Nusalong: Home Stretch!

  

Who lives in a pineapple under the sea? Mer-maid Nu-sa!

(As you can see, I have fallen for the silly pineapple trend as well as the neon colors trend. Why not whack 'em together into one?)

I'm on the home stretch of my Nusalong project, which is to say that I am about to work the turning round. That's really far, right? It's not bad policy to be super late on your own KAL, right? (Sure, self, suuuuuure!)

But really. I am totally planning to bang out the last stripey section in time for the finishing deadline, which is this Friday, May 6th, at 11:59 pm! All you have to have done by the date is the knitting - sewing and blocking can happen in the week after.

And once you're all finished and ready to share photos, we're going to have some cool prizes from me and Three Fates Yarns - all you have to do is post a photo of your FO in the Ravelry FO thread, with your favorite combination of Three Fates aquae fingering colorways, and you'll be entered to win! (FYI, this thread is new and different than the original Nusalong thread.)

The deadline for posting in the thread is Friday, May 13th, at 11:59 pm.

What if you didn't quite finish? That's okay! Post your WIP in the same thread, and you'll be entered to win other cool prizes. More details to come!

Happy Wednesday, friends, and hope your Nusas are Nusaing right along!
<3
Cory

WIP: Sweet Valentine

  

A few months back, I was chatting with Susan from Abstract Fiber, and we started talking about the F/W Collection - and then we both got excited about the idea of working up some of the patterns in her gorgeous yarns! (For those who haven't squished it before, Abstract Fiber is a Portland-based luxury yarn and fiber brand with incredible, saturated tones. And, full disclosure, I miiiiight have picked up an obsession with it lately.)

We settled on Rothko, a 85/15 Polwarth/Silk blend, to knit up another Sweet Root, and Susan generously sent me two skeins in the colorway Red. And oh my gosh, this yarn is amazing. It has a wonderfully crisp, wooly backbone, and just a touch of polish and drape from the silk. Nom!

I've been plugging away on it since the beginning of January in anticipation of Madrona - you'll be able to come visit the sweater at the Abstract Fiber booth, along with my Indigo Lingon - and as of last night, I'm finally in the home stretch! I seamed the back neckline and picked up for the first sleeve, and I'm hoping to have the sleeves done and the whole shebang blocking by this Sunday.

Think I can do it?

The Very Halpful Corglet thinks I can.

Happy Wednesday, friends!

<3

Cory

WIP: Brick

 

A while back, I picked up a skein of squooshy Blue Moon Fiber Arts Targhee Worsted from the shop in a bright, bright red called Brick. On my very long to-do list is to reformat my older patterns, and part of that is knitting up and photographing some new samples. This one, Blake, is the first scarf I ever released as a pattern on Ravelry, and it's so simple that it barely qualifies as design - and yet that's part of what makes it such a wonderful knit: the repetition of knits and purls, the subtle texture, the comforting simplicity of the final product.

And there's the story behind it, too. This scarf is the one that my mom taught to me when I first started knitting, as I awkwardly practiced the difference between knits and purls. I could remember what knits looked like well enough, but got hung up on purls. I had to constantly remind myself that they were the opposite of what they sounded like - not like the smooth, nacreous surface of the pearl itself, but more like its coarse origins: the sand in the shell, the craggy ocean floor.

I knit the scarf over and over again throughout my late teens and early twenties, always as gifts: for friends and lovers, in colors that made me think of them. Evergreen. Black. Sky blue.  Not all of the relationships stuck - in fact, most of them didn't, except for the long-haired, guitar-picking dude who would later become my husband - but the knitting did. The lopsided gait of my hands gradually became more skillful, and after those scarves I turned to bigger and more challenging things - always with the memory of those first tentative stitches, that feeling of ambition and awe at the possibilities that lie in a ball of wool.

And that was maybe the biggest gift of all.

Happy Thursday, friends.
<3
Cory

WIP: Magic Lupine

 

In between my secret projects, I've been knitting on a third Lupine shawl, this time in a coveted skein of Tosh Merino Light in the colorway Magic. Lately, I've been exploring more of the sparkly, Lisa-Frank-tastic style of my '90s youth, which means splatter-dyes and neon and everything funky - which has been fun, and also sort of complicated in weird ways.

I was a pretty serious kid, and even though I did have a sticker book to rival the best of them - I had sparkly, fuzzy, and scratch-n-sniff stickers, organized by type and motif in a Lisa Frank dolphin sticker book, thankyouverymuch - I didn't ever feel like I was cool enough to really participate in trends or fashion in general, so in a small way, I'm attempting to reclaim that experience a bit. (Okay, the current '90s throwback nostalgia is helping too!) It wasn't until I started going to fashion school that I admitted that I even cared about fashion, since my experience of it had been so fraught with feelings of exclusion and inadequacy - some of which was handed to me through media portrayals of beauty and worthiness, and some of which came from an internal sense of perfectionism and self-criticism. Either way, fashion was a very negative thing to me for much of my life, and I'm still sorting through a lot of my beliefs about and experiences of it.

