I have just finished knitting “Covet” from Kim Hargreaves new book, Enchanted. And the book is enchanting indeed! This is one of the freshest collections of designs that I have seen in a long time—stylish, beautiful and practical. To access the book on Kim Hargreaves website, go here:
http://www.kimhargreaves.co.uk/
As I am still struggling along to create the sleeves for my Chanel V neck sweater, I have needed a bit of a distraction. At last, I have completed sleeve one, but it is as yet unblocked, as I am planning to block both sleeves together at the same time when they are finished. It took me two weeks to complete just this piece, so I have a while yet before I can finish this project.
However, I was extremely excited to receive a fabulous package in the mail yesterday. In response to my pleading, the master knitter, Pipapo, generously offered to crochet and braid the trim for my pullover. And here it is!
These braids look perfect for the trim. Now, as soon as I finish my last sleeve, I will be able to sew it all together and whip stitch the trim to the edges of the pullover. Now, with renewed enthusiasm, I am starting the last piece, the final sleeve!
However, when each piece is this laborious to execute, I need simple knits that allow me to relax in between. Covet was a wonderful, easy to follow pattern. It requires kidsilk haze doubled, but I used one strand of Kidsilk Aura instead, and it worked perfectly, taking 4.5 balls of yarn in all.
A snood is certainly a dramatic piece of headwear, but it is practical for those of us with ears that are sensitive to the cold. I am looking forward to my evening walks with my husband now that I have this soft, fuzzy blue cloud to wear!
Another delightful accessory project in Enchanted is “Myth”:
This scarf requires 3 balls of kidsilk haze, and I am knitting it in the same color as the pattern photo, cream. While this is a gorgeous design, I am starting to realize that it will be a very time-consuming project. The wraps and turns that are required to create the side ruffles take a long time to execute without advancing the length of the body of the scarf, and after a week, I have only completed about three and a half inches. Hmmm. I sense this may be a long, long-term project!
My favorite design in Kim Hargreaves’ Enchanted, however, is “Mystic”
To me there is something truly elegant about the shaping of this pullover, and the beads combined with the transparent fabric have an ethereal quality which is moving to me. The model is holding the scarf, “Myth” in her hands, as it can also be knitted with beads. For a project like this, I will have to wait until I am ready to be challenged with complexity again. For now, I have my hands full with the final sleeve of my V-neck sweater!