chin to chin

YARN 
Youth Size: Lorna's Laces Honor (70% Baby Alpaca / 30% silk / 275 yards / 100 grams): 1 hank each Violet (MC) and Island Blue (CC)
Women's Size: The Fibre Company Road to China (65% baby alpaca / 10% cashmere / 10% camel / 15% silk; 159 yards / 50 grams): 2 hanks  Grey Pearl (MC); 1 hank Light Citrine (CC)

NEEDLES
One 24" long or longer circular needle size US 4 (3.5mm)
One 24" long or longer circular needle size US 3 (3.25mm)
One set double-point (dpn) needles US 4 (3.5mm)
Change needle size if necessary to obtain correct gauge

GAUGE
25 sts and 36 rows to 4" in Wavy Stripes, using larger needles

 

Click on the button below to buy a copy. It will be sent to you in a zipped PDF file via email when payment is made or eCheck clears. Thanks!

$5.00

Wendy Knits Lace Giveaway (No, Not This Wendy. The Other One.)

Back when I first started knitting as a hobby and around the time I began writing this blog, I contemplated lace knitting or "anything that has intentional holes" and complained that lace might get stuck on a bush or something, so why knit it?

Well, as you probably figure, I have changed my mind.  I like lace in smallish doses and have even tried designing a few patterns with so-called "intentional holes." Jordan has been popular (thanks to Myra Wood who wrote the wonderful book Crazy Lace, which basically set me free of my lace ambivalence).

Wendy Knits Lace, a book from Wendy D. Johnson, is the third book I have in my library written about lace. What I like about this book is that there is a nice section on different techniques to help along your lace knitting that covers things like different types of cast ons, bind offs and splicing. It's not super technique heavy or anything, but there is enough in there that will compel you to keep the book on the shelf for reference. She also has a good balance of patterns that will appeal to both beginner and more advanced knitters. The only caveat is that Wendy does provide charts instead of written-out instruction in many of the patterns. I don't blame her, however. If she wrote out each line, the book would be at least twice as long!

I'm giving a copy of this book away. In order to join in the fun, please leave a comment giving your favorite lace-knitting tip, technique, or the reason why you haven't found one...yet!

I'll close this giveaway in a couple days. All comers invited.

No Holly Hobby Here

When I was a kid, Holly Hobby was all the rage. Ponchos were cool, too. So, it's no wonder it took about 40 years for my brain to fixate on bonnets again.

This time there is no pouf a la Little House on the Prairie.

The pattern is basically ready; I just have to lay it out. It will be available from Youth to Adult.

When I write books, my publisher asks the team to style the photos as if it were winter or fall, depending upon the type of accessory or garment.

This time, I will do as the SoCal people do and just plop a topper on no matter the weather.

(And you should have been at the gym with me yesterday. I counted at least five guys with knit caps on...and it was 90 degrees outside! [So, you see what I mean.])