Taming the Deep Forest Evlen Scarf

top of hood, rope and braided cables over double seed ground 

Here’s a peek at my Deep Forest Elven Hooded Scarf for Ms. Megan Kenny. It’s a lofty garment fit for an elegant Elven queen, such as Mz. Kenny.

This hooded scarf uses as much yardage as a large man’s sweater, about 2000 yards. This is made from worsted-weight Shepherd’s Wool, a Michigan company, purchased at Stitch Therapy, A Fine Yarn Shop. I love this deep shade of oxblood (Berries).

This pattern part of my original series Elven Anthropology, knits inspired by the books of J. R. R. Tolkein, the fantastic art of the Brothers Hildebrandt, and of course the cinematic wonders of Peter Jackson.

hood folded to match seams

turning the hood

The gusset capelet adds an aesthetic stability.

Seams are grafted in Kitchener stitch; the band is turned and ticked.

Share that Warm and Fuzzy Feeling!

Here’s a YouTube link to our cats lounging around in their Holiday togs. Feel free to share: http://youtu.be/w3960fNXOHA

A New Star in Our Constellation

Is it summer already? After an unusually mild winter, Brooklyn’s transition from spring into summer seemed rather unceremonious. But our extended family has much to celebrate. Meet the new star in our constellation of friends, Luna Benjoya—what a beautiful little girl she is. I finally delivered my Ea Z. Baby Quilt to proud parents, Dave and Deike.

Their cat, Ann Richards, took a liking right away, and so far Luna seems to like it too. Here she is stretching her legs after feeding and a long nap. Don’t you just wanna pinch those chubby legs?

I used a combination of luxury yarns to make this feather-light quilt: blue and gray in Lang “Zoom,” a merino cotton blend; green in Aslan Trend’s “King Baby Llama & Mulberry Silk.” It’s ultra-soft, perfect for a newborn’s delicate skin.

The modular design was inspired by single-celled organisms called “diatoms”—microscopic phytoplankton encased in walls of glass (silica). Each have qualities that are as distinct and beautiful as cut gem stones.

This modular quilt grows with the baby. Next year I’ll add another row.  I wouldn’t call this quilt reversible, but I did carefully weave in all ends to make the back more presentable.

Although we’re already into summer Weather or not, I think they’ll get some use out of it. Our evenings have been so oddly chilly after blistering days. Congratulations to Dave and Deike on their healthy, new beautiful daughter.

The Ebb Tide Scarf

It’s always a bit difficult naming something, I think that’s why some great works of art are left untitled. Sometimes I employ a loose organic process to jog my brain. First I come up with names that I would never use: Sandy Ripples... sounds like a stripper; Tsunami... too soon; Duin-hir (River Lord)... I’ll get sued by the Tolkein Foundation; Esoteric Waves... too esoteric... etc. And when I’m done laughing, I think of more realistic possibilities for names.

For now I’m calling this pattern Ebb Tide. This winding, seven foot long scarf is a gift from Clive Baillie to his wife, Dawn. This original pattern is part of my Eleven Anthropology collection.

Much like the ribbed impressions left in the sand as the tide pulls away, Ebb Tide reminds me of a bygone day. With every twist and turn, it walks me down a familiar shore past the remains of sand castles, listening to the echo of crashing waves. I can almost feel the wet sand crushing between my toes.

This scarf is made with Aurora 4 (Karabella Yarns), a DK weight super washed merino. It’s very light and warm, perfect for chilly evenings on the beach. It has such an elegant drape — it unfurls like silken strands of seaweed.

It’s a Dog’s Life

If this sweaters seems a bit big in the chest, that’s because this is actually a sweater for a dog named Timba — my friend Jenn's mother’s Lhasa Apso. Phillip the Cat is just my fit model. I wanted to make sure the sleeve placement was directly below the body.

I love this tweedy blue yarn, it’s dog-worthy. The sweater is knit up to the neck and down the body from a central back strap. This design has a lot of opportunity for applying patterns.

The back strap has simple 3 X 3 cable that travels from sleeve to sleeve. The neckline is turned at the chest for a better fit, ending in a reinforced mock turtle collar.

Broad ram’s horns and twisted columns travel down the back over a single rib ground. The body itself is shorter in the under carriage (than on the back). This allows more freedom to... do what dogs naturally do. The garter stitch hem give it more elasticity and stability.

Washed, blocked and pressed flat — this sweater was delivered. Oddly enough it’s going to Florida for now. Maybe I should have made Timba a Guayabara, I don’t know how I would have finished this without Phillip’s help. He’s such a good sport. Thanks again Phillip, there’s a bag of treats with your name on it.

A Well Earned Cat Nap

Poor Sockey, he never stood a chance. His little red eye blinked neath the weight of this vicious sweater-clad killer. A long drawn out pursuit of stalking and hunting stuffed critters has left Phillip worn out. It’s time he took a well earned nap to recharge his batteries... until dinner of course.

Off the to cat quilt he went with a blue mouse in tow. I have to say this cat quilt was a brilliant idea. Phillip now prefers this to napping on my sweaters.

This tough guy is getting sleepy, his big cats eyes are getting heavier and heavier. Time to tuck him in.

Yawn.. stretch... he’s out. What do you suppose he dreams about anyway? Sweet dreams my Brooklyn beast, there will be more things to chase tomorrow.

Identity Crises Resolved

Finally! After pondering a plethora of mood boards, look books, color systems, iconography and logotypes... I have arrived at the perfect logo for The Yarn Monkey™. A logo is the cornerstone of an identity system that visually communicates the brand’s personality— playful, creative, innovative, reliable. It takes a focused vision and critical thinking to design a unique logo  that will live through out a variety of media.

But what is a brand? Throughout the late ‘90s its meaning became diluted into a confusing PR buzz word that became further confused through unfocused marketing campaigns. If one is trying to “think out of the box” too often, there must be something wrong with that box. Brands often suffer from an identity crisis in this day and age, most people do not know the difference between Toyota and Honda. And much like a reliable car a brand needs care and maintenance.

Simply put, a brand is the idea or conceptual image of a product or service. It identifies a company or product by name, logo, slogan, and philosophy. In a digital age, branding is integral to websites and blogs, as it allows a company to expand its reputation directly with the people it serves. The Yarn Monkey™ is a brand of Softwear Patterns for People Who Knit & Crochet... now back to work on my online pattern store.