Fragments of Kodachrome: "The Greens of Summer"

Please note: This post has been cross-posted at kodachromeknits.blogspot.com and I recommend reading the post "over there" as the photos appear much more clearly. Thanks!

The other day, KnitandTonic wrote about how she never (or rarely) wears any of her finished items. When I read that, I felt really quite sad and disappointed. If her FOs aren't worthy of hitting the street, then whose are? Then many of you wrote into her comments section, noting that you too don't feel that you can wear your knitted garments out in public. Again, I felt that this was really too bad.

Thankfully, many others wrote just the opposite--that you wear yours with pride. Certainly, I feel a real joy, for instance, when I notice that Carrieoke is wearing one of her FOs to work, and that she even takes the time to photograph herself in her office washroom. Or that she even wears them out in the evening. This is the type of moxie I like to see in the knitting community; not shame, but pride in what we do and what we create.

So today, I broke out Orangina and wore her to work. All Day! And not one person looked at me in horror, or as though I were poor, or as though I were a "sad, old woman," or as though I were some freakish, bag lady. In fact, I thought I looked pretty good.

But I have to admit, had someone said, "Did you make that top?", I probably would have felt a mixture of embarrassment and pride, trying to figure out whether or not the question was a compliment or an insult. But just for a second would I care. And then I would get on with feeling good and enjoying what I can make with my own hands, a bit of string, and two good sticks (or in this case, a circ.). Oh, and of course, let's not forget Glampyre's great pattern, as well!

Pattern: Orangina, by Glampyre, XS

Yarn: Rowan 4-Ply Cotton (Ripple), 3 skeins

Needles: US 3 24' circular

Modifications: I cast on for the XS size, minus 18 stitches, so I could make an XSS. I'm not an XSS but as many have pointed out, this pattern knits up a bit loose otherwise. I took much of my modification advice from Domesticat, whose version of Orangina really inspired me to make this top.

And for those of you who feel your knitted items just aren't beautiful enough to wear out of the house, I leave you with this little beauty, found outside my door today. I once thought portulaca plants were ugly, and despaired when my mother would plant them in mass quantities about the yard. Guess what? I now love them and think they're just so pretty.

Just like I've come to feel about my FOs.

So hey, when should we declare the International "Wear-Your-FOs-To-Work" Day?

If you go over to visit my other blog--kodachromeknits.blogspot.com--(I'm trying to get the time to figure out blogger so that I can eventually move everything over to blogspot), you'll find my version of Eunny Lang's Print O' The Wave Stole. See you there!

PS: Amanda: Thanks for your comment. The yarn for my Zebra Jaywalkers was Fortissima Colori (75% wool; 25% polamide) which I got from Elann but I just checked and they do not have the same in stock at the moment.

Dear Grumperina,

I've been away on vacation for a long, long time; upon returning home late last night, I immediately checked in on all of my favourite blogs. Much to my surprise (followed by delight), I discovered that I have been missing out on quite an event going on at "Chez Grumperina".

So, without further ado, here's my version of Jaywalker, which I permit you to publish in your readers' gallery.

I like to think of this photo shoot as: "Zebra Jaywalker goes awalkin' in the garden..."

And because this is the first time I've ever contacted you (yes, yet another lurker in the weeds...), I'd like to take this opportunity to thank you for the savy pattern, for the insightful, intelligent blog, and for bringing "pleasurable grumpiness" into the knitting-blog community.

Warm regards,
Kodachrome

Some photos of the blocking process.

I'm getting so excited to wear this top, especially as we leave today for a summer-vacation roadtrip. I want to wear her for the first leg of the journey so dry baby dry!

Meet Kodachrome Knits!

Camera Shot #1:

As you can see pictured here on the left, Kodachrome has been in training for a couple of months now, and is looking to be in fine form.

She started with some handpainted yarn for an Ene's Shawl, and then moved on to the Nancy Bush Friday Harbor Socks. Things were going swimmingly with this lace stuff, so heroically (or crazily?) she quickly moved onto Glampyre's famous lace top, Orangina. When seeing the announcement for the Amazing Lace, Kodachrome quite candidily said, "No sweat...I dig this lace gig."


Camera Shot #2:

So feeling fine and confident with so much training, Kodachrome put together her OFFICIAL TEAM PHOTO and announced that her project would be Eunny Lang's Print O' The Wave Stole with Rowan Kidsilk Haze. By the time the starting gun would be fired, announcing the beginning of the race, she was sure to have that Ene Shawl completed, both Friday Harbor Socks gracing her feet, all while strutting around in her newly completed Orangina. Indeed, with all this training, Kodachrome felt that nothing would get in her way--nothing at all.

