Saturday, December 12, 2009

Up to My Neck

Feh. Blurgh. Yuck. Five days laid up with a cold. And such a cold. Such a cold as I would not wish on my worst enemies, not even parents who let their five-year-olds push the grocery cart.

This was no pissant, garden variety, off-the-rack sniffle. It was epic. Five days of ceaseless misery; of labored breathing; of lying in bed and looking up to find a flight of angels beckoning toward a bright, bright light.

Cough Cough Cough

And I was like, Are you kidding? Have you seen all the Christmas knitting I have left to finish? And they were like, Whoa–nevermind.

So I was not gathered to my reward, and am expected to make a full recovery; but Dolores is working on a screen treatment of my story. We're hopeful that HBO or Lifetime will option it for a new picture in which I'll be played by either Steve Buscemi (if the former) or Valerie Bertinelli (if the latter).

I'm back on my feet just in time to trot up to Madison, Wisconsin to speak to the Madison Knitters' Guild (details here). The topic will be Antique Knitting Patterns. And you can wipe that look off your face because that's what they asked me to talk about. Those knitters up in Madison are hardcore. They appreciate the entertainment value of this kind of thing:

Old Pattern

You just know it's going to be a wild night.

Calaf

I finished knitting something. It's the neck warmer that launched a thousand swatches, and was begun in earnest while we waited in New York for the flight to London.

Calaf 2

I could have skipped the swatching and been done with it in a week, if I hadn't decided it would be fun to work out my cable pattern.

And then I thought, wouldn't it be fun to work the cables the long way so they'll wrap around the neck? And then I thought, wouldn't it be fun if the cables flowed out of the edge treatment? And then I thought, wouldn't it be fun to make the edge treatment flow out of the cast-on edge? And then I thought, wouldn't it be fun to make the cast-off edge the mirror image of the cast-on edge?

And then I thought, wouldn't it be fun if I stopped swatching and knit the damned thing?

Calaf 4

Look, children, at all the fun.

Calaf 3

It still needs buttons. I haven't found the right ones yet. I'm being hyperfussy about the buttons. Surprise.

Calaf 5

It has, to my eye, an air of chinoisérie, therefore I'm naming it "Calaf" after the hero in Puccini's Turandot. Calaf tells Turandot the Ice Princess that he thinks she's groovy, and she threatens to have his head cut off; so there's a subtle jest in using his name for a neck wrap. Okay, a very subtle jest.

Shut up. I bet they're laughing in Madison.

P.S. Lorna's Laces Fisherman Yarn in "Pine." Good stuff.

117 comments:

  1. Anonymous6:18 PM

    You are my hero. That is just beautiful.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Very lovely! I think it could one of those gifts that appeal to both men and women, which makes it doubly a great design. So, when are you going to emulate Jarod Flood and write your own pattern book?

    ReplyDelete
  3. I love it! I'm glad you stopped swatching, it would be a shame if it was 'still in the the skein'(TM).

    ReplyDelete
  4. That is the most beautiful neck warmer!

    ReplyDelete
  5. Loves the fun. Glad you are feeling better!

    ReplyDelete
  6. Anonymous6:43 PM

    That is seriously gorgeous. But I'm not sure the word "fun" comes into it...

    ReplyDelete
  7. Lovely. Will it be aired for viewing at the holidays? Will you be coming this way as usual?

    My verification word is "facism", which I believe must be discrimination against people who don't have faces.

    ReplyDelete
  8. nosenabook7:02 PM

    I just knew you were a genius!

    ReplyDelete
  9. It's beautiful! Love love love the cable design and how it flows from the edges....

    ReplyDelete
  10. Glad your having 'fun'. Share the pattern so we can too ;)

    At least the beastly cold will have left in time for the Silly Season festivities.

    ReplyDelete
  11. Anonymous7:10 PM

    That is just a beautiful work of art....

    ReplyDelete
  12. Speechless with wonder; grateful you made it past the beckoning angels; love the play on operatic themes manifested in stitches. You're quite inspiring...as usual.

    ReplyDelete
  13. It's really lovely -- both the color and the cable design. I hope you're working it up as a pattern to share! I could use something like that..! And I'm glad you're on the mend.

    ReplyDelete
  14. Tell me that you'll be posting the pattern for Calaf soon. Great Muppety Odin, it's beautiful.

