Today the Spring issue of
Black Purl magazine came out, and the pattern for
Vaasa is in there, free for anyone with the courage to try it! There's a pretty melange cardigan by
"LaVonne" Angela Best(seeing my name beside hers was worth the whole dpn ordeal!), and one of Wanda Blount's (funkycrochetdiva on ravelry) very funky hats. (Carol Ventura has a
blog post about this fantastically creative tapestry crocheter, don't miss it.) There's also a good article on Korsnäs sweaters, and another one on the ethnography of Haitian ceremonial flags. This is a really interesting magazine, both scholarly and fashionable, and I have a great deal of respect for
L'Tanya Durante, the editor. It's a privilege to be a part of it.
I really do feel for the poor brave souls who take on Vaasa. So I promise 2 tutorials here, one for knitters and one for crocheters. For knitters we will discuss how to do Crochet Jacquard with 3 strands: this is a lesson in Zen self-mastery, as
Sriyana who works with 8 strands (!!) recently pointed out. For crocheters we will discuss Double Pointed Needles, Knitting Thereupon. It will be called "dpns and their puta madre".
This is what my blue Veritas, Equitas looks like to date before weaving in. And I still don't quite know how to explain the thumb gusset decreases in a written pattern.
1. Cut a bootie-sized potato in half lengthwise.
2. Shape cut half of potato to desired shape of bootie sole.
3. Cut top of potato to desired shape of bootie upper.
4. Insert potato in plastic bag. Important: do not omit step 4.
5. Insert potato in bootie. Spray lightly with water and let dry.