So in my daily making & fashion life lately, I've been trying to explore and challenge those things that we all hear and internalize in childhood, which are reinforced over and over again throughout our lives: you have to be pretty to pull off short hair; being skinnier is always better; women can't have body hair, because it's gross; your hips look big in that dress, and nobody wants that, right? And what I'm finding is that I'm not just enjoying the opportunity to play with fashion and beauty that has felt off-limits to me in the past, I'm also finding that a lot of it feels authentic in ways I didn't expect, which is pretty fucking cool.

 

 In other news, Monsieur Squishy is still on a twice-daily dose of rattie antibiotics, but remains more or less his cranky self. He has become somewhat more personable during his convalescence, but I think his true opinion of us has changed only slightly: Lumberjack and I are still his annoying humans, but now we are his annoying humans who also give him tasty yogurt twice a day.

Good boy, I guess?

Happy Wednesday, friends!

<3

Cory

July So Far

  

From my picture window, I've watched the summer sink its hot teeth into the landscape. In the space of a few weeks, the parking strips have crisped to the color of straw, and most days, the air has laid still and hot over the city, cooling only in the deepest part of the night. The heat is stifling, wilting, and wholly abnormal for this time of year. Even the animals are like, fuck that noise. The other day, I watched as a young crow flew into the yard and perched on the hedge for a second, only to find its feet entangled in the undergrowth of the juniper as it tried to lift off again. Taking this as an affront to its birdliness, it started flapping and squawking and fighting the branch as if it was the most dangerous kind of interloper - but then, somewhere in the middle of this bird-on-tree scuffle, it seemed to realize the absurdity of the endeavor, and hopped off sheepishly into the brush.

I feel ya there, crow.

Thankfully, our basement remains a cool refuge from the heat, and I've kept myself more than busy working, cleaning, designing, reading. I've managed to work steadily on a handful of design projects, and have finally started arranging the house into something approaching a habitable adult dwelling - but, as usual, even after one project is finished, there's always more to do.

And so, onward, July. Have the happiest of Wednesdays, friends!

<3

Cory

WIPs: A Sweater; A Sock; A Plan

  

First off, thank you for your kind words and well-wishes on our house news! It been so wonderful to read your lovely comments, especially after long days of scrubbing, painting, and moving. You guys are the best. <3

But back to knitting! In between everything else going on, I've been trying to focus on just a few knitting projects at a time: sneaking in a few gusset decreases on a plain but sprinkle-tastic pair of socks in Knitted Wit Victory Sock here; knocking out a few rows of my long-suffering Custom Fit blouse there.

Last, I've been scheming a new project to get on my needles: a Robin shawl by Lee Meredith, using butter yellow, soft grey, and neon pink stash yarns - Shibui Sock, Baah! La Jolla, and Tosh Sock, to be precise. I think the weight and twist on these yarns will play very nicely together, and I've already sketched out a few different color variations and hit upon one I really like.

Now, I just need to finish something...! With a studio to finish painting and a whole house to move, I'll have plenty of time for that, right?

Happy Friday, friends!
<3
Cory

WIP: Blue Flannel

 

A few months back, I made some socks for Lumberjack. And, much to my surprise and delight, he wore them - a lot! As in, I had to steal them from his sock drawer to wash them, 'a lot.' After a week of near-constant wearing of the poor things, I realized that one pair of hand-knit socks just wasn't gonna cut it for this guy. So I started more, this time in some old stash yarn in a bright, variegated blue. I knew the yarn wasn't quite my color, but he really liked it, so onto the needles it went.

Overall, I've been trying to pare down not just my clothing and yarn (I'm doing a pretty gigantic purge - stay tuned on that front!) but also my works in progress. I've come to the realization that I often knit things out of a sense of obligation or guilt, usually because I've fallen out of love with the yarn, but it feels wasteful to give it away. Too long I've been making myself work with materials that don't give me the sort of joyful textural & color experience that I value so much in my knitting life - and what's worse is that I'm perfectly aware of it, long before I start!

So my goal in the coming months is to focus on projects and materials that I adore, and to let go of the yarn that doesn't make my heart sing, to make space for a more positive, engaged relationship with both my process and the product it creates.

And at the moment, that's socks for my darlin'.

Happy Friday, friends!

<3

Cory

Sick Day WIP: Lupine

 

I'm home with a cold today, so I've been working on this little shawlette design I started a while back. It's actually the second version of it - the first is already finished, and just needs blocking, photography, and an official write-up! I knit the first in Malabrigo Mechita, a super squishy single-ply that has a slightly hazier, softer texture than its distant cousin, Tosh Merino Light. Mechita was an absolute dream to work with, and has earned a spot on my list of recent favorite yarns.

