Wednesday, January 21, 2009

Beyond Cold

This morning it is 2 below zero! This is the kind of day you lose lambs - even healthy ones if they catch a chill or perhaps fall into the water trough by mistake and can't get warm. Let's hope everyone survives the day.

It was stunningly beautiful this morning despite the cold. The sun was bouncing off the trees make the apple trees look like almost sureal. I love days like these but I am also thankful for the wood heat in our furnace.

Some of our cats barely venture outside in the winter. They prefer lounging on the blankets and wool throws that are scattered about. Once in a while, I will be looking for a swatch for a project I am working on. It will have disappeared and I become incredibly frustrated. Then a cat will go for a snack and I discover that one of the felines has been sleeping on the little swatch. So funny. Otto, our male red striped tiger, loves the cold. He stays out all night and prowls around. I am amazed he enjoys the cold as much as he does but he sure does have one thick fur coat on so I shouldn't worry.

I just got the newest issue of Vogue Knitting - Winter 2008/2009. It looks like there are a bunch of very nice projects in it - many of them relatively quick to knit so you could actually finish something before the season changes. I think Trisha and Joe and the rest of the team really got it right with this cover. The icy blue thickly spun cabled scarf certainly echos the winter weather here today.

I've got a cute pair of scarves in this Winter issue. They are the last project in the book. I love the picture of these two adorable kids. These scarves were knit of Nashua's Creative Focus. It's a loosely spun wool and alpaca yarn that is real soft and is available in over 60 colors. I think if you work hard, you could knit one in a weekend. And of course, you could change the colors and make something more bright and poppy!

Before I shipped the scarves off last year, I took a photo of Julia wrapped up in both of them. Here she is. Boy - she is a patient kid! It was pretty hot out and I had her wrapped up in a blanket and wearing both of the scarves around her neck.

17 comments:

Willow said...

The scarves are beautiful! I wish I lived in a climate that would allow me to wear such warm things. Well, I don't wish for 2 below zero, maybe just 40 or 45 degrees above zero once in a while.

Anonymous said...

Patient--and gorgeous!

Turtle said...

that is a great pic! and the scarves are lovely. so funny to think how far ahead you have to plan for what will be "in style" for the publication date. silly kitties.

Harpa Jónsdóttir said...

The scarves are beautiful! So cool to have piece in Vogue!

antique quilter said...

too cold for me!
And we plan on moving to NH in a few years?
Love the picture of Julia
adorable.
Kathie

countrychicken said...

Love the scarfs - for the best model I would pick Julia. Love that smile. In Ohio we will be above freezing today - going to feel like a heat wave!!

Bonnie said...

Can't wait to see the new Vogue and your scarves. I could definitely see them in brighter colors. Or maybe the colors of Michele Obama's beautiful Inauguration Day dress!

Hope all the lambs are fine today.

Judy said...

I love the scarf. The cat picture is great. We are warming up a bit, we are at 11°.

Jennifer said...

Congrats! Those scarves were my favorite project in the magazine. I should have known they were yours.

Anonymous said...

What an adorable picture of Julia!I like it way better than the Vogue shot.

Anonymous said...

It was great to read a designer post about the latest VK. The magazine seems to be getting its fashion mojo back. The styling was fantastic ( great shoes, over-sized balls of yarn wo-hoo!), the photography playful and clean, and the models on your scarf shoot were perfect.

I'm so glad you made it into that issue, but with Julia and the farm for inspiration anything is possible.

Anonymous said...

Your scarves are great. They were the only thing that appealed to me in the entire issue.

Anonymous said...

Love the scarves!!

Gail said...

Julia is such a doll!

Karin said...

I saw the vogue with your pattern in it. So lovely. And I love Julia's smile.

Your cat Otto looks like he could be a cousin to my cat, Emma!

Pungo River Rambling said...

I remember a neighborhood cat (nobody knew where she came from but everybody fed her) that in the winter had such a thick fur coat she looked round. She wasn't fat just a thick coat. Smile

Anonymous said...

Julia is delightful.

Oh, and the scarf is lovely too.

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