Tropical Warmth

Dear Hearts,

Summer's wane finds me somewhere between corn and beans. That is not, please understand, a folksy idiom suggesting an unsettled state of mind. I mean that I am at present encamped between a field of corn (to the left) and a field of soy beans (to the right). Dash and I are en route to a reunion with old friends at Yellow River State Forest, in Iowa, towing our sweet little camper. For the moment, this is the sweeping view from my window.

The owners of the field have kindly permitted me to tap into their wireless signal, which permits me to announce with pleasure the August winner of our monthly finished object contest.

Heartiest congratulations to Abigail G., who joined together a yarn with a pattern blissfully suited to showing it off. The result: frais, by Alicia Plummer, knit from Hat Box in Toucan.

Abigail says, "Toucan is my favorite color so far."

I applaud Abigail for recognizing how particularly suited our Multis are to textured fabrics that jiggle and joggle the strand around. The overall effect is a happy buzz of color,

and I smile at the juxtaposition of this tropical palette with a piece of cold-weather gear.

Abigail, darling, please drop us a note via frolic@mrscrosbyplays.com to let us know your desires as regards your prize skeins. And thank you so very, very much for sharing with us your beautiful finished work.

Last night, Dash and I shook dice to determine who would fix breakfast this morning before we motor off again, and the smell of coffee tells me he has been good as his word, so I bid you farewell.

Yours Ever,
Mrs. Crosby
Neither Here nor There in Wisconsin

I Still Say She Started It

Dear hearts,

I love roughing it as much as the next woman, but sometimes what you want is a pile of fluffy pillows at night and a really good pâtisserie within arm's length in the morning. So I write to you from Paris.

Paris is among the first cities I remember visiting as a child; but not because as a petite jeune fille I was precociously obsessed with the tapestries in the Louvre, or flew into pint-sized raptures over the dinner menu La Tour d'Argent.

No, I remember that visit to Paris so well because during an afternoon walk here, in the Parc Monceau, I got into a shrieking, hair-pulling fight with another little girl after she startled a red squirrel I was attempting to photograph and ruined my shot. 

We both of us wound up in the water, much to the consternation of our families, the fish, and the park keeper. I was forbidden sweets for an entire week; and for the remainder of our stay my mother and grandmother got twitchy if we passed within sight of rotunda at the main gate on the Boulevard de Courcelles.

I haven't seen any squirrels today, but have taken this memorial photograph of the field of battle.

I do enjoy sitting here, although decades on I still shudder at the thought of the same keeper (who would probably be about 150 years old) spotting me and once again shooing me out the gates.

The dear old place retains much of the peculiarly English character it had then–being more given to rambling paths and dotty bits of scattered fanciful architecture than most Parisian parks. One thing it has now, and did not then, is quite reliable public wi-fi. That makes it a good place send you word of this month's finished object contest winner.

Applause is due to Lore, who worked up Melanie Berg's "Drachenfels" in three colors of Hat Box: Boston Fern, Crème Fraiche, and Hot Pimiento. Not three ingredients I would mix on a dinner plate, but in a shawl I think the combination is absolutely spot on. Bold! Fresh!

Writes Lore, "I am so pleased with the results of this project. The little arm sneaking into one of the photos is my 1 year old son who loves to steal my hand knits. This was unplanned for the photo, but I adore that the little mischief maker wound up in there."

A good helper is, indeed, a boon to any artist.

Lore, please send word to us via frolic@mrscrosbyplays.com to select your prize skeins. Thank you so much for sharing your beautiful work with us!

And if you, dear reader, are not familiar with our contest, please know that it happens each and every month. You'll find all the details, and the entry form, on our Web site. We do hope you will be inclined to join the fun.

I am off to have a bit of a stroll before the brilliant afternoon draws to close. Until next time, mes amis, I am

Yours Ever,
Mrs. Crosby
Paris, France

Flowers and Lace

Dear hearts,

Gracious, what a month. When I last I wrote, it was from off the coast of Costa Rica. Today I am a world away, cooling (quite literally) my heels in Iceland. The country is so well known as an earthly Paradise for knitters I need scarcely mention it, but mention it I will. Home base is dear little Reykjavik, where this morning I paused on the street to glance over at the glacier, as one does.

