Some Random Thoughts
She looks so calm, doesn’t she? Hard to believe she went nuts a few minutes later, racing around the livingroom and meowing at the top of her voice. A condition I refer to as “Thunder Kitty.”
There was a spider on the ceiling. We had to exterminate it to make Miss Izzy happy.
Knitting Meetup
So . . . the Knitting Meetup in the DC area, which will take place Wednesday night, is being held at a venue downtown. so I shall not be attending. When you work downtown and leave the office before 4pm, it’s not really feasible to attend an event downtown that starts at 8pm. On a weeknight. What would I do? Come home, then go back in again? Stay the extra four hours at work? Call me cranky, but I’m too old for that. Oh well, they’ll have to struggle along without me.
Knitters Magazine
Got my Knitters in the mail over the weekend. All I can say is:
eh.
The first hint was that there is a scarf on the cover. Nothing special– just a scarf with a pocket in it.
What a lot of uninspiring designs! There was one that was interesting and worthy, the Egyptian Collar, but it’s not anything I would ever knit. Just not my thing.
I remember the good old days, when there was stuff I was dying to knit in Knitters. Now I’m just dying for my subscription to run out.
Just my oh-so-humble opinion.
And last but not least . . .
Old Knitted Cr– . . . er . . . Stuff
Another gem from the Debbie Bliss Traditional Sweaters book.
I love this sweater — it’s why I bought the book. I remember I mail ordered the J&S shetland for it using money from an insipid little bonus I got at work.
I really love the ribbing!
How cool is that?!
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This is my favorite “oldies but still goodies” sweater so far
Here in the U.K. I get my Knitters weeks after it’s out in the States. Can’t say I’m looking forward to it ,having looked at the pics on the web site.What’s with the red felted Mortar board ?The model looks really uncomfortable in it.The Fall issue is the 1st in ages that had anything I wanted to knit in it : the De Colores jacket.Think they need another new editor ?
I love that Debbie Bliss edited book - wih the aran patterns had charts though.
It looks like pansies on the ribbing! I have some but not a lot of steeking experience (will start Rosendal after the holidays). Is it more difficult to do a vest because of the shaping? Love seeing your collection. You should have your own museum!
Amen on the Knitters. I have yet to receive my issue, but looking on line there’s nothing I would knit. I remember getting my issues and marking all the patterns I wanted to make. My magazines were a band of yellow post it notes sticking out the top. Not anymore. I haven’t been tempted since 2000 (I made the Wonderous Woven Cables for my husband). Geez, I love all these old projects. Just out of curiousity: how many days could you go without repeating a sweater?
This is my fav “oldie” too! The Debbie Bliss book is wonderful, but, like Emma, I wish the arans had charts, too!
Melissa, I guess this is sorta my cyber-museum!
And Cindy, that’s a good question! I could definitely go quite a few days without repeating a sweater!
That’s the vest I was referring to yesterday! Yours looks even better than the one in the book! As for Knitters, I threw it aside last night and finished reading KnitLit—I highly recommend it–wonderful stories by knitters about knitting!
Thunder Kitty! Bwah!
Grimmy, the Izzy to my Wendy, has a T.K. phase, but it’s usually when he decides he needs some exercise and goes ga-gunging from one end of my dorm room to the other. Bugs usually prompt a weird chirruping and plaintive looks.
Also, I love all the old sweater pictures. Is it selfish to beg you to keep them coming?
I thought that was the one to which you referred. I’ve got Knit Lit on my Christmas list.
Not selfish at all, Meghan! And you don’t have to beg.
I love that vest, WEndy. It’s beautiful! Like everyone else, I’m really enjoying your blasts from the past. Be glad you exterminated spidey. My little Toto dog got bit yesterday while playing with one and now he’s gimping around.
Poor Toto! I got bit by a spider years ago and it looked like I’d gotten poison ivy on the hand that was bitten. Had to go to the doctor for antibiotics. Eeeeew.
I hope Santa is extra-good to you, Wendy! KnitLit is a good stocking-stuffer!
I agree about Knitters. They need another editor. Rick may be a good designer, but as an editor, he sucks. It looks like Knitters is trying really hard to be like Vogue Knitting, but that’s not gonna work.
Yeah, and I already dumped my Vogue Knitting subscription a while back because it sucked. Sigh.
I had higher hopes after the fall issue, too — suddenly, there were several things I liked, after a long,long time with nothing. Frankly, this issue looks almost, I dunno, unprofessional. The quality of the knitting doesn’t look right. Of course, I was looking on the web site, so maybe in Real Life they’re better.
Great vest. I keep pulling out Traditional Knitting and wondering why I didn’t do much with it…
I agree, Katherine. Most of the designs look . . . well . . . crude.
I do love Traditional Knitting. I made most of the designs in it, but some were gifts and I don’t have ‘em anymore. I know I’m gonna have to reknit the aran that the old man w/ the donkey is wearing.
I have to say…. That vest is Gorgeous!!!! Can I be anymore inspired? I love it! And Izzy, too, of course!
