Blu la la
February 01, 2010
The minute Frida (sneak peek)was finished, all 700+ stitch bound off, Milkweed was on the needles. Casbah is plush, velvety to the touch, and beautiful in her shades of blue. The shades flow nicely with the pattern and create smooth transitions of color from one blue to another. They compliment perfectly with no strong patches of one shade. The fabric created by the pattern, together with the yarn, is soft and elegant. I've been too much in love with the process, the yarn and pattern, to knit anything else and I feel no guilt over the poor Nutkin's stuck in the bag.
This weekend I took a little time to dig through the sock bin and see just how much blue fingering resides in the stash. Patterns and ideas are spinning around my head, with designs and skeins easily matching up. It's quite exciting to see all the possibility and promise that sits in a pile of blue yarn. Blue Monday and the Year of Socks will be good partners.
More fingering yarn is marinating in the stash, as are many other weights, and it would be easy to be overwhelmed by the shear magnitude. The year of blue will certainly include lace and whatever else present itself. Knitting with blue is almost as good as a treatment of full spectrum light. If I can't see the blue sky above, at least my lap can be full of blue-tiful blue. It lifts my mood, brightens my spirit and will certainly be a balm during the gray days of winter.
Today is the first day of February and it's a good day solely because it isn't January! Hasta la vista, January! I'm not sorry to see you go.
Lovely peek at Frida and the starts of Milkweed! You're on a roll grrl. I like your attitude about the blue in your lap despite all of that gray in the sky.
Posted by: Manise | February 01, 2010 at 04:19 AM
Oh, that pile of blue is so lovely! You're going to have a fun year!
Posted by: Kym | February 01, 2010 at 04:59 AM
Amen. I am so glad we are past January. I love your blues. Love Frida and Milkweed is stunning. Happy Monday!
Posted by: CindyCindy | February 01, 2010 at 05:26 AM
I love all your blue yarn. I've had Milkweed in my queue for a while now and you've inspired me to move it up!
Posted by: Carole | February 01, 2010 at 05:31 AM
I may have almost as much blue sock yarn as you do... hey, that skein on the left looks vaguely familiar. I'm not singing the blues for January's departure either... and tomorrow is St. Brigid's Day.
Posted by: Lucia | February 01, 2010 at 05:54 AM
Me, neither! Happy February! LOVE all the blue! The most favorite art in my house is called, "Blue Monday!"
Posted by: Suzy | February 01, 2010 at 06:03 AM
Lovely shawl and all that blue! Just yummy!
I'm with you about January, it's my least favorite month. Even though Feb. and March can have it's fair share of cold and snow, Feb. is short and the promise of spring comes at the end of March.
Posted by: Geri | February 01, 2010 at 06:13 AM
Gorgeous. I've knit with Casbah before -- definitely a favorite. I second your feelings about January/February! We're on our way toward Spring!
Posted by: Vicki | February 01, 2010 at 06:32 AM
Isn't it funny how different we can all be in terms of color? I almost never knit with blue because it subdues me a bit too much for my tastes. I like it...I just am not drawn to it so much.
Posted by: Kristin | February 01, 2010 at 06:54 AM
I love, love, LOVE the sneak peek of Frida. I want you to model it in a black senorita dress with black heels and a red flower tucked behind your ear -- that is what it seems to call out for!
Posted by: Norma | February 01, 2010 at 08:10 AM
Amen to that. Good riddence January.
Posted by: Cayenne | February 01, 2010 at 08:13 AM
The start of your milkweed looks so lovely and all those blues just what any blue lover needs to knit with :)
Posted by: Rachel | February 01, 2010 at 08:40 AM
Oh, look at all those pretty blues!
And we've got sun and blue skies today. What could be better? (Well, besides it being 40 degrees warmer...)
Posted by: Cheryl S. | February 01, 2010 at 08:44 AM
Blue, blue, your yarn is blue. Blue is your yarn, your yarn it is blue...
Posted by: Chris | February 01, 2010 at 08:49 AM
I'm about to cast on with Casbah shortly. Good to hear that you're enjoying yours.
Posted by: Hillary | February 01, 2010 at 08:52 AM
Love Frida and Milkweed is LOVELY!
Posted by: Kathy | February 01, 2010 at 09:14 AM
Love, love, love all the lvely blues - I may have to go stash-diving ;)
Posted by: Joy | February 01, 2010 at 10:43 AM
that pile of yarn is absolutely inspiring!
and this year (for probably the first time ever in my life) I join you in giving the boot to January!
Posted by: Teyani | February 01, 2010 at 10:56 AM
You are such a tease.
Posted by: Cookie | February 01, 2010 at 04:10 PM
Aww.... I was a bit sad to see January go.... I love all the blues, and it will be fun to see what you do with them. I want to see Frida in all her glory:)
Posted by: Birdsong | February 01, 2010 at 06:04 PM
Love those blues. Happy Blue Monday.
Posted by: Sally | February 01, 2010 at 07:09 PM
Love that photo of your blue yarn!
Posted by: Heather Joins The Round | February 01, 2010 at 07:23 PM
Ooh! Such prettiness! The pile of blue is so soothing, and will be fun to watch this year.
xo
Posted by: Sarah | February 02, 2010 at 02:08 AM
I knit a milkweed out of casbah and I love it! I can't wait to see your version!
Posted by: Melissa | February 02, 2010 at 05:33 AM
Oooo - pretty colors! Bet you'll LOVE working with the Casbah.
Posted by: Anne | February 02, 2010 at 05:53 AM