The Collar that Chose Itself
This month’s Fancy is getting its own blog post. I think it deserves one. It is a little “more” than an average fancy.
I’ve been asking around for ideas for the Fancy line of projects, an offshoot of the Blanket Project.
I wanted something small, but interesting,
Something Fancy.
Something memorable.
Amongst other things a collar was suggested. I have knit a few collars, The Grand Pavillion Collar and The Pretty Blue Collar are a couple of examples. My original thought was to keep this one simple. Umm… that didn’t last very long.
Part of the house organizing is going through my stash and thinning it out. I have not been very successful to date, I get sidetracked easily. For example, I found this stunning yarn in my stash.
A fingering weight Cotswold lambswool. It is from a farm on Pender Island, Inish Eile, and is something I purchased at Fibrations last year.
As I learned more about Cotswold sheep, I discovered they are now a rare breed. Their history stretches back to the Cotswold Hills of England, where sheep have been raised since Roman times. Suddenly this skein in my stash feels even more special.
Shimmering grey with soft gold highlights, this yarn demanded something more than a simple design. Perhaps some beads. I could work with that. In fact, I would love to work with that. The yarn itself is amazing. The colour and shimmer holds the eye and has a depth no dyer could possibly create – only nature.
So I started to play with buttons, beads, and stitches. I sketched an idea and then knit a swatch. The swatch confirmed what the sketch had only hinted at – the yarn had found its pattern.
While I really loved the dark beads, their rich colour created a dramatic Art Deco feel against the golden-grey wool that wasn’t where my mind was going. Maybe next time. The cream beads, however, made a quieter statement, allowing the beauty of the yarn itself to emerge slowly.
I love Vintage pieces. This yarn made me think of something rich and classical. So I went to a classic knitting shape, the shell. A shape with a wonderful balance between open and closed space. A shape, that when knit would create a wonderful edge that only got better with the addition of beads.
The stitch pattern is the Grand Shell. It is similar to the shell shape I used once before – on my entry for the Magic of Mohair Competition. That design later appeared in Vogue Knitting, introducing my work to many knitters for the first time. It seemed fitting that this beautiful Cotswold wool should bring the Grand Shell to life.
Photo credit Rose Callahan
Sometimes the right yarn reminds us of ideas worth revisiting.
Some projects are planned. Others seem to choose themselves.
Does your yarn “speak” to you? Can you tell what it wants to be when you pull it out of your stash? Do you think that there is meaning to rediscovering something, not lost, just misplaced and out of mind?
I think that sometimes there is.
Happy Knitting
Lynette