I have driven out from the city to a favorite cliff by the sea, where the only sounds are the pleasant din of the waves and the amiable cries of the puffins. A text message from dearest Dash promises that he will soon join me with a hamper of iced buns and warm coffee. The man has exquisite timing.

Before he arrives, I have a moment to celebrate our newest monthly contest winner. We had heaps of beautiful entries this month, darlings. Heaps. Had they arrived by carrier pigeon, we would have run through fifty pounds of birdseed. We do hope those not selected will feel encouraged to please try again.

At length, we have settled upon an finished object from Lorraine, who expanded on the wonder that is Anne-Lise Maigaard's "Vestland." We felt that you simply must see it.

Writes Lorraine, "I came across the pattern in the Ravelry group enVision, where they regularly have KAL's for exceptional lace designs, and frequently in fingering weight yarns." We are so pleased that you did, Lorraine.

Lorraine wishes to note that would usually take just two skeins, but she enlarged it to suit her taste. In total, the piece required three skeins (plus a bit) of Train Case. "I really love the African Grey colourway," she says. We find it to be a perfect pairing.

Lorraine, darling, what you must do next is drop us a note at frolic@mrscrosbyplays.com so that we may arrange for selection and delivery your prize skeins.

And to all, we hope you will begin to think about submitting your work for future months.

Dash has just arrived, smelling of coffee and cinnamon and sandalwood shaving soap; and so discreetly  I draw the metaphorical curtain. Hide your eyes, puffins.

Yours ever,
Mrs. Crosby
 Iceland

The Lure of the Lotus

Dear hearts,

Can you hear me? I do hope so. Satellite communication can be so quizzical in open water. I write to you today from somewhere in the South Pacific. To say precisely where would be of no import, as we are swiftly on the move after having left Rarotonga well behind. I was sad to leave. The stillness of the Cook Islands has ever been and will ever be my cup of tea when what I want is quietude unbounded.

Do you know the beginning of Tennyson’s “The Lotos-Eaters” ? Wherein the drifting sailors roll shoreward and

In the afternoon they came unto a land

In which it seemed always afternoon.

All round the coast the languid air did swoon,

Breathing like one that hath a weary dream.

Well, darlings, there in a coconut shell you have a week in Rarotonga.

Not that I often long for complete idleness, mind you.  My hands are restless even when the rest of me is still. On our verandah in the early evenings I found myself feebly (but happily) imitating the floribundance of nature in strings of little crochet flowers.

The skipper indicates that I shall soon be called upon to help dish up the lunch, so without further ado let us gaze with admiration upon this month’s champion in our Finished Object contest.

As you likely know, the Newsom pattern by Bristol Ivy was the centerpiece of our first-ever Mrs. Crosby knit-along; and this specimen in Hat Box by Peggy S. carried off the prize for first finished object. She selected Bahama Woodstar (one of our Multis) to do it up, and I must say the effect in this fabric is spot-on.

Writes Peggy, “Knitting with Hat Box was a sincere pleasure! It is now my deserted island yarn. I could knit with it for every project after this and be happy. I made this sweater in three weeks and was eager to show it off for Easter.”

Well done, Peggy. Do be in touch, dear, via frolic@mrscrosbyplays.com to arrange for selection and delivery of your prize skeins.

I hope you will enjoy many more hours of knitting with Hat Box, though not on a deserted island–unless, of course, that’s where you want to be.  Which I could well understand. Ah, Rarotonga! I wonder how quickly one might turn this nimble little boat around?

Until we make land, dear hearts, I sign off and have the pleasure to remain

Yours Ever,

Mrs. Crosby
Somewhere in the Pacific Ocean,
aboard the Breezy Cardigan

The Wearing of the Purple

Dear Hearts,

I do not as a rule plan itineraries so as to land in national capitals on national holidays; but the coincidence is always charming when it arises. Greetings from Ireland, on St. Patrick's Day.

I am in Dublin for only a day, however a day in Dublin is far better than no Dublin at all.