But wait a minute: why is Kodachrome wearing only one sock in her OFFICAL TEAM PHOTO? And Ene's shawl--there's barely any of it there! And Orangina-what's up with the top? The needles are dangling off of the ribbing and clearly the seams have yet to be sewn. Obviously, in the training months, there's been some problems and obstacles. Maybe Kodachrome isn't as ready for the Print O' The Wave Stole as she thought.

Oh no! What's that? She hasn't even ordered the yarn?? What's going on??

Oh, Kodachrome--there seemed to be so much promise there....

PS: I know that this post did not make the first official deadline, but PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE CONSIDER ALLOWING IT IN FOR THE FIRST ROUND OF JUDGING. I HAVE A REASON IT WAS LATE: LOOK AT WHAT TODAY'S DEADLINE COINCIDED WITH: Please, oh please, still allow me in for the first round of judging. I didn't know that I was being given a surprise evening on my birthday, and had everything planned for posting my blog entry on time this evening...

...and soon to being no longer 32...

As we enter a new month of Project Spectrum, I'll give you a wee peek into something becoming blue. Can anyone guess what it is going to be?

And in the meantime, I'm going to ponder what tomorrow's post will be: a gathering of reflections on what 32 was to me, and what I hope 33 to be...

Until then, I wish that everyone enjoys the Blues of June...

(By the way, I'm slowing switching over to blogspot so come on over and see my other blog in the making at: "kodachromeknits.blogspot.com". Thanks!)

Where did May go?

Between writing like a madwoman all day (I'm so trying to get this dissertation done!) and working to complete Orangina and Morph/Kate the Cat at night--all while INDECISIVELY trying to DECIDE on the Amazing Lace Final Details--I have managed to miss posting my FINAL GREENS OF SUMMER. I've also been remiss about getting the final greens posted because, for whatever reason (my ignorance, probably), I've been unable to upload any photos to my posts and so I've just deleted them.

But darn it, I think (while taking a break from said dissertation) I've figured out what was going wrong when posting photos. And so whether you like it or not, and whether it breaks all rules of PROJECT SPECTRUM, here, damn you, are Kodachrome's last "Greens of Summer" and "Greens of Home":

It would never really be summer, of course, without the greens of the ball fields. (Go Tigers!)

And without the greens of backyard ponds...And how I loved spotting Greens about our house.



And one of my favourite teapots:



And of course, when sipping tea,
one must be reading...

...in one's favourite thrift-find chairs...







And while doing so, the dog, of course, is at my feet...


--ok--he's obviously not green :)

DETOUR AND DELAY.

For these reasons, I can't get started:

OBSTACLE #1: BLOGSPIRIT.

Blogspirit doesn't seem to be letting me post any photos and therefore I don't want to post, really. For who wants to read a post sans photo? Not me! Boring, I say. The Amazing Lace Challenge 1 will just have to wait another day.

OBSTACLE #2. ME.

I'm plagued by indecision and by a lack of time right now. Who knew that a major dissertation deadline would interfere with the more important aspects of life--like the Amazing Lace? Hum-bug.

So, until I can figure out what's up with the photo problem, and until I can figure out what yarn I really want to use to make my Print o' the Wave [or Kiri??] stole--(should I use Rowan Kidsilk Haze? I hear it's just like crack! Or should I use Alpaca-Silk from Elann which is sooooooo much cheaper?)--my team will just have to remain stalled in this endless-seeming DELAY-DETOUR.

Go for the Crack? Go for the Cheap? Who can decide?

I'm definitely open for suggestions--
Later.

Jodie at strings and yarns saw that I have joined the Amazing Lace KAL and that she and I are making the same project: Eunny's Print o' the Wave Stole. In her comment to me, Jodie politiely asks, "Are you an accomplished lace knitter?" Ha!!!!

The only shawl/stole I ever attempted was last December: I took on Ene's Shawl from Scarf Style. The photo you see here is the progress I made since December '05. GULP. (Granted, I did leave my Scarf Style book on a flight to Houston in February so the Ene's Shawl then completely came to a halt as I refused to re-purchase the book. With Eunny's PDF pattern to the Print O' The Wave Stole free on her website, they'll be no such excuses this time to avoid the lace-race!)

What have I gotten myself into??

I figure, if one's going to enter this knitting-blogging community, why not go big? Details to come soon.



And here are some other small steps I've made into the knit-blog world:





(Scroll down the left side panel and you'll find the links to the following rings I've joined: "Canadian Bloggers, "Texas Knitters," and "Academics Knit.")