Finished Object: Clapotis
Posted By jenifleur on November 18, 2008
If you’re coming here via the link at JenLa, welcome to the new digs. I’m still borking this new place from time to time so if it seems to go all wonky, try not to panic. It’s likely that I’m doing enough panicking for both of us anyway. Hope you like the new blog-I can’t decide if I’m happy with the paint yet or if I want to change it again (This is about the 17th effort already.)
You can think of JenLa as a college dorm room; eventually it’s time to move on and get your own place but you’ll always be close to your old roomie. My old roomie has had her own blog for quite some time. After months of deliberation over whether I wanted to continue blogging at all, I’ve finally gotten back around to the stage of missing it.
Jared and I are in the process of starting up a micro mill for processing animal fibers. He’s currently working on the business plan when he’s not busy re-siding the barn or digging four hundred feet of trench to install water and electricity to the barn and pastures. It’s terrifying to start a real business with a business plan and an enormous loan, but it’s exciting, too. We’ve toured several mills around the country and talked to many millers and are still convinced we want to do this. I have plans to show in depth just how yarn is made. I’m also looking forward to having him home from now on rather than being gone for work several months out of every year.
In the interval since my last blog entry I’ve done quite a bit of knitting. For now I’ll show you Clapotis since that’s where we left off and will do more posts about the others until I’m caught up.
After all these years of mouthing off about being one of the last few remaining knitters to have escaped the Clap, I’ve transferred my membership dues to the Clapotis Club. It was the article about Kate Gilbert in the Fall 2008 Interweave Knits that changed my mind. She’s one of my favorite designers; I love her clean lines and simple silhouettes. Whether it was years of exposure to it or all the beautiful Claps on Ravelry I can’t decide, but it was time to make my own. Once I began the knitting, I found the same thing thousands of other knitters before me had found: it was hard to put down. It’s not exactly challenging, but the repeats are so small that you just keep wanting to get to that next dropped stitch.
Pattern: Clapotis by Kate Gilbert
Yarn: Exclusive Fairy Fart in the colorway “Teal Deer” (This is from a Ravelry Rubbernecker swap. Teal Deer is a play on tl;dr which is short hand for too long; didn’t read) I don’t know how many yards I used, but there were approximately 1000 yards of it in the package and I still have enough left that I could make a scarf if I used a lacy pattern.
Needles: I didn’t enter this in my Ravelry project page, so I’m going to give a guess and say about a size 5.
Modifications: Apart from the fact that my yarn was laceweight and not worsted my only mod was to do around 22 repeats instead of the patterned 12. Smaller yarn=smaller scarf=knit more repeats.
I love this Clapotis. I gave it to my mother-in-law, though, to give her the love. I can make more!
In other farm news, we’ve experienced a few losses. While I was at Rhinebeck our cat Bobble became very ill and had to be euthanized. We used to joke that he was the Farm Manager and we never did a single chore on the farm without him right beside us following every step. We miss our Bobble. My brother called him his Farm Pal.
He’s chasing the big turkeys in the sky, now. I bet he’s finally caught a few. The day after he died, his sister Loop ran off and hasn’t returned since. It’s been a month and we’re surprised we haven’t at least seen her around. I hope she’s okay. Unfortunately the losses don’t end there. Showbiz began to lose weight and deteriorate despite all efforts to figure out why and all treatments to try and halt the unknown problem. The day we returned from Rhinebeck and SAFF he was in good spirits, but remained kushing when we patted him hello. The next morning he laid down his head and went to sleep for good.
His passing has been quite difficult for us. We miss him, as well.
All cannot, however, be grief on a farm. There are ewes to breed and mice to catch. Next entry I’ll show you the new ram and a pair of the cutest pest control aids you’ve ever seen.
It’s good to see you again. So sorry for your animal losses. I know how hard that is. But your Clapotis is really beautiful. Maybe it’s time for me to take the plunge again.