About Knitter’s. I have slowly become very disappointed in the knitting magazines. Knitter’s went downhill as soon as Rick took over, IMO, it all seems so contrived and goofy. Did you catch the Swiss Cheese sweater last issue? Vogue is hit and miss, I think it has slightly improved. I do love Pam Allens hat on the recent cover. Interweave has had my vote since Melanie took over. But this last issue was too full of things that were a little far fetched. Why have they abandoned tradional knitting? I think someone should get out there and publish a traditional knitting magazine. Like Piecework, but just knitting. With history, stories, patterns, etc. I love new and interesting designs and techniques, and I believe there is a need for patterns which those scarf knitters can expand their skills with simple, but intereasting designs. I am huge fan of garter stitch, I think it is so beautiful in a lovely wool. But the designs I am seeing in these magazines border on the ridiculous! I have not seen the new knitter’s yet, but I am afraid I iwll be disappointed yet again….
I’m with you, Kateri. When the first issue of Knitters came out, I thought I’d died and gone to heaven. In the early years it was chock full of beautiful traditional designs. Now I’m disgusted when I thumb through each issue. Sigh. I’ve gotten disappointed in IK too. The last couple of issues had nothing I wanted to knit.
Maybe I’m too picky, but I think all the knitting mags have really gone downhill!
DO you subscribe to Piecework? I uses to, but I have no use for most of what is in it, even though it is fun to read, and beautiful to look at.
DO you subscribe to Piecework? I uses to, but I have no use for most of what is in it, even though it is fun to read, and beautiful to look at.
No, don’t get Piecework . . .
Did you notice the knitted ‘fox’ stole in the new knitters? It sure looks suspiciously like the vegan fox that was in the premier issue of Knitty…
Yes . . . I DID notice the knitted fox stole . . .
I couldn’t agree more with everyone about Knitters. I used to buy every issue - now I never do.
Re:early Knitters…remember the t-shirt issue? That was a dud and I didn’t renew my subscription way back then, but then those wonderful Aran,Nordic and lace issues came out! I wonder if this big yarn, novelty yarn, quick-knit fad will pass when the newer knitters want more challenges? I also look at the cost of those yarns compared to the finer shetland and norwegian yarns and wonder if the higher profit-margin is ruling today’s design choices? Okay, off my soapbox and back to work!
The new Knitter’s was in my mailbox last night and I noticed I sort of cringed as I opened it. And then I saw, at least I think I saw, striped scarves with long (maybe 4″, maybe 6″) lengths of yarn just hanging from them. Sigh. I sat it down and got on with my evening, and then realized this morning that I had forgotten to pick it back up. Kind of a sad commentary on my feelings on recent issues. And I just hate the new and improved size and that idiot line that runs from page to page and makes all the titles of the projects hard to read. Oh, goodness, let me not get started…
I check out Piecework, but I don’t subscribe to it because frankly, I find that too many of the pattern that they put out after the article on gorgeous, complicated works from long-ago are too plain simple. I want the real McCoy, not a bland, dumbed down version. Yes, I realize that people need somewhere to start off with, but please, don’t insult their intelligence and capacity for going beyond their limits.
Yes! I love the sweater on the old man with the donkey! I might make the bottom rib just a little shorter, though. And I like the one made like a gansey, with a cabled yoke and plain body. I like the cardigans at the end, too, because I love that twined diamond-shaped cable.
I agree about all the knitting magazines, they’re kind of dumb. I am giving Interweave another year’s chance. Hey Wendy want to start a magazine?? ;->
Well, I agree, got my Knitters yesterday, flipped through, took my niece shopping and didn’t look at it again till last night. Ugh. I’m not too fond of Vogue either, their sizing doesn’t work with me. IK is my new fav though I haven’t made anything out of any (I do have one planned for the niece, though). FCEK I buy, usually for the quick gifts. I was flipping though old magazines last weekend and they all (Vogue and Knitters) had some really nice patterns in them. Guess I will be using the old mags and forget about the new.
Love your old sweaters, Wendy. I have 2 hyper kitties, too. Once they flew across the dining room table and sent my breakfast to the floor.
It’s nice to see that you guys agree with me about the current trend in knitting mags!
I love that sleeveless sweater! Very nice. Your mention of Xnitter’s mag reminded me that I still have a subscription. Meh. I initially had to email/call every time to get them to send me the latest issue. Now I barely notice if it comes or not (nor do I care!).
Nice to “see” you, Terri. How do you like your new eyes? I had lasik 18 months ago and love it!
It’s gotten so bad I’ve resorted to re reading my back issues (94 is the earliest). Someone hit the nail on head in re the chunky yarn phenomenon. It seems when you knit w/a chunky yarn all you are making are rectangles and sewing them together. Not much shaping, not much style. Well, guess I’ll save my $6 for a new circular needle?
Just when you thought that Knitter’s couldn’t get any worse…
I am not even going to comment about Knitter’s on my knitblog any more. It seems hardly worth wasting my time and my readers’. I mean, WTF is Rick Mondragon thinking???
I have one issue left in my subscription. I am relieved. But how sad to see Knitter’s sink into the cesspool of mediocrity. And I think I’m being charitable.
Wendy - lasik was absolutely amazing. Freaky, but amazing. Eyes tired tonight, though, so must log off! [where's my eye drops?!]
Hello Folks,nice site youre running!