I’ve finished my log cabin mitts, and am trying to figure out how I would/could maintain this blog if all I ever knit henceforth are more and more and more of them. Which is to say I am extremely pleased with how they’ve turned out (already started another pair, now that I’ve made this little discovery) and totally addicted to log cabin knitting. I hope to have photos to share next week, with the pattern soon to follow. Meanwhile, the #fringeandfriendslogalong feed continues to be a hotbed of creativity and inspiration and observation — already approaching 700 posts!
In addition to designer Julia Farwell-Clay’s incredible Richard Diebenkorn-inspired shawl-in-progress pictured above, influences cited have ranged from Paul Klee and Josef Albers to weaver Margo Selby (thanks, Cal!), a photo of Kirsten Dunst in Rodarte, indigenous textiles of Togo/Ghana, and yes, even a pay phone. Once you get log cabin in your head, inspiration is everywhere! The scale of projects underway ranges from a beer koozy to a circle skirt to sweaters and blankets galore. There are people exploring keeping stitches live and others savoring the recurring sense of satisfaction that comes with each bit of bind-off; some free-forming their blocks while others map out every detail; and still others starting projects without any idea what they might become (gosh, what a lot of pretty knits). And then there’s the log cabin meets Hello Kitty meets pussyhat hat.
Basically, you never know from one minute to the next what marvelous knitted block or insightful thought you might encounter! If you’re still on the fence, I would urge you to pick up some needles and a bit of yarn fluff from your stash, and knit a square. Then pick up sts along the side and knit another square. Then a rectangle alongside those. See what happens to your brain and where the exercise takes you! And like I said, I’ll be along soon with that mitts pattern, and then we’ll see if you can stand to not cast on.
If you have no idea what I’m talking about, see the Log Cabin Make-along intro, Meet the panel and timeline posts. And whatever you’re up to this weekend (marching? knitting? cleaning house?), I hope it’s a good one! See you back here on Monday—
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PREVIOUSLY in Log Cabin Make-along: How to avoid, minimize and weave in ends
I am enjoying watching everyone’s work on this so much. I do want to jump in, but with two sweaters on the needles already and a baby sweater that needs to be knit soon I’m very cautious…..
Doooo it …
Ooooo now I know what today’s lesson for my young art students will be! Collaging “log-cabin-style” with strips of construction paper. Slideshow-for-inspiration links right here too! (Especially the Margo Selby! … We look at Albers a lot – all the time!) Thanks for the inspo from early-morning Cali!
That sounds like fun!
I have a Snoqualmie sweater on my needles and my hands were a little tired from cabling with larger needles. I saw this “logalong” and thought it might be a nice break for a day or so…..8 days later and poor Snoqualmie! I can’t stop knitting rectangles! Thanks for the idea and motivation!
The color combination is so pretty. I have started to play with colors from my stash and your color choices really inspire me.
The colors above? Are Julia Farwell-Clay’s, inspired by the Diebenkorn painting you can just glimpse in the open book. So good!
You are totally right about your log cabin mitts. They look fantastic. Since you posted them in your IG stories, I have understood your elation. It is so nice to see something turn out even better than you expected.
Thank you — I finished the thumb on the right one last night and really can’t wait to share them.
Thanks for sharing these inspiring projects! I’ll have to take some time exploring the tag. They may be my next scrap blanket project.
Might try this out I just made a swatch for a pattern without any real direction so it could be my basis for a log cabin make along haha
I knitted a double bed sized blanket in hexagons for my daughter – cast on using ravel cord and decrease into the centre. Pick up the live stitches on one edge, make the next hexagon; as you progress, you end up picking up several sides. When it got too big to cart around, I started on a different corner; eventually, I joined the pieces with hexagons. It has a wonderful softness and flex that you just don’t get with cast off edges sewn together. I used Bendigo Rustic in three colours as it is cheap, pure wool (I’m a spinner, so that was important) and the ends felt in nicely when you wash it.
It required a bit of planning, but I am so proud of it.
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