Athena Dreams

March and April Have Passed Us By: Long Live Green

The Ella Deux, she is finished. Since she is the only project that I managed to actually complete for the first two months of Project Spectrum, I post her here to celebrate both the end of winter, and the completion of March and April.

You may remember the dilemma with the wrong "colour" last skein of LL Motherlode, though labelled in the correct Dyelot, it looked nothing like its friends, it could be said it was a very distant relation.

So after looking at my options, reading people's suggestions for my options, and then folding up Ella and putting her in the basket, I got this wild idea. Why not call some of my local LYSs and see, just the wildest chance in hell kind of see, if they have a skein of the Motherlode in the dyelot I am looking for. Lo and behold, one did. Now, I had to pack Ella in a bag and take her with me to said establishment, to see if it was in fact a close, or a distant relative.

She was oh so close, kissing cousins, or better, sisters. And so that is how I finished my Ella, my Red (Burgundy) and Yellow (Gold) Project Spectrum cross-over-translated-semi-sporadic-bridger-project. I finished her this weekend, just in time to greet the first wave of weather over 60 degrees.

Yes, we went from rain and barely 60, to glorious sun and 85 in one day. Looks like the sun and the 80 degrees is holding, so my Ella the Deux, she will probably not be seen on my shoulders anytime soon, but she's ready to go for November.

Also, thanks everyone who contributed an opinion to my colour dilemma. It's just all about perspective, pretty much that's what life ends up being about, perspective. Those are my thoughts these days anyway.

Though I love the colour palette of the Baby Silk, the gauge is so off I'd have to re-design the whole darn thing, so am off looking at other shetland weights that have "better" colours. More earthy, less "loud". And since it's 85 anyway, don't think there will be awhole lot of wool knitting happening anytime soon

And so we move into the land of greens, bye bye yellow and orange...

More on the Road to Colour

The yarn is here, the specific swatching begun, and here is the quandry...

This was to be the final, the chosen, the main selection, the colour palette of choicest choice. And yet...

once the swatching began, the colour palette - in Palette from Knit Picks - is just feeling a little too garish, too "plastic", too something that I am not loving.

Does anyone have any opinions on this? Is it that I am not used to working in orange-ish shades of anything, or is that the yarn looks wrong, or is that though the colour chart looked great, the reality isn't.

I had/have a back up, cuz any modern girl always has a fall back, least that's what my grandmother told me... a second colour palette, a fall back yarn choice, kind of the knittter's equivalent of "mad money".

Contingency Palette. That is what I am calling this one. The colours are earthier, I think that's what is going on for me in the other colour melange, they are not earthy enough, they shout come hither just a little too loudly.

And the Peruvian Baby Silk... it is softer than soft, tho would need to be used doubled... but I cannot think of that just now as the real issue is the colour.

The baby Silk, it is not born into a large extended family, this is pretty much the colour selection here, less a black, and maybe a grey.

Now before anyone starts thinking, the girl has gone mad and is obsessing just a bit too much, I already know that... just bear (bare?) with me and please if you stumble over this post, please chime in with thoughts and comments, I always like thoughts and comments, they sometimes (read, often) help me move myself along in the proper direction.

Does the Palette yarn look great, and I'm just missing the boat on it, or does it look as garish as I am thinking it does? You be the judge...

Some Poppy Colour

Even with just 3 days of a littl sun in the last month, the wild poppies bloom.

Here's a little touch of golden yellow for the Project Spectrum colours of the month.

Transitional Ella - Run Aground... Searching for Lifeboat

So my transitional Project Spectrum piece, Ella II, has come to screeching halt. I pulled out the last and only LL Motherlode, and though it has the same dyelot #, it is in fact not the same, but merely a paler version of the other 3 skeins.

Note, the deep purple mountain's majesty in the knitting, and then note the pale lavender (but lovely) in the unused skein... I pulled it out last night, in the midst of knitting during the home viewing of the Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe (plz tell me they are doing more of these movies) and Mr Athena had to stop the movie so I could turn all the bright lights back on in order to confirm, that in fact, the colour does not even approximate the other 3.

