Picnic

Harvey and I went to Krug Park in St. Joe today to have a picnic.

Krug Park

We took Hugo with us, who told me that he would really like to catch a duck.

ducks

He said that would make his day, if not his whole week.  But I had to tell him no, that these ducks are not for eating.

ducks

He didn’t really understand, and told me that it was very unfair of me to spoil his fun in that way.

Hugo 

I think he still loves me, though.

Rumpelstiltskin is a getting to be such a big boy.  Thirty-one out of thirty-nine repeats finished.

Rumpelstiltskin 5-25-07

I’m ashamed to report, though, that my attention wandered today, as it is so apt to do.  I started playing around with a couple of balls of Jaeger Celeste, a rayon/linen ribbon yarn. 

Jaeger Celeste 5-25-07 

I’m still trying to figure out ribbon yarns and what works best with them.  What I like about them is the almost meaty feel they have when knit up.  What I can’t seem to ever come to grips with, though, is their lack of stitch definition.  Intricate stitch patterns don’t work out very well.

I’m beginning to sense a glimmer of a design coming to me, after working with a couple of simple lace patterns and ripping them out, fiddling with some different decorative decrease methods and ripping those out, and trying out two different needle sizes.

But it’s no picnic.

5 Responses to “Picnic”

  1. MonicaPDX Says:

    Good luck with the ribbon yarn, Sarah. (Obviously you don’t need much more luck on Rumpelstiltskin. It’s lovely *and* almost done. And there’s no fear of Murphy interfering, because I said that, you didn’t. [g]) I haven’t tried any of my rayon ribbon yarn yet, but have noticed in some swatches with a wool/acrylic blend ribbon that cables really look gorgeous in it. With rayon being so slinky, dunno how that’d translate, but it’s a thought.

    And nice picnic photos! Poor Hugo. Maybe if you tell him that those ducks are obviously so tame, they wouldn’t taste as good as real free-range ducks? 😉

  2. Ellen Says:

    The shawl is BEAUTIFUL! I can’t wait to see it when it is finished (in “real life”).

    And yeah, I don’t know what the deuce to do with ribbon yarns. I usually just try to give them a wide berth…

  3. Wanda Says:

    Ohh, Rumpelstilskin is coming along nicely. You will soon be done. It looks gorgeous. I can’t figure out things to do with ribbon yarn either. So I usually leave it in the store.

  4. Marsha Says:

    I found a shawl pattern that uses 3 (count’em – three!) ribbons at one time on size 50 needles! I bought the ribbon and the needles, but knitting on 50’s is like trying to knit with cucumbers, so I gave up. I am thinking of now using the ribbon for gift wrapping purposes instead. I have to tell you I am impressed with your progress on Rumple – you must be some kind of speed knitter! In one of my knitting books, the author tells how to knit while you’re walking. I can barely knit while I watch TV so I guess that is for the Advanced.

  5. Jo Black Says:

    The shawl is to DIE for. I’m so jealous – I lose concentration too easily doing fancy stitches.

    I’m had some success using ribbon yarns and a cable/ladder pattern. I used Louisa Harding Kimono Ribbon which is really springy when it’s knitting up and comes in fantastic colorways. I knitted a little jacket with a cable/ladder patter running up both sides which I was really pleased with. The jacket’s now one of my favourite ‘fancy night out’ garments and I can heartiliy recommend Louisa Harding’s yarns and patterns. Don’t know what the worldwide availability is like though.
    You can see pictures of the jacket at: http://jo2308.typepad.com/blissedoutknitting/2007/06/knitting_with_r.html