Knitting holds on to its old words. Ganseys, gurnseys, wristers, gauntlets, gussets, steeks and, in this case, reticule. Of course, then there are “Magic Loops” and “frogging” and “tinking” and “UFOs” but hold that thought for now. This is Nicky Epstein’s “Rose Reticule” pattern from the Winter, 1994 Knitters Magazine. I knit it soon after it was published. Fifteen years ago. But I remember the project more clearly than I remember some non-knitting events in my recent past. It’s supposed to have beads knit in around the rose. I could not make those beads behave. I still can’t make beads behave the way many other knitters can. My mom lined this small purse in a beautiful dark cloth with small roses printed on the fabric. She thought she was finishing it for me to give to someone else and was very pleased to receive it that year for Christmas. The yarn is an elasticized ribbon sold by Tiber. Fifteen years ago it was a real stretch to knit this in exactly the expensive yarn Epstein planned for it. But it was one of those patterns where substituting would not have worked well.
Monthly Archives: October 2009
A Calming Sunset
The sunsets on Hillman’s Long Lake are most often beautiful in an understated way. Yellows and delicate oranges melt into the almost night shadows. About now the fishermen would mostly be off the lake. My dad would have stayed out a little later, though, trolling for bass in the shallows until night settled in.
Red Sky at Night
You look at the flames of your little firepit. You look at the sky and the sky reflected in the lake. Everything rattling around inside your head quiets. Soon we’ll spot the first bat of the night.
Bokaclava
Scotland’s Anne-Marie Dunbar generously posted this pattern on her blog. Twenty-two Ravelers (including me) have knitted it. It’s Bok, of Dr. Who fame. Bok was a stone gargoyle brought to life by Azal’s power. Bok was short, powerful, with glowing red eyes. This time, it would have been perfect if my camera didn’t have the anti-red eye feature. Bok could vaporize objects and people. He was afraid of iron. I have no idea why. I’m not a Dr. Who fan. I just thought Bok could be an interesting knit. I am going to wear my Bokaclava passing out treats to the neighborhood children. My other possible costume choice is a clown nose. This is better. It can be an odd endeavor, this knitting.
Sunrise in Ghost Bay
Steve took this photo as we entered Ghost Bay the last weekend in September, early, just after sunrise. The mist had mostly cleared from the water. The sunshine was spilling through the trees, painting this splash of gold on the water. I didn’t want to disturb the scene by paddling through it. Can you imagine what it must be like to be a nice big bass sliding through the dark cold water and come upon this? I wonder if they stop dead in their tracks (or whatever would be the fish equivalent of tracks).