Dear Kay,
I’m deep into a Crazy Zauberball binge right now.
If you don’t know what a Crazy Zauberball is, please. Proceed with caution.
It hit a couple of weeks ago, when I was thinking about socks. Socks are fun, I thought. Haven’t made a sock in a while. Maybe I’ll make two. Put one on each foot and have a swell time of it.
When you look at a selection of sock yarns, Crazy Zauberballs jump right out at you. They look different from other sock yarns. They are so sincerely crazy—those bands of color are wound so tidily, the barber pole so twisty.
Another thing: Zauberballs look like wool, a little closer to the sheep than most other sock yarns. Zauberballs do have the 25% nylon that makes it a practical sock yarn, but somehow the Zauberball has a nice, rustic feel to it.
I ditched my sock plan pretty fast. I wanted only to Zauberball, uninterrupted.
I’ve been getting a lot of joy out of knitting triangle-shaped things. One skeiners, little snacks of yarn with no big agenda. The slow shifting colors in a Crazy Zauberball are just the thing when you’re feeling sort of aimless about your knitting.
First Zaubersperiment: Åsne by Finland’s own Eeva Kesäkuu. An asymmetrical triangle, yarnovers and garter stitch all the way.
The priss in me hastens to point out that I haven’t blocked this yet.
Second up: Kerchief by Ireland’s own Kieran Foley.
Kieran Foley is so amazing. I’m a recent convert, and Kerchief is my first stab at these knit/lab patterns, but good lord, there is no end of invention to be found there.
If you click on only one thing today, this is the click. I have never seen anything like these hybrid patterns. They are stunning. In particular, Renaissance Stripes is worked on US size 0 needles, using 67 mini skeins of laceweight merino. PS: The stripes are worked vertically, eight colors in each row. Fifty-six intrepid masochists have posted their projects on Ravelry. Go give them all a high five. Count me gobsmacked.
MEANWHILE, I’m enjoying this puttering little crescent. I wanted to try stranded knitting worked flat, just to be sure that my deep preference for working stranded knitting in the round isn’t just crazytalk.
I’m not crazy. Working two colors in a purl row is not my idea of a good time. However, in Kerchief, there are only five rows of it, so I put my head down and thought of England. (That’s Alice Starmore yarn in the stranded section; Crazy Zauberball isn’t that crazy.) I’m curious how Kieran Foley works gigantic shawls using flat stranded knitting. I’m not even vaguely coordinated enough for that.
Finally, I think that the way Crazy Zauberballs are wound is brilliant. It makes you want to knit your way down to, say, teal as fast as you can. I dismantled one to see how many colorways I could discern, and the answer is: ten. At least ten distinct colors, though of course it’s impossible to put my finger on where exactly one color starts and the previous one ends. It’s crazy, I tell you.
Love,
Ann
I am glad you have found Kieran Foley. I have knitted two of his lace stoles for wedding shawls and about to start a third. His stranded and lace work in one garment is stunning.
Zauberball makes great socks, they go in the washer, wear well, and provide endless entertainment in watching the colors change. I like the heavier version, Zauberballe Starke 6, with size 3 needles, so I can knit a pair of socks in a reasonable length of time.
Yes, Foley really is fabulous. I’d given up on knitting two colors flat, but maybe five rows I could manage. And he does have some really amazing patterns that take only one color; maybe even Zauberball would work.
My favorite sock yarn! Knitting a matching pair is impossible but that doesn’t bother us truly creative types, does it?
Oh my.
If anyone is thinking that knitting isn’t art they just need to go click that link.
Gosh – that Renaissance Stripes number is amazing! The project of a lifetime.
Knitted up my first Zauberballe this past winter making a pair of socks for my husband. Liked it very much. He chose a rather conservative black and white colorway, though. I’d like to do another project in something a bit splashier.
Ah, the thrill of discovering Crazy Zaubrrball! Welcome to the club! I love it combined with semi-solids. See my Crazy Rockefeller, ‘Spectra,Finally,’ and the almost-finished project of a recent trip, ‘Lightdove’s match for moving around ‘ on ravelry. Seeing the colors change is a great motivator for knitting on. And on.
Thanks for the intro to those wild KnitLab patterns, and for giving us all our daily blog!
On a simpler note, I have made several Baktus scarfs out of Crazy Zauberball and enjoying watching the unfolding of the colors.
Gosh, Ann. I have such a sense of deju vu with this post! So it’s doubly inspiring.
I have been a fan of Kieran Foley’s work since I saw his Sari on Ravellry and thought they had expanded to include sewing arts. His knitting is breathtaking! Hoping Vigue Live (or one of the shows) brings him to the US, I would love to see/touch his work in person.
Siri, I said Vogue Live!
I have a crazy Zauberball in that same green colorway. Now I finally know what it’s going to be!
I did some flat stranding in Susan Ashcroft’s Highland Fling. I cursed a lot but it was fine. It was only a small section of that shawl.
I have some Zauberball somewhere in the stash. . . .
I had the chance to see Kieran’s work in person while visiting Ireland last October. It is amazing and his color selection is the best. Everything about his work is perfect. He is a very nice chap and very humble.
I may have to venture out and try one of his designs!
