my best friend went to the Whitney this weekend. we had an interesting conversation the next day about modern art. i will reserve my opinions on that subject for some later date, but i found myself taking a swatch off the needle this morning, and perched on a index card on my keyboard, it reminded my of a Frank Gehry creation.
this yarn will be used for a secret project i hope to get started on soon...that is, as soon as i finish writing my dissertation. the yarn is a fingering-weight wool i found on ebay last week. the swatch was done on #2 needles. i pinned the swatch to the ironing board and gave it a quick blast of steam from a hot iron to block it into shape. [as a total aside, i dropped the container of straight pins on the bedroom carpet and i was in a rush leaving the house this morning, so there is the strong possibility i will forget this fact when i get home, and that will not be pleasant]the secret project will be knitted in the round on 5 double-pointed needles. i actually find myself favoring them over circular needles for smallish projects. i don't feel brave enough to try making a sweater on dp's yet, but that may change with time. i will post some sort of instructions/directions along with the finished project...whenever it's done.
this stitching technique is called entrelac. it creates the seemingly-complicated effect of a basket-weave, but it is actually quite easy to do. i was fascinated and intimidated by this method for the longest while, but the latest issue of Interweave Knits contains a gorgeous pair of socks designed by Eunny Jang that i MUST make for myself...once i finish the cursed dissertation. so, i started swatching. in addition to the sock pattern, Eunny gives fabulous instructions for first-timers. i started the swatch in bed last night and finished it up over a breakfast.by the way, this is not the secret project, in case you thought i slipped up. i haven't decided what yarn to use for the Eunny socks, but the swatch is looking mighty tempting, and i will have more than enough left over for a pair of socks. hmmmm....