    ReplyDelete
  15. Laura8:27 PM

    I think I'm in trouble - I understood your 'very subtle jest' - but then I did see the encore Met production of Turandot at my local movie theatre last weekend. Who knew opera was soooo much fun.
    Love the "Calaf'
    Glad you are well enough to go to Madison.

    ReplyDelete
  16. Laura8:28 PM

    Just had to add - the new word verification is 'operma'

    ReplyDelete
  17. It's stunning!

    I hope you feel better, soon.

    ReplyDelete
  18. Carole8:37 PM

    are you sure it was a cold and not H1N1? (which sounds to me like a virus that would attack your ribs.)

    ReplyDelete
  19. That is gorgeous. You could sell that pattern and make money.

    ReplyDelete
  20. Worth every swatch.

    Now, please save me the bother of weeks of swatching and swearing, and write up the pattern.

    Then I, and others, will give you money. And nothing says "Hey man, the flow of your cables rocks my world," like pockets full of shiny new cash.

    ReplyDelete
  21. Anonymous9:19 PM

    Forget the buttons. Sew it together end to end and make it a cowl and you can have continuous cables.

    ReplyDelete
  22. That really came out nice! I love the color and style. I am very glad you did not follow the light as you would be missed.

    ReplyDelete
  23. Gorgeous...get well.. then write the pattern pretty please?
    ;)
    (((hugs)))

    ReplyDelete
  24. Hope you're feeling better! Your project is STUNNING! No surprise though, all your work is fantastic. That vintage pattern? Hmmmm. Couldn't figure it out. Wish I could though.

    ReplyDelete
  25. YOU are fun!

    ReplyDelete
  26. I feel your pain, brother. I spent an entire day Friday (oh jeez, was that just yesterday?) trying to work out the perfect leafy cable. I finally gave up and designed a non-leafy one. Yours is wonderful, particularly the bit where it flows out of the edge. Well done!

    ReplyDelete
  27. I'm not one to beg famous bloggers for patterns, but that is a thing of beauty. Write it up? Please?

    ReplyDelete
  28. Glad you are feeling better. Totally laughing!!! Needed this humor to brighten my weekend. Read it to my hubby and he has learned enough about knitting to laugh too.

    ReplyDelete
  29. Love your neckwarmer. It's beautiful. And I'm sure I had the cousin of your same cold virus...it was awful. Screw the swine flu, that cold was as sick as I've been in a long time! Glad you're better in time to go to Madison!

    ReplyDelete
  30. Leigh Witchel11:41 PM

    I am tickled imagining you as a consumptive Little Nell going to your greater reward. It's just so much less derivative and so much more gay than being a Gashlycrumb Tiny. I hope I will be allowed to sit at your bedside wearing black and doing whitework. I need to find some appropriate onyx beads, jet cameos and other assorted morbid Victorian drag. One thing I gather that is not happening is the traditional keepsake lock of hair.

    You need to do a whole warm lounging line based on that design, starting with a Calaftan, the high class Snuggie for opera buffs.

    ReplyDelete
  31. Anonymous12:26 AM

    Glad you survived! One cannot leave this earth until all their Christmas knitting is done.

    So when can we hope to see you publish the pattern? The cables are amazing!

    ReplyDelete
  32. Oh dear, that is just so pretty. I really adore the way the yarn really almost makes your lovely cables glow.

    Also, please write a pattern. Pretty please?

    ReplyDelete
  33. Leigh expressed the images I had, only not so much Little Nell as Prince Albert on his deathbed with the weeping Vicky by his side. I don't think though that Dolores is the weepy type. More like searching the cupboards for salable pieces of silver before your sister comes over. I'm glad you're over your ague.

    Nice work on the cabling. I agree with others -- it's time to consider a collection of patterns.

    ReplyDelete
  34. anne marie in philly1:44 AM

    pretty...ya know, you could go to www.naturebuttons.com to find what you need (just sayin')...

    get well soon...you have been missed!

    ReplyDelete
  35. That's beautiful...

    Hope you're feeling better very soon... and glad to see you're limbering up for the knitters of Stirling in the summer!

    ReplyDelete
  36. Just lovely and almost worht the trouble of swatching. Almost. But then swatching is against my religion, so its a separation of church and state thing...

