Montreal and Scarves - Free Pattern

For all of us who feel we've moved past the knitting of scarves, we should think again. 

I was lucky enough to spend a few days in Montreal, Quebec this week.  For those who are unfamiliar, Montreal is a city in southern Quebec heavily influenced by the French who settled it over 350 years ago.  It is devoted to the fine arts, and there are museums, galleries and performance art spaces in every neighborhood. The original architecture stands side by side with modern architecture, and all ages in between.  French language dominates, sometimes to the exclusion of English. French food and European style baked goods are everywhere. For those who want a European-style holiday without the expensive airfare or the jet lag, it's an excellent get away.

One thing that is very French about Montreal is the ubiquitous scarf.  Scarves are worn by young and old, men and women, in hot and cold weather.  They are worn with dressy outfits, and shorts and t-shirts.  They are worn around necks, in and around hair, and at the waist as a shawl. People watching from an outdoor cafe, in 20 minutes easily 40 people passed wearing scarves.  It was 75 degrees and sunny. 

As the DH and I sat savoring coffee and croissants, it occured to us that no two women wear their scarves in quite the same way.  Some pile them in multiples, wearing two or three at a time.  Some wear them swept to the side.  Knotted low on the chest is popular, too, sometimes with fringe or a necklace, sometimes without. 

On a trip many years ago, I asked if the scarf was a fashion trend.  "No.  It has always been this way," I was told by a friend.  "People here are less interested in fashion trends, and more interested in self-expresson.  Scarves make expression quick and easy without have to adust an entire ensemble."  She smiled.  "Once you possess a scarf, you don't throw it away.  You collect them through your life.  Each one is a memory and a small work of art."

Scarf Around

The lovely scarf at left is reminiscent of the scarves available in shops.  If you're over the cowl thing and still excited about decorative neckwear, have at it!  It's by Maia Discoe of Maia Spins.

SATs and knitting

It's time for my daughter to take the SATs.  I can't believe she's 17!  She's so grown up, and beautiful, and tall.  It's one of those milestones that has me looking back on her life.  And her life in knitting.

While I was pregnant, my mother-in-law crocheted her a beautiful baby blanket in a soft but sturdy cotton.  She was a winter baby, and it became a staple of our day to wrap her in the blanket in the car seat.

When she was still a baby, my childhood friend Lisa started knitting for her.  There were strawberry caps and lemonhead hats.  She was adorable in all of them.  A happy and busy baby, she liked to show off her hats to passers by as we would shop and run errands.  She would "vogue" for anyone willing to watch.

At about 7 she wanted to learn to knit (I guess I made it look like fun?) and started knitting up thin little ribbons of knitting that she would use as collars on her stuffed animals.  This phase lasted for a couple of years.  Build-a-Bear animals, Beanie Babies, and even Elmo were very fashionable in their collars and scarves, and most of them involved glitter.

At 12 she wanted to participate in clothing some teddy bears given out by a local charity.  She made scarves and belts, and a couple of teddy bear sized baby blankets.  She considered herself a knitter.  The bears were adorable in their little outfits, and I was very proud.  She had taken to "borrowing" my fair isle mittens and earflap hats, and that spurred me to make her a knitwear wardrobe of her own.  Middle school being what it is, we quickly ended up with single mittens, missing hats, and many requests for "one more pair.  I won't lose them.  I promise."  And I knitted her several more pairs.

At 14 she started getting into the scarf craze, and picked out some yarns for me to make her a fashion scarf.  Shimmering ribbon yarn became a scarf, which was worn twice before it was declared "too hot" to wear all day.  I'm grateful she chose colors that I wear, because I've enjoyed it ever since.

At this point, she's not into knitwear or knitting.  She likes military-influenced jackets over trendy t-shirts, and goes mitten, scarf and hat free most days.  If there is a hat, it's a canvas cadet cap. 

As she moves on in her life, I still have many of the things that she knitted, and that I knitted for her.  It's funny to me how each piece brings to life a chunk of our history.  Vivid memories flood back.  And it makes me wonder what she'll want me to knit next.  Stuff for college?  A wrap for a party dress?  Will I have to wait until she needs baby blankets?  I don't know, but thinking about this knitted bond, past and future, makes me smile.

Freebie Scarf/Holiday Knit-Ahead

Looking for a beautiful project that will be a great gift and easy to do in the summer heat?  Try this.  It's called the Romantic Ruffle Scarf, and it's by Piper's Quilts.  It appears on their blog post from January 7th of this year.  (Click here for the post.)  Many thanks to Piper's Quilts for making this lovely free pattern available.

I'm casting it on in cashmere today, and I can't wait to see the finished product!  It's in fingering weight yarn, on US 5s or 6s, and they say it will take about 350 yards.  I'm going with fern green, and maybe a chocolate edge. 

Made in linen or silk, this would be a great addition to your summer wardrobe.  Enjoy!

