Letters
My First Slip-Stitch Cap
Dear Ann,
I’m writing off to Nashville for MOAR STUDIO CHUNKY! Is there a requisition form I have to put in or something? Because one Slip-Stitch Cap is not going to do it for me. I was warned, but still I was not prepared for the around-and-around addictiveness of this slip-stitch pattern, which has the same delightful rhythm and instant memorizability as my beloved Ballband Dishcloth. Slip, knit knit knit. Slip, purl purl purl. Who doesn’t love that?
My sewing circle sister, Rosanne Cash (I know! I’m so lucky! She’s the best!), has a new album coming out TOMORROW. NPR Music is streaming the entire album on First Listen, so on Saturday morning, I settled in for a good, long First Wallow.
The album is called She Remembers Everything. And much of what She remembers, I remember. I feel like Rosanne is speaking the experience of women generally, and more specifically women our age. She gets it: long partnership, little children, grown children, looming mortality, outliving people we don’t know how to live without, what passes away, what remains, what we may leave behind when it’s our turn. Wonderful musicians and singers pitch in on this record; it rocks, it swings, it hearkens to the deep past and is of this moment, now. It’s just the best. I am 100% biased by friendship and admiration. I am also 100% correct. Go listen.
I thought I would see how many listens of She Remembers Everything would add up to a Slip-Stitch Cap.
The answer: 3 listens, plus a little late-night Vera-watching to work the crown decreases.
Behold the beauty of the WS of a slip-stitch pattern.
I picked my Studio Chunky colors (Edgewood/dark green and Rosemont/lighter green) when I was in Nashville last month, based on what we had the most of at that time, so as not to deprive another knitter of a color they wanted. (I’m waiting on my Nobel Prize for Selflessness.) (We got a re-stock from Baltimore—thanks, Karida!—so I could have taken any colors I wanted, and I still like these.)
As I knitted and listened, I realized: these are exactly the colors Rosanne would choose. A redhead/fuschiahead/maroonhead, she gravitates toward deep greens, and loves a deep cast of indigo. She also has an excellent hat head, and wears hats.
So I think I’ve hit on my Sewing Circle Holiday Present for 2018. Send moar yarrrrn!
I’m taking the Bunchalong quite literally. What’s next? Mitts or cowl, cowl or mitts?
Slow Fashion Forever
For a whole month, I’ve been following Slow Fashion October, a fascinating project from the amazing Karen Templer. (If you’re curious, Dear Reader, dial up the hashtag #slowfashionoctober on Instagram, and dig into the excellent Fringe Association blog posts on the subject.) There are a lot of nuances and layers to the topic. I’ve never jumped in and participated in the hashtag myself, but it’s educated me beyond measure.
Cristina Shiffman, MDK’s social media maven, recently sent us a link to this article from an online magazine by Toast, the UK clothing retailer. It’s a portrait of Kat Bazeley, an English veterinarian. While reading about the Toast pieces in Kat’s wardrobe that have stood the test of time, we learn that she is a knitter of many years, and has a glorious collection of handknit colorwork vests and sweaters, including pieces that are recognizably by Kaffe Fassett.
Kat Bazeley’s sweaters. Photo by Elena Heatherwick for Toast. how many patterns can you name?
Kat Bazeley is my new icon of Slow Fashion. I love to think of those gorgeous knits going into the field with Kat to gather data on heifer weight, or to groom a horse. I love that over time she has altered her favorite Toast trousers to make them last longer or fit better. No muss, no fuss, just undeniable style. The photographs are incredible. Color me inspired. I look forward to a year of slow fashion, aka knitting, buying, wearing and taking care of well-made clothes, all with more mindfulness.
Love,
Kay
Certainly Poppies and Toothed Stripe. Amazing article. I’d like to see the clothing produced by her brand, Bluebarn.
I don’t usually bunchalong (can it be a verb?) but I just finished my first slip stitch cap and it was such a satisfying, addictive knit, that I know that I’ve got more in my future! I’ve got yarn for the mitts, too. And I’m going to see Rosanne Cash in New Jersey on December 1! Life is good.
I taught Roseanne’s daughter, Chelsea, in second grade and another daughter, Hannah, was my high school aide one year. I love her music ad I love this hat!