    ReplyDelete
  37. Nice cables! Love it!

    ReplyDelete
  38. That is one good looking neckwarmer.
    I haven't anything more intelligent to say.

    ReplyDelete
  39. I love the way the cables flow up the edge, and you're right, the yarn is gorgeous.

    I've been swatching for a sweater for my mother for a couple of years now (off and on, don't laugh, I have knit her other stuff in the meantime) I wonder if that edge treatment would work.... humm... off to find the box with her sweater stuff in it. (I swear, the rate this sweater is knitting, it'll be done sometime after the world ends in 2012 :)

    ReplyDelete
  40. Oh my. Sensational. Really. I envy your neck.

    ReplyDelete
  41. Beautiful. Pattern and yarn. I'll have to fondle some LL Fisherman, perhaps at Loopy over Christmas.

    ReplyDelete
  42. Looks like it was worth the trouble. I love the detail.

    ReplyDelete
  43. Beautiful. Nice combination of yarn and pattern!

    ReplyDelete
  44. Love love love! Love you, love the cowl, and looove the subtle joke to the head chopping!

    ReplyDelete
  45. I was reading along thinking "old patterns, yes, yes - very interesting" then I noticed the row numbers! Whoa!! Row 248, Row 249, etc. - are you kidding!!! Now that's hard core for sure.

    PS your neckwarmer is beautiful.

    ReplyDelete
  46. Franklin, you know it's the perfect blog when you can't decide which is more skilfully done, the writing or the knitting! Too funny by half!

    ReplyDelete
  47. Anonymous1:40 PM

    So glad you're better - no angels singing you to your rest until you write up that pattern for the rest of us! Have you thought of using pewter celtic knot buttons? They would sort of mimic the center cables, and the pewter would look great against the pine!

    Barb

    ReplyDelete
  48. That is amazing. And beautiful. And now I feel I must knit something with cables.

    ReplyDelete
  49. =Tamar3:54 PM

    Eeee! I love the neckwarmer. It's so much fun! Seriously. (Making it fully continuous would spoil having it come out of the cast-on, and anyway, if it were reversible cables it could be moebius as well. Aarrghhh)

    I wonder why the 19th century author had to repeat the 6-row sequence so many times; maybe she couldn't figure out how to say "do this pair of rows six times, then do them eight times" (or however that should be). I have that book, I should read it.

    ReplyDelete
  50. =Tamar4:01 PM

    Duh. Please ignore where I misread the Ladies' Work Book pattern. *sigh* But it could still have been written more compactly.

    ReplyDelete
  51. Thank God! Something in green with cables that isn't called 'Celtic...' something. Love it, very classy, and subtly clever.

    It also amuses me far too much that my word verification is 'stiffi'.

    ReplyDelete
  52. Anonymous8:57 PM

    Ooh, ooh! It's so pretty, it's so pretty, I want it! Are you going to give away/sell the pattern for it? Please say yes!

    ReplyDelete
  53. Ann (yet another)9:02 PM

    Crikes! I wish I was in Madison (and how often is THAT said in December?) for what promises to be a classic of a class. I also wish could pat that neckwarmer.

    Sigh. Instead, I am staring at a screenshot of a show trying to discern whether the actress is wearing a scarf, a very large cowl (one of the men was wearing a rather attractive cowl in this earlier), a wrap or some sort of capelet.

    I'm not knitting. I have no knit mojo at the moment. It has deserted me just as I was hoping to knit some hats for the rest of the horde for Winter Solstice or Xmas, since I already missed Bodhi Day and the start of Hanukkah. I'm thinking 3 Kings Day may be more likely.

    ReplyDelete
  54. Anonymous9:39 PM

    Your writing and your knitting are both spectacular!

    ReplyDelete
  55. It's beautiful! I'm glad you are feeling better.

    You are truly a constant source of inspiration.

    Hi to Dolores and Harry.

    ReplyDelete
  56. How interesting -- the antique pattern instructions I mean.
    When I was a little girl in Australia, I was taught the Plain stitch and the Purl stitch. To this day I still say purl one, PLAIN one, in my mind when I'm knitting rib. And in some way I think it makes more sense to knit Purl and knit Plain instead of knit Purl and knit Knit!
    Jum8uck on Ravelry

    ReplyDelete
  57. Dearest, you know if I had been there I would have had Tom applying Thermogene and Brown Paper to your chest while I sang The Red Sarafan...

