a smaller life

on the color pink

Cosyknits recently wrote a post about her changing views on color that is so appropriate to how I've been thinking, lately. I am coming to view colors differently- I've been watching myself shift from murky deep dusk colors into the bright and clear tones. There is still depth there, but I've been feeling a lot more playful with my color choices lately.

 

(This amazing, thigh- high sample sock was knit out of Skinny Bugga summer colorways by the lovely and talented Katydid Knits.)

This summer is full of surprises for me- some positive, some negative, some just… well, surprising. Looking at all my new colors on the lines, I can't help but wonder exactly what is happening with me, lately; my colors are bright and rich and jewel- toned. There are even a few strong pastels in there- strong enough to almost not qualify as pastels, but so light… well, maybe I need a new word for whatever those are.

They are gorgeous, though. That word fits. They are lovely and they just flash out at  me. They are influenced by the time of year, I'm sure, but even more by the people in my life; a lemon- chartreuse for Pamela, a darkish blue for my sister Megan (like her eyes), a purple- magenta for my aunt Karen. But there is nothing in there to explain the pale pink, or the orange with hot pink flashes; they are just there, lovely and colorful, and I've no idea where they have come from, of why I want to make them. 

It is the pinks that startle me. I've always hated pink; I've seen it as insipid, or obvious, or silly. But I don't, any more: certainly there are pinks that fit that description- Barbie pink, how I hate you- but there's something sweet and sensual in the pinks I've been making lately, delicate and generous.

 

 

Somehow, I am turning into a girl who loves pinks. Peachy pinks, nude negligee pinks, soft buttery yellows with pink tones, it's in everything. I've dyed a champagne color that I am so in love with, and I have thoughts of dusky grey- pinks, too. 

I have no idea what that means, but while I'm figuring it out, I'll be dyeing silk scarves for myself in every pink I can dream.

currently making me happy

 

A goblin of my very own, from Goblin Road. (Shortcut to their shop here.) He needs a name, of course. Currently considering: Gilbert, Thornfield, Hareton, Jude, and Farfrae. (My Vic lit obsession, it is eating up my year.) I'm open to other ideas, of course. Suggestions/ votes? He'll be in Atlanta at Stitches South with us, in case you need to see him in person to make up your mind. 

on Homespun Yarn Party 2010, dyeing and a dash of gratuitious puppy

  

 

Homespun Yarn Party was this past Sunday, and it was intense- it sure packs lot into a small show. It's a great show, short as it is, and I loved meeting some of the other vendors- I got to meet the lovely Cosy, of cosySpins, and I brought home a skein of her supersoft orange handspun, Buy Nothing Month be damned. Our neighbor Jenny runs 8th Street Soap Kitchen, and she smelled amazing. Okay, I didn't sniff her, exactly, but I her booth smelled pretty damned good. Remember when I said I'd come back to the espresso- Guinness- dark chocolate soap? That's her, and in case you were wondering- yes, it really is every bit as good as it sounds.

 

 

In other news, all of my summer test- dyes are coming out in these strangely bright, clear colors- even the dark ones. I tried for something a little more moody yesterday, and I'm not in love with it. I fails to move me at all.  Who the hell am I, again?

I'm at a complete loss. It's like I've replaced myself with someone else, a stranger who wants to wear sunny sweet rich jewel- toned things. I'm not a jewel- toned girl, people. I like murk, and subtlety, and grey- lots and lots of grey; if you saw my clothing you'd never guess I'd made a career in color. Grey makes me happy in ways I can only barely begin to describe.

And what am I dyeing? Berries, sunshine, afternoon skies, baseball fields and sari silks. I can't even let my browns just be brown any more; I tried for a sweet midtoned brown for the Spring colorways and before I knew what I was doing I added all these rosy tones. It's definitely brown, but a ruddy brown, full of caprice, although as though my hands were laughing at me. They are, I know it, especially that right one, but it was never good for much, anyways.