So in the cruel light of day, I am thinking I could do a few things:
#1 and the worst option, start the whole thing again, and use that last mis-matched skein intermittently, adding a muted and cordinating colour woven throughout.

#2 Rip back to the spot where I split the whole thing in two and start using that dratted skein from there, again intermittently

#3 Finish Ella, and leave one side looking like an odd duck. Not a satisfactory solution either.

I will be pondering my latest conundrum, and making a Note to Self.

Note to Self: Check all skeins visually in addition to reading the dye lot numbers, so as to not ruin a perfectly good movie evening.

Oh, and after looking at the post pefore publishing, another note...

Note to Self #2: Scrub grouting between kitchen floor tiles before taking a photo of knitting.

G is for . . .

gold n 1 : a malleable ductile yellow metallic element that occurs chiefly free in a few minerals and is used esp. in coins, jewelry, and dentures 2 a : gold coins b : money 3 a variable colour averaging deep yellow 4 something resembling gold: esp something valued as the finest of its kind {a heart of ~} -Webster's New Collegiate Dictionary

Gold, traditionally regarded as the most precious of all metals, is the perfect metal. The Chinese employ the same ideogram, kin, for both metal and gold. Ancient Egyptians believed that the gods' flesh was made of gold, and images of the Buddha are gilded as a sign of enlightenment and of absolute perfection. In Greek tradition, gold suggests the Sun and the range of symbolism belonging to it – fertility, wealth, dominion, a centre of warmth, love and generosity, the fire of light, knowledge and radiance. The Sun-god Apollo, was clothed and armed with gold — tunic, buckles, lyre, bow, quiver and sandals. -The Penguin Dictionary of Symbols

Gold is the noblest of metals; it is incorruptible and precious. It has an association with the sun and the colour yellow, and is an attribute of the gods Horus, Mithras and Vishnu. In dreams gold is the symbol of precious psychic energies. But it is an ambivalent treasure because of the feeling of power associated with it. -The Mammoth Dictionary of Symbols

I love gold, and yet when I try to work with it, I am often at a loss. This month of April is also the month of yellow and orange - too which I include gold - at the Project Spectrum and I am looking forward to the challenge.

When working with gold in jewelery designs, I find I stick with certain stones and certain colours: pinks, earth-y, reddish, and very occasionaly purples and violets.

Here is a bracelet in process, with the signature pinks and yellows paired. One of my goals this month will be to create something with blues and golds and yellows.

And in the meantime I will finish my transition piece - the red and gold (and purple) Ella. When I knit, I have never chosen anything yellow, gold or orange. Ever. The closest I have come is the gold in this colour "motherlode". So I can't imagine creating something totally yellow or etc., but why not put that thought out there and see what comes back.

And since we got a record 4 hours of sun today, note the over-exposed yellow tone to all the photos. I couldn't bear to colour correct them, as it will be grey and gloomy again tomorrow, I can look at these photos in the next few days and smile.

The rain. The gloom. The clouds. I love rainy weather - I willingly moved to Scotland years ago - but after March with what every one is saying is record rainfall — 25 out of 31 days rainy and grey, and at least 2 more weeks to come, I am feeling a bit gloomy myself.

So G is for Gold and with it a little brightness to push away the ennui.

Don't miss all the beautiful colors of the rainbow looking for that pot of gold. -unknown

Pink-ish Tangent

I have made very little headway on the 2 pink and red projects, the red-burgundy scarf with the alpaca is pretty much where it was, maybe a few more inches, but I was working on it whilst watching the latest cinema version of Pride and Prejudice, and I messed up a row. Probably several rows... and then the pink-y Landscape Scarf, I decided it was going to be too small, so am starting again with Shawl row counts, and will make smaller than full shawl...

IN THE meantime, I did this bag - which I am feeling qualifies as a Project Spectrum piece as it does have some pink - it is to be felted and sent back East, for a silent auction fundraiser for my nephew's pre-school.

And here she is felted, blocking and drying...

There is always a big risk in creating something you have never made before, thus no testing, on a tight deadline, that is meant to be used to "sell". The front flap is belling out, and I was horrified last night, but am determined to make it work today.

