Revealed

Part of the current project – Neptune, in a colour I love [intense, luscious and beautiful… black] and in a wool I adore. Softly variegated, the rich, dark tones look even nicer in reverse stocking stitch - less defined, subtle.

It has incredible colour and texture and is knitting up differently than imagined. Better. Much, much better. Perfect I would say. A simple piece that gently falls away from the body, without being oversized or baggy.

I could’ve shown the entire front [and back] but it really needs sleeves to make it a whole. And perhaps different buttons [these are the original metal SKIF buttons that came with the pattern].

Oh, and did I mention the colour?

Joy.

Just, joy.

Martha Update

İ'm in İstanbul!!!
İ knitted A LOT on Martha. İ have completed the first sleeve, and am on the BODY. İ'm so excited!!! For those of you thinking about knitting her, 24 inch Addis are working just fine for me. (İ can't find the inch symbol on this European keyboard to save my life!!!) İ don't have a camera handy, but will try to post again within the next few days.

Finally, I'm swatching for a SKIF! Martha, that is...

Phew!

I've been a very, very bad SKIF fan. BUT, I'm finally here. This is a close-up of my Martha swatch. In the tradition of SKIF, I've tried to incorporate "sewing thread" into my yarn to make it look like the SKIF sweaters sold in boutiques and that I see at market on those Deep South Fibers girls.

I got very lucky. I was in my friendly Hancock's Fabric store on Sunday, and lo and behold, the Maxi Lock sewing thread was on sale for $1.77/spool, 3000 yds. per spool! (I haven't been able to see this swatch in real life as well as I can in this photo!) So, I bought two shades of orange and two shades of my favorite, chartreuse/lime green, because I knew I would have SOMETHING at home to put it with for another SKIF, maybe the next one, CAT.

I got home with my thread, and put the oranges with some Schaeffer Anne that I bought in Reno a couple of weeks ago. It's perfect!!! I'm going to knit this sweater to and from Turkey, where I'm going to see my Mom and siblings. Here is a photo of a small pile of "Martha" yarn.

I've got only one Martha pattern left. However, I've ordered more, and they're on the way! I won't be able to fill any more orders until I get back from the homeland on the 28th. Turkish food, here I come!

Martha

I was all ready to experiment with some Habu silk and bamboo, but now that I can look at the pattern more closely, I'm thinking that Martha would be better knitted with yarns more appropriate for cooler weather. Specifically, I think the elasticity of wool would work well with its sideways construction.

It seems to me that silk, bamboo, cotton, or linen might stretch in an unflattering manner, but something really springy like a couple of strands of wool sock yarn would be terrific, particularly, handpainted yarns (maybe one solid and one variegated) to play up the unusual directionality of the piece.

Does anyone have differing thoughts on what fibers would be appropriate?