    ReplyDelete
  58. Sending you Chicken Noodle soup via email as I type. ;-) I hope you get to feeling better!!

    The Calaf is awesome! Although tedious cables can be all the more worth it in the end! It's incredible! Get well soon and I hope you find your buttons. :-)

    ReplyDelete
  59. It's neckwarmer weather, all right (I just made a 20s inspired neckwarmer & cloche in a very similar color. Not as impressive as yours. And it's unnamed.)

    I'm glad your cold has left for warmer climes without you (though I hope it doesn't find a new host).

    One more thing; I loved your Knitty article on Mrs. Roosevelt. Thanks!

    ReplyDelete
  60. Gerri in St Paul11:16 AM

    I'm running off to increase the length of my Christmas knitting list as a disease preventative measure. Who knew? Glad you survived and thanks for reporting back on the remedy.

    Calaf is wonderful!

    ReplyDelete
  61. Rebecca- former NAA coworker11:32 AM

    On a completely unrelated topic: Franklin, have you seen this: http://discovermagazine.com/photos/03-the-bizarre-and-brilliant-world-of-knitted-science. Science knitting!

    ReplyDelete
  62. Here's hoping you make the pattern available.

    Like the new article in Knitty too.

    ReplyDelete
  63. Patti (from Ottawa)12:10 PM

    That is absolutely beautiful. And what a great colour for those flowing lines!

    ReplyDelete
  64. You better believe we are laughing in Madison :)
    The neck warmer is beautiful. Can't wait for your talk tonigh!
    Amanda

    ReplyDelete
  65. We call THAT kind of cold "the plague".

    ReplyDelete
  66. i'm on your fan bandwagon. the neckwarmer is fantastic. the cables, from what i can see, flow beautifully. and the color of the yarn!! what a wonderful green. what is it? will i be able to get me some? (will be checking out your projects page on ravelry for more details...)

    pattern please please please.

    ReplyDelete
  67. That is gorgeous. I want to pet it even though I know in certain circles that would be considered creepy.

    ReplyDelete
  68. Anonymous3:38 PM

    LOL, from someone in Madison

    ReplyDelete
  69. Angeliner Mediner4:18 PM

    Beautiful work! Your knitting and writing are works of art.

    ReplyDelete
  70. Anonymous4:30 PM

    We ARE laughing in Madison!!! Turandot is my all-time favorite opera...nay, my all-time favorite piece of music. Ever. Really.

    Oh, and the neck warmer is GORGEOUS!!!

    ReplyDelete
  71. Hi Franklin,

    I'm glad you're better!

    But I'm really commenting to say how wonderful this issue's Stitches in Time is. Really wonderful. I always love SIT but you really outdid yourself this time. Thanks so much for sharing this with us in the wider knitting community!

    - Heather

    ReplyDelete
  72. That is absolutely gorgeous!

    ReplyDelete
  73. Anonymous8:53 PM

    Franklin, it's gorgeous...I'm keeping my fingers crossed that you'll be releasing it as a pattern??
    Feel better...

    ReplyDelete
  74. Franklin, You kicked ass tonight in Madison! You were fantastic! and it was wonderful to see (and touch) the Angry Baby's bonnet.

    Thank you for braving "hardcore" Madison! And yes, you were GOOD!
    cathy

    ReplyDelete
  75. Anonymous11:30 PM

    ooooooo...

    yes, LL fisherman is severely and painfully underrated.

    ReplyDelete
  76. Anita6:50 AM

    Oh how I wish you were my mate and you lived round the corner and I could just pop in and knit and share in the "fun". You make me laugh so much!

    ReplyDelete
  77. Can't tell you how much I enjoyed your talk last night in Madison! Dale H and I will have fodder for hours of stories at Knit Night at The Ear on Friday night. Only problem is, now I've got this small inkling that I should just...you know...poke around...just a little ...and see what's out there for antique patterns....

    ReplyDelete
  78. Deborah C.11:24 AM

    Yummy. Just - yummy.

    ReplyDelete
  79. "Please, sir, I want some more."

    As in, the pattern for that neckwarmer in my hot little hands. Name your price!