Before I meet Siobhán at the Palace Bar for a whiskey, it is my duty and pleasure to share with you this month's winner of the Finished Object Contest.

Please join me in applause for Karen, who knit up Heidi Kirrmaier's marvelous Vitamin D for none other than her own, dear mother (seen below) using Hat Box in Monkey Orchid.

Writes Karen,

"Every Christmas I knit her a sweater, but this one she just loved, and she says she has received many compliments from the ladies in the retirement community. The yarn gives such wonderful stitch definition - I'm working on one for myself in Submarine."

Your mother makes a perfect model, Karen, even unto the detail shots. Proof that playful elegance is never out of style.

Simply lovely fabric, don't you agree?

Karen, darling–do please be in touch with us as soon as possible via frolic@mrscrosbyplays.com to select your prize skeins and arrange for delivery.

Remember, dear readers, that as of this writing the next deadline for the photo contest will be April 10, 2015.  What have you been making with needles, hook, or loom that you would love to show off? Visit the contest page for all the details.

Until next time, may the roads rise up to meet you; but not because you've had too much whiskey and stumbled on the cobblestones.

Yours Ever,
Mrs. Crosby
Dublin, Ireland

Cream, Sugar, and New One-Skein Patterns

Dear hearts,

If you've taken a gander (pardon the pun) at our range of "multi" colorways, you will have divined that I am an inveterate bird-watcher. The chance to tiptoe among the toucans is one reason I write to you this morning from Costa Rica, where beautiful plumage abounds.

The evening mail canoe brought a letter from the charming nineteeth-century town of Guthrie, Oklahoma–do you know it? If not, you should. Guthrie is full of delights for the hunter of antiques, of history, and of yarns. It is home to Sealed With a Kiss, a yarn shop with a deservedly fanatical following.

Keely, doyenne of SWAK for lo these many years, wrote to tell me about the tea party she recently threw in my honor. Sadly, high winds prevented us from leaving Pago Pago in time to reach Oklahoma; but the photographs relate that the local knitters believe (as do I) that every day is the perfect day for a Really Good Hat.

Mixed amongst the sandwiches at the party were no fewer than five new one-skein patterns designed specially to go with our yarns. Five patterns, darling. I am prostrate just thinking about it.

Here are two in which I am particularly interested: the classic, textured sock, Dame Audrey

and the elegant keyhole scarf, Miss Vining.

To see the entire collection and read about the party, pop over to the Sealed with a Kiss blog.

And now, as the birds are calling, I must away.

Yours Ever,
Mrs. Crosby
Somewhere in the General Vicinity of Palmar Sur, Costa Rica

Cables from a Friend

Dear hearts,

If you've been with me since the beginning of this adventure, you know that designer Fiona Ellis and I are kindred spirits. She was among the first to produce a pattern with one of our yarns–the beautiful Re-Gathering Intentions–and has done it again with exciting results.

Fiona, like your present correspondent, is compelled by insatiable wanderlust.  Born in England, she now lives the life of an expatriate in Canada; even so she cannot help seeking new horizons.

Last year she lived abroad for an extended time in Buenos Aires, Argentina. There, bewitched by the colors and textures of the city, she captured a stream of vivid images...

...and grew fascinated with the city's fabled tango culture.

The tango as it is danced in Buenos Aires is no prim, arid combination of steps to be taken across the floor in between sips of cream tea. It is self-evidently, as dear Robert Frost put it, "a vertical expression of a horizontal desire." He wasn't speaking specifically of tango, so far as I know; but he might as well have been.

Fiona is herself a dancer; so it surprises me not in the least that the sinuous movements and unique beats would have influenced her to design Milonga in our own, dear Steamer Trunk.

Milonga is the name for a tango gathering...

...and in this asymmetrical (but perfectly balanced) cardigan I detect the swoops and turns and clutches of a tango pair in full flight.

If you'd like to join the dance, Milonga is available via Ravelry.

I'll be pleased to burn the floor with you any time, Fiona darling.

Yours Ever,
Mrs. Crosby

San Francisco, California