Inspiration
What to Do With a Pile of Sock Yarn
Dear Ann,
I really appreciate you sending me such a large and lush collection of leftovers from your adventures in Squad Mitts-making. I’m definitely going to fish out my two US 2 circular needles and make a couple of pairs of mitts for my Giftalong stack. I particularly love some of the extra-long Squad Mitts versions I’ve seen people make. There is something so lovely about a long glove, gently scrunched. Like a Shar Pei puppy on your wrist.
I started thinking about other things a person might do with hundreds of yards of sock yarn. Bigger things. Garment-y things.
In the MDK Shop
There is a young designer who has done wonderful sock-yarn shawls. Maybe you’ve heard of him? Stephen West?
Ha! Is there a knitter alive who doesn’t know about Stephen West’s exuberant work in the field of asymmetrical sock-yarn wrapper-uppers? At every gathering of knitters, no matter how small, you are sure to find several The Doodlers and a generous smattering of Exploration Stations and Dotted Rays. They are fantastic patterns for collectors of single skeins of beautiful sock yarn: fun to knit and even more fun to wear.
I went back a little further in Stephen’s Greatest Hits on Ravelry, and found gems that I’d forgotten about–patterns that have been made and loved by thousands of knitters–that suddenly look so fresh. I’m dying to see a Squad Mitts palette knit up into one of these:
(Photo: beckyswaff)
(Photo: anneleterme)
(Photo: Stephen West)
That was a fun hour on Ravelry, and has me itching to cast on some stripes. But I’ve also got a couple of stories to tell, if you’ll bear with.
On the Streets of New York
Today was a good day to be walking around New York. Marathon runners are everywhere, groaning gently as they step off curbs, leaning wanly against buildings while slowly sipping hot beverages. How do you know they are marathoners? Because, adorably, they wear their medals. This charming tradition brings out the best in New Yorkers, who are free with their congratulations. (Yesterday, when they lurched off the course, looking like sweaty Mylar burritos, we politely ignored them. Today, we’re all smiles.)
Early this afternoon my niece, who did not run the marathon this year, was out walking with her dog, Charlie. Charlie is a chesty mixed-breed terrier who looks like a cartoon of a dog; he’s excessively joyful and has an exaggerated underbite. A man looked at Charlie and said to Niece, “What is this adorable thing?” It was John Oliver. It had to be some kind of benediction, no?
Unrelated (Or Is It?)
A few hours later, Lisa Downstairs (a cherished Nonknitting Reader of this blog) texted me these pictures:
On the street, a few blocks away from the John Oliver Dog Blessing, Lisa had encountered this lady wearing a Kaffe Fassett Big Flower jacket.
Lisa immediately engaged her in conversation, and learned that
- The lady did not knit the jacket.
- The lady bought the jacket at a yarn shop sample sale.
- The lady is annoyed that the jacket does not have buttons.
- The lady likes that the jacket is lined.
- The lady knew that the jacket was made from a kit and that the designer was Kaffe Fassett.
- The lady’s daughter is a knitter.
In a lapse of Lisa-ness, Lisa did not get the lady’s name, but she did get her permission to take pictures and share the pictures with me, warning her that I would likely share the pictures with the world. She gave the lady my card.
I take this also as a benediction. Life is beautiful. Good things are happening.
Love,
Kay
My favorite knitting project is Stephen West’s Boneyard. I’ve made a few and never get tired of them.
I didn’t know who John Oliver was until I watched his piece on Donal Trump. He has a way about him!
I hope the photos of the lady wearing KF’s jacket inspires and motivates you with your. It is a piece of art!
Bless Lisa for stopping the lady and talking to her. And bonus points for the photos. How cool is that? And Stephen West – I really need to check into this more. I have a nice (aka big) stash of sock yarn and sock yarn remnants.
Awwww, let’s all go out and be excessively joyful today, just like Charlie! Beautiful post!
Yes! Got it. Excessively Cheerful. Here I go…
JOYFUL. Excessively Joyful.
At first I thought OMG, Kay has finished the jacket but has aged 30 years in the process! That’s what comes from looking at the pictures before reading the text.
Wow! Kudos to Ann for generously sharing her Squad Mitts stash! I love that opening picture of all the balls of leftover yarn. They contain such possibility. Especially when considering those Stephen West beauties.
The Lady in the BFJ who was nice enough to pose for those pics, did you notive that she was also wearing a hand knit scarf? As winter comes it will need to be a fuller, more developed scarf. Kay, maybe your BFJ leftovers could be turned (OK, knit) into a matching scarf a la the Noro Striped Scarf method.
The Lady also had good ideas to line the jacket and provide some type of button/fastener. I vote for a heavy duty type of hook and eye placed so as to be virtually invisible, but doing the job of keeping you warm and covered should the North Wind decide to blow.
My kit includes buttons (now vintage buttons), but not sure I have the steam for a lining!
A lining can come now (aka when you finish it) or later, when you decide that a bit more wind-proof-ness is needed. And wind-proof-ness totally is too a word! Can’t wait to see it.
Wishing you and my other NY/NY friends the best tonight. I hear there’s some goings on in the city.
Vintage buttons! Sounds lovely, although that would require making buttonholes (not my particular forte).
I guess the lining could be professionally made so that the only steam you’d need would be when ironing out any wrinkles. It would cover up the hanging ends (no weaving in), and trap them inside so they’ll provide more warmth. It’s all up to your individual taste. I know whatever you decide, your BFJ will be a wonderful garment.!
Wow that lovely lady is rocking that jacket! I, too, thought that Kay had finished the jacket and used this lovely lady as a model.