This second version is being knit up in a skein of Evil Genius Dye Lab M1S from my stash, in the colorway Selena. I'm enjoying the combination of gentle tonal color changes and the simple repetition of the pattern, which has kept me happy while I watch documentaries and drink tons of water and tea in bed.

Happy Wednesday, friends - I'm off to nap!

<3

Cory

WIP: Ondrea Prototype

  

After almost two years of sitting around waiting to be finished, this cardigan is finally on its way again. I knit the second sleeve last week, and this week I crocheted the button band on using math, a crochet hook waaaaay too small to be pleasant, and a fair bit of determination. Since this was a design that I created for my senior fashion show in 2013 - and thus, never meant to be a written-up pattern - I took incredibly crappy notes, which I promptly lost. Because of it, this last bit of work has been pretty much improvised.

It's been a slog, but I think it's worth it: I'm super happy with the way it's turning out. Louet Gems Sport, while a total pain to work with, settles into a heavy, luxurious fabric after blocking; the crochet button band, which made my left index finger cramp and put an indent in the palm of my right hand from working it so frigging tight, is firm and stable and precise. The fit is exactly what I wanted, and I think this sweater will get a fair bit of wear once it's finished.

Now all that's left is to finish setting in the second sleeve, weave in a million ends, give the button band a spritz-blocking, and attach the buttons.

Think I can do it by Sunday? Who knows, but I'm gonna try.

Happy Friday!

<3

Cory

WIP: Opaline

 

Some of my most-worn knits this winter have been fingerless mitts; I wear them pretty much every day, and I find that they're great for both driving and walking around town. Although most days in Seattle, a full mitten is overkill, having just a little bit of warmth on my hands helps keep my fingers toasty. They're also a ridiculously fast project - so fast that I'm not sure why I haven't knit more of them!

I've had this Tosh Chunky in the colorway Opaline in my stash for three or four years, and a few days ago, I decided it was time to make it into mitts. I had forgotten how beautiful and squishy this yarn is - the colorway is almost iridescent, gently shifting from pale violet to glazed blues and pinks with each stitch. (Even Lumberjack commented on how pretty it is.)

The pattern is called Meg's Fingerless Mitts, from Serial Knitters out in Kirkland, although unfortunately it's not listed on Ravelry. It only took me a few hours to knit these up, and I've already given them a bath! Now I just have to be patient and let them dry before I weave in their ends and start wearing them everywhere.

Happy Friday!
<3
Cory

Matcha Blouse, Part I

In the last few weeks, I've been following along as several bloggers - including Doubleknit Podcast bloggers Erin and Jessica - have been working through Colette Patterns's Wardrobe Architect series. Although I haven't decided if I want to take the full plunge, it's definitely been fueling my desire to cultivate a more thoughtful wardrobe - and to finally make some of the projects that have been burning a hole in my stash for a while.

First up: the Sencha Blouse, which I'm calling Matcha after the fabric of the final blouse: a beautiful silk/cotton charmeuse with the luminous yellow-green color of matcha powder.

   

I cut a size 6 to begin with, and ended up making some changes. The size 6 was too big in the bust and waist, so I kept the shoulder & sleeve as a size 6, but blended the side seams down to a 2. (I like my garments very fitted, so this wasn't too surprising.) The final muslin has some ease in the bust with a figure-skimming fit through the waist and hip, which gives it a nice blouson shape. I can definitely see the 40s inspiration - I have a rayon dress from that era with a very similar silhouette in the bodice.

I'm already thinking of working this blouse up in multiple versions and fabrics, maybe in some Liberty of London Tana Lawn or silk crepe de chine. Once I've found the right fit, the possibilities are endless!

My measurements, for reference:

Full bust - 36.5 inches
Underbust - 29.5 inches
Usual bra size - 30DD/E
Waist - 28.5 inches

WIP: Jeyna; Or, Embracing Enough

This year, I am trying out a new thing, which is to consciously choose and value the objects that I have in my life. That doesn't necessarily mean going through and getting rid of everything, or not buying anything ever - but does mean that I'd like to focus on quality & function over instant gratification. In my creative life, that still means experiencing new materials and allowing them to inspire me - but at the end of it, thinking about items that I already own that could fill a particular purpose, instead of taking home a whole new whack of yarn (or fabric, or whatever else.)

Luckily, I work at a yarn shop, which means I get to spend a lot of time surrounded by books, materials, and people that inspire me. And then there are blogs, which I quietly but voraciously read and love, and which are always giving me new ideas and insights.

One of my favorite reads as of late is Kat's blog, The Wayward Knitter. I love how thoughtful Kat is as a knitter and designer, and she has a distinct color sense that I find really inspiring! So when she released the Jeyna shawl pattern just a few weeks ago, I immediately knew I wanted to knit it.

