Monday, June 1, 2009

Retro or Passe?

About three months after I took up knitting, I found myself part of the on-line knitting world. Searching through blogs for advice and inspiration. And of course I found Knitty.com. The knitters' resource par excellence! And it goes without saying that if I found Knitty, I also learned of Kate Gilber's famous Clapotis. If you have been knitting for more than five minutes, you too know of the famous wrap. In 2006, the pattern was already 2 years old. It was my first exposure to Lorna's Laces. My first exposure to hand-painted yarn. And I HAD to make it! And until I left Israel about a year later, and rummaged through my first real LYS's I had a dream of making my own Clapotis. But in something a bit more to my budget. I mean really, would anyone spend that much money on a wrap?

As I became a more discerning yarn shopper and then finally, the yarn snob I am today, the dream of making Clapotis faded. It had become a cliche in the knitting world. I was too cool to make it now. Except somewhere in the back of my head was teeny, tiny hold out. A little voice that really did want that Clapotis, EVEN if everyone esle had one. Except that now, I didn't want a bright, beautiful wrap. I wanted a classy, cushy wrap. One that would look chic in the dead of winter. Excellent yarn was non-negotiable. Hand painted a must. But subtle. It had to be subtle.

And then I decided to buy this:

Hand Maiden Casbah in Ivory

Casbah, with 10% squishable cashmere. And ever so subtle color shifts in neutral ivories.


It makes my heart sing.


And so I too have finally joined the ranks of the Clapoti knitters. 11,434 registered projects in Ravelry, and still going strong. What took me so long?

4 comments:

Megan said...

I plan to knit one too someday, no matter how cliche it is!

That color is lovely, understated and elegant. It's going to be gorgeous!

Anonymous said...

I kinda avoided the pattern, still am,mostly because I'm trying to not cast on new things, but I do want one for myself. :) Maybe soon something in the stash will want to become a Clapotis.... I've never seen one in person, so not "everyone" has one. :) But judging by the projects on Ravelry, it's close to everyone. Your yarn choice is beautiful! I think your Clapotis will be something you'll use a lot, and for a long long time. samm

Zel, The Grimm Witch said...

I usually just do whatever I want and whether other's like it or not doesn't come into factor. I have the yarn to make one and will...if you like the way it looks go for it! Who cares if everyone else also has your great taste.

Anonymous said...

I usually don't knit anything because I kinda don't know how.