July | 2024 | Knitigating Circumstances

Have any of you been enjoying the release of patterns from Jennifer Beale’s new book? I know I have. The book, Landed, Volume 1: Timeless Lace and Stranded Knitting Patterns for the Adventurous Handknitter, was released as an ebook in May, and every week this summer she has released a pattern for individual purchase as well. The last one showed up in my threads today. Jennifer’s patterns are so creative and interesting, and I was really pleased to see that she was releasing a collection.

Her design work has always featured unusual constructions and a mix of knitting styles and techniques used within the same garment, in contraposition to each other. This collection is marked by the use of fair isle knitting along with lace, combined with architectural details and different directions of stitches and fabrics combined into pleasing wholes.

My favorite is probably Cappahayden, for sheer fun:

It is such a pleasing combination of airy lace and fair isle that plays on the patchwork theme that is so big these days, while doing it with a very modern panache.

For another look entirely, here is Cape Spear:

My first reaction on seeing this one was to wonder “which one is the pattern for – the pullover or the cowl?”. In fact, they are a single garment: a sweater in a dainty lace chevron pattern, with a drapey, voluminous, colour work cowlneck. The more I look at this one, the more I like it. It has a touch of the 1970s about it, without being too 1970s (as someone who lived through the era can attest to).

Sometimes, I am just awed by her tricky constructions, and want to knit them just to be part of the high tech cleverness of her designs. Have a look at the fair isle trim on these pockets, from the design Wabana:

This cardigan not only has the cool pockets and assymetric shape but is combined with a lace stitch pattern on the back. It is a really lovely design.

I’ll finish with one last photo. I could have picked any of them, as they are all fun and unique, but I was very drawn to this coat, Aquaforte, released today:

You can find the collection on Jennifer’s website, here, or on Ravelry here. Make sure you take a look at the amazing skirt, Branch, and the ethereal shawl, Mickeleens Path. The collection is for “the adventurous handknitter” and I don’t think that is overstated. Still, these patterns make me want to take on a knitting challenge.

Are any of you planning to cast on one of these beauties? Have you previously knitted one of her patterns? If so, tell us about it. If not, you can just drool over them with the rest of us.

The last time I posted, I was in Geneva, wishing for warmer weather. Beware what you wish for! Shortly afterwards, I ended up making an impromptu trip to Tucson, where it was 43C. Ouch! That is hot. Boiling hot. After seventeen years in England, I have clearly acclimatised to cooler temperatures (and lots of rain).

Doug and I used to live in Tucson, and now my mother and stepfather, Stuart, live there. Stuart, who is 90 years old, broke his shoulder in February. He has been recovering slowly. Then he and mom got covid again, and he ended up back in the hospital. Mom, too, although briefly. I had hoped to visit them in the autumn when it was cooler out there, but decided I needed to go right away. I’ve just returned from a 9-day trip out there. It was great to see them. Stuart is very frail, but hasn’t lost his sense of humour and lovely smile.

I also got to see my two step-sisters, Jocelyn and Alison:

Jocelyn had just finished knitting a small blanket (literally finished the day before I saw her) and of course, I had to take a photo:

You go, Jossie! She has already started working on her next project, a temperature blanket. Funnily enough, she and my sister, Romi, who lives in New York, discovered that they were in the same temperature blanket group on FB. (Romi’s blanket will be massive; I’ll show you a photo when she’s done.)

And, of course, I got to spend a lot of time with my mom:

The above photo, and the one of me with my stepsisters, were taken by Ben Weissman.

Despite the stress, and the heat, not to mention getting covid again, which I know from experience can really take it out of you, mom is looking great:

As always, when I am travelling, I spent most of my packing time trying to figure out what knitting projects to take with me. In my last post, I had cast on the Hør no 19 tee, in a rich blue linen by Kalinka. A linen tee is a pretty good project for hot weather knitting, so it went in the bag. Mom and I spent the first part of my trip glued to Wimbledon in the early mornings, which made for some good knitting time. You can see that I am making some progress. This is a fun project to knit, with a very intuitive pattern, and some interesting shaping.

I didn’t think it would be good for airplane knitting, however, so before I left I did some stash diving for a very small, lightweight project which could be easily carried in my handbag and knitted on the plane and in crowded airport lounges. I remembered that some months ago I had purchased a kit from Loop London to make the Osaka shawl. I ordered the colourway called London Blues. This shawl is so lightweight and sheer and gorgeous, and makes for good travel knitting:

Despite being knitted in silk mohair, it is also suitable for hot weather knitting, because it weighs almost nothing.

I am now back home, and feeling a bit jetlagged and travel-punched. I figure that gives me the perfect excuse to spend the weekend knitting. I had planned to continue working on the linen tee, but last night I had a knitting idea. It was one of those ideas which may turn out great and may be completely crazy. I am going to settle down now for some serious swatching, and will report back to you later.