Star*More

Do you remember the first time you heard the name Alice Starmore?  I'm not sure I do but, it was surely at the Wooly West.  At one time Nancy carried several of Alice's yarns and pattern books.  About 1995 I started hanging out at Nancy's shop on a regular basis.  She offered classes, had a wonderful selection of yummy yarns and all the other things a good knitter needed as supplies and inspiration.  I bought my first Alice Starmore book from Nancy, as something to aspire to, rather than something to 'knit now'.  The hobby of needlework took precedence during my leisure time in the 1990s.  I’m not sure which book was first but, I bought most of them as they were published.  When someone said she wouldn’t be publishing any longer I bought all the books available that I didn’t have.  Most of these books can command very high prices today and I’m glad my aspirations paid of in some form.

At first it was AS's Aran designs that I loved but, Fair Isle and the color blending she did soon took over my imagination.  In 2003 I decided to jump into a FI sweater with both feet.  At this point Wooly West had been sold and turned into Black Sheep but, the fabulous range of classes were still available.  I signed up for a class call 'Fair Isle sweater from start to finish', took my color inspiration from Alice and designed my own sweater.  It was so much fun to knit and the following year I knit a vest. That's about the time I started blogging, too.

The long and short of this is that I had never knit an Alice Starmore design, despite owning her books for over 10 years.  Then someone told our Guild about Virtual Yarns, shared her experience of meeting Alice and buying the beautiful Birdsfoot Scarf, while on a knitting tour of Scotland.  I looked up the web site the next day and ordered the kit.  The scarf was on my needles as soon as the kit arrived with an autographed pattern.

Nearly two years ago, shortly after I started to blog, I ordered Seaweed and Rosarie.  The only reason I didn't start one or the other right away is that Blogland has swayed my attention more than once with Knit Alongs or 'new' patterns.  Seaweed has been in my knitting basket this last few months and I so enjoy knitting the beautiful lace with the tweedy, rich wool.  While I had already thought of knitting Rosarie after the first of the year, it was Kim's StashALong that sealed the deal.  Rosarie is a Jade Starmore design and she has learned how to blend color as well as her mother. Rosarie has been my main project this January and is now just past the third repeat and up to the armscyes. Every stitch is a pleasure as the colors change and the beautiful pattern emerges.

When I ordered Rosarie I asked how much more yarn I needed to lengthen the design.  I was told that Jade wanted to write an addendum for me so the pattern would work out properly.  Each pattern comes autographed by Jade or Alice anyway but, to have Jade write the changes and then sign it…'For Margene, with my best wishes, Jade' was such a thrill. Pleasantly I am on target with a repeat a week. One and a half repeats to go until the body is finished.

More quality time is expected with Rosarie this weekend and Seaweed should get more love, too.

Thank you for your many good wishes.  We do hope to make it 26 more years.  Oh yes, and Smith fixed the camera! For the time being it's working...but the problem may be intermitant. If future pictures have that acid trip look, you'll know I'm camera shopping.

Enjoy your weekend!!

Comments

[Rachel]

Rosarie is looking beautiful. I'm very tempted to buy the kit for either that or Butterfly, but my fear of screwing up the colorwork is holding me back. I think I need to practice on something smaller before making that kind of investment. I'm looking forward to seeing your finished vest. Enjoy your weekend!

[Carole]

Rosarie is absolutely gorgeous, Margene! I'm so impressed!

[Cassie]

Rosarie is stunning! There's something so incredibly seductive about a complex fair isle design like that. Mmmmm.....

[Wendy]

Hee hee. The first time I heard the name Alice Starmore was in the mid-1980s when I took a class in fair isle from her at a TKGA knitting convention. :-) And I remember a convention a couple of years later when Alice brought Jade along. Jade was a little girl back then! I feel old . . .

Your Rosarie is lovely!

[Amy Boogie]

You're making me lust after starmore patterns even more if that's possible. I might just have to move a fair isle higher up on my list.

I'm a day late in reading but I wanted to wish you a Happy Anniversary. I hope you have many more.

[Laurie]

Beautiful Rosarie! And nice history behind your knitting her.

[susan]

So, will it be done by Tuesday? Maybe we'll see you wearing it at Snb.

[Norma]

You just gave me more motivation to come visit you: To come steal your books. I have an eBay account and I know how to use it. :D

[Emma.]

Belated anniversary congratulations ! Wishing you many more years of happiness.
Such gorgeous knitting,as always. A feast for the eyes.

[Sarah HB]

I first heard Starmore within the past month. Funny, I have been knitting for almost 20 years and only heard it recently.

[Kim]

I too am fortunate enough to have most of AS books and I cherish each one. Your seaweed is looking wonderful and Rosarie....what can I say, it is stunning!

This year after all the puppies go to new homes, I am going to treat myself to a kit from Virtual Yarns. I will have earned it by then.....LOL

[Kim/Chef Messy]

Rosarie is gorgeous! I can't wait to see it finished! That is some very impressive knitting.

[Tracy]

Personal patterns now that is really special and shows a fantastic amount of customer care. Just goes to show that you can read all sorts of things on the web about them which make you think they're a little stand offish and then you come across your story which tells a completely different tale. Happy Anniversary for yesterday too!

[Vicki]

Wowie. Gorgeous and on schedule!

[Ruth]

I'm craving a kit (or two, or three) from Virtual Yarns. I'm going to buy one (or two, or three) to reward myself after the Stashalong is over.

Rosarie and Seaweed are beautiful ... and belated congratulations on your anniversary! I hope you had a nice celebration.

[stitchnsnitch]

I also have begun to buy things to knit later--when I'm more experienced. It gives me something to aspire to. ;)

[Rachel H]

I'm saving up for the Juno/Cara 36th birthday Great Big Virtual Yarns purchase tradition I'll be eligible to take part in later this year. Hee.

[Pumpkinmama]

Sigh. Just so, so pretty. I'm happy it is giving you so much pleasure.

[kate]

I am so jealous of your custom autographed pattern! I also have a love affair with AS but I do the arans (I'm not so good with the colorwork).

[Stephanie]

ALL her books? You have them all? Wow. Color me green with envy. Rosarie is looking fabulous - I just love the colors. And thanks for the link to the Birdsfoot Scarf. As much time as I spend on that site, I've never seen it before. Thanks for the wonderful story and have a great weekend.

[Sneaksleep]

Both Seaweed and Rosarie are looking amazing! One of these days I'll get around to some fair isle. When I do, something like Rosarie will be just the ticket!

[Chris]

Rosarie is completely stunning. Sigh. And I think it's VERY cool that you have a personalized and autographed pattern!

Looking forward to some pictures of Seaweed, too.

Now, Margene's camera, you behave and don't give Margene any grief, ok?

[Snow]

I think my goal for the coming months will be to get my debt under enough control that I can justify buying a Starmore kit for an entire sweater like Laleli. I've had my eye on her for a while.

[Laura]

Gosh. It choked me up a little just thinking of what an honor it must be for you to have the custom altered and autographed pattern. I know, Alice and Jade are "just people" but they're really not. Charts and a signature from "just anyone" wouldn't make you feel that way. That's really awesome and surely makes you treasure Rosarie even more (as well as the fact that you pulled her from your stash!). :)

[Wanda]

Rosarie and Seaweed are such beautiful knits. I love the colorwork and the colors in Rosarie. It is such an honor to have the pattern amended and then signed by Jade. Since doing some colorwork on my Fair Isle Jazz scarf, I can see me attempting this on a larger garment. It's really fun.