Tweedle Dum and Tweedle Dee

Remember Lewis Carroll's battling twins? The original illustrations for the book reveal nothing tweedy about them.

"Tweedle Dum and Tweedle Dee
agreed to have a battle,
for Tweedle Dum said Tweedle Dee
had spoilt his brand new rattle."

Or would that be "raddle"? The wooden rake for separating bunches of warp yarns during the loom dressing process could well be the term. Who knows?

I am choosing yarns for a foray into tweediest cabledom: the twists and turns of classic knitting patterns interpreted for modern tastes, with modern yarns and shapings. Working on a shrug right now, I've combined a variegated wool from Australia, all soft midtones of blues to purples to reds to golds with a black Merino 4-ply. The work goes quickly on 10.5 needles, the cables running along in streams of cascading color. Relaxing work, this is. In my wintertime house of wood fire and fiercely bubbling stews, drowsing felines draped in odd nooks, dogs ever in pursuit of tall does in the forest, I am enthralled by inwardness of growing patterns.

Snow in the Mountains, Knitting by the Fire

We had maybe 2” of snow last night, and there’s much drippy rain/snow this morning. The kits and pups went pell mell outside at 5 AM, did quick toilettes and came scampering back in, wet footed (ewwwwwww, mom!) with snow flecking heads and backs. All are lounging about quite comfortably in front of the fire now, and I should imagine that no one will move anytime soon unless, of course, food calls.

My daughter Mara's coming up today for a show at Atlantic Station—it’s a sale of seasonal goodies from boutiques all around the city and outlying areas. I’ve got a bunch of felted bags to sell—my therapeutic by-the-fire projects that I’ve been doing for awhile. She’ll offload this afternoon, then head up here for the night. I’m printing tags and cards this evening, will pick up bags, tissue paper and sales books when I venture out. The show is Friday and Saturday, and if past numbers are any indication, will be well attended. There are some fine bargains available at astounding prices. I’m taking pix of bags and the show and will be posting them.

I’ve joined an online group called the Sexy Knitters Club—great fun, great projects that are done in knitalongs. Members share information on yarn sources, show photos of their work, ask questions, keep those needles flying. My impression is that most members are young women. I’m a member of Craftster.org, a truly eclectic gathering of all sorts of makers of things imaginative and fun. The skill levels on Craftster are wide ranging, and some of the stuff people come up with is just dumb, but most things are truly fine. It’s interesting to do “modern” knitting, as it’s not at all what we used to do when we were making things of yarn. There’s much more shaping, sophisticated finishes and techniques, and the variety of yarns available is amazing.

The pastures and yards are white, the woods very dark, and I am thankful for this fine little house with its enormous stack of firewood on the porch.

Best Bag Yet

A knitter of many years and more yarns than I can remember or even wish to remember, I've embarked recently on the designing and making of felted bags. Rectangular bags are ho hum to these hands; I want the exotic, the strange, the challenging.

And so, I have been adding bits here and there, romping amid short rows (wow, that makes a curve!) and funky snakey bits, knitted leaves and other geegaws. The results are great fun, especially when embellishments such as glass beads or felted shapes have been added.

Photos to follow as soon as I get the camera located.

Let the madness begin!

Off we go into blogdom, and I've got to say right here that I've no idea where all of this is going to end up. It's pretty challenging at this late date to be jumping into putting musings on everything absurd to serious, ravings from who knows where, out for the universe to see.

Onward!