This last year has been really great! Traveling around the country a little more than I usually do, I’ve met and chatted with a lot of knitters in different parts of the country, from different parts of the country.
What’s really intriguing to me right now, as the temperatures climb back up the scale here in the Big Windy, is what Warm Weather Knitters are doing and making. I’m putting the finishing touches on some wool-work for the Fall collection and I’m just more and more curious about those who knit in climates where wool would be INSANE because its making me more than a little crazy to touch the stuff right now! My knitting is usually different from others because I’m on an off-set deadline merry-go-round of releases where nothing is in-sync with what the weather is actually doing. Viva la mode!
But I still like to sneak in the occasional personal project and this I Know: Even though for a lot of the year in Chicago, we are overheated to compensate for the COLD, come summertime, we suddenly FREEZE ourselves indoors to compensate for whatever WARMTH is shining down on us outside (and, my friends, it fries). This IS one of our sweet mysteries of life!
What this means is that you can never be without something to protect yourself from the often sudden attack of the air conditioning; that we all need a little something to ward off the best intentions of over-zealous building managers everywhere!
A few weeks ago, I went to the Oriental Theatre to see “Billy Elliot” and proactively brought a cotton shrug with me to ward off the inevitable chill.
But how did I reallly end up wearing it? Over my shoulders like a stole! Even in its smaller size, it protected my bare arms (sleeveless to endure what was really going on Outside) inside the building enough to make the light bulb go on!
Why didn’t I have a Stole?
Having made only one shawl in my life, I’ve realized that perhaps they are not my cup-o-tea. But stoles? I’ve started (and flaked) on a couple. One stalled and disappeared back to stash because I made it too wide and it became oppressively heavy. It became this instead. The other is still in progress and I hope to re-catch the Muse at some point and finish it.
But what also dawned on me at the show (my mind was drifting a lot because there was a Big Barrel-Headed Guy sitting in front of me blocking my view for most of the performance and it was like listening to a radio show so I automatically began multi-tasking) was that I really liked what I’d made my shrug from: mercerized cotton.
So, to reward myself for the Marathon that is TNNA and releasing a Fall Collection, I got some more, this time in a sportweight: Elann “Lara” in a lovely lovely Navy Blue they call 308 Marine.
My plan? An urban, chic stole to wear over the collection of sleeveless dresses and looks already in the house. Will this translates to a little lace? Maybe a little texture?
And like being too rich or too thin, one cannot have too many stitch dictionaries…
I recently got this in the mail:
Vogue Knitting Stitchionary Volume 5
This is the 5th book in the Vogue Stitchionary series and I must say, it is my favorite! (And so nice of them to shoot some of the pictures in the same color that my yarn is! Heh!) This volume is packed full of gorgeous lace work.
The instructions include both charted and written out versions so the knitter can relate easily to their favorite presentation without fussing about.
I especially like the clear photography of the samples. Lately, and clue me in on why, some of the books I’ve seen have rather blurred, non-professional pictures – maybe the paper? maybe the post-processing? (in a recent one, all of the pictures had a weird yellow cast).
This edition has wonderful example pix that in many of the entries are a 4×4 swatch! The charts use standard, simple symbols with the same no-clutter look that I use on my charts: easy to read and legible. Unique stitches are explained and each entry has a stitch key right by its instructions, so there’s no waffling back and forth in the book trying to decipher the charts.
But my favorite thing is there’s quite a few renditions I have not seen before and that’s very nice. Well done Vogue!
If you would like to have a copy of this book, leave a comment saying hello below and we’ll draw a random winner on July 18!
I would love to make a stole using a lace pattern and a light yarn. That makes much more sense in Atlanta.
Hello, that is one I have eyes, so that would be great.
Karin
The blue you chose is magnifique. How I would love a cop of the book so that I can enhance my lace knitting skills!
Beautiful color. Hope you add some lace!!
Hi! You’ve chosen my favorite color, blue. Beautiful! I’ve been having a love affair with lace lately.
I would love it!
I have not joined the stole/shawl bandwagon, yet. I seem to always revert back to my little lace-like sweaters with 3/4 sleeves to take into places where I know the air conditioning will be set to -0 or some such thing. Anxious to see what you come up with design-wise with your stole. I do love the color you have chosen.
ooh, ooh, me-me pick me!
I absolutely adore stitch dictionaries, they make up probably 90% of my knitting library.
I was just pondering the something of the same this morning while walking to work- what DO knitters in warm climates work on all the time? I’ve been neglectful of my recent project because it’s too warm to knit a wool sweater, and thus I have not been knitting at all…
I would love a copy of this book! Love your blog!
Yours is a daily part of my blog roll. I love seeing the new things you come up with. Wish I were as creative! Would love that book, too! Happy Summer!
