Quintessential Cardigan

I love words. I love knowing what they mean, how and where they originated, the images they conjure and most of all that we have so many words to describe how we experience our world.

I am in the process of knitting a sweet little sweater for myself called the Quintessential Cardigan. The word "quintessence" is one of my top 20 favorite words! The first entry in Webster's Dictionary defines quintessence as: "the fifth and highest element in ancient and medieval philosophy that permeates all nature and is the substance composing the celestial bodies." WOW!

The yarn I've chosen for the first incarnation of this sweater is an amazing Scarlet. My blocked swatch is everything I hoped it would be - soft next to my skin, amazing hand and perfect drape. It is lightweight but will be cozy and warm. Plus, the color lifts my spirit just looking at it, which helps stave of the I'm-ready-for-winter-to-be-over doldrums. Knitting with it will be an  absolute joy.

So while I'm knitting this darling sweater I will imbue every single stitch with this meaning and when it's complete it will envelop me in celestial wonderment. What more could a woman ask for from a sweater? 

Follow this link if you want to get your own Quintessential Cardigan pattern from Churchmouse Yarns and Teas!

And a Partridge in a Pear Tree

My one and only son is engaged to be married. He lives in London, England (and has done so since 2006) with my one and only grandson! His future mother-in-law and I have become great friends. We share a love of needlecraft and textile arts of all sorts! 

Cath and I get along like the proverbial house-afire. We have visited each other's homes and taken one another on "Yarn Crawls." She took me through old textile mills, to sheep farms and yarn shops during a 3 day road tour of "The Real England" which included a stop a Beatrix Potter's estate in the Lake District and the Castlerigg stone circle in Keswick!

One year we attended The Knitting and Stitching show in Harrogate together. I've taken her through several yarn shops in Chicago as well as all of my favorites in S. E. Wisconsin. I knitted a shoulder cozy for my future Daughter-in-Law to keep her warm as she went through chemo treatment. Cath knitted hats for my son. We've even knitted "alike" shawls that we bought the yarn for when we were together.

Now, we have embarked on a project together to create two sets of heirloom-worthy embroidered felt ornaments. The Twelve Days of Christmas song inspired Larissa Holland to create patterns for a series of ornaments that represent each of the gifts from the well-known carol. We are each making a full set, evens and odds are divided up so that two families get 1/2 of their series from each of us. Cath's son and daughter-in-law are a darling couple with a daughter and 2 sons that I've come to know and love. My son brings a son and his fiancé brings a daughter to their charming blended family. And so, I consider it an honor and a privilege to create and share these beautiful ornaments between these two young families. I pray that Cath and I are remembered for many years as Christmases Yet to Come are celebrated. God bless us, every one! D.D.

From Left to Right: Partridge, French Hen, and Pear

From Left to Right: Turtledove and Calling Bird (aka Colly Bird)

You can read all about The Twelve Days series by Larissa Holland here:  https://mmmcrafts.blogspot.com/p/ornament-series.html.