I love the new colors I'm making, which seems significant to me. Unexpected as they sometimes are. I wonder what changed? It must have been me, but why? I'm still waiting to see how our customers react to this movement towards bright and clear that started with the Spring 2010 colors. The true test will be once they have them in their hands. And I'm learning to have faith that they can follow the direction I'm moving in these days- something I talked with Steph about this weekend, and something on my mind in general these days. 

In other, other news- because really, this blog post was already disjointed, why not?-have some puppy.

 

It's ridiculous, right? Huuuuuuuugoooooooooo.

 

yes, please

 

If it weren't for the little things, I don't think there would be any point. I am caught up in the details, the tiny moments, the way the light shifts off of and on to the world. It's not the big moments, the oh my goodness did you see that? planned events or expected transitions. It's good coffee and morning shuffles and flannel sheets and crisp evenings, string in pockets and quiet laughter and the sweet slip of scotch, fresh green growth and one- stitch- at- a- time creation.

 

details

 

 

resolutions, 2010

Well, hello, 2010. A shiny new decade! Time to revise.

 

Resolutions, 2010

1.    Don't die.

2.    Postpone dying.

• Quit smoking again. The answer to stress is not to light a cigarette, damnit, and it will never, EVER be "just this one". This lesson is one I should have learned a long, long time ago. the majority of studies I'm reading show that nicotine + MS = bad mix, so let's get my shit together, here.
• Also: listen to my body, listen to my doctors, stay educated on MS but don't let it become my life. I am my life.
• My body is not my life, but it's definitely my vehicle, so stay on top of things. Regular massage. Yoga. Keep active, eat well, pay attention.
• Read labels.
• Stop buying crap food that has labels.
• RUN MORE: run as much as my body can stand. The better shape I'm in, the harder it will be for this disease to chip away at me.
• Enter more races. I'm competitive by nature, so it keeps me on track. Talk about racing, too, because accountability is good for me.

3.    Consume less.

• Create more. Learn to make even more stuff. BREAK OUT THAT SEWING MACHINE!
• Drive less, bike and walk more.
• Grow and cook our food. Let's make 2010 the year that I finally get rid of that black thumb! I want to grow the kickass- est garden of all gardens ever. Okay, let's just aim for a decent heirloom garden this year. I don't need to win any awards, just successfully grow something other than tomatoes and herbs.
• Simplify, reuse, repurpose. Compost stuff! Recycle everything!

4.     Do better.

• Try harder, remain grateful, keep perspective.
• Be kind.
• Sam Beckett always had it so damned right. "Ever tried. Ever failed. No matter. Try again. Fail again. Fail better."

5.    Challenge myself.

• Allow myself some vulnerability. Everything is not a Feat Of Strength. Leave the country for the 4th of July this year; I don't need to push through that bullshit. I can just pack a bag and spend a few days in Canada, and that's not weak; that's  smart. Also, probably relaxing as hell and hey, might as well put that passport to work a little, right?
• Be brave. Without being stupid.
• Read things I’m not naturally drawn to, broaden my horizons a little. I’m beginning to feel I’m  too specialized.
• Write more. I’ve been getting lazy. Get back on track and start talking about simplifying and start talking about chronic illness. Less of these brief photo- posts and more substance. Refine what I have to say and really say it.
• Take more photos, too.
• Try new things. Like singing when I feel like singing, for starters. That's a good goal. 11 years and my husband has never heard me do one of the things I used to do best. How dumb is that?

6.     Remember that we only get so many days. Make them count.

 

 

 

seven years

Thank you, love, for every day of these seven wonderful years.

morning light

 

 

 

on the spindle this week... month... quarter... oh, I need to finish this already.

 

Gorgeous Chasing Rainbows roving in a colorway that I've forgotten, merino- tencel blend, just heavenly. I love their colors and fiber prep; so meticulous, simple and beautiful.