Hello darling! It’s so good to see you again (if only in blogland!). The Clap is gorgeous and now I’m thinking it’s time to do another one to keep. Gave mine away a full two years after making it. Heh.’
I’m so sorry about the losses. Big Hugs to the whole farm crew.
good to hear from you. I actually was working on a side project which might involve needing yarn straight from a mill in bulk… so maybe I can be your first customer… depends on if my side project works out.
Definitely put me on your mailing list to send out minimum order info and that good stuff for when you’re ready!
I love the new digs, very pretty header.
I’m sorry about the animals. I’d like to impose a moratorium on death, please, as ironically impossible as that is.
Your clap is gorgeous! See, now we both knitted one. Years after the hype. I am so sorry to hear about Showbiz. I knew about Bobble – but that is a second blow in such a short time! Love your new blog and the look of it. Brown and pink – your favorites.
Your new digs are pretty snazzy. Hopefully, life will get better and things will go more smoothly!
I’m so sorry to hear about your losses.
Nice to see you. You’re encouraging me to finally catch the clap as well.
Dooooood! You start a new blog and didn’t tell me? I’m hurt.
*flounce!*
*peek back*
ooo, claptotis…NO! I will resist the urge to drinkt the clappy kool-aid!
*re-flounce!*
I’m sorry to hear about the aminals, too. That’s rough.
Animals grieve too. Years ago, I had 2 cats, Michaelmouse and Merry. Merry love Michaelmouse like you wouldn’t believe. She ADORED him. When Michaelmouse got hit by a car, Merry was inconsolable. She wouldn’t come home, she would listen when I called, she just didn’t want to be around where he wasn’t.
She got hit by a car a few weeks later.
I really think she grieved herself to death over him.
Anyway, that’s just by way of saying I’m sorry for your losses but glad to see you over her posting!
Nice new digs. Very pretty! The clapotis is very pretty. Almost looks like handspun! Very excloosif. nice
So sorry about farm losses lately. That’s gotta be hard. =(
I love the new digs, very pretty! Again, someone tempts me to join the Clap Camp but I will continue to resist. Sorry to hear of the animal losses. But also looking forward to pics of the new pest controls.
Love what you’ve done with the place! I’m totally looking forward to the “class reunion”.
Oh, and…
I will not cave to the clap pressure.
I will not cave to the clap pressure.
I will not…
Keep the paint . . . always have been a sucker for pink. And I thought I missed something until I checked a previous post to see that I, yes, commented. So confused for a while.
Pets are so hard when they go. I never thought I would miss Rosie, but I still do two years later. Sorry for your loss . . . especially since he was so integral on the farm.
I like the colors of your blog and the design at the top is very cool and crafty.
Clapotis looks great and I have yet to knit one myself. Some day.
Very sorry to hear about your recent losses. It’s so hard when you lose one of your furry babies.
Nice place you got here!
I am looking forward to hearing more about your business venture. So exciting.
That clap pattern is damned addicting.
Nice creature memories.
[...] did on her new blog, so instead of stating a “me too”, let me just direct you all to her very-well-put post at her new digs. Make sure you visit there often! In fact, put it in your RSS reader and [...]
So sorry your fur-buddys have moved on. But I love cute pest control. Can’t wait
I like your new digs.
Your clapotis will hold no sway over me! Even though it is really pretty. I resist the urge! RESIST!
Congrats on your new digs. I’m so sorry to hear about Bobble. I hope Bobble and Snickers are playing together in Kitty Heaven.
So sorry about your beasts; heartbreaking to loose furry ones. But congratulations on your exciting adventures upcoming. (Your blog skin is lovely, btw, just sheepy enough.)
I’m so sorry to hear about your losses. how I can I tease about the Clappy now? Oh, OK. You broke your Clappy cherry. HaHaHa HA HaHa ~It’s been so long, I’ve become a blast from the past. Don’t know if you even remember me. Love the new digs~~
Nice new home.