It’s a small world!
That hat is amazing – I can see why you want to make more, more, more! And thank you for introducing me to TOAST and the article about Kat Bazeley. She is my new role model!! Love those fair isles!!!
So yeah, we definitely need a picture of Rosanne Cash wearing her hat after you gift it to her!
I will do my best but I am the person who did not get a good picture with Kaffe Fassett so…it doesn’t look that promising. Will really try as she is going to rock this hat, it’s totally her.
One of the great joys of MDK posts is reading the links and going on so many different directions. The jewel today is in Katie’s comment at the end of the Toast article:
“It has frustrated me for a long time now that models (yours & others) seem to put on what is known as an RBF, a ‘resting bitch face’. Hard & impersonal, no warmth, no humour, no ‘I’m so lucky to be here’. Please please change the mould, clothes are fun! Having a sulking teenager/twenty something modelling your clothes is not reaching out to most of the women who wear your clothes.”
OMG, yes!
OMG, YES Yes yes! Sorry I just had to shout there at the beginning. Maybe the models are unhappy that they’re little more than the hanger that displays the clothes? Let’s give them the benefit of the doubt.
Thanks for the review of Rosanne Cash’s new album. The NYT review made it sound a bit depressing, but your analysis is so much more well rounded! Got to have a listen, and work on the annual gift for the mom in law. She loves hand knit socks!
I agree. Kay’s analysis brought me to tears. It rang so true.
I hope you love it, Phyllis. I don’t find it depressing at all because it rings so true to me. And musically it’s incredible. I wouldn’t necessarily recommend it to a new bride, lol, but I think it’s a great perspective on happiness in long partnership and how that gets renegotiated and refined and it’s all worth it, isn’t it? I think she’s saying yes it’s all worth it, every bit of it. Thanks for directing me to the NYT review.
Great album. I haven’t given anyone music in ages, but this will be shared!
You are absolutely correct, it’s perspective from someone with a few miles under her belt, and I can relate! I think that the NPR review was more accurate than the NYT one.
I have been in love with Roseanne since “Seven Year Ache” how exciting and the pattern is wonderful as well ! Many Thanks
I’ve been thinking about casting on a couple of those hats before Christmas – you’ve convinced me that it is the right thing to do!
Kay, you have inspired me to see if I can’t adjust the Slip-Stitch Cap pattern for use with worsted yarn and scaled down for a 5 year old. I need to knit another GB Packer colors hat for my granddaughter (her little brother has his in a different pattern) and I love a slip-stitch pattern. Thanks! (off to swatch)
The pattern is written for babies and kids too, so I’d just double up that worsted and go!
Kay, you pulled a fast one on us today. You teased us with a cute letter about knitting a hat and instead gave us a beautiful ode to love, life and loss. Who knew that making a hat, listening to music and reading about vests could bring up so many emotions? Knitters, of course. I thought of you today, even though we don’t know each other at all, because it’s my and my husband’s 10th anniversary (that sounds weird I know). I posted a tbt wedding picture on IG with your precious wedding pic you posted recently in mind. I’m a little extra emotional today I know, but your letter is a reminder to me from the universe to be grateful, content and kind. Thank you for giving us extra beauty today. xo
Thank you for linking to that lovely article – the photography is excellent as well – and I wish Kat Bazely was my sewing circle sister.
You had me when I opened MDK this morning and saw “slip-stitch cap.” I knew what was coming! Then I opened the Letter and….Rosanne Cash! Double goodness. I recall when Johnny Cash died and Ann wrote a lovely letter. Who knew that years later you would teach his daughter to knit?
Thanks for the news about the beautiful new album…listened on NPR, ordered the CD. I too have loved her music for a long time.
And the hat! I gotta cast on.
What a wonderful interview with Rosanne Cash and a great shout out to Kay!
https://bittersoutherner.com/rosanne-cash-the-bitter-southerner-interview?utm_source=The+Bitter+News&utm_campaign=62b793eb5e-rosanne_cash_2018_11_13&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_8269ec3593-62b793eb5e-91913305&goal=0_8269ec3593-62b793eb5e-91913305&mc_cid=62b793eb5e&mc_eid=63dd7a4c01
How can I get the Slip Stitch Cap pattern and yarn?