Oh my gosh, this post makes me happy on so many levels! Huzzah for the universality of the Cute Animal Response! Huzzah for Big Flowers and the beautiful people who wear them, recognize them, celebrate and share them! Huzzah for the Wan Leaners!
It’s like you read my mind. I was idly contemplating an order of the squad mitts kit not to make mitts but stripey shawls.
Enabler.
No questions asked at the MDK shop. Company policy! (lol)
Kay, this lady looks stunning in that jacket. You must finish before you reach her age and look stunning too.
Kay, my Grandmother taught me to knit at age 9. She was an excellent knitter and ALWAYS knitting, so very productive. We have many baby layettes and lace christening shawls wrapped in tissue waiting for the next generation, among many other things. She hardly ever knit for herself or treated herself to things, but in her 70’s she splurged and bought the Big Flower kit (at The Yarn Co on UWS, remember?) She loved making that sweater and wore it joyfully for years. Now my mother wears it with pride. (She’s an ace knitter too).
I look forward to seeing a picture of you in yours someday.
Oooh, YarnCo–when Melissa Matthay still owned it!
Sarah, do you have photos of your grandmother and mother wearing the BFJ? We’d love to see them (and I’m sure Kay would, too).
I love everything here – but wait, no picture of Charlie?
I must rectify!
Kay, I’ve found a great shawl for your leftovers. It’s the Fun Fun Fun Shawl by Andrea Mowry. This is bitterpurl’s take on the pattern http://www.ravelry.com/projects/bitterpurl/funfunfun-shawl
That looks….FUN (fun fun)!
What a great post!! Thanks Kay!
Speaking of fingering weight leftovers, have you seen the Forest Spirit Baby Blanket pattern by Tatsiana Kupryianchyk? Fingering weight scrapbusting, garter stitch, and playing with color? I’m so in.
Adorable brand-new pattern, and it’s free! Thanks, Tara.
All that sock yarn would work great in the OLIVE Winter 2016 collection (you ARE working on that, aren’t you?). (This message paid for by Olive.) Besides, a Clockwork would almost have to be done in orange, wouldn’t it?
(Let’s just ignore that Big Floral Butt Magnifier in the corner. Maybe it will go away.)
So jealous. I would LOVE to come across a Big Flower jacket in the wild!
I’ve knit many of Stephen West’s shawls (and I did wear my Doodler to Rhinebeck!) and one that is great for using up different amounts of leftovers is the Askews Me Shawl http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/askews-me-shawl Now that I know how to Brioche it’s opened a whole new world for me to use up leftovers! You can use just one color on one side and go all crazy on the other!
This was my first marathon viewing, nuts because my mom lives right on the route. It was such a joyous party, there were bands playing music on the street and people smiling and the weather was perfect. We got to watch my nephew run for the first time and had a great time in NYC!
What great NYC sightings! Life is so random sometimes.
That is a great one and on my list for when I overcome my Fear of Brioche.
Any Kaffeis a good Kaffe
Such an uplifting post, on all the levels that I need today. Hugs to everyone!
Good things, indeed! Signs from every which way.
My wife teases me that John Oliver is her boyfriend. I really can’t begrudge her that. 🙂
What serendipity! I know just where the sweater lady is posing. She is such an Upper West Side archetype. Probably on her way to see an artsy film at the Lincoln Plaza.
Incredible timing! You know how I am always trying to insert a little crochet into your life? Well, just a few hours ago I did a search for what I could crochet with my Noro Silk Garden Sock Yarn and I found a sufficiently lacy looking shawl http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/fortunes-shawlette. In case there are any knitcheters looking for something to hook. Fortunately there is a video to watch since the set up is a bit confusing. Meanwhile, I’m looking forward to knitting a pair of Squad Mitts using the suggested yarn and method – knitting in the round. Just as soon as I finish the ones that I’m crocheting.
I like the long ones too.
The Squad Mitt kit has been perfect for this year’s Westknits MKAL Building Blocks which called for four skeins of 400 yds. Stephen loves speckled yarns and encouraged wild color choices which has produced some rather interesting results. I’m very pleased with the beautiful Hazel Knits (non-speckled) colors and how well they are playing together. I’m almost finished with the eighth and final section of my shawl. http://www.ravelry.com/projects/Francieos/westknits-mystery-shawl-kal-2016—building-blocks
I’ve been using up sock yarn leftovers on a Tiny Owl Knits Beekeeper’s Quilt (bkq). I’ve had sock yarn leftovers mailed to me by helpful yarny friends and used up leftovers from sock knitting here at home. It’s a long-term project though…a bit like your Kaffe jacket I think. But it is super-portable so that’s a plus!
I’m nearly there – I decided I will stop once my sock yarn stash runs out….
Life is beautiful – thank you, Kay!
The Squad Mitts are definitely a good project for the leftover sock yarn. In the past, I have also used leftover sock yarn (supplemented with Baby Ull) for a very colorful log cabin afghan. At the moment the sock leftovers are going into a third linen stitch scarf.
Thanks for a great post, Kay. Loved it!
I definitely want to make a Stephen West shawl with this Hazel Knits yarn. It’s just really lovely stuff.
Catching up with some of your posts and touched by the innocence and expectation
of this one. I’m a big fan of Stephen West also – I’ve made a Doodler, a Rockefeller, a Dawn, and one and a half Daybreaks. And maybe others I’ve forgotten, yes, like Spectrum! Such fun to knit and do silly in the wearing! But I’m an even bigger fan and supporter of Hillary, so now I’m crying in my wine and looking for solace in my knitting.
XO
I feel your pain.
Love. Love. Love. Everything about this post.
Nice to see those classic Stephen West shawls! I just made another one in the series, Chadwick.
You are such fun to read. Thanks.