Am thinking... add some beads dangling off the front flap, and the bell will be minimized. It's the quick distraction method of finishing - bright shiny objects always neutralize the critical eye.

Pink and Red : Red and Pink

In accepting Margene's meme for the Project Spectrum colours of March, I decided to limit the pink and red things to just what I found in my studio. Out and in full view. No cleaning, no pulling treasures out, just tour and shoot.

I am not a big pink or red person, so I thought it might be hard, but lo and behold, the more I looked, the more I realised that I have many things sitting around that are either/or, and many things that I use everyday, or look at everyday that fit into this colour scheme.

A gift bag purchased because I liked the design elements, and keep it for future ideas.

A broken bracelet, half repaired, and then the whole thing fell on the floor... will deal with that next week.

A box saved, just cuz it might be perfect for a present...

Some pliers to fix the above bracelet.

Some fabric pieces and collage elements that I have yet to decide what I will do with, but I leave them out to remember that I'd like to do something with them in the near future. (that's my story...)

Books I have not put away.

A box of Valentine's that we never got around to writing and sending... can you send them late? You know Christmas/Holiday cards you can send till the end of January... probably not though.

And some Christmas wrapping paper, also not put away yet.

Well, I did learn, or I should say, re-discover, that I still have an issue with cleaning up after myself before moving onto new projects/ideas/etc.

Pink and Red with Grey Skies All Over

Due to the endlessly grey skies, the colour in all photos following is less than... accurate or even colourful. Another storm coming in, from Alaska this time, with lots of cold wind, and more snow for the higher elevations. Ok that sounded a little weather caster talk, but onward to the knitting...

I went with the Alpaca Scarf project in the red or red burgundy. Had to wander all over the yard to find a place to take a photo where the flash wouldn't insist on going off. So the driveway it is. This red is hard to photograph with the el-cheapo camera... no depth, no detail under the grey skies, but the idea is there.

I also had to start another project - more yarn from the hoards (or hoarding) - the Landscape Scarf by Fiber Trends in the erstwhile and exquisite Lorna's Laces in colour Irving Park. It is pink and plum and coral all over, and I feel it fits in to the current colour spectrum. It is also to be a gift for a birthday coming up.

And then there is this:

I mention this here because I am noticing that though I thought I was a pink-a-phobe, I do have quite a few things that pink is a part of. This little piece above, will soon be part of a larger felted bag.

And finally, to leave you with a bit of natural pink, and a premonition of spring to come.

Project Spectrum and the Olympic Spirit

So, now that the Knitting Olympics have extinguished the flame, I am planning for my Project Spectrum red/pink project. I thought I would take this opportunity to knit something I already had yarn for, AND because part of this Spectrum project for me is about being "pushed" to create in colours I might not choose on my own (red being one of them) these are my choices:

PROJECT #1
Faina's Scarf
Fiber Trends Scarf Pattern by Faina Letoutchaia
Yarn: Tree Frog Alpaca Sport Weight
Colour: #26 Red/Burgundy

PROJECT #2
Florence Fountain Lace Scarf
Webs Pattern by Kristen Gonsalves
from Fountain Lace Pattern in Barbara G. Walker's A Second Treasury of Knitting patterns
Yarn: Valley Yarns "Florence"
Colour: #29030 Red/Burgundy

Both are scarves, so I just need to decide: Alpaca or mohair blend? Opinions?

I also have to just give a small woo-hoo for Webs "House" brand - called Valley Yarns. The Seed Stitch Cardigan I just finished for the Olympics was done in the Webs brand "Berkshire Bulky". It is a very strong substitution contender for one of my all time faves the Brown Sheep Lamb's Pride, and the "Florence" a merino and mohair blend pictured above has a great feel. I noticed in the last catalogue I got from Webs a few weeks ago, that they are offering a much larger variety of fibers in their Valley Yarns label. [And I have no affiliation with them, just a consumer vote of approval]

And finally a big thanks to all of you who left comments and sent me e-mails privately about my Olympic Project. All the boob talk may have been a bit over the top, but it was great to receive the funny and touching comments and e-mails from all you girls - large OR small breasted. May the Olympic Spirit continue to burn brightly...