I can’t wait to see how the stole comes out! I am looking at starting a similar project and am interested in seeing what you come up with.
Please enter me into the contest as well!
I love your designs! I’m currently knitting Cassidy, and I’m looking forward to knitting two more cardigans that you’ve designed. Keep up the great work!!
Third time may be the charm – I’ve entered to win this Vogue book twice before. Who knows?
Hello! I can’t wait to see your stole, and I love the blue you chose!
LOVE the color of the cotton. Can’t wait to see pics of the finished stole.
I’ve made about 6 small shawls, and actually kept a couple for myself! I think a stole would work out in my wardrobe very nicely. Can’t wait to see yours. Also, having the book would be great.
Hi there! I love to make a shawl for my children’s teachers every year. They are always a big hit.
Hi! I really like the color of that yarn. Can’t wait to see what it becomes.
Hi! I can’t wait to see how the stole turns out. I would love to win the book too. Thanks for having the giveaway.
hello!
Can’t wait to see what you come up with for your stole!
I love leafing through sitich dictionaries – this one looks especially attractive
Gorgeous blue. I think I’m done with my current run of yellow/gold yarn purchases & I’m moving on to blue glass coloured yarn. Count me in for the book!
Pretty yarn for your new project. I can’t wait to see the new fall patterns from Chic Knits!
Love your patterns, so this one will be a hit too! Happy 4th of July everyone!!!
What a pretty blue for your stole! The book sounds great. Thanks for the giveaway!
Love the thought of that new book….I’m a new lace knitter 3 projects completed so far. You are an inspiration because my next project is to be stoll…..Thanks for the book to be given away
I am so enjoying knitting your patterns. I love your stole too. Thanks for everything.
Would love a new book! Thanks for the opportunity to win one.
Thank you for sharing! This looks like a wonderful book!
Happy 4th of July weekend.
Hello! I would love to win a copy of the book just in time for my bday!
I’ve been looking for this book in my local stores but have yet to locate one…fingers crossed that one will find me soon :)
I’ve been ogling, or as some say, “oogling” this book for quite a while. Crossing my fingers that I am lucky!! Happy 4th, Bonne Marie!
Your patterns are always great – I can’t wait to see what happens next!
What a fantastic idea! But please, oh please, would love a stole that doesn’t have a V-shape that points to my toosh!!! A beautiful, wearable, crescent-shape that can be worn as a scarf/stole-ette is my dream!
Thanks for the chance to win this book. Love your blog!
Hello!
Hello! Lovely yarn. Looking forward to seeing the finished stole. Thanks for the contest!
I love the color of your yarn! This not really a navy blue, it is better!! I will watch for your completed stole.
After living 30 years in A/C almost all the time, I always have a sweater, wrap, etc. with me. love that navy blue color!
Make a pattern of your stole. I love stoles and I love your patterns so it should be good. I’ll test knit it for you :)
Hi! I’ll join this lottery and hope to win the lottery.
Here in NC it is indeed hot, hot, hot (and o-so-humid!) and people here tend to move from air-conditioned place through the mugginess into other too-air-conditioned places (or, sometimes, places not air-conditioned at all), so I can totally relate to needing extra layers to accommodate this.
I just got some Elann “Lara” myself…in a brilliant shade of scarlet red, my fave color! I am planning on making the pinwheel sweater that they feature on Elann’s website. Of course, I had to have my namesake yarn!
Love Chic Knits’ patterns…I have quite a few WIPs. Keep up the good work!
Hi!
The stole is great. I live in Mississippi and in the summer, I like to work on socks, iight cardigans, and lace…nothing heavy on my lap. I have found that worsted weight sweaters are too heavy (I can wear them as a jacket). If I want a wool sweater, it has to be dk or lighter. It gets cold in MS just not that cold.
Hello!
I love stoles in the summer to ward off the air conditioning chill.
Love the color you chose for your stole. Can’t wait to see it.
I love something light to toss over my shoulders. I’ve never been colder in my life than indoors during really hot weather — what is it with those over-zealous building managers, anyway? And that lovely book is on my must-have list, so if the random gods smile upon me and I win a copy, that will be really nice.
Can’t wait to see the stole, and I’m sure there’ll be a pattern to go with it… I have that book on my must own list, and getting it for free would be great!
Hello, Bonne Marie…I love the colour of your yarn and sorry you could not see your theatre show due to a “big head”! I love the idea of the new book and of course as many others would like to win it. As always, I eagerly await your creations. ‘Bye for now.
It will be interesting to see how you incorporate the stole into your warm weather wardrobe.
I love Elann Lara. I love mercerized cotton. I love stitchionaries. And I love your patterns. I can’t wait to see what you come up with!