I have admired/avoided Mr. Foley’s work for several years now. Please, please do not knit something so stunning that I think “Hey, maybe I can do that, too.” Down that road lies folly I am sure. But you enjoy, now.
Kieran’s work is amazing and he makes his patterns very clear. They are the very best in knitting fun!
Melissa LaBarre designed some seriously cute cowls using CrazyZ. Check out August Loop and September Circle. http://www.ravelry.com/bundles/cowls-29
A little lacy, very fun to knit.
Another recommendation for the Zauberball aficionado:
http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/tourlaville-shawl
Not lace, per se, but brioche! And definitely in my bucket list.
I just recently finished a Sari and it was the hardest and most rewarding thing I’ve ever knit. I now have lust in my heart for the Lotus Crescent, but I think I need to rest for a few years before I tackle it.
Yes. I’m a fan of Zauberball, but knit/lab practically has its own section in my Ravelry favorites. (The bundle name: Gasp!) They’re so beautiful! I’m unsure I could make them work with yarn subs, though, and it seems like often the yarn used is discontinued by the time I discover them. *sob* I’m unsure of what to do about this. Another hurdle: choosing which one to start with. They’re all so breathtaking, how does one choose?
I was lucky enough to briefly meet Mr. Foley at The Constant Knitter (a darling shop, btw) in Dublin last spring. He was so quiet and humble — I was gobsmacked when the shop’s owner informed me that yes, he was THAT Kieran Foley.
The knit/lab items are stunning but I’m sure I’d lose whatever sanity I still have trying to knit any of them. I’ll stick to gazing from afar.
I don’t have any Zauberball as I’m not that much of a variegated yarn fan but I did recently fall for a few hand dyed by my fave – Sundara. I’m a sweater knitter for the most part so faced how to break up the runs of a color. I’ve hobbled together my own pattern using a slip 1, knit 1 pattern which is working out quite well.
Any suggestions for the next batch? The yarn is Fingering and I prefer cardigans.
That click took my breath away! I immediately started to think how those patterns would also look if woven or needlepointed. The possibilities are endless. Mr. Foley is brilliant. Thank you for that moment to start my day.
Holy cats. Those KF patterns are next level.
I love Crazy Zauberball–the name itself is so eurotaining, as my husband would say.
I love the colors in your Åsne – reminds me of the many colors of lichens on stones and bark. An all-season eyeful of tones, especially welcome in winter.
And wow, that is quite a link! Took a quick look and now I’m going to save it for a reward after today’s cashmere combing session. One of the babies, Fern, is up first today, and she thinks being combed is one of the most outrageous notions ever invented by a deranged human mind. 60 pounds of muscle and pointy ends, vs one woman with a bucket of oats and a comb. Wish me luck!
Oh, my. Kieran Foley’s blog – his photographs alone provide inspiration for a hundred years’ worth of creative endeavor.
wow that Knit/Lab!
I’ve picked up and admired the Crazy Zauerball at Knit New Haven knitnight so often , one of them is probably my common-law skein. Maybe I’d better bring it home with me.
Great post! Thank you! I’d heard of Foley & apparently had some in my Q, but I had no idea! She’s amazing! What unique imaginative designs! Perfect for current knitting rut.
Query: I’m doing my first bit of stranded knitting now in Sivia Harding’s Seussical Cowl (mostly it’s not stranded). Why is stranding flat so much harder? TIA!!
Holy Moley! Knit/Lab hybrid knitting….wowie! my jaw is on my chest and I am drooling at the same time.
A most dangerous and interesting click! Wow! WOW! I never knew about this Kieran guy. I wonder if this “K” was influenced by “the” K (Kaffe). Such beautiful work; and–stranded? OMG, weaving in the ends? Where? Quick, give me a Zauberball!
However, Ann, that little line about the joy you have been getting from knitting made the whole thing for me. Joy. Worry less ( a la Kay), find more joy (a la Ann). These last two posts have held very important reminders for me.
Feeling grateful.
LoveDiane
Kieran Foley is amazing. I’ve knit many of his lace patterns and they’re not too hard. I love that he creates unique motifs that emerge from the natural world rather than stringing things together from stitch dictionaries.
I’ve not done color work or intarsia before, so his newer hybrid patterns are a bit beyond my abilities, but I so appreciate them! I’ve followed his blog for a while, and he frequently posts photos of ancient (or modern) textiles that he seeks out in his travels. Then he reinterprets them as knitting patterns. Amazing creativity and innovation in knitting!
I made a zauerball hap and it came out pretty cool. My stash overflowing with zauerball. I am not ashamed.
Zauberball magic a simple pattern turns into fabulous color and form , beginning knitters rejoice.
A wonderful way to use a Zauberball (or two) is the Rising Tides scarf by Laura Barker, featured in the latest (last) issue of Knitter’s Magazine. I’m making one in the green color shown above and it’s beautiful.
Kieran Foley’s Fleece http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/fleece looks complicated but knits easily, and looks good in any weight yarn. It’s fun to knit and easy to memorize. I’ve knit one and bought yarn for a couple more before I had finished the first one.
I’ve knit two Mini Bubbles http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/mini-bubbles–micro-bubbles already. Also brilliantly simple knitting with gorgeous results.
Someday I will update my Ravelry projects page …