Work, Rest, Work, Play

Sorry it's been so long since my last post - obviously I needed some time to rest up after my marathon teaching trip.

I'm rested - sort of - and working hard. I just finished a delightful swing coat for a new book (not mine, I'm just contributing...) and I'm jumping back into History on Two Needles with wild abandon!

There are two projects I'm working on for it concurrently; a fur stole, and a Knight's Dress.

FUR STOLE
Based on an 1896 portrait of the writer and salonist Natalie Clifford by artist Alice Pike Barney, this will probably be one of the simplest pieces in the book. I'm using a cool novelty yarn by Crystal Palace, Splash (85yds /78m 3.5oz /100gr) per skein in 3 colors; Jaguar, Sable and Black.

The construction will be simple - short rows - and all in garter. The trickiest part will be picking up sts to create the base for the faux fox "cravat" which gives the whole piece the shape it requires. Still working that through...

It's a fun and simple knit, though - and today is cool enough that I can work on it without becoming too enmeshed in strands of fake fur.

I'm not the hugest novelty yarn fan, but I do feel that it has it's place, and when it's required there's NOTHING that can take it's place. A bit of fun in knitting isn't bad - but we all know how easy it is to get carried away...

KNIGHT MINI DRESS & HOOD
A simpler silhouette, although a tricker knit, will be a mini dress & hood based on the tomb effigy of the Black Prince - Edward, Prince of Wales (15 June 1330 Ð 8 June 1376)

He would have been Edward IV had he not died of a wasting illness (cancer? MS?) The throne passed to his son, who became Richard II. I'm hoping to see the tomb in person while I'm in England in August.

I love the silhouette of the simple jerkin, and REALLY love the shaping shown in the BP's garment. I'm not going to add shaping per se, I want to keep it simple, but I will work the entire back in ribbing which will pull in at the waist and create the look I want.

I also relish the chance for a bit of jacquard work, which is how I intend to create the embossed motifs from the effigy.

The direction I'm moving is to work the front of the piece in parti-color stockinette st sections with rev st st fleurs de lis and leopards/lions. It's going to be a fun knit!

The fiber I'm using for this is Berroco's Pure Merino Chine,
(92yds /84m 1.75oz /50gr) in Bronge and Yelloise.

So now you know why I've been so quiet. Lots of knitting, and the heat really set me back. I'm a cool-weather lover.

AND I received a packet of Great Northern's mink/cashmere (oh my god) yarn which caused a bit of a swoon.

It took me a full day to find the smelling salts. I'll write more about this amazing yarn when I've swatched it up and blocked it (I've been told it blooms like a rose!)

It's so much fun that I feel guilty knitting it up. Oh - just so's you know - NO minks were harmed in the manufacture of this yarn, they were gently combed by 18 sensitive virgins in a darkened room. (I'm joking about the virgins, but the minks were NOT killed to make the yarn)

And now back to my previously scheduled knitting...