    ReplyDelete
  80. Both designs are gorgeous and, as always and I lOVE reading about Harry and Delores.(I read the whole page at once.) Unfortunately, my husband isn't a knitter, so when I try to explain what was so funny, he doesn't get it (sigh).

    ReplyDelete
  81. SusieQ1003:13 PM

    How on earth do you find the time to physically knit along with all your other activities?? I wish I had your dedication. Amazing pattern of cables!

    ReplyDelete
  82. I really dig your Buddha, Pity I only got to see his cold shoulder ;-)
    Nice carving and wood.

    The neckwarmer sure needs those special buttons to make it complete. Good luck finding them (soon).

    ReplyDelete
  83. Anonymous11:28 PM

    Wow! That's a lot of drama for a head cold.

    Your idea of FUN! sounds like my. idea. of. hell. But your neckwarmer looks nice.

    JuniorGoddess

    ReplyDelete
  84. Love.
    Glad you're among the living in time for holly daze. Here, have a kerchief for your subsequent vapors!
    (heh. Seriously: stay better!)

    ReplyDelete
  85. Oh my god, Jane Gaugain! Can I just clutch you around the knees and worship you?

    (I graphed one of the patterns out of her Pyrennees & Shetland Shawl book - o_O. Wow.)

    ReplyDelete
  86. Anonymous9:29 PM

    That looks big to be a neck warmer? Maybe the scale is misleading in the photos...? Or maybe it is late, and I am tired.

    But you are a Cable Master

    ReplyDelete
  87. Anonymous10:12 PM

    I love the flow!
    margieinmaryland

    ReplyDelete
  88. Anonymous3:16 AM

    that is LOVELY. and the swatches resulted in a lot of details that are very knitter-geek. (which is, of course, always a plus.)

    ReplyDelete
  89. Anonymous3:38 PM

    Wouldn't it be fun if you were my boyfriend?!

    I have scads and scads of buttons...

    Merryanne

    ReplyDelete
  90. Sure hope you're recovering from the "cold-that-isn't-the-flu". Sounds like the same awful thing that I had.

    You really do need to publish that pattern. I'm another one who would definitely buy it!

    ReplyDelete
  91. I ran into one of the Madison Knitting Guilders at the auto glass shop on the 16Dec. She was saying that you had been there.Again I missed someone I wanted to hear speak. I looked at the pictures on the MKG website. That is down right scary. The knitter i spoke to was a teacher, she knitted socks and was working on the 7gs.5th edition of EZ sweater. you always create gorgeous things.

    ReplyDelete
  92. Anonymous3:41 PM

    Oh, Franklin. Your prose makes such wonderful reading. Thank you for brightening my days with your blog.
    I am sorry to hear about your cold, and extremely envious of your beautiful project. I suppose envy is a fitting emotion, seeing the (gorgeous) tint of the yarn you used.

    ReplyDelete
  93. Thank you very good idea.

    ReplyDelete
  94. Anonymous11:03 AM

    I laughed... But then again, I majored in Opera and Archeology in college so I'm used to getting all the opera jokes... Knitting Opera jokes are even better. Bonus points if you can work an ancient culture in there.

    ReplyDelete
  95. Anonymous12:49 AM

    Sad opera, but suitably dramatic neckwear. Will there be a pattern recitative available in the not too distant future?

    ReplyDelete
  96. Lovely, lovely. I can't wait to see the finished cowl.

    What kind of buttons you looking for? I have some metal and wooden ones that would look nice. Cuz, you know, the best buttons are found in NYC. ;-)

    ReplyDelete
  97. Well, if no one else has suggested it, look up "man cold" on youtube--that's what you had!!!!!

    ReplyDelete
  98. Anonymous3:42 PM

    Beautiful! And you're going to have the pattern for sale when? I mean, with all that swatching, surely you wrote down the pattern? Right? Ok, maybe you didn't.

    It's beautiful and well worth the swatching you did.

    ReplyDelete
  99. I really like Calef. Now, when do we get to see the pattern. This is something I would love to knit.

    ReplyDelete
  100. I just knew you were a genius!

    ReplyDelete
  101. Are you ever going to publish the pattern? Please??

