Silk in Ice-Land

Greetings from our winter wonderland! Last night we got a few more inches of snow. Luckily, I don't have to go anywhere today since I'm working from home (yes, even on a Sunday, grrrr -- but at least I can take a knitting break here and there). And while I'm here, here is a silk update: I'm told by the spinnery that the shipment should arrive any day now, so -- fingers crossed! -- I'll be able to take orders for silk. (Watch this space for developments!) I am so impatient to get my hands on it that I've used up the few small chunks of my remaining sample skein to play with colours.

This first one is what Rum Point looks like in silk:



Here is a preliminary version of Amy's Chocolate Cherry, a colourway inspired by Knitty's very own Amy Singer. (Thanks, Amy!)



This is one of my new favourites (because I'm a purple and violet addict at heart), called Tender is the Night:



And I'll leave you with a swatch of what I've decided to call (thanks to inspiration from Atropos and Ailsa Craig) Fields of Gold:

I think this is destined to be something sleeveless and summery -- once I get my frost-bitten fingers on it properly!

Snuggly Chic

Tomorrow we're expecting about 10 inches of snow.

When I was young(er) I used to question Mother Nature's injustice in timing these blizzards for the weekends instead of more fortuitously sometime mid-week. But now I grumble for another reason. Having taken quick stock of the void that is our refrigerator I decided to brave below-freezing temperatures and interminably long lines at the grocery store in order to make sure there's more than cereal on the menu if we're snowed in. Which should only be a day at the most. But no one seemed to have mentioned this to the woman ahead of me in the queue who proceeded to buy up not only the entire seafood and deli sections, but also a three week supply of bottled water, a cart full of canned goods and five absolutely enormous bags of cat food. Clearly, she's running at cat shelter... or keeping at least one lion or tiger.

Being the lazy last-minute food shopper that I am, I'm probably going to be significantly less prepared for the coming freeze... foodwise, anyway. But, see, I did think ahead: I might starve, but at least I'll be snuggly warm in this roll-neck sweater, the Seurat:

By way of last-minute blizzard prep, this sweater took about 5 days from start to finish. So, while not quite 'instant' gratification, it's not bad as quick knits go. I used US 10.5 needles and the aran weight cashmere in Crocus.

More at the updated Cashmere Gallery.

Stay warm, everyone. And happy knitting! Keep those fingers moving -- if anything, it might keep them from freezing!

Edited to add: Well, they weren't kidding about the snow. This is what it looked like outside an hour ago (and now those trees in the distance have all but disappeared!):

Couture et Cachemire

Haute couture and cashmere, had they been around centuries ago, may very well have made the short list for the Seven Deadly Sins.

Luckily for us, they didn't -- and we can still indulge in a little bit of both without jeopardizing entry through the pearly gates. On the bright side, if anything, we'd probably be better dressed for the occasion.

The fashionistagenda for this weekend was to kick-start my RLBF's wedding dress (and bridesmaid's gown) shopping. And what better place to start than the local couture capital, Madison Avenue. After a fabulously decadent brunch at La Goulue (a foolproof strategy to ensure the dresses will still fit even after consuming course after gourmet course -- of course!)...



we wandered around the block and whizzed past the likes of Jimmy Choo, Emilio Pucci, Missoni, Chanel and Chloe, all with the dizzyingly tempting word "SALE!" in the window and ended up at Carolina Herrera where the forerunners in the wedding gown race were found. And it was there that I fell in love.

With this dress:




There are simply no words to describe my love for this dress. Just lots of alternately ecstatic and contented burblings.

And it had a price to match.

Consequently, it will not be the bridesmaid's dress.

*weeps*

I take solace, however, in one luxury at hand that does not unduly raise my caloric intake: Cashmere.

I've updated the Cashmere Gallery to include photographs of two new FOs in my sportweight and aran weight cashmere. First, here is an original pattern: a simple scoopneck tee in Briar Rose and Cotton Candy in a flatteringly fitted shape.



The second is the Annie Hall scarf in aran weight cashmere (colourway: Cirque):



More photos at the gallery here.

I'm happy to say that we ended the weekend with an amazing Mexican brunch at a bright and buzzing upper floor establishment with a view of Manhattan and the Brooklyn Bridge. The brunch itself, while lovely, wouldn't even make a mention in this blog except for the two women at the next table who were talking cheerfully and excitedly over some things they seemed to be doing with short sticks. On closer inspection, I realised that they were knitting socks! Actually, one was knitting the most adorable pair of blue and green fine gauge self-striping socks and the other was knitting what looked like a fair isle pattern. And of course being nosy -- not to mention staring unabashedly and grinning like a fellow fiber addict -- I found out that the colourful pattern was actually for high sock-slippers with shearling and leather soles (to be attached during finishing). This was when we discovered that there was a LYS artfully camouflaged JUST AROUND THE CORNER. It was, unfortunately, closed on Sunday. But there will most definitely be a next time. :)

What really struck me was how these young women were so open and friendly in their knitting natter with us, two complete strangers! The sense of knitting as a community-forming activity is such a wonderful thing to behold, not to mention be a part of -- I certainly hope the wave hits more destinations across European and other shores. Fun like this is just too good not to share!

And on that note, happy knitting to all, and to all a good night! :)

Silk and Hope :)

I'm not feeling very eloquent this evening, so I might just let the pictures do the talking... And tonight is all about SILK! Over the weekend I managed to squeeze in a couple of test runs in the new silk which is slightly heavier than the Tussah, and the results are in:

Byzantine in the new silk:



Gamla Stan (which has now become a favourite in the household):



And a hitherto unnamed colourway that reminds me of pale wildflowers in tall grass...

(I am definitely making something out of this in the near future -- it's just too elegant and beckoningly soft not to! And with the weather turning freakishly warm these days, I'll probably be in the mood to start a spring/summer knit.)

ETA: In response to Kirsten's comment: this silk knits at 6 stitches per inch x 7 rows per inch on US 6 needles.) I don't have prices listed yet, but when the first silk shipment arrives, I'll launch it here at Two Pointy Sticks -- so watch this space!
And here I've saved the best for last: this is Hope -- one of the most experienced and most prolific knitters I've ever met. But what else would you expect from someone who has been knitting since the age of five? :) Here she is in the stunning short row scarf that she knit over the weekend in Alchemy Synchronicity, which is a sumptuously soft silk and wool blend.
Simply maaaaaahvelous! (I personally can't wait to see what's next on her needles: what else but... Clapotis! Mais, bien sur!)

Introducing... the Cashmere Gallery

Today I am pleased to introduce The Cashmere Gallery, where you can find pictures of some of the wonderful pieces that have been completed in the cashmeres from the List of Colourways.
In the gallery's inaugural post, I am proud to feature Robin's Clapotis, for which she used 3 skeins of sportweight cashmere in Rum Point:


Her Clapotis is simply beautiful. For good tips, more pictures and to read about her modifications to the pattern, visit the gallery here.