Free Patterns for Frigid Monday

It's -7 in Buffalo today, and even the best built houses have a draft here and there on days like this.  Just the thought of going outside makes my teeth chatter!  What better to add to your outfit than a cozy wrap?  Bigger than a scarf, they're the versatile layer that can go with just about any ensemble from suits to jeans.  (Sorry guys, this is a girl thing.)  Here are some patterns I know you'll enjoy:

From Classic Elite Yarns is this beautiful La Gran Stole.  Pick a color, pick a yarn, and knit this up quickly.  The pattern is easy, and the look is elegant in mohair, casual in cotton, and versatile in wool.  Don't let the lacy look fool you; lace can be very warm in mohair or alpaca!

From Naturally Caron is the Santiago Entrelac Shawl.  Thick and cozy, this is a basic entrelac pattern with a beautiful effect.  Make it in the staple colors of your wardrobe for a go-to garment to moderate those drafts.  Make it in a slightly shimmery fabric for a unique evening wrap.  Make it in white mohair or alpaca and it's perfect for a winter bride!

I hear the coffee pot beeping. (Thank you inventors of Mr. Coffee!) Keep busy and stay warm!

Works in Progress, Free Patterns

This is a good week; a little headway on the Mr. Mittens (using the recently posted Manly Mitts pattern in a heavy worsted), a little work on the Reversible Brioche Rib scarf, and a little work on My Socks.  On top of that I've completed writing two patterns, and posted lots of charts (this week's free patterns) on the Cloths/Squares page and on Ravelry. Still not on Ravelry?  Once you open an account you can roam tens of thousands of free patterns, see what other knitters are up to, and so much more!  Climb aboard.  If you'd like, ask a current Raveller for help. (Like me!)

The My Socks represent my ongoing infatuation with Nichole Sock Yarn by Schaeffer.  This stuff is a pleasure to knit up, wear, and even to wash!  It dries pretty quickly, too.  I know I'll have to branch out beyond this stuff some day, but Buffalo winters beg for cozy, cheerful socks, and this yarn is the magical weight between dress socks and too heavy.  (I know for a fact that this yarn is seeing other people, and I see them in public from time to time.  As long as I get to keep these socks as souvenirs of our relationship, I'll tolerate it.)

The Reversible Brioche Rib is a lovely, meditative process.  Since you work each row twice, once in each color, it's slower going than it appears.  It isn't like trudging through quicksand, though; more like choosing to meander on a walk.  I knit on this project less than I'd like, and it ends up feeling like the midnight ice cream snack a dieter sneaks! (I've owed the Mr. a pair of mittens for a long time.) There need to be more knitting hours in the day!  With a big final on the horizon for school, it'll probably be another week or so until I get back to 2-3 hours of knitting per evening.  I really feel like a kid waiting for summer vacation.  COME ON!

It WORKS! Brioche Rocks

It works!  It works!  I'm so excited!  It works!  I am now officially in love with Nancy Marchant and her cool website, Briochestitch.com.  After spending about half an hour working with her directions on her website, I had a little success.  I didn't really understand what she meant by indicating casting on over two needles, so I eventually abandoned that plan, and just followed all the rest of the directions.  And they work!  I made a little teeny swatch! Whoopee!  I am about as pleased as the day I earned my driver's license.  Now the next step will be to cast on the scarf and settle into a rhythm on this stitch, and get really excited about the vest that will come after.

For those of you who may be keeping track, yes, I'm also working on mittens for the Mr..  They will be the feature of a mitten class I'm knitting later in the month, so I need to get them done for 2 reasons.  The mittens take priority. The mittens are for home knitting, and the shop.  The brioche rib scarf will have to be on an "after I finish so many rows of the mittens" basis until the mittens are done; otherwise, I'd devote myself to the brioche nonstop.  I'm always a sucker for my newest project, but this way I'll have something to work towards!

Inspiration

I went out to a diner for breakfast the other day.  It was close to a SUNY Buffalo campus well known for its high percentage of foreign students.  I liked people watching, and the international and multicultural scene playing out over coffee and eggs. 

I noticed was that most couples and groups were of mixed nationalities, and each kid was dressed in a unique way. There were sweats of various vintages and styles, and occassionally absurd numbers of layers, but mostly real individuality.  Why don't adults dress this way?

One Asian girl had a sweater that looked handmade, and it was a long-sleeved crew-necked sweater with built-in mittens!  The sleeves had sock style ends, with a hole for your hand to poke out for practical things, and poke back in for the cold.  The colorwork was at unlikely angles in random sizes.  Cute as heck.

A guy with a Slavic accent had one of the widest knitted scarves I've ever seen on a man, in a mix of very deep and vivid greens.  It was very long, and wrapped several times, and worn over a gorgeous grey sweater with deeply carved cables.  It was probably the warmest looking combo I saw.

Maybe the most fun were the knitted hats.  There were Andean caps with earflaps and tassels, slouchy tams, watch caps, stocking caps and newsboys.  There were stripes, solids, cables, lace, pom poms, tassels, and appliques.  There were skull and crossbones, flowers, and nordic designs.  The colors were fabulous.  More was more, and the effect was cool and unique. 

It would have made a great magazine shoot for a knitting mag.  (Where are the camera crews when you need them?)  It was great inspiration to design.  The possibilities are endless!  Leave it to the kids to teach an old dog new looks.