The proportions are lovely, and I can see it worked up in any number of color combinations, from neutral to bold. My instinctive color choice was turquoise and black - and I knew I had some black DK weight alpaca in my stash, but the turquoise had me stumped. I even went on a yarn excursion with my mom, and had decided on another color combination entirely, and was seriously considering buying it... but then that little voice in the back of my mind gently prodded me: I already own the thing that wants to be this shawl, somewhere - I just have to find it.

  

And lo and behold, later that night in my studio, as Lumberjack patiently listened to me go on about colors while gesticulating wildly, I had a flash of inspiration: a lone skein of Abstract Fiber Alto in a deep, gorgeous turquoise - almost 400 yards, just a little more than I needed. There it was, and it was perfect.

It's funny - even thought I thrive on creative constraints in design, for some reason I had never let that idea fully translate into my knitting life. Now that I have it in mind, though, I'm excited for the possibilities and opportunities in embracing enough.

Happy Wednesday, friends!

<3

Cory

Pattern photos of Jeyna belong to Kat Riddell (2015) and are used with permission.

Reimagining Clothing: Plain Wool Cardigan

 

Slowly, over the last ten years or so, I've built up a wardrobe made up of mostly thrifted, vintage, or free items. The only items I don't thrift are jeans, shoes, and undergarments, because it's difficult to find the level of comfort and fit I want unless I buy them new. Goodwill and Value Village are the source of most of my wardrobe staples - and it's pretty amazing how much quality clothing you can find, very inexpensively, from places like these. And because the garments are so inexpensive, it's an easy way to try out trends or silhouettes without a huge investment - not only that, I like the idea of giving new life to clothes that might otherwise have been discarded.

Despite the low cost of much of my wardrobe, I try to only keep items that I really love - and up until a few weeks ago, I was thinking that it was time to modify or let go of this cream wool cardigan. It has a flattering shape and color - but it's also really, really boring, and I never found myself reaching for it in the morning. At the same time, it's a great cardigan, and it seemed a shame to get rid of it.

So when I was thrifting a few weeks ago and found this stained, too-big Lands End cotton cardigan with a super cute enamel detail, I decided to spend the 6 dollars to see if I could poach the elements from one cardigan to make another cardigan more wearable. A few minutes in Illustrator, and here's what I came up with:



I'm hoping that the addition of graphic, colorful details will turn this warm but boring sweater into a wardrobe staple.

We'll see how it goes!

Happy Monday,
Cory

WIP: Sekku Loop

 

This skein of Sekku, a discontinued cotton blend laceweight from Noro, has been sitting in my stash for about five years - one of my many treasured skeins from my college LYS, Smith's. Over two years ago (yikes) I decided to knit it up into a Multnomah shawl, but I found myself really frustrated with the yarn. I found a knot that significantly shifted the color changes, dropped the project for over a year, and finally took a hard look at it and decided that such a lovely pattern would be better suited to a less needy yarn. So I ripped it out, and gave it a quick steam, and forgot about it.

I was cleaning my studio last week and rediscovered the yarn, wound into a cute little ball, and decided to give it another chance. When I touched it, I immediately knew that it didn't want to be knit - it wanted to be crocheted! I thought an open, lacy crochet stitch would showcase the rustic hand and long, subtle color transitions of the yarn, and a cowl would be a great accent piece for all those beautiful colors.

And I was right! I used the same pattern as my Tart Loop - a free pattern from Bad Woman Yarns in the Wallingford neighborhood of Seattle - because I wear it almost constantly. This project has gone blazingly fast, and I've been feeling a newly rekindled love for Noro - the unusual yet perfectly balanced color changes, the gentle thick-thin character of the yarn, the delicate yet tangible weight of the finished fabric.

It's funny how sometimes projects have to percolate for a while in my brain, and it's really nice to have one of them come to life so quickly - and so successfully.

Happy Wednesday!
<3
Cory

WIP: Talus

 

Two days after the first snow of the year, our neighbor's roof is still covered in a mosaic of ice. The basement tile is too cold to walk on in bare feet, and even the hardwood in the kitchen radiates a muffled chill. But still, the winter sun cuts through the upstairs windows, filling the room with soft yellow light and the deceitful promise of warmth.

This weekend, folded up on the couch until the early morning hours, I cast on for Talus. The wind is thin and cold outside, but inside, I knit: heat on, air golden with dust motes and sun, the rats sleeping with their heads tucked into their bellies.

The winter may be long, but I have miles and miles of wool to keep away the cold. And soon, another little hat to keep me warm.

------------------------------------

On another note, I will be taking a (hopefully short) hiatus, so that I can finish my schoolwork for graduation. I may pop in here and there, but my hope is that I'll be back to regular posting in January.

Happy Monday, and stay warm out there.

<3

Cory