    ReplyDelete
  102. Anonymous4:17 PM

    film izle - hafıza kartı - car racing games - Excellent site. Theme of a site is very nice. Thanks you very much love real admin and boss.. An excellent site is very great Thanks you very much love real admin and boss.. video izle

    ReplyDelete
  103. Anonymous6:04 PM

    film izle - film izle Really liked your site very great paylaşımlarınızda occasionally I write a nice comment favorite topics:) 724indir - dizi - Excellent site. Theme of a site is very nice. There are a number of us to our site. But you more beautiful and wonderful sites. Thanks you very much real admin and boss.. An excellent site is very great. Thanks you very much love real admin and boss.. Excellent site. esenyurt - Theme of a site is very nice. Thanks you very much real admin and boss.. A great site too. dah shares so great. Thank you very much. Done a wonderful site. Liked it very much. paylaşımlarınızda very great indeed. Simply amazing. good day .. dizi ve film - Thank you so much wonderful sharing...

    ReplyDelete
  104. Anonymous1:14 PM

    film izle - film izleReally liked your site very great paylaşımlarınızda occasionally I write a nice comment favorite topics:) Excellent site. Theme of a site is very nice. There are a number of us to our site. But you more beautiful and wonderful sites. Thanks you very much real admin and boss.. An excellent site is very great. Thanks you very much love real admin and boss.. Excellent site. Theme of a site is very nice. Thanks you very much real admin and boss.. A great site too. dah shares so great. Thank you very much. Done a wonderful site. Liked it very much. paylaşımlarınızda very great indeed. Simply amazing. good day .. dizi ve film - Thank you so much wonderful sharing... advertise

    ReplyDelete
  105. Totally laughing!!! Needed this humor to brighten my weekend. Read it to my hubby and he has learned enough about knitting to laugh too.

    ReplyDelete
  106. Anonymous4:49 PM

    dizi izle - Really liked your site very great paylaşımlarınızda occasionally I write a nice comment favorite topics:) Excellent site. Theme of a site is very nice. There are a number of us to our site. But you more beautiful and wonderful sites. Thanks you very much real admin and boss.. An excellent site is very great. Thanks you very much love real admin and boss.. Excellent site. Theme of a site is very nice. Thanks you very much real admin and boss.. A great site too. dah shares so great. Thank you very much. Done a wonderful site. Liked it very much. paylaşımlarınızda very great indeed. Simply amazing. good day .. Thank you so much wonderful sharing... cam balkon

    ReplyDelete
  107. Anonymous1:17 PM

    Such sites, and comments are very nice to throw a two-site within the ideals film indir I 've got really liked them too, you hopefully enjoy. memurlar Thank you in advance for visiting: D
    have done a great profile article first contact site film özet is also very much, radyo dinle liked the color images in fast girebiliyorum everything. I 've got a couple of my article yazıorum for them programlama I really liked your site based on subject content in a pretty good article with content shared between each one looks good
    I hope there will be more successful your site is very wonderful site. porna Thanks to the efforts of.like shares, are very beautiful.

    ReplyDelete
  108. Anonymous3:32 PM

    became difficult to find such a beautiful site, rent a car script and at one until the nice old issues of the old issues I do not like too many great new, but this article is written very beautifully written that I wanted to sekspartner throw comments :)

    ReplyDelete
  109. Wow, there is a lot of useful data above!

    ReplyDelete
  110. Anonymous8:50 AM

    lig tv izle, Youtube, Facebook, Twitter ve daha birçok uygulamaya artık televizyonunuzdan ulaşabilirsiniz.IQ’dan izlediğiniz programları dilerseniz canlı maç izle facebook hesabınız ile sayfanızda paylaşabilir; You Tube üzerinden sınıflandırılmış video seçeneği ile fuar hostesleri veya arama seçeneği üzerinden videolara erişim twitter sağlayabilir.

    ReplyDelete
  111. I suppose if you haven't written up this pattern by 2015, it probably isn't going to happen. But just in case: please pretty please?

    ReplyDelete
  112. Soccer Coaching Online : www.b-c-e.us

    ReplyDelete
  113. Given article is very helpful and very useful for my admin, and pardon me permission to share articles here hopefully helped :

    Cara Menyembuhkan Kanker Tenggorokan
    Cara mengatasi patah tulang kaki secara alami
    Cara Menyembuhkan Fistula Ani Tanpa Operasi

    ReplyDelete