Randomness

Sweater knitting:

I've completed the body of Oblique to the underarms, and started on the first sleeve.  I'd love to have it done by Friday, but I rather suspect that's not going to happen.

I'm still mulling over the whole business of the ganseys and fit, (and whether I ought to apologize for blurting out that many of real-life offspring of Fisherman's Knits have a less than attractive sillouhette. Because I would hate to make anyone feel bad.) Interestingly, the project pages from Aran Knits have much leaner and shaplier forms - perhaps because it was published a few years later, with a mind to changing fashion?  I would LOVE to knit St. Brigid. (As an aside, if anyone wants to sell me their copy of Aran Knits for a price I could actually afford, or perhaps barter for yarn, I would be eternally grateful.  Shocked and stunned, but eternally grateful.) In any case, both Faroe and Inishmaan should be relatively easy to modify to a more flattering shape (and really, weren't traditional ganseys knitted to the dimensions of the wearer anyway?) 

So why am I determined to knit Starmore ganseys when there are so many lovely modern Arans out there?  Firstly, because her designs have that indefinable spark - a kind of fierceness rooted firmly in the traditions of a cold and windy land. Secondly, and likely because of those traditional roots, they are truly practical outerwear: high but non-constricting necklines, room for layering and vigorous movement, densely packed patterns that insulate the body. None of those great expanses of reverse stockinette that may elevate a single cable to artful magnificence but allow the frigid wind to whistle through with impunity.

Speaking of chilly:

 

Early morning mist over Fitzsimmons Creek - and it was bitterly cold today.

 

Not cold enough to dampen the Australia Day festivities, however:

 

That was 08:20 this morning, outside the Longhorn. This would be only a tiny portion of the Aussie contingent in Whistler, most of whom were going about their work as lifties and ski instructors, whilst similarly decked out in flags, face paint and assorted paraphenalia. 

Comments

[Ingrid]

Are you Australian? Me too!

[Katinka]

Have you seen the book "A Fine Fleece"? You might like some of the gorgeously cabled Arans in there, too.

[margene]

There is something about Starmore designs. She's got "it"...the patterns may be standard Aran but she adds something to make them sing.

[Kim]

Have you seen this? http://www.ravelry.com/projects/larisa/st-brigid Sorry. Dinna how to magic-link it.

[gayle]

The Starmore patterns always make my heart race.
I would love to knit St Brigid, too. If only I had been buying knitting books back in the day...
*sigh*

[Leonie]

My brother is one of the Aussie contingent partying it up at Whistler! Couldn't see him in your photos but he has put photos up on his facebook account with lots of pics of Aussies! Not that you would have seen him but it looks like he was all decked out in bright yellow (sun glasses required) cold weather gear!
Have just found your blog in the last fortnight. Finding it an interesting read!